The Worth of Seoul: Week 16

안양하세요 ^^ (I'm korean now)

Holy moly. This transfer is already over? I came to Korea 7 weeks ago? I can't believe it! And yet it feels like it was ions ago in some ways haha.. because so much has happened. I would just like to quote myself and once again state that I will never understand time here on the mish. It's bizarre. It goes so fast, but yet, it doesn't. It can't be described. I've already said this before so I'll shut up. Sorry.

So I'm killing Sister Lawrence on Thursday! Haha! That's what missionaries say when someone is going home. When someone is home they are dead, and their last companion killed them. People keep saying "Oh you're killing sister lawrence?" and I'm always like "What??! No!" haha I guess I haven't embraced this missionary lingo yet.. Anways, yeah! She's going home and I'm getting a new trainer.. and here's the big news... She is Korean! Sister Lee Hey Wan (이혜원, pronounce "ee" instead of lee). I am not going to lie, I freaked out when president told me. I was so nervous. But it turns out she speaks english really well, so I've got nothing to worry about haha. That was something that was stressing me out so much.. I have been feeling so much pressure with Sister Lawrence leaving. I thought for sure my new trainer would be a super young american who didn't know much more than I did so I was having stomach ulcers.. but I got a Korean! Who speaks great english and more importantly who speaks Korean haha! She can communicate with everyone. I pray that my language abilities boom while I'm with her! I'm so excited. WOOHOO!!!

Well like I said this week was long, but it was great! Happy Solar everyone!! :) This past week was Solar, which is a Korean holiday that is a really big deal here, it is like christmas for Koreans. It's their new years! They all wear traditional korean clothing called hanbok, and they get together with their families and the parent give money to their children, and they eat lots of food.. Especially this special soup called ducgook. "duc" is something that koreans eat all the time.. its this ball of rice that has no taste and its basically rubber... and it turns my insides to cement. so ducgook is basically broth with duc in it.. lots of duc. And because its solar and sister lawrence is leaving we've been invited to lots of dinners and meals this week! which was great! And you know what we ate at EVERY meal. Yup. I am so full of duc I don't know if I can ever eat another bowl again! But I will.. probably soon. In fact I forgot, a member in our ward just gave us ingredients to make our own! Yippeeeee. Maybe I'll send some home for you all so you can experience the wonderful rock you feel in your stomach the next morning. :) Haha sorry. Who's complaining? Not me. Anways, because it was Solar we had another mission conference, which was awesome. I love Pres. and Sister Christensen! They always know exactly what we as their missionaries need to here, they are so loving and concerned about each on of us. I am so grateful to them! Even though I am so far away from home they have helped me to find a new home here in Korea.

Welp, our investigators are all doing great! All 2 of them.. we're running low because everyone is getting baptized (I'm not complaining) haha. Shin song hee is probably our big main investigator right now. She is progressing a lot! We were able to meet with her during the week a couple times, which is a miracle! She is so funny, she never answers our calls and doesn't text us back but then she shows up to church on sunday! Its great that she comes to church, and she loves it! But she never meets with us so she hardly knows anything about the church! So we are so happy, she has grown a lot in her knowledge the past week, and is accepting it all. I don't think she quite understand how to tie it all together yet, but we still have so much to teach her. I think when she understands it all, and how to exercise her faith, she will be golden. I know this girl is gonna get baptized. Hopefully sooner than later :) She is so amazing, and I've gotten really close to her this past week, which I'm so grateful for! I was worried she wouldn't want to meet much after sis. lawrence left because she loves her so much.. but turns out she loves me too :) It makes me so happy. I love her so much. She deserves all the happiness this life has to offer.

Kim Tae Hee's baptism is Saturday!! So excited. She is such a wonderful soul who is so ready for baptism! This week we had a lesson with her and kinda just talked with her about the book of mormon. She told us that although it is confusing and hard to understand sometimes, she knows that it is true. That makes me so happy! I could relate to that feeling! Sometimes the scriptures are hard to really understand and to focus on.. but it just comes with time. The more you read the more you will understand! And she totally understand that! Which is so awesome, because that is something that like everyone struggles with here.. even members. They don't really understand the importance of the book of mormon, and how vital it is in our church! It is really and truly the keystone of our religion. that is why the focus in our mission has been the Book of Mormon for the past few transfers, and why we are trying to give away so many! This past month, Sis. Lawrence and I gave away 115 copies of the book of mormon as a companionship! I can't believe we did, but somehow we did it!! It is a little miracle every time you give one to someone. I don't know how many of those 115 people will even open the book. I pray that they do! Because I truly love the book of mormon with all of my heart. I love it more each day I study it. I know it is true and I know that it brings the most happiness this life has to offer!

Well if you can't tell from my emails.. I love my investigators so much. They are really like your babies as missionaries haha. You get to help 'raise them' and nourish them in their knowledge of the gospel. It is such an amazing thing to be apart of. It makes all the hard days worth it. Because this is definitely not a walk in the park. There are days when I feel like I would rather break my own leg than get out of bed haha. But it always gets better, only if I move forward. If I focus on the fact that its 6:30 in the morning, I feel sick, I'm on the other side of the world, and I just want to sleep on a BED, I get no where haha. I just gotta keep moving forward... I have survived my first transfer! God has gotten me this far, He won't let me down now. :)

I hope you all have such a great week! Love you all, as always! Until next week! 사랑해요!!

홈스 자매

"Homsu Chamae!" :)