Rainy in Taebaek

Hello!! Soooo this week it rained a lot..and was reallyy cold but we still are having faith in miracles. Funny story this week! So there are zero foreigners out in the country besides the missionaries. This week, my companion and I were standing in this park, where we see this huge group of volleyball players who were visiting from another area. They all start pointing and then come up to us asking for pictures with me and asking about America...I reply in Korean and their coach starts yelling from the side, "No! Only speak English"...as he discretely tries to film and take pictures. So funny! Also, as we were walking this week, a middle school student yells across the street, "Hello! I English very well. Want to go to Harvard!" Alsooo..dreamed in Korean last night. Woo!

One of my favorite scriptures is in Luke 22:31-32 and it played a huge roll in my decision to serve a mission. This week during my studies, I read verse 33 too for the first time and learned so much about Peter and faith. I have always loved the first two verses because we know that Satan always wants to test us, to push us until we see if we have any faith remaining. But Christ says He has prayed for us individually, for our faith, and once we come unto Him and are converted, He asks us to strengthen our brethren. Here he is speaking to Peter, and in vs. 33, Peter replies, "Lord I am ready to go with thee." This doesn't mean Peter was perfect, or that he wouldn't still make mistakes..but he had enough faith to leave his past life behind and follow Christ. He trusted that although he was inadequate, anytime he fell short, Christ would raise him back up...because He wants us to go with Him. He wants us to walk with Him and only asks for a willing and ready heart. I was thinking about that this week and how to go with the Savior. In order to know and understand Him, we have to walk with Him. I thought about how Christ came to earth, pruned and watched over his vineyard, prayed, pleaded and sacrificed for it, already knowing people would reject. He continued because He loves us. Last week was pretty difficult. It seemed like everyone was dropping us, rejecting our phone calls, pouring rain so no one on the street, or if we did talk to them they grandmas say "가" (Kah) and shoo us away with their hands (literally feel like a seagull). I realize that if we want to walk with the Savior, with His same love we have to pray, plead, serve and sacrifice for the people. We have to continue knowing they may reject us...and do it out of love for them. As Christ representatives, we all have the opportunity to walk with Him every day by how we choose to love and serve others. 

Have a good week everyone!!!

Sister Davis

Three months!!!!

This post is for April 17, 2016

안녕하세요!! 오늘 한국에 산지 3개월 되요!! Hello!! Today marks three months in KOREA!! Time goes sooo fast. I don't understand. This week was great...and freezinnnng! I am in my new area and it is sooo different from Seoul but so cute. It is very very country...but reminds me of Park City. Cute small town with little stores. It has one street that is the area's "city" and super green mountains surrounding the whole area. Our tiny branch has 11 members, SO faithful and strong, and I immediately fell in love with them. My first Sunday, the branch President's family couldn't come, so the missionaries made up half of the branch. It was so funny because I lead the music, gave a talk, and said the prayer. They are so cute and do a luncheon every week to end the meeting and talk with everyone!! OH! Also so crazy! They have exercise machines everywhere...next to playgrounds, on the side of the road...So as we are walking (walk everywhere!) we see the grandmas and grandpas on the elliptical and bike machines just off the side of the road in their bright, colorful exercise outfits. So cute!!

Throughout my mission, I have been thinking so much on how to become God's instrument here in Korea and fulfill my calling. In this new area we have no investigators, no one at church and they haven't had a baptism in a few years. I have been focusing on how to strengthen our faith to find, because I know that God sent us here to see miracles in this area. In D&C 42:8 it says, "ye shall build up my church in every region." I kept thinking, how do I strengthen my faith to find the prepared people in this new area!? Last week I was talking to someone on the street who knew the bible inside and out. She kept arguing with me and throwing out scriptures and I had to go get the elders to help because I couldn't understand her Korean. In the end I just bore my testimony and she said to me, "If you want to share, know better truth." Ah. It literally cut straight to my heart when she said that to me. I have been focusing on how to become God's tool and I felt like such a failure in that moment. I don't know the scriptures well enough, the language well enough...how can I be God's instrument. I was reading in Nephi 18:2-3 when Nephi was entrusted with the huge task of building a ship, the tool to take his people to the promised land. Wow...pressure. Seriously, scary! But Nephi didn't rely on his own skills/understanding to make the ship, he went to the mount, prayed and sanctified himself to receive God's guidance and then made the ship under God's direction. Similarly, God has entrusted me with the huge task to be his tool in Korea…to be an effective missionary. Sometimes I feel like I don't have time to study enough, or can't speak well enough...but I realized from Nephi's example that I can't become an effective missionary the way I think it should be done. If I just daily sanctify myself, pray for opportunities, am obedient to God's will and have faith, He will enable me to become His tool in Korea. It will be sufficient for the people He has prepared. Ps. We can all be God's instruments as we rely on Him for guidance and have faith. He will qualify who He calls!!!

Oh! Also my companion is the cutest...the tiniest, short Korean and I love her. I know we are going to see miracles this transfer in 태백!!! Have a good week everyone!! 

Sister Davis

Saying goodbye to my Seoul Family…

Marina, Sung Hee & Sister Lee <3 <3 <3

Taebaek is the highest city in South Korea & was a Coal mining town.

The Taebaek Mountain range stretches across North & South Korea,  

making a ridge along the entire eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula. 

Transfers!!!!!

Hello!! Big news, big news: I am being transferred!!! I'm going to an area called Taebaek 태백 with a KOREAN companion!!! The area is 3½ hours away from Seoul and the complete polar opposite of where I am serving now. It is actually the only name I had heard of in the countryside because everyone always talked about how it was the most country area of the entire mission...sooooo bring it on! I'm guessing I will still survive without chocolate croissants, Mexican food, taxis, NO English...SO different but I am really excited for the opportunity to work, meet, and love a small branch and really embrace the Korean culture. Also I heard it is beautiful there so expect pictures next week!

This week was SO great...especially because we were able to watch conference the past two days. Amazing!! We actually only have an hour to email now because we are sanctifying ourselves as a mission. One of my favorite quotes from Conference was from Elder Holland's talk, "sanctify yourselves. For tomorrow the Lord will work wonders among you." The email news was shocking at first, but I know we will see miracles here in Korea as we really submit our will to the Lord. Right now we are working with two families. We asked the oldest son of the family to join the lesson this week (he is usually at their study classes...because Korean's have insane school schedules) and seriously total game changer. He is so prepared, asked a lot of questions about the Plan of Salvation, prayed in the end and wanted to come to conference with us. We also celebrated with 성희 who finished her BYU application this week!!!!! We celebrated with Sushi and free Magnum ice cream they were handing out on the street :) Also, we found a cat cafe this week...which is just a regular cafe with 6-7 cats sitting in chairs and couches. Sister Lee loved it…I was afraid. Ahhh I love Korea!!

I have been focusing a lot on Nephi lately and my favorite Nephi quote was from 1 Nephi 17:50 "If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them." I love how Nephi always had so much faith, because he knew that no matter what God asked Him to do, God would enable him to accomplish it. Through that faith he never doubted, knowing God had perfect trust in Him to fulfill his calling.

Have a good week everyone!!! I'll send pictures from Taebaek next week!^^

Park Dobby sister

Goodbyes  L

I love teaching the gospel to my wonderful friends…

I am going to miss these people and walking by the temple everyday

Yeonji   연지   with Sister Davis

Sushi to celebrate BYU application!!!!

Spring in Korea!!

It is finally SPRING in Korea!! So so beautiful. Everywhere we walk I want to stop and document because it is amazing! Flowers I have never seen before (Arizona....), especially the cherry blossoms and Magnolias. We are lucky because the temple is literally in the backyard of our church, so we were able to take our English class on a field trip to the Seoul temple this week. Also because it is spring and the weather is perfect, everyone is out on the streets walking their dogs. I know you all know that Korean's eat dog... (haven't been offered it yet ps.) But they also treasure them and dress them up in colorful sweaters and shirts. So cute! I just love Korea <3

I know you all already watched conference, but because of translation we get to watch it this weekend and I can't wait!! We are so lucky to have the opportunity to listen to the words of our prophet and to receive modern revelation to guide and protect us both spiritually and physically. I have been SO amazed as a missionary watching the saints here in Korea. They are the most faithful people I have ever met...especially when it comes to their temple attendance. When they dedicated the Seoul temple, President Hinckley left a promise in the dedicatory prayer that as long as the Saints are faithful in their temple attendance, they don't ever have to fear an attack from North Korea. The impact of the temple is so evident in their faith, their families and their homes. As soon as you enter a member's home you can just feel the promise of eternal families and it makes me want this blessing for everyone we meet. I love this gospel and I am so grateful to learn the value of temple attendance from the Korean people. 

My favorite scripture this week: "And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks" - 1 Ne. 14:1

Have a good week everyone!!

Sister Davis

Magnolias with the English class…

Sung Hee Haksang <3

I love this temple!!!

Seoul Temple in bloom <3 <3

My FAVORITE trees!!!

Cherry Blossoms!!!

Seoul Streets in bloom!

Kai Sin Cheung

More Magnolias!!!