The Atonement Works!

This week was really hard. I switched companions halfway through the week (Transfers). We had appointments canceled. I've been speaking a lot more Korean now that I have a Korean companion. Despite it all, it was a great week! 

My new companion, Sister Kim is amazing!  We have had so much fun together and in just 5 days I have learned a lot from her. She is always wanting to help and is teaching me to work as a team. She is also teaching me a lot of Korean. 

We have very few investigators right now, but things are starting to pick up with the ward. We are working on gaining the trust of the members, because we can't do missionary work without members. It's not possible. Serving a mission makes me want to be a better member missionary. 

I was reading about the atonement the other day, and I read this by Elder Dallin H. Oaks in the most recent session of General Conference. 

Our Savior experienced and suffered the fullness of all mortal challenges “according to the flesh” so He could know “according to the flesh” how to“succor [which means to give relief or aid to] his people according to their infirmities.” He therefore knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us—to give us the strength to bear it all.

I’ve learned that he knows everything we go through. Even sufferings that come from being human. I know God loves me. Even though this week has been hard, I've never felt closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior.  

I hope you have a wonderful week

Love,

Sister Mustain

New Companion, Sister Kim

 

Transfers!!!

Well... this week we got transfer calls and my next companion is Sister 김신영. It has been so much fun serving with Sister Holbrook. She is the best!! But I can't wait for what the next transfer will bring. 

This week we meet with our five investigators. It was neat to see the spirit touch their hearts as we taught. While teaching them I was able to recognize how the Spirit teaches through us when we are worthy of it. I learned a very important lesson. It is not me that teaches, it is the spirit! 

For Christmas our Mission President gave us a quote about prayer. It talked about how every morning a missionary should pray that the spirit can work through them to teach people and find people to teach. I started to do that this week. I was able to see all the miracles in my life and teaching became easier. It was no longer what can I do more, but rather what can I do so the Spirit can do more. The spirit is how God speaks to us. It is how we can do all things through him. 

I'd like to share a scripture from the Book of Mormon. It is Alma 26:12. Ammon, a missionary, had just finished his mission and he is talking about all the success they had. His fellow missionary tells him he is boasting, and this is his response. 

 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

I learned through God we can do all things. Once we admit that, amazing things begin to happen in our lives. I know God loves me and He loves each and every one of us. I'm so grateful to be a missionary!

Love,

Sister Mustain

The Blessings of Effective Planning

This week was a week full of miracles and blessings. It all had to do with a change in our planning. 

Being a missionary, planning is extremely important. We have to plan who to teach, what to teach, where to go, what to do, etc. If we don't plan effectively then our day seems like an eternity and we waste the day. We can't find people to teach if we aren't effective. I also learned this week that when we plan effectively, we are happier in the long run. 

Before this week it wasn't that our planning wasn't effective. It just wasn't as effective as it could have been. We decided to use the full thirty minutes, not answer the phone, and think about what we needed to do before we put in the schedule. As we did this we had some incredible days filled with lessons and experiences that brought others to Christ. 

So much happened this week, so let me just share one day with you. On Wednesday we planned to meet an elderly woman in our ward who is lonely, visit a potential investigator, drop something off at a member's house, do a practice lesson, and visit a less active member. As we planned we really thought about what each of these people needed that day. Then we prayed to know that that was what needed to be done and that we would be able to talk to people along the way. 

That day was probably one of the best days of my missionary life!! Our plans didn't go exactly according to plan, but we were able to talk with a super cute 13 year old girl, get her number, and give her a Book of Mormon. We also were able to have some really cool lessons. 

One lesson was with a less active member who we've been trying to meet with since I came to Sanbon. We taught her about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and shared a Mormon Message called Earthly Father, Heavenly Father. As we taught, you could feel the Spirit so strongly. I knew in that moment God loves each and every one of us.

That day I felt so much love for everyone we met. I know when we plan effectively and pray for God's help, he will make our days meaningful. I know this gospel is true and I wouldn’t give up the knowledge that I'm a daughter of God for the world. Have an amazing week!

Love, 

Sister Mustain

Happy New Years!!!

Well...Nothing really happens on New Year’s Eve in Korea. They celebrate the New Year in February. So not much happened out of the ordinary for missionary work this week.  

This week we met with 5 new investigators! That is the most I have had in one week in my entire mission. They were super friendly and you could tell they felt the spirit when we met. 

In Korea, Koreans love learning English and we do this thing call the Family English Program. It is where we teach English for 30 minutes and Gospel for 30 minutes. 

A couple weeks ago we met two women in their late 40's on the street. We stopped and talked to them and they said they wanted to meet us again. We met and introduced them and 3 other friends to the Family English Program. We were able to start the program with them this week.

It went really well. They respected our time and when English time was done, we immediately switched to teaching the gospel.  As we taught, you could feel the spirit in the room and they wanted to meet again. It was an experience I wouldn’t change for the world! 

One thing I love about missionary work is the spirit you feel! When I share the gospel I feel happier than I've ever felt in my life. I feel close to my Heavenly Father. I feel his love for me and everyone I meet! President Henry B. Eyring said, "Only through the Holy Ghost can we see people and events as God sees them." I know that is true, and I know that God loves each and every one of us!! 

So next time life gets hard or discouraging... Smile! Jesus Loves You!!

Love, 

Sister Mustain