HEY!
This was such a good week! There were some huge miracles and great experiences. I have also been transferred! I am going to miss Jinju and Sacheon so much. I love these people. They have become like my family. It is comforting to know that the Lord is guiding me and has things for me to do in this new area. I am now in Shinjeong, Ulsan. It is super city, and there are SO many more people than in either of my other two areas. I really love the country and the beauty I could see everyday, but it is also exciting to be in the city with stores and people and things moving. My companion, Sister Han, told me that it is a lot like Seoul. I am excited!
Back in Jinju, LEK is INCREDIBLE. We met with her again on Saturday and taught about the Restoration. We only planned on teaching part of it, but ended up teaching the whole thing and more because she wanted to know more. We talked a lot about the Spirit, and she told us that when she met with us she felt really good. She knows it is the Spirit. We then asked if she would prepare to be baptized on May 28th, and she told us that she will! Actually, she said, "My heart is ready, but I don't know about the commandments yet. I want to know and be keeping all the commandments before I am baptized." Honestly I was dumbfounded. She is PERFECT. She came to church on Sunday, stayed through all three hours, and for a little music activity we did after church. The members have been INCREDIBLE in helping her. Many came and talked to her, invited her to their houses for activities and dinners, and planned fun things with her. Since it was Elder Schwarze and my last day in Jinju, some families did a big dinner thing and invited us and LEK to come. It was the best day. One of the sisters even hid a container of Korean side dishes in LEK's bag after they heard she was living alone at college. That was really one of the best days of my mission so far. Before we said goodbye, LEK gave me a cute letter she wrote and asked me to come back and visit for her baptism. I've only known this girl for two weeks, and already she is one of my best friends. Missionary work is incredible.
Before I left Sister Lee and I were able to play in a little music activity after church. She was on Hayegeum and I did violin. It was a lot of fun, and I could tell it meant a lot to the members. Our Bishop loves music and has a ridiculous singing voice (seriously the best), and he got so excited when he heard us play during practice. I am grateful I was able to share something with these members before I left!
I am also going to miss Sister Lee Won Ji A TON. She is so sweet and has grown SO much. She has been nervous to end training, but I know she will see many miracles during her service. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I've had to train her. I have learned SO MUCH. When we said goodbye to each other, I did a typical Stapley thing and bawled. It is sad to move on, but I am happy to keep serving the Lord. Also, Sister Phillips, who was with me in the MTC, is Sister Lee's follow-up trainer! Super cool.
My new companion, Sister Han Sang Eun, is Korean but grew up in the states. She speaks Korean really well. She was one of Sister Lee's companions in the MTC, and was my last companion, Sister Call's, trainee. I remember doing the proselyting activity with her when she first came to the mission. I am excited to serve with her in Shinjeong! Shinjeong is a little area in Ulsan. It was actually closed down for sisters a couple of transfers ago, and then Sister Call went with Sister Han and opened it again. I heard it is still pretty slow, and that there is a lot of finding to be done but in the hour that I have been here, we already talked with a man who showed up at the church recently and wants to meet. We got his contact and will give it to the elders. We have two teams of elders here, and one of the teams are the Zone Leaders. They are good elders that I have served with before, and I am excited! We are going to be seeing miracles in Shinjeong!
I am so grateful for the Lord preparing people and preparing us. I was really able to see that with LEK, and I know we will see it here.
I love you!!!
Sister Stapley
This was such a good week! There were some huge miracles and great experiences. I have also been transferred! I am going to miss Jinju and Sacheon so much. I love these people. They have become like my family. It is comforting to know that the Lord is guiding me and has things for me to do in this new area. I am now in Shinjeong, Ulsan. It is super city, and there are SO many more people than in either of my other two areas. I really love the country and the beauty I could see everyday, but it is also exciting to be in the city with stores and people and things moving. My companion, Sister Han, told me that it is a lot like Seoul. I am excited!
Back in Jinju, LEK is INCREDIBLE. We met with her again on Saturday and taught about the Restoration. We only planned on teaching part of it, but ended up teaching the whole thing and more because she wanted to know more. We talked a lot about the Spirit, and she told us that when she met with us she felt really good. She knows it is the Spirit. We then asked if she would prepare to be baptized on May 28th, and she told us that she will! Actually, she said, "My heart is ready, but I don't know about the commandments yet. I want to know and be keeping all the commandments before I am baptized." Honestly I was dumbfounded. She is PERFECT. She came to church on Sunday, stayed through all three hours, and for a little music activity we did after church. The members have been INCREDIBLE in helping her. Many came and talked to her, invited her to their houses for activities and dinners, and planned fun things with her. Since it was Elder Schwarze and my last day in Jinju, some families did a big dinner thing and invited us and LEK to come. It was the best day. One of the sisters even hid a container of Korean side dishes in LEK's bag after they heard she was living alone at college. That was really one of the best days of my mission so far. Before we said goodbye, LEK gave me a cute letter she wrote and asked me to come back and visit for her baptism. I've only known this girl for two weeks, and already she is one of my best friends. Missionary work is incredible.
Before I left Sister Lee and I were able to play in a little music activity after church. She was on Hayegeum and I did violin. It was a lot of fun, and I could tell it meant a lot to the members. Our Bishop loves music and has a ridiculous singing voice (seriously the best), and he got so excited when he heard us play during practice. I am grateful I was able to share something with these members before I left!
I am also going to miss Sister Lee Won Ji A TON. She is so sweet and has grown SO much. She has been nervous to end training, but I know she will see many miracles during her service. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I've had to train her. I have learned SO MUCH. When we said goodbye to each other, I did a typical Stapley thing and bawled. It is sad to move on, but I am happy to keep serving the Lord. Also, Sister Phillips, who was with me in the MTC, is Sister Lee's follow-up trainer! Super cool.
My new companion, Sister Han Sang Eun, is Korean but grew up in the states. She speaks Korean really well. She was one of Sister Lee's companions in the MTC, and was my last companion, Sister Call's, trainee. I remember doing the proselyting activity with her when she first came to the mission. I am excited to serve with her in Shinjeong! Shinjeong is a little area in Ulsan. It was actually closed down for sisters a couple of transfers ago, and then Sister Call went with Sister Han and opened it again. I heard it is still pretty slow, and that there is a lot of finding to be done but in the hour that I have been here, we already talked with a man who showed up at the church recently and wants to meet. We got his contact and will give it to the elders. We have two teams of elders here, and one of the teams are the Zone Leaders. They are good elders that I have served with before, and I am excited! We are going to be seeing miracles in Shinjeong!
I am so grateful for the Lord preparing people and preparing us. I was really able to see that with LEK, and I know we will see it here.
I love you!!!
Sister Stapley