Heart Mind and Seoul Korea

Heart Mind and Seoul Korea
I am 19 years old and called to serve in the Korea Seoul South Mission as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I would like to thank all who have shown their love and support throughout this life changing journey of mine.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Letter - 7/21/14

Family and Friends,

Well first I want to start of wishing my adorable niece Eden Margo, a happy birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDEN! Thank you for bringing so much joy to my life as well as my families. Stop growing up so fast. When I return home I won't even be able to recognize you! Love you and miss you everyday! Have the best 2nd Birthday EVER!

Second I want to say wow can you believe that just on July 19 last year I received my call to the Korea Seoul South mission and now I am here living the missionary life. I cannot believe how the time has gone. I can remember that day as clear as glass. Reading that I would be going to Korea was exciting but also scary. It's a long ways from home right?! Well, all I can say now is that I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. I have grown so much but I haven't grown alone. I have grown the last 8 months with the Savior by my side. I have learned where my true strength lies and that is with my Savior and Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for Their help, mercy, love, and support. How lucky are we to have such Supreme Beings that we can rely on everyday for the rest of our lives? I would say that we are pretty lucky! I am so grateful for Their love and the comfort They give me each and everyday.

Third, well I received a nice transfer call on Saturday and guess what!!!!(Drum Roll Please.) I will be transferring on Wednesday to an area called 금천 (Geumcheon). My new companion will be Sister Hunter who was in the MTC when I entered and so she is just one transfer ahead of me. We are pretty young so it will be an adventure. I also found out today the Sister Kang (My Trainer), her sister lives there so that’s exciting too! I don't know anything about the area or anything about transferring but I know that God is sending me the best place for me to learn and meet people that are needed for my growth as a person.

 I am so sad to leave my first area 화곡. I have made some special relationships there with the young women as well as the relief society members. Yesterday at church I had to give my last talk in Sacrament meeting. The minute I stood up at the pulpit and looked out to all the familiar faces that once were strangers I was overwhelmed with love for them and their love for me. As I spoke I told them how much I enjoyed my time here and the love they showed me. As I continued to speak and look at the members I could see tears running down some of their faces which then caused me to cry. If I learned anything from this ward it was all about love. Love for missionary work, love for the Savior, how to feel love, and how to show love. The Spirit in the sacrament meeting was so special. These people have touched my life and my love for them cannot be described. It is so hard to say good bye. My Korean Mom who saved me and took me to the doctor that one time gave me such a loving hug and said "I will see you next time." I immediately just wanted to break down but something about Koreans is that they are very strong people and don't show emotions a lot so I had to stay strong. I am feeling that the mission is going to be full of a lot of heartbreaks as I have to say good bye to many but through this experience I have made everlasting friendships.

This last week in 화곡 was super fun though. Sister Ward and I currently have a small teaching pool so this week we were booked with practice lessons with members. It was so fun to spend so much time with members. One member specifically we met with and her daughter is one who just left on her mission about a month ago to Washington. While we were teaching her she stopped us and said "The Gospel is simple. Keep it simple. Simple is fun!" She then told us if we don't understand what the investigator is saying introduce them to a member and just say "I am sorry I don't speak Korean well but here is someone who does." She just continued to say that Missionary work is easy! It's fun! I loved her enthusiasm and her little pep talk to help us. It made me realize that simple is the best way to go and it is okay if I don't understand everything that's why we have members and member lessons.

We also had a practice lesson with the Ward Mission Leader and his family along with dinner so it was a fun time. But the ward mission leader has a little boy who is 2 years old and His name is Eugene. The ward mission leader while we were eating told Sister Ward and I that Eugene said when he came home from work "Dad the Sister missionaries are here. I like the sister missionaries." Being told that made Sister Ward and I's day. It made us realize that there are so many people who look up to us just by being a missionary and made us realize the impact that we truly have and can have. I am so grateful to be a missionary! It is the best calling!

Also this week all the singing practice finally paid off. Saturday the missionaries and the primary put on a concert and it was just so fun. My favorite part was the last two songs that we the missionaries and the primary children sang together. We sang I am a Child of God and God Gave Us Families. It was the best and the Spirit was special as those two songs bore our simple testimonies for us.

Here is to a new adventure. I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to serve our Savior and Heavenly Father. I have come to realize that this opportunity is not given to everyone and it can be taken away very quickly as well that's why it is so important to take my dad's advice by living in the moment and enjoying each day paying attention to what is happening in the now. I love being a missionary. I love serving the Korean people. I love the Korean People. I love them so much and am privileged to be helping them feel of God's love. Thank you to each of you who support, love and pray for me. I receive so much strength everyday because of you. I love you and miss you all! Have a great week and remember to always smile and look for the blessings of each day!

Love
드리스콜자매
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll

Letter - 7/14/14

Family and Friends,
    
Why hello once again from South Korea! Summer has come and so has the humidity along with these annoying bugs in the trees that buzz all day! I may go crazy but so far I have survived and pretty sure I am sweating out all the rice and water I put in my body everyday. I am sticky all the time but it adds a nice glimmer to my countenance right?! Life is just splendid though. This week Sister Ward and I were not quite as busy with lessons due to cancellations and due to the small teaching pool we have right now. It is so interesting how missionary work actually works. It is like a roller coaster and in all honesty I am not doing a lot of work. I am watching in awe as Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ work to bring to pass Their purpose. They are the ones in charge. They are the ones who know best. That is what I learned this week. I learned to trust in the Lord's timing and accept it. How did I learn this? Let me tell you!

Last Tuesday Sister Ward and I had a lesson with our fairly new investigator, 유성은, the one who I talked about last week who PRAYED on her own! Well we had a great english time where we talked about the weather and how it affects our lives. When we transferred over to our message we said our opening prayer. Sister Ward and I were so excited for this lesson as we were planning on giving her a soft baptismal commitment because her progress was just tremendous! When we closed the prayer we followed up with our commitment of the Book of Mormon reading. She said she read it and then immediately said "This message is not for me." I was stunned. I was devastated. I didn't know what to say. A curve ball came at us and it came hard. We only committed her to read the Introduction so I simply asked if there was anything weird that she didn't agree with in the introduction. She said no. I thought to myself then what is the problem? She just continued to say that she doesn't believe and she never has so she can't just suddenly start believing right now. Which totally made sense to Sister Ward and I which is where prayer and faith come in right? So we asked if she continued to pray this last week she said no because she doesn't believe so it would be just her talking to herself. She wants to continue to meet but she doesn't want anything to do with our message. I was in complete shock and all that I could think of to say is because of this message I have received numerous blessings. I have come to know God. I have come to believe in Him and so can you. She still wasn't accepting. I don't know what happened. A week ago she was praying, wanting to come to church and listening with an open heart but all of the sudden a complete turn around happened. I thought, "Did Sister Ward and I do something wrong?" But the more I thought about the situation and pondered on my purpose as a missionary and whose work this really is I realized that we didn't do anything wrong. We invited and we planted a seed of faith inside of her soul. We fulfilled our purpose. Heavenly Father just had another plan for her and for us at the moment. We just have to trust in His timing and His will as we continue to do our best in bringing her slowly to Him. With this experience I realized this truly is the Lord's work and all things will happen in His timing. He is the one in charge and things may not turn out the way I hoped but they turn out the best way for me and the way He wants it to be. I learned that Sister Ward and I didn't do anything wrong. We invited. We fulfilled our purpose and invited the girl who knew nothing about God to come to know Him and she tried!! That's what I love is that she tried and she prayed but right now it’s just time to strengthen her faith little by little. So that's my experience for the week!

As a part of the Korea Seoul South Mission I have the privilege of going to the temple every transfer! Can I just tell you how much I love the temple. It is truly home and truly the most peaceful place. It is the Lord's House and the love I feel inside the temple is truly undescribable.  Being at the temple is always a dream come true. It was a beautiful hot sunny day with the craziest purest blue sky I had ever seen! It was beautiful. The second I passed through with my recommend I was overcome with joy. The overwhelming peace, comfort, love and spirit I feel inside the temple is beyond undescribable. The temple workers here in the Seoul Temple just make my day. They make sure everything is perfect for not only the Lord but also us as missionaries. I love the temple and never want to leave. If I could stay there for the next 10 months and talk with Heavenly Father and ponder I would be thrilled but I know that I have plenty more work to do here in Korea. After the temple session all the missionaries met outside and I was quite the social butterfly. I was able to talk to the two newest Sister missionaries in the mission and one I actually had met at the big Sister Missionary Activity at temple square(Sister Holdaway) and the other one(Sister Parcells) well come to find out she grew up with my Beautiful Canadian Best Friend Krista Schmidt. I couldn't believe it! IT was so fun to talk to them. As I looked around at all the missionaries I was surrounded by I was in so much gratitude. I am so blessed to be surrounded by so many chosen people of the Lord. What amazing examples they are to me. I am growing lasting friendships and becoming a better person because of their influences in my life.

I have so much to share and so little time when it comes to emailing. I just want you all to know that I know this church is true. I know is changes and blesses lives. I know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves each of us and knows us personally. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to this earth so we could escape the chains of Satan and return to His presence in hope to become like Him. I know Jesus Christ lives. He suffered for all of our sorrows, pains, afflictions, worries, disappointments, He suffered it all. He has perfect empathy for each of us and as we turn to Him He will take the load and pull with us through this life's journey each step of the way. I know Christ's exact church has been restored to the earth today through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and he translated the Book of Mormon through God's power and received His authority. I know the Book of Mormon is God's word, it is true. It has brought me closer to my Savior and my Heavenly Father as I read it everyday. I know God hears and answers our prayers that we express in our hearts, minds, and words. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to share this message to the people of Korea. There isn't a greater work then helping others find eternal happiness. Thank you to each of you for your prayers, support and love. I love you and miss you. Continue smiling and living life to the fullest. Recognize the blessings of each day and move forward in faith. I hope you all have a wonderful summer and week!!

Love,
드리스콜자매
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll

Monday, July 7, 2014

Letter - 7/7/14

Family and Friends,

Well I hope each of you had a wonderful memorable and safe 4th of July! This week summer has definitely come as we can't be in our house without all four of our fans running because it’s so hot and we have no air conditioning. I feel quite blessed of the timing that I will be serving because I will only experience one humid hot summer and one very cold winter. Life is just fabulous though and I am being blessed with countless blessings everyday.

This week was just a super happy week. Sister Ward and I are seeing so many miracles and just want to stay together until the end of her mission. She goes home in 2 transfers! I can't even believe it! Time is flying by because we are having fun and working hard. Yesterday miracles happened! A girl who randomly showed up at church last week showed up again! It was a miracle because all week we tried contacting her but her phone wasn't working so we thought she blocked us but nope:) Then my ward mission leader told me that my Korean has sky rocketed and while walking home last night I counted all the stars in the sky! There were 10 shining stars in the sky last night! Oh the joy they brought me!

Last Monday we met with 유성은 again on Monday night. The lesson went so well. The last time we met we committed her to pray on her own. When we followed up she said that she didn't and I was so sad. But I then asked how it was when she prayed with us at the end of the last lesson. She said it was a good feeling and she liked it. I testified to her that I know that as she continues to pray she will be able to feel what she wants to feel and that is God's love. We committed her to pray again before she went to bed that night and she said that she would. We actually met the following day, Tuesday, and she did PRAY!!! I am not exactly sure what she said about how she felt but she said she would continue praying. I am so grateful for that because I know that as we continue to pray and show our faith to Heavenly Father then that is when we recognize the answers He gives us and we can feel His love. We finished the first lesson with her and she was really interested in President Thomas S. Monson, our living prophet today. I know that Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet today. He leads and guides this church and is a true servant of God. How grateful I am to know this and apply the counsel he gives to the church world wide.

Wednesday Sister Ward and I saw a lot of cool miracles and one I want to talk about specifically. We were on our way to a different part of our area to go proselyte. We were waiting for the Subway and a girl came and stood right in front of us. I thought to myself I need to talk to her but I hesitated and didn't. I was so sad but as we got on the subway she ended up sitting by us about a seat away and after a few minutes turned to me pointed at the Book of Mormon and asked "Excuse me what is this?" I am pretty sure I looked at her like a deer looks into headlights because never has that happened to me. I quickly scooted myself over next to her and in broken Korean did my best in describing the Book of Mormon but then boldly testified that this book has blessed my life and I know it is true. Well ends up that we received her number and are meeting with her tomorrow so let’s pray for the best! It was such a cool experience of God's mercy though because He first prompted me to talk to her but I feared man but because He is merciful He prompted her to talk to me and gave me a second chance. What a blessing that was. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father. He is always watching over me and qualifying me for this work everyday.

This week I had my interview with President Morrise:) This transfer President and Sister Morrise went to everyone's home to interview them and look at their area book. It was so fun for Sister Ward and I to have President and Sister Morrise in our apartment. My interview with President Morrise was so great. What an amazing man he is. I am so grateful to be in his service. The first thing President Morrise asked me was how I have been following the spirit this past month because that has been our focus. I told him that one thing I have strived to do because of my Dad's advice is not to hesitate. A couple weeks ago I asked my dad how I could trust myself and believe that the Spirit was the one putting the thoughts in my head. He sent me a quote from Joseph Smith saying "9 out 10 times it is the Spirit that is prompting us." Because of that quote I chose to not hesitate. I would ponder for a little bit but I knew if I did for too long then I would miss the opportunity that the Lord was giving me. As I told him this President Morrise was just smiling away. He was truly there with me in the moment as I talked to him. He then asked if there was anything else I want to talk about and all I could say is that I am so happy and I cannot complain at all. I am learning. I am improving. I am being refined. I am serving the Lord. Sister Ward is my companion. Life can't get much better. He was so happy to hear that. He then asked me to share something from the scriptures I have learned. Well I love the scriptures so much it was so hard to choose just one but I chose 1 Nephi 21:10 and 1 Nephi 22:16. I told him was those two scriptures meant to me and just testified that I know God is refining me right now. I know that Jesus Christ knows me personally. He knows me better then I know myself. I am so grateful to be serving them.

Well another week has come and gone. I have been a missionary for 7 months and I can't even believe it. I love this work. I am growing so much. I am learning things that I could only learn here in Korea on the Lord's errand. I am so grateful to be a missionary and so grateful to be serving my Heavenly Father and my Savior. I love each of you. I miss each of you. I know Heavenly Father loves each of you and knows you by name. He is always there for us. We are never alone but we have to invite Him into our lives and allow Him to work His magic. Thank you for all the love support and prayers. Have a great week! Keep smiling because that makes life happy and everyone wants to be happy!

Love,
드리스콜자매
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll