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

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

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

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