Status of the Week

(Honestly, I can't remember where last week left off and where this one started, and it was a great week so I'll just go for it :))

The sun is shining! How lovely. It felt like it wasn't a busy week, but you know, we actually did do quite a lot of good things!

We met with Sister __ and her family - we taught the boys English, and she responded very well to the Jospeh Smith story, looking for truth, and looking for answers. She has been praying for a very long time to forgive someone, as well, but hasn't been able to feel that yet. We will meet with her twice next week, she is happy because that way she can ask us more questions. We're perceiving that there will likely be a problem with an opposing family, but we will continue to work with that.
We also were finally able to meet with Sister __, who understood the Resoration very, very well, and understands the scriptures well, but is veeeery hesitant to accept commitments, because she want to do things naturally. She understands that she needs to act, but isn't willing to very much yet. She says her action is meeting with us, and we are very thankful for that, but we will send her scriptures because she seems to respond well to those. 

!
Miracles! Lots of answers to specific prayers during finding. An even bigger miracle: Both of us have been very frusterated about things that should be happening that aren't, as far as companionship/things we are doing are concerned, but we are working on a big break through, where we support each other rather than trying to do missionary work alone. As I type this, it doesn't make any sense, but it is a whole other level of productivity that we've both wanted to see for our whole missions. We're excited about all the potential! 

Study: with this new focus on saving __, we are in need of a lot of miracles. It's easy to get down about the troublesome less-active situation in Korea, but I found and kind of have hooked on to D&C 10:43, which whole section helped buoy up faith in this work that we are newly embarking on and that faith, that hearts are being prepared. 

Isn't is interesting that we can study the atonement more than anything else, and yet not really understand it until we recognize our need for it. And the more we learn, the more there is to learn. But in it's simplicity, it's excatly what you said; being a dicsiple rather than only a believer.

Sister Claire THOMAS! :D

Moving! And Sunday was GREAT!

So….this week we moved. So it doesn't really feel like we accomplished much, we taught a couple lessons, and talked to a few people, and cleaned and cleaned our nasty dirty house. But now that it's clean, it's beautiful and big!

Monday - we didn't have time to weekly plan for the week last week, so we did that. Then we had a 식사 (a dinner appointment, but we just call them "sheik-sa" here. "Dinner appointment" sounds weird in my mouth.) with some members - they're super great, and have been strong in the church here since the beginning. He pulled out an album and showed us pictures of how he was in the first stake presidency here, and the ground-breaking for two meeting houses and the temple, etc, etc.. . .

 

Tuesday: TEMPLE! and guess what - That was the first day the new movie was there! It's the same and so different at the same time. I'm so thankful for the temple and just the pure feeling of peace that's there. 

 

Wednesday-Saturday: I'm very happy that I'm not an office elder. Moving is exciting, but then it keeps going on and on and becomes a pain, especially when you could be out talking to people, and the longer you don't talk to anyone, the harder it is to start, and then you get all grumbly and in a bad mood and don't want to do anything or talk to anyone but then you finally do get a little time to talk to people on the street and as soon as you overcome the little fear barrier that builds up, it's AWESOME! Hehe I like talking to people! Even if they don't exactly want to listen to your message at all (hehe, one student I talked to said that she'd give us her number the third time she saw us at the subway station. It's also fun talking to fun people ;)) And on Saturday, we met the family again - which was entirely different, none of the people there were the same. The wife and kids flew in from America and we played English games with them, and then shared very simply about the Book of Mormon and prophets, and the importance of having prophets, and that through them, we can receive guidance to know about God, to know for ourselves if He exists, and to follow His will. She said that she had been attending another church ever since she was married, but never really received a surety that God exists or loves her - she asked us to share our experiences with her about how we came to know that He loves us, which was a special experience. We're really excited to continue meeting with them :) And we also gotour transfer calls and I'll be in Shindang for another transfer! Nothing changed in our house :)

 

Hooray for Sunday! It was a beautiful day! There was a double baptismal service, the gospel principles class was entirely full (we couldn't attend because there were so many people ^^ (granted, that includes a whole BUNCH of missionaries, but a lot of recent converts, investigators, and others! I really like our gospel principles class :)), a 다 같이 식사 with the ward (all-together meal…I'm not sure how to make that sound normal in English…), and just some really great spiritual experiences.

So Sister _______'s husband, Brother ------ was baptized, and so was another young man, which was also special, because that young man's friend, who was baptized maybe four or five months ago, got to baptize him. President and Sister Christensen came, and President Christensen conferred the Gift of the Holy Ghost upon Brother _____ - in Korean O.O We talked to Sister _____ after, and she was so happy; "My husband has truly been reborn today." We're so excited for them :)

 

Also, a recent convert, Sister ___, she's Chinese, was studying in Canada, heard the gospel and was baptized, traveled to France, and is here now. She speaks English very well, but a lot of things are new, so she said she doesn't often know what's going on, but she likes how she feels at church. And for the first time, a member translated Sacrament meeting into Chinese for her - she said that "you can't imagine what it's like to hear it in your mother tongue". It was a really special experience! 

I'm also very thankful for the sacrament, and the cleansing power of the Atonement. There is very little that feels worse than regret, or knowing that you knew what you were supposed to do, didn't do it, and now situations have gone wrong because you didn't do what you knew you should. (I hope that made sense) And that, my dear friends, is precisely why I feel that baptism and the sacrament is so important, because it is through those moments that, if you listen and ask, you can feel that forgiveness, and that new start. To go and try it all over again is the biggest blessing~

 

Love you all! 

Sister THOMAS!

What a wonderful week! From Sister "Tomato"

Also, It felt like Monday was about three months ago. I don't know, time jsut doesn't add up - the weeks are so long, the months don't exist, and the years are short. Just wait, Lauren, you'll see :)

 

MONDAY!  We went to Dongdaemun and shopped for pday. I got you some fun ties, Dad! And you might wear one of them. One, I'm pretty sure you won't, but it was awesome and $4 :)

 

But even better: we've had a lot of recent converts in our ward lately, so we wanted to have a "how to do family home evening" night, officially called (in English anyway,) Feelin' New Night. Maybe a little too much fun to plan, but it was actually really great; things didn't go according to plan because they announced it and invited the whole ward, whereas we were only expecting seven people, but it ended up being really fantastic, and members, missionaries, recent converts, and less active members were all learning to prepare spiritual thoughts together :)

 

Tuesday, we talked to people on the street all day. We went to a new place we heard about, but it's strange how many men congregate in one place, and considering that we don't talk to men (there's a weird "I'm a young foreign girl" thing that we like to avoid, (the elders do, too, because Korean girls tend to like American men....anyway.)) We moved along and roamed the streets talking to people - and met the cutest girl! Her name is ____; she's 22 like us, and we met with her the next day too, and is super willing to talk and learn about God and the gospel! We also talked with ________ on Wednesday, in a lesson where I think I learned more than I think she did. We talked about learning  line upon line, and precept on precept, and receiving answers to prayers, and at what point we can be 100% sure that what we're saying it true - 100% is an interesting concept. Maybe "I know 100%" one day, but the next day, I recive another answer, so "no, NOW I know 100%". But maybe tomorrow, "I know 85%", but todays 85% is more sure than two weeks ago 100%. Anyway. IT was helpful for me, but I'm not sure it's coming across. :)

 

We had lunch with our fantastic Relief Society president on Thursday (Fun fact: try to find an article; in was in the Liahona in March, and it was about Korea - that's the ward I'm serving in! The single sister with two daughters, that's our Relief Society president.) and she is wonderful, and takes care of everyone so well. And at night, we had a very spirit-filled meeting with a new sister we've been meeting with, who lives in Gangnam (yes, from the song), and as we talked about Joseph Smith, the spirit was very strong. She connected everything herself, and very willingly accepted the invitation to be baptized. So we're preparing together for April 5th! I may or may not be in Shindang then, but that's okay! Just, in the case, I won't be about to give you updates :)

 

And we had lunch with President and Sister Christensen, and ________ and her husband, who will be baptized next week. It was a good time, we felt the spirit, and President Christensen shared a lot of wisdom with us :) He encouraged the couple that once they are members of the church, to continue seeking ways to help others come unto Christ, in the way that they have. And isn't that what it's all about- helping and supporting others as we all learn of and become like Christ.

 

You know that family I told you we were going to meet? We met them! Sort of. half of them were still in the US, so we'll meet with them all next time. 

 

Also, two girls came to our ward on Sunday! A member from America, and a recent convert from Canada who is Chinese, and was so happy to be in this ward, because the members could talk to her in both Chinese AND English! Hopefully we can go to the temple to do baptisms with her later! And we had another very special opportunity on Sunday - Elder Nash, who is over the Church History Department came to speak yesterday. We missionaries could go if we brought either a less active member or investigator or recent convert, and we just ended up getting a large group together and all went together (missionaries, returned missionaries, recent converts, less active members, members, all in one little car :)) He spoke on many things, but I'll just relate a little - He spoke about the story of the Brother of Jared, and building boats "tight like unto a dish", as the Book of Mormon says (Ether 3); he spoke of building families "tight like unto a dish," through family home evening, prayer and scripture study. Every day. Even when you're busy or tired. But I especially liked what he said about when the Brother of Jared prayed - he saidI have done all that I can, I have been obedient, and that is the point at which we can pray with great confidence. That's the point -- that we can ask for great blessings and guidance. He also promised that the progress in Korea would accelerate as the saints are faithful and do what they've been asked. That we may not realize the acceleration, but it will. There are great things in store for Korea!

 

WHEW! I'm sooooo tired, but so happy! Love you All! 

 

Sister Tomato (that's what the little kids call me here. "Thomas" looks like "tomato" when it's spelled in Korean :)

Weekly update . . .

Anyway, it's been a good week, even though all of our investigators cancelled their appointments! Hooray! That means we have more time to find new people to teach! And we did! Granted, I already told you about them in the other email so I will continue with other things here :) We also found a few other people who said they wanted to meet, but two didn't show up and then one slept in, so also didn't show up. Which is always a bummer, but we can always try again! 

 

________ is still doing great.  Reading her scriptures, understanding more and more about how great the gospel is, (these things take time, sometimes) and loves meeting with us. She's the sunshine in the middle of our week. And her husband decided to be baptized next month! Isn't that exciting? Hopefully we'll have lunch with her and Sister Christensen this week :)

 

We also taught almost the exact same lesson three times in two days. It was really strange, but good practice - Because God loves us, He always calls prophets to guide us, but when people reject them, they lose that guidance. It's a pattern that has happened over and over again, and that God again called a prophet. It's exciting, when you think about it! 

 

We also had a fireside after church, just for missionaries, in English, by Brother Wyatt, President of SUU. It was really fantastic to be inspired in English, it's just not quite the same in Korean, even if I can understand most of it. He spoke about how it's through pushing through the hard things, that we become strong. His father took college algebra three times because it was hard, became a professor in it, and ended up writing one of the most famous textbooks on college algebra and became a very successful engineer, all because it was soooo hard for him in the first place. Just intelligence and talent isn't enough, but through adversity, character is built. About not fearing, never doubting yourself or your work that you've been called to do and committed to do; Alma56:47. It was wonderful :)

 

Oh! out of time! love you all! Have a great week, and have faith in the good things that you are doing! 

 

Sister Claire Thomas

February 24, 2014 - The air is getting in my eyes!

But really, thing have gotten in my eyes just from the air; there has been a lot of pollution this week. You know how in the Salt Lake Valley, it's a really bad day when you can't see the mountains across the valley? It a really bad day in Seoul when you can't see the mountain about a mile down the street :)

It was a week of ups and downs and ups!  You know how the purpose of life is to learn through experience, and as we experience more sadness, you can recognize more happiness? That principle is alive and well on a mission - when your investigator can't meet anymore because her husband won't let her, it can throw you on the ground. Hard. Even if you think you're going to be strong and withstand, you're still thrown down. And it's only through the assurance that everything will be made right through the Atonement of Christ, whether in this life or the next, that you can keep going a bit - And in opposition to the hard things, even the smallest good things are so magnified, like talking to the two nicest, happiest students from Australia, who were happy and willing to talk to you, and hear your message and the feelings and love of the gospel, and accept the testimony that this gospel is true, and that if they want to know for themselves, they can, straight from God. And even if they don't want to learn more, both parties are still happy, and have learned a little bit more about each other! And someone who thinks she came to the church to learn English, but wants to learn about God and rely on Him, and recognizes the happiness in the missionaries, and says over and over again that she is envious and wants to know that. And sister who has been baptized but still has a lot to learn comes with you to see the temple and is so happy to see you and to learn together about family history and the sacred nature of the temple and how God shows his love to all of His children through the Plan of Salvation; and then you help with a fireside for the English branch for the youth, and answer their questions, and help strengthen them, and especially one who has a hard situation at home, and is trying to be strong, but is also struggling to know that God loves her, and you can help her to not only know that fundamental truth, but to feel it as you testify that God knows her personally.  These are the happiest moments :)

P.S. DongDaeMoon!

So we're going shopping next p-day! And at a fairly cheap place - ties for 3-5 dollar! and if you buy 2 ties, its only 6-10 dollar! and if you buy 3, you actually may be able to get a bargain here! :D

and crazy pants like those I sent to lauren for Chirstmas. 

And I can try to find other exciting Korean things.

Picture: a demonstration of our success from last week :)

February 17, 2014 - They're speaking Korean!

We were on the subway coming home form an appointment from a 식사 (meal? dinner appointment? I'm not sure what the proper term is) with an American family in an area where there are a lot of Americans. And veeeery few foreigners learn Korean, because it's so hard and Koreans all learn English in school, anyway (though, of course, people vary on how good they are at speaking.) Anyway, we got on the subway and were talking to a lady about the Book of Mormon, and as we get on the subway, a row of about 4 boys with their headphones in simultaneously pull them out and lean forward and start saying, "It's Korean! They're speaking Korean!" And then we turn and look and they simultaneously put one headphone back in and nonchalantly listen. Hehe :)

                                       

But yes! I'm speaking Korean! Granted, I feel like I'll always be a ways away from fluency, but as a general rule, speaking and listening are fairly natural :) Though I will warn you, when I get home and you ask me to say "_____" in Korean, I may or may not know. Being natural "enough to get by and communicate Korean" and real Korean is a totally different thing :)

LIke one of our lessons this week. We talked about going to the Temple to do proxy baptisms with a recent convert (Bohyeun) sister - we prepared well, it was a nice experience about how the temple is important, and a place where you can feel peace, and you need to live worthily to go inside because it is the Lord's house...and then she started asking questions about cremation and if you bring these certain clothes and logistics and if her children can go (which was hard to answer, because they do age funny here, so I don't know what age they can go here), and about Korean traditional bows and respect for ancestors and who can be baptized for who....I really don't know the vocabulary to explain about cremation. I only got it because I'm good at charades in Korean and heard the word "fire". :) Anyway, it was an adventure. We talked with the Bohyeun again with another member to clear up a lot of questions! So it's all good now.

The Spirit is everything in this work. And it throws me off a lot because I don't feel its guidance as boldly and strongly as often as I expected. But it's there, if I take a moment and our investigator takes time and effort to recognize it. Sometimes, like once this week, my thoughts and words are guided at I teach, and things just all come together in the end and click. (We were talking about the Book of Mormon, and she loves reading - she said she loves it because normal people don't often have chances to meet great thinkers, but you can thorough books. And you can meet great thinkers in the Book of Mormon, from history who don't only think well, but are inspired from God. So in a way, you can meet and learn how God thinks though this book. I hope that makes sense....It came together a lot better when originally guided by the Spirit, but I suppose it's not necessary right now ;) ) And a couple people we met with just notice something different, a different feeling and that they like being around the missionaries, even though we're uncomfortable foreigners who can't speak their language and talk about religion. They feel a little something different, a little something more. Somethimes it's not anything we say, it's just being a conduit of the Spirit.

Anyway, Sister H is studying as diligently as usual - she loves the gospel, and eats up everything. She said a while ago that she's been looking for Christ for a long time, but hasn't been able to find Him through another doctrine or church. She wants to know almost everything before she wants to be baptized, though, so we're working on that. I can completely understand that mindset, but we're trying to help her to understand that it is the gateway, not the finish line.

Anyway, enough rambling.

Oh wait. Awkward story of the week - I can't believe I almost forgot.

So we were pretty much set up without our knowledge with our investigator's awkward single son who is a good 10 years older than each of us and doesn't speak English. She brought him to our lesson and kept talking about him not having a girlfriend and how we are so pretty and speak Korean so well and brought us to a little restaurant...thankfully, a member was there (She's the BEST! I love her so much, her name is Sister ChoiGeumJa ^^) and we could start the lesson. It ended up being not a bad lesson, but it was still weird. WE don't know if we'll met her again, (she did have some real gospel interest, too) but if we do, we'll need to talk to her ahead of time :P

Anyway, NOW enough rambling :)

It's a fantastic time to be alive, and to have the chance to share the gospel, as the work is hastening - both for me as a missionary and for members as well! We're all in it together, and it's swelling together! This is the Lord's work; there are too many miracles to deny it!

Love you all!

Sister Thomas

A 21-year-old-girl trying to save the world

Hello! :D

Some cool things and requests:

 

Check out the fantastic city I'm serving in - at our mission conference for the Lunar New Year, President Christensen showed us a video just for fun (I won't be able to see it again for 9 months, but you can enjoy it :)) it's called "Seoul, Magic Hours" by Kwan OhChul Astrophotography and it's fantasticly amazing. I just love those things that are bigger than yourself :)

 

Also! Another thing from our conference - Dad, do you remember when Sam was talking about helping good sites come up on the internet in Russia? Well, the same thing has been a problem here - instead of Google, people use other search engines, so when the websites aren't connected right, people can't find correct information, which is a real issue, since everyone is practically living on their phones/internet (goal - before I come home, i will get a picture of a subway, filled with people with headphones, staring at their smartphones :)) But there are PR missionaries here, as well as a foundation in Provo (More Good Foundation) that's working on helping to get our official websites on the internet well :) It's really exciting to see other efforts other than just running around the streets to find people!

Also, do you happen to still have the McConkie's teaching skills from that one class they taught a while ago? It would probably be fun and helpful to look at :) Because I still have a while to go until I become a good teacher.

 

Most of the happenings this week were in my letter to President - so I'm not sure that I'll go over that again...Honeslty, it was a week of a lot of goodbyes. We have a lot of great people we're working with, and wanted to say good bye before Sister Jackson left. 

 

So Sister Jackson was transferred to the north, and now we have two Americans and two Koreans in our house...And so far, it's honestly been a little awkward, they don't really talk to us. But you do what you can do, I suppose. Also, our phone hasn't had service for about 3 days now, so we can't make appointments unless the other sisters are home and  not using their phone, so....we haven't had a lot of appointments the last couple days. A lot of talking to people on the streets and subways! With not a whole lot of ways to contact them back. We'll just say that some days are more productive than others :)

Other things: the ward is fantastic :) There are just really awesome, fun people there, a lot of who are willing to help the misisonaries when we ask for help. We're going to try to focus on member-present lessons this transfer, because it really can make such a difference, and can get everyone excited about missionary work! And can help us when our Korean is a little lacking ;)

 

It's hard to save the world all by yourself. It's easier with a companion. It's even easier when you rely on the Lord, because it's His work anyway. If there's anything that I've learned on my mission, it's that if you need anything and sincerely ask for it, your prayers will be answered :) That's a promise - from me, but even more importantly, from Heavenly Father! 3 Nephi 27:29.

 

Love you all!

Sister Thomas