Week 6

WEEK SIX

Provo Temple food AMAZING. I highly recommend eating there for breakfeast. The omelet is full of cheesy goodness and they draw smiley faces on your waffles with fresh whip cream. Today the man gave my waffle a mustache with bacon, it was delicious.

Our devotional speaker this past Tuesday was awesome, it was Elder Dallin H. Oaks! Thats two apostles in a row. His wife also spoke and she is such a good speaker as well. He talked about missionary work and made an emphasis on learning the gospel so you can teach by the Spirit. He repeated twice, "Prepare by learning the principles of the gospel and teach by the Spirit according to that persons need in any order." This is so important to remember because you can get caught on doing the lesson in order everytime, but thats not the purpose of Preach My Gospel. They changed it from the memorized lessons to this for a reason. So that missionaries can teach by the spirit to the needs of the investistigator.

Last night we did a 20 minute lesson with our progressing investigator Rob and we planned a lesson but did not go by it at all. He had not prayed and expressed concerns and we ended up talking about the Holy Ghost. And by the end he left with an understanding of the importance of prayer and how through prayer we recieve answers or get feelings of comfort through the Spirit, which he had felt before when reading the Bible. So it was a successful lesson, but perhaps our committment could have been more substantial. But My one companion was super frustrated afterward because we didn't do what we had planned and therefore she did not say much in the lesson.

Our heard us after our lesson discussing this whole issue and later in class shared a quote by Elder Bednar that I really like, "Planning is everything, plans are nothing." This related to what Elder Oaks talked about. It's important that we prepare and study for the lesson, but we need to makesure to teach to the investisgators needs and not freeze up if nothing goes according to our plans. Prepare and then teach by the Spirit. No one got to shake Elder Oak's hand but I got a picture of him from the curb of him driving away smiling and waving and wearing this stylish golf cap. So cool.

TRC teaching was fun this week. Our first lesson in Korean. Friday night we taught our progressing investigator in korean and it was horrible for me. I literally said two sentences. I was frustrated and knew what I had been doing was not working. I was writing down simply english sentences and then translating them into Korean. I wanted to be able to speak freely, which I had not been able to do. Doing the lesson made me realize I didn't know the vocab. So that night I wrote down words I would use from the first lesson, which was about 20 or more. And then I prayed that I would be able to memorize them and remember them for tomorrow because TRC was the next day. And the Lord totatlly helped me. Got them down within 30mins, and remebered them the next day. The Church is TRUE! I feel so blessed. And when we taught I was able to say so many sentences and express want sentences came to my mind. It was a ruff lesson because of our lack of language. But I left feeling like I was able to communicate what I needed to and our lesson flowed from prinicple to principle. The Lord has truly blessed me and called me to learn this language.

Week 5

WEEK FIVE

So many amazing things have happened! This past Tuesday Elder Richard G. Scott came and spoke! You can just feel the spirit when he enters the room and especially when he testified "I know that Jesus Christ lives." I was sitting five seats back on the floor, off to the left. I was so close. During his talk he had all those learning a foreign language raise thier hands. He then invoked an aposotlic blessing on us of the gift of tongues. "But you still have to study" he said. So cool, defiantly need the extra help.

Yesterday I prayed for help, that I would understand the grammar and be able to make sentences in my head, rather than on paper and I was able to. It was so amazing. Its only been five weeks! The lord is truly helping me learn this language. So this week in the TRC we have to do our lesson in Korean! It will be intense. But I am feeling okay about it, because yesterday we did short lessons in Korean and I was able to translate my english sentences out loud and never had to look at the korean sentences. So COOL.

Oh and the TRC this past Saturday so great. We did our Korean task perfectly and our lesson so powerful. The Spirit was there start to finish and me and my companions were unified. Before we each taught one principle, because its hard with three and some talk for a long time. But we have been working on this and this week we didn't have set parts we just talked and would pause so someone else could jump in, it was so good. And then we committed our investigator (who is fake) to baptism! He said yes. After we ended with prayer he asked what he could do until we met again. Thankfully before we had left to go to the TRC i grabbed the Plan of Salvation and Restoration pamphlet and gave him the Plan of Salvation one to read, answer the questions and pray about. Those promptings of the spirit are so real, even if you are just role playing. It was an amazing TRC lesson and afterwards, our investiagor, Brother Ball, said we did great and he felt the Spirit. All you need is the spirit and all goes well.

So my Korean zone is full of traditions. Like every Saturday night we meet at the vending machines and eat ice cream. Well just four days ago we learned of another tradition. So there is an Elder Warner, who is in the older district and he has a bristish accent. His dad is from england, mom from Idaho. Grew up mostly in England and just recently has been living in Rigby, Idaho...so we thought. We were told Elder Warner actually doesn't have an accent and has lived in Idaho his whole life! We were in disbelief and felt betrayed! But at the same time in compelte "aww" of Elder Warner that he had pulled off a British accent for 6 weeks! He even fooled real Bristish people and couldn't convince them that he really was American. So funny. So the tradition is past on as the Older district leaves. They just left yesterday, so now Elder Theobald will carry on the tradition in an Austrilian accent. Which is really good, but super thick. Plus he uses slang all the time and knows so many people in the MTC. So there are some problems that could arise, but I think he will be able to trick the new district coming in next week.

One more thing, I sparined my thumb a month ago in volleyball, it still is sore and I can't really curl my eyelashes with my right hand, because it hurts. So decided to use my left hand...bad idea! While curling them my hand jerked and I pulled out like 6 eyelashes. I have this little bald patch in my eyelashes...so sad. But they are growing back fast and it only looks funny if you look close.

Week 4

WEEK FOUR

This week we got to teach Plan of Salvation at the TRC. But we didn't find this out till wednesday! Therefore we didn't have much time to prepare. This lesson was so hard for me to teach. Everytime we did a pratice I never, ever knew what to say. I know the material, but to put into words was beyond me. Thursday night I prayed for help and the next day i had such an easier time explaining principles from Plan of Salavtion during our practice lessons. But come TRC day I was not in the best of moods. I didn't feel prepared at all or that I even knew my Korean task and when we did the task i actually forgot alot of it. When it came around to teaching the lesson, I prayed that I would feel the Spirit and know what to teach.

The investisgator asked about why she would need to get baptized agian? She was Catholic and had already been baptized. I was able to bear witness to her about the importance of authority and baptism by immersion, sharing scriptures along the way. Then my companions also bore witness. It was awesome, defiantly the highlight of the lesson. After the lesson, the investistgator (who was a returned missionary from Chicago) said if we would have asked she would hasve been baptized! Me and my companions were like "oh no", because that was not the commit we had asked her to do.

We still have so much to learn. On of the things our observer and investiagto commented on was about asking questions. So during companion study we will read a principle and come up with a list of questions we could ask an investiagtor to guage thier understanding and to help us understand their beliefs more. Our questions are getting better and better. When we did a 10min principle lesson with one of the Elders we were on a role with the questions. It was awesome, he even commented on how we asked good questions. It was a great feeling, especially because one of my companions had a little outburst the other day on her frustrations on not knowing what questions to ask.

I have to say the stress of the MTC has not hit me yet. I am so grateful! A couple days ago one of my companions broke down into tears after lunch. Our teach had not been patient that day (stress of college finals we think) and it made her feel really bad. She was understanding everything and she felt she couldn't ask the one teacher for help. But she is good now. I think from my 21 credit semester I had at school, waking up to sew at 5:30 am and not going to bed till 2am, really taught me about how to handle stress. As my teachers always told me, do your best and the Lord will help you with the rest. During companion inventory both said I was really laid back. So i am so grateful to not get stressed easily over the Korean and such. Such a blessing :)

Week 3

WEEK THREE

At the MTC we got native Koreans, they are hilarious. The four Elders came and played volleyball with us, I don't think they have ever played before. So funny one of them would get hit in the chest everytime on a serve in trying to hit the ball, then he would fall on the ground. Everyone would just bust up laughing. It was so much fun. My thumb is ok, still hurts, but at least I can play volleyball :) MTC food, not the great, however the desserts...WONDERFUL. I have been trying so hard to resist the cookies, but I can't. They are so soft and amazing.

In class we did an exercise where we had to testify to commit. We had to testify of the restoration within 10 minutes. And it was so awesome to realize how the Spirit works through us. I had an idea of how to begin, linking a scripture in relation to Joseph Smith's First Vision. And it just flowed from there. I tesified of how we recieve answers to prays and how God speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. I then shared how I felt the spirit and issued a committ for the investitigator to pray to know if what happened to Joseph Smith was true. I was so powerful, the Spirit was strong and directed my speech, it was really cool :)

This past Sunday we sang in church the EFY melody of Sisters in Zion and Army of Helaman. So good. We had 9 sisters and 10 Elders. The Spirit was strong and people had tears coming down their face. One Korean Native sister was crying as well. It testifed to me how even when there is a language barrier the Spirit still will testify to us all. This gives me great comfort. Korean is not an easy language. When I am there I may say grammtically incorrect things or say the most simpliest things because of my limited vocabulary. But I know that it won't be an issue, because the Spirit will testify and they will feel the power and importance of the message shared. It is amazing to think how many people get baptized around the world by missionaries who barely can speak thier language. It truly is the Spirit that converts others, that changes hearts, not me or any other missionary.

 P.S. Jess's mom here, Somewhere amidst the move, I can't find week 2, but when I find it, I will post it!

Week One

WEEK ONE

I feel like I have been here for awhile now. I have learned so much within the past five six days I have been here. I know my Korean Alphabet, can read and write korean, can pray in Korean and can bear my testimony in Korea! Crazy! But it is so cool how the lord blesses you. I see that so much in my studies. In the morning I am all depressed about not understanding the Korean much, but at the end of the day I understand perfectly. The Lord is TRULY helping me learn this language.

My favortie times at the MTC is gym time. So much fun. Me and some of the Korean sisters play volleyball with some of the elders. Sadly, I hurt my thumb really bad yesterday. Blocked a spike and it pretty much took off my thumb. It's pretty swollen and still hurts. But I am hoping it will get better. Because if I go to the nurse, then I'd be put out from gym time until my thumb was healed. So I won't say anything unless it never gets better and I will lay off the volleyball for awhile. I also made my knees bleed. I get a litter intense and dive for the ball. It's fun though. Just not good becasue we kneel everytime when we pray, so it stings a little :).

Our Elders in the zone are awesome. They stand up for us at breakfeast, lunch and dinner when we sit down. They also take our trays for us when we are done! In fact this morning was the first time I had to pick up my own tray. The Korean sisters are spolied here :) It really is the best mission :)

The missionaries in my district are hilarious. I love the Elders. Its fun we are all getting to know each other. We were all really chatty yesterday, which was not very good during our MTD time. Not sure what MTD stands for. But its our personal time to do compantion and language study. Out teachers are really good too. So fun and great at explaining Korean grammar and things like that. We have such good spiritual discussions here. My favorite thing about the MTC is being able to hear all these testimonies on a daily basis, espeacially the Elders. They are so young, but steadfast in their beliefs. You can see how they will be amazing missionaries.

President Shin is great. Him and his wife are so nice. Luv it. President Shin smiles so much you can barely see his eyes. I can barely understand Sister Shin though, she has a heavy Korean accent. I can't wait to go to Korea! It's a long ways away, but it will get here fast.

Officially A Missionary

I am officially Sister Hill. Tonight I got set apart by President Richard Nixon at his home. What a wonderful experience. He took me aside from my parents into a separate room and asked me “What is the key to a successful mission?” I replied, “Obedience and listening to the promptings of the Spirit.” He said those are very important, but the key to a successful mission is “discipleship”.

What does it mean to be a disciple? Part of being a disciple is to love.  President Nixon testified to me how love is the number one thing that can overcome any emotion, like anger or grief. It’s so true. Loving others is a quick way to soften a heart. He further counseled me on how I need to seek to emulate the characteristics of Christ: love, charity, etc. To see people as Christ sees them. He told me when I come home from my mission I will see the world differently, people differently. It will be like going from “black & white to HD definition”. 

I found a fabulous quote from the History of the Church by Joseph Smith when I was researching things said about discipleship. He says, “A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race” (History of the Church, 5: 227). As a missionary it is my goal to be Christ-like. To love unconditionally, to serve as Christ did in the New Testament and to teach all I meet about the love God and the Savior has for them. Love truly does change hearts.

President Nixon further counseled me to love my companions. He said, “The only thing you’ll in common with some, is that you both weren’t astronauts”. He also told me to love my Mission President, that I need to love him and adhere to his counsel.

We then went and rejoined my parents so that I could be set apart as a missionary. He laid his hands upon my head and set me apart. He then gave me a wonderful blessing about how obedience will bring protection and how there are people in Korea waiting to be taught, who I will have the opportunity to share the gospel with them.

Right as the Mission President was ending the blessing the Rocky Movie Theme Song started playing from someone’s phone. It was great timing, like a huge triumph to now be a missionary.

Missionary Farewell Speech

Today was my last Sunday in the Colonial 2nd Ward. For the past two weeks I have been researching and gathering material for my talk. I found a lot of great quotes and scriptures, however, I was completely dumbfounded when it came to organizing the material I had. Plus I still needed to find more material! Unfortunately, the day before my talk I had to work from1pm till closing at my job. I woke up early in attempt to finish my talk. But that didn't happen. I still was at a loss :(

When I got home from my shift around 10:30pm I talked with my mom to try and get some ideas from her, but all she said was "go collaborate with the Lord." So I said a little prayer, begging for help, because at this point I was a "little" stressed that I had nothing written down!I began to research more things and was inspired on what keywords to search. I was able to find great material and was able to put together a talked that flowed subject to subject. I finished writing my talk around 4am. What a blessing that my church doesn’t start till 3pm.

I love the subtle promptings of the Spirit, like what keywords to search or how to phrase a sentence. The Lord does help us in those hours that we desperately need him. All we got to do is kneel and ask for his help.

. . . . . .

LIVING THE STANDARDS OF THE GOSPEL

March 13, 2011

I would like to start off with a story from Richard G. Scott about a young man who made some wrong decisions, he says:

Seated across from me was a despondent man, head buried in hands, sobbing from the inevitable consequences of repeated violations of the commandments of God. He anguished: “I don’t know what to do. Everything is pressing in on me. I’m tired of running. There is no peace, no happiness…

As my heart sorrowed for him, I realized he does not see the world as it really is—a place of joy and happiness, of true friendships where faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His teachings invite the Holy Ghost to prompt correct decisions. He lives in an environment dominated by the influence of Satan…He was carried on the crest of the wave of appetite and passion, oblivious to the consequences until the inevitable crushing encounter with the laws of God occurred. That produced pain, remorse, and regret.

Alma’s words to his son Corianton are profoundly true in this story, as well as, in our own lives, “wickedness never was happiness.”

How many times have each of us made mistakes and have felt the hopelessness and quilt that come because of transgression?

In Mosiah 2:40-41, King Benjamin is addressing his people and says:

I pray that ye should awake to a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen into transgression…I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.

From modern-day revelation we have been given more standards and further instruction on existing commandments. We are asked to obey the word of wisdom, be honest in all things, observe the Sabbath day, dress modestly, use clean speech, live the law of chastity and many other things.

Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley said:

We have standards—sure, tested, and effective. To the extent that we observe them, we shall go forward. To the extent that we neglect them, we shall hinder our own progress …These standards have come from Him. Some of them may appear a little out-of-date in our society, but this does not detract from their validity nor diminish the virtue of their application. The subtle reasoning of men, no matter how clever, no matter how plausible it may sound, cannot abridge the declared wisdom of God.

Satan seeketh “that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27), while God’s whole plan for us is called the plan of happiness! Therefore, I think it is safe to say disobedience, will make us miserable like Satan and obedience to the commandments of God will bless us and bring us great happiness.

President Spencer W. Kimball said, “Peace, joy, satisfaction, happiness, growth, [and] contentment, all come with the righteous living of the commandments of God.”  Indeed, we can see that much of personal happiness depends on agency.

As the scriptures say, we are “free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.”

I hope we choose to follow God. We should follow the standards of the gospel because of the testimony we testimony of them, because we want to follow the Lord.

Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the 1^st Quorum of the Seventy said, “There is a critical difference between living our lives by rules and standards that seem imposed on us and living by standards that we regard as our own.”

Once we gain a testimony of the standards and commandments of God, they “are no longer a source of irritation or even something we reluctantly tolerate. Instead, they become our friends, and we appreciate and embrace them”. They become part of our character

Elder Jensen continues:

As our commitment to the gospel and its standards deepens, our understanding of God’s purposes is enlarged and our feelings about temptation and sin change. In our early years, some temptations may actually appear enticing, and we may struggle with exercising our agency in right ways. Indeed, we may make some mistakes. Thankfully, the gospel provides a way for us to repent and obtain forgiveness. As we progress in choosing and doing the right, we will eventually join King Benjamin’s people in having “no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually (Mosiah 5:2).

Knowing the consequences of sin and the blessing of obedience will help us make righteous decisions. But having a testimony and deep understanding of the commandments of God will keep us anchored to Christ and steadfast in living the standards of the gospel.

As we live the standards of the gospel each day, we will be strengthened and able to resist temptation. And as we continue to make righteous decisions, Satan’s enticing will become less appealing and his hold over us weaker.

There are many things we face each day that test our integrity, our faith, and our obedience. We must face every challenge with courage and faith.

In the Ensign Article, Everyday Courage, Ron Woods says:

The courage spoken of here is not necessarily the physical bravery shown by soldiers or rescue teams who risk their own safety to protect others, or by mountain climbers who scale sheer walls by jamming fingers into crevices, although no one would deny that such actions require tremendous bravery…The courage called for in the gospel is usually less visible, and it seldom makes news. It’s an unshakable commitment to live by correct principles as opposed to “going along”. To live the truth with integrity and reject anything less. This kind of commitment is resolute, bold, and confident, while at the same time quiet, unassuming, and humble.

In the 1982 October Ensign, I came across a story about a young man determined to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Erroll Bennett was the top soccer player in Tahiti when he was introduced to the LDS Church and was baptized, despite considerable opposition from family and sports officials.

Soccer is Tahiti’s biggest sport, and when Bennet was baptized all soccer games in the country were played on Sunday. Because of the Sunday games, Brother Bennett knew that deciding to join the Church and spend his Sundays in Church activities would spell the end of his soccer career, which was then at its height. The day after his baptism, a Sunday, Brother Bennett did not play, and he was prepared to resign his position during the coming week.

A few days later, when it was clear that Bennett meant to stand by his commitment, the league met and concluded that the long tradition of playing soccer games on Sundays was a bad idea after all. All top twelve clubs agreed to move their games to weeknights. (See Ensign, Oct. 1982, pp. 14–20.)

When we obey the commandments of God, we will be blest. Whenever we face great opposition, choose the right, your example could have a lasting impact on others.

Granted, courageously living the standards of the gospel will not yield a miraculous result every time. More than likely nothing will happen and perhaps we may face greater opposition for obeying the commandments. But know that you will be filled with peace and feel the support of the Lord when you choose the right.

Prophet Thomas S. Monson said:

Life’s journey is not traveled on a freeway devoid of obstacles, pitfalls, and snares. Rather, it is a pathway marked by forks and turnings. Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed: the courage to say no, the courage to say yes…Of course we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle.

I just want to express my testimony of how important it is to live the commandments of God. I can truly testify that wrong decisions do not bring happiness. I have made the bad choices and have felt the overwhelming quilt, remorse, pain, and hopeless that results from sin. However, I know we can all overcome those things that easily beset us. God loves us so much and desires nothing more for us then to come unto him and be happy! Through the atonement we can be forgiven for a multitude of sins. Forgiveness takes away the burdens of sin and consumes us with the feelings of peace and love. I know God loves me, I know he loves you. He has given us commandments and standards so that we may be happy and free from the bondage of sin. I know these things are true and I hope we all can be bold and courageous in living the standards of God. I say these things in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.