Monday, February 2, 2015

Happy Groundhog's Day From Korea!

It's still weird for me when I remember I am a day before all of you back home. Anyways, this week my whole district and I witnessed a miracle! On Tuesday we had our usual English flyering, but we almost froze our fingers off. It was so bone chilling cold I couldn't take it. I'm such a wimp I know.
On Wednesday I got to go to Mansu on exchanges with my trainer Sister Chao. She's my sister training leader so that was really cool being able to be together for a day. We met the Mansu elders and ate Pizza together from the best and cheapest in Korea PIZZA SCHOOL! Love that stuff. I think I like Korean style pizza better than American. And afterwards we did preparation for English class. The only problem was the English textbook was misplaced. So, just picture a bunch of missionaries looking around in random places at the church building for it. Normally they have all the books in a basket but the elders looked and couldn't find it. After maybe 20 minutes of looking we decided we would just use a really really old textbook. While Sister Chao was making copies I was just being nosy and just looked around in some things and I ended up looking in the EXACT same place the elders looked, but the only difference was I looked UNDER the basket and there were the books just sitting there. Those elders didn't look under the basket!! Haha Well, just goes to show that sisters truly are smarter than elders.
Sister Chao and I had a great time talking and catching up. It was even a little hard to stay on topic during our studies the next morning. After our studies we met with their investigator and ate Shabu Shabu. I think that's how it's spelled. It was delicious! It was my first time eating it. I could tell Sister Chao was weirded out that I was eating food so well. When I served with her I didn't like pretty much ANY  Korean food but now I love a majority of it.
At 3pm we exchanged back :( which was a bummer but I was surprisingly pretty happy about being back in my own area so that was nice.
The best part of my week was definitely English class. Seriously! English class in Gyesan is the best!! We have so many regulars come so it's super big, and from our English flyering on Tuesday we had 2 new women come who both also want to do our family English 30/30 program. So great!! The best miracle was Sam. Sam is a man who the Elders met on the in the most vacant part of our area. So that was a miracle in itself that they even met him there. Sam had been texting them about how he was going to come to English class and was ONLY English interest, but like 5 minutes later he texted saying he's 70% English and 30% gospel interest. Well he ended up coming to English, and because he's really good at English he was in Advanced class with Sister Chestnut and I. Because he was new and the only other students are regulars Erika and Scott so we did introductions. Erika started and then Sister chestnut, and then when it got to me I mentioned how Sister Chestnut and I were roommates at Brigham Young University and then Sam says, "your 2nd leader" which totally caught me off guard. I mean I'm used to Koreans saying things that I can't really understand haha, but this I was like what on earth is he talking about and then I thought and thought and it hit me!! Brigham Young was the second prophet!! I mean I knew that but we sure didn't expect him to ever know that. Somehow he did though. Anyways, when Scott introduced himself he mentioned how English class is the highlight of his week and that lead to him and Erika sharing their personal stories about how they first came in contact with missionaries and how long they have been attending English class. I can't believe Scott has been coming for 5 whole years! Awesome! Scott also shared how other churches say we are heresy and how he doesn't believe that at all. I loved all of Erika's little side commented showing how she felt the same way. She's so cute! Sam seemed to think we didn't know that and told us how there are many churches in Korea that people consider a cult. Sister Chestnut and I just laughed and told him how it's nothing new to us. We have people tell us all the time how we're a cult. It's not news to us at all. Scott and Erika continued on about how they like the way missionaries live and act. Scott mentioned how impressed he was the we don't drink and we wake up at 6:30am and go to bed every day at 10:30pm. All I can remember is Sam turning to me and saying "wow there's so much I need to learn about your church." I just smiled.

I can't fully describe how much I truly felt the spirit in that classroom. I mean us sharing our beliefs and testimony is one way to invite the spirit, but having your English class members share their own personal feelings and testimony was amazing! Totally not what I had planned for the class to talk about, but it just was so natural and Sister Chestnut and I just sat in amazement as Scott and Erika told Sam all about us. Complete miracle! And it gets even better...
At 8pm all the different level classes get back together for a motivational quote and then we play a game together. During that I overheard Sam next to me talking to Elder Dewey about coming to church. My thought was what?! He wants to come to church now!! That's amazing!! Sunday came and he came with his cute son! It was so great!! I don't know how he felt about it all. He mentioned he was an atheist so it must have been weird for him, but I'm sure he had a good experience. I don't know his thoughts about church and if he'll be coming again, but I think he's going to start the 30/30 program with the Elders so that's great.
Miracles do happen! Always remember that!<3
Love you guys!!
Sister Kelly

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