Welcome to 2014!

It's a new year, which means that I have officially turned 24! In Korea anyways. Shawn and I are practically twins! Who knew I would catch up one day. They turn older with the new year rather than on their birthday. And they celebrate the new year with Jan. 1 but the real celebration is the Lunar New Year, which occurs at the end of January this year. 

Well this week has been really cool as far as investigators go. We met with Fawn on Thursday. She came in and I asked how she wanted to start the English portion. She said, "Oh yeah, I forgot I was going to learn English too!" Which was awesome because she had decided to meet us again out of a sincere desire to learn more about the gospel! We taught her about the restoration, and we were able to watch the Restoration DVD in Thai which was really neat for her. When we gave her the Thai Book of Mormon she was shocked we had gotten it so fast. We explained that the church is everywhere, and when she returns home she will be able to find it there as well. She had a lot of questions but seemed to accept everything really well. As we were leaving she waved and said, "See you next week!" Those are wonderful words to hear from people, since many people have no desire to see us again. She is so sweet, and we have really high hopes for her,

 

Our other investigator, 황춘자 자매님 or Sister Hwang Choon Cha is the older lady we met on the street. We weren't able to see her again after visiting her home, but she said she would attend church. She has such a fun personality and we just love her. We met her outside the subway station (she is probably 70ish so we thought she would take the subway. Instead she walked about 20 minutes from her home to get there. She brought us matching socks as a present, and insists that we are like her daughters.) and brought her to the church. The relief society sisters were wonderful and helped her feel special. She has a lot of questions, especially since we really haven't been able to teach her yet. But she is really curious and eager to learn. She had to leave sacrament meeting a little early (our ward has sacrament meeting last) but we hope to meet her again this week. Everything about meeting her has been a miracle, from meeting her again on the street, to her inviting us over, to her coming to church. It's so amazing and we are very grateful. We are trying to follow the spirit and do what the Lord wants us to do while inviting her to come unto Christ.

 

Last Monday, we had dinner with the Jacquz family. They are members here living on the base. She was baptized 5 years ago, and their testimonies are so strong. I loved hearing their conversion story, and seeing the real-life experience of what meeting missionaries can do for a family. They have three adorable kids and have all been sealed in the temple. That's the reason we are out here preaching the gospel. It truly changes lives forever. We are going over there again tonight to do family home evening, and they will hopefully invite some non-member friends to join. So we are excited.

 

That just about sums up my week. Has anyone been able to refer friends to the missionaries? If so I would LOVE to hear about it!! We learn very quickly in the mission field that you are not successfully only when you get baptisms. You are successful when you invite. So I encourage you all to look for those missionary experiences in your lives. I love being out here, teaching the gospel in barely understandable Korean. The Lord is preparing people all over the world, and I know they are here in Sindang 신당. We will be able to find them if we open our mouths and remember everyone is a child of God. I am so grateful for this gospel and for all of you! Thank you for all your testimonies, and I love you so much! Have a great week!

OOh I forgot one more cool thing. We were having dinner as a district after doing some English flyering together. There were 10 of us so it was hard not to make a scene. But a man walked over, and asked if we were from the LDS church. It turns out he took voice lessons from Elder Oaks relative for a few years in Utah! He isn't a member, but really loves the church and respects the members so much. He was really happy to see us in Korea. The Elders gave him their number and they will hopefully meet again. It was amazing. The church is true!

 

-Sister Seegmiller

세그밀러 자매

 

Here's some fun quotes for you: 

 

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives, not looking for flaws, but for potential". - Ellen Goodman

 

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment." - Sydney Smith

 

You are what you eat – so don’t be fast, cheap, easy or fake.

 

 Warning!
Chocolate will make your clothes shrink.

 

If there are no ups and downs in your life, it means you are dead.

 

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot."