Monday, December 17, 2012

Letter #45


안녕하세요!
 
Well I do not have much time to write...just a few minutes! I got caught up in buying Christmas gifts for you all that will be coming probably after Christmas...sorry...but I LOVE what I am sending!!!! SO FUN!!!
 
Thank you all for your love and prayers for me! Thank you so much! It has helped so much and I am on the road of healing! I feel like a BRAND new person...literally! I am so thankful for the experience that I was able to go through the last seven weeks, and my life is and will be forever changed because of it....completely changed. I literally am a new person. What a beautiful thing!
 
Well I did get a new companion and had an emergency exchange. I LOVE my companion with my whole heart. She is probably one of the hardest working companions that I have had so far on my mission and has such a strong fire. She just finished training and I will be follow-up training her. She is a korean and makes the most delicious Korean food ever! I am so lucky! I am finally learning how to cook Korean food. She and I have very similar personallities and just laugh and laugh together. Everyone loves her and she has so much love....I am literally in a 360 degree change from last week. I am so grateful for her and I am so happy for this time we have together!
 
The work is picking up like never before. Literally it is a 360 degree change. I am so happy to see the area finally starting to progress again. I felt like the last seven weeks everything was just on a hold, but now it is alive and awake again. I seriously am so happy!
 
I found out today that an investigator that I helped teach in my very first area is supposed to be baptized...or has been baptized this month. She lives in New York now, and is an American, and has finally received a testimony of her own! I was so happy to hear this news this morning!!!!
 
Well, this next week is going to be crazy busy with Christmas parties and a lot of fun things that I am looking forward to! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and remember the true meaning of Christmas, Jesus Christ. I know that Christ lives and that He is my Saviour. I know that through Him and His atonement, we can all be free and find true peace and happiness. I know that through this atonement, we can be completely healed...I am experiencing that right now, and it is one of the most sacred, special experiences I have ever experienced. I know He lives and love us! He truly is our Savior, Lord, and King!
 
I love you all!
Merry Christmas!
 
사랑합니다!
커시 자매
 
Sister Kersey

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Letter #44

(just a note to let you know a little of what has been going on for the last 8 weeks with Britanie.  She has had a Korean companion that has been having a lot of problems and has been verbally and emotionally abusive to Britanie.  Britanie, along with her Mission President and his wife have been trying to work with this girl for the last 8 weeks.  It has gotten so bad, that now there is going to be an emergency transfer to remove this girl.  Britanie will be going through some counseling to help her deal with the stress that she has been through as she continues to serve her mission.  We would appreciate all of your prayers for her.  
Thank you, Jim and Carri Kersey)

안녕하세요!
What a crazy past few weeks! First of all, Congratulations Robert! I am so happy to hear that your wedding went well. You have such a beautiful new wife and family! And DALLIN!!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday! :) AH!!!! I can't believe you are a teacher now and can go to DANCES!!!! AH!!!!! Colin: you better watch over him ;) haha jk!
Anyway, it has been an interesting last few weeks. Not the most uplifting and I will be honest, probably the hardest two weeks of my life! I am so grateful for the experiences that I have been having, and I feel and know that this last transfer and last few weeks will forever change the rest of my life. I am so grateful for them, and so grateful for wonderful mission family that I have here. What a special thing to know that Heavenly Fathe knows us and loves us each individually. He really does know exactly what we need and who we need in order completley to learn and grow and become the person that we are supposed to become! Wow, it just blows me away the love that He has for each one of us. I feel like now I know why I had to come here to Korea at this specific time. What a sacred, beautiful time!
Last week, I had a very special experience. As I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting, I felt hundreds of angels all around me. I felt a love that I cannot explain, and I realized that it is true that angels are all around us to lift us up! I can feel that and know that God is real, that His plan is a plan of happiness, and because of His plan, we will be with our loved ones for all eternity, just as they are now with us! What a powerful, special thing to know, that we will be with our loved ones forever. Even now with Grandpa Dean, I know that He is happy and that he is with us. I know that he loves us and we will all see him again. I know that he lives, just as our Savior Jesus Christ lives. And because of our Savior Jesus Christ, we will live forever! What a beautiful plan.
I just wanted to thank you all for your love and support and many prayers at this time in my life! I can feel the power of my Savior's atonement and know that He loves each one of us individually! As Sister Gilbert would say, "I will meet you in our prayers."
I love you all!
사랑합니다!
커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Letter #43


안녕하세요!
 
Well it has definitely been a crazy week! We had the baptism last night and it was a HUGE success! The chapel was FULL of missionaries and ward members...everyone wanted to be there. The baptism was absolutely beautiful and 박 자매님 (Sister Park) was so happy. She was glowing the whole day! Sister Brady gave a talk on Baptism and I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. Sister Park played a song on the guitar and there was a beautiful opera number by a sister in the ward that she is now attending. Then after the baptism and Sister Park was getting dressed into dry clothes, my district of Elders did a special presentation that I had asked them to do. They sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" and two of the Elders gave a brief summary of the first lesson with their testimonies, then they sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" and two other Elders gave a summary of the Plan of Salvation with their testimonies, and lastly they sang a song about Jesus Christ and the last two Elders spoke on the Doctrine of Christ with their testimonies. I was not able to see the actual presentation because I was with Sister Park, but when we entered the chapel, the Spirit was so strong and there were many wet eyes. President and Sister Gilbert told me at the end of the baptism that the presentation was amazing and that we did the baptism perfectly....everything was planned out and performed with exactness! YES!!!! I was so grateful that it could be so beautiful and perfect for Sister Park. I think it was one of the most beautiful baptisms that I have been to here in Korea! I was so thankful!
 
On Thursday, I got a random call from President and Sister Gilbert inviting us over for Thanksgiving lunch at their home! I was so surprized! I thought I would not be having a thanksgiving this year, but my whole district was invited and we filled the table! At lunch, as we ate a traditional thanksgiving meal...even with pumpkin pie :) we went around the table and said what we were thankful for! I am so thankful to be here in Korea as a servant of the Lord, learning this language and culture, and making relationships that will last forever! What a special blessing!
 
Well this last week, my companion and I decided that none of our investigators have been progressing for a long time (some since my third transfer) and we decided to stop meeting with them and start new. It was something I was not expecting to do, but as we made the decision and after, I felt so good about our decision. It is hard not having people to meet with, but I feel that there are other people being prepared to hear our message. And since this decision, we have been blessed to meet with some new people. Even last night as we were planning, I felt like I needed to look in one of our area books at the contacts. I didn't know why, especially because they had been updated. But I opened it up and found a whole page of contacts that had not been called. I saw one and remembered meeting that woman back in my fourth transfer and felt that I needed to call her....and right then. I called her and we talked for just a few minutes and I asked her if we could meet this week. She said yes without hesitation and we set an appointment for Saturday. I feel like Heavenly Father has been blessing us and is leading us in who to call, who to visit, and where to go. I am happy with this decision we have made. The work is probably going to be a little bit hard at first, but I think Heavenly Father has special plans for this area!
 
Well, I love you all so much and am grateful for your support, prayers, letters, kind words, and thoughts! I am so grateful to be here and am so happy to have this opportunity to be on the Lord's time serving in His place! I know this church is true, that Jesus is our Savior and that He loves each and every one of us. As we get ready for Christmas, if you will join me in the White Christmas challenge given from Sister Gilbert to all the missionaries and ward members, to take a Book of Mormon and read and mark it for someone else, then on Christmas day, give that as a gift, I know that we will be able to see so many miracles of people's hearts changing and coming closer to their Savior! I am thankful for so many of you that have already told me that you are taking this challenge! It is such a special opportunity and I am happy we can do it together!
 
I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!
 
사랑합니다!
커시 자매
 
Sister Kersey

Monday, November 26, 2012

Letter #42

안녕하세요!
 
Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I can't believe that it is already time for Thanksgiving....time is going by so fast! I am so thankful this Thanksgiving, probably more thankful than ever before! I am so thankful for a family and friends that love and support me, for the opportunity to be here in Korea teaching the gospel and the truth to the world! I am so full of gratitude that words cannot express what is in my heart!
 
This week, I met with 박 자매님 (Sister Park). I met here at English class when I was serving in my third transfer in 연산. She started taking the lessons, and her testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith grew rapidly! She had such a strong desire to be baptized and become a member of our church. Because she quit her job and her mother was diagnosed with liver cancer, she stopped meeting with us for lessons and studies. Through the months, Sister Brady and I would occationally text or call her to make sure that she was ok and let her know that we were thinking and praying for her. About a week ago, I got a text message from her telling me that she wanted to meet on Saturday and be prepared for her baptism. I got to meet her on Saturday and it was one of the sweetest reunions I have ever had! She was doing great and was so excited about her upcoming baptism! We scheduled a date and we attended church with her in the ward that she lives in. The members have never had sister missionaries in their ward before, because they work with the President and Sister Gilbert and all the office missionaries. They were so excited to see us and even more excited to have a new member of their ward! They haven't had a baptism in this ward in probably about a year! Her baptism is scheduled for this Sunday at 4:00! I am so excited and what a special Thanksgiving gift that Heavenly Father is blessing our mission with!
 
This week, I have learned so much about the power of prayer. I have learned that when we have thankful hearts and express that thanks to our Heavenly Father, His spirit will be with us stronger and we will be guided and directed in all that He wants us to accomplish! I have felt so close to Him this week and feel like He is walking right beside me, lifting me and helping me to know what to say and where to go! I know that He loves us and that we are His children! I know that He wants to be with us always, and it is up to us to let Him into our lives!
 
I love you all and am grateful for all of you!
 
사랑합니다!
커시 자매
 
Sister Kersey

Monday, November 12, 2012

Letter #41


안녕하세요!
 
WOW what a week! I feel like Heavenly Father has really been trying to teach me lately, and I just have to be patient and let Him mold me. This week was much better then last week. The work is still slow, but I have seen miracles that I cannot even describe. I have seen hearts softened and changed and even myself changed. I just wanted to thank you all for your love and support and prayers, especially this last week! Words cannot express my gratitude and the love that I feel. Thank you!
 
This week, I received a text message from an investigator, 박 자매님, that I have not been able to meet with for a few transfers now. Her mother was sick and in the hospital in Seoul and she had been with her. She gave me a text message telling me that she was coming back to Busan this week and wanted to meet on Saturday. She also talked with Sister Brady, my old companion that taught the lessons with me and said that she knows that our church is true, that the Book of Mormon is true, and she wants to finish the lessons and be baptized! I am so excited to meet with her! She has become one of my very dear friends, and there is nothing that would make me and her happier than to have her be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost, especially right now with all the things that she is struggling with.
 
We also spent a lot of time this week with our recent convert in our ward, 김 자매님. She was really upset because the business that she had been working for ended up being a fraud and the guy that she was starting to date was just trying to use her to get money from that business. She has not been attending church, and has been having so many trust issues. I had an impression that we needed to teach her the first lesson this week. We met, and taught her and watched the Restoration DVD with her. It touched her heart and her testimony was strengthened dramatically. She explained that she didn't know why people questioned our faith, because to her it just made complete sense! Her testimony is so strong and she is such a unique person and has also become one of my closest friends here in the mission. We met again last night, because I felt that I needed to ask her if she wanted to study the Book of Mormon together. She was having a really hard time, and I was prompted to share with her the scripture that God will never leave us comfortless. I told her that she may not trust anyone right now, but she can trust God and he will comfort her mind, heart, and spirit. She told us that she wished that she could see God, but she knows that we are like Him right now and He sent us to her. That hit me. I realized that missionaries really are God's representatives and that we are acting in Jesus' name everyday. What a humbling realization. I am so thankful for this opportunity.
 
I feel that I learned so much this week and have been really strengthened by prayers and by my Father in Heaven. I especially learned the power of love and charity. Jesus Christ himself set the most perfect example of how to love and how to never judge. He taught us to understand others and love them. Even love those who hate us, despise us, or use us. I realized that in missionary work, as well as in life, if we have love, the same love that Christ has, we will be able to help others, lift others, and feel of God's love for us even stronger. At our service project this week, in old-folks' home, I love just taking the little grandmas in their wheelchairs around in a walking circle. This is something that I do everyweek, but did not realize the impact that it was having on these old lonely women. One of the women that I always push around, was not in her wheelchair when I first got to the hospital. She was laying in her bed. I walked up to her and said hello and asked her how she was. She started whimpering in pain and took my hand and held it to her cheek (a sign she always gives of her love and affection). She was in so much pain and I kept telling her that she was ok. She kept reaching for my hand and holding it on her cheek again. I realized that it was through service and love that this woman knew me and recognized me. It was through this project, just a few hours that completely changed my companion's heart and opened her up to start to love.
 
I believe in the power of love. If we truly love all those around us as Christ himself would love, we will be able to influence hundreds of thousands of people in our lives. And the even bigger blessing, is that our love for ourselves will grow, and for our Savior will grow. Because, if we strive to be like Him, we truly will recognize His face when we see Him!
 
I love each and every one of you! Thank you for your love for me! Have a fantastic week!
 
사랑합니다!
 
커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Letter #40

(Just a note to let you know that Britanie's missionary companion has been struggling with many problems. She comes from a verbally and emotionally abusive family and she has been doing these same things to Britanie. The mission President and his wife are trying to work with her, but it has really been a huge struggle everyday for Britanie to deal with. Please keep her in your prayers. - Britanie's Mom)

 
안녕하세요!
I am not going to lie, this has probably been the hardest week of my entire mission, but also the biggest growth for me. I feel like Heavenly Father has been right by my side everyday this week and even when all is hard, he has given me so many blessings.
This week, we had our Fall Festival with the Busan stake. We had three investigator families come and another young woman investigator. My companion and I had the game of musical chairs which was a total hit and so much fun! We gave stickers to all those that played and then they could go win prizes....American food that we bought at Costco! So much fun! It turned out better than I could ever imagine...all the hard work payed off! We also had a young single adult member bring one of her friends, who ended up coming to church the next day too.
At church, we were able to teach her the first lesson about Jospeh Smith and the Restoration. She is willing to learn and we gave her a Book of Mormon to read and pray about.
We also met with Jin, our investigator that is doing the 30x30 program to learn English before she moves to Australia. She is so sweet and I love her and her daughter so much. They have such a special spirit to them and Jin just wants to learn and learn and learn. Even during her 30 minutes of English study, she will talk to me about the church and how she suddenly has a strong interest in religion. I have never had such a prepared investigator. She wants to learn!!! It is so exciting!
I am so grateful for my personal relationship with my Heavenly Father and that He trusts me enough to teach his prepared children. It is such a privilege and special opportunity! I am grateful that He knows, loves, and supports me and everyone of His children. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know He lives and I am thankful for the trials that I have to be able to learn to become more like Him.
I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week! Keep smiling!
사랑합니다!
커시 자매

Letter #39

안녕하세요!
Happy Halloween!!!! I wish I was home to dress up and celebrate it with you all, but we are going to be having our own Halloween party here which I am so excited for. We have been preparing all week for this party and will continue this upcoming week. My companion and I are in charge of all the decorations and the missionaries are putting on a silly dance and skit. So it really is taking all of our time. I hope that our members bring their friends and investigators end up coming!!! It is going to be a blast!
So this last week was pretty discouraging for me. I had planned this week so thouroughly and was so excited for all the people we were going to be able to meet and teach, but sadly ALL of our appointments fell through. I know that next week will be better!
My companion is wonderful! I absolutley LOVE speaking Korean constantly and am seeing a HUGE improvement! I love it!
On Sunday, I was shocked when a fan pulled up to the front of our church building full of American men in suits. They were the area seventies!!! It was so cool to have sacrament meeting in English, translated into Korean and to meet these men. They were in the family history department and told lots of stories about keeping records of our lives! It was really inspiring and I know that I need to be keeping a better journal for my life and future posterity! I loved watching them have to take off their shoes before going into the building and watching them eat lunch with chopsticks! It was a shock for me to notice how many things are different here than in the US. It all just seems so normal, but when I see a foreigner, I realize how different it is! I love it! I love Korea with my whole heart! After church and lunch, we ended up doing ALL the dishes...a lot of work, but so much fun! And it felt great to serve our ward!
Well, I hope I have more to write about next week! I know it will be much better! I am grateful to be here and to be the Lord's missionary! I feel so priviledged to have this opportunity! I know this church is true and is Jesus Christ's full, restored gospel! I love you all so much and appreciate all of your love and support!
Have a fantastic week!
사랑해요!
커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Letter #38



안녕하세요!
WOW!!!! What a crazy last week! My companion ended up getting a transfer call on Thursday like we were expecting and is being transfered. We went to the mission office this morning and I picked up my new companion who is a KOREAN!!!!! My first Korean companion! I am SOOOO excited! I am going to learn SOOO much Korean this transfer. Between her and the Elders in our area, I will only be speaking Korean. This is going to be so fun and I can't wait to see how a Korean works! She just finished being trained and is still a brand new missionary with a lot of fire...which is so nice because I always seem to have a lot of fire that sometimes drives my companions crazy haha! Because she is a new missionary, today was the first time I was able to meet her. She is just like me, but in Korean form and is the sweetest thing I have ever met. She and I get along great! I can see great things happening this transfer!
Something that I wasn't expecting happened on Friday when I got a call from the 연산 sisters (the area that I used to serve in before 금정). They told me that President Gilbert has taken all of the sisters out of that area and they asked me to take their investigators (my old investigators) back again. I was shocked and I asked for President to call me so that I could talk with him directly. He did call, and when I asked him about the move, he informed me that I would be over both of the areas. He said that whichever area needs me more, that is where I need to be. Our house is completely in the middle of both areas which makes it very convenient for this new calling. I was so surprised, and asked what I needed to do about the investigators and all the classes over there. He told me that I could do whatever I wanted and whatever I felt that needed to be done. I was surprised at the trust that he had in me and felt very humbled by this experience. I am SO excited to be working back in 연산 again! I miss my investigators and the ward there. So between the two areas, our week is already completely full!!!! Good thing I am great at time management. All of my previous companions that heard this new said that it is good that I am a good planner and can fit anything into a schedule! It is kind of stressful though...but I would rather be busy than bored! I am happy and excited for this challenge and adventure, and now I can see that I have the PERFECT companion to do this with! She is exactly what these areas need!
On Saturday, I was priviledged to go to the 연산 Bishop's son's wedding. A whole group of missionaries sang Beauty and the Beast for the wedding and it was a hit (both in Korean and English). The wedding was beautiful and the bride and groom's parents were wearing their Korean Traditional outfits that are absolutely beautiful! It was so fun for me to see all of the 연산 ward members again and they said that they missed me so much. I some of them that I would be working in their area again, and they were so excited! I never realize all the relationships that I have with people, until I get to see them again! This is just such an awesome experience to be here making such special relationships with people, even of a different culture and language!
After the wedding, I rushed to our building in 금정 for an open house that our ward had put on. It was so help the missionaries get more people to teach. They put together beautiful signs for the rooms in the building describing what we do in the church and the activities that we have. They also had food for people to buy outside of the church, with free clothes. The elders, my companion, and I went with the young men and women around to ask people on the streets to come see our church and take a tour. It was a blast! Then on Sunday, something completely unexpected happened!!! When I first arrived in the 금정 ward, I could tell right away that the ward had no interest in the missionaries and no respect for us. I was shocked by this and had never been in a ward like this before. President told me at the beginning of the transfer that this ward had a problem with missionaries in the past. This made it really hard for me to talk with the members and they seemed to want nothing to do with me or my companion or the Elders. It is a HUGE ward, especially for Korean - 110 members and was really intimidating at first. No matter how many times I tried to talk to the women, they seemed to just be annoyed. It was really frustrating. But I just constintely tried to talk to them and compliment them, and call them, and ask them how I could help. Finally on Sunday, I noticed a HUGE change! The ward was so kind and loving! It was a complete change. They seemed to need our help and want us to be involved. I was shocked! This has been the biggest miracle of the whole transfer, something I have been praying for and struggling with the most this transfer. What a blessing!
Another miracle that happened this week: it was a cold night, and I had a feeling that my companion and I should got home and look through the area book. She told me that the area book was all updated, and I asked her about the contact sheet. She said she didn't really know and thought that it was. We decided to go home and see what we could find. I opened the book and went to the contact sheet. The first person on the sheet was someone that was found on the street a year ago. It looked like there was no information on the woman being called or followed-up on. I picked up the phone and called her, and to my surprise, she was thrilled, knew who I was, and wanted to meet. We met with her for the first time yesterday and taught her a little about families and our church's beliefs, and gave her a church tour. I hope that she will want to meet again.
The work has been going great. So many miracles are happening. I have a great feeling about this next transfer and I know that there is a reason that I am serving in both areas. I think there is no coincidence that I know both areas already, both wards, and both sets of investigators. I can't wait to see how everything unfolds!
I love you all and am grateful for your love and support to me! I know that this gospel is true. I know this because of the happiness that I feel each and everyday. It is more than a happiness, but a joy that is beyond description!
I hope you all have a fantastic week! I love you!
사랑합니다!
커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Letter #37

안녕하세요!


I was so happy to watch Conference this weekend, so now I feel like I am filled in with the whole new missionary ages and huge announcements! It is absolutely CRAZY! I am still in shock even right now. I can't imagine having companions that are only 19 years old! This is definitely going to be an adventure... I am so happy to hear all of my friends that have decided to serve a mission! It is the best decision that you could ever make and you will be so happy with your choice. It has been the best experience of my life and you will have relationships and experiences that will change the rest of your life. I think everyone should go on a mission! I am thankful everyday for being here, learning more about myself, making eternal relationships, learning a new culture and language, and most importantly learning about this gospel and creating a firm testimony. I already can see how this mission will affect the decisions that I make the rest of my life!


Conference weekend is always a blast here in Korea. The members get together for four hours at a time on both Saturday and Sunday to watch the Conference. They are so devoted to come to the church for so long and sometimes even have to read the Conference with subtitles. On Saturday night they stayed for another two hours to watch the Priesthood and Relief Society Sessions. They are such devoted members and such huge examples to me. I learned so much in Conference and was especially shocked finding out what is going on in the world. Being here on a mission, I am in such a bubble and was shocked to hear what the world is stuggling with right now. It kind of made me scared to think about how my family is out in that world right now....


This week I had one of the most amazing experiences! On Tuesday night, we met with a woman named Jin who became our new investigator just a few weeks ago through our English class 30 minute introduction lesson. When we did the 30 minute lesson, we fill out an application sheet for English class and then share with them about why we are here serving missions and share a spiritual message. We had prayed so much about this lesson and to know what she needed to hear that would help her have the desire to learn more about the gospel. She filled out the application sheet and marked that she had absolutley no interest in God, Jesus Christ, missionaries, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, etc. We were kind of shocked, but continued with her lesson. We explained why we chose to serve missions and why we were here in Korea. Earlier that day, my companion felt impressed to share with her the story of Jesus Christ when he came to the Americas after his resurrection and blessed all the children. So we started to do that. We showed her a picture of Jesus blessing the children and read with her the story out of the Book of Mormon. After our short lesson, we started doing our English lesson. Before she left, we asked her if she would want to meet with us again before English class to learn more about our gospel message. We were absolutely shocked when she said yes, and even more shocked when she showed up early this week with her Book of Mormon in hand ready to learn. She had read the introduction, the Prophet Joseph Smith's testimony and the introduction of 1 Nephi and had TONS of questions for us. Earlier that day in personal study, I was reading in 1 Nephi and came upon a scripture that really stood out to me and during companionship study explained to my companion that I felt that I needed to remember that scripture for someone. When Jin asked us all the questions she had about the Book of Mormon, that scripture popped into my mind and I opened the book. To my surprize, she understood what it was saying exactly and it answered all of her questions.


Because of her questions about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, we started questioning if we should teach her about the Restoration, but then felt that we needed to teach her what we had planned: The Plan of Salvation. She was so intriqued with this new information and started explaining that she understands now about a God and agrees with this plan that we were teaching her. A complete miracle! She said that for years she had thought that we had lived in a heaven before coming to the earth and that after we die we would go to a heaven again. We were shocked (especially with having no concept of God beforehand and with the common Buddhist belief about reincarnation)! The spirit was so strong and I was able to teach in a way that I had never taught before, and that I thought would never be possible. I completely forgot about language, and just completely understood and taught what was in my heart.


We had printed President Monson's talk from last conference and asked her if she would read it before our next visit. His talk was on the Plan of Salvation and we explained that it was a talk from our modern day prophet. She accepted it gladly and kept talking about how fun it is for her to learn these new things! She kept saying that it was all so interesting to her. We invited her to come to watch our prophet speak that weekend in Conference. She was so thrilled about our invitation. We will find out on Tuesday if she was able to go or not (she lives in a different area and would go to a different ward building). She is so ready for this gospel and so willing to learn. I have never seen anyone like this before! I feel so blessed for this opportunity to teach her and to see the influence that it is already having on her life! The feelings that I had after that lesson were like I had never had before and the way I was able to teach was like I had never known before! I know that I was able to be God's instrument in helping this woman receive the message that He has specifically for her!


Later this week, I received a call that I needed to conduct an exchange. This was a huge surprise to me because I had never even been on an exchange, let alone conducting one! The sister that I was to serve with for 24 hours was really struggling with the work and I was supposed to do something to help her....It was an interesting calling and I wasn't sure that I could do anything for her. We went on the exchange and had a wonderful time. It was interesting that Heavenly Father had his own plans in mind for that exchange, because all of the plans that I had set up to do completely fell through. But now looking back, I realize that it was exactly what my companion needed. We had a blast!


Sister Gilbert has given the mission a new assignment, and I would like to ask you all to do this assignment too! Get a new Book of Mormon and read it for someone else. You may not know this person right now, but Heavenly Father knows who needs this Book of Mormon. So read the Book of Mormon and mark the scriptures and passages that the spirit tells you to. Write down impressions in the book that comes to you. Then pray about who needs the book and give it to them for a Christmas present. I have started reading the Book of Mormon over again, and following the promptings of the Holy Ghost for the person that I will be giving my gift to. It is such a humbling experience to see how the spirit works in our individual lives and how it feels when you need to write down a comment or mark a scripture. It is such an amazing experience. I have noticed as I have been doing this a pattern in my markings and comments. I am starting to feel who needs this book. I promise that if you take this challenge, your love for the Book of Mormon will increase and you will learn how the spirit works in your personal life. I also know that you will know who needs that book and it will somehow change their life.


I am so grateful everyday to be here as a missionary and a representative of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives and that He loves us. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. My heart is full of gratitude for the blessings that this gospel brings into my life and the people that I am able to talk with and teach everyday!


I love you all! Thank you for your love towards me!


사랑합니다!

커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Monday, October 8, 2012

Letter #36


안녕하세요!

WOW! I just found out about the age changing for Elders and Sisters serving missions! I can't believe that! What a huge change! That means Colin could go on his mission in just 2 years! Wow! Things are really going to change!

This week, my companion and I were so priviledged to see so many miracles! We have been so blessed, I can't even express my joy and gratitude that I feel. And I feel that I don't deserve all of these blessings that we have been receiving!

We went and visited a potential investigator during the week, and were able to talk to her about the prophet and we were shocked when she set a return appointment with us! She is Catholic, but her daughter lives in Orem and is a member of our church. She was so haspitable to us and her husband kept giving us more and more food as we sat and talked. She is very strong in her church and with her beliefs, but I was able to share with her a scripture from the Bible about prophets and their roll and how we need them now, even after Christ's death. She was so suprized and wrote down the reference to study later. I think she already knows in her heart that the church is true. I can't wait to continue meeting with her and teach her about the influence this gospel has in my personal life and in the world we live in now.

The work here in our area has completely turned since I arrived. We are having so much success with the ward members, less-actives, and receiving more investigators. It feels like a different area than when I arrived. We had 112 people at church yesterday and a less-active that we had visited a couple weeks before. I was absolutely floored when she walked in. She had told us in our meeting that her husband was very opposed to the church and that she has been attending another church. She also said that she was offended by the Bishop and that she did not want us to visit again. I had felt impressed that morning before visiting her that I needed to make a message card with a picture of Joseph Smith and write the first vision. Before leaving I handed her the card and thanked her for having us. Her countenance changed, and I strongly believe that she decided to come to church because she started to remember her testimony. She stayed for all of church and even bore her testimony! What a beautiful sight to see!

Another huge miracle happened this week! Back when I was serving with Sister Brady in 연산, we met a woman on the metro that told us that she had a sister that was a member of our church that lived in 금정(where I am serving now). We had a great visit with her and she promised us that she would feed us dinner sometime. We didn't think anything of it and forgot about it completely. When I arrived in 금정, one of the women in my ward came and asked me if I was the one that met her sister on the metro. She had spend 2 transfers trying to find the sisters that she had promised dinner to. We were able to get ahold of Sister Brady and received special permission to go to her home and have lunch all together with our companions. She was so kind and loved every minute of us being there with her and her son. By the end of the visit, the son accepted our English class invite and she said that she would attend Conference on Sunday with her sister! I was so blown away! I don't think it was just couincidence that I am serving here in this area! Everything is for a reason!

This week, we started preparing for a church open house with our ward that we will be having on the 20th. The Elders, a ward member, my companion and I set a table outside of the church and tried stopping people on the street to introduce them to our church. No one seemed interested and were all in a hurry going to this place or that. Finally, I saw a woman and her son walking across the street. I ran with my companion to their side and started talking to them about who we were and asked them if they had ever seen our church building before. They were very kind and asked us a lot of weird questions. They came to the table and said hello to the member and the Elders and then just went on her way. I had a feeling in my heart that she would be coming back. About 10 minutes later, she came walking down the street again and we said hello. She kept walking, then turned around and asked if she could see the inside of our church. My companion and I took her on a tour of the church, and the moment we walked into the chapel, a distinct, strong feeling came to all of us. There was no doubt in my mind that this gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the true church on the Earth today. She was so impressed with our worship service and we invited her to come to church on Sunday. She said that she would not join us, but I would not be surprised if one day she showed up again. I have a good feeling about her.

Also, this week while on the metro coming home from the church, I sat by a woman and we started talking about the Book of Mormon. She started saying all of these mean comments saying that the Bible was the only true book on the Earth. I pulled out the Book of Mormon and opened up to the introduction. She quickly read it and then I explained to her that in this book we are able to find all of our answers to life's questions. We had glued in the front cover a section of PMG that talks about questions people have and where to find the answer using the Book of Mormon. She was so impressed and kept flipping though the pages. I had to get off at my stop, but told her that the Book of Mormon was a gift from me to her. She was so grateful. I will probably never see that woman again, but at least I was able to teach her truth in that moment and give her the gift that was the most precious to me!

I am so grateful for all of these miracles and so many more I was able to see this week! Heavenly Father has been blessing us so much! I feel so extremely blessed! This church is true! This work is the most amazing work in the world! I am so extremely blessed to be here and for my testimony! I love each of you so very much!

사랑합니다!

커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Letter #35

안녕하세요!
So the last few days in September and beginning of October in Korea are the Korean Thanksgiving! It is a huge deal here in Korea and everyone goes and visits family. It was fun for us, too because we were able to go to the Bishop's house for a traditional Thanksgiving meal of chicken and fried fish and vegetables. It also made the rest of the weekend extremely hard to do missionary work because everyone was from out of town or were with family. So, all of us missionaries got to get two p-days! FUN! Yesterday we had a whole mission-wide p-day with ALL of the missionaries in our mission! It was a BLAST! We had it at our church building, which was great for us because we didn't have to travel far. We were split up depending on the zone we were in and had sweatshirts made by our zone leaders. The whole day we played games, ate food, learned how to make Korean rice cake, and sang a song for our Christmas card for our families! I had so much fun and it was great to see some missionaries that I haven't seen since the start of my mission.
It really freaked me out to find out that this week is my half way mark in my mission. I am super sad and am shocked with how fast time goes by, especially on a mission. I still don't even feel like an official missionary yet! Crazy! I pray for the time to slow down, but the longer I am here, the faster it seems to go.
This week, my companion and I did a lot of proselyting and trying to find people to teach. I had a great experience one day as we were doing the "If you could ask God one question, what would it be?" activity with my district. I was able to talk to so many people and really teach them right there on the street. I met one girl that was a member of another church and was able to open the Book of Mormon and teach and testify to her right there. Something about Korea that I failed to mention is that there are MANY missionaries from other churches. MANY! But, most of them are under-cover missionaries that are paid to pretend interested in a church, to be baptized into the church, and then to get a leadership postition and take over the church. We run into missionaries all the time and it is also very hard for us to talk to people when they see that we are missionaries because of the bad reputation that missionaries have here. This girl that I openned the Book of Mormon to was from a church that worships Heavenly Mother and does not believe in God. I testified to her that God was our father and that He does really live. And I truly believe and know that! He is our individual father and He does love and know each one of us!
We also were able to meet with a member of our English class to do a 30 minute required introduction of our church. She had absolutely no interest in our church and said that she did not want to learn about God or any sort of religion. After much praying about how we could teach to this woman's needs (because we only had that precious 30 minutes), we felt impressed to share the story of Jesus coming to the Earth after His resurrection and blessing the children. We had her read the story from the Book of Mormon, and she could not understand it (most Koreans cannot understand the Korean Bible or Book of Mormon). We pulled out a picture for her to look at and explained the story. She has a four year old daughter that comes to class with her, and we told the mom that Jesus loves the little children so much because of their innocence and purity. We went on to tell her how this church has always been a family unit in our lives and that no matter where we move in the world, if we walk into one of our churches, we will learn the same things and have an immediate family. She was so moved by this, especially because she is moving to Australia in about a 6 months or so. After English class, I asked her if she wanted to learn more about God's plan for her, and we were absolutely shocked when she said YES! So we are going to meet with her every week before English class to teach her the lessons. I know that her heart was changed and I am so thankful for this miracle to have a new investigator!
We also had another HUGE miracle! On Sunday, because of the holiday, we had church at 8:00 at night. Our ward was tiny because everyone was out-of-town, but we were shocked to see a whole less-active family of 5 walk in to take the sacrament. We had been trying to work with this family for the whole transfer, and it was a complete miracle to see them there!
I know that this gospel is true, and as we stay diligent and follow Christ, we are able to perform and see great miracles! I am thankful and blessed everyday to be here as a missionary and representative of my Savior, Jesus Christ! I am extremely blessed for all the love and support I recieve from you each and every day!
I love you all and am praying for you! Have a fantastic week! :)
사랑합니다!
커기 자매
Sister Kersey

Letter #34

안녕하세요!

Congratulations Shannon and Loren on your new beautiful baby! How exciting! I am so happy for you both and he is absolutely adorable! During the week I randomly thought about you both and had a feeling that you would be having your baby sometime this week! I am so happy to hear that it went well and that you are both healthy and happy!

This week flew by and was an absolute blast! We just kept seeing more and more miracles happening. I absolutely love it here in 금정 and love my companion Sister Chase! She is absolutely wonderful and one of my favorite companions so far. Even though she arrived in Korea only 6 weeks after me, we have been having a blast! She is so fun and I feel like I can be my absolute silly, crazy self around her and she loves it!

This week for our English class, the topic was on food and we decided to make an American meal for our class! We set the table and make spaghetti. It was absolutely hilarious making the spaghetti in a rice cooker...I would never have guessed that could work so well. Our class got a kick out of our American etiquette and eating their spaghetti with a fork and spoon rather than with chopsticks. It was one of their favorite classes and we were rolling the whole time watching them try to have American manners (I didn't realize how completely opposite everything is here compared to at home...not even how you eat is the same. haha!)

We have been really struggling in this area to have any success with people talking to us or progressing. It is a college city and very busy, but extremely hard for missionary work. We have tried going up to the college and handing out English class fliers, but no one seems to be interested in us or our message. The other day, after our zone conference, we were on the metro with the Elders going back to our area. One of the Elders in our area is a brand new missionary...this is his second week here in the field. My companion and I sat next to a woman and started talking with her, but she seemed completely uninterested and got off at the next stop. The new Elder sat down and tried talking to a man next to him that completely rejected him and got off at the next stop. So there we were, the four of us (the two Elders, my companion, and I) sitting in a row. I looked down and saw the Book of Mormon in the new missionary's hand and had a feeling to share with him a scripture. I reached for the Book of Mormon and thought "Heavenly Father, I don't know what scripture to share with him.." Then the thought came "Share your favorite scripture." So I turned to Ether 12:27 and handed it to the Elder. He read the scripture and in his broken English said "Thank you." We again sat in silence. Suddenly a man from across the isle looked over at us and said "What is that?" as he pointed to the Book of Mormon. The Elders got up and sat next to the man. They taught him shortly about the Book of Mormon and where it came from and gave him the book as a gift. What a cool experience....to have a feeling to share a scripture and to have someone on the outside be moved by that simple act. The new Elder was so excited and later told me that that was the exact scripture he needed at the time because it gave him courage to keep going because with God "our weaknesses will become strong". He knew that he could keep going, even after rejection! What a sweet experience that I will always cherish the rest of my mission and life.

We also had another miracle at church on Sunday. One of the daughters of a less-active family that we tried to visit came to church, along with one of our investigators. Heavenly Father has been so good to us in such a difficult area to keep his work going! I am so grateful!!

This work is the most rewarding work in the entire world. There is no words to describe the feeling that is with us everyday as we go out on the streets and testify of what we know is true deep in our hearts. I know that this church and gospel is true. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and blesses us as we are obedient and try to do all that is right. I love missionary work and I love being here in Korea teaching the gospel to these beautiful people!

I love each of you!

사랑합니다!

커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Monday, September 17, 2012

Letter #33


안녕하세요!
 
Hello everyone! :) Grandma and Grandpa Kersey I hope you had a great birthday!
 
Today, we were told to stay indoors all day because of the BIG typhoon that was coming. So Saturday night, we updated our 72 hour kits and got a lot of groceries and got ready for the big day! This morning, we received a call from our zone leader who said that we could leave our house for just two hours to get to the post office and e-mail our families to tell them that we haven't "blown up". Haha so here I am telling you that I haven't blown up....yet. Supposably the typhoon is coming in two hours... I am excited to see how it is going to be because just in the time we left our apartment, the 119 trucks (911 trucks) were outside and we could bairly use umbrellas because the wind was so strong. Things were falling and you could hear crashing sounds...kind of scary, but so cool!
 
So this week was kind of a get-to-know-you week. I was able to meet the ward members in my new ward and one of our investigators. Our ward is absolutley amazing and so friendly! I haven't seen such a big ward in my entire mission. They have a beautiful building that they bought for their Sunday services and it makes me feel like I am back in the states. This ward is considered the best ward in Korea. I am so excited to be here and serving these people. I keep feeling like there is a special reason that I am here in this area at this time. I am excited to see what is in store for me.
 
The weather is starting to get really cold...I think winter is on it's way. I was grateful that most of this week we were indoors planning and preparing and organizing for this transfer. I can feel that there will be many miracles that await us and I am so excited to see them unfold.
 
This week, a professor from BYU came and talked with us about Korean culture. He served a mission here and was the mission president a long time ago here in Busan. He gave us a history of Korea and why they have the culture that they do, along with their religious background. I learned so much about these people and why they view the things they do, like family and ancestors, as so important. What was even more amazing was being able to see how their culture and beliefs are so closely inter-connected with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that we have today. I realized that all religions and beliefs have truths and somehow relate to Jesus Christ's gospel. The problem is that they lack the full truth. I feel so blessed to know that we do have the full truth on the Earth today and that all truths and addition truths are presented in this gospel. It just makes sense and what a blessing it is to know that we can have all the answers to our questions answered and continually receive more and more truth. Learning even more about these people that I so love has brought me an even deeper appreciation for them and their lives. I love them more and more and am so grateful to be living with them in their culture.
 
Well, I am alive and doing well! I am so happy to hear from so many of you and appreciate your love, support, and prayers. I hope you all have a fantastic week!
 
I love you!
사랑합니다!
 
커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Letter #32


안녕하세요!

Wow where do I even begin? So much has happened this last week and I just want to tell you all every detail!

I received a transfer call on Thursday night and am having to move to a new area. It is still in Busan, but it is even closer to our mission home. I will be working with the office Elders and the assistants to the President. That should be very fun and I am so excited about it! My companion is another American. She is the youngest American sister here in the mission (in a transfer younger than me). I was absolutely shocked to hear that we would be working together and especially all the responsibility that we will have here in this area. It just blows me away at how much trust Heavenly Father has in me. I still feel like I don't know enough Korean for such a big calling, but I know that there is a reason that I am here and I am so excited for the miracles that are going to happen in this transfer. I have such a good, peaceful feeling about it all and feel the Spirit very strongly here.

This last week in 연산 was definitely one to remember. One of the sweetest experiences happened to my companion and I just the other day. We had just left our apartment to go out prosyeliting for the day and my companion said that she felt like we should go down this certain road from our apartment. We started down the road looking for an apartment building to go knock doors. We came to a very old looking apartment building and my companion asked me if we could go try those doors. We got to the building and of course there was no elevator....we started the long way up the stairs to the top. We got down to the second floor and knocked on the door. We heard a noise from inside the house, but no one was coming to the door. I started leaving to go to the last floor, but my companion said that she heard another noise. We both went up to the door and started listening inside. Finally, the door opened, and a little old man was standing there with one leg. It had taken everything he had to come open the door to see who we were. We explained to him that we were serving missionaries from America and that we had a special message to share to him. He started explaining to us that his wife had passed away and that his daughters all lived far away. Everytime he spoke of his wife, he would start to cry. I explained to him that I knew his wife was in heaven and that he would see his wife again someday. He invited us in, but only walked out of the entryway before he had to sit down. We sat down in his entry way and he asked us to offer a prayer. I prayed for this little old man and for his family and that he would see his wife again. The man was so touched by this prayer and with tears in his eyes thanked us for coming. What a sweet experience that I will always cherish from my mission. The spirit was so strong and I could feel Christ's love more powerfully than ever before. For the first time, I felt like Christ's instrument and knew that I had helped someone in the way that Christ would have. I hope that that man felt the love that his Heavenly Father has for him, as much as I felt the love that He had for that old man. I know that Heavenly Father knews and looks out for each one of us individually no matter how insignificant we feel. I know that my companion and I needed to find that old man and help him realize that he would be with his wife again and that he is significant in his Heavenly Father's eyes.

Yesterday, being the end of the transfer, I was able to attend two baptisms. They were beautiful baptisms! Our investigator from China and her son came to one in 김해 with us, even though it was an hour and a half metro ride away. It felt so good to see the excitement of these people receiving baptism and see the impact that it is having already on their families.

I am so grateful to be here and to be a missionary. What a special opportunity. I have fallen even more in love with Korea, the people here, and this work. I don't ever want to go home....sorry family :) I have learned so much last transfer and have grown more than I ever thought was possible in such a short time period. What a humbling experience to have this time to devote completely to the Lord and become who He needs me to be.

I love you all and wish you were here with me!

사랑합니다!

커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Letter #31


안녕하세요!
I can't believe another transfer is over. This is the last week and we get transfer calls on Thursday. It is always an exciting time to see were your new area or companion will be. It almost feels like another mission call! Super exciting!
This week we had a lot of service opportunities which made this week really fun. We had our normal service project of cleaning dishes at the community center for the elderly on Tuesday morning and then we had to take 3/4ths of the day on Thursday to deep clean the carpets in the church with the Elders. That was a ton of work, but so much fun! I haven't worn pants for a almost a whole day since....I don't even know when haha! Then on Saturday night, we visited one of our members who has started going less-active recently. She is from the Phillapeans and struggles fitting in with our ward because of the cultural differences and her children do not behave like Korean children. This is hard on her to feel like she is a part of the ward and that the members except her. We got to her house right after her drunk neighbor came in and yelled at her girls for their loud behavior while playing with the children outside. She and her girls were crying. My heart completely broke for her and all that she has to go through being a single parent in a foreign country from her own. We spent the evening with her helping organize and clean her home. I love the times as a missionary when you can see that you brightened someone's day and lifted another's burden.
It is getting harder and harder to meet with our investigators, and when we do, they are not keeping commitments or progressing. Most of this is because of family obligations and oppostition to them becoming members of our church from their parents or spouses. It is hard to see them struggle. We had a lot of extra time on our hands this week and spent a lot of time outside talking to people on the streets. I haven't had to do that kind of work in a long time, and I was happy to be out talking to new people again! We were able to make the mission goal of contacts received in a week! What a good feeling! I met a girl last night that was exercising with her mom. She came up to me and started speaking to me in English! She explained that she had lived in California for a month, while going to school. When I told her that I was from Sacramento area, she was shocked. She had gone to school at Sac State! I got her phone number and hope that we will meet again! We live in such a small world!
This week during Bible study, we talked about the sons of Mosiah and their desire to teach the word of God. The spirit was so strong as my companion and I shared about why we wanted to serve missions and our experiences. I shared many stories about my mom and her influence in my life. I taught about her example of prayer and fasting, and how she can feel, even half way around the world, when I need something. These women, all mothers themselves, were blown away by my mother's example and faith. One of them said that she knows that I have felt of God's love and was touched by my mother's devotion. I am so grateful for you mom and dad! I am the person I am because of you and your examples to me. You have taught me how to be strong and how to live this gospel in my everyday life. You have taught me how to rely on my Heavenly Father and have faith in Him and His plan for me. I am forever grateful for you! I love you two so much; more than words can express. Thank you for your love for Jesus Christ and for me.
I am grateful for this gospel and I am grateful for my growing testimony! I love you all so much!
Have a fantastic week!
사랑합니다!
커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Letter #30

안녕하세요!

Wow another fast week! I feel like time is starting to go faster than I have time for. Haha! This week, I feel like I have grown so much, both emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I have been trying so hard to learn how to be a more effective missionary, and I still feel like I don't know what I am doing. I guess I will always feel this way. There is just so much to learn and such a short amount of time. Haha!

Every week, my companion and I teach a Bible class at the church. It is an English Bible class, so we read the Book of Mormon Stories book in English and discuss what we learned from the certain story. A week ago, we were discussing the story of Alma the Younger and his conversion to the church. One of the woman rose her hand and asked us why so many people in the Bible and the Book of Mormon were visited by angels, but how in our days no one sees angels or God. This week, we answered her question. We read about the prophet Joseph Smith and his experience of seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ. I had the opportunity to lead the class and explain the story after we read it. I had to speak in English that was simple and easy for them to understand. From that experience, I am forever changed. I was explaining the story of the First Vision simply, as I would be explaining it to a Primary class. The spirit filled the room like I have never before felt it in my life. All was silent and all eyes on me as I knelt down and explained what Joseph had done on that spring morning. I knew at that moment that God and Jesus Christ did appear to an innocent young boy of just 14 years old. I knew that he became that prophet of Jesus Christ's full gospel and that we have that full gospel on the earth today. I could feel my spirit sing as I expressed my testimony of what happened in that experience and that we do in our day still receive revelations from Heavenly Father.

I have also been very moved this week by the power of music. One of the Elders that I serve with plays the violin. On Thursday for English class, the topic was communication, so I choose to give my spiritual thought on communication with God through prayer. Before I started with the thought, this Elder played his violin to the song "Israel, Israel God is Calling." The spirit filled the room again, just as it had during our Bible class, and as I looked into the faces of our class members, I could see a change in their eyes. When I got up in front of the class, they were ready and eager to be taught. I taught the importance of prayer and communication with our Father in Heaven. One woman in the audience was crying and everyone was changed by the power of music and the spirit.

I learned three simple truths this week. 1) This gospel is simple. It is simple to understand and it is simple to apply into our lives. When we teach with simplicity to our investigators, friends, or family, they will be able to understand because the simple feelings of the spirit will enter into their hearts. 2) Music brings conversion. Music brings a spirit that is sacred and indescribable. My testimony has been strengthened and gained through music. I see how powerful music is in touching others' hearts. And 3) Heavenly Father loves us. We are His children and He wants to hear from us. And more important, He wants us to listen so that He can respond to us. It is through purity of heart, just like a young 14 year old boy, that was innocent and pure enough to simply ask a direct question to His Heavenly Father, having unwavering faith that he would receive an answer, that we are able to have the truth on the earth today. What if we all had such pure hearts and such unwavering faith? Our prayers would not only be heard, but would be answered.

I know that this gospel is true. I know that it is simple to understand and live. I know that we can all have a personal, intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, who loves us and knows us more than we know ourselves. I have a firm testimony that as we purify our hearts, we will be able to come to know Him and also come to know who we really are. I love this gospel. I love all of you. I am thankful for an eternal family that I know will be together forever.

사랑합니다!

커시 자매
Sister Kersey

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Letter #29

안녕하세요!

What a fast week! I feel like I was just emailing yesterday, and it has already been a whole week! I feel like time is just going so fast and I can't keep up! 

I had such a fun week this week. Most of our investigators couldn't meet with us this week because of school breaks that are going on, so my companion and I had more time on our hands than we are used to and we decided to do some searching for more people to teach. My companion kept talking about going through the old area book in our house, so one night after dinner we started going through old records and calling people. We found records from back in 2004, 2006 and even some before. I thought for sure these people wouldn't remember the missionaries, or that they would have moved or changed their number by then, but we tried to call them anyway. I was shocked that within one hour, we had set up three appointments with people that hadn't met with missionaries in the last 6-8 years. It seemed like an absolute miracle! 

On Saturday afternoon, we met with one of these woman. She had met with sister missionaries back in 2006 and when I told her the missionaries' names, she was so excited to meet with us again. She went off about these two sisters that had taught her and how much she loved them and how much she missed them. I was shocked that these two sisters had made such an impression on her and it made me realize that some of these people that we are teaching and building relationships right now will always remember us and what we taught them. WOW so cool! We were able to re-teach her about the restoration of the gospel and Joseph Smith. The spirit was so strong in the room, probably the strongest I have felt it while teaching here on my mission. I know that she needed to hear that message again. She explained to us that she believed in Joseph Smith and his experience, but that she was serving in the kitchen at her church which makes it hard for her to be able to switch religions. That is a really hard concept here in Korean...switching religions or having a different religion than others in the home where you live. I hope that we will be able to meet with her again and teach her more. I am just so thankful for such diligent missionaries that kept up on detailed records and loved this woman enough to lift her and be her friend even after their missions. What good examples!

We met with 정 자매님 (Sister Jeong) on Wednesday and Friday this week and she is doing very well. I have grown to love her so much and view her as one of my most reliable friends. She explained to us that she feels different around us than other missionaries that come to her door. She watched the Restoration video and asked us if Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really appeared to Joseph Smith. I love how open she is to learning and how intrigued she is to find answers from her Heavenly Father. She is so pure and I love to see the way her countenance changes when we teach her something new.

On Wednesday, we met a woman from Bethlehem in a shopping mall in the subway station. She knows very little Korean, but agreed to meet with us. When went to her home yesterday and she showed us pictures of her home in Bethlehem and we asked her why she wanted to meet with us. She said that when we handed her a pamphlet of Jesus Christ holding the lamb, that she knew she wanted to learn about this man. She said that she tries to pray to God but doesn't know how. We taught her from the Bible about how we are all of God's children and that we can pray to Him. We taught her how to pray and prayed with her. What a sweet moment. Her enthusiasm about learning and her willingness to try and understand inspires me. I am so grateful for such wonderful people that we are meeting and have the opportunity to teach.

We heard from 박 자매님 (Sister Park) this week. We had asked her to quit drinking coffee and alcohol for a week to live the Word of Wisdom. She texted us every time she was struggling and  we would send her a scripture from the Book of Mormon and encouraging words to help her keep going. We were shocked when she texted us on Friday to tell us that she had given it all up completely and because of our prayers she was given strength to be over her addiction. She was able to go from drinking 3 cups of coffee a day to nothing overnight. And it is all because of her testimony of this gospel that gave her the strength to put her trust in God to overcome and quit. I am grateful for her example and I am blown away with how much our Heavenly Father loves His children to answer prayers and help us with any need.

I know this gospel is true. I know that Heavenly Father loves us, His children, each individually. I know that He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to perform the Atonement so that we could all have peace and joy in this life, and return to live with Him again! I am so grateful for this knowledge and that I have the opportunity everyday to share that with others around me. I am always in awe that He knows exactly where we need to be in order to find His children that are searching for His gospel. Twice this week we were approached by people who were sitting or standing around us that wanted to know what feeling they felt around us. This is the Lord's work. He loves His children. I am grateful for His plan for me individually and for His love for all of us.

I love you all! I hope you all have a wonderful week and remember that you are loved!

사랑합니다!
커시 자매

Sister Kersey

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Letter #28

안녕하세요!

WHAT A BIZARRE WEEK! Our week consisted of a man from a merchant ship coming to our church to tell us America was in danger, a wealthy old man trying to stock my companion and I to ask us to marry him, and of course having a 90 year old man open the door completely nude while we were proselyting door to door. But don't worry, President and Sister Gilbert have had a very close eye on us this past week. The joys of being American girls in a foreign country. It is always entertaining.

But we had a very productive week too during all of our strange encounters. We had the opportunity to go to President and Sister Gilbert's home to have dinner and Family Home Evening last Monday night with our investigator Sister Soe and our bishop's wife, who is practically my mom here in 연산, Sister Lee. We had the most delicious meal of salmon and chicken and homemade rolls. I felt like I was back at home. We sat around at a table and in chairs and each had our own plates to dish our food onto, like we would back at home. It was the weirdest thing for me and I felt in culture shock...not even joking. I had forgotten how to eat at my one plate and realized that since being here in Korea, I have developed the worst table manners. But it was definitely a treat and we were able to sit together and share a message about the scriptures. The spirit was so strong and Sister Soe even explained her favorite scripture story with us. She was moved by the sweet spirit in the Gilbert's home and I could see a change come upon her. Her heart was opened.

We also met with our Chinese investigator, Sister Jeong. She has been practicing praying and said that she feels that she is coming to know God through doing so. She asked us if we think God really is listening to us, or if He is just sleeping. I know for sure that God hears everyone of our prayers and cares about each one individually. I know that He not only hears our prayers, but answers them. She is so moved by our messages and is so open to hearing about the gospel. It is such a miracle to see someone that did not even know there was a God or Jesus Christ to now be coming to know them personally and create a relationship with them.

On Saturday, we met with Sister Park. She is so excited to be baptized and is preparing herself to tell her family. We discussed with her the chapter in the Book of Mormon that we asked her to study. She loves the Book of Mormon so much and always comes to us with comments and questions and insights on what she had read the previous week. We taught her about the ten commandments and the Word of Wisdom. She knew this lesson was coming for a while now...she drinks three cups of coffee a day. When we asked her to quit drinking coffee and alcohol, we decided to make a pact with her. She would just have to try it for one week and we would give up something too for this week. We decided to give up chocolate (which everyone knows how addicted I am to my chocolate!!!) and every time she craved coffee, or we craved chocolate, we would text each other to motivate each other to keep going. We decided to start that Sunday morning, but when she came to church the next day, we were shocked when she told us that she decided not to go to the Pub one last time on Saturday night, but stayed at home and drank water. We were so surprised. She is doing so well and it is because she knows the truthfulness of this gospel and the truthfulness of the Word of Wisdom. I am so impressed with her example and my testimony has strengthened because of it.

This work is so great and the spirit that comes from doing it is so powerful! I am so grateful for this opportunity and for the people that have strengthened me and my testimony here. Everyday is full of a challenge and adventure and I am grateful to be part of such a wonderful work!

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!

사랑합니다,
커시 자매

Sister Kersey

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Letter #27


안녕하세요!
 
Wow what a week. I thought I would never survive this week, but I am still alive and happy. Sister Brady finally left this area after serving here for five transfers (seven months) and turned it over to me to teach my new companion. I was so nervous to find my way around this huge city and to be the one to know the ward members and investigators. It was definitely a huge change. From that first day getting my new companion, I had to answer the phone and talk to everyone. I was actually shocked at how much I knew. I was able to suddenly understand better and clearer than ever before, and have conversations with people, and not just conversations about the gospel (which is all the vocabulary I know haha). I definitely felt some help from people on the other side supporting and uplifting me and especially giving me the confidence I needed. There is no way that I could have been able to do anything without some divine help...it is just nearly impossible after just four months in the country.
 
The work is really hard right now to be honest. I am in the depths of humility. I don't know how else to describe it. We are one of the busiest areas in the mission with the largest English class and the most investigators. It is really overwhelming, especially trying to teach all these people about the gospel and not having the language to do it. It is truly amazing to be sitting in a home with a mom and her son and teaching, but not knowing how it is being done. It is like someone is speaking words, but they are coming out of my own mouth. I have never had to rely so much on the Lord in my entire life. I just pray and make a pact with Heavenly Father everyday that I will be completely obedient and work my hardest, if He will just use me for whatever He wants me to be and whatever He wants me to do. So far it is working, and I truly feel like Heavenly Father is literally walking by my side. I don't know how else to describe how this work is still going forward with two Americans that know such little Korean. It is amazing and I can't believe that Heavenly Father puts this much trust in such young people to be His mouth-pieces to the world.
 
Our investigators are all doing very well. They are all progressing and are very open to our message. They are so patient with us and for this I am so greatful! I love these people so much. I never thought I could love anyone with this much love. I truly love them with my entire heart, that when they are struggling it hurts me too. I think this is just a small taste of how Heavenly Father feels for them. And wow, I can't even comprehend that love! It must be incredible!
 
We had a baptismal date set with our thirteen year old investigator, 조 자매님 Sister Cho. She wants to be baptized so badly and has been ready for about three weeks now. Her parents just separated a week or so ago and she is now living with her alcholic father. Her mom, we found out, is not her real mom and that it was her father's third marriage. This has been so hard on her and coming to our church for lessons and English class is her only escape from her falling apart world. It just completely breaks my heart to see her going through this and there are so many times that I just want to hold her and cry with her. She has not told us anything about what is going on at home but I can tell when it is hard. She is so strong, and she always leaves the church with a smile on her face! We received permission from her father to have her get baptized, but she is waiting for home life to be a little better so that her dad can come to the baptism.
 
Sometimes I feel like it is absolutley impossible for this work to go forward. I am trying my hardest and yet so many people just don't completely understand the importance of this gospel in their lives. It is so hard to have something so precious and so dear to me and want to share that with others, but they just don't want to believe and they choose not to listen.
 
But I have a firm testimony of this gospel and know that we have a Heavenly Father that loves us and cares for us each individually. I know that He knows us personally and cares about everything we are going through. I know that this is His work and that through faith and obedience we are able to do what He wants us to do and ultimitely live with Him again! And what a sweet blessing. I am so greatful each day to be here. I am greatful to be among these beautiful people and experience their culture and teach them about the most precious thing in my life. What a unique and special opportunity to give my full self to my Heavenly Father in His work.
 
I love each and every one of you! I appreciate your words of encouragement and love you send to me! You are always in my heart and I pray for you always!
 
사랑합니다!
 
커시 자매
Sister Kersey