Week 21

Wow. 

This is the last week of the my second transfer! Holy cow. I'm not gonna be a greenie anymore.. Actually technically I am not a greenie anymore because 12 weeks is your training.. and since I had a 7 week transfer my first transfer.. now I'm not a greenie.. Now I've moved up to the title "young missionary". I'm getting so OLD! Transfer calls are this saturday, I can't believe it! I don't know what will happen, President Christensen really likes to surprise people. But if I were making a guess... I think I will probably stay here in Sinchon with Sister Lee for another transfer. Which I would be really happy about. I love it here. I have been so blessed to serve here.. This is where all the missionaries dream of serving, and I had the privilege to be here for my first 2 transfers.. so whatever happens I will be okay with.. even if I'm shipped up North where there are basically no people... and it is even more freezing than it is here in the city.... Shoot. Yup I just jinxed myself I'm going to Kang Won Do next I know it. The Lord knows what he's doing right? I can handle anything I've survived this long haha.. 

This week had a lot of happiness inside of it. First of all.. I FINISHED PASS-OFF!!! I realize now that I haven't explained what this is in any of my previous emails which is CRAZY because it has taken over my life.. In our mission we do this thing called the Language Progression Program.. its where you learn the vocabulary for each preach my gospel lesson in korean, teach the lesson and korean, memorize scriptures for the lesson. You pass off each lesson with your district leader, then you do a midway pass off and a final pass off with your zone leader, and then you pass of with the APs.. so yeah, its kind of a big deal. And now I'm kind of a big deal because I finished it. So yeah. ;) Biggest accomplishment of my life. Such a stress reliever! It was killin' me! If nothing else good happened in the week I can be so happy because I'm DONE WITH IT!! Hold the applause!

This last week I had the opportunity to go on splits with Sister Thomas!! I love her so much. (She and Sister White are the other sisters we live with). She got here only one transfer before me.. I don't even know how I would've survived these last 2 transfers without her! It is such a comfort to know that you're not the only one struggling. We have been able to help each other out a lot.. so when we went on splits this week, we both realized that we've actually learned a thing or two! We got around all by ourselves, got where we needed to be, to our meetings, appointments and everything.. It was such a confidence booster! I feel like I don't know anything still sometimes and it stresses me out to think that I could get another really young missionary as a companion really soon here! But I realized that if it came down to it, I could do it. It might kill me but I could. :) This week I really recognized what an honor and privilege it is to be a missionary. I am grateful for the hard times because they are shaping me into the person that I want to be. I just love this gospel :)

It was a slow one for lessons again.. but on the positive side, Shin Song Hee came to church!! Last night there was a fireside given by Elder Nash of the Seventy. He talked about likening the scriptures to our lives.. and I sure loved it! She came with us, along with Kim Dong Hee! It was such a good night. Even if they dozed off a little bit during the talk haha. I'm not gonna lie there were points where I nodded off.. Its kind of hard to listen to a talk given slowly, sentence by sentence, english, korean, english, korean.. especially when you have a row of naughty little boys in front of you that were fighting the whole time haha. But I am still grateful for the opportunity to hear a general authority! It was in Young don bo, which is in the Seoul South mission so its awesome that we even got to go. Anyways, it was great! Oh man though, I don't know what's going on with Shin Song Hee... it turns out she was really upset at us when we tried to push her to be baptized a couple weeks ago.. so we don't know what to do.. we're just trying to work on strengthening her faith without being pushy because she doesn't want to talk about baptism.. But she is so amazing. I love her so much and more importantly I know that God loves her so much. Even if I don't get to be here when she's baptized, I really think she will someday. Lets just pray that someday is soon :) Pray for that miracle!

We are still working our tails off to find new investigators.. jundoing lots, making a million phone calls, doing everything we can! So actually I forgot, there was a pretty awesome miracle this week! But it was while i was on splits with Sister Thomas. There was a russian lady that Sister Lee met while jundoing once and we got her number and told her that we would get her a book of mormon in russian! So we did and when we went to meet her to give it to her last week she didn't show up. But on saturday she Saw Sister Lee (and Sister White) on the street and so she went and asked them for her book! They were able to go to the church with her and actually teach her a lesson.. they taught the restoration and said it was awesome!! I am so sad I missed it! So actually we do have a new investigator! Hopefully! we are trying to meet with her again tonight so that will be so good! She doesn't speak much english or Korean.. so it will be an adventure to teach her haha :) I'm so excited. More exciting news, tomorrow is temple day!! And the NEW FILM IS HERE!!!!!! I am so excited. Just so much excitement!

I don't really know what else to say. So I guess I'll be done now. Sorry if this was lame again. I'm lame when I email, I can't capture my experience through words.. but just know that I love this work! I know with all my heart that it is God's work! 

5 months in! Holy moly! This week's gonna be a good one!!! Last week of the transfer, its miracle time. Talk to you next week!!! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Holmes 자매