But I emailed... yesterday...? Sept 5th 2016

It really feels like I wrote and email just yesterday! This week went by amazingly fast! 

Today marks the last week I have with Sister Park before she heads off to the MTC! She's going to do great and I am sad to see her go. ㅠㅠ 

So! This week!

When I reviewed my journal this week I found out that I did, in fact, do things. I will endeavor to tell you what some of those things are.

On Monday we had FHE with a family in the ward. They are awesome! The epitome of the role model humble family! Their 10-year-old son is such a spiritual giant! He reminds me of Elias. He shared how when he prayed he didn't think much of it, but one day he was worried about what happens after we die, so he asked his dad who explained, and then told him that if he wanted to know for himself he needed to pray about it with faith. He said that he prayed and felt the spirit and has a great testimony of God now! Such a cool kid. 

We met some JW the other day. Nice people. Talked about... I forget. The one lady was like "Mormons!" And we were like "Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!" That's so much shorter in Korean. XD

We got an online referral the other day for a girl who lives in Osan. We got the apartment number and name, but not the area the apartment is in, and there are 5 apartments with the same name in Osan, so we got to go on an Osan tour trying to find her! Quite the fun time. Still haven't found her. 

Sister Park and I went to go eat food before English class on Wednesday and while we were eating at one point she just stared at me for a long time then I asked why and she started crying! AWwww Sister Park~ She was sad she would be leaving. She cried so much she had rivers coming out her nose and then she sniffed and it made a bubble and suddenly we were both laughing! Funny memories, for sure. Later on she was trying to learn some English expressions, of of them being "That stinks" and I was trying to give her an example so I said "If I say 'my dog died' you say that stinks" And she wrote it down, but she wrote it down as in the phrase My dog died=That stinks. So maybe if we hadn't corrected it someone would have told her something sad and she would have responded "My dog died." Hehehehehe

The guy we met last Tuesday while contacting came to our English class and brought someone with him! It was great to see someone Sister Park contacted come to class! She was able to feel really good about it as well~

Thursday night/Friday I was down all with a fever! Not fun. My companion and I were joking about how after I get over one health related obstacle another one follows right behind! I'm almost over the cold, who knows whats next? :P

We had a great experience with one of our younger investigators! We had met her a few times with not much progression, but we had shared a lot of testimonies and experiences about how we got answers to our prayers, and we had continually invited her to pray for things she needed. This week when we met something about her seemed brighter. As we started the lesson she shared that she had lost her headphones and looked for a long time to find them but couldn't, and then she remembered what we had taught her about prayer. So she said a prayer and was able to find them! She said she felt really good~ Its so great to see her become happier and light come into her life as she works to apply the things she's been learning! :D

We met with a recent convert and after, the member we met her with asked me about my family rules. I told her about how strict my parents were on me when I was little and she responded that she would really like to meet my dad and that my parents are amazing. She told me a few days later "I told my son about your family rules and then I told him 'In Korea there are not a lot of rules in families, and we have lots of rules, but we don't have as many as Sister Brooksby, so we are just in the middle, so you can be grateful for our rules and follow them.' And then suddenly our rules didn't seem so bad!" So funny XD

On saturday we planned on going sticker boarding with the Elders, but on the way they cancelled, so we went to go eat dinner, but at the place we wanted to go there was a huge festival going down! A bunch of people were everywhere! It was crazy! The street was totally blocked off, and it was hard not to lose Sister Park! We eventually made our way to the place we wanted to eat. It was packed, so we waited outside and I started talking to a sister and her family. She asked if the church was still there and if we still called it a ward. Turns out she was baptized 10+ years ago! She attended for a few years and then stopped. It was a crazy miracle that we went there and met her that day!! Really cool. God really does lead us to where we need to be, even if it means He leads us with our tummies!

We went to stake conference yesterday. It was a special stake conference where 4 stakes got combined! The Suwon and Youngdong stakes are now the Kyunggi stake, and the Anyang and Seoul South stake are combined to make... Something? Hehe not sure. Anyway, super cool meeting, a bunch of church leaders came and spoke. :) We also got to see a lot of people we haven't seen in forever! That was fun.^^ Always cool to see old faces!

I think that is all I have to report. Hey life is fun guys, don't forget~ 

Do each of you find joy in the gospel? If not, its not a problem with the gospel, I guarantee it! ;) God intended for us to find joy in every step of our journey, and that's the thing with the word 'find', its there, its just our job to see it!! How hard are you looking? And are you willing to look harder? ;) I love you all! I love this gospel! I love my Savior, brother, friend, Jesus Christ. 

I Spent Half The Week On The Subway Aug 29th 2016

Heyyyy everyone! Friends! Romans! You know, all that jazz.

What's uppppp?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Life is good here on this side of the field. And true to the form of the title, I think I spent half of this week (not to mention money) on the subway! I'll let you all know why.

First off, last Monday we got together as a zone and had a water fight. It was fun. We changed our clothes after and I realized I brought everything I needed... Except a skirt.... That was slightly unfortunate! So yeah... Just wore my wet shorts... That was fun haha.

Monday night the Elders practiced the visa interview with Sister Park. She was nervous, but it was great to have her practice with them so she could try to explain and answer as best she could. 

On Tuesday we went to proselyte with the mission presidents wife! She is fairly new to the mission, and doesn't speak Korean, so it was quite the fun experience! When we arrived at Pyeongtaek station we asked her which of the 5 streets we should go down, she said #2 so we headed that way, but when she looked down #3 she said "Should we just go that way? There are more people?" And I responded "Well, sometimes its more important to go the right way than go the way with a lot of people, where do you think the Spirit wants us to go?" She thought for a moment, then we went down street #2 like we had planned! We ended up finding someone who was very interested in our English class and wanted to take 2 friends with him! It was a great miracle to meet him! Sister Turner said she really enjoyed the experience! She bought us ice cream^^

Last time we had District meeting as part of our get to know each other activity we all said our favorite Juicy (A popular juice store) flavors. This week, our DL brought us all our favorite flavors!!!!!! Woo hoo!!! It was great~~~ 

Right after DM we had to go to the dentist so Sister Park could get one of her wisdom teeth pulled. We were almost late, we ended up RUNNING to the dentists office. Twas fun. Its crazy though, in Korea they just pull it out and eat whatever after. Its like not even a big deal. Its also super cheap to pull them. Roughly $20. Craziest thing. Some members had come the dentist the same time we did, which was crazy and totally unplanned, but great! They were able to take us back to the church in their car and we didn't have to ride the subway for almost 2 hours to get back! :D :D Miracles! 

Sister Park takes her medicine and gets loopy XD XD XD Supppperrrr funny.

Thursday we went up to the Seoul mission!!!! Super fun haha. We went to the embassy so that my companion could do her visa interview. She was very nervous. She went in, and I sat outside (alone!!!!) for an hour and waited. When she got out she was beaming from ear to ear! (Or ear to almost ear, because her face was slightly swollen on one side!) She passed her interview! It helped that the interviewer, though not a member, thought very highly of our church and missionary work. :)

We went to the mission office in the Seoul mission to take care of some documents and such. Turns out the office is located in a church I visited a year and a half ago when I came to Korea with my family! It was quite the trip down memory lane! I saw a lot of places I went a year and a half ago, but with new eyes! 

Friday the Bastians (couple missionary, also related to me) came to do a house inspection and talk to us. We had a good time, then showed them the way to the Elder's house. On the way I was teaching Elder Bastian how to use the phone and how to type in Korean. He said I needed to be transferred to the area they serve in so I can help him out with more stuff! Hehe they're awesome!

We went to visit a Less Active a few nights ago. When we got to the house we saw a sign that said "There's a baby inside! Don't ring the doorbell, just knock!" So we said a prayer and then, without thinking (out of habit), I rang the doorbell. Then I looked at the sign again, at my companion and thought "Oh trip." So then I ran away hahaha. She was like "Where are you going?!?!" The only thing I was thinking was "I don't want an angry mother to come out and see two missionaries standing there, smiling, having probably just woken her sleeping child". 

Gratefully, no one came to the door. No one seemed to be home. I think its one of the few times on my mission I've been grateful we haven't met the person behind the door. Phew. God's plan really is perfect, he even covers up in advance for funny mistakes! 

Saturday we woke up early and walked to the Osan base. We met some brothers there and were escorted inside. We walked to the football field and there we played ultimate frisbee with the branch members! Sister Park and I were the only girls there :P We had fun though. I did nothing but run for an hour and a half and my legs are still killing me! 

After, we didn't have time for anything else we went straight to the other American base and did a service project called "Troops for Trash" where we walk around picking up trash on the ground. It was a lot of fun! We also met a lot of cool people! We talked to two people who were really good potential investigators for the Elders! When the Elders showed up they talked to them and got their numbers! It was great! Service really is a great way to get to know people and talk  to them!

I got a sunburn on my face haha. 

I think that's about all the news  from this week! 

I love you all and I am so happy to be here in Korea serving my mission!

I'm especially happy I'm serving. Coming out on a mission to serve really does make all the difference. Teaching is good, inviting is good, its all good. Serving though, serving is what makes me the most happy. Don't forget to serve. Even if its the little things. Doing those little things is what makes us happy. Its worth it.

A part of my email to the mission president:

"We had another great experience during our zone 전도 activity yesterday! We did Zone bingo! Sister Tuaputa and I were assigned to be companions for the activity and as soon as we started out we decided between going right or left. So, I said "Choose the right!" And off we went. We walked for a bit then I saw a lady and her friend talking outside a store, so I thought we should go up and talk to them and ask them if they'd take a selfie with us. They wouldn't take a selfie, but we ended up talking to them for 20 minutes! We found the owner of the store had lived in America for 9 months, and while there she was having a really hard time because she missed Korea. She's Buddhist, but during that hard time a neighbor invited her to church. She agreed to go. It turned out to be our church! She said when she went in and sat down and heard the music she started crying and felt so much peace and comfort. Because of that she went to church 4 times! Even though it took 2 hours to get there! So she thinks very highly of our church. It was a great experience! We told the sisters who serve in the area about her and we hope to see amazing things come of it! So cool to see how God truly does prepare people to hear the word!~"

He Called Me Old... Don't Call Me Old. Aug 21st 2016

Heyyyyyy friends, family, new faces! But you know, not really faces, because I currently cannot see your face. 

Its been another great week here in the land of the morning calm! But can I just say mornings here are never calm? Our alarm has decided to rebel this week and not go off in the mornings randomly. Its a thing. I think we fixed it though. Its a good thing our body clocks work, otherwise I would have had to do some serious repentance this entire week!

Last Monday Sister Park and I decided that, as per the norm, we would email, run errands, and then chill at home, but that didn't really work out. We ended up taking the subway to another area super far away to meet a sister who was going home. We were headed on just a normal subway when the announcement came on that the subway AC was broken so we would get off and transfer to another train at the next stop. So we got off and Sister Park walked across the platform to the other train, but I wanted to get on a rapid train, so we got off just before the doors closed and 3 minutes later a rapid train came and we were able to get to the other area on time! 

That night we had FHE with our ward mission leader and his family, along with the elders and their investigator! It was a bunch of fun. We played uno, and some other games and had yummy food. FHE is the best. True story folks.

We got to look at one of our members albums from her mission. Sister park and I looked at them and thought "Man, she takes so many fun pictures. We need to take more fun pictures." So we decided we would take a lot more fun pictures from now on. We want to have lots of fun hehe. Never underestimate the power of fun in missionary work. We need it. Otherwise we die.

Speaking of, any RM (Or current M) have any suggestions for making missionary work more fun?

During our district meeting one of the Elders asked me how long I have left in the mission. I told him a little over 11 months and he said "You're old! You're an old missionary." And I thought to myself, "No, no I'm not. Never say it, never think it. Its not a thing."

My companion was senior companion this week! She did a great job. And there were times when she did occasionally need my help, but otherwise she did awesome. One time in particular that was a great learning experience for her was when we wandered for an hour trying to find a house that you can get to in 10 minutes. I knew how to get there, but it was great to give her the map and let her work it out for herself, even if it meant our feet hurt just a little more. :) 

My companion got a call from the office this week and it appears that her visa is coming through! Its great news! We are both way happy! She has a visa interview this Thursday and if all goes well she will be headed to the MTC September 13th! Which means I am left companionless halfway through the transfer. I wonder what will happen next? XD 

So we went to go do visa stuff on the computer this week. We got most of it done then we needed a pic. Neither of us thought she would be taking a visa pic, and she was wearing a white shirt. So when we got there I gave her my brown undershirt and she took a pic wearing that then changed back. It was a lovely improv action. She still laments she didn't get to prepare to take the picture though XD 

We ate dinner with a less active family this week. We ate beef with them. Beef is ridiculously expensive in Korea, so it was a big deal. They also gave us "Beef sushi" and you know friends, I'm not one for super pink steak when it comes down to it, so eating straight up raw beef was not ever on my to do list, but it is now on my I did list. 

On Saturday we had our ward activity!!! WATER FIGHT!!! Twas a bunch of fun. I think it was the funnest ward activity I've attended as a missionary. I was thoroughly drenched and thoroughly tired, and today and yesterday we are all thoroughly sore! But it was great. 

A few of the members decided to go around putting ice down peoples shirts or pouring super cold water on them. When Sister Jin tried to do it to me I *avoided* her. She tried a few times before giving up and proclaiming (In English) that I am very "Shifty" and have a 6th sense for people trying to sneak up on me. 

Ah, I have to tell you all how the first act of watery violence began. 

It was me. Hehehehehehe.

We were all preparing the water balloons for the activity. There were some super huge balloons we filled up for a special game. One of the members' sons filled up the last one super big and laughed like a crazy guy as he carried it to the room we stored the balloons in. As he laughed, I laughed, and then took a pin and popped it right there in his hands. He was sooooooooooo SOAKED. It was great. 

Laughed forever.

Anyway, that was my week! Its supposed to cool down soon, which is great! Today we are having water games again with the missionaries in our zone! Its gonna be a blast! 

Love you all! 

Have a great week!

Stay cool ;)

Old Addresses... Mean It Was Wrecked! Aug 14th 2016

Hello everyone!

I hope you are all having a grand week! I know I am!

Well, of course I'm having a great week, it just started. That, and I'm a missionary. That's always a really great thing. Heyyy speaking of, I wanted to share a thought about missionaries. More especially about our roles as representatives of Jesus Christ. 

I felt strongly this morning the importance of our role as representatives of Christ and the great power and authority that comes from that. In the power of His name we promise people His church was restored, in the power of His name we claim the priesthood keys of salvation, in the power of His name we invite people to repent, and in His name we have the authority to preform miracles. I love it. 

Anyway! About that title, we've been visiting LA members the bishop asked us to, but the addresses are all super old and some of them are fields in the middle of nowhere. I'm really glad we decided to check the address for most of the people before we decided to wander in nowhere land forever. One of the houses we did go to was wrecked a long time ago and a completely different (kind of scary) building was put in its place! Always check beforehand, its a good idea. 

Last week we were walking to visit LAs and we got a call from the Elders, but when I said hello the person on the other end was an old man. That was a bit of a shock. Turns out the Elders dropped their phone(no idea how they didn't notice) in their apartment building and the security guy found it and called us to see if we knew the owner. 

It was quite the fiasco figuring out their address and then telling him. We told him and hung up and he called back 20 minutes later telling us it was wrong... But it was right. Then he asked me who I was and how I knew them and I told him I was American and before I could tell him how I knew them he said "Ah! Is this the phone of those two American young men? I see!" And then told me he knew how to get the phone to them. Apparently, he didn't know I was a foreigner even though we talked on the phone for 3 minutes. Success.

We had our 12 week meeting. Its a meeting halfway through the training process to help us continue to train well and give us advice and encouragement. It was really great. It was fun to be in the room with all the other missionaries who are training and hear their experiences and work with each other to make this experience better for us and our trainees!

We had DM on Wednesday. True to form the 안성 Elders were 45 minutes late, though I don't blame them, the live an hour and a half away. It was good though. Although the couple missionaries left last week so it felt so empty without the wisdom of our elder (no, not that kind of elder) missionaries.

We went to have a teaching evaluation with our STLs. Its always strange to go back to my first area. It was good. After, we ate porridge (because its the only thing I can eat right now) with all of them as a kind of farewell party! A lot of the sisters in our zone are going home next week. 

So in order to enjoy our missionary work a little more, my companion and I stand in a patch of shade (or walk through it very slowly) and then when we get to a patch of sun we run to the next patch of shade and say "We made it!" Its quite fun. It also helps us get our mind off the heat. It also attracts a lot of attention. I don't know if its a good thing or not, I think people could either think we are crazy, or maybe they could just think "Ah yes, servants of the Lord are having fun as they travel doing His work." I'd like to think positively about that.

We met two of our investigators (High school students) with some members on Saturday. The members were baptized around 2 years ago and though they are young they have a great desire to learn and do well. They always greet us so happily and love being with us. They really are amazing. Both of them have a great desire to be missionaries and I know they will do well. Its so inspiring to see their eagerness and love to learn the gospel! 

So, we were on the way back home with a member after visiting our recent convert. We got on the subway, and as we were going we realized we get on a rapid train on accident (For sure not the first or the last time that has happened. I'm blonde. Its a thing.) which was good because it went straight to the members house, but we had to cross to the other platform. So we got on the next train. 

When you get off at our home station car 4-1 lets you off right in front of the escalator. So, when we got on the train we went to the left to try and get to 4-1. We walked through two cars and when we got to the third someone said "Hello Sisters" We looked up, and there was a young Korean man standing there, smiling at us. He is in the army and arrived in Korea 5 days ago. He served in Daejon with my sister! When I told him, he was psyched! I don't know if he knew Haley well, but it was really cool to have met him on the train. He didn't know where the church was, but we were able to give him the Elders number so he could attend church. Super cool miracle. Funny story, he was with a friend and his friend was from NC! XD Crazy sauce.

We got transfer calls on Saturday. The AP said "You're transferring" and sister Park nearly had a panic attack before he told us he was joking. Then he asked us if we had any questions, so I asked "언제 죽어싶어요?" I'll let you all figure out what that means. 

Saturday was English day, which means praying in English. My companion prayed after our planning session and as soon as she finished she said "You need to teach me how to pray better!" To which I responded, "You're doing well! Don't be greedy!" 

She didn't know what greedy meant, so I spelled it out for her and told her to look it up in the dictionary. As I walked to go wash my face I heard her yell "I kill you!" 

Yesterday I wanted us to go to the Young womens class. So after 2nd hour I asked a sister where it was. She showed us the class, and opened the door, but it was dark inside. Not only that, the AC was running. All three of us were like "That was close!" Because no one would have gone into that room until next week. A miracle to save power! God really does watch out for even the little things. 

Besides that, I don't think there's much else to report. I'm having fun here, learning a lot, and doing a lot of fun stuffs. And missionary work. That's awesome. I hope you all are having a grand time! Have a good week! Don't forget to look up and be happy!  

I See Miracles More Often Than I See Pharmacies (And that's saying a lot) Aug 7th 2016

Heyyyyy everyone! Its been a tripping great, (and as you could probably tell by the title) miracle-filled week! Its also for sure that when there are a lot of miracles there are just as many trials to help remind us who's really in charge and how much we need His help! And boy, have we been getting His help!

Last Monday we went out to do something and as we left I had the feeling to ask my companion if she had the visiting teaching list. She looked confused. She had received it at church. Turns out she threw it away. So we went back inside and looked for it, we were able to find it which was great! 

We met an investigator this week who is having a hard time progressing. She likes meeting and things, but she's not been taking the action she needs in order to learn and grow. This week my companion and I both received the same inspiration for her- to teach baptisms for the dead. The lesson was great! Usually when we teach she didn't have many questions, and she didn't have much to say, but suddenly she had so many questions!!! She had such a desire to know what baptisms for the dead was and how she could do it! It was so great. Gotta keep following the Spirit!!!

We visited a sister and had a practice lesson with her. Before we met with her my companion was talking about how she wanted to eat chicken. When we met with the member, a delivery guy came to the door and lo and behold: Chicken! My little trainee was so very happy.^^

Wednesday we ate sooooooo much. We had meat with our ward mission leader, and I ate soooo much I was going to explode, then right after had a smoothie while we did our 12 week evaluation, then we ate watermelon with a LA then right after that we had dinner with another member. XD XD I was so full allllllllll day. 

During our lesson evaluation my companion was struggling to remember the things she had memorized. So I asked if we could say a quick prayer. We did. After, it was great to see her become happier as she remembered the things she learned and applied them in our teaching situation.

Thursday we were headed out to go to Zone Training when my companion was looking for our mission hymn. She looked for a long time and couldn't find it. So I suggested we pray. At first she was a little hesitant, but we prayed and she looked again. Just as she was about to give up she looked in a book she had already looked through and was able to find it. She was so amazed! She couldn't stop smiling about it and looking at me like I was an alien that fell from space and told her I would give her super powers. 

We were on the subway headed to ZT when Sister Park spilled her ice cream all over her hands. Neither of us had a tissue or anything so I asked some girls and they didn't have any, so we just decided not to worry about it when suddenly the man who was sitting down next to the girls stood up and went somewhere, then he came back and magically had tissues which he gave to us! God really does look out for us, even in little, seemingly trivial matters.

This past 3 weeks we have been doing a SYL (Speak your language) competition in the zone. Everyone sends in what % they've used the mission language this week and we see who has the highest percentage. We got placed based on individual, companionship, and district scores. Our companionship was 2nd place! As far as individuals go... Yours truly was 1st place in the zone! ;) Super great. I got a crown, necklace, pretty mug and everything.

We ate Outback Steakhouse with an investigator on Friday. It was the day we got a message from the higher ups that we were not allowed to proselyte! It was apparently 36 degrees C and the hottest its ever been in Korea. So, yeah. XD.

Just so you all know, Outback is much better (And MUCH cheaper) in America. 

We had a french toast party with the members on Saturday! Then we all cleaned the church together! It was a lot of fun. XD 

On Sunday we went to the Humphrys English branch! It was my first time going and we received a very warm welcome from the ward! We went to meet our new investigator! She's great! She's in the military working as a mechanic. 20 Years old. She's been to church twice and really loves it! We are both very excited to meet with her and teach her~

This week really has been great. I've learned a lot and gotten a lot of needed personal revelation. I don't have time to write much, but I will say that those of you who want to love the gospel more must share it! 

A Week of Learning and Relearning... Get it From Your Head to Your Heart. Aug 1st 2016

Dear Brothers and Sisters, my lovely siblings in the family of God,

This week has been great! As the title says, just a week for us to learn a lot. I have to say, its been rough, but its just smoothing out the diamond! 

First off, this past Monday we had dinner with a member. The brother was telling us about his experience in the Busan mission when the mission president made them RUN if they weren't talking to people. Quite the new take on how to be diligently searching for those to teach! We ended much later than anticipated, and the members took us to the nearest subway station. My companion and I got out of the car, said goodbye, and BOOKED it into the station. In my head, even if we got in and had to wait 10 minutes for the subway to come, I would be okay with that. Turns out, we rushed in, got on the escalator and hear the doors for the subway open. So we ran down the escalator (Okay, maybe that's not very sister-missionary-like) and into the train just 3 seconds before the door closed. We realized as we were riding that the subway we got on was a rapid train and that we'd have to transfer, but true to form the blessings of God are upon on His faithful servants who want to get home on time- as soon as we got off at the transfer station the next subway we needed to take was just across the platform! So, we crossed over and were able to take that subway to the next station, get off, and RUN home. We got home 1 minute in time! We both laughed a lot! XD The Elders who had eaten with us were not quite as fortunate to get home on time (Its because they didn't run.) Sometimes, we just have to run. Though I'm really glad I wasn't a missionary in Busan at that time because the Sisters were not exempt from that rule! XD

We had a great experience with a member on Tuesday. We met our investigator with her together. After meeting the investigator our original plan was to go find a PI but through the guidance of the Spirit we changed our plan and asked the member if she had time to practice a lesson with us. After the lesson she told my companion and I how well she felt we were doing. She asked me if it had really only been 6 months since I started my mission and after I said yes she said she just always felt the Spirit so strong whenever I taught and that she felt I was a very prepared missionary. It made me feel very good! Sometimes its easy to forget what makes me special not just as a missionary, but as me. I love to hear from members and people around me that they know I was prepared by God for this time. 

We got a call a few days ago from a LA who said she wanted to meet the next day. Then she called back a few minutes later because she called the wrong sister missionaries! XD

At our District Meeting this week we had a mini party for the couple missionaries who will be leaving this week. We are all super sad to see them go, they are super awesome!

After DM we had an evaluation for Sister Park. Its a lesson in English. She did a great job but told us all (us and the 4 Elders in the district) how hard it was and she just wants to be good at English. The Elders took the opportunity to share their experiences learning Korean and relate to her. It was a fun time to just come together as a district to help her feel good about her efforts to become better at English! :)

After English class Wednesday a member showed us a magic trick with cards. She showed us once and I saw how she did it as she did it. The Elders were so confused! It was great! They begged her to tell her how she did it, but she didn't tell them. It was great. 

We had interviews with our mission president this week. After, we went on exchanges! My companion went with Sister Gil back to our area and Sister Blanchard and I worked in Singal area. It was quite a miracle- filled few days! Sister Blanchard and I went to visit a LA house and put hearts on the door. We went to get on the bus, but we couldn't figure out which bus went, and Sister Blanchard had never been there before. So we decided to go to a different bus stop, but as we headed in that direction we both got the feeling that we shouldn't go that way. So, we got on a different bus and ended up going the complete wrong direction because the address that we had was wrong. XD  So we went to see if we could meet a RC instead  (I thought maybe the reason we couldn't find the house was so we could meet with them) But the RC was busy, so we just sang a hymn to her over the phone :D

So then we went to visit a LA brother who they'd visited several times before but was never home. Today, he was home! It was a true miracle we were able to talk with him! His wife was not home, but we were able to talk to him at the door and invite him to church. 

During our exchange Sister Blanchard asked me "How do you have so much self confidence?" Among other things the biggest answer I was able to give was "Fake it till you make it."

I have many more stories and no time, so I will end by saying that that's the truth. If you don't have the strength to do it just yet, pretend like you do! Say you do! Tell the world you're a champion and that nothing will stop you! As you choose to be who you want to be the rest will follow. Don't spend so much time thinking about the consequences you never take the action. In an excerpt from my letter to the mission president:

"Recently we've been talking about how to get the principles of the Gospel from our heads to our hearts. For example, faith is a principle of action. So, if we have faith we act, and when we see the results and blessings of those actions which strengthens our faith which leads us to act. Its a circle. Likewise, if we lack the faith in a certain principle, we act on that principle first starting with hope. When we see the blessings that come, we gain faith. So as my companion and I strive to get the principles of the gospel from our heads to our hearts we are starting with action."

I love you all! Keep moving forward!

Written by Mission Pres. Wife : Sister Turner on their Blog

We do actually work once in a while as well.  This week we went to the area farthest south in the mission to work with four great missionaries.  We truly enjoy spending time with them and they say they enjoy having us around.  Of course, it always ends with an ice cream treat of some sort! The young man in the glasses knows our son, Jacob very well as he was his teacher in Vernal, Utah. Jacob sees Elder Young's grandfather at the store periodically and loves to give him updates.  I'm sure this one will bring him great joy!