June 30, 2014

Hi everyone! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY D-MAN!!!! I hope you have had a good day!!! I love you and I'm so thankful you're my brother!!! Thanks for the emails. I love hearing about everything! Things are good in Korea. This week was filled with a few ups and downs. We were able to have a few lessons, but we had quite a few planned lessons that were cancelled. Overall, it was a good week. Thank you for all of your prayers for my investigators!!!! <3

On tuesday we got a text saying that we were going to have a Combined Zone Conference on thursday. It was a really good conference. A guy named PJ Rogers came and spoke to us. He served as a missionary here in Korea about 25 years ago. He came back and lived here for 15 years, mastered korean, and graduated with his PhD from a Korean University. He is now a professor at BYU-Hawaii. He taught us a ton about the Korean culture and things he has learned to help us adapt to Korean culture better. I learned a ton from him. It was so interesting. He had a good perspective on missionary work and ways to build trust with the people we work with. I am really thankful for the chance we had to hear from him. It was awesome. I could have listened to him all day. President spoke a little too and talked about being happy. He shared a few scriptures about happiness and spoke about the happiness that comes from keeping the commandments. It was great.

 

We were able to meet with 김경애this week though. We taught about the Holy Ghost and how it testifies of truth. We showed her some scriptures in the BOM and the Bible about the Holy Ghost. We talked about gaining a testimony of the BOM through the Holy Ghost. We asked her to read at least 5 minutes a day from the BOM. I really hope she will do this. She seemed hesitant at first, but it seemed like maybe she will. She told us that she believes that if we don't read the Bible and know everything in it, we aren't children of God and we won't be saved. She said the opening prayer to the lesson and as soon as she finished the prayer she said "angel". "there's an angel here" so we're not really sure what that was all about, but ok. haha. She always keeps the commitments of reading certain chapters of the Book of Mormon, so that's good. I was reading over her progress record this week and I realized that she really is progressing since our first lesson. In the first lesson with her, we asked her to read the Book of Mormon and she straight up said no. So we asked her to pray and ask God if she should read, and now she is. We will continue to meet with her. She told us she always prays for us and we told her we do the same.  She is so sweet and I really love her so much.

We also met with 박인영 this week and taught her about the Gift of the Holy Ghost and a little bit about the light of Christ and the difference. (She had some questions about that last week). We shared experiences and told how the Holy Ghost has blessed our lives. She seemed really interested. She also asked a lot of questions about the Priesthood, what it is, where we get it...etc.  We told her we can all receive blessings from the Priesthood. She was really interested in it. She also had some questions about baptism, so we taught her a little bit about that as well. We are planning on focusing on that more this week. She prayed at the end of the lesson and asked to have the Holy Ghost with her! She is starting to open up more and more. I am so thankful! 

We set up an appointment with 명훈(Sean) this week for Saturday. We also called to confirm it the night before, and he told us that he was out drinking with friends, but was still planning on meeting with us. (I don't think he was drunk though) Saturday morning we called again to follow up but he didn't answer. He never showed up when we went to meet with him. I don't really know what to do with him. We wanted to meet one time with him and with the Elders before we 소개 refer him, but he can't even make it to appointments. Whenever we call him, he is all for it and wants to meet and then he just no-shows. He didn't come to church yesterday either. I don't want to let him go because he is already on the path to being baptized, but he just needs help. I am a little unsure what we should do about him.

We had an appointment with Anna Kim this week, but she cancelled the night before because she had a family thing. I am really hoping for this week. As far as the two students we are doing the family english program with, they are testing these next few weeks, so we called their mom and set a date to meet with them in about 3ish weeks. 

I have been noticing many small miracles lately. This week when we were supposed to meet with Sean, we went to the 역 (subway station) where we were supposed to meet him, just in case he would show up... even though he didn't answer his phone. While we were there, we started talking to some people and met 3 really nice ladies. We got 2 of their numbers and are hoping to meet with one of them this week. After we were finished talking to them, we saw an elderly man fall down some stairs. He was laying on the ground and nobody would help him up. We ran over to help him and he had hit his head and was a little confused. We asked some people to help, but they sat him up and then left. We called 2 of the elders because they were at the church (really close) and they came and were able to help him up. Even though Sean no-showed on us, we met some cool people and were able to help somebody out. 

Another thing I have noticed is seeing cool things happen when we use ALL of our time wisely. Even the last few minutes before 9, or a few extra minutes we have between different appointments. On saturday we were at the church after the ward cleaning and we had about 10 minutes before MCM was going to start. We decided we would go out and 전도 (street contact) for a few minutes before it started. While we were out, we met 5 Cambodians in the market. We called Sister Sung (the cambodian sister) and they came over and met them, got their number...etc. It seems like we always meet really cool people when we give those extra few minutes. 

Yesterday our ward had ward conference. It was really good. We had a great turn-out. One of the less active members that we regularly visit came and brought her grandkids, and non-member daughter-in-law. I think they really enjoyed it. Her husband really wants us to teach her, so we are working on that. I went and asked her if she needed help with her grandkids, and she told us to take them to sit with us. So sacrament meeting was quite the adventure. They aren't members, so they're not used to Sacrament meeting, plus they're 6 and 4. They were super restless and were were trying to keep them entertained. We were sitting next to another lady (less active lady, who is starting to come back) who kept shhhing them the whole time and asking where their mom was. uhhhhhh. haha i was so bugged. haha. We ended up taking them out half way through. At least the cute less active grandma and daughter in law got to hear the meeting though!

This week I finished the Book of  Mormon, so  I started it again. I was reading in 1 Nephi and thinking a lot about the person Nephi was. I love that Nephi valiantly keeps the commandments and NEVER complains. Nephi's attitude is amazing! He always acknowledges the blessings they receive, even when their situation is less than ideal.  

Rach- your week sounds fun! Lehi rodeo sounds way fun. I can't believe you're taking a kayaking class at Utah State in the fall! How fun! teach me when i'm home. then we can go to jackson hole or something :)

D-man- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I LOVE YOU! I sent you a card in the mail. hopefully you get it soon. byu basketball camp sounds way fun! I can't believe you saw elder kaufusi!! We all miss him here. Sounds like it was a blast though! good job on winning your basketball tournament!

Ellie- your craft and cooking class sounds so fun!!!! You will have to send me pictures. I love hearing about all your friends and the fun things you do together. i love you!!

Jane- how was the pool party? when are you doing your next session of craft class? the king james phone cover you gave dman sounds sweet! i love you!

Addie- i would rather eat cheese for the rest of my life. Are you excited to have a break from ballet for the month? or do you miss it? dad's phone sounds really cool. yes i remember when you would rub my temples when i had a headache. you were the best. i love you!

Isaac- i can't believe there was a real cougar in sandy! That made me sad that it died because we are byu fans. I would rather see 2 cougars than 3. Would you rather swim in a pool of lemonade or a pool of root beard? (hahah) i love you rid! 

Mom and Dad- I can picture all of the birthday festivities. I am glad grandpa and Baba and grandma could come. I love you. thank you for the letters. I got a lot this week and it made my week! I love the pictures you send. Everyone thinks you are the most beautiful people in the world when i show them pics of our fam. I tell them you are and you are the best. :) I love you!

Have a fun week in Powell. Find some wild cliffs to jump off of. and maybe get marv to do a back flip off the top of the houseboat. ha ha. :)  send me pics! I love you! have a good week!!! xoxoxox

Sis. Tara Anderson