New Month, New Transfer

FAMILY!!! 안녕하세요!!
How is everyone!?!  Sounds like things went well in everyone's lives this week.  Congratulations to Bear Hatfield who got his mission call! It's SO exciting to see so many people getting ready to go!  I love it!  I'm still waiting for someone I know to come out to Busan!  That would just be soo much fun!

This past week didn't go exactly how Sister Taylor and I had planned, but we did have some fun times! I have to say that I'm super impressed with her and my sense of direction. When we have some time we usually like to go onto the subway to talk to people, but we felt a little adventurous one day and decided to take a bus!!  Never been on that bus, I only slightly knew where it was going, and I had no idea how we were going to get back to home afterwards; but it was so much fun!! After getting off at a stop that I have NEVER been to, we were able to find our way back to a road we knew AND find a members house from there. I love going down new roads and making new connections, and it was fun being above ground and seeing things around us!  The Couple Missionaries here call the missions subterranean because, if there is a subway system, we are hardly above ground! (and then we get in the car with them and it's like a whole new world!! haha)

This week we weren't able to meet with our investigators, but we did have some really amazing member lessons! In the mission we have been talking a lot about the Character of Christ and “Turning Out.”  Especially turning out in acts of service every day.  After learning a little bit more about that in the transfer meeting, we decided to share that idea with the members that we met with this week. One Sister we met with, we were able to have a really awesome conversation!  We were talking about ways we have served throughout our lives, and the blessings that have come from that.  She served a mission in California, so we shared mission stories back and forth. And she shared with us how, as a missionary, she had always felt God's love. She felt it as she received the strength she needed to go on her mission; she felt it when she had the rough days in the field; but she said she felt it most at the end of her mission.  As she was about to leave and return back home she said she felt God's love most then. Not because it was a difficult and trying time, but because she had learned to love the people she had been serving SO much she felt she was able to understand more fully the Love God has for each of His children. She felt God's love most when she felt like she was able to see people and love people that way that God would. I love that perspective!

Later in the lesson we were talking about when we are in the service of others we are only in the service of God.  How through our lives and through our service we can constantly share what we believe. It's HARD turning out, thinking of others rather than ourselves, but the blessings and the happiness are far superior.  We then were able to share a Bible Video with her. It's the newest one of Peter and John preaching the gospel. They have been forbidden to teach about, speak of, or serve in the name of Jesus Christ. But Peter boldly shares his testimony, and that burning conviction in eternal truths will not allow him to remain silent. Then after being thrown into prison and whipped, we still see them sharing with the people the thing that was most precious to them. Again, we see that the things that make us happiest are the first things that we want to share. I have never been happier on my mission than the days that I am just out talking with people, sharing this message, and testifying of Heavenly Father's love!!

After sharing our message with her, we committed our member to pick a day.  For that one day, they are to try and turn completely out: turn out in service, think of others, help someone else, leave note for her husband, call up an old friend, write a letter to converts... ANYTHING! To just have an entire day devoted to loving as the Savior would, in having every thought and action directed at helping someone else. Of course, a day like that would be HARD!!  So we decided on the day, and that day we would remember her in all of our prayers so that she could do it and have an amazing experience. What was neat was, as we were about to say the closing prayer, she said that she knew exactly who she needed to go see.  While we were talking she had thought of someone and she felt that that person needed someone on that day.  I'm excited to go visit her again and see how it went!!

The rest of the week went well!  Nothing else too huge! We had some fun in the 4-man house this past weekend!!  Before we began our fast, my darling companion made Crepes!! So we have a feast of crepes with bananas, strawberries, peanut butter, nutella and my FAVORITE 고구마 GoGuMa. Is a Korean yellow sweet potato and I can eat it like candy!! It was SO GOOD!!!

Sunday, after we ended our fast, we had spaghetti, salad, steamed veggies and apples (the best part is, ALL of those things were cooked in the rice cooker! Seriously, I love that thing!!)  For dessert my companion outdid herself and make us an apple pie!! Oh my goodness, it was divine! So the 4 sisters in my house enjoyed apple pie as we watched "Legacy" in the family room on our mattresses! (We all had a sleepover! Haha best sleepover ever! We were all asleep by 10:30!! It was beautiful!! hahaha)

Things are going great here in Korea.  I love this work, and I love being able to serve these wonderful people! Korea is truly amazing, and the people are even more special.

I love you all. You are in my prayers!  I hope all is well this next week for y’all!

kiss love hugs!!