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
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