Dear family and friends,
Well I want you to know that I'm doing really well. I'm healthy, happy, and having so much fun!;) I hope you are all happy as well!
I tell myself everyday that even though I have never felt so exhausted in my life, my soul has never been so at peace. I know that I can rest later, and I honestly am so happy and I would NEVER go back on my decision to serve a mission. Sometimes I don't know how my body does it, and how my soul can feel this much peace……. but it's happening.:)
Last Monday we decided to visit a recent convert who was not active. She is twenty years old and she never answers our phone calls. We did an unexpected visit and her mom answered the door, and invited us in. She gave us fruit to eat and water to drink, and told us her daughter stopped going to church because the members offended her. I looked up and saw Liahonas and the Book of Mormon on the shelf. Then the mom called her daughter and got in touch with her and asked her to meet with us,……..and she said yes. We are excited to teach her and also her mom as a possible investigator as well. MIRACLE!!! We are bringing people back one at a time.:)
On Tuesday while we were walking along looking for a place to go get dinner, and looking for some where cheap, I suddenly just grabbed my companion and said, "ok lets go here!" haha! I don't know why I did that but I did. After we ate, this lady and her friend walked in and sat down at the table next to us. I said hi and she started speaking ENGLISH. It threw me off because I was ONLY speaking Korean that day. She said, "Are you Mormon missionaries?" I said yes, and she had this huge smile on her face and said, "I am from the Philippines and I live here in Korea, and I am a member of the church but I can't find the ward building. I knew you were missionaries when I saw your tag." We told her that the church was really close and she thanked us. We got her number and she said she wants to meet with us and come to church. The blessings of being in the right place at the right time.:)
Wednesday we had a great lesson with our two investigators who are buddhist, and they finally accepted to take the bible home with them. Next will be the Book of Mormon. They are cute teenage girls, and they are progressing very slowly, yet asking lots of questions which are helping them to understand better.
On Thursday we had Zone Training this day, and it was all about feeling the spirit more, and having good thoughts. I loved that message and it has affected all of my week, and I always want to feel the spirit in my life. I find when I am focused on my purpose and feeling the spirit of the Holy Ghost I don't feel as exhausted. Then, later that night I went on exchanges. We were walking home and suddenly we ran into this drunk lady. She looked at me, and then she walked over and immediately hugged us, and put her arms around us squeezing us as hard as she could. She then pulled both of our faces to her cheeks and started walking. I laughed so hard, and she just kept saying how much she loves us and how she is so happy!! We kept on walking with her and she stopped squeezing us, and then grabbed our faces and kissed our cheeks. Her breath smelled SO STRONG of beer but it was so funny!! Sister Van Wezzep and I were laughing so hard we couldn't contain ourselves. I will never forget the night I was kissed by a drunk korean woman. hahaha!
Friday we met with our teenage buddhist friends who are students again. We found them in the bathroom one day, and we just love them. They are so cute and are our little miracles.
Saturday we met with that convert who is less active that is 20 years old that I talked about earlier. She was the shyest girl I have ever met. Maybe she wasn't shy but just hated us??? haha I don't know…….anyways, I invited her to church and she just looked down and said, "Uhhhh uhhhhh uhhhh I have an appointment." We think she lied to us but nonetheless we know that through prayers and continuing to meet we can get her back to church.
Finally Sunday came and I fasted to help us find someone new to teach. I didn't expect to get an answer so fast, but I did. That night we decided to call potential investigators off the list we had. The second and third lady we called are both interested and we set up an appointment with them. I was shocked on how fast we found someone to meet with and how fast the Lord answered my prayer. THE POWER OF PRAYER AND FASTING ARE REAL!
This week has been great and next week will be even better.:) Transfer calls are next week but I don't have to worry about anything. haha:)
For p day today we went to the immigration office to update my foreigner card because it's been a year. Now we are going shopping at the mart and then going home to just RELAX. We are so tired! I have decided that my blisters will never go away until I get home. It's o.k;)
I am running every day because I am working on cardio right now more than anything. I want to get myself in shape before I come home. haha! My Korean companion, by the way, always says funny things, especially when we are teaching the English class. I had taught her the word "psych" and so she often says, "Hey look…..I found it." Then she says…."PSYCH!" haha….And I laugh so hard every time!" She's so cute and I just love her.
So if you think there's bugs here, you are right!! I have seen some cockroaches, and NATS are EVERYWHERE!!! It's all good though and I'm tough. haha! I have to say that if I had my choice I would like to transfer to a more humble run down area, because that's always best for baptisms. This city called Hwaogok is very hard to find people to baptize because of their wealth, and so loaded with anti- Mormon bible bashers, but I would miss my companion terribly.
The Koreans don't stress on having Family Home Evening like the people do in the U.S, and I have never heard of mutual here in Korea, but if they have it I am completely unaware:) They hold young adult and music firesides all the time here though. The young people and students here in Korea are busy studying very very hard, and they go to school until 10:00 or 11 p.m. every night. The students are the most busy and everyone just works.
If I had to start my mission all over, I would have prepared better by going out with the missionaries locally and asking a bunch of questions to them, and really study Preach My Gospel. Personal study has honestly been the main thing that has kept me going on this mission. Every morning after I read and study I receive enough motivation ( revelation, the spirit, strength) to get back on my blistered feet again and endure through the day. It's honestly the Gospel and Jesus Christ that help me, and if I didn't LOVE this Gospel I would be home by now. It's just TOO HARD to be out here if you don't love what you are doing. I think other than the scripture about Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, my favorite scripture is Alma 8:11-16. Alma gets persecuted, spit upon, cast out, and he feels so much sorrow. Then the Lord said to Alma that he is NOT done…….and he needs to go on back! Those scriptures describe perfectly how I feel here in Korea. A lot of people I meet say, "Oh you are Mormon! We know who YOU are and we don't believe in your Mormon church!" The people are way different in this city and are very hard to teach, and it's always a challenge to be a missionary, but it has NEVER EVER been this hard. The people are really challenging in this area but it's teaching me so much! :) I have never had so much rejection in my life but like I say, I have NEVER been happier. I KNOW that I am on the LORDS SIDE……….and our team will ALWAYS win!!.:) It's kinda fun to take on rejection. hahaha!!
So I have decided I want to marry a man who served diligently on his mission and was strictly obedient, like you dad, because those are qualities I look up to. I want to work my very hardest while I am a representative of the Lord, and this is my time. I have learned so much being out here so far away across the world, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love you all so much and I will continue to pray for you every day! Have a great week.
Love Michelle
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