Merry Christmas from Korea

Merry Christmas everyone! Caitlin sent this email on Christmas but we were out of town so are just getting this out. Thanks for your continued support.

Merry Christmas!! It was so amazing to spend my first Christmas here in Korea. Sorry it's been a while… lots to update! I met my cute greenie last week, Sister Wright! She is from Utah and we are now the two blonde missionaries walking around Seoul. It's so fun! We celebrated Christmas with our ward Christmas party! The highlight was the primary kids doing their hula dancing (our Bishop's daughter is soooo cute!), our ward cello quartet and the nativity the ward put on. We ate Kimbab and Fried Chicken!ㅋㅋ   At Sacrament meeting the missionaries sang Silent Night, planning on the 1st and 3rd verse with a piano solo in between... we had zero time to practice, which I forgot and started singing the 2nd verse on my own as a solo... so embarrassing but no worries because our investigators came to church and we were so happy!!

So amazing to call my family yesterday!! I have been so overwhelmed with gratitude lately for all Heavenly Father has blessed me with. He has given me the most amazing family, the opportunity to find real happiness through knowing and living the gospel, and the experience of coming to Korea and meeting the most incredible people. I am so truly happy and grateful to him and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. Through Him we are never alone. We can always find truth, comfort, guidance, forgiveness, healing and real, lasting joy. It was amazing to share that message this Christmas and to see the light in others’ eyes as they realize and come to know their Savior personally through feeling His unconditional love. I love you all and hope you had an amazing Christmas!! 

Sister Davis

Our weekly Christmas parties at the Mission President’s home with Sister Sonksen…

A Couple of Blondes in Korea

Hi guys! Cait didn’t have time for the group email this week but she wanted to share some fun pictures. She loves her new greenie, Sister Hailey Wright from Utah. She says she is really cute, likes to work hard & they get along great!  Since they are the only 2 blonde Sisters in the mission, people think they are really “Sisters”.  She also sent some great pictures with her old Companion, Sister Kim Won Jin & their investigators celebrating some Christmas cheer. 

Thank you for your continued support for Sister Davis… hard to believe she has been a missionary for over 13 months. If anyone has a chance to email her this week for Christmas, I’m sure she would love to hear from you at caitlin.davis@myldsmail.net.

Thank you & Merry Christmas!

BEST NEWS: Brother 채현식 (Chae Hyeong Shik) was Baptized... Amazing!!

Hiii~ Happy December!! This week was sooo so good!! Good news: It is freezinnng...and we finallyy got our boiler fixed in our house after 2 months of cold showers and floors (the floors are heated in Korea~^^) BEST NEWS: Brother 채현식(Chae Hyeong Shik) was Baptized on Saturday!! Amazing. He shared his testimony and talked about the first time we met. It was on the subway, loud, his first time talking about God and prayer on a subway... but he remembered a warm feeling as we talked and kept wondering what it was after we left. We were 3 stops late past our station (ㅎㅎ) so quickly had to leave = no name, no number, but he had our Halloween party invitation and came the next day!! He said every time he has met the missionaries, come to church, or read the Book of Mormon, he has found that warm feeling again. Now that he is baptized and has the Holy Ghost, he can always have that feeling with him!! 

Funny side note. He left his baptism straight to 광화문 to protest the President... (literally millions of people... basically all of Seoul gets together every Saturday night to protest). ㅋㅋㅋ We also celebrated at the Sonksen's house last night for a Christmas open house with Marina, Lilo and Karla. I saw Min Su, Na Hyeah (Converts from Sinchon - it's been soooo long!!) and her sister who was baptized Saturday night too! Min Su told me, "Davis Chamaenym. Our houses will be next to each other in the Celestial Kingdom!"

This week at MLC, we watched the video of Peter walking on water, (always love this story) but I noticed something different this time. Peter asks Christ if he can come out on the water, and right away Christ looks at him and just says, "Come," not thinking, hesitating... completely confident that Peter can do it. Sometimes when we try something new, receive a calling, keep commandments, experience a trial... we're good at focusing on our weaknesses, fears, worries doubts. We look at the storm, like Peter, instead of focusing on our Savior. But we need to remember that during those times, Christ has already looked at us with confidence and said, "Come." He trusts us, believes in us, knows we can do it. Why does our Savior sometimes have more faith in us than we have in ourselves?

Always remember who's with us and who's rooting for us! Have a good week!!!!

Sister Davis, Dobby, 체린

OUR INVESTIGATOR GOT BAPTIZED!! 채현식 (Chae Hyeong Shik)

Our cute investigator MiJin Kim!!

She's an artist and moving to New York next year!!

Her husband Bae Gyong Oo!

President and Sister Sonksen’s Christmas party!!

Families are Forever!  가족은 영원히  (gajog-eun yeong-wonhi)

My girls!:)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! So happy my Korean friends DORIS and Rylee could spend Thanksgiving with my family in Arizona! Thanksgiving does not exist in Korea. We asked our English class and not a single person had even heard of it! Literally. We taught about gratitude, blessings and 감사 prayers... along with shopping, football and food. We celebrated Thanksgiving with a huge service project... making Kimchi!! :)  Love Kimchi!! Smelled like it for 3 days. Then later, we continued celebrating at our Stake President’s house with Marina and our investigators… and ate a beautiful, amazing Thanksgiving dinner!! We also ended with the first snow of winter in Korea!! COLD. Soooo so freezing... but also beautiful!

Also exciting news: our miracle investigator is getting baptized this weekend!!!! The baptism was pushed back a week because he wasn't able to come to church, but he is SO prepared and excited for this weekend!! It's amazing how drastically my prayers of gratitude have changed within just one year. 

This week we met with our English class investigator. For the past 2 weeks, we started meeting her individually outside of English class to read the Book of Mormon stories book in English. She LOVES it, and has opened up so much through the Joseph Smith story. At one point we asked her what it would mean to her if this story was true. She paused, looked up, and said "It's...truly...a miracle." In that moment, the spirit literally enveloped us, witnessing what a miracle the Book of Mormon and Restoration is and what it means for us. We are so lucky and blessed to have this gift. It answers all questions, provides us with hope and strength, teaches us how to find happiness.  I felt it especially this week, I can see its effects on the people I have met in Korea, my family, and now our investigator who is feeling and recognizing the spirit for the first time. It is a miracle! 

Have a good week! My favorite holiday is almost here!! Seoul doesn't know Thanksgiving, but they already set up for Christmas 3 weeks ago!!:) So excited!

Sister Davis

We didn’t take any pictures in Seoul this week, but here are a few my mom sent me. All of these mission friends stayed at my house in AZ for Jamie Wilcox’s (my greenie trainer) wedding. 

So glad that Doris & Rylee got to see the Grand Canyon & spend Thanksgiving with my family. <3 <3 <3 

Sunday, November 13, 2016

1 Year as a Missionary <3

안녕하세요!!!! This week was so amazing!!! The weather is perfect and fall is so beautiful. The leaves are all different colors and bigger than my head, twice. Sister Kim gets so embarrassed when I stop on the road with a huge gasp and say "wow!!" Then pick up the biggest leaves. I've never seen anything like it!!!

I'll begin with exciting news: our investigator is getting baptized!! He is actually the elders investigator now… but it was a miracle and I want to share how we met him. A little over 2 weeks ago, Sister Kim and I were doing weekly planning and talking about baptismal dates for the next week. We decided to plan for a miracle, a baptism on 11/26 and wrote next to it "할로윈 파티 참석한 사람" - person who comes to our Halloween party!  Right after we finished planning, we were on our way to the office and met a couple on the subway. We had a really amazing conversation and ended up going 4 stops past our stop. Before we could get their name or number we had to run off, but gave them our Halloween party invitation… praying they would come!! At the very end of the party, brother Chae Hyeon Shik came!!! We were able to meet him 2 more times, then he came to church, and we referred him to the elders (we aren't allowed to teach men). This week he accepted a baptismal date for the 26th of November… in 2 weeks!!! He is so prepared and we are all so excited!

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER PK, Kailaday!! Everyone watch out for my car, BO :/ Also HAPPY WEDDING WEEK TO MY TRAINER JAMIE WILLCOX!!! I love you!!!! Also I can't believe it but I hit one year on the mission this Friday... time is so fast!!!!

Have an amazing week!!!

Sister Davis

Love my MTC Comp!!! Hard to believe I met Sister Mulitalo 1 year ago.

Temple time with Sister Kim Won Jin.

Hwayang District!

Exchanges in Dongdaemun & dinner with friends. <3 <3 <3

I LOVE Korean Street Food – Ice Cream filled Waffle Pizzas 와플

Picture of the Seoul & Seoul South Missions coming together for

Elder Bednar last month.

21!! Woo!

Hiiiiii  thank you everyone for all the amazing birthday wishes. 21!! Woo! It doesn't feel real. Definitely a lot of firsts on this birthday… sang in church with our district and investigators, gave a talk in church, street boarded, went to a Fireside, and ate 미역국 (Korean seaweed soup - literally eating "age"). It was a different birthday but an amazing one and I feel so blessed and lucky to be in in Korea. 

This week we had our Halloween party which was so fun! Korean's don't normally celebrate Halloween and an English class member asked me why American's celebrate... what is the meaning behind it? I couldn't answer. Seriously. Does anyone really know?!  For our party we had a haunted house, games and face painting and SO much food: Korean soup, brownies, cookies, Costco muffins, caramel apples, and best of all... Marina made a Mexican feast!!  Very, very happy. We had a lot of members and investigators come and saw so many miracles in one night. Amazing!!

One of my favorite scriptures on my mission has become Alma 29:10 – “And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me.”

On my mission so far I have seen so many people change through the gospel, recognize Heavenly Father's love for the first time, overcome addictions, find their purpose... really find confidence and happiness. I thought about a year ago when I threw my "Dip" party for my birthday and how I had no idea what to expect of the next year... but knew I was excited to serve my mission. I had no idea about so many of my weaknesses, my goals, my blessings... I could not have expected the experiences I would have and the people I would meet. I really just feel so much gratitude to Heavenly Father for redirecting my life to serve a mission, changing who I was and creating a better person, and allowing me to meet so many amazing people who have impacted me and who I will love for the rest of my life. Just really, really happy. But real happiness! 

Thanks everyone have a good week!!! 21, woot woot!!!

Sister Davis/ Caitieday / Park Dobby Sister

Thanks to everyone who sent me pictures for my 21st BDAY Banner.

I Iove all of you!!!  <3 <3 <3

Making Mexican food & Halloween treats for our party.

My attempt at Spooky Halloween Brownies!!! They were sooo good!!!

I got to meet my cute friend & his mom on exchanges in Dongdaemun.

He was so funny & took a bunch of pictures with me!!!   J

Selfies in our apartment with Sister Kim Won Jin, my awesome comp!

Celebrating my 21^st with Marina! <3

Baptisms & Bednar... hard to top this week!!!

Hellooooo! This week was sooo sooooo good. First, Se-mi-aeh was baptized on Saturday!!! She was so amazing and asked the Dongdaemun sister's to take her to the Seoul temple the morning of her baptism to pray because she was so grateful. She shared her testimony at the baptism of how she was able to overcome all of her fears through realizing her desire to follow Jesus Christ. She is so bright and I feel so lucky to have been able to be a part of her gaining this new confidence and happiness!!!

We also met with Elder Bednar this week in the Seoul South mission. I was able to see all my MTC friends and Sister Woo from my first 2 weeks at the MTC!! I learned SO much from Elder Bednar. One thing he shared was the difference between praying as an object and as an agent. For example... An object goes to church and prays "please help the missionaries to find people to teach." Agent: "I will invite my friends to learn from the missionaries...please help me have confidence and find the words to say. Object, " Please bless those who were not at church today with thy love." Agent, "We will visit those who weren't at church today, share a message and invite them to come with us next week." I know I am so guilty of saying literally the same prayer before my mission every time I blessed the food, or prayed during Sunday School... Elder Bednar talked about how faith is action, if we pray and ask God to do the work for us there is no faith in that prayer. 

I thought how that could relate to asking for blessings, meeting goals or becoming the people/missionary we want to be. We can't wait around for God to send us the experiences, people, trials that will shape us and develop our testimonies. He asked, "Is conversion something an agent does or an object receives?" We will not magically change as we wait for life to happen. We have to set a vision, set goals, and actively work to achieve them, and we will be shaped and "become" in the process. We are lucky Heavenly Father already showed us the way and the perfect example through our Savior. We can act in faith, pray in faith, and actively become more like Him every day.

This week I met an alien at English class. He told me he was from Mercury and then told me my rock, paper scissors skills are weak. Then committed me to practice rock, paper scissors 500 times every day!!!!  So that was this week!! 

Have a good week!

Sister Davis

Best day in Dongaemun being a part of 2 wonderful Baptisms…

Se-mi-aeh & the Elder’s great investigator

ELDER BEDNAR & being reunited with my MTC Sisters…

Sister Woo (Seoul South Mission) & Sisters Mulitalo & Lee from my mission

Sister Woo is training my greenies MTC friend!  <3

So ya… we had A LOT to celebrate this week!!!

Se-mi-aeh is getting Baptized!!!

Hiii hiii sorry it's been so long!! Things have been really fun, really cold.... and really busy in my new area. We have been seeing so many miracles lately. We are doing a new thing as a zone where we plan for a specific miracle every day (specific person we want to meet - who, where, what are we teaching) and write it in a certain place on our planner. Then we pray for it, study for them, and go find. One night last week we prayed to find a girl in her 30s, looking for the purpose of life. We prayed for it, studied… and then had street boarding. The entire time we met a lot of busy people... then some interested people... then people who wanted to Bible bash and yell at us... but not her. We went home that night, finished planning, prayed. We were going through the phone contacts list and decided to call a number. This girl was from China and wanted to meet. She met the missionaries 2 years ago but no one ever called her. She was sooo fun and kept asking questions. Then before we even invited her... she asked when church was this Sunday. She came yesterday, with a friend, talked with all the young adults and wants to keep learning and coming to church!  Miracle~

Also amazing news: My investigator from my last area is getting baptized this weekend!!!!  Se-mi-aeh from Japan! So soooo so happy. I have seen so many miracles on my mission so far... but this is the first person that I met who put a sticker on our board, felt she was so prepared when we first talked on the street... and is now getting BAPTIZED. She said when we first met, she knew about Jesus but had so many fears. Now she is still afraid of water... but because she loved Jesus Christ and has desire to follow Him… she can overcome all fears. So true!

So excited we have Elder Bednar coming this Wednesday to Korea!!! More on that next week. Also huge shout out to my best friend DORIS who's birthday was last week. I love and miss you~~~

Have a good week!! 

Sister Davis

My first MLC last week.  Great to see Sister Lee & other friends!  <3

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Hiii

Hi, hi!! I'm sorry it's been a while... there is always literally zero time to email!! Sooo news!!  I was transferred again to a new area called 화양  (Hwayang)!!  Such an amazing ward… the members are all about missionary work. Helping us teach, preparing to serve missions, coming home from missions... the best! Also really close to Dongdaemun… same Stake, same zone... I will see everyone again!  Also... it is Marina's ward. SO happy!! I was so surprised to be transferring again, and for sure to be transferring sooo close... Marina said, "I have a confession. I prayed that you would come to this ward." ~^^ We all know she has the most powerful, faithful prayers. So happy!!! 

Also my greeny... Sister Kim Won Jin. SOOO not a greeny. She is amazing!!!!! So hard working, outgoing, strong. She doesn't care about running to places or skipping meal times... perfect greeny!!  This will be such an amazing transfer!! (Ps I'm sorry, no time but we will take pictures next week!) 

This week we met with our investigator and a member shared an analogy about hearing the spirit's voice. He said it is like a radio... sometimes right when you turn it on you get to the weird channel where it is kind of muffled, static-y... you can slightly make out the words, music... but not distinguish what is being said.  As you continue to turn the channel and work at it... eventually it will become clear. You will be able to hear the words, beautiful music, understand the lyrics. When we first start to pray, come to church the first time, or listen for the spirit... sometimes we can't recognize or hear it.  Over time as we continue to work at it, it will become more clear and real to us. We will be able to find guidance, help, comfort in every aspect of our life. Whether it is as we read the scriptures, pray, listen to conference... Heavenly Father wants and will guide and comfort us!

Have an amazing week! I can't believe it is already OCTOBER.

Sister Davis! 

Ps – I didn’t take any pictures this week but here are some funny ones that Marina took.  I feel so blessed to have her back in my area. <3 <3 <3

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Transfers!!!

Hello everyone this is Cait’s mom.  Sister Davis is getting transferred to 화양 (Hwayang) & didn’t have time to do the group email this week. She is sad to leave her friends in Dongdaemun but is willing & ready to go wherever she is needed next.

SIDE NOTE:  It is Caitlin’s birthday on October 30^th and she will be turning 21 years old.   I wanted to make her a picture collage & am gathering pictures this week to send in a birthday package. It would be great if any of you would be able to write on a piece of paper… “21” or “Happy Bday”, then email/text me a picture of you holding up the sign.  You can even show “21” by holding up your fingers. I know I’m totally a cheesy mom but thanks for indulging me & helping me make Cait’s birthday extra special. 

Last FHE :/

Love all my FHE friends! <3 <3 <3

Personal Progress!

Beautiful Dongdaemun

Happy Chuseok 추석 !!! Korean Thanksgiving

Hi, hiii sorry I didn't email last week and have almost noooo time again this week... but I will talk about last week!! 추석!! Last week was Korea's big Thanksgiving Holiday. First, to celebrate we went to Seoul, Namsan tower with Kim Min Su from Sinchon ward. To be honest I thought we could do more at the top... but it was beautiful overlooking all of Seoul and so cute with a million, couple love lock trees and bridges. We won the teeter totter and Korean game competition (By we, I mean Sister Kim and Min su... I just was in the pictures J) and got to write a letter and hang it on a traditional Korean bag on this bridge. Ohhh!!  Quite the prize, but it was really cute - I'll send pictures!! On Thursday all the missionaries came together at the mission home, hiked up to the top of the mountain, ate Traditional Korean food (subway sandwiches), played games and watched the Joseph Smith movie. Also news! Elder Bednar is coming next month to Korea and we will have a combined conference with Seoul South mission! 

This week! We started Personal Progress with our 13 year old girls we meet with every week. Our two girls who are less active have really been opening up the past few weeks and were excited to start... although the motives vary among the group. One of the girls is so sincere, takes notes and sets goals... while the other girl says to me, "the necklace is real gold?!" *then to herself* "Oh. I wonder how much you can sell that for..." Hahaha!  So far they somehow manage to come every week and stay to the closing prayer of the 3rd hour of sacrament meeting... we are working on it! 

I loved the testimony of one of our members we met this week. She told us about when she came to BYU and for the first time learned of all the crazy things people think about our church. She started to doubt and have questions, but then realized she has a testimony of 4 things and nothing else matters. 1) God lives. 2) Jesus Christ is our Savior. 3) Heavenly Father and Christ know and love her. 4) When she reads the Book of Mormon she is happier. So simple but so true. She says those 4 principles have carried her throughout her entire life… anytime she has trials or stress. She can always trusts God and moves forward because she knows with her whole heart those 4 things are true. 

Have a good week!! 

Sister Davis

Heart shaped chairs with leaning edges to help you sit closer together

I thought they were the cutest couple & asked to take a picture of them

In front of the Love Lock Trees  <3

Sister Kim & I with a pair of Korean Wedding Ducks 원앙세트

The Teeter Totter Contest… Kim Min Su was awesome at it!

Namsan tower - N서울타워  is the highest tower in Seoul.

Sushi buffet = so sick 

Happy Birthday Mom!!

To start Happy birthday to my amazing mom!!! I am so SO lucky to be blessed with her example (realizing what a blessing this is even more as I have been serving), and hope to become more like her. Side note: everyone in Korea who sees her picture asks if she is Miss America or a movie star ㅋㅋ Demi's the best! Also birthday shout out to my best friend Allie, serving in Paris!!

This week started with our trip to 경복궁 Palace in our Korean traditional dresses. Sooooo amazing…and huge!! We needed 4 days to really experience it...and had under 2 hours...but beautiful. Also funny story: Park Dobby's 10 min. of fame. We were walking and a lady came and asked me to do an interview in my dress (foreigner power). They gave me this "instrument" - a round, flat circle with a wooden stick - and asked me to guess how to use it. At first I thought maybe music so started tapping it and dancing...no. Then maybe cooking so I started stirring it....anyway! It's a Korean circus toy that you spin on the stick!! I will try to send video :) 

This week's miracles!! First our Korean Investigator who learns English with us. She is the cutest! When we first started 30/30 English gospel program...she focused during English and then would almost sleep during lessons. But as we have continued to meet her and show her love...practicing ABC song, showing pictures of family, teaching me an old Korean song and learning together, pulling out her iPhone and SO slowly typing abc and sending to random people....she became someone we really loved and she gradually opened her heart to accept the gospel. This week we invited her again to be baptized...she said no because another church (only goes bc they allow her to exercise there....). We felt to ask her about her personal prayers and relationship with Heavenly Father...and she has never prayed on her own before. We promised that God knows her, she is His daughter and will answer her prayer about baptism. She was tired and wanted to quickly leave but agreed to say a "short" closing prayer. She started out just briefly thanking for the opportunity to learn English...then paused for a minute. Then she started to cry and gave the most humble, sincere prayer. She closed the prayer, paused, then started a second prayer. The spirit enveloped the room and we were all crying together. 뿌듯해요!! 

Oh my there were so many this week and I have no time :/ But all I can say is this work is amazing and I am so lucky to be a part of it. Heavenly Father knows and loves His children and is a part of every little detail of our lives. He knows to place us on a subway at a certain time, knows how to lead us to a specific members home, and knows the person who will find our card with our number (the 3 cards I accidentally dropped on the street bc I didn't want to carry a bag...), call, come to church and find the hope he was looking for his whole life. When we put Heavenly Father first and serve with Him and for Him in everything we do, He will bless us and we will see miracles. 

Love you all!

Sister Davis