Hiii - AUGUST

Hiii- AUGUST. Oh my time is so fast! I realized this morning that this time last year, my mission call came to Arizona and I opened it August 2nd in Utah. No idea a year later I would be in Korea!! Oh my. Life. This week was amazing amazing!! We had President Brown come and speak to us, who was the Mission President of my Mission President and one of the first missionaries in Korean in 1956. He told amazing stories about the faith, humility and growth of the Korean people, which he was able to influence and see firsthand. He was here actually in 1970s when the first Seoul Stake was organized...in the ward building I am serving in now!! This week I also saw MARINA for the first time in 3 months and saw 성희 (Seong Hee) for the last time before she goes to BYU this week! (literally our 4th "final goodbye" and we keep ending up seeing each other)!! 

Also this week I met one of the most incredible people of my entire mission. I can't share all the details...but she is only 2 years older than us and one of the strongest people despite all of the trials a 22 year old should not have experienced. She grew up Muslim, but her entire life didn't accept it, felt lost, and couldn't turn to anyone because they didn't understand. She's spent the majority of her life searching for answers, hope and purpose of life. A month ago, she lost literally everything except for her 2 year old son. She said she feels so lost and like a robot...doesn't cry anymore and is beyond feeling. She looked me in the eyes and said "I just want a hope. I don't want money or worldly things...I need something for my soul. I need a hope for my son." We were able to teach her about Heavenly Father and how much he knows and loves her individually, the Atonement of Jesus Christ personally for her, and the purpose of life. When we shared our testimony of the Atonement, she cried for the first time in a month and said she feels something in her heart she has been searching for. One of my favorite chapters...actually I think my favorite chapter in the Bible is Romans 8. I read it again this week and I really loved verse 17 and 18. "Our suffering at this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed to us." As we suffer with Christ (who is with us every step), we will be glorified together. The gospel is true!! I have personally seen it change so many lives. We have the "hope" so many people are looking for!

----our English class this week singing the alphabet song...(all the cutest grandmas and grandpas) "L, M, N....*stop at N in the tune - cont. "R, Q, P S" - So cute! I will take video next week!!!

Have a good week!!!

Park Dobby (Seong Hee gave me the name ㅠㅠ) 

Ps. Happy birthday Harry Potter

Marina!!!

Companion!! Kim Jin Young!

Koo-ni! Our Chinese investigator!

Hiii...From Sister Davis

Hiii~ I'm sorry my camera is STILL broken so no pictures this week again. I sent it in (I think) last week so it should be back next week ok ok! This week was so amazing!! So many miracles and amazing people. Also I forgot last week but my district is 3 Koreans and 3 Americans...all from Arizona! Mountain View, Desert Ridge and Highland. We are all from Arizona....yet dying because it is 100 times hotter here in Seoul because of the humidity. Buttt this area is so fun and I love it! We live right next to Seoul University, and this week I actually ended up meeting 2 different people who lived right near me in New York last year and are now studying back in Korea. So amazing! 

This week we had the cutest experience with one of our investigators (she's 77 years old). We called Saturday night to invite her to church, and she said no she can't come because she has to go to the hospital the next morning at that time (not serious - Koreans go to the hospital all the time)...but promised to come next week. As church is starting, our cute grandma comes running in and says I'm so sorry! I ran all the way here. I thought when you called last night that tomorrow was Monday....but then I realized it was Sunday!! The hospital is closed Sundays... She felt so bad and ran all the way to church (77 years old) so that the "foreign missionary wouldn't think she lied to us." Then she ended listening so intently during sacrament meeting and having a huge connection with our gospel doctrine teacher. So amazing!!

I have no time but this week I loved the scripture D&C 101:38. Remember the Savior's face in all things we do, be grateful - put Him first...and everything will work out. 

---taught my companion apples and peanut butter this week - "new world!" She says to me *in English* "you're my style"

LOVE YOU ALL!

Sister Davis

Hiii from Dongdaemun

Hii super short because I don't have much time this week (also ps I'm so sorry - my camera broke so I have no pictures this week!). My new area is so AMAZING! I love it. I live with 3 Koreans (only foreigner - they think my food is so weird) and it is so fun! Our area is a huge college town where everyone around the world comes to study - one day I carried an English, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Korean Book of Mormon. We also live next to a really nice canal / river where people take free aerobics classes and go on long walks at night. So we can walk with and meet our exercising mom's/families at night. My companion is also AMAZING. She is a recent convert and only member of her family - she has the strongest faith, testimony and wants to work so hard! I love it here!!

I have no time but here is a quote I really loved this week: "Of all the impossible things that were ever done in the history of the world, of all the walk-on water-difficult, heart-tearing things to face (miracles: healing the blind, the lepers, raising the dead), surely the Savior's own sacrifice is unequaled. When faced with the reality of this sacrifice, Jesus himself pleaded with the Father that he would not have to go through it. Yet he did it. What power enabled him to accomplish it? It was His love." I heard a talk once that talked about how the Savior could have known by revelation how to succor His people, yet He chose to learn by personal experience - so He would not only be able to help us, lift us, give us strength...but so He would be able to understand perfectly and walk with us so we are never alone to endure. I met a member this week who shared with me one of the most powerful testimonies of the Savior. She is having a hard time and under a lot of stress, but when she thinks of the Savior's Atonement, she knows she can do it. She knows He loves her and she is never alone. 

Have a good week! 

Sister Davis

Elder Manwaring’s family picking him up in Seoul…

Transfers

Hiiii! Oh my...transfers were crazy unexpected but I am going back to SEOUL!! I am transferring to 동대문 and will be with another Korean companion!!! So so excited!! But sad to leave my investigators and members here in Taebaek. The people are so amazing here. I don't know how they do it but from the people we teach, members or just people on the street, somehow they make you feel loved, like you are important to them and make a difference in their life. Everyone! I learned so much from serving here about charity, service and humility. Excited to go back to the city but sad to leave them ㅜㅜ

I don't have a ton of time but wanted to share a miracle this week. It is the rainy season in Korea, so basically 60% of last week was pouring rain....like I've never seen before!! With or without an umbrella...completely soaked. After English class this week, Sister Gu and I needed to really quickly go to the store. On our way, a man stopped me on the street, said "hi" in English and then starting asking questions so quickly in Korean that I couldn't understand. In our mission, we aren't allowed to talk to men....it was pouring POURING rain, he had been drinking, we had a really short time before we had to be home... so I apologized and we kept walking. I asked my companion what he asked and she said he wanted to share my umbrella to the store far down the street. We were a little scared but I had a feeling we needed to turn around and help him. As we were walking he started asking about what we do as missionaries and then asked about a less active in the branch. (We have been kinda meeting this woman in secret because she is scared because her husband thinks our church is a cult). It turns out....the umbrella man is her husband!!! He asked what is good about our church and we ended up having a really good conversation about families. We gave him my umbrella so he could get home....annnnd he invited us back over (to get the umbrella) but was open to have us teach the family. It seemed like such a small thing to share my umbrella with someone in the middle of hurricane Katrina...but this small act of service may have a huge impact on this family forever. I am leaving Taebaek so probably will not see the outcome (nor get my umbrella back)...but it was such an amazing miracle and confirmation to me that God will use us through our small acts of service to open hearts and strengthen the lives of people we meet. Find ways to serve those around you!! God uses small and simple means to bring about miracles in the lives of His children. 

Love you all! I will send you information next week about the new area!

Sister Davis

Goodbyes…ㅜㅜ

Taebaek Branch!!!

Taebaek Sisters!!!

염색 trauma!!!

Hiii You will not believe last week's trauma. I know I am 100% dramatic...but probably top 10 most stressful moments of my life. I don't have time to tell the whole story, but I'll share the best parts - which I know probably 90% of them you had to be there...but try to imagine. There were 3 rounds....(hair dye) I was really hesitant at first, because I know that regardless of whether our investigator could do my hair or not, she would say that she could. Buttt... ROUND 1: Orange! ROUND 2: Dark grey (literal grey), with orange/blondish streaks = zebra  ROUND 3: dark dark dark greyish/ brown. 1) She is working on round one, washing it and saying "oh so beautiful, like Elsa (Frozen)...then pulls me in front of the mirror.. it is literally orange (Regret: In my moment of peak stress, I couldn't take pictures...ㅜㅜ) 2.) Once we can finally explain to each other what I wanted (language barrier extra big in stress), she keeps saying I can fix!! We will go back to "grey-brown," what she calls my natural color - She starts highlighting the blonde and coloring everywhere else "natural color"...Oh no.....I had to wait for dye to set in, but every time I asked what if it doesn't work they interrupt me with "I can do!" "Trust me!" "I will fix it!"...so then finally I just yell "할수없다면, 다면, 다면!!, 다면!!!” (Picture me just "but if doesn't work"...If, IF, IF!!! so stressed and emphasizing the if)...not Christlike moment.  3.) The zebra stage - At this point she starts calling my hair "study" and "science" hahah. Oh no. Anywayyyy end result: not blonde, but I wake up a new color every day. First day, dark dark grey/purple (my STL said I looked like I can go to Hogwards - woo!!), second day: silver/greenish (mix all colors of paint together), today: brownish/blonde. GOOD NEWS: Before when I would speak Korean, sometimes they would see my blonde hair and immediately look to my companion and say "what words is this?", and she would proceed to say the exact same thing!! But now...they trust my Korean!! Wow. Adventure!

I loved this week studying in Alma. I read in Alma 29 where Alma wishes to be an angel, knowing that as he teaches repentance and the plan of salvation "there will not be more sorrow upon the whole face of the earth" (29:2). This doesn't mean there will be no hard times, or not trials....but there will not be sorrow. How? Because even in the most darkest times, we can have hope in the Savior's Atonement and through that find peace. Over 1000 of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's family, husbands, and friends died in their battle - they "mourned for their loss...YET they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the Lord" that they will return to our Heavenly Father and find "never-ending happiness" (28:12). Everyone has their own trials, suffering - life is really hard sometimes...but I know that the more we come to learn and understand the Savior's Atonement, we can find happiness no matter what trials we go through. I am so grateful to share this hope every day. Missions are hard sometimes too, (yes, I realize I am writing this immediately following my traumatic hair story - I promise I am not including that experience with "trials"), but I am the luckiest and so grateful to help people find that comfort and hope every single day. Everyone needs to know of our Savior!!

PS. SO country and so embarrassed to admit that I am SO excited to spend pday today going to the "huge" grocery story 30 min. away - Oh my. Who am I?

HAVE A GOOD WEEK!!!!

Sister Davis

하효미!!!!

Our investigator made me socks!!! - So funny when she tries to put them

on me and realizes my feet are 10X bigger than Korean's feet!!!

Last week with Taebaek district!

Our cute investigator’s mom! She tells me to call her my Korean mommy <3

2016 June 26th - yes, we are in coats in Taebaek.

Hiiii...From Sister Davis

Sunday - June 19, 2106

Hi, I am so sorry!! I have no time this week to email, but here are some pictures and highlights from the week. PS Happy Father's day yesterday!!!!! Also everyone look at my brother's instagram - woo braces off and sending me the most amazing pictures from Thailand right now (ps. no one ever let him grow his hair out super long again!!!)

Highlights:

---Went to Seoul for mission tour - Elder Yamoshita from the 70 came with his wife to speak to all the missionaries in the Seoul mission (of course - guess who was the lucky missionary to say the prayer - always!!!) 

---saw my favorite 수연 and 성희 and ate amazing Seoul food! Also final goodbyes to Seong Hee before she goes to America next month and starts at BYU in the fall!!! 

---first 15 min. talk in sacrament meeting - ahhhhh.

My favorite scripture this week is 2 Ne. 8:11

“Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away”.

Love you!!!!

Sister Davis

SO lucky it rained this week - Heavenly Father knows I can't handle the heat and humidity of Seoul Korea

Look out BYU!!! My best friend is coming for you 성희 학생!! (the final goodbye ㅜㅜㅜ)

Su-Yeoun my love!!!

She say "So korean pose"... 

사진

Summer Fun in Taebaek

Hiiii~ This week was really fun because we had hiking with our branch President's family and then this weekend a combined sports day with the 5 other branches in 강원도 - soccer, dodgeball (So scary!), limbo, running relay races (shout out to my favorite Sister Willcox for our matching Arizona shirts) So fun! Also, I realized this week that I've progressed (not sure what to call it) to the point where I can no longer speak either language. Seriously! I can't express myself with proper grammar in English anymore (and realized when I speak English, I cut out half of the words in my broken sentences), but...I can't speak Korean either. So really lost and confused state. 어떻게!!

OH MY Funny story! This week our investigator had a cultural/music event in the park/pond area by our church that she has been preparing for the past couple weeks. As we are walking by, we see 2 harmeonies (grandmas) dancing: one being a harmeony we are teaching and the other, probablyyy 80 years old dancing all out like she is in her 20s (SO funny!). I go to dance with our investigator, which was fun...until I realized it was kinda a loose competition. Slowly backing out....they called me back up to give me a present, which I awkwardly take and shout "아싸" (Assssahhhhh! - YES! Hooray!) to my crowd of grandparents...and then introduce myself. Aftermath: free socks! And many grandparents wanting to talk and meet us! I love Korea!! :)

These past few months, I have really grown to love the word "rejoice." I'm not even sure how to define it. In Korean it translates as "to do joy." To me it represents the peak of happiness - so filled with joy, you just want to jump, shout and share it with everyone so we can rejoice and celebrate together! I have been making a list of all the scriptures that use the word "rejoice," but this week I thought it was interesting how the scriptures define it: "joy; praise; shout; sing; thank." In 2. Nephi 9: 52 it says, "remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice." I love that it says "let," an implied promise that we WILL rejoice as we have grateful hearts and express our thanks to God, recognizing everything we have comes from him.

Marina is the greatest example of this. She experienced a miracle this past week, finding out in her new restaurant she will have Saturday AND Sundays off (what! Weekends off? Does not happen - miracle!) and will be able to go to church every week. She calls me and the first thing she says is, "I am so grateful. You know how hard I prayed for this!" Whenever she receives a blessing, she immediately treasures it and thanks God and her happiness (rejoicing) is a direct reflection of that. Ahh I love her!! One of my first weeks in Taebaek, Sister Koo committed me to begin my prayers every night with only gratitude for the first 5 min. I 100% have a testimony that no matter how hard, stressful, discouraging life seems at times, as we express gratitude we will recognize our blessings, see God's hand in our lives and feel his love, and be happy. Happy people are grateful people. As we are grateful we will rejoice, and we will want to share our joy with others so we can all rejoice and celebrate together!!!

Have a good week!!

Sister Davis

Sports Day!!  Happy Birthday Sister Kang!

Our two cute investigators! Left (정승경 who planned event) and Right (정호성)

Free socks!!!  Unintentionally won the dance competition.  Woo!

Is this real?!  The flowers are so beautiful in Korea.