Sean's Story
By Jonathan Westover 

It was a hot and humid April evening in Inchon, South Korea, and the end of my first full day in the mission field.  I had just finished a grueling twelve weeks at the MTC in Provo and had endured a long two-legged international flight from Salt Lake City to Seoul Korea.  After a half-day of orientation and interviews with mission leaders, I was sent to my first area with my trainer. 

We arrived back in Inchon from the mission home in Seoul just in time for our weekly English class, which we provided free to the public.  Since I was brand new and did not know the Korean language very well, I was put in charge of the advanced class (most everyone was understandable in English).  It was during the free-talk time following the activity that I first met Sean.   

Sean was 25 or 26 at the time, and after conversing with him for just a few minutes, I quickly learned that he was a recent graduate of the nearby Inha University.  His English was fantastic, and like most Koreans, he was very kind and excited to practice his English with an American. 

After just a few minutes of getting to know him a little bit, I got the nerve to tell him a little bit more about the Church and ask him if he would like to meet again to discuss more.  He said yes, and I was so excited to have made my first real contact and appointment in Korea ― even if was all done in English!   

We met the next day for lunch, and after grabbing a quick bite to eat, my trainer and I started to share the first discussion with him.  We quickly learned that Sean was not just a recent graduate, but that he graduated near the top of his class.  Despite his hard work and success as a student, jobs were difficult to come by (at that time in Korea the economy was in a recession in response to the IMF crisis of a few years prior, and jobs were scarce). 

Sean seemed interested in the gospel message, yet guarded and a little hesitant.  Like so many other Koreans, he came from a Buddhist background, and though he did not consider himself a very religious person, I was very impressed with how he believed strongly in the virtues of high moral living.  We also quickly learned that, unlike most Korean males, he did not drink or smoke and he quickly accepted the basic tenants of the gospel.  To us, Sean seemed golden!   

We continued to teach him discussions and invite him out to church and English class, and for a while, we probably saw him four or five times a week.  However, despite all of the lessons, Sean had a difficult time initially with prayer and recognizing the promptings of the Holy Ghost, as is common with individuals first being introduced to Christianity. 

Several baptismal dates came and went and the weeks began to drag into months, and no real "progress" seemed to be made.  Finally, after I had been in my first area for close to five months, we found out that Sean had secured a good banking job in Seoul and that he was moving.  Though we were excited for him, I was also sad to see him leave.   

However, as it turned out, I was transferred just a few weeks later to a new area near where his new apartment was, and our friendship continued.  In fact, it became a pattern in our relationship, with my mission transfers coinciding with his work transfers.  It was apparent that the Lord's hand was in this relationship.

In one way or another we stayed in contact (and when possible) met occasionally over the next year and a half.  At times when he did not actually live in my area, I tried to encourage the elders where he lived to get to know him and visit with him.  I believe that during the two years that I was in Korea he probably had the discussions two or three times.   

Continuing Contact

After returning home from my mission, I continued to stay in contact with many of those friends I met in Korea, but probably none as closely as Sean.  Mostly through email, we continued to keep tabs on each other's lives.  The semester following the completion of my mission, I moved to Provo and began my time at BYU.  I was very fortunate to secure a job teaching Korean at the MTC (where I stayed for the next three years), and before long, many of the missionaries I taught took their turns spreading the restored gospel in Korea.  I was surprised to find that Sean met many of them and each of them played a very important role in helping him to stay somewhat involved with the Church.   

The years continued to pass, and one evening my wife and I found ourselves enjoying the beautiful Christmas lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  It was cold, of course, and at one point we went into one of the buildings to get warm. 

Within a few minutes, the sister missionaries approached us and asked us if we knew anyone with whom we would like to share the gospel.  This had happened to me many times when visiting Temple Square, and being a BYU student who taught at the MTC, I honestly did not feel that I knew a single non-LDS person ― let alone anyone I would feel comfortable sharing the gospel with. 

Then I was prompted to tell them about Sean.  I did not know his phone number or address in Korea off the top of my head, so I gave my home phone number so the missionaries could call and follow up later in the week, once I had the information at hand.

I did not hear much from Sean in regards to the referral over the next few months ― only that he had met a new set of missionaries and that he was making some friends in the ward boundaries where he resided.  At that time, Sean was looking at getting married and starting a family and was getting more into the mindset of religion (he was seriously dating a nice Korean girl). 

I know that he had felt the spirit on many occasions in the years leading up to this point, and that he felt very strongly when he met with this new set of missionaries that it was time that he take the required step.  Before I knew it, I received word that Sean was baptized.  Shortly thereafter, he was married and his new wife also was baptized.  I know that they both received tremendous support from the local members (who played an even bigger role in the conversion of Sean's wife, who previously had had no interaction with the church at all). 

In the meantime, I was surprised to find out that he apparently had been thinking for a long time about coming to BYU to get his MBA and that he had applied and had been accepted.  By this point, I had known Sean for six years, dating all the way back to that first meeting on my first day as a missionary in Korea.  I cannot express how happy and excited I was for him and his new family.   

Fortunately, the happy story did not end there.  After coming to BYU, Sean and his wife received great support from members of their new ward, and they made many new friends.  With their diligence in the gospel and the help and support of local members, Sean and his wife were sealed in the Provo Temple a year after they were baptized and had a beautiful girl born in the covenant just a few months after that.  It was my small family's privileged to attend the baby blessing of his daughter and hear Sean share his testimony about the role of the restored gospel in his life and his family.   

Sean has now finished his MBA at BYU and has returned with his beautiful family to Korea, where they will all have the chance to continue to grow and serve in the gospel.  I know that there will be many challenges ahead for them, but I also know that they are up to those challenges.   

Sean and his conversion story have taught me a great deal about the blessings of the gospel and the importance of missionary work.  I was fortunate to play a small role in introducing him to the church, but really, it was the persistent and sincere efforts of countless elders in Korea, those wonderful sisters at Temple Square, and the local Korean members who fellowshipped him and his new wife, that helped to keep him close to the gospel until the time was right for him. 

Sean's story has also helped me to gain a strong testimony of member missionary work.  In addition to providing referrals, we all play a vital role in fellowshipping investigators and new converts.  I've learned that missionary work need not be scary or burdensome, but rather, something that we can all do as we are simply living the gospel and trying to follow the example of the Savior in showing charity to those around us. 

Sean's story is just one example of the many wonderful blessings that can be had when we are aware of those around us and all work together in the gospel.