Letter - 11/2/14

Family and Friends,

First off HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This week here in good old 금천 we had a great Halloween party and so many people came out. Korea doesn't really celebrate Halloween but since all the missionaries in our ward are from America we had to hold a Halloween party! It was so great and we were able to have such a great turn out of members, members friends, investigators, people who we just handed fliers to and English class members. We had been planning this since the beginning of September and it just really fell together well because of how we worked with the members and the youth. The youth helped us make decoration and decorate the night before which made it even more fun for them to bring their friends to because they could say they were apart of it. We had games and food and just had a good time talking amongst everyone! I just conintue to think how lucky I am to have such wonderful memories as a missionary and how grateful I am to be here in Korea as a missionary. I have so much to be grateful for and have every reason to put a smile on my face everyday and serve my Savior.

Second off...I can't believe I hit 11 months tommorrow?? Where has the time gone? How does time continue to go by faster and faster? I don't know but I am doing my best to live it up every day being in the moment and fulfilling my purpose as a misisonary so the Lord can fulfill His purpose. I realized last week my letter was not a joyful and cheery as they usually are because of the trial and due to the start of November I have been thinking a lot about gratitude. I read President Uchtdorf's talk "Grateful In Any Circumstances" and I have been changed for the better. What an inspirng talk it is and makes me want to work at being more full of gratitude toward my Savior, Heavenly Father and all those who I associate with. I learned so much from this wonderful talk but I think what I loved the most is he said, "The choice is ours." We have been given our free agency and through that we can choose to be grateful, happy, sad, frustrated, we can choose to be anything we want to be! We can choose to feel however we want to feel! We always have our choice! How great is that! Who do you want to be? As for me I want to be grateful, happy, loving, patient, obedient, faithful, diligent, and above all I just want to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ and each day I live I have that choice to make to be more like Christ and follow His example more valiently and in the process I will be full of gratitude and develop His attributes because after all "Gratitude is the catalyst to all Christlike Attributes." I just want you to know that I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have to be a missionary and to be apart of the Lord's great and marvelous work. I am grateful for each one of you for your support and prayers in my behalf. I am grateful for Korea and for the people here who I have grown to love so much. I am grateful for this gospel and the joy it continues to bring me each and everyday. I am grateful for my Savior and Heavenly Father who have never let me down and are always by my side each and everyday. I am grateful and I will give gratitude to my Savior and Heavenly Father forever.

Sister Stout and I this week still didn't have a lot of luck long the lines of people accepting the gospel but we had a lot of experiences that manifested to us that everything happens for a reason and no matter what our efforts are never going to waste. We went and visited a lady at her shop who we buy some stuff from and she isn't technically interested in the gospel but while we were there she had some customers and the fact that we taught free English got brought up and the customer just about fell out of her chair and wanted her daughter to do it so badly! We were so excited! We were like finally everything is paying off so we set up the appointment and planned to meet with th mom and daughter and Saturday. Well Saturday came around we arrived at their home and they inform us they don't want to do it. What? Did we understand her correctly? Yes our litte glimmer of hope for a teaching opportunity went down hill fast but I realized that it's okay because Heavenly Father is aware of the family and He is preparing them at His pace and according to His timing. That event was just part of their preparation process to accept this wonderful gospel. Next Sister Stout and I had some extra time before a dinner appointment with a member so we decided to go to a certain park where there were some ladies and try talking to them. We talked to them but they quickly got up and left but we decided to wait for 10 minutes and just see what would happen. We just sat and talked enjoying the fall weather when a lady walked up and said hello. She was immediately interested in what we were doing and who we were. We told her and she though it was neat and said she was Buddihst but she then asked us if she should continue being Buddhist or if she should believe in God. Sister Stout and I were like yes this is what we were waiting for! We asked her what she knew about God and she said not much and seemed to want to learn more. Then she got a phone call which then interupted our conversation. After she got off the phone we tried to tell her that we could meet with her and teach her about God but she quickly said Oh no I don't do that. We were quite confused but once again realized that it is all apart of God's plan and that we must just trust in His timing. I know that I am apart of the Lord's work and that each person I meet I am meant to meet. I love this work and I love being a missionary so much. It has been a life changing opportuinty and I will forever be grateful for the great foundation it is building for my life.

I just want you to know how great the members of Korea are. Due to our lack of investigators we have been spending a lot of time with our members doing practice lessons and so on. They are helping us so much to improve our Korean and build up the church in Korea little by little. I am full of gratitude that I have this opportunity to work with the Relief Society Sisters and teach them this dance. The relationships that I am gaining is just better then I could ever ask for. Because of this we are able to see members almost everday and they are just bending over backwards to help us as we do the same for them. Sister Stout and I are currently teaching a members son who will be getting baptized November 19 and I am just so grateful that his mother trusted us enough to teach him and loved him enough to have the missionary's teach him the lessons. They are just full of so much patience, love and work so hard to be the best they can be. They continue to inspire me and I am touched by their examples.

I love the people of Korea and I love serving here. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. I need these people to help me become who the Lord needs me to become. I am so grateful to be in their service and to be touched by their love. I love being a missionary and know with all my heart that this church is true. I love this gospel and know as we continually seek to know of it's truths we will grow stronger and stronger. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ loves you. They are who I represent and I know through them I am able to do this work and be who I am. I love them and I love serving them. Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween! I love you and MIss you! Remember that the choice is ours and we have so much to be grateful for! Look for the Lord's hand in your life and simply thank Him for His goodness, love, mercy, patience, and blessings. Develop the attitude of gratitude! LOVE YOU ALL!

Love,
드리스콜자매
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll

Letter - 10/26/14

Family and Friends,

Well another week has come and gone and I don't even know where to start. Let me first start off by telling you how much I truly love being a missionary and how lucky I am to be a part of the Lord's great work even during the hard times which I love because they cause me to grow and draw closer to God each and everyday! This past week we had Zone Conference and the theme was "Live By the Spirit". We focused on 4 aspects of missionary work that the Spirit is absolutely without a doubt needed. The Holy Ghost is first of all one of the greatest gifts that our Heavenly Father has given us and sometimes we all need to be reminded that we have the gift of the Holy Ghost and that it can be with us at all times as long as we are living worthy of it's companionship. It brings peace, happiness, comfort, confirmation, and just a wonderful sense of belonging within your soul. But it speaks in a still small voice so small that if we are preoccupied with things of the world that we could miss it's wonderful promptings or companionship. In my father's words we must slow down and just listen. As we do that we can be more aware of the Spirit around us and block out those things of the world. The Holy Ghost changes our hearts and fills us with the desire to do what is right. We must be living everyday by the Spirit so we can qualify for all of its promised blessings. The Holy Ghost is the coach! As we gain confidence in the Holy Ghost and follow it's guidance we know that through it we cannot fail. I know that through the Holy Ghost we can do God's will and fulfill His purpose for us. As we live continually worthy of the Holy Ghost we can receive God's divine guidance for us personally and become what God truly sees in us.

This week Sister Stout and I worked so diligently but yet not a lot of success happened. I learned to internalize the wonderful scripture Alma 26:27. I didn't understand why so many people rejected us when we went out to proclaim this wonderful gospel or why out of all the people we talked to there were maybe 5 people who would listen just a little longer than the others. I still don't understand but I came to realize that all though people were turning us down and didn't want to listen to our message nothing could stop us from opening our mouths to the wonderful people in Korea no matter how many rejections we received. I know that our efforts every day this week were not wasted! The Lord uses all our efforts to hasten His work and bring His children closer to Him even if we cannot see the immediate results. I know that each day is for a reason and God is stretching and growing me to my maximum to the person He sees in me. I am so grateful to be serving here in Korea even if I haven't seen the success of many investigators or fluently speaking the languge because I have seen the success within myself with a solid testimony of this gospel and a firm love for my Savior, my Heavenly Father and the Korean people.  I love this work and love serving my Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. They never have and never will let me down as long as I rely on them. They receive all the credit for what I am doing and who I am becoming. I will thank them forever.

I must say though despite the rejections this last Tuesday the Relief Society Sisters began learning their dance for the Christmast party and wow I am very impressed with how quickly they are learning the dance that I am preparing for them. I made it super simple and as I was showing it to them I was just filled with so much joy because I realized that I am sharing my talent and helping others make fun memories that they can always remember. It's going to be so fun and I am so grateful for this opportunity! I will be sure to video it and send it sometime!!! It is a lot different teaching dance in Korean but it's working out pretty good!

Well that's it for today! Sorry if I am a little scattered but I just want you all to know that I love you and miss you! Thank you for your love support and prayers in my behalf! You have no idea the affect each of you have on my day and the strength you give me. I am humbled to reflect and think about all the people who are supporting me through this life changing experience! I love you all! Thank you and remember In the strength of the Lord we can do hard things. Look for the Lord's blessings each day and they will always give us a reason to smile! Have a wonderful week!

Love,
드리스콜자매
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll

Letter - 10/19/14

Family and Friends,

First I have to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE #1 DAD AND TO THE BEST BROTHER IN THE WORLD! Wow I can't believe it has already been your birthday! What a fun time that you had so I have heard through many emails. I just first want to acknowledge my dad. If many of you didn't know I am kind of a daddy's girl. Dad I am so grateful for you and for all the counsel you have given me throughout my life. Thank you for the memorie and the numerous Dadday-Daughter Dates. You are such an amazing man who has sacrificed so much for me and our family just to make sure we are happy. Dad thank you for always listening to me and for empathizing with my situations. I love you! Now, Tyler..Where to start. Yes since I can remember you teased me and tickled me but what good memories those are even though I was never really happy when it was occuring. I just want to say thank you for being the most amazing big brother and for always leading by example. I have looked up to you my whole life and admire your desire to always follow our Savior Jesus Christ. I hope you both had a wonderful birthday and that you have grown a little wiser this past year! I love you both so much! Thanks for being the #1 men in my life!!

Now for my life as a missionary. Well where to start. So I have new companion and her name is Sister Stout. She is absolutely amazing! Like I mentioned last week we lived together for three transfers in my first area and I am just so thrilled to be serving with her. She is from Illinois but grew up in Japan for 12 years and speaks fluent Japanese. She is the coolest and currently her dad took a job offer her in Korea so her family is living in the Daejon mission. Isn't that so cool. I just love her to death already! We have had quite the adventures since she has come and just by being herself she is pushing me to continually improve not only my Korean but just my way of missionary work. She truly is one who leads by example and I am honored to be serving along side her.  We both are just ready to go and conquer this little city of 금천.  We had a practice lesson with our sweet 황미주 and we taught the Plan of Salvation. The way we taught was just in so much unity and it was the best lesson I have ever taught as a missionary. This companionship truly has been an answer to my prayers and a tender mercy from the Lord. I truly don't know why but everday the Lord continues to bless me and my happiness just continues to increase. Just when I think I can't be happier I am showered with blessings and I am so grateful that I have been given the eyes to recognize them and receive them with so much joy.

One specific blessing that I really noticed this week was when we decided to go visit a particular Less Active family in which I have visited a lot before but I wanted Sister Stout to meet them so Thursday came along and we decided to go visit this family. The parents are less active while the kids come to church weekly. When we met with the parents it was actually the first time that I understood everything he was saying but at the time I wish I wasn't understanding because of the things he was saying and just continued to twist our words around. He was extremely hard hearted and the whole time and I was just praying that his heart would be softened. We shared a scripture with him to invite the Spirit and help him understand why the Lord requires us to be obedient so we can receive blessings and how we can show our love to God which is also through obedience. He then explained that he doesn't want those blessings and just told us that we couldn't talk to him and began criticizing us. It was hard because all he really wanted to do was fight and Sister Stout and I didn't know what to do. He then began telling us that we can't communicate with him because we don't know Korean so we should just leave. It was hard and it was frustrating because he was right our Korean isn't perfect but we  were able to rub it off our shoulders pretty well and just realized that we did what we could to help them.

So you may question why I consider this a blessing. Well its a blessing in disguise as I look back at the experience I can see what I have really learned as a missionary. I have learned how to be strong and not let anybody else's opinion affect what I think of myself. I use to worry alot about what others thought of me so I thought I had to be perfect in everyone's eyes and so if I would have been my old self that situation would have brought me to tears and I wouldn't have been able to handle it but the Lord has truly taught me the principle about accepting me and I am just happy to be me. I have learned to rely on the Savior and look to Him for strength through hard times and allow Him in so I can be perfected through Him. Like Moroni 10:32 says "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God" It's amazing to me how I can think back on different experiences I have had, see the lessons I learned, and see how the mission has changed me.

I just love this work so much and each day I cannot express enough gratitude to my Heavenly Father. He loves me and I have been shown so many signs of His love throughout my life. How merciful, patient and loving He is to me. I love Him and am so grateful for His love. I love being a missionary and sharing this love that is filled in my heart each day. I may just be like the Brother of Jared in Ether when he prepares the stones for the Lord to touch them. In a missionary point of view the stones are people and each day I am just going out preparing people little by little so the Lord can touch them one by one and light their lives with His love. I am a tool in His work and that is all I desire to be.

Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. I will never be able to thank you each enough but know that I love each of you and look to each of your examples so improve myself and become the person God wants me to be. I hope you are all doing well and continue to remember the Lord in your lives. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU! Have a wondrful week full of smiles and memories!

Love,
드리스콜자매
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll