Anyeong Haseyo!!!
Yup. Romanization just looks weird. Oh well!
This has been a BIG week. It has been super busy and blessed. The group/districts above us left on Monday, and it was a very sad day. Our once loud Korean Residence hall is so quiet now. I love those Sisters so much and I will miss them. I think I sent a few pictures with a couple of them. We also had the new group of missionaries come in on Wednesday. We were so busy getting ready for them, I don't think I've had a normal study time for several days now.
On Sunday, Sherri Dew came and spoke to us for devotional. It was incredible. She is an incredible speaker (as we all know) and the Spirit was so strong. At one point she asked us all to stand up and she conducted us in "Hark All Ye Nations". While we sang I couldn't help but remember Tristan (or umm...ELDER STAPLEY) singing that same song in a broadcasted missionary fireside thing from a while ago. As I stood with all the missionaries and sang I felt the Spirit so strongly. I may or may not have cried.
Okay, now for the news you have all been waiting for. On Tuesday we had the general authority devotional. Sister Uhl and I (the other Sister Training Leader) went and picked up one of the new Sister Missionaries who came in early because she flew in from New Zealand. We took her and another Sister from Australia around and were their companions for a while and then went to the devotional. Luckily we found some other sisters from our Korean branch at the front of the line. So we were literally the first missionaries to walk in to the devotional. WE SAT IN THE THIRD ROW. The front rows were reserved for special guests so we were pretty much as close as you could get. Right in the center. In the third row. Tender mercy for sure. We sat and waited and sang for a while, and then in walked the MTC Presidency. And President Russell M. Nelson. SO COOL. He gave an AWESOME talk, the Spirit was so strong, and HE EVEN MADE EYE CONTACT WITH ME. HE LOOKED AT ME. Several times. Possibly one of the coolest experiences of my life. Anyway it was an awesome night.
Welcoming the new missionaries was so fun. Sister Uhl, Elder Miller and Elder Roper (the Zone leaders for our branch), and I welcomed them and led them around Wednesday night. I love them already. The four new Sisters are so sweet and I am so glad that I have this opportunity to serve them. It really makes everything so much better. Even though it has been busy and stressful I feel so happy and satisfied after serving other missionaries. I have been so blessed and humbled through this opportunity.
Our district has gotten even closer. I love them all so much! Today Sister Allred and I were even able to go to a session in the temple with Elder Miller and Elder Kahng. On Wednesday, our teachers Sister Gardner and Brother Campbell needed to welcome the new missionaries and were not able to teach us for a little bit. Brother Campbell asked me to lead the class until they came back, which I was a little worried about, but it was SO fun. We all taught each other a little bit, made some district and individual language plans and discussed a lot. We are such good friends and I will miss them all when we have to leave. At least the four of us Sisters will all be together in Busan!
Funny Korean moment. The other day, I wrote a sentence that was supposed to be "After death we go to the Spirit world". Sister Gardner was coming around to check our sentences, and when she read mine she laughed really hard. I changed ONE vowel in the word "death", somehow changing the sentence to "After KILLING we go to the Spirit world". Definitely should use that in a Plan of Salvation lesson.
Not much time left so I should get off. I have really learned so much about service and how much God really loves us this week. When I am focused on others, I am SO much happier and I feel charity so much more strongly. I know that Jesus Christ is leading this work. It is glorious and wonderful to me. As I teach about His gospel I feel so much more strongly how beautiful it is. I am so grateful to be here and have a part in this! I love the Lord!
I love you so much!!!
Sister Stapley
Yup. Romanization just looks weird. Oh well!
This has been a BIG week. It has been super busy and blessed. The group/districts above us left on Monday, and it was a very sad day. Our once loud Korean Residence hall is so quiet now. I love those Sisters so much and I will miss them. I think I sent a few pictures with a couple of them. We also had the new group of missionaries come in on Wednesday. We were so busy getting ready for them, I don't think I've had a normal study time for several days now.
On Sunday, Sherri Dew came and spoke to us for devotional. It was incredible. She is an incredible speaker (as we all know) and the Spirit was so strong. At one point she asked us all to stand up and she conducted us in "Hark All Ye Nations". While we sang I couldn't help but remember Tristan (or umm...ELDER STAPLEY) singing that same song in a broadcasted missionary fireside thing from a while ago. As I stood with all the missionaries and sang I felt the Spirit so strongly. I may or may not have cried.
Okay, now for the news you have all been waiting for. On Tuesday we had the general authority devotional. Sister Uhl and I (the other Sister Training Leader) went and picked up one of the new Sister Missionaries who came in early because she flew in from New Zealand. We took her and another Sister from Australia around and were their companions for a while and then went to the devotional. Luckily we found some other sisters from our Korean branch at the front of the line. So we were literally the first missionaries to walk in to the devotional. WE SAT IN THE THIRD ROW. The front rows were reserved for special guests so we were pretty much as close as you could get. Right in the center. In the third row. Tender mercy for sure. We sat and waited and sang for a while, and then in walked the MTC Presidency. And President Russell M. Nelson. SO COOL. He gave an AWESOME talk, the Spirit was so strong, and HE EVEN MADE EYE CONTACT WITH ME. HE LOOKED AT ME. Several times. Possibly one of the coolest experiences of my life. Anyway it was an awesome night.
Welcoming the new missionaries was so fun. Sister Uhl, Elder Miller and Elder Roper (the Zone leaders for our branch), and I welcomed them and led them around Wednesday night. I love them already. The four new Sisters are so sweet and I am so glad that I have this opportunity to serve them. It really makes everything so much better. Even though it has been busy and stressful I feel so happy and satisfied after serving other missionaries. I have been so blessed and humbled through this opportunity.
Our district has gotten even closer. I love them all so much! Today Sister Allred and I were even able to go to a session in the temple with Elder Miller and Elder Kahng. On Wednesday, our teachers Sister Gardner and Brother Campbell needed to welcome the new missionaries and were not able to teach us for a little bit. Brother Campbell asked me to lead the class until they came back, which I was a little worried about, but it was SO fun. We all taught each other a little bit, made some district and individual language plans and discussed a lot. We are such good friends and I will miss them all when we have to leave. At least the four of us Sisters will all be together in Busan!
Funny Korean moment. The other day, I wrote a sentence that was supposed to be "After death we go to the Spirit world". Sister Gardner was coming around to check our sentences, and when she read mine she laughed really hard. I changed ONE vowel in the word "death", somehow changing the sentence to "After KILLING we go to the Spirit world". Definitely should use that in a Plan of Salvation lesson.
Not much time left so I should get off. I have really learned so much about service and how much God really loves us this week. When I am focused on others, I am SO much happier and I feel charity so much more strongly. I know that Jesus Christ is leading this work. It is glorious and wonderful to me. As I teach about His gospel I feel so much more strongly how beautiful it is. I am so grateful to be here and have a part in this! I love the Lord!
I love you so much!!!
Sister Stapley