Exchanges, Zone Conference, & More

"The Lord knows what He wants to accomplish with each one of us. He knows the kind of reform He wants to achieve in our lives, and we do not have the right to counsel Him."  -Elder Rafael E. Pino

This week I learned a lot about relying on the Lord and to stop making excuses. On Friday we had a combine zone conference where we learned a lot about working with members, being clean (inside and out!), and learning Korean. I learned how important members are to missionary work. The missionaries maybe the ones who teach the lessons, but the members are the ones who help people to progress in the gospel. President Gordon B. Hinckley said every new convert needs a friend, a calling, and a way to feel the gospel. For this the missionaries aren't the answer, it’s the members. 

Zone Conference also taught me a lot about learning the language. I learned it is alright to make mistakes and Koreans actually love them. They love it when you try to talk to them whether it is good or not. I also learned it is important to speak slowly and create opportunities to speak. 

So, as part of becoming a threesome, Sister Holmes and I became Sister Training Leaders. That meant we had to go on exchanges. I went to 평택 with Sister Kwak (곽). She is Korean, so it was a little hard to communicate, but I learned a lot. I learned I don't need a Korean companion to learn Korean. I just need to try. Learning Korean is like doing a 1,000 piece puzzle. It takes a long time, but is possible. 

If I could put what I learned this week into one sentence, it would be... Never give up when life gets tough, because that is when you are able to learn the most. I know God loves each of us. I know this gospel is true. 

Mustain 자매

Wow! Did Last Week Just Happen?

I can't believe another week has come and gone. This week was crazy with getting ready for a new companion and getting a new companion. 

Last Monday we ran errands and cleaned the house in order to make room for a new companion. We had to move our sleeping mats to the kitchen in order to fit another desk in our room/study room. The next few days felt like a sleepover because we were sleeping in the kitchen! And we we're now a threesome!  

On Friday we had to clean the house of the sister who left and our new companion, Sister Schur; since there won't be sisters living in it anymore. It took us most of the day.  We had to go through everything and find out what could be sent to the mission home and what was trash.  It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun. 

Besides the craziness of this week, I learned a lot. I finished reading the Book of Mormon on Tuesday. I learned two things from reading it on my mission. One, the Book of Mormon can be a little graphic and two, it is so true. From reading the Book of Mormon I've come to know we have a loving Heavenly Father who lives and loves us. We have a Savior who suffered for all our pains an afflictions. I know although the prophets at times felt inadequate, they were still able to do what God asked of them. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that the gospel was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. 

This week we were able to teach the restoration to two sisters who we started the Family English Program with. We are now teaching them on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are an English interest investigator, but when we teach the gospel they let us teach. When we taught them on Thursday you could feel the spirit in the room. It is moments like this that keep me going. Being a missionary is hard, but at the end of the day it is all worth it!

Sister Mustain

Cleaning the old house

Members and Missionary Work

Big news this week. If you didn't think my missionary life was crazy enough, it's about to get even crazier with a threesome!

One of the missionaries in my zone got really sick, and is going home.  So until the end of the transfer we get a third companion! Her name is Sister Schur. I met her before at the MTC.  I don't know what will happen, but this will be interesting. 

On Friday we met with the grandmother 윤영옥 we found while doing service the other week. I didn't understand a lot that happened in that lesson, but I could feel how much she needed the gospel in her life. It also helped me to realize how blessed I am to have it in my life. 

This week we had zone training. It was really good and we learned about the importance of members in missionary work.  I didn't realize how important members are to missionary work until becoming a missionary. 

Members are needed to fellowship, find, and teach investigators. I was reading about my purpose as a missionary and part of that purpose is to strength the church where ever I'm serving. That doesn't mean just bringing new people into the church, it means strengthening members as well. This week during weekly planning we focused on how we could get more member lessons. I realized all are investigators could benefit greatly from meeting a member. 

I was reading a talk from General Conference entitled “Yes, We Can and We Will”by Elder Soares. It explains how we need to hold firm to our testimonies when we face opposition and discouragement. It says;

"We must hold ever more tightly to our testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then will our ability to defend truth and justice greatly increase. We will win the daily battles against evil, and, rather than fall on the battlefields of life, we will rally others to the Master’s standards."

I know whether we are members or missionaries we can all share the gospel. We all play a role in helping others to come unto Christ. I know members can do so much more than I can do as a missionary. I know as I fulfill my purpose as a missionary I will be able to help others come unto Christ. 

Mustain 자매

Service, Miracles, and Divine Potential

Well...I successfully made it through my official week in Shinpoong. This week was interesting and we had quite a few miracles. 

In my new district every Wednesday we have district day. For district day we have lunch, district meeting, and service together. For our service activity we picked up trash along streets and sidewalks. At first I thought this wasn’t service. Service should be something organized like cleaning the church or helping at an elderly in their home. Well God proved me wrong! We received two new investigators from picking up trash along the side of the road.

The first one was a grandmother who started talking to us and asked for us to come and visit her. We visited her on Friday and she didn't really have any expectations as to why we were there. We explained to her our purpose as missionaries and taught her about the Book of Mormon.  She agreed to have us come again and teach her about the gospel. This taught me all service is valuable in God's eyes.

The other investigator is a 25 year old Chinese girl.  She came up to us and said, "I want to go to that Church," pointing at Sister Holmes name tag.  She came to church, but she wasn't interested. All she really wanted was to make friends. However, she is willing to meet with us anytime and she has potential so we'll keep meeting with her. Being a missionary, I've learned that as we show our love to people they are able to draw one step closer to their Heavenly Father. Even if they don't recognize it. Even though she only wants to meet us to have friends, I know the gospel of Jesus Christ can help her with that. The gospel of Jesus Christ can help us overcome all our challenges. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 

"God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

I'm so grateful to be a missionary. It can be hard and stressful at times, but the peace and guidance I receive from my Heavenly Father makes all the hard moments worth it. I know God loves me and wants me to become like him. I know he loves each and every one of us. I'm so blessed to be a missionary and dedicate my life to him. He is our Father and we are his children. 

Have a wonderful week!

Mustain 자매