HEY!
It has been an INCREDIBLE week! On Monday we left Jinju and went over to Busan, I met up with my temporary companion, Sister Fiso (from Australia) and we went to her house. She is training too! We prepped her house and bought food, and then that night we went to the mission home and went with President and Sister Barrow to the train station to pick up a new sister coming in early. She has to wait for her visa before going and serving in the states, and so is being trained in Korea. It was super cool, as we were waiting for her at the train station with President and Sister Barrow, there was a woman nearby that Sister Fiso and I started talking to. Then President Barrow walked over and started proselyting with us! It was super fun, but a lot of pressure too! Anyway, we shared a message and gave the woman our card, and then the train came. The new sister is SO sweet! She served with Sister Fiso and I for the next day, until the rest of the trainees arrived. It was so fun! We really did a LOT of proselyting and less active finding in Busan.
Little surprising/funny story: When we dropped off the sister at the mission after the other missionaries arrived, we were able to say hi to them before running back home. They were all Koreans except one American, who when she saw me said, "Hey! I read your blog!" Pretty cool, huh?
On Wednesday all of the trainers went to the mission home, made our entrance (literally with the AP's banging a gong when they introduced each of us) and then we all went out for a proselyting activity. Super fun! It was weird to remember doing it in the opposite position just five months ago. After that we all had lunch together and then were given our companions! My companion is Sister Lee Won Ji. She is the BEST. I love her so darn much. She really doesn't speak any English, but we have really similar personalities and have a blast! She tries really hard, and while she is afraid to talk to people sometimes, always tries to do better. She is really musical, and plays piano, violin, flute, and gayageum (a traditional Korean instrument with two strings and a bow). She is really good! Her major is traditional Korean music. She has already taught me some of the gayageum :). SO FUN!
We have been ridiculously busy, but it has been good. We've been able to contact and set up appointments and things with a lot of people for next week, so it will be pretty busy too.
The Sacheon Elders had a baptism this Sunday! It was WONDERFUL. First baptism I've ever seen on my mission. I was trying so hard not to cry. Best thing was, we were able to get Kim Mi Li (who has a baptismal date set for the 27th) to come and see it. I think she thought it was a little weird, but wants to do it. She is awesome! Next week we are going to teach her the commandments and get her prepped for baptism. We are just praying that she keeps her commitments!
Training is super stressful, but is also really good. It's a good stress. While I need to do a lot more than before, I can feel God guiding me, helping me, and even calming me. Sister Lee is incredible, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve with her!
This Friday in district meeting, we made some really good goals for the transfer. We always try to make a baptism goal, and this time as we discussed about our vision of getting a baptism every week, we all decided to make a goal of six this transfer. It seems really insane, but we all felt very strongly that it is not just possible, but that we can really do it. After making this goal and really working hard and praying about it, we have already seen so many miracles in just the past few days. There is still a lot of work to go, but we can feel the Lord consecrating everything we do, and preparing people.
You are awesome! I love you!
Sister Stapley
It has been an INCREDIBLE week! On Monday we left Jinju and went over to Busan, I met up with my temporary companion, Sister Fiso (from Australia) and we went to her house. She is training too! We prepped her house and bought food, and then that night we went to the mission home and went with President and Sister Barrow to the train station to pick up a new sister coming in early. She has to wait for her visa before going and serving in the states, and so is being trained in Korea. It was super cool, as we were waiting for her at the train station with President and Sister Barrow, there was a woman nearby that Sister Fiso and I started talking to. Then President Barrow walked over and started proselyting with us! It was super fun, but a lot of pressure too! Anyway, we shared a message and gave the woman our card, and then the train came. The new sister is SO sweet! She served with Sister Fiso and I for the next day, until the rest of the trainees arrived. It was so fun! We really did a LOT of proselyting and less active finding in Busan.
Little surprising/funny story: When we dropped off the sister at the mission after the other missionaries arrived, we were able to say hi to them before running back home. They were all Koreans except one American, who when she saw me said, "Hey! I read your blog!" Pretty cool, huh?
On Wednesday all of the trainers went to the mission home, made our entrance (literally with the AP's banging a gong when they introduced each of us) and then we all went out for a proselyting activity. Super fun! It was weird to remember doing it in the opposite position just five months ago. After that we all had lunch together and then were given our companions! My companion is Sister Lee Won Ji. She is the BEST. I love her so darn much. She really doesn't speak any English, but we have really similar personalities and have a blast! She tries really hard, and while she is afraid to talk to people sometimes, always tries to do better. She is really musical, and plays piano, violin, flute, and gayageum (a traditional Korean instrument with two strings and a bow). She is really good! Her major is traditional Korean music. She has already taught me some of the gayageum :). SO FUN!
We have been ridiculously busy, but it has been good. We've been able to contact and set up appointments and things with a lot of people for next week, so it will be pretty busy too.
The Sacheon Elders had a baptism this Sunday! It was WONDERFUL. First baptism I've ever seen on my mission. I was trying so hard not to cry. Best thing was, we were able to get Kim Mi Li (who has a baptismal date set for the 27th) to come and see it. I think she thought it was a little weird, but wants to do it. She is awesome! Next week we are going to teach her the commandments and get her prepped for baptism. We are just praying that she keeps her commitments!
Training is super stressful, but is also really good. It's a good stress. While I need to do a lot more than before, I can feel God guiding me, helping me, and even calming me. Sister Lee is incredible, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve with her!
This Friday in district meeting, we made some really good goals for the transfer. We always try to make a baptism goal, and this time as we discussed about our vision of getting a baptism every week, we all decided to make a goal of six this transfer. It seems really insane, but we all felt very strongly that it is not just possible, but that we can really do it. After making this goal and really working hard and praying about it, we have already seen so many miracles in just the past few days. There is still a lot of work to go, but we can feel the Lord consecrating everything we do, and preparing people.
You are awesome! I love you!
Sister Stapley