Week 7

친구와 가족!

Friends and family!

친구와 가족!

Friends and family!

On a scale of 2-7 my week was a 9. 

How? 

I'll tell you.

Guys, I absolutely love being a missionary. 

It is not easy that's for sure. So many hard things hit you randomly that seem too small to be so hard. Like missing hiking. But I love it, hard things and all. Although missing things from home can momentarily be hard, it just makes me realize how much I love them, and how grateful I am to love something so much.

18 days till we fly to Korea!

This week they were training a group of new mission presidents here so members from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve and Area 70 have been here.

SUNDAY I studied about Christ's atonement. I focused a lot on the Intercessory Prayer. This is the prayer Jesus gave in the Garden of Gethsemane while He was suffering. He prays for us.

An intercessor is someone who stands between you and someone who wants to punish you. 

I'm sure at some point in our lives we've all been blamed and punished for something we didn't do. I know some of those days have been my worst. 

Christ willingly did that for us. He willingly took our consequences for us. He willingly took that punishment for sin. He was perfect. He didn't have any punishment waiting for Him. He didn't sin. 

But we do all the time because we are human.

Why would He willingly do something that is one of the worst feelings I have ever experienced, plus so much more?

Because He loves us. 

That is how much He loves us, how perfect He loves us, and how personally He loves us. He would willingly take that punishment for us. And not just would take it, but He DID take it. 

I know He is our Savior.

MONDAY we had to say goodbye to lots of our friends we've made here in the MTC. They are going to the people who need them across the world! It was so sad to say goodbye to them and we miss them everyday (literally look around campus for them still) but I know they are all going to be absolutely amazing! I will remember them forever.

TUESDAY we didn't have our evening class or devotional so we spent the time sitting under a tree singing hymns as an elder in my district played the ukulele. We sang some in English and some in Korean. 

We also had another 25 minute HOA practice lesson in Korean... and we went over time by 10 minutes. I'm not sure how we taught a 35 minute lesson in our broken Korean but it went really well. 

WEDNESDAY we met the native Koreans that just arrived! They will be going back to Korea and serving with us! They are amazing and we love talking with them about what to expect and if we are saying things right. 

THURSDAY was our 3rd SYL day. We only spoke Korean from 9am to 9pm. The first 2 times we did this I got to a point in the day usually around dinner where I would just give up and speak mostly English for the remainder of the day. I had taken time the few days before and Thursday morning to pray for His help this time. We did take a break when the new mission presidents in training practiced teaching us, and a few English sentences were spoken to other missionaries speaking different languages, but I did it with His help! I made it all the way to 9 this time. 

I know when we take the time to sincerely include Him in our goals and plans, that He will magnify our efforts and help us reach them. 

We also got to talk with Elder Choi of the 70 and his wife. They are Korean! They approached us while I was sitting translating sentences into Korean outside and gave us some advice on how to connect with people in Korea- ask them where to find the best kimchi.

While we were sitting there we also got to see Elder Uchdorf, Elder Gong, Elder Soares, Elder Caussé, Elder Stevenson, and Sister Freeman and her counselors.

We also spoke with Elder Palmer of the 70 from New Zealand and were taught by Elder and Sister Fuller who are here being trained as new mission presidents opening a mission in Africa.

FRIDAY as we were walking to lunch we got stopped by security and asked to wait there until all the participants of the seminar had walked through. As we waited we saw the remainder of the 12 we hadn't seen the day before, as well as some we had, as well as many area 70s and new mission presidents. All the ones we had spoken to the day before recognized us and came over to shake our hands. 

We were also practice taught by new mission President and Sister Engen, going to the Philippines San Pablo mission. At the beginning of their lesson, they shared how they do not know the language and felt a bit inadequate. As they continued the lesson and started a role play with each other they expressed that they weren't sure what they were doing and wanted feedback from the 4 of us. 

I had so much empathy in that moment for them, knowing what that feels like. It reminded me that all these amazing people we've seen this week are still human, they have their personalities, they have their families, they have their worries. And through that all, they are just trying their best to follow Christ. 

In class we made pretend Korean money after learning how to talk about money and ask how much something is. Then we drew things on our paper (our store) with the price, and went outside to set up shop. We walked around to each other's stores asking how much things cost and if the business owner would give us a discount. 

TODAY (saturday) we saw both Elder Eyring and Dallen H Oaks. They're humans too.

I love being a missionary. I love this opportunity. I love learning this language, even the hard parts. The point is, everyone you see, no matter who they are, what they do, where they live- they are all someone Jesus loves, someone He died for. 

And as you walk with Christ, you will come to see people individually as He does. 

I promise.

Anneyong,

올센 자매