TYPHOON!

Hello!!  Glad to hear from you!  I love the weekly updates and hearing what is going on at home. 

I am sitting here in the Branch President's office at the church drinking a nice kind of cold coke-zero.  The only thing that would make it better if it was 1) real diet coke and 2) from the fountain but you do what you can right?!  Haha

The word for Tuesday was 태풍 aka tay-phoong.  Can you guess what that is?  TYPHOON!!!!!!!!  Remember when you asked me about it last week and I said that we hadn't really seen anything yet?  Well I spoke about 12 hours too soon.  It started raining Monday night and I don't think it stopped until Wednesday morning.  And when I say rain I mean RAIN!  I don't think I had experienced anything like it!  We jundo-ed in the subway for a lot of the day where it was dry, but had to go out for dinner and then to meet with one of our investigators, and I think I used my umbrella to block the wind more than the rain because I was soaked anyways.  Then our investigator canceled because it was too wet and she didn't want us to have to go all the way to her house, so we went home and called less actives instead.  My shoes didn't dry until Friday!!  Good thing I have a few pairs...  It was pretty fun though looking back on it! 

Wednesday, we had zone meeting.  The zone leaders taught about how we need to have faith in Jesus Christ, not just faith.  One of them said how when we went to the MTC, his dad said to him was "Don't look to the sides.  Look up!"  I have thought about this a lot this week.  It reminds me of the talk you sent me by Elder Carl Cook about how it is better to look up!  I have thought about how we need to look to the Lord for help first and trust in his guidance.  Also, how we can't compare ourselves to those around us, but to always just keep climbing at the pace Heavenly Father has set for us.  Also how we obviously we live in the world, but we can live on that higher plane and not be of the world.  I made a great analogy in my journal about it and climbing the ladder in the SL temple to the Angel Moroni, but that is really long to type so maybe I will just copy it and mail it to you:)

Thursday, we met one of our investigators for lunch at Pizza Hut.  (Pizza Hut is actually a nice restaurant here, and pretty different from the US.  Still tasty though!)  She has been an investigator for a few years, and has progressed on and off, but she is super sweet.  I have met her a few times now.  She is going to graduate school for English interpretation, and so speaks English pretty well, and uses really funny colloquial phrases like "getting all dolled up" or "PDA".  It was pretty funny.  She has a big test on the 26th, so we can't meet again until after that, but I hope we can get her progressing then! 

Friday, we ate lunch with another investigator (who is sadly not progressing either but really likes us) which was fun, and then jundoed a bit and weekly planned.  Kind of an uneventful day!  (Except I did get letters from all of you which was very fun)

Saturday and Sunday, we watched conference!!!  I had downloaded it earlier in the week so had already listened to it, but it was fun to watch/listen again.  I listened through headphones and watched (except the timing was off by like 3 seconds in my ears from their mouths moving) while the Koreans listened to the translated version.  I loved it!!!  I especially loved President Eyring's talk!!  I loved how he combined talking about families, and obedience, and forgiveness, and happiness all in one talk.  It seriously answered a few of the questions I went into conference with which was awesome! I especially loved a few things he said.  One, about how the Lord will give us assurance of forgiveness in His time and in His way.  It makes repentance and the opportunity to grow such a personal experience.  It really makes me think about how much my Savior loves me individually, as well you, as the people I teaching here.  I also like how we said the Lord know what difficulties we will go through, and that is why he sent His son.  This makes me want to deepen my relationship with the Savior even more!  As I constantly reach out to him, I will be able to become what he needs me to be.  I also loved Elder Christofferson's talk on the value of women!  I am so excited to go back and watch/listen/read them all again.  I love that we have conference every 6 months and can learn so much new stuff!!!   I am also glad we have 6 months between to study and apply all that was taught in the previous conference. 

Stake Music Festival "Korean Fan Dance"

It has been a fun week! We are always busy, but then I think about it and I say, "what in the world have we even done this week?!"  Here's a brief summary for you all. 

Monday was P-Day of course.  We went and got lunch, I wrote letters while my companion slept, then we had family night at the church and did a puzzle of the Salt Lake temple someone sent one of the other missionaries.  Also made Ramen in the ginormous rice cooker for all the kids.  Like 10 packs.  Pretty funny. 

Tuesday, we taught our investigator that is like 16.  I helped her with her English homework again. Remember how I told you that the English books are messed up here?  Here is a sentence that was in one for the word "actually" that I thought was hilarious.  "Love is actually all around us.  It means you can find a soul mate near you."  What the heck right?!

Wednesday, we went to our weekly service project at what is basically day care for old people with Alzheimers.  The old ladies just like to tell me over and over how beautiful I am (which I don't really mind of course, but I think its just because I'm not Korean).  Its fun though.  We had English class and had 3 new people come which I was super excited about! 

Thursday, we had district meeting.  Part of district meeting is a short 10 min lesson, that in the past has just been to help learn Korean, but now President is pushing how our companions need to learn English too, so it is just a language lesson.  I taught it this week and used the scripture Moses 1:39.  I wrote each individual word in Korean and in English on different colored papers, then they had to match them and put the scripture in order.  I thought it was pretty clever. 

Friday, we went and ate at one of the Elder's investigator's parents restaurant.  We ate korean bbq, which was delicious of course, and then the elders ordered crab.  I ate one of the crab legs.  It was cold which was kind of weird, and super salty, but not bad.  I guess the shell part, they like to mix rice in with the meat and eat it.  I have pictures I will send. 

Saturday, there was a stake music festival.  Yes.  I did get to do a traditional Korean Fan Dance all dressed up in a Korean dress and everything!!!!!  Seriously it was so much fun.  We only practice a few times, so it wasn't perfect, but pretty fun.  I have a video, but I think it is too big to send, so you will just have to wait a while for that one and enjoy the pictures for now:)  They made us wear lots of make up, and the Korean girl that did it with us told me that one day, I will have to show my future husband these pictures.  She said I looked so beautiful that he would fall in love with me all over again.  Haha precious. 

Yesterday, church, MCM, visiting and old member, one of our investigators (who is not progressing but loves us) and that's about it! 

So there's my week.  The fan dance was definitely the highlight (in addition to teaching the gospel of course).   

To answer your questions:

The fall weather is awesome!  We really haven't had too much rain.  I think that the weather in Busan is kind of like Southern California.  Pretty nice most of the year, since its so close to the ocean. 

My companion is good.  She is funny.  We have learned how to work well together.  I've realized she doesn't like to talk lots, so I am becoming very comfortable with my own thoughts haha

We aren't getting huge amounts of missionaries.  We are at our max capacity, so the amounts coming in will be pretty slow from now on (at least that's what I've heard)

Read 2 Nephi 31:20.  I love how it focuses on that perfect brightness of hope.  As we use the light of Christ in our lives, we are better able to hope for all the things we are promised through the gospel, most importantly eternal life with our families in the presence of Heavenly Father.  As we do this, while studying the scriptures and enduring to the end, we have no need to fear. 

A few photos

A busy week!

Tuesday, we went and helped one of our investigators. She in her 3rd year of middle school, and has an English test this weekend so I helped her with her English homework.  I understand why Koreans think English is so hard, and sounds funny sometimes.  The grammar books here that they teach them out of are SO confusing.  I thought I knew English.  Not the way they teach it here! 

That afternoon, we also helped an old lady carry her grocery bags home to her house (yes they did have live crabs in them--they sell live crabs on the street just chillin in sawdust.  NBD)  and she was telling us all about how having babies is so expensive in America.  Random?  Yes.   She did say she had met with the missionaries probably like 30 years ago, and we were excited to go back and visit, but we saw her and her son on the street a few days later and she is going to live in Seoul with him so she can take care of him (she is like 94 or something like that).  I'm glad we could serve her though!!

Wednesday,  we hadn't really eaten much that day except for some lunch really early in the day, and some Kimbop, so after English class right before planning, we ordered pizza.  Some good comfort food:) (Except it had sweet potatoes on it.  The pizza here is crazy.  I have an extra menu I'll send you)

Thursday, we went to English class in Guejong.  These two old ladies come every week, and this week they came early because they wanted to bring us some rice cakes and other treats haha.  The rice cakes were good, but one of them brought onion juice.  Yes onion juice.  I brushed my teeth and used mouth wash like 5 times that night.  Good thing I don't get very close to people here.  Then during English, we were talking about Chuseok (the big holiday honoring their ancestors) and one of the ladies was talking about how she doesn't like bowing to their ancestors, and she likes what we teach about how after we leave our physical bodies, our spirits are still living.  She told her son not to bow to her after she dies, and to think of her as living instead! How sweet is that!  So I got to share about how my family members had just died and even though I am sad, I get to think of how happy they are right now!  Then for the closing song, I chose Families Can Be Together Forever.  I hope we have more chances to teach her about the Plan of Salvation!! 

Friday was Zone Conference.  We talked about obedience, and being a consecrated missionary.  President Gilbert talked about the Atonement and gave us a bunch of scriptures to study, which I haven't had time to do yet, but am really excited about.  We talked about something I had never thought of before.  Satan knows our potential too.  He saw how we fought in the War in Heaven.  He knows what we can be and knows that he can never get there.  This makes him want to work even harder on us.  I really want to work on not letting him get to me and think less of myself.  I thought about the Young Womens theme when we were talking about this and all of the potential we have as Daughters (and sons) of a loving Heavenly Father!  What a great promise! 

Then I did an exchange with a  great missionary and a great example!  We talked a lot about missionary work, and how sometimes we don't see the results of our efforts.  There's a scripture in 1 Corinthians 1 (don't remember what verse) where Paul says he came to Preach the Gospel, not to baptize.  We decided that we always need to remember this!  We also went to McDonals, ate Popbingsu (my favorite treat with ice cream and shaved ice) and some other treats because Sister Taylor, her companion, doesn't like treats haha

Sunday, we went to church and then found a less actives house to visit after.  I really don't know how we found it.  Addresses are crazy confusing here! 

This morning, I was studying in Preach My Gospel about the Plan of Salvation and there is a sentence under The Creation sentence that I really loved.  "We must walk by faith rather than by sight."  I don't know why this really hit me this morning.  We got to live with Heavenly Father before this life, and now on earth, we have to learn how to live with the Spirit as our comforter,and do all we can to return to live with Him again.  I was thinking about when I first left on my mission. I had a hard time because all my usual forms of comfort--calling Mom, taking a nap, drinking a few diet cokes, etc.--were all gone and I had to learn to rely purely on the spirit.  Then when I return home to all of you, I will know how to listen to the spirit, and live my normal life as I am constantly striving to be more like Jesus Christ.  I hope that makes sense.  

You asked about the language.  It is improving.  I don't know if you can tell by my writing, but my English grammar is getting seriously messed up.  I usually speak in as much Korean as I can with my companion, and will fill in English words as needed, but she doesn't usually know them, so when we talk we are constantly using the dictionary in our phone to communicate.  Its kind of hilairous.   I still have lots to learn, but my understanding really has jumped up so much since being in Daeshin.  When we're talking about gospel things, I can usually understand most of it, and other things, not as much, but that's ok.  I have to keep reminding myself there's even things in English I don't know the words for, so I'm bound to not understand everything!!! 

You also asked about weather.  There has been tons of rain this morning and yesterday, but it really hasn't been bad.  It has cooled down which is nice!  I will probably have to wear sweaters all the time in the next few weeks.  You can check temp online I guess haha.

I think that's about it for now.  I am glad I got to communicate with you all a little more this week, even if its not under circumstances we would have chosen.  I love you all SO SO much!!!  I hope you all have great weeks!

Em

Hello Hello

Hello Hello!!!!

 Well in news for my week...

This week was 추석 aka Chuesok which is basically the equivalent of Christmas in Korea, except it is their version of thanksgiving giving thanks to their ancestors (I don't understand it all.  Google it if you want real information).  We couldn't visit anyone without appointments, and there weren't many people out on the streets so we spent time cleaning the church, planning, organizing and other good stuff like that.  Tuesday at our service project with old people (basically day care for old people) we made the traditional rice cakes.  Wednesday-Friday basically the whole country shuts down.  Wednesday we had district meeting, and then made Korean food at the church while we planned and cleaned with the Elders. I made the Kimchi Chigae (Kimchi soup) for all the Koreans.  #Imbecomingkorean..nbd  Thursday, we went to the former Branch President's house and ate SO MUCH FOOD!!!  They have traditional food for this day like special soup, deep fried shrimp and veggies, special side dishes, etc.  Then we ate tons of rice cakes and fruit.  It just kept coming!!  It was all delicious of course, but I couldn't eat anything the rest of the day.  Haha  Friday, we had dinner with another one of the members which was fun.  Then Saturday, we went to the Daeshin Harmony's house again.  More of her famous bulgogi as well as egg+onions, Sunadi (I think its cow intestines and blood or something like that in sausage form) and fruit decorated with shrimp (pictures to come).  Don't worry.... My stomach has obviously become super strong here and I made it through once again haha. 

Lets see what else.  Monday for FHE we finger-painted an AWESOME picture of Jesus.  My comp is an awesome artist so she drew it out first and then we finger-painted it which was super fun. We still haven't decided where to hang it up at the church yet, but know doubt it will be a great addition.

As for investigators, sadly, we couldn't meet with them this week because of the holiday.  We are over two areas--guejeong and daeshin.  We have decided to reset everything and start fresh.  If that means reteaching them the lessons, we'll do that.  We have been jundo-ing (prosyliting and talking to people) a lot and are trying to build up our English class more and get some investigators from that!  (Pressures on for that one since I'm the only foreigner)  It will be really hard, and is, but we are trusting in the Lord and are letting him guide us through this!  Its the only way we can get through things!

The other night when we were walking home, I was singing the song Be Still My Soul quietly to myself.  I love all the verses so much, but the last verse especially stuck out to me.

"Be still, my soul the hour is hastning on 

When we shall live forever with the Lord!

When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored

Be still, my soul when change and tears are past

All safe and blessed when we shall meet at last!" 

The part about how the time is coming when we will life FOREVER with the Lord really hit me, all disappointment, sorrow and fear are gone and love's pure joy is there.  We too can feel the true love of the Lord as we draw near to him through our actions and obedience to the commandments.  He promises that his spirit will be with us always. 

I am SOOO excited of course about the big win for the Utes.  Don't worry...I wore my Utah shirt (when we were at home...not quite missionary appropriate) as well as my Utah earrings all day long.  Woot woot! 

Know that my prayers are with you.  Carry on and be Happy, Happy, Happy (aka Dad's new fave phrase haha)

Em

Loving Missionary Work

Hello!!!!  Sounds like you had a fun week.  

Lets see to answer your questions...
-I'm doing well!  I get to be a missionary so it can't get much better than that!
-My week was good.  We'll get to that later!
-The city where I am is fun.  In South Busan.  I don't really know what to compare it to...not big city, but not like neighborhood either.  Parts of it are kind of old and ghetto but thats ok!  Ulsan (my first city) was fairly recently developed and pretty nice so it has been different. 
-The branch is crazy!  I don't know how to describe it.  Yesterday, our branch president, who doesn't live in the ward boundaries but was here for his calling, got released because he is going to stay with his daughter in the US for a while,  I thought the missionaries were running the branch before, but literally now we are.  There were 25 people at church yesterday which seemed like a lot compared to the other weeks haha
-We are about a 45 minute metro ride from the mission home, but we saw President and Sister Gilbert Saturday at a stake primary activity, and then they came to our sacrament meeting because of the change yesterday which was fun!

So there's that haha.  It has been a good week!  We are always super busy, and then sometimes I think, "What have we even done this week?!"  which is kind of funny. 

On Friday, we called some less actives in the morning, just to check in, and two of them were like, "sure we can meet today" which was kind of crazy!  Miracle!  I think this is one of those things where you don't always see direct results from everything you do, but if we look for blessings in general, they are always there and Heavenly Father is constantly blessing us for our work. 
I feel like this is one of those classic missionary stories so i have to share...So after we had lunch with a member in Guejeon, which is the other branch we cover because there are no sisters there, we hiked up the hill to their house.  From what I understand when North Korea attacked like 60 or however many years ago, everyone from Seoul and Daejeon fled to Busan, but there wasn't room for them all, and they wanted to be up high, so they built homes on the mountain.  (Not like Utah mountain, more like really big hill.) So we climbed up to the house (I was very grateful for the exercise after a big lunch, as well as the cool breeze on a hot day) and thankfully found it.  The lady lived there with her younger sister, and they were both like 60 something and missing most of their teeth.  The house was old and dirty, with a few cats, but we sat down and started talking.  She had pictures from the missionary pamphlets hung up as well as other pictures of Christ.  I think she said she was baptized when she was 25 or so, but has been going to a different church for a really long time.  We talked about our church, asked her if she remembered her baptism (just that it was a long time ago) and asked her if she would come Sunday.  She said no--she is going to the other church--so we said ok, but that we want to visit her every so often and call her about scriptures and stuff and she said that was fine.  Then we prayed with her and I asked her if she had a Book of Mormon, which she did, and we left.  So nothing amazing happened while we were there, but while we were sitting there talking, I had one of those, "I am a missionary sitting in some toothless lady's house in Korea teaching her about Christ.  What?!"  I still have moments frequently where i think "I am in Korea?!" or "I am not old enough to be a missionary" but obviously I am and I am learning and am growing just like Heavenly Father wants me to!

Funny things this week
-We were trying to explain the crinkle cut fries to one of the Korean elders and he said, "oh!  Stairwell fries?" 
-Sister Yun described the lovey-dovey couples we see sometimes walking down the street as "Chicken-Skin couples" aka they give her goosebumps and she doesn't like to talk about it haha

This week I have thought a lot about the importance of keeping Christ at the center of our hearts.  We can't let stress, worry or other problems push Him out.  This is what Satan wants!  When Christ is the center, everything around Him will work out because of our trust in Him.  It is like what Mosiah 5:15 talks about--"steadfast and immovable always abounding in good works".  This is what helps us become like Christ.  We are able to lose the desire for sin, which is where Satan loses his power.  Things will still be hard, and I don't expect an immediate fix to all hard problems, but this is how we grow and become like the Savior!  My appreciation for this grows every single day!

Thank you thank you!!!  I love you lots and am so grateful for your letters and pictures and everything!!!!!

I hope you all have a great week!
Love you!!!

Em

My Korean is Improving

Wow it has been an eventful week for all of you!!!  I guess it has been here too but I am in Korea after all, and there is always something new:)

This week has been better.  Still super hard communicating, but my Korean is improving day by day and we have gotten more used to working together.  I have had to just take a giant step back and just let her be incharge and follow.  It is teaching me to be patient, and that's not a bad thing.   It is super fun to get to share stories with the people I have served with! 

The new ward (branch) is good.  Hard but good.  There were like 19 people at church yesterday nbd.  We obviously have lots of work to do, but i am optimistic and have faith that Heavenly Father will help us out!

We met with a few of our investigators this week too.  One who's husband got baptized in the Spring.  I met him yesterday for the first time, and he is kind of a difficult character.  He doesn't speak much Korean, but his kids don't speak a lot of English, and his son was being irreverant in Sacrament so he started yelling at him in English, but the poor kid didn't understand and just got more mad.  Its a weird situation.  Anyway she is Catholic, but really likes the missionaires and comes to all our activities, but says she is not ready for baptism yet.  She has a hard time, sadly, with eternal families, because she does not want to be with her husband forever.  We talked to President about her this morning, and will continue to pray to know how we can help her.  She is very nice and I really hope we can help her and her children!

Another one, who is in the branch next to ours called Guae-jeong (but we also cover because there's no sisters), we met with after church.  She is 17 or so and is super cute.  She has also had all the lessons, but now we just have to get her ready for baptism too.  There are lots of investigators here, for the Elders too, that have been investigating for a long time, and read their scriptures, and come to church, but for some reason don't want to get baptized.  Its weird.

Lets see....  I made Kimchi Cheegay (Kimchi Soup) last night that was super delicious and I was really proud of myself.  Hopefully I can learn to make more Korean food so I can make some for y'all when I get home!

The other day, I was reading in my scriptures in 1 Timothy 4:12, which talks about being an example of the believers (aka being a witness of Christ) in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith and purity.  I have always loved this scripture, but really loved thinking this time, about how sharing the light of christ.  The YW song about "have you received His imagine in your countenance...will He know you when He comes again because you shall be like Him" popped into my head and I loved thinking about the Second Coming and if we have done what we are supposed to, and followed Christ's example, we will be excited to run up and greet him, instead of thinking of the things we haven't done.  Sorry that is kind of jumbled, but I hope it kind of makes sense.  I am grateful for the chance I have to focus on that now and look for opportunities every day to be more like Christ and ways I can continually improve.  I don't want to just get into the routine of doing good things, but look always for the best thing I can do!!

I love you all and miss you lots, but am grateful I can be serving here now!!!

Love you!

Em