While serving in Yeo-su, my companion and I decided we'd try teaching an English class as a way of getting the name of the Church and the Book of Mormon into the community. We found a company that would do it. I forget its name, but they actually agreed to our proposal with one catch: they insisted on paying us to teach the class. Then they paid us up front for the classes! My district leader called the mission home on what to do with the money. I forget the amount, but it was a lot, especially for two American missionaries used to living on $120 a month.
The mission home wouldn't take it. They suggested we use it instead to do something for the branch. After some brainstorming we came up with the idea of chartering a bus. District conference was coming in a month or so. Since most of the members wouldn't go because they couldn't afford the bus fare, we decided to charter a bus so they could.
After we got the bus, there was just enough money left over to buy some ice cream to share amongst ourselves. (There were six missionaries working in Yeo-su at the time.) We then announced at the next branch Sacrament meeting a bus was available to whomever wanted to use it to attend conference.
I remember thinking of what we were offering to the members in the days leading up to conference. Would they appreciate that two missionaries were going to be teaching English for one night a week for three months to pay for their trip? Would they care? Would the bus be full? I wanted that bus full! I got so caught up in my "great sacrifice for them," that I felt I'd be angry if they didn't take full advantage of it.
And then the lesson came.
While praying and pondering about the situation, the Holy Ghost touched my mind and pointed out the similarities between that bus and the Atonement. I realized then, I'd never fully appreciate what the Savior did that night and day as He bled and died for me (us.) And then I was shown that just as I wanted that bus full (so our gift to them would not be wasted,) in a much more perfect and holier way, the Savior wanted the same for us.
He wants us to repent! He wants us to have every advantage we can of His marvelous gift. When I contemplate it even today, more than 40 years later, I am filled with awe and gratitude. I think of a silly young missionary and the parallels between that small gift to a few dozen Korean saints and the Savior's unspeakably wonderful gift to us all. While I see the parallel, there is no real comparison. The lesson has remained with me to this day.
Oh, and the bus? While my companion and I filled the last two seats on the way to conference, the bus was completely full of branch members on the return trip. We missionaries had to ride home on a different bus.
