December 17, 2012

I can't believe I've been in Korea for 2 weeks already! This is insane.

This week was a lot harder thats for sure! I've been struggling with the language more and more each day it seems. My sweet companion reminded me that Heavenly Father is probably just teaching me the lesson of patience. Haha the saying really is true that Asian speaking missionaries learn patience and humility on their missions. I haven't had any problems adjusting to the food or anything, its spicy if you make it spicy so as long as I don't putt too much spices in it I'm fine :) 

My companion cooks korean food often so I get that daily :) Mostly just different soups and lots of rice and Kimchi! We've been able to go out to eat at a few Korean places so far where we all sit on the ground, but most of the members houses I've been to have tables to eat up to. My area is called Bupeoung it in Incheon, I heard that the people are a lot nicer here than in Seoul so I feel blessed! We had a sisters conference this week at the Preidents house, it was a lot of fun! We learn't about the importance of enjoying the Journey, and embracing changes and let challenges change ourselves for the better. Often we are afraid to stretch ourselves, but if we don't stretch ourselves and let the trials and changes make us better people then we simply are just enduring each day until it passes. ( and lets be serious, thats not fun for anyone). 

I'm still learning each and everyday that I need to rely on God more and stop worrying about my own abilities, I'm sure it will be a lesson I'm going to have to keep re-learning each and every day. It's funny because before my mission I felt like I knew how a mission was going to be, I though it would be more about helping others come unto Christ - but so far it's been about personally learning how to do it. I am learning more and more about how I need to change and be more obedient and let God take over my life. It's a hard thing to fully trust God enough to put yourself into uncomfortable situations that will stretch you and hurt. Even though each day is harder than the day before, I am grateful for them because I am learning more and more each day. ( Of coarse thats easy to say on P-day where I don't have to worry about anything too much :P ) 

Miracle of the week: 

Yesterday after church our appointment cancelled on us, I was frustrated with the language, and my companion wasn't feeling good. We both didn't really feel like going out and talking to people on the street, but we did because we needed to! The people seemed to be more rude that afternoon, and we weren't having any success. After a while I said a prayer that I could just have the spirit with me, that I could make it though the afternoon. Sometimes all it takes is a little prayer and God will show you miracles. A few minutes laster we decided to talk to this lady riding a bicycle, and she did not want to talk to us at all! But as soon as we turned around, being rejected again, this lady ran up to us with a HUGE smile on her face! She was so excited to see us, and was so grateful to run into us again. Apparently we had talked to her a few days earlier and she had lost out number, she was afraid she would never see us again and was so grateful to run into us. I don't know if anything will happen because of it, but it was a tender mercy from God. I learn't that even though we weren't having any success, and we were both having a rough day- because we were obedient and did what we were supposed to do at that moment, God placed us in the path of that lady. It reminded me that even though I may not feel adequate enough, as long as I am obedient and go out everyday, God will do the rest. 

Christmas is Next week! I hope all of you have an amazing Christmas, and remember Christ in your life. I've only just starting to appreciate how important family is in our lives, I wish I would have spent more time with all of my family and friends more the past few years rather that traveling and working. They are really the thing that matters most! I love all of you, and am grateful for your support!! 

<3 Love Always, 

Sister Sulz. 

P.s- I'm sorry I haven't responded to all of your letters yet, if you could do me a favor and send me your addresses... maybe send them to my sister Rachael Robertson and she can forward them to me so that I can respond, I accidentally sent most of my letters home without taking down the addresses first :( Opps. 

Korea from a Graiffes Eye view: 

Thank you for the E-mail!!! you are such a sweet heart! Here are some fun things about Korea: 

Fun Facts: 

1) There are 7 Elevens and Baskin Robbins EVERYWHERE!

2) Men spit on the street all the time. 

3) HUGE scarfs are super popular! 

4) I totally saw a Korean man with a sweet mullet today :P BEST! 

5) In all the churches there are little " chalk brush" cleaners... and I though they were toasters? hahaha My companion laughed forever when I told her that. 

.From Korea.

I'M HERE! :)

It seems like a dream that I'm actually in KOREA! How fun is this?I just love my life haha. 

Okay so I lost most of my e-mailing time trying to get this other computer to work, but I got onto this one after my companion so I'll be quick!

1)- KOREA IS SOOOO COLD! haha I know I'm Canadian and everything, but seriously! So cold. Our first 2 nights at our little apartment out heat was not working, so we froze. Our apartment is so stinking cute tho! It's older, and tinny. But I love it! Sister Pak Sora ( my trainer) is Korea, and so much fun! We found a minni christmas tree in a closet at our place, so we set it up and decorated it! ( Mom I got your christmas package! But I had too much stuff to take on the subway my first day so I had to leave it at the mission home until the 24th) THANK YOU THO! I love you so much. Also I tried to call you from the airport but I never got through? I'm allowed to call home on Christmas, so I'll need the best number to reach you at. 

I am super blessed, sister pak is perfect for me! SHE HAS STUMP THUMBS!!!!! haha I couldn't believe it when I saw them- instant 정 :)  

2) The food is AWESOME! It's weird, and different- but I haven't tried anything I didn't like so far. Our Bishop took us out for dinner our second night here! :) Other than that we've just been cooking for ourselves at home. It's nice that Sister Pak is Korea because she can cook Korean food! My Korean is still pretty terrible, but I am learning so much every day. 

3) We are "White Washing" my first area, meaning that my training and I are both completley new to this area. We don't have any investigators, we don't know the area, and are trying to get to know the members.At church on sunday we both had to speak/give a simple testimony in Korea. There are probably only like 25 -30 members.. So small. There is so much room for growth- however this first few days didn't seem to be very productive for missionary work, we did a lot of tracting ( which I love!!) and contacted all the old investigators/members but still no success. It looks like we will be starting from scratch!! I was feeling a little discouraged yesterday, but this morning I read in Alma 30-32 and felt like what Alma experiences was EXACTLY what we are experiencing here. And before I read I said a prayer to Heavenly Father that sounded just like Alma 31:34 asking what we could do to find success. Then I read 32:1&2- and realized that we just need to get out there and WORK! work work work. We need to talk to everyone and after we labor much we will find someone. The biggest obstacle is that there are SOOOOOO many churches here. It's insane. I've never seen so many churches before, there is at least 1-3 on every block. There are a ton of people trying to preach their message, so not too many people want/ or care to listen to us. BUT I have faith, that as we love and serve these people- God will put the ones who are prepared into out paths. Missionary work is a lot more different that I imagined it. Too often I think I only heard the success stories, the baptisms, seeing peoples lives change from hearing this message. You don't often realized how days were put in on the streets talking to people, handing out pass along cards, books of mormon, knocking on doors with out any success. We haven't talk any lessons yet, and most of our stats for the week were 0 ... ( I felt like the missionaries on the Best Two Years). But I have Faith! and I know that this is where I'm supposed to be! Our mission president told us that we need to find our friends! So I'm going to keep working until I find all of my friends and share this message of happiness with them! The people here need the message, and I need to share it :) 

4) I feel like there is so much information I want to share with everyone, but I feel like this e-mail is already all over the place. If you have any questions in particular e-mail me :) Or write me! haha I'll send a bunch of photos today from the last few days in the MTC and my first days in Korea. I love all of you so much! 

Korea from a Giraffe's eye view: 

For my beautiful Sister Gelder: KOREA IS AWESOME! The people here need you so bad! Get better quick and come join us! I found a tall Elder that you would get along with perfectly! ( I'll attacth a photo). I hope you are doing well! I love you and think about you often! When you come to Korea, bring warm tights and practice your chopstick skills! I hope you are keeping up on your Korea! We have this intense pass-off program we have to work on for the language before you can be a senior companion so make sure you keep studying! I love you!!!!! <3 Sister Sulz 

                         MTC Teachers Sister Wadsworth and Brother Pendly

                                 Mission President's Wife Sister Perriton

      Hanging out in MTC on last day before Korea.

             Having fun outside Provo Temple on the day before Korea.

                                      I am guessing Tori got cookies for some reason?

                                  Tori and companion.

                                    In her apartment with cookies.

                                           More cookies.

                   Tori, her first companion, and her first companion's first companion.
           

           Waiting with luggage.

Forgot something!

I forgot to mention that this week was AMERICAN THANKSGIVING!! WE had  the entire day off of missionary work, and did a GIANT service project! So much fun! Then they fed us a ton of food! biggest news..... ELDER HOLLAND came and spoke to us! Its was AMAZING! He spoke on love, and how everything  really is based on that fact. && he said hes going to adpopt me! :P Haha I'll write all the details in a letter home today. Either way, it was amazing! He's amazing, he really is an apostle of the lord!

I am so blessed to beable to hear from so many general authorities its AWESOME!!!

Also, What happend to Sarahs back? Is she okay???

Leasa! Are you okay??

&& Sabrina! I havent heard anything from you about getting engagged!!!!

MEGAHN! - I'm still waiting for a letter!

Love you all!

November 27, 2012

I can't believe it's my LAST P-DAY at the MTC! That seems insane. It went by way too fast thats forsure!
I've had a really good experience here, it's been really hard! But I've learn't a lot. There is so much more work I need to do in order to be ready for Korea on Monday, but I have Faith that as I take this leap of Faith Heavenly Father will help me each day. My teacher Brother Pendly pulled me aside yesterday for my last interview and asked me if I feel like I've accomplished my Goals I set for myself for the MTC, and what my goals are for the field. I'm not going to lie I was having a really hard day with the language and feeling inadequate so I honestly wasn't able to say that much to him. It must have seemed like I had no goals or made no progressing in the MTC so far, but last night I was able to write out my goals and accomplishments since being at the MTC, and what I want to accomplish on my mission in Korea.
The Language is my biggest barrier thats for sure, it's challenging to set goals that don't relove around the fact that I still struggle with the language, but I've been able to start to understand what God needs me for. I have no doubt at all that Heavenly Father is here with me every single day. I feel God's love for me each day, and really that thing alone is what keeps me going. I know that there are people in Korea who need this message, people who God needs me to reach out to and serve, and I'm not going to let the language stop me from doing that.
( Of coarse, most of my goals have to do with learning the language). I will learn it tho! :) I just need to learn to be more patient with myself, diligent in my studies, full of love towards others, and 100% obedient. It really is a refinning process. I feel like that Mormon message - (the Gardener one) ... I feel like Heavenly Father is cutting me down so that he can make me what he needs me to be. I'm grateful for the opportunity to dedicate my life to him, and to this great work. I'm grateful for the things he is teaching me every day, but no matter how much you sugar coat it- being cut down is painful. It's challenging, but it's worth it. I am so glad that Heavenly Father loves me enough to show me my weaknesses, and to help me make them stronger.

Thank you for all the support from home! I love getting your letters and appreciated your testimonies. I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to everyone, I will try to send something before Christmas to everyone!

Don't forget that Miracles are real! I see them every single day, and love hearing about yours!

With all my love,
Sister Sulz

November 20, 2012

Miracles! I FOUND MINI WHEAT'S IN THE CAFETERIA!!!!!!!

This is possibly the best thing ever! I have been eating cereal 1-2 meals a day! haha, after being at the MTC for 10 weeks I can officially say I am sick of the food. It's not that it's bad, just eating the same thing over and over again gets boring. ( Unless it's cereal :P)

I've have some amazing experiences this week, but to save time it suffices me to quote my beautiful teacher Sister Wasworth " It's just not fair how much we get blessed for the things we do!" - It's true, Heavenly Father blesses us way above and beyond any sacrifice we have to make. I see it everyday!

Speaking of sacrifices... so turns out giving up English was really hard haha. I did it successfully for about 3-4 days last week, But hey! Thats better than the week before. I decided to re-vamp my goals to make sure they are realistic and achievable otherwise I get too discouraged with my progress. I am still trying to give up English all the time, but if I need to speak for some reason and can't think of the word in Korea, I am allowed to say it. ( I think that will make communicating alot easier!)

 

I don't know if it's new at home as much as it is in the MTC, but just incase you haven't heard, CHINA IS OPENING!!!!! There have been alot of mission calls that say they will be serving in Taiwan learning Chinese, and then in a few months will be transferring to China. Another Elder in my zone found out that his friend's mission call did have a mission addressed to it. only a phone number. So she called the number, and President Monson answered, and told her that she is going to be serving in China!!!!! How sweet is that?!!!!! Miracles are happening, things are moving, THIS IS SO AWESOME! ( I found out a few weeks ago, but I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be public news, but everyday we are hearing more and more mission calls to China, so I figure its safe to say that its happening!)

 

Other news, my back has been hurting quite a bit lately so last week I started going to a Chiropractor. It's been feeling alot better since then. I only have 2 weeks left in the MTC!!!! IT seems unreal that I am leaving so soon, ( Especially because I still cannot speak the language!) But I am so excited to get out there and start talking to people. When ever we get to leave the MTC for my appointments, we always get to talk to so many people and I just love it!

 

In the spirit of American Thanksgiving this week I started a gratitude journal! I made it a goal to write 2-3 things I am grateful for each morning and night before I say my prayers. It's been helping alot with my attitude towards this experience, and helps me stay positive and happy on the rough days. The MTC completely shuts down for Thanksgiving! We get to hear from an apostle and do this gigantic service project! Plus a huge Thanksgiving dinner! Should be good :)

 

There is no place in the world I would rather be! Everyday I am learning so much, and my Faith in my Savior grows more and more each day. I've only been gone for 2 months officially, but I've already notices huge changes in myself. I hope that as I learn and strive to be an instrument in Gods hands I will beable to help him reach out to people that are in need of his love. I've already been able to see the miracles that come from missionary service just within the MTC.

 

My teacher Brother Pendly told me another analogy yesterday. He said that we are like a hammer. and God is using us inorder to build his Kingdom. We must never forget whos hands we are in, when things get difficult. Being a hammer sometimes its hard to see the whole picture, because you are constantly pounding nails into a board. It's not always comfortable, and ever hurts quite a bit. But we were built to accomplish a certian task, and the way we were designed allows us to withstand the heavy blows, and beable to create magnificent things. I know that God is using me to accomplish his work, and I trust he knows what he's doing better than I do :)

 

I love you all so much!

<3 Sister Sulz  

 

 

November 13, 2012

BABY JACKSON IS PRECIOUS!!!!!!!

I was so thrilled this week to hear about babay Jackson coming into the world!!!! :) He is beautiful! and BLONDE???? (Jenny he's the baby in my dream!!)

I hope everyone is doing well, thank you for all the wonderful letters this week I sure needed them! :)

 

Okay before I tell you about all the wonderful life lessons I learn't this week I wanted to CHALLENGE YOU to participating in a little comitment of mine :) ( As most people know missionaries LOVE giving out commitments) So! I wanted to extend one of my own to EVERYONE who reads this blog. I ask that you please take it seriously, and take your time to think about what you write before you respond. I promise that by taking the time to do this you will find more joy and happiness in your life. That whatever you are struggling with will be made easier as you strive to seek out Christ in your life.

Okay! My challenge to you is to for this next week

1)At the Begining of every day say a prayer of gratitude express to Heavenly Father all of the blessings you have been given and strive to recognize even little things that you've been blessed with.

2) THEN ( this is the big challenge so pay attention) I wan't you to pray for the opportiunity to witness a miracle during your day. Now, it takes a little more than that, because I want your to anxiously seek out ways that you can be a miracle in someone elses life as well. ( SO you might not know first hand what the miracle was, but even smiling at a stranger on the way to work could be a miracle in someone elses life that day). I promise  you that as you pray for the opportunities to see miracles and blessings in your life, Heavenly Father will show them to you. I'm concerned that too often we don't see the small simple miracles that happen in our everyday lives that build our strength and increase our Faith.  

3) Report Back! In your prayers that evening look back on your day and think about the miracles you've seen, or how you have been a miracle in someone elses life that day. Then WRITE IT DOWN!! I want to hear about your experiences at the end of the week so please START TODAY and do this for 1 week. Every night write down your experiences, and then at the end of the week either Dear Elder them to me, or snail mail them. ( What ever works) I promise you that by participating in this activity you will feel Gods love and spirit more abundantly in your life, you will be happier, and anything that has become a burdwn which seems too difficult to bear will become lighter.

 

 

WHAT A CRAZY WEEK! Haha ( did I ever mention how much I love the MTC?)

I really do learn so many amazing lessons here that I wish I would have really understood growing up. This week changed my life. It finally clicked! I feel like my whole outlook on life has been completly backwards and I am excited to move forward with determination and hard work to ackomplish all the things Heavenly Father needs me to do.

Throught my life I've always been satisfied with adequate performance. If something was too hard, I would try it another way. Or if I didn't like to do something, I would just do something else that I liked to do. I've been constantly allowing myself to justtify everything I do hoping that someday miraciously I will wake up and be this Great Missionary, or Outstanding Pianist, or Amazing Mother, or Martathon running Grandmother. ( You know what I mean?). Anyways, I re-evaluated the way I go about doing things and realized that I am a HUGE procrastinator. How often do I say " Oh it can wait till tomorrow", or " Next week forsure I'll commit to doing that every single day". I look at who I want to be at the end of my life ( or my mission) and think " Oh yeah, someday I'll be that great thing" - "At the end of my mission I will be this wonderful spiritual giant who is perfect at speaking Korean" or " Next year I'll be in better shape" or " I'll make my bed after I get ready, or clean my room later today". ( do you kind of understand what I'm trying to get at?)

 

But It's RIGHT NOW. RIGHT THIS SECOND that wil change your life. If we wait to act upon or decisions to change, or to do something IT WON'T HAPPEN!!! Making the commitment to change and do something in that VERY second is what will make the difference. That is what will change who I am on my mission. Saturday Nov 10th at 4:45pm is when the switch flicked in my head and I finally got it. I realized that right then and there at that every second I had to make the descion tobecome a real missionary. To change. To do WHATEVER it took at that every second to be the missionary I want to be at the end of the mission -Right now.Today.

It's no longer about me, or how many excuses I can make up for not being adeuate enough, or smart enough or good enough. It's about making the sacrifices I need to inorder to make this mission about HIM.  My mission isn't about me, and nether is my life's mission. When we finally can take that big step backwards and look at the big picture you'll see that this trivial day to day things in the long run will not matter. That this life really is all about finding happiness, finding joy and peace, understanding your purpose and potenital, and then helpping others find that aswell.

 

As I've been struggling with the language and my abilities to speak, my teacher sat me down on Saturday and said to me;  You haven't been called to learnt he Korean Language, you've been called to MASTER the Korean Language- SO STEP UP TO THE CALL. God wouldn't have called you to do this unless he knew you could do it! If learning the Language means you have to make some sacrifices THEN MAKE SACRIFICES! Do what ever it takes because if you let the language get in between you and your purpose- your goal of helping the Korean people find that Happiness and Joy that you have found through living the gosple then you are not fulfilling your purpose!!!! Make the decision right now to do whatever it takes to reach that goal- to filfill your purpose. If a Mountian is holding you back from reaching it, then by all means start this second to CLIMB THAT MOUNTIAN. Stop being okay with mediocor efforts and start sacrificing. Missionary work is about working hard and I've been callled to do things that are hard- But Heavenly Father has proved himself time and time again, that as we put of faith and trust in him, we can ackomplish hard things. SO set goal! and work through the hard day, and sacrifice whatever it make be to reach that Goal!   

DO THAT! RIGHT NOW! Whatever the change you know you need to make- whateve the sacrifice is- Do it. Right here right this second. I don't care how many excused you can make - I could give you thousands of reasons why I can't learn Korean. BUT I've been doing it wrong my whole life. It's time to take action, to so whatever it takes to become the person we need to be. If you are struggling in  your relationships, or your job, or with anything- Especially is your relationship with God is lacking, or non- existant. I know that as you start right now to climb your mountian you will be blessed in more ways that you could possible imagine. Life is hard, we have to work for the things we want most. We have to become the person we want to be at the end of our lives to day- and make the changes now to becoming that person.

 

This week I am giving up my English. My sacrifice starts right now, and I will continue to make whatever sacrifices it takes to master this language. No more messing around, God called me to Open my mouth and thats what I'm going to do. ( only this week you will only hear Korean coming out! )

 

 I love all of you so much! I look forward to hearing about your Miracles

<3 Sister Sulz

 

 

 

November 6, 2012

Happy P-Day! :)
Come to the Edge he said, "No we'll fall!"
Come to the Edge he said, " No we'll fall!"
Come to the Edge he said! ...So we went to the edge.
And he pushed us.
And we flew.
- Elder Holland.

I was thinking about this simple poem today, and realized how true it applies into our lives. Too often we let our fears and doubts hold us back from doing things that we can do because of the fear of failure. As I read in Ether 12 this week in verse 12 it talks about how God can ONLY perform miracles if we have faith first. It made me realize that even though God has the ability to do anything, it is based on our agency that he can work in our lives to perform miracles. The more doubt we have and walls we put up to keep God out, the better it will work. If you are looking for God's hand in our life you need to do something, you need to walk to the edge! you need to open that door he's knocking at, you need to get down on your knees and pour out your heart and soul to him, you need to open up the scriptures ( especially the Book of Mormon) and feast upon the words of Christ. I know that as I have faith and take that first step to have faith - I open doors for God to bless me, and I really have seen miracles everyday.

This week was an interesting week. My language seems to be suffering a bit, but I am getting stronger and stronger everyday. I'm able to work through the rough days and stay strong and immovable in my efforts and keep my positive attitude. On Sunday we had something really crazy happen! our branch president received a phone call from our mission president saying that we were going to have a "special  guest" come for our fast and testimony meeting. - We weren't told who it was, just that we needed to be on time, and stand when his guest walked in the door. When the time came, I was suprised to see Elder Evans from the first quorm of the 70! I don't know why he decided to come, the mission president made it every clear that this NEVER happens. General Authorities don't just show up for an hour sacrament meeting, bear their testimony and then leave. But It was incredible. He said some amazing things, and at the end of his testimony he said something that I will never forget. He bore his testimony of his special witness of the Savior, and blessed each of the missionaries in my Zone to be able to have the same witness of the divinity of the Father and the Son as strong and as sure as the general authorities. He said until we have the faith to have that witness for ourselves, that we should remember that that day he stood before us and bore a bold witness as someone who knows. The spirit was so strong, It was an incredible experience.

This week I was called to be the Coordinating sister for my Zone, which means I'm the female version of a zone leader. I'm super excited to be able to serve the sisters, and I hope that I will be able to do all that I can to reach out to each one of them in love, and support them as we try to learn this language. Something that really hit me yesterday in my leadership training was the reason we come to the MTC. They said that most people think you come to the MTC to learn the Gospel, or how to teach, or how to speak a language. But the real reason we come to the MTC is to become converted to Christ- if the missionaries who come to the MTC learn who their Savior is and their heart is changed, and they become converted unto Christ- You won't have to teach the missionary how to convert others, they will beable to do it by their selves because the testimony of the reality of God the Father and Jesus Christ will be so sure for them that they will not be able to do anything but bear testimony from the bottom of their hearts.

Elder Holland said something that I really hit me and made me appreciate all the people in my life who have helped to teach me, to be my role models and friends. I know that I am here in the MTC because of people like you. Somebody like you taught somebody like me. I know that I am not yet who I am going to be at the end of this life, or where I will end up in 30 years from now- but everything that I am is a result of the people who taught it to be. I just wanted to take this opportunity to that every person who has had any role in my life, and let you know that I really am who I am today because of your influence in my life. I would not be the same person, if I hadn't met every single person I have. I'm so grateful for family and friends who have taught me how to love and to be a friend to everyone. I am especially grateful that my parents raised me in an enviorment where I was able to feel the spirit and come to understand who God is, and the plan he has for me.
Thank you for loving me, even on days where I wasn't teach able. That is the most beneficial thing that you could have done for me, or that you can do for anyone who is struggling. Love them first. It makes all the difference.

With all my love,
Sister Sulz,

p.s- sorry there are no pictures today, I forgot my SD card thingy in my room! I'll post some next week for sure.