I like to believe 3 impossible things before breakfast

28
May

We went to EVERLAND!!!! That’s right brothers and sisters, I did it. I went to Korea on my mission and I found the closest thing to Disney I could. I’d call this mission a success (but for other reasons hehe). 

We had to get special permission from President because one of our investigators wanted to take us. And she knew a cast member so she got us in for free!!! Lulz! They call them cast members and guests there, too. I know this because there were English signs. Practically everything was in English.

I took a million pics, don’t worry ^^ The only contingency from Pres was to not ride anything dangerous. We barely rode anything at all because there were so many people but I’m not even mad! It’s the smells and music and the atmosphere I wanted to see. The reason there were so many people is because today is a national holiday… Buddha’s birthday! Happy birthday, Buddha!

(Photos: Wikipedia and 10mag.com)

(Source: truebluesue)
6
Apr

The largest sitting Buddha in Asia is in Cheonan (aren’t most of the Buddhas in Asia anyway?!  So maybe somewhere in the western world, there is a bigger one?!)

6
Mar

Investigators

Our favorite investigators are the friends of a member in our ward (the mother of the precious baby I sent a picture of). We meet them every week for English/Gospel lessons. They all have kids around the same age of that other baby, maybe a bit older. When we’re teaching English they’re fine, but when we switch to the gospel lesson they go CRAZY. Just like, everything is happening and there’s so much noise. It’s kind of funny the way Satan works that way. He can’t bind our tongues so he tries to distract our investigators’ ears. But they don’t even fall for it! They are way more intent during Gospel than they are during English. They completely ignore their kids and ask a lot of really good questions.

We weren’t sure how this class was going to turn out since they’ll all progress differently and keep commitments differently but so far it’s been really good. I think we’ve decided to just take it slow with them and when they decide to meet with us separately we’ll teach all the lessons to them then. One of them has already decided to meet with us separately. She cried when she prayed in front of us! Afterward her friend turned to us and said, “I think she is feeling Holy Ghost.” It’s funny cause we can say that kind of thing in front of them in English since they can’t understand gospel words, haha.

4
Mar
This week Sister Cutler and I went on splits with the sisters in Suwon, Sister Egbert and Sister Westrup. We rode a train from Cheonan to Suwon and then Sister Westrup and I rode a train back from Suwon to Cheonan. We almost got on the wrong train because we were in such a rush! In fact, we DID get on the wrong train. It only had 4 cars though and our seats were in car 6 so Sister Westrup was like, “we have to get off!” and we ran up and down these stairs to get to the other train on the other side of the tracks. It was so confusing because the train we got on didn’t leave at the time it said it would on the ticket, it left a few minutes later. We can normally find our way around easily but NOTHING said Cheonan. Once we were on the train and it was moving we still weren’t sure we were going the right way, haha. Sister Westrup has been to Seoul a couple times and she said it didn’t look like we were going that direction. But we could’ve been on our way to Busan! Haha. I was suspicious because it was getting close to the time the train was meant to stop in Cheonan and I realized the train hadn’t stopped once the whole ride. And the train TO Suwon stopped several times. Then I remembered also that the train left late so the arrival time would be slightly off, too. Then we arrived in Cheonan and all was well. But anyway. Splits are rough!

This week Sister Cutler and I went on splits with the sisters in Suwon, Sister Egbert and Sister Westrup. We rode a train from Cheonan to Suwon and then Sister Westrup and I rode a train back from Suwon to Cheonan. We almost got on the wrong train because we were in such a rush! In fact, we DID get on the wrong train. It only had 4 cars though and our seats were in car 6 so Sister Westrup was like, “we have to get off!” and we ran up and down these stairs to get to the other train on the other side of the tracks.

It was so confusing because the train we got on didn’t leave at the time it said it would on the ticket, it left a few minutes later. We can normally find our way around easily but NOTHING said Cheonan. Once we were on the train and it was moving we still weren’t sure we were going the right way, haha. Sister Westrup has been to Seoul a couple times and she said it didn’t look like we were going that direction. But we could’ve been on our way to Busan! Haha.

I was suspicious because it was getting close to the time the train was meant to stop in Cheonan and I realized the train hadn’t stopped once the whole ride. And the train TO Suwon stopped several times. Then I remembered also that the train left late so the arrival time would be slightly off, too. Then we arrived in Cheonan and all was well.

But anyway. Splits are rough!

4
Mar

Jumping and chinning ‘round the world.

4
Mar

March 1st Independence Movement Day

I live in Cheonan which is the heart of the most important day for Korean freedoms and liberty. Their struggle to remain free of Japan’s oppression of a couple thousand years is inspirational.

It was so wonderful to be able to learn about this historic day in the best place to observe this holiday in Korea! Bishop Yang and his wife were so kind to take us along with their family to this wonderful event.

(By Kelly Brock)
4
Mar
The cat cafe was closed, so I couldn’t get any pics of it!! I was so sad. But I have even worse news in relation to pics… My camera is gone!! I don’t know if it was stolen or if I lost it but it’s gone forever :( I was being more proactive about taking pictures for you and looking like a super tourist while I was at it so I wouldn’t be surprised if someone grabbed it, although I always think I would notice those kinds of things. I feel SO BAD!! That camera was so nice and so expensive!! Not to mention the priceless pictures on it I lost. I’m so so so so so sorry! What should I do about pics? I’ve been taking pics on my companion’s camera. Oh and one other thing. Gwak Mi Soo or something along those lines added me on facebook. She’s in my ward, and she studied for a couple weeks at SHSU in Texas! The only time she’s ever been to America! Weird, huh? She’s gonna post pictures of me. After she took a picture with me she said, “for your mother.” So sweet!! ^ ^

The cat cafe was closed, so I couldn’t get any pics of it!! I was so sad. But I have even worse news in relation to pics…

My camera is gone!! I don’t know if it was stolen or if I lost it but it’s gone forever :( I was being more proactive about taking pictures for you and looking like a super tourist while I was at it so I wouldn’t be surprised if someone grabbed it, although I always think I would notice those kinds of things. I feel SO BAD!! That camera was so nice and so expensive!! Not to mention the priceless pictures on it I lost. I’m so so so so so sorry! What should I do about pics? I’ve been taking pics on my companion’s camera.

Oh and one other thing. Gwak Mi Soo or something along those lines added me on facebook. She’s in my ward, and she studied for a couple weeks at SHSU in Texas! The only time she’s ever been to America! Weird, huh? She’s gonna post pictures of me. After she took a picture with me she said, “for your mother.” So sweet!! ^ ^

19
Feb
THE CUTEST BABY OF THE WORLD She is SO cute. She’s a member’s baby. We go to their house once a week now to teach the member’s friends. This member referred to us five of her friends!! She’s the best member ever!! And has the cutest baby ever ^ ^
THE CUTEST BABY OF THE WORLD

She is SO cute. She’s a member’s baby. We go to their house once a week now to teach the member’s friends. This member referred to us five of her friends!! She’s the best member ever!! And has the cutest baby ever ^ ^

15
Feb

Transfer 1, Week 4

Being on a mission has made me realize how kind-of-a-crappy member I was before my mission. I never helped the missionaries! The ward here is SO missionary-friendly. They have us over all the time, they refer people to us, they LOVE us. And I love them, they’re the best.

I love the Korean people; I can’t imagine serving anywhere else.

7
Feb

Fasting about Finding

On Fast Sunday, my companion and I fasted so that we could find someone prepared for the gospel. It was amazing how instant our results were. As soon as we combined our faith with works—fasting and searching—we found someone after only knocking on three doors. It was funny because we had just knocked on the door and no one answered, but then she got off the elevator and she looked shocked that we were there. We asked if she had time to hear our message and she said of course, come inside, it’s cold! So we did!

She was so sweet. She said that when she first saw two strangers in front of her door she was terrified, but then she saw the light in our eyes and she knew we weren’t scary. She gave us some herb tea and rice cakes and we talked about her life and her religion. She said she was interested in learning English and about our gospel. So we’re gonna meet with her again tomorrow. Pretty exciting!

6
Feb
We have 2 areas and go to 2 wards. One of the wards has its own building (above), but the other is actually a branch so it’s much smaller and they just rent one floor in an office building. I LOVE all of our members so much. Before my mission I used to wonder what missionaries did all day, and my companion said she used to think they just knocked on doors all day, haha. Here’s what the missionaries (in Korea at least) do all day: WORK WITH MEMBERS. Member referrals are the best way to find investigators, and are the most promising, since they already know someone who’s a member and know we’re not a crazy cult. I feel like it’s really different in America but here we work with the members so much. And they’re great!! 

We have 2 areas and go to 2 wards. One of the wards has its own building (above), but the other is actually a branch so it’s much smaller and they just rent one floor in an office building. I LOVE all of our members so much. Before my mission I used to wonder what missionaries did all day, and my companion said she used to think they just knocked on doors all day, haha.

Here’s what the missionaries (in Korea at least) do all day:
WORK WITH MEMBERS.

Member referrals are the best way to find investigators, and are the most promising, since they already know someone who’s a member and know we’re not a crazy cult. I feel like it’s really different in America but here we work with the members so much. And they’re great!! 

6
Feb

What does this little ^ ^ mean that you put after things in your letters?

That thing (^ ^) is an Asian smiley. I knew this pre-mission and thought you did, too. It’s just like (^_^) but no one does the mouth in Korea, just the eyes, teehee. ^ ^

6
Feb
Transfer 1, Week 5 This week was really eventful. It started out with a district meeting in Seo San and then a split with Sister Hansen, one of my roommates in the MTC! She came back to Cheonan with me and we knocked on doors together, haha. It was HILARIOUS. We couldn’t understand anything anyone said to us! We just gave everyone pamphlets! And told them what we knew how to say. It felt like we were just back at the MTC practicing, except we weren’t companions there. It was a really fun split. She went back to Seo San the next day and my companion came back to Cheonan. Tomorrow I have a split with Sister Hansen’s native Korean companion who doesn’t speak any English. I’m so excited ‘cause she’s the cutest person I’ve ever met.

Transfer 1, Week 5

This week was really eventful. It started out with a district meeting in Seo San and then a split with Sister Hansen, one of my roommates in the MTC! She came back to Cheonan with me and we knocked on doors together, haha. It was HILARIOUS. We couldn’t understand anything anyone said to us! We just gave everyone pamphlets! And told them what we knew how to say. It felt like we were just back at the MTC practicing, except we weren’t companions there. It was a really fun split. She went back to Seo San the next day and my companion came back to Cheonan.

Tomorrow I have a split with Sister Hansen’s native Korean companion who doesn’t speak any English. I’m so excited ‘cause she’s the cutest person I’ve ever met.

30
Jan
truebluesue: A letter from Hannah’s mission president with a picture taken on her arrival at the mission home! “We are so excited to have your daughter serving with us here in the Korea Daejeon Mission. She is ready to go to work. We trust that your daughter will receive many blessings through her missionary service in Korea and extend to you our sincere appreciation for sending us your precious daughter. We look forward to a wonderful relationship with her and deem it an honor to serve with her at this time.”

truebluesue:

A letter from Hannah’s mission president with a picture taken on her arrival at the mission home!

“We are so excited to have your daughter serving with us here in the Korea Daejeon Mission. She is ready to go to work. We trust that your daughter will receive many blessings through her missionary service in Korea and extend to you our sincere appreciation for sending us your precious daughter. We look forward to a wonderful relationship with her and deem it an honor to serve with her at this time.”