Hello Everyone!!!
Last week was a really great one and this week is going to be even better because we are going to start teaching our first real investigator! I am so excited! I just can't even!
A few weeks ago a less active sister who is about 24 showed up at church and continued to come to church every week after that. All of the members encouraged us to help her in any way, so that is what we did. She had a really hard childhood and a tough background with her family. When she was 15 she met the missionaries and was baptized. She was super diligent in coming to church, YW activities, etc. but after a lot of her friends left to study in America, she was kind of forgotten. The people who would drive her to church stopped bringing her, etc. So years went by and one of her friends from church came back from America and realized that she wasn't there. He sent her a simple text and invited her to come, so she did. When she was at church she felt really happy again like she did when she was first baptized. But church is early in the morning and she worked the night shift, so she had a hard time waking up. However, every Sunday morning at about 6:00 she said that she heard a voice telling her "wake up!! wake up!!" And she knew that meant that Heavenly Father was telling her where she needed to be on Sunday. So she kept coming to church. And the YSA took such great care of her. Last weekend she went to this big YSA camp for the whole Pusan area and during it she felt the spirit so strong. She said that she kept getting a feeling that she needed to serve a mission. But she has forgotten a lot of what the missionaries taught her so she wants us to re-teach her the missionary lessons in a mission-prep setting. When she told us that, we just about died of excitement. So we started preparing and praying and really pondering what would be best for her. During personal study, I felt really strongly that we needed to invite her to find a friend that we can teach together. That way she can re-learn the gospel at the same time that she is practicing and preparing for missionary work. Sister Kim Yeji felt the same way. So we met with her and she was so excited. Yesterday morning, we got a text from her telling us that she was bringing her little sister (who is not member) to Stake Conference with her. Sister Kim Yeji and I were dying of excitement. We called that night and they want to meet with us together on Thursday. Please keep praying for them. They are so golden! I have never seen so much faith from one person in my life. This sister is such a wonderful example to me! I can't wait to help her more!
We also had another miracle this week. The lady that we teach English to (but who has zero gospel interest) kept a commitment. In all of the time since the sisters started teaching her in January, she has never kept a commitment. But she read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet that we gave her. We were so excited! She also opened up to us about some bad experiences she had at her friend's church when she was little and why she feels weird about religion. Now we know her needs and how we can help her. I am so excited. I have been praying for her a lot lately. At transfer meeting on Monday, President Barrow told us about how we need to look at others as God looks at them: with no limits. When God sees us, He sees our divine potential. And he doesn't just see missionaries, or members, or Christians, or religious people that way. He sees every single person who has ever lived that way because we are all His beloved children and He wants us to become like Him. Anyway, I decided that I wouldn't look at anyone with limits. Ever since her first lesson, missionaries have put limits on this girl. Basically, everyone has seen her as if she has no hope for progressing. But that is not how God sees her. She is his loved daughter, and he send missionaries to her for a reason. So Kim Yeji and I have been praying really hard for her because we know that she has the potential to progress if she chooses to (you always have to add agency to the equation). And this week, she kept a commitment. It was so small, but we know if we continue to believe in her and help her, she will be able to have a lot of the doubts, confusion, etc. that bother her about religion resolved. If that's all we do, just help her feel less confused about life, that is great. Every effort is worth something even if there is no numerical result.
Miracle #3: This week I went on splits in Jinhe with Sister Morton (STL). It was super fun, I learned so much, and we found a really beautiful hiking trail that leads to a Buddhist temple on our morning run. But best of all, we saw a miracle! We were walking home from a lesson with Bible-bash Grandma (super hard...I hate Bible bashing!!! Ugh) and this random dad-aged man said hello to us in English. In Korea sister missionaries are not allowed to talk to men unless they talk to you first for safety and cultural reasons. So usually, late at night we would say hello back and keep on walking. But both of us just decided to stop and give him a Because He Lives card and invite him to English class. Five minutes later, he called our number on the card and said he wanted to meet with us. Again, for safety/cultural reasons we had to refer him to the Elders. So we had him call Jinhe B-Team (the new set of Elders who are white-wash training). They are meeting next Sunday. This man has interest in the gospel and not English, which is such a rare blessing! I am so excited to see how that goes.
Well, I'm sure everyone is wondering exactly what "pig-part soup" is. And I'll tell you right now. It is pig part soup. As in soup made out of pig parts...like ear, liver, intestines...you name it and it's in there. During our exchange we had MCM meeting with our ward mission leader and he took us out to eat this special (emphasis on the *special*) dish which is unique to the Pusan area. Yeah. That was really hard for me to eat. But I did it. And Sister Morton actually really likes this dish, so we switched bowls halfway through the meal and she ate the meat for me. I really owe her one! But MCM went really well. I had to do the progress record and present our investigators, their needs, etc. all in Korean. And I did it. I have no idea how, but I did it and I understood everything that our ward mission leader said during the meeting, which was a first for me because usually I have no idea what he is talking about. But that was a huge miracle because I was so stressed that I would die without Sister Kim. But I survived. And 5 minutes after I had no idea what anyone was saying again. Hehe. But I am just grateful that I was able to survive that day on my own!
Okay, one more fun story. After Saturday night Stake Conference the former bishop (my favorite person ever) drove us and the Relief Society President and this other adorable old lady from the ward. He played this super old Karaoke-style Korean music for the old ladies. The Relief Society President belted along and danced like a 17-year-old girl when her favorite song comes on the radio. I was squished in the back of the car with a big plate of kimbab on my lap and a Korean on each side of me. I don't think I have ever felt happier in my life. I love this place. Jinhe ward is magical. The members are so much fun and so kind. I told the RS President that after I am done with my mission I would come back and go to a 노래 방 (Karaoke)with her because missionaries aren't allowed to go during their service. I am pretty stoked for that day to come. Haha.
Well, that's all I've got. Have a wonderful week! Don't forget to write me!! ;)
사라애오!!
I You love!!
잔스 자매
Sister Johns
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