April 29, 2013

Apparently I'm starting to look younger and  younger on the mission... ( At least thats what people are saying)  I don;t know if its just because they are being nice, or because I am so white that I look like a little child. :) haha either way I'll take it! 

This week was  super good! 

WE got to go to the temple!!! Woohoo! ( To answer your question Leasa, we normally get to go to the temple once a transfer ( every 6 weeks) but because our mission has been so busy with all the changes it had been almost 3 months since my last trip so it was SO good) I love the temple. 

We were really busy this week!!! Picked up a bunch of new investigators and taught lots! Yesterday we had one of our new investigators come to church too! ( Shes from China! So cool. Reminds me of my China story ) 

The Elders also had 2 baptisms yesterday! One of them was that guy we found from an English flyer! too cool. Sister Marcy and I were asked to sing at the baptism.. and we are singing next week in church... Since she is a singer I have been doing more musical numbers on my mission than I have my entire life! haha its good tho, got to learn somewhere. 

Miracle Moment!!! 

Okay, its not THAT big of a miracle but I though it was a pretty cool experience. 

This past few weeks I've been thinking about the purpose that each missionary has in the area that they are called to serve. Lets be honest, anyone who has ever served a mission, or in a church calling at one time or another has asked themselves the question- What is my purpose? Is what I'm doing absolutely nessesary that I do it? especially when someone else is more qualified.. What is Heavenly Father trying to teach me that I'm not obviously not understanding? 

I'll be honest I ask those questions to myself often - not because I need to know all the answers, ( because we do know the answers to those questions) but because we are humans, and we let our guard down, and we forget our purpose. We let the challenges of our calling, or lives stop us from recognizing Gods influence in our lives. 

Well this week, once again Heavenly Father helped me remember what I already knew, but perhaps needed a reminding of... 

This Thursday we were teaching a lesson to one of our new investigators - she had met with the Elders once of twice before but they decided to give her to us. ( She speaks perfect English and lived in Canada for 2 years) 

We were just casually introducing who we were as missionaries and what our purpose was when she asked why we chose to come to Korean on our missions- even though the language is so difficult and so many people don't like our church. 

I started to tell her about the process of submitting your papers for a mission and receiving our calls. She asked how the Apostles know where each person should go.. While I was telling her how they are inspired by the spirit and suddenly something happened to me as I spoke that I will never forget. 

I opened my mouth to speak and I literally felt someone else speaking through me to give her the explanation  It was the most empowering feeling I've ever experienced and caught me so off guard that the words I said to her seemed to pierce deep into my soul. 

I was again reminded right there of the power of my call, and that Heavenly Father needs me right now here in this particular ward with this exact companion for a specific reason. All the fears and questions I had disappeared. 

Iwish I could better describe what the experience was like- but I knew right there and then the power the Holy Ghost has to speak through us to carry truth into the hearts of men ( and Sister Missionarys) 

It was an incredible experience I will never forget! 

Ahh I'm out of time!

Sorry I love you all so much! 

Sister Sulz 

April 22, 2013

I went on my first exchanges where I was the Senior companion! ( Not going to lie, I was a little bit nervous because Sister Sexton has only been in Korean for 3 weeks) But all of our appointments that day were in English haha so it turned out really good!

She is an amazing Sister and made one of our toughest investigators cry!! I almost didn't believe it! She was heaven sent! :) She also shared with me a scripture her dad would share with missionaries when he was a mission president and I really liked it. 

Jacob 5:72 " The Servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them"- It reminded me that we are not alone. That God is with us, working side by side each and every moment. Whenever I feel discouraged or tired I find strength knowing that God hasn't left me alone to do this work, his hand is constantly there helping me along. 

For example: 

( haha I love my little missionary miracles) 

This week the Elders are having a baptism! Apparently this guy out of nowhere called them for English interest, they started meeting with him 3 weeks ago, and he wants to be baptized!! ( Of coarse we are super excited for them) But yesterday I met him at church, and he came up to me and told me that it was Sister Marcy and I who were on the street one afternoon handing out English flyer's and gave one to him!!!! I was amazed that he remembered us, that we had just given him a flyer and walked away... but that because of it he called the elders and now hes getting baptized!!!!! It's funny because to be honest, some days I dislike English flyering haha. But I feel like that was Gods way of reminding me that it doesn't matter what exactly I am doing to serve, and long as I am serving and working, he will put the people who are ready to hear the gospel in our paths! 

So yeah my testimony of Gods hand in the work is growing more and more each day! We went and visited that little old lady we found knocking doors and she was super embarrassed we showed up because her daughter was there and answered the door. haha she was like... uhhh mom... theres some weird foreigners here asking for you... She told us to leave and come back later. :P Oh I just love awkward missionary experiences. 

Overall this week was pretty good tho. I did pass off again.. haha I have to re-do it on Wednesday, but Elder Sol was really nice about it, and has helped me to actually like having to take Korean tests. It's hard not to get frustrated with myself, or overwhelmed, but I'm realizing that it all has to do with my attitude towards it. If I enjoy doing it, and am happy during pass off, even when I fail its not a big deal. ( I just need to keep being happy about not being able to speak haha) But its actually not that bad, I am constantly impressed with how much I am learning, even though I still feel like I can't say anything. Heavenly Father has a way of helping us accomplish what he needs us to regardless of our abilities. Also I LOVE SISTER MARCY! hahaha <3 Shes great. After going on exchanges and coming back to being with her I felt like I was at home again! It made me realize that home really is when you are with the people you love. I've been blessed to have super solid companions so far! ( I'll attach a photo of all of us together) 

The Pictures are from the Cherry Blossom Festival this week!!! All the missionaries got together for one last big activity before the mission splits :( I am super sad that so many of the missionaries I've been serving with I won't see again!! 

I also wanted to announce that I am officially a frumpy sister missionary hahaha. I brought some cute shoes on the mission, and I realized that comfort is better than style haha. This morning I put on the cute shoes I brought to show sister Marcy and she laughed at me as she watched me put them back in the closet and put on my black tights and thick strapped cloggers haha. What can I say, the mission has taught me to love comfort more than style :P haha it happens to the best of us. 

Anyways! I just wanted everyone to know how much I love you!!! 

Thank you for all the letters and support! 

p.s- if anyone wants to send me Cadbury Mini Eggs&& any of Sara Baril's music, you just might become my favorite person in the whole world. :) 

LOVE YOU! 

사랑해요!!! <3 <3 

Sister Sulz

.April 15, 2013.

Conference was great wasn't it???

I can't believe how tired I was yesterday tho! We watched all the sessions, ( including priesthood) and then the young women's broadcast so a total of  12 hours! I was so tired! haha but it was amazing. 

I have to say my favorite talk was president Uchtdorf Sunday morning session tho. Yep, and President Monsons in the priesthood session. 

This week not too much out of the ordinary happened. I was feeling a little bit stressed but nothing more than normal. I do have one fun story for you tho! We were walking home from a dinner appointment the other night and this guy came up to us in the alley by our house and scared me so bad hahah! He said something in Korean but I had no idea what he was saying because I was still surprised that he stopped us. ( Its really weird to talk to men here... in fact sisters are not allowed to unless they approach us first) Anyways, so I realize that hes asking us what we are doing here. Then thankfully, he started speaking English. He said that he sees us all the time in this area talking to people, and he knows that we teach English.. but he's been wondering why. Anyways long story short, Were going to start teaching him!!!! He was super willing to listen to our message, took a book of Mormon, and hopefully we'll start meeting with him this week. 

It's funny how we can go out trying to find people all day long, and nobody is interested, but then out of no where an investigator just falls into our laps! Little miracles I tell ya! 

 

Other than that, we don't really have too many investigators right  now, then only one who is progressing can't come our to church till August once school is over :(, BUT she did give us plants last time we met with her!! haha So now we have two pet Rosemary plants :) 

Oh wait theres one more potential investigator I've been meaning to tell you about.. but its kind of a super awkward situation. Its this old guy in our ward who wants us to teach his wife and his son.... and he may or may not be trying to get me to marry his son! pahha so awkward. Anyways its aw hole lot of funny situations.. the guy is really funny, but I'm pretty sure he keeps telling us that he wants us to baptize his family, but hes telling them that they just need to meet with us because they want to make me a part of their family. 

Oh the joys of awkward situations with part member family's. 

The best part is that I have no idea what the old guy is saying most of the time. 

Anyways, Sorry this e-mail is short I just wanted to touch base with everyone. I love you and miss you terribly. Mothers day is coming up and I get to call home again... let me know where and when is the best time to call. 

Love you. 

Sister Sulz 

April 8, 2013

HELLO Family!

Sorry this week is going to be short! I'm trying my best to respond to everyone quickly but I'm still behind. I just wanted to let you know how much I love you! I'm sorry to hear about everything going on back home I love all of you and am praying for you! 

This week was and interesting week! We saw so many crazy miracles! 

I'll just quickly share my favorite one since I'm running super behind on time. ( The rest I'll put in a letter!) 

So since our most progressing investigator was baptized last week and confirmed yesterday ( Such a good day! ) we have had to be more creative with our finding efforts. So like usual we spent a lot of time out on the streets talking to people and knocking on doors. We had decided to make these cards with scriptures from the Book Of Mormon to give to people that opened their doors.. ( people in Korean don't like to open their door lol...) They just speak through and intercom, or yell through the door. Anyways! We were knocking doors for about an hour when this little old lady opened the door and told us to come in!!!! I was in shock! and didn't realized what she had said until she walked away, leaving the door open and the yelled at us to follow her! Hahah I looked at my companion as was amazed... ( Just so everyone knows, this is the FIRST time I've ever gotten into someones house before.. usually they might talk to us for 1-2 minutes at the door.. but I've never gotten inside someones house) Anyways, so she lets us in, gives us a glass of water and some tomatoes. ( Oh I just love Korean grandmas!) haha We talk  to her for about 40 minutes, and the whole time sister Marcy and I have no Idea what shes saying to us. We catch a few words here and there, but lets be serious.. I pretty much figured out that she was 70ish, lived along, had arthritis, and 1 daughter and 1 son... oh yeah and that this was the first time she had ever had foreigners in her house before. Most of the time I just smile and pretend I understand what they are saying :P. BUT! we were able to share a message with her, give her a book of Mormon, and told her where our church was. We prayed with her and she said she would come to church with us if we went and picked her us Sunday morning and walked with her there. 

We left and I couldn't believe what just happened.. haha and I partially didn't really understand what just happened. 

Anyways, Sunday comes around, and before we even leave the church to go get her she shows up on her own and shows one of the members the little card we made for her with  the book of Mormon scripture. On the back it had our names on it, so this member directed the lady to us. She sat down in relief society for about 15 minutes and then left! haha.. So naturally I followed her, because I don't know what to say to her. ( she was fast tho and walked straight out the parking lot and down the road!) hahaha I just looked at my companion and was like " What are we supposed to do? Where is she going?" My companion just looked at me and shrugged her shoulders.. haha so I was like " Lets catch her".. so we ran down the street and stopped her, trying to find out where she was going. She apologized, and said that she was late because she was catching a train to her daughters house and couldn't stay for church today but would come next week, and asked us to visit her at her house again. The end. 

Haha, So yeah I don't know if shes actually going to come next week, or if she's just a crazy old lady, but either way I'm excited to find out! 

Oh the funny things that happen serving a mission in Korea. 

I love you all more than you know. Each week is hard, but I'm coming to know my Savior more now than I ever have in my life before. ( Oh sorry one more quick story) .. This ones for mom.. 

I was at a dinner appointment last night, and we were sharing the proclamation to the family. The Elders were with us and it was their turn to share the message.. so naturally I didn't plan on saying much except a basic testimony. We started going around the table and sharing with everyone how the Gospel has blessed our lives, and especially out families lives. Anyways, it got to my turn and I don't know what happened but I just looked at the mom, and started to tear up. She looked at me and I couldn't say anything at all in Korean, she put her and on her heart and told me that she could understand what I wanted to say in her heart. I hadn't felt the spirit that strong in a long time, and I was reminded of how important families are in this plan. Heavenly Father really wants all of us to find happiness in life and in the next. We really can only do that with our families.. If there is one thing that I've learn't more on my mission so far than anything else, its how important families are. 

I know that things don't all make sense, and our family is not perfect by any means. But I know that God loves us, and wants us to be happy. I know more more deeply than anything else that through the sacrifice Christ made, we can all be together forever and that doesn't just include my immediate family. ( Eileen, Nancy & Kemmie.. that means you tooo! ) 

Anyways, I'm out of time!! 

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! 

 

p.s- Rachael hows your baby doing?

April 1, 2013

BIG NEWS! NORTH KOREA DECALRED WAR ON SOUTH KOREA!

We are all getting moved to missions in the states this next transfer and its also April fools day here ;) せせせせ <-- Those are Korean giggles 

Okay I'll be serious! HELLO FAMILY!! :) <3 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA! ( Dad if you forgot, tomorrow your time in grandmas birthday.. you should call her :P ) 

I just wanted to tell  you all that I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Especially all the pictures of cute babies, and pregnant belly's... random side note: I had a dream last night that leasa was pregnant... weird. ha ha 

Anyways! Life as a missionary couldn't be better so many amazing miracles and the best one was my FIRST BAPTISM!!!! <3 

The start of this week was really rough. All of our appointments fell through, and we 穿亀'd all day everyday this week. I was trying my best to be positive and happy and full of life, but by Thursday it started to get to me. Somedays are the mission are really hard and its not just that physically its hard to get up and go, but mentally and spiritually and emotionally it wears you out. You get to a point where you can't remember why you are doing what you are doing. You as yourself if its worth it, or if what your doing is even accomplishing anything. There are days where we go out and no one wants to talk to us, there are times where nothing I say people can even understand, and I wonder why I can't feel the familiar happiness missionary work has brought me the the past. 

BUT I'm writing this all out because I realized more deeply this week the power of the atonement. On Thursday night I knelt down in prayer with my Heavenly Father and asked him why I am here. I wanted to know if he actually needed me here in Korea, and if so why was I having such a hard time being happy, or feeling his spirit and love. An indescribable feeling came over me that reassured me that here is where I'm supposed to be. I thought of all the people in my life who I love, and all the people here in Korea who I have come to care about more that I though I could and I knew that I am where I'm supposed to be. In that moment I more fully understood my Saviors sacrifice for me. It was more than to just cleanse me from sin, but to take away every hurt, every trial, every weakness, every hard day, every time we are too tired to keep going... If we let him take over our lives we can truly find strength and peace to keep going where normally we'd want to give up. 

The next morning I woke up and was fresh! I was not tired at all! I got right out of bed at 6:30, and had accomplished everything I needed to and more before 7:30 that morning! Personal study was uplifting, and in companionship study Sister Marcy seemed to say exactly what I needed to hear. That day none of our appointments fell through! We even got another one last minute from the elders! The Language wasn't a challenge for me, I taught with the spirit and even extended a baptismal commitment in perfect Korean. The day was a normal missionary day to all those who are only observing missionary life from a distance. But to me, that day was God telling me that he hasn't left me alone, that he is here in the work and that he needs me here in Korea to do it. I realized how important humility is in the work, if I just get down on my knees and tell Heavenly Father that I want to do it his way, that I need his help and I can't do it alone- he shows me that with him I can do anything. 

I read a talk this week that was about how true Joy is only felt by experiencing sorrow, The deeper the Sorrow and afflictions the greater the joy. ( That's why so many times in Alma it talks about their sufferings and trials being directly related to their incomprehensible joy) But it made me grateful for the hard days on the mission, because without them I wouldn't be able to appreciate the good ones. 

SPEAKING OF GOOD DAYS!!! 

SUNDAY WAS AMAZING! The baptism was perfect in every way! Her whole family showed up and the spirit was so strong. It truly is amazing how much you come to love and care about other people when you forget about yourself. I just love it! 

I'm sorry I don't have a better picture, this one was just taken in the bathroom before she went into the font.. The other ones are on a different camera. 

Okay quickly the things from this week!! 

1) They asked ME to translate in Sacrament meeting and I laughed haha, then my companion stood up ( it was like the hunger games) and volunteered to do it for me. What a champ :) I would have have a heart attack. 

2) While we were on a bus last p-day we SAW OUR PIRATE man walking on the streeet hahah, so of coarse I tried to take a drive by creeper photo.. you can't see him.. but just know hes there :P haha 

3) I PASSED OFF MIDWAY! Woohoo! Sister Marcy is a rock star for pushing me in the language! 

4) We met these high school students who were eating this jaw breaker laughy taffy sort of stuff.. and I bought some.. and chipped my tooth. haha but not really just my retainer. せせせせ 

5)  We were sitting on this stone wall wait for the other missionaries to meet up with us, and this girl came up to me and in english said " Can I be your friend?" I said.. sure... she then said " Can I have your number"... I said yeah haha of coarse... I'm a missionary in this area.... and then she ran away. hahahahha like straight up turned and ran. 

I love my life. I love Korea. I Love my Savior. 

 紫櫛背推!!! 

 Love Always, 

Sister Sulz