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