Dear fam and friends,

     Great news!  Yesterday our investigator who is in her twenties, that I told you about who called us up to learn more about the Book of Mormon, and who lived in Missouri for 3 months, got baptized!!  I can not describe to you the amazing feeling of watching someone you love enter the waters of baptism.  I have been there with her from the very beginning and it was incredible to see the change in her.  She just soaked everything up that we taught her like a sponge.  I did nothing but explain some principles to her, and the spirit of God did everything else.  She is now wanting to go to the temple one year from now  and we are preparing her for that.  I may be able to go to the temple with her a few weeks before I go home. How cool is that??:}

     I want to share with you an experience I had last night.  We went over to meet with a member and her daughter, and I shared with them an experience I had with prayer.  I asked the mother to share her thoughts about prayer and why it is so important.  Then this woman opened up and bore her heart to us.  I didn't know what she was saying exactly, but as she was talking I saw this tear fall down her face.  In that moment I stopped worrying about the fact that I couldn't understand her Korean words, and I stopped worrying about what I was going to say next.  I felt so much love for this woman, even though I had no idea what she was saying because she spoke so fast.  I got a small taste of what God feels for us with true unconditional love.  I saw her as a precious daughter of God.  I love these people more than anything!! I love serving here in Korea and I love being a missionary!!

     My companion is just so lovely.  She is from seattle, Washington and can sing like an angel.  She studied classical opera and  we have totally different voices, but she is still amazing!!

    

     My apartment is so warm and comfortable and I am lucky to stay in the best apartment in the mission.  ( That's what I hear). It's new and modern and I am so lucky. Even though I don't want to be transferred, I probably will be leaving next transfer.  My companion is teaching me so many more Korean words and I am learning a lot.

     A few weeks ago I had to go to the hospital because my companion had severe stomach problems, but she is o.k.  We went to the heart of Seoul, and it was congested with people but very interesting!  

     I was shocked to hear that  my friend from high school, Grant, was shot and killed a few days ago while working at QT. What a sad tragedy. What a sad thing for his family.

     Dad…….I am sorry once again to hear about the death of your best friend and mission president.  I know how much he meant to you.

     I am going to need some more white and black flat shoes in the spring.  I will take some pictures and send them to you.  Awhile ago we went to McDonalds here for my first time and we got some ice cream. I'm not used to American food.  It made me sick and I won't be doing that again!! Today for p-day we are taking sticker pictures and going to watch a movie with the sister missionaries in our apartment. (Church movie) and just finally relax.  When we played Golf Screen a few weeks ago with the elders, it was so much fun. That was the best!!!  I want one in my house now!  Jeff and Daniel would LOVE it!

     o.k. it's not funny…..the rice here is making my face blow up so I stopped eating it.  hahaha I make a salad now every day for lunch instead.  Very yummy!  I am on a diet for sure!:}  I sang yesterday at the baptism and it went really well.  I was asked to sing for the next zone conference.

     I have to tell you something funny that happened recently.  We were teaching a lesson to a family who has a 13 year old boy and we were teaching him how to pray in English.  The boy started to read a prayer in English and said, "In the name of Jesus Christ……….. AMERICA."  hahah  I just about died of laughter inside.  His mom quickly said, "noooo…..AMEN!"  

     A few weeks ago we were at an investigators house for dinner and they served us this rice that was wrapped in intestine and there was blood all in it.  I didn't  know what it was but felt obligated to try it, and I almost died on the floor, especially when I found out it was DOG!!!!!

     I guess you're probably wondering where I'm getting my strange shirts that I've been wearing. (like the poka dot one)  I got them from the "underground mall."  I seriously feel like I'm looking more and more like a Korean, even though I wouldn't mind. haha

     This week was probably the hardest week of my entire mission, yet it was the most rewarding week of all.  We had soooo many miracles happen!! Let me take you through one day.  We woke up and were studying when we got a phone call at 11:00a.m. from an inactive member.  She said, "Hey I'm at the church.  Where are you?"  We were supposed to meet later on but she got the time wrong.  We literally ran out the door with barely anything in our hands except the Book of Mormon, and of course I forgot my wallet.  This girl had turned down all the missionary lessons in the past and did not ever want to come back to church.   She took us to her house and ordered food, and at the table told us she wanted us to teach her twice a week, and that she also wanted to come back to church! She said because we had been calling and checking up on her continually she felt we really cared. That was the first miracle. Then she drove us back to the church where we had another appointment.  This woman canceled on us so we then had 30 minutes to get to our next appointment, the Kim Sisters.  We hopped on the subway and ran to the Kim sisters house. We have not been able to meet with them since November.  They had originally set a baptismal date, but were having second thoughts.  We knew that if we didn't teach them that day it would officially be over.  We had fasted and prayed for them many times during the week.  When we got there they said to come back in an hour.  We had no money, and no real warm clothes or gloves, and had no where to go.  We stayed out in the cold and tried to talk to people on the streets for an hour but with no success.  I thought my hands were going to fall off. When we came back to their house, and it was amazing we even got in to their door, they decided that they wanted us to come every week to teach them.  They had to be ready and now they were.  It will be a lot of work but it is our second miracle in one day.  We went home happy, but very tired missionaries.

     The pictures of our new house looks so beautiful!!  I love it!!  When I get home………can we just go on a week cruise all together????  I just want to spend time with you all!!  I also want to just sleep and relax.  haha  I love you all soooo much, and I can't wait to hear from you next week!

        Love, Michelle

p.s  I NEVER want to leave Korea! (of course you know what I mean)