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!!!

Happy Easter Pt. 2

Happy Easter Sunday to everyone in America!! Because of the time change we celebrated last night with an American family in the ward. They invited all the current and returned missionaries over for homemade Mexican Food (7 layer dip!!! - I cried.) and egg painting. Easter is completely different in Korea...actually if you say happy Easter to someone on the street, they usually reply "I'm not religious" or just don't know what it is. On Friday, our zone planned a huge Easter activity to meet people on the streets and talk about Easter and Christ. Sister Lee and I were in charge of a street board that said, "If today was your last day on earth, who would you spend it with?" Then people would write their family, friends, boyfriend...and it would lead into a discussion of the importance of families, Christ and the resurrection, which allows us to live with our loved ones forever - also cute side note: the Koreans count the days rather than months they have been dating...So whenever we ask couples, they say smile and quickly reply, "Oh, 136 days." So cute. Also, along with eternal families..such an amazing week with Marina (I love her). She is getting ready to go to the temple and we went to the family history center to find her family names this week. She told us that her priorities have entirely changed since she became a member. She didn't think she would get married before and now she wants an eternal family and someday in her 50s go on a mission with her husband. So incredible!! Also I may or may not have cried this week at our two 9 year old girls baptism when the primary all sang the "when I am baptized" song in Korean and when the Relief Society sang "As sister's in Zion" in Korean at ward conference. This gospel is true! You can just feel the hope and happiness of our message as we share it. 

I found a quote I really loved this week. It says, "Although the Lord's understanding of my humanity, my failures, my pride, and my fear is thorough and perfect, so is His love and His optimism for my potential." I love how the Savior see's us as who we can become rather than who we are. He understands our struggles, our efforts and our potential, and is the only one who knows exactly what we specifically need to get there...how much pushing, how many tests of faith, how much refining and discomfort. He also has a perfect knowledge of our capabilities and will not give us anything that isn't necessary for our growth and that He knows we aren't strong enough to handle. (Amazing to think that anything we are going through..Jesus Christ has perfect trust in us that we are capable of overcoming it). These experiences are to stretch us, shape us, and help us come to know Him as our Savior. In 1 Peter it talks about our trial of faith being more precious to us than gold. Gold perishes with fire, but when our faith is tested and lasts, we come to know on a personal level who are Savior is and feel His atonement strengthening us into who we are meant to become.

Funny stories this week! 

---What sound does a tiger make?? In Korea they have different sounds for all the animals and for a tiger it is "어흥" (which literally sounds like "Oh-heung." So funny they think it is the scariest thing ever and when we say "rawr" they say "no. not scary."

---I feel like I know maybe 30% of the hymn book...I remember in Arizona, we sang the same songs over and over and when they switched it up I always thought "ahh. Why are they being adventurous. No one knows this song!!" Well in Korea, they sing all the songs I don't know. I have been asked to lead the music lately at meetings and it's funny/awkward when I'm trying to read the words, find the tune, lead the music. So stressful!!!!

---We met a girl at the street board who says she lives by Everland (which is Korea's Disneyland) I meant to say "Oh! I've never been there!!" And I so quickly without even realizing it said totally smiling "Oh! I don't ever want to go there!!" I just laughed but she got really offended...So many Korean mistakes dailyyy

---We met a new investigator yesterday who is so nice and really really loves Foreigners. She ended up leaving with a couple of my family pictures because Jackson's hair is so beautiful and she wanted to remember the family! 

Sister Davis ^^

With Sister Yoon (recent convert) and Sister Lee

Street boarding for Easter…

<3 Seoul!

Friend from BYU – Seoul South Mission

Seoul food!

Happy Easter!!

Good morning!!! The highlight of this week was going to the Seoul Temple on Tuesday. I walk by the temple almost every day and still feel like I will never get over how beautiful it is and the amazing feeling I get when I'm nearby. I feel so lucky to have a temple so close to me...especially when I see people from Russia, Phillipines, and all across Korea traveling to come to Seoul. Also didn't mind that all the sister missionaries went to get MEXICAN food after the temple. The best, the best!

I have loved the past few weeks really focusing on Christ and what He means to me as my Savior. Lately I have been thinking about how to really represent Christ here in Seoul, Korea. Every day I meet people who are going through trials, challenges, stress...many times people who have never heard of Jesus Christ or God. They are enduring everything on their own and don't know about the strength and love they can receive if they turn to their Savior. I love in John 10, Jesus calls Himself the good shepherd who knows His sheep. This week I have been feeling like I can't do my part here to represent Christ because I can't fully empathize with everyone I am meeting. A lot of times on the street people look at me and immediately assume I am just some blonde, 20 year old from America who has never experienced hard times. I kept questioning how can I truly represent Christ when I've never experienced sickness, death...how can I help them when I can't truly "know my sheep." But I realized what I can do is always testify of someone who perfectly does. I may not be able to understand the extent of their trials on a personal level, but I know through my own experiences that our Savior is the only one who does understand. 100%. This is the best message I could share, Jesus Christ loves us so much that He experienced our sorrow, sicknesses, weaknesses, worries, temptations, and doubts so that He would be able to walk with us at all times. I found my new favorite scripture this week in Romans 8. It talks about the different hardships and challenges we may face in life and then in vs. 37 & 39 it says, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us...Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ our Lord." 

This week we started teaching an amazing family who has never heard of God before. We teach the mom and her 12-year old son (who is so cute and always writes these journal entries in English with the date and weather "partly cloudy"). On Monday we taught them how to pray and I watched both of them give the most humble, sincere prayers for the first time in their lives. Then look at each other and feel so much love in the room for them. It is amazing to every day teach about a God who loves us and our Savior who suffered for all of us so we don't ever have to face anything alone. I love being a missionary!!!! Happy Easter this Sunday!!

Sister Davis 

Batting cages with Gustavo and Marina!

Vietnamese food with Felix and Sister Lee!

I thought this was so funny. Korean decorations/stickers/notebooks always try to do cute sayings in English…

하나님의사업!!!

Hi, hello! This week started with Marina's birthday party! So fun but very clear that Sister Lee and I are not party planners/decorators...We all went together to eat that night at our relief society President's house and it was hilarious when her husband who is in the bishopric came out wearing a tshirt saying "Parental Discretion Advised." After we all laughed and explained what that means on the back of movies/games in America he was shocked and said he just ordered it off line from America because it was best seller...not knowing what it meant. Also awkward Korean mistake this week...we met a guy and his friend as we were crossing the street one day. He looks at me and asks if Sis. Lee is my roommate and I said "Well actually she's my companion!!" His face immediately said "oh, awkward...I understand..." and I was like wait no! Not like that..annnd we couldn't save it after that.  

I never have time to read talks but this week I really quickly skimmed an amazing one that I specifically needed this week. It is called "Successfully failing: Pursuing our Quest for Perfection" by President Worthen. He talks about how the best way for us is by faith, study and experience...which often involves failing and falling short. He talked about when Nephi went to get the plates from Laban. Although their first two attempts failed, as Nephi went up the third time he relied on the Spirit to tell him where to go and what to do. "Nephi's life was forever changed in a positive way because he failed twice."

This week I learned a lot about a mission and relying on the Lord to do His work. My first 6 weeks in Korea were SO incredible: it seemed like we always were meeting amazing people, had lessons lined up every day, investigators coming to church, saw miracles like Marina...and eventually those experiences set my expectations. Sooo..last week was really stressful and discouraging when it seemed like a lot was falling apart and every night we were falling short of what God expects of us. Our first Sunday, the families we were planning on meeting didn't show up at church. Throughout the week several lessons fell through last minute, two investigators dropped us, people we met in the street gave us wrong numbers (So fired up after a good conversation in Korean^^ then finding out two days later..ㅠㅠ), or just rejecting us on the street (My Korean has improved to the point where I can now understand when people are speaking rudely - ah so naive)  For the first time on my mission, we had to put a two hour block in our planners for "전도" one day...which is go outside and street contact because we had no lessons. But the good news is, these experiences led me to realize that Sis. Lee and I can't continue by our own efforts. We literally cannot do this work without relying on God to tell us where to go and what to say...which led to our miracle yesterday. 

We originally had 5 lessons planned for before and after church and needed to have a member come so we could do splits and meet them all. We called our friend who could come but has to travel about 40 min. to come to the church. Slowly throughout the day one by one every. single. one canceled on us. By the time church got out...our member had traveled to get here and we had no one to teach. Sister Lee was about to start calling people and I just thought no way is this happening. But then we both went in to the bathroom, said a prayer and said we are going to go outside right now and find someone in 15 to come back to the church with us. We told the member "We're going to find a miracle. 15 minutes!! WATCH THE CLOCK!" The first person gave us her wrong number, the next 4 rejected us and finally we had 2 minutes left and knew we could only talk to one more person. There were three people walking on the street and as I'm praying I thought, no it's that girl. We talked to her and found out she was a really cute student from Japan who comes here every Sunday to study. We invited her to the church and she came without even hesitating and wants to meet next Sunday. We found our miracle!!!!

I don't have any time and sorry that was a novel...but this is God's work and I know that as we rely on Him we can see miracles. Have a good week!!!

Sis. Davis

Kim Min Su and her cute mom

Fail... 

Marina’s Birthday Party!!!