Letter - 2/10/14

Dear Family and Friends,

Well its official and I am in Korea! I never thought the day would come and now it has passed. I am currently emailing on an iPad and it’s hard to operate and slower than typing on a keyboard so bear with me through this email. I am wanting to throw it across the room right now! Haha

Okay so the flight over was really great! I was with Sister Bagely most of the time. We were travel companions. When we got on the plane in Detroit there were Koreans everywhere and they all look so similar. But I was so happy to be surrounded by them and loved them already. We arrived in Korea around 8, and meeting the other missionaries and President and Sister Morrise was great. We quickly loaded up our bags and then we were off to the subway to handout some Books of Mormon. Sister Bagley and I stuck together and were able to hand out both of our Books of Mormon. I could barely speak and definitely could not understand anything. All the new sisters who traveled with me slept at the Mission Home. We didn’t get to bed until about midnight because it took so long to get back from the Subway.  Wednesday was good. I had an interview with President Morrise in which he asked me to bear my testimony in English! I couldn’t tell you the last time I did that. Then at the end he simply asked me, Can I trust you? What a powerful question. I replied, Yes, you can. All the new missionaries were then off to meet with all the trainers. They announced our trainers which had just been decided. President Morrise announced my name, paused, and then said Sister Kang Seh Hee 강 새 회 자매님. She jumped right up in shock, ran to me, and gave me the biggest hug ever. It was exactly what I needed. She is from Busan and has been serving for 8 months. I am her first missionary to train so she is nervous, especially because she is also Sister Training Leader, but she has been great so far. She is so sweet to me and is helping me a lot.

I don’t know how to describe Korea. I am in 화 곡 Whagok area which is in the city surrounded by skyscrapers. I am just so thankful I have been able to travel around so I am used to not knowing exactly where I am and standing out like a sore thumb. Thursday I had my first lesson in which we do a 30/30 program where we teach English for 30 minutes and gospel for 30 minutes. Actually that’s what we do with all of our investigators. We taught 김미영 자매님 Kim Meyong. She is around 29 and is stressed about learning English for her job and wants to find happiness. We talked a lot about prayer and asking for God's help to give her comfort and peace. I tried my best to say as much as possible in Korean. It seems as if I have forgotten everything from the MTC. I just hope I was able to plant that desire in her heart to pray for help. She said she would try so that is great!
Saturday I had my first lunch with a member which was a sweet widow from the ward. She lost her husband a couple years ago and just wants to have company. Sister Kang had me practice the lesson we were going to teach to this widow. It was on faith and I didn’t say a whole lot but the next thing I knew she was in tears. Sister Kang explained to me that she felt the spirit and our love for her. It made me really happy to know that with my poor Korean I was able to touch her heart. The actual lesson with our investigator went really well too. This investigtor 심승연 자매님 Shim Sungyon has a baptismal date for February 23! She is 17 and super quiet but she loves going to church and has a desire to follow Jesus Christ.

Sunday was amazing. A member brought an older lady to church and it was her first time so we sat with her in Relief Society and then all the 6 of us missionaries and the ward mission leader had a gospel principles class. We taught that we are God’s children. I don’t know what the lady thought because I can’t understand anything. In sacrament meeting I had to introduce myself and share my testimony. I told the congregation I had only been in Korea for 5 days and they all were shocked. I was so nervous but afterwards many people came up to me and said, “ ahh your Korean is so good.”  That is what is so great. The people are so kind and are just so happy we are trying to speak their language. Sunday night our ward mission leader set up a Mini MTC class where the ward is invited to come learn how to be a missionary and study Preach My Gospel. Sister Kang and I taught the importance of teaching with the Spirit. Although I can’t say much Sister Kang always lets me participate and bear my testimony.

It definitely hasn’t been easy these last few days but wow it is amazing work to be doing. I am so grateful for this opportunity and for this time I have to gain such a strong relationship with my Heavenly Father. Thank you for your support, love, and prayers. They truly keep me going and give me so much strength. I love this gospel and the joy it brings into people's lives. I love and miss you all!

Love
Sister Driscoll
드리스콜 자매님