Interviews:)

This past week we had interviews with our mission president! Interviews are fun because we get to talk one-on-one with our mission president about what we can do better and what we can improve on. 

In order to improve my Korean, this week in district meeting I taught our investigators in Korean and my companion taught in English. It was fun because I did it even though it was hard and I didn't want to do it. It helped me feel a little more confident and happier.

So for those of you that know me know that I can't sing well. However, as a missionary I have to sing a lot especially with my new companion. This week we practiced because we have to sing a song with the Relief Society and we sang a song with the young single adults. We were talking about my singing one morning and my companion said, "Your singing is one of my trials." It was so funny it made me smile. It is also very true.

This week was a blessing. I'm so grateful to be a missionary, because every day is a new learning experience. Have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Sister Mustain

Missionary Work Is...

Last week the missionary email system wasn't working so here is my email from last week...

Missionary work is hard. It is tiring. It is full of miracles and blessings. It is filled with little moments that make all the difficulties worth it. Little moments like when your investigator thanks you for teaching them. Or when your companion tells you that you did good. Or when the weather is warm and peaceful right before it rains. These are just a few of the little moments that helped me this week. 

I was reading a talk by Elder Wirthlin called Sunday Will Come. Elder Wirthlin uses the story of Christ's death and resurrection. He explains how Christ was crucified on Friday, and how it was a day of great sorrow for him and his followers. But then he explains that on Sunday, Christ was resurrected which gave his followers reason to rejoice. He then relates this to our own lives. He says,

"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come. No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come."

This week was hard. I felt stressed and overwhelmed. We received a lot of training this week and my companion and I have been having a hard time working with each other. However through prayer, hard work, and asking for help, Sunday is coming. Today, I feel happy!!

As a missionary, I've learned that in order to enjoy the happy moments, you have to push through the sad moments. You can’t just ignore them. I'm so grateful to be a missionary! A mission is the best way to learn to rely on the Lord! By serving others, I'm not only helping others, but I'm learning how to help myself in order to help others. I know this gospel is true. Despite all the hard things we can experience in life, there is so much to be grateful for!! 

Have a wonderful week, and don't forget to put your trust in God! 

Love, 

Sister Mustain

 

Everyone Struggles!

Well... I still have a lot to learn. Having a Korean companion is hard, but she’s taught me that just because she is serving in her own country doesn't mean missionary work is any easier.  

Missionary work is hard, but it is the hard things in life that are the most rewarding. I think if missionary work was easy, the happiest moments wouldn't be nearly as happy. This week we visited every single member and gave them egg tarts and a message in honor of the Solar New Year (a major holiday in Korea). It was a lot of work, but it helped the members feel loved. My companion teaches me every day how to love the people a little more!

Since being companions with Sister Kim, every night during planning we write the miracles of the day.  Doing this has helped me to recognize God's hand in my life. He is always there for us, but sometimes we don't recognize what he has done. One miracle I had this past week was the gift of interpretation of tongues. Lately I've been feeling overwhelmed by Korean. I'm in Korea so it is everywhere and my companion is Korean. So a lot of Korean! God has helped me to have the patience to listen. I don't understand everything, but little by little understanding is coming. 

I know God loves each one of us. Through the simple things he blesses our lives in big ways. This principle is explained in 2 Nephi 28:30 

For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, we have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.

I know as we pay attention to the little things, we can begin to more fully appreciate the joy that comes from the big things. I know God love each and every one of us. I know through the gospel we can be happy even when it seems that we shouldn't. 

Love,

Sister Mustain

God Loves Us

Sorry there aren't a lot of details about this week. We worked with the ward a lot to help them feel God's love and we still don't have a lot of investigators.  I've also learned a lot. However, the most important thing I learned was our talents and abilities are a gift from God.  God can give and he can take away. This week I want to share a parable from Jesus. It is Matthew 24:14-19. 

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into afar country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh,and reckoneth with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall betaken away even that which he hath.

I know God loves us and is willing to help us succeed. From this parable I learned God is proud of our effort. He doesn't really care what the result is, he just wants to know we tried. I'm going to try this week to be better than I was the week before. I know God loves each and every one of us. I know the gospel is true. 

Love,

Sister Mustain