Monday, April 7, 2014

I love Korea

This week has been really good. Funny moment, the bishop and his wife held a special FHE for the missionaries on Monday night. We had a delicious meal, had some missionary training, and then they wanted to play a game with everyone. They chose kick the can which seems pretty harmless. However, about 15 seconds after we started, one elder ran up and kicked the can (which was an empty bottle of orange juice) and it hit his companion right in the eye. It split his eyelid open pretty bad, and we had to stop and go buy some first aid supplies and get his face cleaned up. After that, they decided more games would be fun, so we played freeze tag for awhile with no casualties! We all felt bad, but it was super funny and kind of typical, and it was a really fun night.
 
We are continuing to meet with Han Mi Hyang, who is doing so good. Last time she told us about how her prayers have changed from constantly asking for blessings, to now seeing the good in every moment and thanking Heavenly Father. She said it helps her to remember to be happy now, instead of saying "I will be happy when..." She has a lot of wisdom, and we always learn so much when we meet her. Hopefully she is learning a lot too! Hyun Lee is wonderful! Her kids are so cute. Their mom wants them to keep up their English, and also learn something. So this week we played charades, acting out explorers from history like Neil Armstrong (explored the moon) and Christopher Columbus. Then we taught the restoration. She had a lot of questions, and told us about things she would like our help with in her life. She told us she would like to meet more often "so I can keep learning more about this wonderful message", so we will meet twice a week. It's really exciting, and we love her! She is such a sincere, honest seeker of truth and we love her. We also met with Kim Joo Sook this week, which was fun because she hasn't been able to meet lately. We talked about the restoration, and she understands it perfectly. She knows she will gain faith by acting, but doesn't really want to act yet. So we are working on that  with her. Ein Bo Nah is wonderful. There is such a good feeling everytime we meet, and she is really making changes which is so exciting to see.
 
The other day we had a lady run over to us really excited. She saw missionaries near her school when she was in elementary school, and had been curious ever since. She will be busy for a while, but gave us her number and told us to call so we can meet. Another woman had very little interest when we started talking at a stoplight. But  as we talked about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, she started opening up a lot. By the end, she asked for a Book of Mormon and told us that she wants to read it. It was really cool to see the spirit start  softening her heart. We have met some other awesome people on the street as well, and it's just amazing how prepared people are everywhere when we are willing to open our mouths and talk to them!
 
This transfer we have decided to have a temple focus in all that we do. We want to help recent converts, less actives, and investigators realize that is our goal and baptism opens the door for other wonderful blessings. It's been really cool so far and we are excited to see how it goes. We are also going to do a lot of less active work this transfer in an area called 삼청 Samcheong. The wards combined a few years ago, and lots of people have been lost. So we have decided to SAVE SAMCHEONG! It is a very big task, but we are so excited! Whenever we do our best to help those who were already found but have been lost, Heavenly Father always blesses us by helping us find others who have not yet been found but want to be. It's an exciting time to be here and everything is just amazing. Sister Thomas and I have a very similar vision of what we want to see happen here and in our missions in general. Working with her has been such a blessing, and we are so excited!
 
That pretty much sums up our week. It has been awesome and busy and tiring and wonderful. This is truly the Lord's work, and he is at the head of it. Sometimes things get a little overwhelming and no one wants to listen, but like it says in D&C 10: 43, He knows what's going on and the work will progress. It's such an exciting time to be a missionary and a member. This week we shared a message with an English branch family, and we talked about what it meant to be on the earth right now. #1 we chose to follow Christ, from the very beginning we wanted to follow him and his example. We were faithful followers, and had the faith to come to earth. #2 The Lord has a lot of trust in us, and has also given us a great responsibility. If he didn't want us to share His gospel, he could have put us on earth when the church didn't exist. For thousands of years, the truth wasn't on earth and while they had great people, they weren't expected to be missionaries in the same way we are. We are here in the fulness of times, the last dispensation. He has blessed us with the knowledge of His gospel, and he expects us to share it. "Where much is given, much is required." It's so exciting I can hardly stand it. Every member a missionary, and everyone is a child of God. As we work together, everyone will have the opportunity to come to that knowledge. I love this gospel with all my heart. There is nothing in this world quite like serving a mission. It is the best decision I have ever made. I love all of you so much, have a wonderful week!
 
-Sister Shanelle Seegmiller^^
 
Here are a few quotes from prophets through the years about member missionary work!

President Joseph Smith (1830–1844)

“After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 113).

President Howard W. Hunter (1994–1995)

“Surely taking the gospel to every kindred, tongue, and people is the single greatest responsibility we have in mortality. … We have been privileged to be born in these last days, as opposed to some earlier dispensation, to help take the gospel to all the earth”(“Walls of the Mind,” Ensign, Sept. 1990, 10).

President George Albert Smith (1945–1951)

“That is your mission, my brethren and sisters of the Church, that is your responsibility. Freely you have received and our Heavenly Father will expect you freely to share with His other sons and daughters these glorious truths” (Sharing the Gospel with Others, sel. Preston Nibley [1948], 213).
“We will attain our exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom only on the condition that we share with our Father’s other children the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and observe the commandments that will enrich our lives here and hereafter” (Sharing the Gospel with Others, 190).

President Brigham Young (1847–1877)

“There is neither man or woman in this Church who is not on a mission. That mission will last as long as they live, and it is to do good, to promote righteousness, to teach the principles of truth, and to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those principles that they may obtain eternal life” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 322).

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