Another great week!

This has been an awesome week. The weather has been absolutely perfect, which is always a tender mercy. In Korea they love white skin, so I have been scolded by several of the Korean missionaries for not wearing sunscreen, but I am happy to have a little color again. I have been in this area now longer than any of the missionaries in my district, which is a little intimidating, but also really fun to help everyone learn the area and ward members. I got my new companion on Wednesday, and she is awesome! Her name is Sister McCloskey, she is from Provo, Utah and has been in Korea for 3 months. She is super good at Korean, she is a hard worker, and is just great. She is an INSANELY INCREDIBLE artist. She showed us a picture of a fish she drew, and I just stared in shock for a good five minutes. It's incredible. She really likes exercise, and we have really enjoyed running in the mornings or doing P90X on the roof garden at our church. We get along great, and are really looking forward to this next transfer together. I have so much to learn from her and am very grateful for this opportunity.

 

Yesterday, Sandy came to church again and stayed for the lunch with the ward afterwards! Before Sacrament meeting started, she turned to me and said that it was her favorite part because of the feeling she gets in there. We were able to talk more about the spirit, and she understands really well. We taught her about Enduring to the end this week, which she says is the hardest part. She wants to fill her life with good things, and she knows that religion will give her what she is looking for. But it will require more changes, and she is worried that she can commit now but may change her mind later. So I ask you to please keep her in your prayers. She is so wonderful and sincere, she just needs that confirmation to take the next step. Ein Bo Nah also came to church for all of sacrament meeting! This was a big improvement and we were so grateful for her desire to progress toward the temple. Eem Soon Ja and her grandkids are doing great as well. She always asks very sincere questions, and really wants to learn how to be happy and more Christlike. She was going to come to church, but was feeling sick so she couldn't make it. We now have the sweetest member in the world, Choi Kum Ja, coming to lessons with us and that has helped a lot. Teaching in Korea is wonderful, spiritual and sometimes SOOO frustrating. Because we want to answer their questions and help them, but sometimes we just have no clue what they are saying. But those are often the times when the spirit is the strongest, because he is literally the only one who can understand. We are helpless without the spirit, yet with him we have power FAR beyond our own. The language confusions also make member present lessons all the more vital in progression of investigators, because they always understand and the spirit often works through them as well. It's amazing how the Lord is helping his work progress, through us- his ridiculously imperfect children- and how many hearts are brought to the truthfulness of the message we share.

 

A really cool insight from my companion this morning. She was talking about the life of Christ, and said "The reason Christ was able to live a perfect life was because of his Charity towards others. He never once thought of himself or his needs, it was ALWAYS about others." So selfishness, pride, offense, and all of those things weren't even an option. Those only exist when we forget to love others. Charity really is the base for all true disciples of Christ. Elder Holland said that the way to be Christlike is to make every situation better when we leave than when we came. What a simple, profound concept. In this months Ensign, he has a talk about not fleeing Babylon but taking it head-on. This is the same talk he gave when he did the CES devotional at Dixie State two Septembers ago. I encourage you all to read it. He talks about NEVER checking your religion at the door, and being representatives of Christ at ALL times, and in ALL places. When he spoke to us, the talk was titled "Israel, Israel, God is Calling". I also had the priviledge to sing in the choir at that devotional. I encourage you all to listen to the talk as well, since his passion and testimony are even more apparent as he speaks. This is truly the greatest work in the world. I LOVE Korea so much, I love the people, the culture, the language (I'm still waiting for it to love me back, but it's getting there), and this incredible area. The Lord has blessed me far beyond what I deserve, but I am doing my best to give back the small portion of which I am capable. This is truly God's church on the earth. I am so incredibly grateful to be a missionary, and am so thankful for the love and support from all of you. Have a wonderful week!

 

-Sister Seegmiller

Hello everyone!

There is not a lot of things to update about all our investigators. They are all doing great, and we are planning to meet 3 (possibly 10, one may be a group of 7 people) new investigators this week, so we are very excited. One is a 14 year old girl from the US  who met missionaries and wanted to be baptized. But then she moved to Korea, and wants to keep meeting. The English branch knows her dad really well, so we are really excited to start meeting her and hopefully get the whole family and ward involved! At church on sunday, we had three less actives come. Sometimes we take this for granted, but I had a moment to look around and realize just how blessed we were and the difference that our efforts really are making. It was a very special moment of realization for me. We met with two less actives this week, Choi Sheen Boke and her son Kim Jong Ho. This time he asked if he could share a scripture with us, read from the Book of Mormon, and then explained why he liked it. We started reading another verse, but his mom didn't understand what it meant. So he used the footnotes to find verses that would explain it better, and then spent a few minutes explaining and helping her understand. We were slightly in shock, since he hasn't read the Book of Mormon or attended church for a very long time. It was incredible to see his progression, and he is opening up his heart to the church more and more each day. It's amazing the questions people ask us, because often they are so simple and basic, yet they are someitmes the most difficult to explain. One woman told us she wants to follow the spirit, but has a hard time knowing if it is her own thoughts, or the spirit prompting her. Another lady wanted to know why it matters that she knows it's true. Isn't it enough to believe it's good and live the right way? Others have asked why men are the only ones who can hold the priesthood, what role is the woman suppose to play in the family, church and community. and lots more. It's so fun, because we have to study a lot to give them the answer the Lord wants given. But we learn so much each time, and our testimonies are continually strengthened through finding those answers. It's amazing.

This week has been very focused on Joseph Smith. We have watched the Restoration DVD 3 times with different people, and have started listen to Elder Truman's lectures about Joseph Smith, which breaks down his character, life, beliefs, actions, and all kinds of amazing things. I feel like Joseph Smith is like many principles of the gospel. The more you learn and understand, the more you realize how much you don't know and understand. He was such an incredible man who kept his perspective and gave everything. He also know how to laugh and enjoy life, and loved with his whole heart. A funny story from his life; some pastors from another faith came over to his home, asking question after question and trying to prove he wasn't called by God. But over and over, he was able to answer their questions and ask questions to them that they weren't able to answer. After doing this for awhile, they were not happy and began to leave. Joseph walked outside with them, jumped as far as he could, marked the spot, and said, "Well gentleman, you weren't able to best me at the scriptures. Let's see if you can beat me at this." (This was a common game of the youth at the time. They would jump from a somewhere, mark their spot, and other children would try to jump farther.) They were even more unhappy and left. He had such a fun personality. He knew when to be serious, when to have fun, and always did whatever the Lord required of him. In all honesty, sometimes it is hard to keep that perspective. Sometimes It feels like as a representitive of Jesus Christ, we need to be perfect, a little more serious, focused, and boring. But that simply isn't the case. Just look at Joseph Smith, Gordon B. Hinckley, or Christ himself. They did the work, and they did it right- and they did it as themselves. It's been a good reminder that being myself is okay, and that doing my best is all he requires. This morning we sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" and the spirit was very strong. It confirmed to me even more fully, that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet of God, and through him, God has paved the way for me to be here in Korea right now. I owe so much to that man, and hope to teach about his experience in a way that would make him proud.

This has been an amazing week of miracles, both big and small. My testimony has been strengthened in so many ways. We received transfer calls, and I will be staying in this area. That was a direct answer to my prayers. I don't feel like my time is done in this area yet, and have plead with my Father in Heaven to let me stay just a little longer. My new companion has been in Korea about 3 months, so I am very excited to work with her!! We will be relying on the spirit more than ever, since we understand that much better than the language. But luckily the Lord speaks all languages, and it's amazing what he accomplishes through us. I love this work with all my heart. I am SOOO grateful to be a missionary here in Korea. This is the greatest work in the world. Thank you all for your examples. It is amazing how often someone has an experience or question that can be answered directly by experiences you all have had. You are all very much a part of this work, both at home and here in Korea. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

-Sister Shanelle Seegmiller 

Par-tay!

Old friends in new places

Enchiladas are actually the universal language...and the key to happiness....and the fountain of youth.

Happy Father's Day!

Ward party

Everyone Loves A Thank You

Pictures are the gift the subway lady left, the temple with Sister Christensen and Ein Bo Nah, and the cutest text from Mion.

Miracles, Miracles, and 10 months!

 I have a special request for everyone. Could you please tell me about the time that you knew for yourself that the church was true? Or if there wasn't a specific moment, how you came to know it was true? I would love to hear your experiences!!!

This week has been amazing! Cool story. About 2 months ago I met a woman on the Subway. After one of the shortest, most awkward conversations I have had yet, she left with a Book of Mormon and we had her phone number. (I am still not sure how that happened.) We called her several times, and were able to finally set up a time to meet. We talked for almost an hour and a half. She is very interested, has read part of the Book of Mormon, and tried to look up the church address in her area. We gave her the first three lesson pamplets, and she will begin meeting with missionaries in her area soon. No effort to share the gospel is ever wasted. We met with another girl named Mion who called and asked if we could meet. She is Japanese, but speaks Russian most fluently out of the 4 languages she speaks. She is a student and has researched a lot about our church. She almost started to cry when we gave her a Book of Mormon, and wants to attend church near her school. We love her so much. (Both of them live out of my boundaries, but we have referred them to other missionaries.)  Then we met with a less active, and her super inactive son came. We have been there several times, but this time the house was very clean, the air conditioner was on, they had food set out, Book of Mormons on the table, and he asked if he could share Jacob 4:6, because it had touched him a lot while studying. We were shocked and thrilled, and it was just amazing. Again, no effort is ever wasted. Sandy is still doing great. She is working and studying and everyone who meets her tells us how special she is.

This week we had the incredible blessing of having a mission conference combind with the Seoul South mission. Our guest speaker was Elder Quentin L. Cook and his wife. They are amazing. He wanted to shake everyone's hand, and stood at the front patiently while nearly 400 missionaries took their turn. He is very warm, loving, and honestly reminds me a little bit of Bruce Pickett. He spoke very much about Charity and how to obtain it in this life and especially in this work. He ended with an apostalic blessing that no matter what hardships or trials our families may be facing, they will be blessed more than we can imagine because of the service we are giving now. The Lord loves his missionaries and their families very much. He also told us not to compare our success to other missions by baptism numbers. We succeed when we give the Lord our very best and invite everyone to come unto Christ. It was very powerful. I also had the wonderful opportunity to sing with 7 other missionaries in a special musical conference during that conference. We sang "Nephi's Courage", and oh my goodness. It is incredible the spirit that music can bring. It had nothing to do with how we sounded, but the power that the music brought into the meeting was incredible. It amazes me how often I have been blessed to use music to help touch the heart of others. I am very grateful for those opportunities. That night we had another meeting with Elder Cook, and all the members were invited. We Sandy, Sister Wen, Ein Bo Nah, and Choi Sheen Boke all came and it was just wonderful.

Yesterday was a day of miracles. An amazing member of our ward brought 5 investigators to church with her, which kept us very busy. We were able to teach two lessons, and one couple were incredibly prepared. They are truly seeking the truth and as we gave them the Book of Mormon, he told us that he felt like he may be holding the key to what he's been looking for. A less active came to church as well, who hadn't been to church in years but after visiting her a few times and inviting her she has willingly come back. So many people are just waiting for that inviation! Then we went searching for another less active home, and found a woman from Bulgaria who is here on vacation. She was Atheist but open to learn, and we had a great visit with her sharing the story of Joseph Smith.

Sorry this is so scatterbrained and everywhere, but there are just so many miracles and so little time to share. There is an extreme lack of detail in this letter and so many things that could be included. But I just want you all to know that this is truly the Lord's work. He is guiding it in a very real sense every single day. He is guiding us to the right homes (even if they are the 'wrong' ones in our mind, since we are looking for someone else) the right people, and the right places to help this work progress in the very best way. I love being a missionary. This is truly the greatest blessing in the world, and I hope to do my best everyday to say thank you to my Heavenly Father. This is the Lord's true church. I know it with all my heart. Everyone needs to serve a mission. Seriously. Which doesn't mean you all have to wear a badge, but like Power of Everyday Missionaries says, you can call yourself on a mission everyday. We can all pray for those experiences, and the Lord will place people in our path. I know it is true, and I love you all so much! Have a great week!

-Sister Seegmiller

Aloha!

Hello everyone! My subject line would be hello in Korean, but it seems like this might be a little easier so I'll do Hawaiian today!

Monday- We had a very relaxing p-day at home where we made delicious bbq chicken in a crockpot and took a nap. So wonderful. Then we met with Sandy. We asked if she has prayed about the truthfulness of the church. She said, "Yes I am praying, and I also decided to keep the Word of Wisdom. I have already seen a lot of physical and mental health benefits so I believe it's a really good thing." We have never talked to her about the Word of Wisdom, but she heard about it during a spiritual message at English class. It's amazing the benefit that those classes have. We were ridiculously happy and love her so much! 

Tuesday- we had an awesome lesson with Sister Wen, the recent Chinese convert who attends the English branch. We also did a scripture heart attack to the home of the woman who was having a very hard time because of her husband. We talked to an awesome woman on the subway who lived near us but had no interest.

Wed- we got a text from that nice lady we met on the subway. She had bought us each a gift and left it at the church for us to pick up. It was amazing. Then we had dinner with Trisha's family again, and taught the grandmother's family. They are wonderful and are accepting everything well so far. 

Thurs- This was an incredibly busy day. We had a lot of traveling and 5 appointments. I can't remember all the details but we were exhausted and it was awesome!

Fri- We were able to meet with the director of security for the blue house. We had dinner and explained the gospel to him. He was very curious, and had researched all about our church. He knew all about the first vision, and basically told us what the Book of Mormon was. He asked if he could read one, and find out for himself. His wife is Buddhist, but he may have interest if he feels like the book is true. 

Sat- we had a service project with the ward, cleaning the church building. Then we all had dinner on the roof since there is a little park up there. It's awesome! Later, we went to the temple with Ein Bo Nah and Sister Christensen. It was her first time seeing the temple in Korea, and we are working on getting her ready to receive a recommend to do baptisms. There's still a lot of work to do, but she felt the spirit really strong and is more determined to live so she can go there. 

Sun- We spent a lot of time with the ward again. Sandy came again which made us so happy! She is the best. A random side note, a member came over and said he needed to tell me something. He said he received revelation that my husband will one day be a mission president, so I need to start preparing now. Um..Sir, I don't really think you received that revelation.. I wasn't sure how to respond, but that would be awesome so we'll go with it. 

That about sums up my week. I love it here in Korea SOOO much. there is literally no where else I would rather be, and no where else the Lord would have me be,  This is truly his Gospel and it is changing lives all around the world! I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!

-Sister Seemgiller