week 49: another fabulous week in seoul

Dear People I Love:

life here is fabulous as always :) so here's what happened in a nutshell:

1. We had temple day on Tuesday, and of course, since 할머니 할아버지 are so 열심히 and diligent in attending the temple, I was unexpectedly able to see them there! and the weather was so so nice! seriously, fall in korea is the BEST!!! and to be at the temple in the nice weather with family i love, there was nothing more i could ask for :)

2. This past Thursday, we had a Mission Tour and President Ringwood visited our mission! His wife spoke about how hard things are worth it when you look back after it's over! So she encouraged us to keep going and gave us a "mom's pep talk!" And then President Ringwood talked to us about how we can prepare for the upcoming General Conference because our Heavenly Father can really answer our prayers through the talks given at this time. He told us this story of how last conference, there was a man who had a child who was very sick. And he was in the hospital and he was just emotionally a wreck because he cared so much for his child and it was just so hard for him to see his child sick. On Sunday, he was sitting at the hospital and the thought popped up into his head that maybe he could get General Conference on his phone. So he turned it on. Elder Nelson and Elder Rasband both spoke back to back about people with disabilities. And this man just happened to tune into conference right at the time when one of these two speakers (can't remember which one it was) stated beautifully and peacefully that some of the sweetest of God's spirits are sent to earth in frail bodies. And then the doctor came into the room so he had to turn off his phone. But through those 30 seconds, this man received the message that he needed to hear from God. President Ringwood then stated that our Heavenly Father is aware of us and our lives, down to each second. Are we prepared to allow his hands work miracles in our lives? It was just a great spiritual meeting!!!

3. Our investigator that we miraculously met on the street, remember the 12 year old girl? She came to church! And the primary kids were really noisy and loud for some reason this past Sunday and so I was so afraid that she wouldn't like being here. But all I could do is pray so i just kept praying in my heart and begged Heavenly Father to have her feel the Spirit somehow. And you know what? when people are prepared, it doesn't matter if there is a huge typhoon trying to swallow them up; they are solid and steadfast. and she told us that she liked it and we're meeting her next week too! God really works in mysterious ways!!! And we taught her the 1st lesson and she hugged the Book of Mormon we gave her so so tight when we asked her to read the introduction--like literally hugged it with a huge smile on her face! She said she wants to get baptized!!! MIRACLE! We're planning on October 20th but we have to make sure we get permission from her mom so we're going to prayerfully meet and talk to her mom this week! Gahh! there are so many other small details that i wrote in my journal but I don't have much time so i'll write more later :P

Jee: thanks for your email! you and max look like you're having so much fun!!!! and nope, i don't think i have anything else I need for now :) but i'm not in a rush so don't worry! Also, i need your new address!! and if you could, could you get me Stephanie Averett's address through my facebook? She got baptized while i was in Salt Lake and i want to write her but I don't have her address! Send her a message through FB and see if you can get a hold of her if you have time :) love you sis!!

Daddy: your letter was so touching :) 늘 감사해요 아빠 엄마. 행복한 가정이 있다는 것이 얼마나 큰 축복인지 매일 매일 깨닫고 있어요. 사랑해용~ ^^

Thought: President Ringwood said that what kept nephi going and what allowed him to say "I will go and do" is found in 1nephi 2:16-the end. Simply said, he found out for himself that these things are true. And never strayed from it :) may we all do so if we haven't yet :)

love you all!

sister cho:) 

pics: from the templ with our president's wife and 할머지 :)! i'll send more later!

week 48: once upon a time in korea

dear family and friends,

I don't have much time today so i will quickly update you on the miracles that happened this past week:

1. So there was this 12 year old girl we met on our way to a less active member's house last week; she was walking and sister kim said "hi" in english and then looked at me and i didn't even see who she was talking to but i turned around and took the que and continued in english with "how are you" and that's really all it took to see a huge smile on this cute girl's face! and we talked and set up an appointment to meet! and guess what? SHE REALLY CAME! and she said that her parents don't have a preference of what church she and her sisters attend! and she was really excited to come to our church and asked about the kids her age, and guess what? turns out that she already knows a family in our ward because they used to live next door to them and so the kids played together all the time! and the families have a good relationship with each other already! MIRACLE :D yay for awesome solid membersss! and she said that she wants to come to church next week and she gave the closing prayer too! sister kim and i were like, whoa, what just happened! where did you come from?! so we're going to meet her every saturday and teach the lessons and we're going to get the member family to continue being awesome and being friends with her family! we are so so excited!

2. we were able to attend stake conference on sunday and we found out that the seoul stake and the north stake are now combined! and 서대문 신촌 wards are combined too! everyone was really surprised to hear that! it's a lot of change but it was so awesome to see how all the members were optimistic about this and taking it as a chance to progress and grow together. because sometimes, change is necessary for progression :) and we were able to hear from Elder Kikuchi too! he talked about his favorite childrens' story: Lambert the Sheepish Lion and he was a real fun story teller ;) it's a story about a lion who grew up with sheep and then when a pack of wolves attack, he realized that he's not the son of a sheep; he's the son of a lion. and he said that likewise, many of us don't fully know that we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. It was such a spiritual meeting! before we knew it, it was time to go! wow the 2 hours just flew by! and i also saw all these people that i knew before from 서대문 ward including 할머니 할아버지 and it was neat; i love them :)

ahh no time! i'll share more later! thought of the day: someone said that the trials that lie before us are never bigger than the power of God behind us. So true; even though sometimes, our planners look white and clean because we don't have many appointments, things just keep happening and we just keep seeing miracles as we do out best because it's not our work, it's His. 

love you all!

Sister cho

pictures:

teaching a new member lesson to one of our primary converts!

a picture of me and all my companions! (sister hill went home this past transfer! time seriously flies!)

week 47: hello :D

family and friends-

in case you're wondering, korea is just amazinggg :D it's more amazing now because there's a nice fall breeze!!! it's perfect :) anyway, i can't believe another week flew by! Here are the miracles for this week:

1. we met this 20 year old girl who attends 고려대 (very smart girl!) and she is the daughter of a less active lady. And they happened to be at church a few weeks ago; she is going to Provo to do a short study abroad and so we had lunch at 고대 this past Tuesday and it was so fun! She said she wants to meet again :) so we are hoping to start lessons with her to see if she is interested in learning more about the church! yay for nice people who like being around missionaries :)

2. on Saturday, we were able to go and do baptisms for the dead with our fabulous recent convert!!! crazy huh? she was baptized just last week, and this week she's doing baptisms for the dead! SHE IS SO SOLID! and at church, we had a lunch prepared afterwards and she was helping out and doing dishes and just being amazing! :D sister kim and i were just so happy to see how truly converted she is! During relief society, she talked about how she is planning on introducing this beautiful gospel to her family! and she's already in Jacob in the Book of Mormon (she's already read the whole thing so she's reading it again already!) I think it was Elder Bednar who said that a testimony is what you know to be true and conversion is being true to what you know; this 자매님 has a testimony and is truly convertedddd!! :D 

3. our ward mission leader is awesome; he bought us sweet potatoes so guess what? to wrap up an awesome week, sister kim and i made SWEET POTATO FRIES! yum. 

thought for the day: President Eyring said in a priesthood session of conference, "Form a habit of pushing through the fatigue and fear that might make you think of quitting... spiritual staying power comes from working past the point where others would have taken a rest." i've realized on the mission that that's the point where miracles happen; when we've pushed to the edge :) love you all! have a fabulous Spirit-filled week!

sister cho

pictures

we 배달ed chicken for dinner once and it was soooo yummy! and so convenient too :D

our seoul zone picture!

(note: sonhee's ballet flats tan line. teehee. --jeehee)

week 46: life is good

hello family and friends!

I don't have much time today so i just want to tell you about the baptism we had this past Saturday! It was such a miracle to say the least! We mraculously finished all the lessons this past week and the coolest thing was that every time we met, she already had talked to her husband about the topic for the day the night before--even though we hadn't told her what we'd be talking about! So she understood everything and actually shared several experiences dealing with the topics that i was able to learn from and be strengthened through! SHE IS SOLID. Sister Kim and I were just so happy for the couple :D On the day of the baptism, we made chocolate cake (엄마 cake mix 잘 썼어용 ^^) and these yummy cracker things so that was fun :) and the couple was dressed in white and IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!!!! We all felt like we were floating on clouds in heaven; and let me tell you, it's not a bad feeling ;) On Sunday, the husband bore his testimony saying "I'm happy because God loves me. I'm happy because I have a wonderful wife who is the love of my life. And I'm happy because that love of my life just got baptized yesterday." The spirit was soooo strong! gahhh what more can i say than that there has to be a God who loves us and who is working real hard and is doing everything He can for us to be happy!!

 

A thought I want to leave with you: I've been continuing my studies in the Book of Mormon in Helaman and I've realized how important it is to REMEMBER; remember what we've been taught, the cousel we have been given, and the miracles that we see. Helaman's sons Nephi and Lehi remember what their names mean, they remember the counsel their father gave them, and they remember the words of King Benjamin. From remembering these important things, they gain more strength and motivation to go out and do missionary work amongst the people who are getting more and more wicked. Helaman 5:14 says, " and they did remember his words; and therefore they went forth, keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God among all the peole of Nephi..." How neat is that? and it all stemmed from remembering! we all have been SO SO BLESSED with parents and church leaders who teach us the gospel, we receive counsel from our living prophet, and we too see miracles in our lives. and guess what? we too can go about doing good like Nephi and Lehi as we REMEMBER.

 

Love you all. Have a great week :)

 

Sister Cho

 

Pictures:

we had a sisters' conference so these are our amazing sisters of the Seoul Korea Mission :)
and of course the newest member of Hongje Ward :D