Hey!!!
Last week, we went to Eworld, and it was WONDERFUL. Seriously. So much fun. There was one roller coaster that we went on that was SO SCARY. I think it was the only time on a roller coaster where I really couldn't breathe. All I could do was half scream, half gasp. The first time we went on it was with all of the sisters in the Zone, and the second time was with everyone who had the guts to go. There were two of the elders in front of me that time, and it was funny to hear them scream. Heh heh.
This has been a really good week with commitments in Gyeongsan. On Monday night we had a lesson with OJW, and she told us that she had prayed by herself once! For some reason she isn’t comfortable praying by herself. It's a start. Also, NKL kept a commitment for the first time EVER. YAAYY!!! She even read the entire pamphlet instead of just a part of it like we asked her to. Super good. It may not seem like much but it was progress for her. I was so happy! Now we just have to get her to actually pray. LSH, though, prayed every day this last week!
On Tuesday we went with the Elders and met a woman that they had met street boarding one time. She was super nice and wanted to meet with us for lunch. When we met her, she was SO nice, and just perfect. Almost too perfect. She talked about how she wanted to take us out for lunch because we are chosen by God. The whole second half of the meeting was her firing off questions about the gospel, but somehow immediately understanding everything that we taught and never getting to deep into it all, just throwing out another question. She was so nice, but the whole time I had a feeling that something was off. Like she was lying to us. When we all talked about it afterwards, Elder Hong said that he had the same feeling. There is a church here in Korea where the members literally try to trick missionaries and people from other churches, and try to tear other churches apart from the inside. We are not sure if that is the kind of church she could be from, but we just feel like something is not right. We are going to be really wary about it all. Too bad!
On Wednesday and Thursday I went on exchanges in Sangin, the other area in our district. I have done exchanges there once before, and it was SO good this time. I was with a sister that is leaving to go home this next week, and I have really been wanting to serve with. She is awesome. I have never worked so hard. We walked around and proselyted pretty much the whole day, and talked literally everyone that we could. We got several contacts and talked a lot of lessons, and gave close to 30 or 40 "A Savior is Born" cards in all. That evening we did Book of Mormon sticker boarding, gave out all of the copies we had, and I got to talk to some people that seemed really interested. As I watched one woman walk away I could see she was reading the Book of Mormon I gave her, all the way down the street until she walked out of my sight. It felt so good. The next day, we taught a lesson to two English interest people, and committed them both to a baptismal date next month! It was wonderful. Goodness, I want to teach them. It would be cool if I could go to Sangin later!
Weirdest commitment I've ever given: for LSH to wash his dog. The poor thing was so dirty and miserable that it couldn't even sit down comfortably. Another commitment that he kept though! It was a lot cleaner on Saturday when we taught again.
I decorated the Christmas tree for the branch this week. So fun. It was a little bit of a struggle at first because the main decorations they had from the past years were horrible pinkish purple balls. Nope. Luckily we had bought some red and gold balls from the dollar store here (Daiso) and so I just went ahead and used those. It looks decent! Definitely uppin' the Christmas spirit. We also wrapped a bunch of fake presents and have been finishing up the snowflakes to hang.
On Friday we went to a big lunch at the branch president's house, which his wife put on to try to introduce her friend to us and the Relief Society sisters. It was good and we were able to invite her to the Christmas party. The only awkward part was when she handed her baby to me, and I had to try to explain to her how missionaries aren't allowed to hold children...all the while awkwardly holding her child and trying to hand him back to her. So stressful.
We have had so many new people come to English class the past few weeks. On Saturday we had two new members-one of which was a Chinese woman. We will have to try to get her and PND together (who we FINALLY got in contact with again).
This week I had the most expensive I have ever and possibly will ever eat. After teaching LSH on Saturday, his mom wanted to take us out for dinner. Let me explain a little before continuing: his mom is loaded. She is super rich. I have gone out with her once before and she took us to get a really expensive seafood soup (which at the cheapest is around $50 or so.) On Saturday we got into her fancy car, and then went to a nice kalbi restaurant. She went all out. She ordered two of the nicest meat they had (seriously the most delicious meat I have ever eaten), a ton of side dishes, three big soup servings, super fancy rice for each of us in a big stone bowl, and then ordered ANOTHER thing of the meat. It was divine. So good. I am trying not to let myself think about how much it must have cost. I'm not even going to guess. Just so you know, Mom and Dad, I am being well fed here in Korea.
I have been studying a lot about patience lately, especially in connection with faith. The two really go together, and it has been so interesting. As I have been working to be patient in ALL things, I can feel my faith grow, and I also can feel the Lord's approval as I work. It is so good! I will definitely write more about it next time.
I love you all so much!!! You are incredible!
Sister Stapley
Last week, we went to Eworld, and it was WONDERFUL. Seriously. So much fun. There was one roller coaster that we went on that was SO SCARY. I think it was the only time on a roller coaster where I really couldn't breathe. All I could do was half scream, half gasp. The first time we went on it was with all of the sisters in the Zone, and the second time was with everyone who had the guts to go. There were two of the elders in front of me that time, and it was funny to hear them scream. Heh heh.
This has been a really good week with commitments in Gyeongsan. On Monday night we had a lesson with OJW, and she told us that she had prayed by herself once! For some reason she isn’t comfortable praying by herself. It's a start. Also, NKL kept a commitment for the first time EVER. YAAYY!!! She even read the entire pamphlet instead of just a part of it like we asked her to. Super good. It may not seem like much but it was progress for her. I was so happy! Now we just have to get her to actually pray. LSH, though, prayed every day this last week!
On Tuesday we went with the Elders and met a woman that they had met street boarding one time. She was super nice and wanted to meet with us for lunch. When we met her, she was SO nice, and just perfect. Almost too perfect. She talked about how she wanted to take us out for lunch because we are chosen by God. The whole second half of the meeting was her firing off questions about the gospel, but somehow immediately understanding everything that we taught and never getting to deep into it all, just throwing out another question. She was so nice, but the whole time I had a feeling that something was off. Like she was lying to us. When we all talked about it afterwards, Elder Hong said that he had the same feeling. There is a church here in Korea where the members literally try to trick missionaries and people from other churches, and try to tear other churches apart from the inside. We are not sure if that is the kind of church she could be from, but we just feel like something is not right. We are going to be really wary about it all. Too bad!
On Wednesday and Thursday I went on exchanges in Sangin, the other area in our district. I have done exchanges there once before, and it was SO good this time. I was with a sister that is leaving to go home this next week, and I have really been wanting to serve with. She is awesome. I have never worked so hard. We walked around and proselyted pretty much the whole day, and talked literally everyone that we could. We got several contacts and talked a lot of lessons, and gave close to 30 or 40 "A Savior is Born" cards in all. That evening we did Book of Mormon sticker boarding, gave out all of the copies we had, and I got to talk to some people that seemed really interested. As I watched one woman walk away I could see she was reading the Book of Mormon I gave her, all the way down the street until she walked out of my sight. It felt so good. The next day, we taught a lesson to two English interest people, and committed them both to a baptismal date next month! It was wonderful. Goodness, I want to teach them. It would be cool if I could go to Sangin later!
Weirdest commitment I've ever given: for LSH to wash his dog. The poor thing was so dirty and miserable that it couldn't even sit down comfortably. Another commitment that he kept though! It was a lot cleaner on Saturday when we taught again.
I decorated the Christmas tree for the branch this week. So fun. It was a little bit of a struggle at first because the main decorations they had from the past years were horrible pinkish purple balls. Nope. Luckily we had bought some red and gold balls from the dollar store here (Daiso) and so I just went ahead and used those. It looks decent! Definitely uppin' the Christmas spirit. We also wrapped a bunch of fake presents and have been finishing up the snowflakes to hang.
On Friday we went to a big lunch at the branch president's house, which his wife put on to try to introduce her friend to us and the Relief Society sisters. It was good and we were able to invite her to the Christmas party. The only awkward part was when she handed her baby to me, and I had to try to explain to her how missionaries aren't allowed to hold children...all the while awkwardly holding her child and trying to hand him back to her. So stressful.
We have had so many new people come to English class the past few weeks. On Saturday we had two new members-one of which was a Chinese woman. We will have to try to get her and PND together (who we FINALLY got in contact with again).
This week I had the most expensive I have ever and possibly will ever eat. After teaching LSH on Saturday, his mom wanted to take us out for dinner. Let me explain a little before continuing: his mom is loaded. She is super rich. I have gone out with her once before and she took us to get a really expensive seafood soup (which at the cheapest is around $50 or so.) On Saturday we got into her fancy car, and then went to a nice kalbi restaurant. She went all out. She ordered two of the nicest meat they had (seriously the most delicious meat I have ever eaten), a ton of side dishes, three big soup servings, super fancy rice for each of us in a big stone bowl, and then ordered ANOTHER thing of the meat. It was divine. So good. I am trying not to let myself think about how much it must have cost. I'm not even going to guess. Just so you know, Mom and Dad, I am being well fed here in Korea.
I have been studying a lot about patience lately, especially in connection with faith. The two really go together, and it has been so interesting. As I have been working to be patient in ALL things, I can feel my faith grow, and I also can feel the Lord's approval as I work. It is so good! I will definitely write more about it next time.
I love you all so much!!! You are incredible!
Sister Stapley