The first (Real) transfer call

Lets be honest folks, especially all those of you who actually served missions: The first transfer call that comes isn't the real one. Training lasts 12 weeks, and halfway through someone calls to remind you that you're only halfway done. Of course everyone else in the district gets anxious, and worries, and cries in their pillow, etc, but you know as a greenie its just some random call from the APs who probably want us to do something we forgot to do. 

The real transfer call came this week... But before I tell you the result I will tell you EVERYTHING else that happened this week!! Don't scroll down to the bottom, that's cheating. I love you, but that's cheating.

So! This week we met with a referral and she's awesome, and prepared, and all the icing on all the cake. She may have a teensy 술 problem, but hey, we can do anything with faith. She took us to eat Kimchi stew with her. It was so good. I love that stuff. The owner of the restaurant gave us cider (soda) for free because she's friends with the Investigator, and because she liked that I spoke Korean. XD So cute.

We were visiting a member and her daughter passed her driving test so she bought us all ice cream. Heck yeah. It was so good!!! While we were at that member's house sister Bae got a call from President Morrise about the fact that she can play violin. Apparently a Bishop in a different ward was looking for musically talented missionaries. Ever since that call both of us have been talking about what we would do if she transferred.

We had Zone conference this week, and the STLs asked us to take pictures of our house because we were having a cleanliness competition between all the houses in the Zone. Our house was dang clean. We didn't win, but that's cool. We won in my heart haha. <3

A member invited our district for lunch. He took us to a super fancy buffet place. It was sooooooo good. And probably sooooooo expensive. I ate well. I eat so well here haha.

Ah an Elder in my district is going home this week, so we had a party in English class for him. Bye bye Elder! It was fun, we ate cheesecake. When we asked the other Elders that bought it if Elder Matthews (The leaving Elder) liked cheesecake he responded "I don't know if he likes it, but I do!" We laughed about it. Gratefully, Elder Matthews likes cheesecake.

Sister Bae asked me if I could teach her how to sing. This week we are learning the difference between using your nose when you talk/sing and using your throat. Our activity was to plug our noses and still talk normally to practice control. It was really funny because both of us sat in our chairs holding our noses and talking really funny. XD

This week was conference!!!!!!

I LOVE CONFERENCE SO TRIPPING MUCH AAAAHHHHHHHHHH 

Its like Christmas for me. I'm such a church nerd. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Yeah so this was by far the most interesting conference I've ever had. The first day was pretty normal. Everyone was kind of tripping about transfer calls though. I didn't really think much of it. So GC day one came and went. We both got inspiration for our investigator, and got tons of answers to questions. It was so great. You should all tell me what your favorite talks were! 

After conference the we watched the women's conference with the STLs. They hadn't eaten all day, so they came to our house for dinner then waited there to get transfer calls. We had  a great dinner, and then I sang a song from a musical I was in for them. We all talked a laughed together, I think it helped Sister Fuller feel better. She's been in her greenie area for 3 or 4 transfers now and was sure she would leave. 

Then calls came. It felt like an eternity. 

And the result:

Sister Fuller: Transfer to be in a threesome

Sister Langi: Training

Sister Bae : Stays and her new companion is Sister Morris

Sister Brooksby: Opens the 평택 area. Her new companion will be Sister 황지원

So, yes. I'm leaving 곡반정 area. It carries quite a load of mixed feelings, I'll tell you that much. I really liked it here, but you know I'm also ready to move on and do new things, see new places! The area I'm transferring to was closed last transfer because there weren't enough sisters, and we are opening it again now. So, my future companion and I have our work cut out for us. My future companion has quite a few health problems and has been in and out of the hospital because of her ankles, but according to the report of everyone else, she's a great, really sweet missionary. I really look forward to it.

Time to go investigator hunting!!!!

Well, kind of needless to say, the next day watching Conference was completely different. My whole world was different. I was learning completely different things and feeling completely different things. My favorite talk by far was Elder Holland. That man is a miracle among men. I'm pretty sure we can just consider him the modern day Captain Moroni.

I've included a lovely picture as a tribute to his talk.

The washer decides to take over.

This week has been great! A little longer than usually it feels like, but still went by much faster than at home! This week we were able to see a lot of great miracles! At least, I guess that’s how I see them. Honestly life is so much more fun if you see all the little blessings as moments of miracles, then when those big miracles come along we can appreciate them that much more! Not to mention it makes life more enjoyable because you always see the great things God is doing for you!

Right, so, this week was awesome. Last week we started teaching a new investigator, sister 조. She’s awesome! She’s also a great missionary, she works really hard to bring other people to English class and to meet with us for the 30:30 program. When we first met she felt a bit of 부담 (burden, there's not really a direct translation in English, its kind of like feeling pressured to do something), but this last time when we met her she asked a bunch of really great questions. When we told her about prophets she immediately asked “Is there a prophet living today??” And when we explained that we had received an answer for ourselves the Gospel is true she said “That’s so amazing!” Then we told her “You can too!” She asked “How????” So she’s progressing really well. She texted us the night after we met the second time and said “I was having a bad day, so I sad an extra long prayer, and I felt peace.” It was great!

On another occasion, we were coming back from something and my companion asked "should we go on the bus or the subway?" and then she headed for the subway, but then suddenly changed her mind and we went on the bus. We had to transfer buses, so while we were sitting at the bus stop  a woman got off a bus and stood by us. We greeted her. A few minutes later she turned to me and asked in English “Do you have a worship service?” And I responded that we did. We talked about the church, what time it started, and using the Restoration pamphlet explained the service and classes. We took the same bus and she said she would be interested in attending church with us. Something she said that stuck out to me was “I can see it in your face, I know you follow Christ.” It made me feel special. Apparently she lived in America for a long time and gets along better with, and feels comfortable around Americans. 

Yesterday we had a special fast. One of our investigators isn’t progressing. She likes to learn, and she loves the missionaries, but she isn’t making spiritual progress. So, my companion and I decided that in order to continue teaching her she needs an immediate support system. We decided to try and teach her mom. Her mom doesn’t have a religion, but she really wants her to believe in God. So, we focused on that desire and asked her to fast for her mother. We fasted for the mission, and also fasted for her mother. 

She fasted with us from Saturday to Sunday. And this week we hope to be able to meet her and her mother together with the blessing of the Lord. Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without fasting. I mean, I love prayer, and it’s a great way to ask God for help, but to some extent you can only get so many blessings from prayer. I love the opportunity to show my obedience and faith in ways more than just words. It also helps to know that there is something special I can do for my special needs. Really, fasting is God’s great blessing to us. 

Friday we visited a member and practiced a song for sacrament meeting together. Though we are not sure if we can do it because there is only time to do it after transfers and we don’t know if I’ll be here. Though the dad, is lobbying for me to stay here because the Stake presidency wants me to sing ‘Amazing Grace’ in Korean and English (they’ve already decided the order haha) at Stake Conference. Anyway, while at their house we were practicing. The mom is a great missionary! She had her daughter bring some food to their neighbor, and then when the neighbor brought the bowls back she had her come in and listen to us practice and talked to her about English class and stuff. She’s really great! I love the members here, they are all so awesome. Really, missionary work goes well when the members are involved. Especially those members who know how to invite without fear. 

Recently the Mission leader here has been into proselyting together with the missionaries. Last week we tried to sing at a park, but we didn’t prepare well, so it didn’t go nearly as well as it could have. I do have to say though; singing is a great way to get into people’s hearts. This week we went sticker boarding together.

Another thing I’ve been thinking about this week is having faith in God. But not just in the usual sense. I know he’s there, I know he loves us. I know all that. I testify of that every day. But recently while teaching Sister 조 I have been putting my faith in His ability and desire to answer prayers. I’ve always promised people “You’ll get an answer; you’ll know he’s there.” But I’ve never heard until now from the mouth of an investigator that they’ve felt a peace, that they’ve experienced something they have never felt before. It’s really an amazing feeling. 

There's a PI that calls me 'Brookie' so now my companion started using it haha.

So our washer was being super odd and not draining water for the longest time and we didn't know why, so we called and the lady on the phone told my companion to pull this thing off at the bottom and turn a knob. 

What the lady failed to tell my companion is that once you turn the knob all the water that's in the washer decides it wants to be out of the washer. So, we had a lovely little pool in our laundry room and my companion was like "Bowls!!! Bowls!!! I need bowls!!!!" 

It took a long time to clean it up. 

At least we cleaned the filter and the washer works now! XD

I want to ask all of you to hit 'reply all' on this email and share some experiences of when you've fasted and seen blessings!!!! :) Thanks muchly! I love you all!!