START OF A NEW TRANSFER

Well me and my companion are keeping busy. We picked up five new investigators this week. One we are super excited to teach because her brother is also meeting with the missionaries. Her brother is 25 yrs. old and she is 22 yrs. old. His been talking about the church and Book of Mormon at home so she was curious and wanted to come to church. For Sunday school class we went to the marriage preparation class. Which was so fun. The teacher is really good and makes it fun, not akward for people. I was a little worried taking investigators to that class, but it turned out really well and she made friends with our Ward Mission Leader's daughter. Yes!

Even though we have had many miracles these past couple weeks, this past week we had a very sad experience. Our little 안태현's mother said "no" to letting him to get baptized. It's really frustrating because her and her husband are MEMBERS! They are inactive, but his two older sisters are active. The reason why is because the Dad's parents are Catholic. I don't understand this about Korean Culture, but children, even when they are 40 years old still base off their decisions on what their parents say. Its so frustrating to me. And the worse part is they are moving soon and she told us once they move they are not going to let their kids attend church anymore. It's a horrible, depressing situation. I still pray something will change, I love that little boy.

So Monday was a bit Korean Holiday 추석{JooSok}. It's basically American Thanksgiving, but way more intense. They go up to their ancestors gravesite to pay respects and prepare food for them that they set at a table. It's alot of food preparation and no women likes it. Because men don't help with cooking or cleaning! How horrible. And they have to deal with their husband's family. Its all very stressful for women apparently.

But we had a member invite us over to eat a JooSok lunch. It was diclious. We only stayed for an hour then traveled to Seoul to meet up with some sister's and go to the Place. For this P-Day we had the entire day. 11am-9pm. It was awesome. The Palace is huge! And so beautiful. And since it was a holiday it was free and they had speacial events happening all week. We got to see a Korean drumming show. Some how me and Sister Nelson managed to sneak up to the front. It was perfect. I got awesome video of it. But because we watched the show we only saw a tenth of the Palace. It's like the Smithsoian in Washington DC. It would takes days to see everything there. It was so much fun.

THE MOVE IS OVER

Well Me and my Companion Sister Jeung has finished moving. Even though we didn't have much to move its still stressful. We got a new apartment and our Mission President had furniture delievered to us.

Unfortuanltley he forgot some essentials, like cups!

Monday did not feel like a P-day, after email and eating lunch we had to clean our new apartment. It tooks us an hour, but we had to go home, get cleaning supplies and come back, which took an hour and a half. I miss having a car.

Then Tuesday, Suji Elders came to our house to help move our stuff onto the truck. We got that done in 20 minutes. Then President drove us to our new place and ther our Zone leaders and two other Elders in our district joined us. So we had six Elders moving our stuff. It was nice. And they put together our desks. Also, our Bishops wife came over and helped us clean. She is awesome. She even took us out to lunch, we had 고기 (meat: really expensive in Korea). Then she bought us some basic cooking and cleaning things we needed and then helped us clean our apartment more. That took up the whole day.

Then wednesday and friday we crazy and we didn't get much missionary work done. Our numbers for this week are so low, 43/140 for contacts.

Wednesday the new BoonDang Elders came and we had a two hour meeting updating them on the area and thier investigators. Then Friday was planning day, so we don't leave till 3pm. But that was interrupted a couple times by the APs. They came and delievered us shelfs and a kitchen table. Then a couple hours later they came back with a oven, which was abosultely disgusting. You know when the microwave or parts of the stove get greasy? Well, it looked like that, all over the oven.

Baked on grease. And it looked like this oven hadn't been used or cleaned in years. We started cleaning it that day, but this morning we finally finished. Yes...it was that bad.

But even though our schedule has been crazy and our numbers extermely low, we have seen severval miracles this week. So Wednesday, we only had 10 minutes to do some contacting and then we had to go to an appointment. Within that time we got a number from a girl who seemed genuily interested.

Then the next day we were dong some contacting while we waited for the subway. While talking to a woman, this little old man came over and was listening. I look over at him and he says "Joseph Smith." I say "yes" and we start talking. Apparently 50 years ago he joined the church. Right then our subway came and for some reason we got on different carts. While in the train, I was like we got to go find him.

So as the train was moving we moved up to the next cart. We didn't see him, but as we kept on walking, there he was sitting down. The train stopped again and he got up and moved to a place with several seats that just opened up. He pats his hand on the seat next him. We got sit with him and start talking some more. I asked if he had a Book of Mormon and he said not anymore. So we gave him a copy and then he gave us his number. He told us to call him and that he'd come to church.

Then on Friday we were waiting for a bus for over 15 minutes. The buses in Korea are good about coming ever 5-8 minutes. While we were sitting there waiting, this man walks up to us. He explains how he went to church once in Japan and ask if he can have a copy of the Book of Mormon. He also gives us his number for us to call him later. After we got his number our bus came! Coiencidene that our bus was late, I think not. I love being on a mission and seeing the Lord leading us to people or people to us, and you don't even realize it till after it happens. If our bus was on time we would not have met this man. Its so amazing to me and strengthens my testimony that there is a God and he knows us and helps us in our lives everyday.

I think this new transfer will be full of miracles and great experiences. Oh we had transfers this last week and my and Sister Jeung are both staying. This will be our third transfer together. I really love her, she is awesome!

I NEVER WILL ESCAPE

All my life I have been moving. I have lived in 10 different states and two different countries. I have moved eleven times with my family. So when I got my mission call to report to the MTC on March 23rd, I was exteremly excited. Because that June my family would be moving again and this time I got to miss it. To not have to move heavy metal shelving or spend weeks unloading and loading the same boxes sounded refreshing. But unfortuanltey this past wednesday I heard some disturbing news from my companion at Zone Conference, "We are moving next Tuesday!"

Some background information. Within the past several weeks we have been meeting so many men. Men with geniune interest in learning about the gospel. The man in the wheelchair, the guy we contacted during Door Knocking and two other men we met within this past week. Tuesday, we had just left our house and hopped on the bus. Sister Jeung went and sat in the back, I saw a seat and headed towards the back as well. Before I sat down an older gentleman said "Hi" to me in English. We start talking and I explain to him that I am a missionary. The man was sitting right across form Sister Jeung, so all three of us started talking about the Book of Mormon. Before we got to Yatap station (5-8 mintues), he asked for a copy and we exchanged numbers. Then in church yesterday we had a member refferal, from another ward, come to church. He is a couple years older then me. Super nice and the Bishop wife said "He's cute." Which he is, but I am a missionary. Anyways, he came to sacrament and we introduced the Book of Mormon to him after church. He says next week he will come to all three hours.

So, as you can see we've been meeting a lot of prepared men in our area. And before Zone Conference I told Sister Jeun, "I wonder if we BoonDang is going to change to Elders." Because we've been meeting so many men, but they are really hard to meet with for us, because we have to find another woman to come. So at Zone Conference, wednesday, President Lee told Sister Jeung that Elders are moving to our Apartment in Yatap and we are moving to Migeum. Migeum is still the same area, so BoonDany area will have Sisters and Elders. It's all very exciting except we have to move into a new apartment.

So yesterday night and this morning we have been packing. It is alot easier than moving with my family, but I just thought for at least a short time, I would have escaped the trials of moving.

GOD LEADS YOU TO HIS PREPARED PEOPLE

This past week I have had a couple interesting experiences while out proselyting. On Saturday we rode the bus to a members home. While waiting to cross the street a man in a wheelchair rides up next to us and says "Hi" in english. We say "hi" and Sister Jeung starts introducing us and talking about the Book of Mormon. Once we crossed the street we continued to talk with him for 10 more minutes. He told us a story about how he use to be in a coma and was considered brain dead. I think he got in a big accident because he was missing a leg.

While he was in a coma he thought about Jesus Christ and then woke up.

He couldn't speak at first, but tried signing church hymns and eventually was able to speak again. He asked us if he could have a copy of the Book of Mormon, which we happily gave him and then we exchange phone numbers. We will call him later this week and hopefully get an appointment. The interesting thing about this experience is we got off at the wrong bus stop and were a 15 mintue walk away from where we were suppose to be. My companion got the aparment names mixed up, so didn't get off where we were suppose to. The Lord just lead us to this person and that person to us and we didn't even know it was happening.

Second, neat experience. Yesterday we were doing door contacting in the countryside in an area we have never been before. We passed this one apartment complex that had its doors closed. In Korea to get into an apartment you need a code, so you have to follow people inside, wait for someone to come out or know someone who lives in there.

Sometimes it is challenging to get into a building. On our way back down to the bus stop the door had been left open so we decided to do one more building to reach our goal.

On the last floor, last door, we had a man answer, not much older than me. We talked to him for 5 mintues at the door, but he had people come into his house while we were talking, so we decided to go outside to talk some more. We ended up talking to him for over an HOUR! We shared with him the Joseph Smith story and talked about the Book of Mormon.

He asked is there proof in the Bible about this book and Joseph Smith.

Through talking to him more we found out he is part of God's Church.

It is a really intense church. They believe Heavenly Mother is coming and Jesus Christ already came again. We are talking and he is flipping from verse to verse in his Bible asking us questions about the passover, what image were women created from, the Sabbath day being on Saturday and so many other things. He knows so much about the Bible, unfortuantely he misunderstands alot. He was trying to prove to us that there is a Heavenly Mother, asking us who is the "bride" in this scripture in the last chapter of Revelations and who is "us" when it talks about the creation in Exodus. Me and my companion could answer none of his questions. He was too hard to follow and frankly I have never studied the questions he had. I know the answer, but to back it up with scriptural references and explain in Korean I can't. And my companion couldn't either.

So we just listened to him. He actually does proseltying for his church, so he is an intense church member. The conversation we had was good. It wasn't contentious at all. After talking for a long time we told we had to go. At the end I gave him the book of Mormon and shared Moroni's Promise. I told him he can know if this book is of God through reading it and praying about it. Me and Sister Jeung bore out testimonies. At the end we got his name and number, but he told us to not call unless we could answer four questions. The questions I mentioned early. So we are studying hard. We will share with him what we find and if it goes somewhere or not, its all good. But I find it interesting how the door was open the second time we were by that apartment complex.

BAPTISM

Yesterday 안다희 {An DaHee} got baptized! It was wonderful. Me and Sister Jeung sand "I am a Child of God", which was so embarrassing. I can't sing. I don't know where I got the courage to agree. Her mom came to her baptism. She is not a member, but her two older sisters are. Many church members attended. She has been going to church every week for a long time now, so it was so exciting for them to see her get baptized.

She is a special little girl. Last week she had a trying experience.

She went to her grandmother's church kids camp. While there the preacher told her our church is bad and to never go there again. He made her cry. But even though that happened she still was excited to get baptized and decided to never visit that church again. She has a strong testimony this gospel. I am so gratefully for her decision to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized.

CAN YOU COOK?

So we were walking to a lesson and this older man starts talking to us. We start talking to him about the church but he keeps on asking me questions and saying creepy things. Like "you look good" and "how old are you?" "Can you cook, I know how to do laundry" So funny. So we just say goodbye and he starts yelling more things like the ones he said to us for a couple of minutes until we were out of his sight. Oh course I didn't know any of this until my companion told me what he said. He wasn't a normal man. We are allowed to say Hi to men. But if they say Hi to us we can start talking to them. Unfortunately, the ones who say "hi" tend to be creepy. Not always but at least half of them.

MANDOO PROVERB

Mandoo is a delcious Korean food. Similar to a pot sticker, but way better. One of our members had a Mandoo party in the afternoon so we decided to go over there to talk with members and because we both LOVE Mandoo. While there I got to learn how to make it. The Bishop's wife said "Oh you make Mandoo very well, maybe you'll have a pretty girl."

It's a Korean saying that if you can make pretty Mandoo, you will have a pretty baby girl.

RICE CAKE

So while waiting for a bus I bought some rice cake, which is super delicious. And while I bought it this little old man came up and said "That foreigner is buying rice cake, this must be good rice cake", so he bought some too. So funny.

WEEK 10 IN KOREA

I have three people in the past couple of weeks tell me "You look like you lost weight." That's a pretty awesome compliment, made me feel really good. Expecially, because I know Koreans think I am fat, I had one say that to me once! I was so angry...even if it was a true statement. So I really hope that I am losing weight, I need to beat my friend Heidi Baker in our mission weight loss competition. So funny, the couple that said, "Your losing weight", decided to take me and my companion out to dinner. They thought I must not be eating well in Korea if I lost weight. Korean people like "eaters". The more food you eat the better. Because if you don't eat much they think you don't like the food. So even though I feel like I just had a Thanksgiving meal I still eat another serving. It's painful, but apparently even though I over eat, I am losing weight. I think it's because the Korean Food is more healthy then American. I feel more healthy, In fact I ate a cookie today and was like "ah I don't really want this". So that's a big change for me, because I LOVE cookies.

Korean has a really messed up address system. It's crazy. There are very few street names and you'll be on the same street and the house number is #2892 and the house right next to it is #87. So sometimes, especially the closer into Seoul you are the harder it is to find a house. In fact the system is so bad, the government is changing it. The new system is to be impelemented in the next couple of years so it will be easier to find houses and places. Koreans even have a hard time finding things.

So Monday night we were in an area trying to find this inactive member. No one had visited him in two years, according to our records. The numbers were really messed up and we were about to give up, but I felt that we should go up one more street. So we did and with some more searching we found the house! Miracle. And the man was home. He told us just yesterday he had taken down all the hearts on his door, put up by other missionaries. And a couple days ago he was thinking about church. Such a miracle. Just looking back on what lead up to that shows how the Spirit quietly directs our actions. Looking in the less-active member book I thought lets visit him this next week. And then when trying to find his house, being told go up one more street. Missionaries really are on the Lord's errand. He guides our actions so that we can find those who need his help. It was so exciting to find his house and to be able to talk with him. I really hope he comes to church this Sunday.

Also, we have a really awesome investigator, 강소이. She is 16 years old and competes in gun markmenship compeition. She trains everyday. Shes awesome. I actually meet her my second week in Korea. Me and my companion contacted her on the street. She is the first person I gave a Book of Mormon too. It was cool, we had street boards out and she walks by with this huge headphones on. As she is walking by she slows down and takes off her headphones, we then walked up to her and started talking. Since then she has been to church twice. It's been a little hard to meet with her because of her training and compeitions. But this last Sunday we had a short lesson after church. She talked about how she use to go to church with her friends. She said it was really boring and she'd always fall asleep. She was a little worried coming to our church knowing no one, but told us it's okay not to go to church with friends. In fact she said she finds our church really interesting, not boring and said the people are so nice. Our ward is AWESOME!  We are so excited to teach her more.

Oh such a cool thing happened to me Sunday. We went and visited with a member and I was able to understand the topic of converstaion the whole time. Usually I quickly get lost and no longer no what is going on, but this time I knew. I didn't know word for word, but I was able to understand alot. I was shocked. And when she asked me questions, I understood and was able to answer without taking 5 mintues to answer. It was so cool. The Lord is blessing me and my language skills are progressing. Blessings!

KOREA: WEEK 9

So we have an investigator named 안태현. He is about 9 years old. He is hilarious. We teach him every Friday. When we come over he says "hurry, hurry, hurry", because we usually interupt him in the middle of some game. He is a very active little boy and squirms a lot through lessons. Even though he doesn't seem like he is listening, when you ask him questions to check for understanding, his responses are amazing. He listens and understands very well. He has read five chapters of teh Book of Mormon and has prayed everyday for the past three weeks. He is doing awesome. Defiantly one of our best investigators.

So over a month ago he told us his mom wouldn't let him got to church. He bothered her so much about she told him to stop asking. Then two weeks ago she asked "Do you want to go to church?" and he said "no"! You can imagine our dismay. So this past week in our lesson we focused on baptism and the importance of church. Then we invited him a a SUPER fun Primary activity the next day. We really played it up.

When we came to the church building Saturday for English Class, to our surprize 안태현 was there playing in the pool. He was having a fabulous time and squirted me and Sister 정 with his water gun. Such a trouble maker. And to our amazement the next day he came to church with his sisters! yeah! Me and Sister 정 were freaking out. He was so funny because he told us, "Since I will be coming to church every week now, you don't have to come visit me." But we were like "We will see you Friday!" A month ago he told us his plans to get baptized in a year, but I think it could happen sooner as he continues to come to church. I just love how the Lord works. He defaintly softened the mothers heart and also helped 안태현's desire grow. Amazing!

MISSION BLESSINGS

Funny Korean words...only to English Speakers or maybe just me.

"Rain" in Korean is 비 {pee}

"Yes" in Korean is 네 {neh}

"Lame" in Korean is 홀 {hor}

It's been raining so much in Korean. The biggest rain to hit Korea in 100 years! Wow. I set outside, walk five steps and the back of my skirt is drench and my shoes soaking wet. Around 60 people have died because of flash flooding and landslides. Really sad. And several subway lines had to be shut down because of the amount of rain. But my area has been safe, the river rose 4 - 6 feet, but it was easy to avoid, so no problems. It just makes street contacting a little challenging. Our numbers always go down when there is rain.

Exciting news... 안다희 {an-da-hee} is getting baptized on August 14th! She is 11 years old. We found out last Sunday from our Mission Leader that her mom consented to her being baptized. We are so excited. The day we were gong to her house to officially comitt her to baptism was the day we had record breaking rain. So the mom called us and told us we did not have to come. She was worried about our safety. But we just lied and said we have another appointment in the area and have to go there anyways. A lot of people call us to cancel if the weather is bad because they feel bad to have us come to thier home in such bad weather. But it doesn't matter if its 100 degrees or 40 below, raining or snowing, we have to be out working no matter what. And we were determined to make this appointment happen.

안다희 is such a beautiful little girl. So sweet and fun. We talked about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. We asked what she thought about those things and one of the things she mentioned was she think Joseph Smith is "handsome." So cute. Her mom was sitting next to her when we asked if she'd get baptized. She looks at her mom and she tells her, "It's you choice." Then she smiles and says "YES". She has such a good family. Both her sisters are very active and her parents are supportitive. She already attends church reguarly. She will continue to grow in the gospel and be a great instrument in the hands of the Lord. Future missionary perhaps :)

In District Meeting we recieved awesome training on improving our methods on finding people. First, go to areas you've never been before, don't always choose the most populated area, explore. Second, vary your church material. Use all the different kids of pamphlets, not just the Baptism card and Book of Mormon Pamphlet. Give them what they need according to their individual needs. And thrid, ask inspired questions. I really need this lesson on how to improve my contacting. It got me really excited and motivated to implement what we learned.

Me and my companion have been working hard to implement what we learned. Like walking to appointments instead of riding the bus, even if it is so hot. A couple days ago we did that and talked to three people over the course of 2 miles. Sad. But later that night it was super nice out, so we decided to do contacting along the river. We 전도  for two hours! It didn't seem that long though. We talked to 25 people and got two phone numbers. Out of all the people in Korea, we talked to one who had already read the Book of Mormon. Sister 정 asked her an inspired questions, "did you pray about this book?" She replied "no". So she challenged her to read it again and to pray about this Book if it is true. She said "okay" and we got her phone number and gave her a Book of Mormon. The other lady we talked to, was very short, but she said she'd like to hear more and gave us her phone number and address. So many blessings. It was amazing.

Yesterday, we decided to do door contacting in a new area, we've only driven by on Bus 17. It's definatly the countryside, not many apartments. But we stopped at one place that had some and had great success. Door knocking in Korea, from what I ve been told, is not effective. But many people opened the door for us and we even got a return appoitment! Miracles! She is a girl around the age of 14. She said she wants to go to church but doesn't know which one to choose. There are tons in Korea. There are more churches in Korea than covnient shops. She wants to learn more and we will meet her later this week. The Lord really has blessed us with wonderful opprotunities. I am so grateful. You just realize how God will lead you to his prepared people or them to you. So true.