Letter - 12/13/13

Family and Friends,

Can you believe it I have successfully made it through my first week at the MTC. I can't! The days seem to go by fairly slow but the week went by fast. I am still loving it and the Korean is coming along. I mean considering a week ago I could not say or remember anything. One of the most important things I learned this week was to look at what I do know as far as the language instead of what I don't know. It goes along with the advice dad gave me about not being too hard on myself.

Since the last email Sister Gowens and I have taught 3 lessons to one investigator all in Korean. It was quite the experience as we relied on what we had been taught and the words we could remember to answer the questions of our investigator. It was an adventure when we would try to ask a question and the investigator would answer but we have no idea what he is saying. I have become really good at playing charades. I almost think I will enjoy teaching in Korean better than English because the focus is on the basic doctrine which is easier to understand because we do not know a lot of the vocabulary so we have to keep it clear and simple. The purpose of our first investigator was for us to learn to rely on the Lord as well as our investigator to guide us where they are at on their conversion process. All of our personal study, companionship study and language study is geared toward helping our investigator in the conversion process. The mission is truly all about others. Everything I do is to serve my companion and focus on the investigators' needs. The Lord will teach me more as I focus on serving others. If I give my life to the Savior, my investigators and my companions, I will have the most amazing mission and have so many choice experiences.

Sunday was such a great day. At the MTC all the sisters meet to listen to the Spoken Word and have Relief Society. For Relief Society speakers come. Sister Neill F. Marriott from the General Young Women's Presidency came and spoke to us. A great thought she shared was, "Love will pave the way for you to get the message of Jesus Christ across." I truly need to pray for the pure love of Christ so I can look at others as Christ would and they can be drawn to the gospel through Christ's love for them. She also asked three question which I am going to review weekly while on my mission. They are: What would Jesus do? If the Savior stood beside me what would I do? and Am I giving honor to my Father in Heaven and not myself? I loved those questions and I know as I think about them weekly I will be able to strive to live the life Christ lived. The Korean missionary branch is the biggest at the MTC! It was so great to go to sacrament meeting. Each of the Korean missionaries have to prepare a talk in Korean and one of us will randomly get called on during the meetings. Luckily I did not get called on my first week. The sacrament meeting was all in Korean and I was so surprised at how many words or phrases I was able to recognize and understand. The Lord is truly helping me every day so I can fulfill His purpose. Singing in Korean was by far the best experience, although I couldn't quite read the words, but that is just how it goes. We have devotional every Sunday night too, so thankfully we were able to watch the Christmas Devotional. I loved what Thomas S. Monson said, "True happiness is when you are making someone else happy." The attitude of giving is what Christmas is all about.

This week you would all be surprised at what I did during gym time with Sister Gowens. Yes, I played lightning and beat all the elders! Yes the talent of basketball is still here! SURPRISE! It was so fun. Thank you dad for teaching all of us how to handle and shoot a basketball. It really does come in handy. Also I had the sweetest opportunity with the native Korean sisters. I was up stretching after I had been running and they came up to me asking me to teach them. It reminded me of teaching a dance warm up, and I loved every minute of it. The Korean sisters are so sweet. I love them loads, honestly the nicest and happiest sisters at the MTC.

I have come to realize that this mission is Father-Daughter time with my Heavenly Father. I have the next 18 months to walk directly hand in hand with my Heavenly Father. I love putting my black name tag on every morning, being reminded that I am a representative of the Lord. This week we practiced inviting people to be baptized. Although I was only practicing on Sister Gowens, a warm feeling in my heart came over me every time. I cannot wait for the moment when it is truly real. Quentin L. Cook came for our Tuesday night devotional and he said that missionaries always ask when their spiritual experiences will happen. His answer was right on. He said it will happen "when you are doing something for someone else and striving to live the life Christ lived." The next 18 months and the rest of my life I will be striving to live the life Christ lived through Christlike love and service. I am making every moment here count and cannot express my gratitude in words to each and everyone of you. I pray for you daily and think of you often. Just know that Sister Driscoll is living it up as a missionary and striving to accomplish all the things the Lord wants me to accomplish.

Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers!

Love,
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll