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)
27
May

Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.

Doctrine & Covenants 84:85
(As foreigners teaching in Korean we really have to rely on the Spirit to know what to say. Just like in D&C 84:85 the words will be given to us as long as we continually study the words of life!)
15
May

Transfer 3, Week 5

안녕하세요!


This week I had the opportunity to teach a Chinese investigator. I’ve taught a Taiwanese investigator before but she didn’t speak Korean or English very well so we weren’t sure which language to teach her in and it was mostly just awkward! But this investigator was cool because she’s much better at Korean and she has no experience with religion at all.

It was a great appointment because it’s one of the first I’ve had where there’s no English interest at all. Most of our investigators are interested in the free English we teach. But she just wanted to hear our message. She thinks believing in God is a good thing and she wants to come to church, but she’s working on a dissertation right now and is going back to China for a week or something and then she’ll be free to come to church.

It was interesting to teach her because we were both clearly communicating in a language that was not our native tongue. And yet we were communicating! It was so cool. I said my one phrase I know in Mandarin: “I am a representative of the Lord.” And she understood it! Guess I’ve been saying it right, haha. And she taught us some Mandarin. Tones are fun! Anyway, her name is Jin Bin (Jeen Been) if you want to pray for her. ^ ^

5
May

Transfer 3, Week 4

Saw a lot of miracles in Singal this week. 

One of which was… I got your package!! And it was teh BEST!! I’ve already eaten like.. a lot of it, heh heh. Made pancakes this morning (with Nutella and syrup on top.. and peanut butter). Had cheesy potatoes yesterday, the Chex Mix was gone in like 2 days, and the Thin Mints are gone, too. I was so happy to get it :) And yet I was even happier to get a letter from you <3 And an English copy of the Ensign! Hallelujah.

The investigator miracles we saw this week: Since we’re white-washing the area and got no referrals from the Elders we have had to find all our investigators. This week we found an interesting one. Truly a miracle but it has a sad ending. This girl saw me and asked if I was from America. I said yes and said that we were missionaries in Korean because she is Korean and wearing a student uniform. Turns out she’s lived outside of Korea pretty much her whole life and is kind of LEARNING Korean like, now. She said she’s at the level of a first grader. So she speaks English better than Korean. And about 9 other languages. Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Latin, Italian, Spanish…I can’t remember them all. INSANE, huh?

So we got lunch with her and she just spills her guts. She for real NEEDS this gospel. Turns out she lived in Idaho before and all her friends were Mormon. When we told the Elders about her they said “Wait.. what’s her name??” HER BROTHER IS THEIR INVESTIGATOR ALREADY. What are the chances?? This city is huge, there are a ton of different churches missionaries around and they separately met missionaries from our church! While we were just out street contacting!

So we were able to meet with her once after we first met her and taught her the first lesson about the Restoration. Gave her a pamphlet and a Book of Mormon and taught her how to pray. The sad part is that their Mom is way against the church. Sooo we can’t meet her again. Later she texted us saying she’s sorry and that she didn’t know. We said she needs to obey her mom. And she said “maybe when I grow up we can meet again?” :( cute and depressing. She and her brother have a lot of family problems. They are so culturally confused from living in so many different places. They can’t relate to anyone but each other but they’re not close. Sad, huh? 

27
Apr

Transfer 3, Week 3

This week was definitely better than last. It’s still a little tense and we’re not always as happy-go-lucky as I was with my last companion but there’s a language barrier and it’s to be expected I think. This week we had interviews with President so we saw him and his wife which is always great. Love them.

This week we also found new investigators! Finally we have more of a purpose than just street contacting. I was losing it for a little bit there. Teaching is way more fulfilling than not teaching. Still trucking along with the language… I used to feel like I could understand more than I could say but now I feel like i can say things I couldn’t before but understanding people is so hard… they speak so fast! Americans cut foreigners slack and speak slowly but Koreans aren’t about that life.. nah, they actually speak some English to me so it’s ok, haha.

21
Apr

I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy… How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?

Jeffrey R. Holland
17
Apr
My new companion!

My new companion!

15
Apr

In the general Relief Society meeting of September 2006, President Gordon B. Hinckley related an experience shared by a divorced single mother of seven children then ranging in ages from 7 to 16. She had gone across the street to deliver something to a neighbor. She said:

“As I turned around to walk back home, I could see my house lighted up. I could hear echoes of my children as I had walked out of the door a few minutes earlier. They were saying: ‘Mom, what are we going to have for dinner?’ ‘Can you take me to the library?’ ‘I have to get some poster paper tonight.’ Tired and weary, I looked at that house and saw the light on in each of the rooms. I thought of all of those children who were home waiting for me to come and meet their needs. My burdens felt heavier than I could bear.

“I remember looking through tears toward the sky, and I said, ‘Dear Father, I just can’t do it tonight. I’m too tired. I can’t face it. I can’t go home and take care of all those children alone. Could I just come to You and stay with You for just one night? …’

“I didn’t really hear the words of reply, but I heard them in my mind. The answer was: ‘No, little one, you can’t come to me now. … But I can come to you.’”

Thank you, sisters, for all that you are doing to raise your family and maintain a loving home where there is goodness, peace, and opportunity.

David S. Baxter, “A Message to Single Parents”
12
Apr
I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sometimes we use the terms gospel and Church interchangeably, but they are not the same. They are, however, exquisitely interconnected, and we need both. The gospel is the glorious plan of God in which we, as His children, are given the opportunity to receive all that the Father has. This is called eternal life. The Church was established by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” The Lord restored what once was, specifically telling the Prophet Joseph Smith, “I will establish a church by your hand.”  Jesus Christ was and is the head of His Church, represented on earth by prophets holding apostolic authority. We need the gospel and the Church. In fact, the purpose of the Church is to help us live the gospel. &#8220;Converted to His Gospel through His Church&#8221; Donald L. Hallstrom, LDS General Conference

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sometimes we use the terms gospel and Church interchangeably, but they are not the same. They are, however, exquisitely interconnected, and we need both.

The gospel is the glorious plan of God in which we, as His children, are given the opportunity to receive all that the Father has. This is called eternal life.

The Church was established by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry, “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” The Lord restored what once was, specifically telling the Prophet Joseph Smith, “I will establish a church by your hand.”  Jesus Christ was and is the head of His Church, represented on earth by prophets holding apostolic authority.

We need the gospel and the Church. In fact, the purpose of the Church is to help us live the gospel.

“Converted to His Gospel through His Church”
Donald L. Hallstrom, LDS General Conference

9
Apr
So yesterday and the day before I finally got to watch General Conference! There was a week delay because of the translation into Korean, although I watched it in English, anyway, with some other missionaries. My favorite talks were by far Hallstrom&#8217;s and Baxter&#8217;s. Here&#8217;s a quote from Baxter&#8217;s talk: Thank you, sisters, for all that you are doing to raise your family and maintain a loving home where there is goodness, peace, and opportunity. Although you often feel alone, in truth you are never totally on your own. As you move forward in patience and in faith, Providence will move with you; heaven will bestow its needful blessings. Your perspective and view of life will change when, rather than being cast down, you look up. - &#8220;A Message to Single Parents,&#8221;  David S. Baxter

So yesterday and the day before I finally got to watch General Conference! There was a week delay because of the translation into Korean, although I watched it in English, anyway, with some other missionaries. My favorite talks were by far Hallstrom’s and Baxter’s. Here’s a quote from Baxter’s talk:

Thank you, sisters, for all that you are doing to raise your family and maintain a loving home where there is goodness, peace, and opportunity.

Although you often feel alone, in truth you are never totally on your own. As you move forward in patience and in faith, Providence will move with you; heaven will bestow its needful blessings.

Your perspective and view of life will change when, rather than being cast down, you look up.

- “A Message to Single Parents,”  David S. Baxter

4
Apr
Transfer 3, Week 1 My new companion and I got to the new area, Singal. Yesterday was kind of hard for me because it was Sooyoung&#8217;s baptism in my old area and I wasn&#8217;t able to go. President Furniss said that it would be okay but my district leader said no&#8230; My companion is still the cutest thing in the world but I miss Sister Cutler so much. I could TALK to her&#8212;she understood English. I cried a lot when we had to say good-bye. I keep comparing everything to Cheonan and so far Singal doesn&#8217;t measure up. I saw one of my favorite members from the Cheonan ward yesterday and I almost broke down right there. I&#8217;m sure by the end of my time here I&#8217;ll be just as in love with this area as I was with Cheonan. Also this is exactly what I predicted and wanted to happen. I couldn&#8217;t think of a better situation for me in my 3rd transfer of my mission in Korea. It&#8217;s just different now. And hard :/

Transfer 3, Week 1

My new companion and I got to the new area, Singal. Yesterday was kind of hard for me because it was Sooyoung’s baptism in my old area and I wasn’t able to go. President Furniss said that it would be okay but my district leader said no…

My companion is still the cutest thing in the world but I miss Sister Cutler so much. I could TALK to her—she understood English. I cried a lot when we had to say good-bye. I keep comparing everything to Cheonan and so far Singal doesn’t measure up. I saw one of my favorite members from the Cheonan ward yesterday and I almost broke down right there.

I’m sure by the end of my time here I’ll be just as in love with this area as I was with Cheonan. Also this is exactly what I predicted and wanted to happen. I couldn’t think of a better situation for me in my 3rd transfer of my mission in Korea.

It’s just different now. And hard :/

31
Mar
It&#8217;s Transfer Call Day!!! I&#8217;ll be leaving Cheonan in 3 days to go to&#8230;. 신갈! It&#8217;s essentially in Suwon. I don&#8217;t know how to write it in English. Anyway, though! I&#8217;m soooo excited!! I&#8217;ll be companions with Sister Jinha, a native Korean. She&#8217;s soooo cute. I&#8217;m so lucky to be her companion. She doesn&#8217;t know much English, either, so this&#8217;ll be such a great learning opportunity for me. We&#8217;ll be white-washing the area (opening the area to sisters&#8212;meaning we&#8217;ll both be new to the area and there will be no one there to pass it off to us and tell us about the members or give us any investigators. We&#8217;ll have to find everyone on our own. Normally Elders would refer to us their female investigators but I&#8217;ve heard none of the investigators want to meet with sisters). My new area&#8217;s church building is actually technically in the Seoul mission! Because Suwon used to be in the Seoul West mission but when that was dissolved Daejeon mission got some of the area and Seoul mission got some of the area. I&#8217;m pretty sure in my new area on P-Day we can go to the theme park that&#8217;s up there if we get permission to go. DOING IT EVERY WEEK, hahaha.

It’s Transfer Call Day!!! I’ll be leaving Cheonan in 3 days to go to…. 신갈! It’s essentially in Suwon. I don’t know how to write it in English. Anyway, though! I’m soooo excited!!

I’ll be companions with Sister Jinha, a native Korean. She’s soooo cute. I’m so lucky to be her companion. She doesn’t know much English, either, so this’ll be such a great learning opportunity for me. We’ll be white-washing the area (opening the area to sisters—meaning we’ll both be new to the area and there will be no one there to pass it off to us and tell us about the members or give us any investigators. We’ll have to find everyone on our own. Normally Elders would refer to us their female investigators but I’ve heard none of the investigators want to meet with sisters). My new area’s church building is actually technically in the Seoul mission! Because Suwon used to be in the Seoul West mission but when that was dissolved Daejeon mission got some of the area and Seoul mission got some of the area.

I’m pretty sure in my new area on P-Day we can go to the theme park that’s up there if we get permission to go. DOING IT EVERY WEEK, hahaha.

29
Mar
I for sure don&#8217;t want any clothes from America like ever again, haha. I plan to come home with a whole new Korean wardrobe!

I for sure don’t want any clothes from America like ever again, haha. I plan to come home with a whole new Korean wardrobe!

24
Mar

Yesterday I spoke in church and that night we went over to a member’s house for dinner (and made kim bop! basically Korean sushi) and he said that it sounded like I’d been in Korea for 10 months. He said he could understand my heart because he had had a lot of American companions on his mission and it was so frustrating, haha. He said I’d always remember my first area and how frustrating it was, lol. I honestly just love it here! I’m gonna miss it.

It’s sad to think that things will never be the same after this transfer because if by slim chance I DO stay in Cheonan one of the Elders in the area will most likely leave. And then I will eventually leave and love other members. My companion is making all these plans to visit a ton of people from her mission when her parents come to take her home, and it sounds really fun because her mom is Korean and her Dad speaks Korean. It’d be weird to come back and actually be able to communicate with people, haha. Funny that I’ve managed to get close to members at all without speaking much Korean!