11-15-2010

Dear Family!

Hello! Wow, today was such a wonderful day! Today we went to the temple : ) It was so wonderful. I felt like I was at home and I could just stop and think. So peaceful. My trainer finished her mission last transfer (so like a week ago) but she came to the temple today to see all of us missionaries. It was so wierd that she wasn't a missionary. She was wearing heels, had no name tag and had a cell phone. So wierd. My lovey beautiful Sister Lee is gone : ( But it was so good to see her again. I love her alot. She was such a good trainer and I know I didn't appreciate her while I had her. I hear that happens alot with greenies and their trainers. But anyways such a good day at the temple. I love my threesome!!!!! They are seriously so awesome. Such rockstars. Our 1st day together we set a goal to not stress out because I guess their last few transfers have been a little stressful too. So that is our goal and so far we have stuck to it. They are both so good to me. Sister Belen has been in country about 9 months. She is from St. George Utah. She goes to SUU and studies social work. She was the first Sister missionary I met in Korea because she was my trainer's companion right before my trainer got me and at the mission home she walked in the door first so I met her first. She is so great. She is so funny and so beautiful. And also she is pretty good at Korean. She hasn't had as many Korean companion's as I have so she had to learn alot on her own. She is such a hard worker. I think it is good for me because I can see how an American missionary does the work and is successful. So far I have only seen how Korean's do it and I think there are some differences that will help me be successful becuase as I have been discovering, I am not Korean and I cannot do the work like a Korean becuase I am simply not Korean. So Ya, I love Sister Belen. Like a lot. I hope I can be a good companion for her. The third part to our lovely American Missionary Pie is Sister Marchant! Oh how I love Sister Marchant. She is from Holladay Utah. She goes to BYU and studies advertising. Her parents recently returned from Indonesia where they served as Mission President. She was in the mtc with me!!! She is one transfer ahead of me. I am so excited to be serving with her as well. i seriously am the luckiest missionary ever. It is so fun working with them.

The work is still continuing even without sister Jung. She has been the brains of this opperation here in Sanggye for over 7 months now. So of course the transition is a little rough but because we made the goal that we wouldn't stress out have been able to go along with out freaking out. I love you all. I know this is God's work. I know the Book of Mormon is true and through the Book of Mormon miracles can happen. Be happy!

Sister Kincheloe

11-8-10

Dear Family!

Sorry I am a day late. Yesterday was so busy. Well actually this whole week has been busy. It has been the most successful week of my whole mission. I was a little down last week but it has all changed so fast. We had an awesome zone conference where I realized that it hurts to change. Lol, Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father feel lots pain because of the wickedness of the people. In 3 Nephi it says Jesus Christ groaned and cried because they were so wicked. So pain is just a part of deal. So I am excepting my pain and that is that. Well, then also this week I passed off. I am now a senior! Ahhh! Ya, I'm a little freaked out, but its ok. Well here is the most exciting part....

WE HAD TWO BAPTISMS THIS WEEK! YEA!

I love baptism. So on Saturday Choi Go Bong was baptized and then on Sunday Kim Hee Su was baptized and they were both confirmed. I love them both so much! We are eternally linked. They are so special to me. I know God has eard my prayers concerning them and has blessed me and Sister Jung to do this work. Hee Su's whole family cam to church on sunday too. Her is super less-active, like never been active and her dad is not a member. But becuase of Hee Su (she's 8) they are going to start coming to church! Not every week they said, but hey once a month is a start. and Her dad has been talking about a baptismal date hehehe. Soon they will be sealed in the temple I just know it. And of course my Choi Go(it means best) Choi Go Bong is already the most awesome member missionary. we had FHE with our ward yesterday and he came and was so nice.

Sad news though... Sister Jung is getting transfered : (

I'm really sad because we are so close and she is so wonderful. But I am excited for her to move on. She has been here for 7 transfers. And my new companions are Sister Belen and Sister Marchant. Hehehe yep, I'll be in a threesome again. Yea! I am pretty sure this one will work out better than the last one. If you don't remember I was in a threesome in the MTC and it was a little difficult. But I love these sisters so much. They are rockstar hard working missionaries and we are going to turn Sanggae into the city of Zion.

Well I love you all so much. Thank you so much for all your support and love. Be happy!

I know this church is true and through our baptismal covenant we can always have God's spirit to be with us.

love,

Sister Kincheloe

10-24-2010

Dear Family,

Well, well, well, it has already been another week. Time goes so fast! Can you believe it, tomorrow I will have been in Korea for 5 months!!!! Ahh!!!! Wowzerz and I still can't understand very much. But things are getting better. In my last interview with my mission president he committed me to passing off this transfer and going senior. So I guess I have to grow up and face the music. Anyways, we had a little bit of a sad and depressing day yesterday. Want to hear about it? Well, basically we were going to baptize these two kids who's mom is a less active, we got everything set up and went to their house, we even made presents for them , but when we got to their house they were not there and when my companion called them the mom went all insane on us and said she never agreed to let them get baptized and that she didn't really care about their salvation and that we should have trusted her kids, and blah blah blah. CRAZY! Yes, she is a crazy mom. I am just so grateful that we have a loving kind mom. Everyone should call her and tell her you love her because she is the best mom ever! Also sad thing. Our other investigator - Choi-Go-Bong, whose name means the best, is no longer our best investigator. He called early this week and said his aunt got hurt and he needed to go help her and so he couldn't meet us this week or come to church. And he didn't know if he would be back in time for his baptism. Ahhh!!!! But we are doing ok. We are trying to keep up our faith. We still trust God.... we just don't trust our investigator's moms. But this something I have been pondering alot lately. When something doesn't happen, like a baptism, or something does happen, like an investiagtor going awal, how do I know when it is because I don't have enough faith and when it is simple God's will? All thoughts would be appreciated.

In other news, Sister Leishman is doing better since her Surgery and we are actually going on exchanges next week! Yeah! I'm way excited. Her companion will come to my area and I will go to their area. My companion and I think it is because Sister Kil (Sister Leishman's companion) is going to move to Sanggae and be my new companion next transfer. I guess we will see. I love my companion so much I don't want her to go ㅠㅠ

I love my ward I love my zone and my district. Last pday we went mountain climbing and this week was stake sports day - so I am kinda really sore. I want to send pictures but we are using different computers than normal so I will have to wait till next week. I'm not really sure what we are doing today but we are hanging out with our district doing something. I love you all so much. I know this church is true. Even though people didn't get baptized I am still happy... but at the same time I am sad. My heart hurts becuase there is so much happiness right before these people's eyes and they can't see it and I don't know really how to show it to them. Thank you for all your prayers and love - keep 'em coming. I need all I can get. Be happy my beautiful family. Keep reading the Book of Mormon every day. I will if you will, hehehe. Just kidding, even if you don't, I will, but I hope you will.

BTW, I started making puns in Korean. Pretty cool huh. I love puns. I'll tell you some when I get home.

Love you tons!!

Sister Kincheloe

10-3-2010

Dear Family!

Well, we all knew it had to happen sometime. I've been transfered.

I am now serving in the wonderful Sanggeh Ward of the Dong Stake. It is as far away from MokDong as I could have gone.

On Monday night I recieved a call from president and then wednesday morning at 8am I was with my new companion on the subway bound for Sanggeh. So tuesday was my last day in mokdong. It was sad saying goodbye to all the investigators and members. They have been so wonderful to me and have given me so much service. I really love them like family. I feel like they have served me way more than I have served them. i wish I knew some way to thank them and show how much I love them. That is getting to be one of the hardest things for me. I love these people so much but I don't know how to show my love. It is one of my goals this transfer to show more love.

I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone but I saw a few people and took some pictures. It was hard saying goodbye to Sister Kim too. we had really become like sisters. It is hard to explain but we were just so similar. It was so easy to be together.

Well here is some more exciting news. My new companion is also Korean!!!!!! Yeahhh!!!!! I'm pretty much the luckiest most blessed missionary in the whole world. It is sooooo rare to have 3 Korean companions. Lots of elders never get native companions and lots of sisters too. I love it so much for so many reasons. When I'm with a korean I feel korean. I feel included in all the little inside Korean jokes that foreigners could never get on their own. And they just teach so powerfully and so beautifully. My companion's name is Sister Jung-Ye-Sol. She is from Daejon are of Seoul. She also have 5 kids in her family. She is the oldest. She has one brother on a mission in Canada and one brother preparing to go on a mission and her parents were in charge of the first EFY is Korea. She goes to school at UVU. We discovered that we lived just down the street from each other last year. Crazy! her english is perfect. Better than my trainer's even. She is seriously a superstar missionary. Seriously I am learning so much from her. And this area is amazing. It has the most investigators of the whole mission. When i found out I was coming here I was so scared because I felt like I was going to mess everything up. But my companion assures me that I wont. I really have to trust in the Lord everyday to help me and give me strength. I really am not qualified for this. but somehow, through the power of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ I make it work and I get the job done. Everyday is a miracle.

At first and even now a little bit I missed mokdong so much. It was such a wierd feeling because I want to love my new area but I don't know how to remember everyone I love in mokdong and love all these new amazing people too. My companion talked to me about it and see said I can love both because Heavenly Father loves everyone so he will help us love everyone too, but I need to focus my attention on what is in front of me. She is right and I am trying to make the adjustment. She is so wonderful.

So I told you about our miracle of miracles, KimYoungRay's baptismal date. Well it happened. He got dunked! His baptism was on the Saturday after transfers. i was soooo sad I wan't going to be able to see it but my super amazing companion prayed that if it was worthy we would be able to go. And it just so happened that our appointment canceled Saturday afternoon and we went to the baptism!!!!! ..... well kind of. We went to Mokdong and we were able to see him before he got baptized but we had to leave right away because we had an appointment that evening. It was so wonderful. Baptism is such a glorious miracle. through Baptism we take upon ourselves the name of Christ and we are able to recieve all the blessings that come from the Atonement. its amazing. Everyone should get baptized.

Well thats about all I think of now. I know lots more has happened and I have already seen so many miracles here in Sanggeh. God has already blessed this area so much. Now we just need to baptize them all ; ) Through the power of God I know we can. Next week we get to see General Conference. I'm excited for it. I hope I get to see it in English but I think I might need to be in the Korean room with our investigators. So we'll see.

I love you all soooo much!!! thank you for all your wonderful letter and support. I love you very much. i carry pictures of you everywhere so alot of random Koreans have seen your face. They think mom is really beautiful, dad is my grandfather, sometimes they think I'm kelly and that spencer is my husband, ooo, some think that robert and charlotte are mom and dad, and some people just think we are the cutest family in the whole world!... which we are ; )

I know this is the Lord's Kingdom on the Earth. So lets build it up.

Love Sister Emily Grace Kincheloe

9/27/2010

Dear Family,

Well it has been quite a crazy week. And I mean really crazy. I don't have much time but I will do my best to explain.
Last monday was not pday, wednesday was. but we still got to email because on wednsday all the email places would be closed because of the holiday. We did lots of good missionary work and had a good day.
Tuesday was the first day of the korean thanksgiving and we had a special missionary training meeting. It was really good. we learned about using time effectively, faith and learned more about baptism. The Assistants gave everyone a promise that if they used the new training they could get a baptismal date within the next week. It was really powerful and I felt the spirit really strong. Later that night we went out contacting and shared the family proclamation. No one was really interested but we talked to lots of people.
Wednesday was the holiday and it was pday. My companioon got to call her family. I was just a little jealous. At the same time my comp was talking with her family the senior couple missionaries were talking to their kids on the phone and I was studying Korean : ( But its ok. Christmas I will get to call. For the holiday all the missionaries in the surrounding zones got together and we played soccer! It was soooo fun. I did pretty well didn't score any goals but i stole the ball alot and made some good passes. I realized I really miss soccer. We did the same thing wednesday night with saring the proclamation. People didn't mind talking with us about family : )
Thursday I was soooo sore! LOL but luckily we had planning meeting and then we organized our area book and member book and then we did a little contacting and some calling.
Friday we went street boarding with the elders in our district. Before we had even finished setting up the boards we had scheduled two return appointments. It was a real miracle. We talked to lots of people and gave away a few book of mormons.
Saturday was english class. Our investigator KimYoungRay had come back from his month long trip to America last week so we were really excited to talk to him. He has been an investigator for three years. He hasn't been able to be baptized because his wife really hates the church. Well here is the exciting part. After english class we met with Brother Kim and our bishop and our ward leader and we set a baptismal date fopr next saturday!!! This guy has been waiting for over three years to be baptized. It is kind of sad how it has come about, I think he got divorced. He wanted so badley to keep his family together. He is sad but also this is a very happy time. The ward mission leader talked about how the ward is really a family and when you are baptized you become a part of that family. I think it was really good. And so the APs promise was fulfilled. We worked hard even though it was a holiday and got a baptismal date.
Sunday we had the baptismal interview with our district leader and he is good to go. Tonight is transfer calls. I am a little worried I will get transfered. I really like Sister Kim a lot and I love mokdong. It is the only area I've ever known. And I love all my investigators. I really want to see them all get baptized. But I guess if someone else can get it done I'm ok with that. As long as they get baptized. I love this work so much. This has been a great week. I really feel like a missionary. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Through the Book of Mormon I have come to know my savior Jesus Christ. Have fun with conference. we don't get to see it till the next week. I love you!!!!!!!

-Sister Kincheloe

Sorry i havent been posting a lot. This one is from 9-6-10

Dear Family,

Pretty Much this has been one of the craziest weeks of the mission. Satan is trying to ruin my life.

It started out well. Typical pday. It took forever to email because only one computer at the community center was working. Tuesday was ok I think. We had our mission coordination meeting with our ward mission leader. Then on wednesday we decided that our house was no longer suitable to live in. I didn't say anything last week about it because I thought it wouldn't be a big deal. But now it is. Last week it rained a ton and trashed our roof (we live on the top floor of a villa(old crappy apartment)). Mold grew out of nowhere and covered the ceiling and then there was this wierd orange mold in our study room. I cleaned it on Tuesday and night and by the next afternoon it was completely grown back. Freaky. So we called our misssion president and after some contemplating told us to move in with the Sister missionaries in An-yong which is a lovely hour and a half away by subway and bus. So we took what we needed for a few days and wednesday night made our way over to An-yong. It was kind of exciting at first because the other SIster missionaries are super fun. Sister Belen is from Saint George and she was in mokdong before I came so we know all the same people. Sister Kim-Guy-Young (?) is actually from Seoul and she is serving a 6 week mission because we were short one sister this transfer and she volunteered to help. She actually got her mission call this week to the Korea DaeJeong Mission! Yeah! How cool is that to get your mission call while you are serving a mission?

So living with them is really fun but the communiting has really taken a toll on us. Being a missionary is tiring enough. Sunday we fell asleep in church.. oops. After that we decided we should try and find another option. Plus we were losing valuble time in our area. So the members offered for us to live with them, but that really is no good. Missionary life is just so different it would be a big burden on any family and family life would be a big burden for missionaries to deal with. So the next option was move in with the senior couple missionaries in our district ; ) The Jordins are the best. You probably don't remember but they were in the MTC with me for about a week. they are Sister Leishman's great aunt and uncle or cousin or soemthing. They have been in my district this whole time. It is like having a grandma and grandpa looking after me. They are so sweet. they have an extra bedroom and bathroom and a really nice apartment and it about 40 or so mins closer. We talked to them today at the temple (oh I went to the temple today that is why I am writing today and not yesterday) and they said we could stay with them. So we are staying in An-yong one more night and then tomorrow morning we will go to Shindorim to live with the Jordins. President Lee, my mission president said it would probably be for 2 weeks or so, which is pretty much the rest of the transfer. Hopefull our hous will be fixed by then (or we will just move to a new apartment in mokdong). Either way I hope I am still in Mokdong and I don't get transfered. We have this one investigator, Jeong Meong Won who is getting really close to baptism. If she will just come to church! Ah! Getting the investigator to church is the key. Because if they don't come to church then they can't get baptized.

Sister Kim is doing well. She is just the cutest little Korean in the whole world. She gets hot and tired easily but I always try and cheer her up. She gave me a Korean name - Kim Cha Roc. Kim is like the most popular family name in Korea and Cha Roc means green. I don't think any ones name is really kim cha roc but it is possible.

All this moving around stuff bothers me because it is taking away my focus and my strength.

I'm grateful I didn't die from the mold though. It was pretty gross. Mold grows fast here becuase of the humidity.

I'm glad you all got to go to the beach. I do love the beach. We have been having Typhoon season. Lots of thunder and lightening. It is pretty cool. Korean Thanksgiving is coming up so that chould be fun.

I'm really trying to become more Christ like. It is hard because Christ is well, you know perfect. But that is my goal and I'm sticking to it. I have a long way to go that is for sure. On the cover of the Liahona there are two Senior Missionaries from Korea. I don't know them. But yea Korea and yea Senior Missionaries.

Do you use Preach my Gosepl every family home evening? I think it would be a great thing to do.. Preach My Gospel was written by prophets and apostles which makes it pretty much Scripture. I love PMG! I wish I would have studied it before my mission. I know this gospel is true. We aren't just some other church. This is the Lord's Kingdom. This is eternal truth. This is everyone's future, not just members. Sometimes I think just how extremely lucky I am to have the gospel. I know it isn't luck reallly but I don't know how I got to be so blessed to have the knowledge that I have. Thank you for all your love and support!!!!! You're the best family the girl could have!

Sister Emily Kincheloe

Dear Family,

Hello! It was great to get your emails. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family. Thanks for wanting to know more about me and whats going on here. Sometimes in your letters I feel like you don't care. But then I feel bad because the boys never complained but then again I am a girl and I am just a little bit more needy than the boys. So I guess I don't feel too bad. Thank you for the Card. I got it at Zone conference as well as a letter from my MTC Teacher Brother Erickson.

My Companion Sister Kim and I are doing well. We taught some good lessons this week. No baptismal dates yet. But things are looking up. We are teaching this mother of two and we just picked up the daughter yesterday. She is 9 and her mom wants her to know more about God and Jesus. They go to another church and it seems to me like her kids know alot about the bible but of course it is babylon church teachings of the bible so there are some things we have to set straight. It is so so so refreshing to see a mother more worried about her children's relationship with God than their score on a test or the prestige of their hawgwon or academy. She is so great. The family is going to get baptised I just know it. We had stake conference this weel. It was great... i think. I didn't really understand very much but when they refrenced a scripture I was able to look it up and write doen my thoughts and feelings about the scripture. We were going to have an investigator come with us but he decided to hang out with his friend the night before so he was too tired to make the 9am meeting. It is so sad too becuase he has been doing so well with the Word of Wisdom. We had a great zone conference this week on finding and key indicators. We have standards we need to hit every week and so far we haven't hit the standards. It is a little depressng but the zone conference lifted my spirits and I am committed to diligentlly working to hit the standards this week. My companion is too. That is important becuase we need to work in unity. We got a bunch of new Elders in the mission this week. It is so wierd that is my 3rd transfer and that there are people newer than me. I feel like I should know Korean by now but I don't. But whatever. I can still invite others to come unto Christ. That is my purpose and that is what I am going to do.

I was so excited ti hear about all the missionaries from our ward and stake. That is the kind of news I like to hear. Also tell me more about the missionary work going on in the ward. I love you so much family. You arethe best. I put up the family picture mom sent me on the wall in my apartment. I love looking at your smiling faces every day. Keep up the good work. Hopefull by next week I will be able to tell you about a baptismal date.

I know this church is true. I am a servant of the living God.

Love Sister Kincheloe

ps.s don't send beef jerky in the package because it won't make it through customs : ) You're the best!

picture

Me and Elder Ryu

The good and the not so good.

My Not So Favorite Things About Missionary Work

-When Investigators punk - meaning they cancel just before the appointment or they just don't show up

-Time - there is never enough time to teach all we want to teach

-When people don't keep committments - especially when they don't read the Book of Mormon. My favorite is when we meet and they didn't read and then they ask a question that is answered by what they should have read. The Book of Mormon is the key to everything. But no matter how many times we tell them. They still don't seem to understand.

-When I'm contacting and someone tells me they go to church or they only read the bible. Hello! This is Korea, everyone goes to church and only reads the bible but I still need to talk to you so please don't walk fast because I'm just going to walk faster because I still need to share my message.

-When people walk fast and don't listen to my message.

-When poeple say, "oh you poor thing, missionary work is so hard, isn't?" or "It is so hot. You must be so hot. It is so hard that you have to be outside in the heat all day and be hot" - yes it is hot. thank you for bringing it up. But really, missionary work is supposed to be hard. I knew that before I came. I am happy to be working hard and I am even happy to be hot. Don't feel bad for me just refer your friends to the missionaries : )

My Favorite Things about Missionary work : )

-Everything! even the not so favorite things turn into favorite things.

-When investigators punk we have a back plan that results in finding new investigators and building relationships with members.

-When we don't have enough time it is because we are focusing on the investigator's needs and helping them understand the doctrine and not just shoving it down their throats.

-When they didn't read - well actually I just really hate that. But I do love reading with them and helping them understand the scriptures.

-When they walk fast I just get a little more exercise.

-When people complain for me I guess it just means I don't have to.

-I love being with my companion.

-I love teaching the restored gospel!!!!!

I know this church is the Lord's Kingdom on the earth. Christ lives and he loves all of God's children. Thank you for all your love and support. Now go read the Book of Mormon!

Love Sister Kincheloe

Miracle!

Dear Family,

Not much time. Sorry. Today we had a sisters luncheon. I got to see my MTC companion Sister Leishmen and all the other Sister Missionaries in the mission. They are all so wonderful. I feel like we are all family. I went on exchanges this week. Thursday I spent the day in Hong-je with Sister moffett who was in the district under me in the mtc. So this is her first transfer. Two people who can't speak Korean together doing missionary work for a whole day - it was awesome! we had so much fun and were actually somewhat successful. We had two appointments scheduled but tehy backed out. So we taught a few members and did alot of contacting.

Yesterday in Mokdong ward we had a miracle. A random high school boy walked into gospel principles class and then after sacrament meeting we taught him and gave him a baptismal date. It was so amazing. Also it was the day all the youth came back from EFY so they all bore their testimonies. Best fast and testimony meeting ever. I loved it! We are still working hard. loving every moment. It was so good to see all the sisters today. Elders just can't relate to sisters so we need that time to share our feeling, lol. It is so fun. I know this is the Lord's work. I'm so grateful to be apart of it. I loved the pictures. Thank you kelly for that marvelous drawiing. I look at it and I laugh everytime. I will keep it forever. And thanks for trying to write in Korean. Not too shabby. Keep helping the missionaries : )

Love Sister Kincheloe

Letter From A Missionary

Dear Family,

So there is this Korean dessert called pot-bing-soo. It is soo delicious. Lots of Korean foods are delicious. In the summer time in Korea everyone eats Ginseng Chicken. Its like a chicken soup - with a whole chicken. It is supposed to be really healthy for you in the summer. (What I don't understand is why it has to be eaten while in boiling water. Its so hot). I've had it like 3 times. It is pretty good. Also I can honestly say I like kimchi! i'm not faking it anymore! yea! Also I'm getting used to spicy food. Also I realized I like kiwi. So ya, food is good.. it's grrreat!

So its monsoon season in Korea. I'm kinda wet. But I'm still happy.

So there is this investigator, named kim-young-wha. She is in her 50s. She has a daughter and a son ( who is my same age). The daughter is just finishing up grad school and her son is in the army (all men must serve in the army for 2years). She is a difficult one. She is pretty good at english so it is hard when we are teaching her the gospel because she just wants to speak in english with me but we are supposed to teach in Korean. The other week i found a good opportunity to serve her. Her daughter, had her final thesis paper due so she asked me to proofread it for her. I did and thier hearts melted. Since then she has really opened up to us. It is a slow process. I think she is scared or something. But last week when i talked with her about reading the Book of Mormon she said she could see in my eyes that she needed to read the Book of Mormon. She better read it too or else we have to drop her. Which would be really sad because I like her so much. But there are thousands of prepared people out there who are ready for the gosepl now. My companion and i get along so well. She is like a Korean version of me. A little o-sec-hey-o (awkward). We laugh all day. Our washing machine broke this week and our wonderful Bishop and his wife took care of it so fast. We had someone over to fix it the next day. I only got us lost a few times this week : ) Luckly Sister Kim is starting to learn the area so she doesn't have to realy on me so much. We had combined district meeting this week. It was super awesome. We recieved some helpful training on listening and asking inspired questions. In preach my gospel it says who just have to lesten with love and the spirit will guide you what to say. it doesn't neccesarily say listen and understand what they are saying - just listen with love. I'm really going to put that into practice this week. I love this work. I know the church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I love you all!

-Sister Kincheloe

2nd Transfer Week 1

Dear Family,

What a great week. Tuesday was the combined mission conference! Yeah! The Seaoul West and Seoul Mission is completely mixed together now. At the conference we had live transfer calls so everyone found out their new companion. Pretty much every Seoul West Missionary has a Seoul companion and now we are the New Seoul Mission. President Lee talked alot about unity and focusing on the future. He is so great. He speaks in korean so I has to use a little translator. Everyone else switched companions on Thursday, but because Sister Lee was going to be a trainer and moving to a new area I swtiched that day a few hours after the conference. My new companion is Sister 깁지은(Sister Kim. Can you see the Korean characters? if not I'll just write them in English). She is Korean and from MaSan, which is near Busan in the Southern part of the country. She has been here for about 8 months and I am her 3rd companion. Her last area was in Incheon Stake. It was her greenie area so this is only her second area. It has been a fun week getting to know each other. She is so great. She has been very patient with me and my lack of korean skills, missionary skills, and knowledge about the area. But so far we have gotten everywhere we need to go ok. She is really funny. We laugh all the time. Sister Kim isn't as good at english as Sister Lee so my Korean has really improved. Our conversations are really funny. I'll speak in English and then she'll answer me in Korean and then i'll look really confused and then she tries to say it in English and then i try to answer back in Korean or just smile and nod and pretend I understood (that happens alot for both of us)

It was soooo good to see Sister Leishman at the Mission Conference. We hugged, laughed, and even cried a little bit. Missionary work is hard so it was good to have a friend who could relate to exactly what I was feeling and going through. She is doing well. Her companion is Sister Petersen who will be going home in a few weeks but first they are both going to Busan because she is adopted and wants to visit her real family who are Korean.... ya, i don't know. But Sister Lieshman is going with her so that will be fun.

I also got to see Elders Parkllan and Mortensen who were in my MTC district, as well as 4 sisters who were in my older district at the MTC. It was fun to be reunited.

The MokDong area is still going strong. We had a baptism on the 3rd and we had a baptismal date for later this month but sadly we are having problems with family opposition : ( The girls mom is really opposed to her getting baptised. She is a freshmen in college so we don't really need parental permission but it would make everything alot better for the invesigator - Lee-Sun-Geoung. She is such a sweet wonderful girl. We are meeting with her later today so hopefully we can get things figured out. I love you all i know the church is true and I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Keep up the good missionary work in Modesto!

-Sister Kincheloe

Pictures

-Baptism of Kim-Hee-Jung

Almost 5 Months!

Dear Family,

Happy Fourth of July! I hope the 3rd of July Party was fun and you found something good to do on the 4th. Last year we had to go to Livingston. What did you do this year? I feel bad for you that you had to be there with all our family, with all that good American food, enjoying the American spirit together. It is really a shame. I wish you could have been here with me. I got to go to my investigators baptism on Saturday and then her confirmation on Sunday. Her name is 김허정 (kim-hee-jung). She is amazing. She is the niece of a recent convert who was baptized on March 20th. She is about 13. Really sweet girl. She is a miracle. She came with her aunt to the first baptism we had this transfer. Afterward we had a lesson and set a baptismal date right there. She also came to kim-seo-young's baptism. Its funny cause her mom and grandmother really wanted her to get baptized and start coming to church because they want her to be a better person. I guess she had started a bad habit of lying. She really likes coming to church now and has made some friends. I'm so happy for her. I'm glad I got to be apart of her success.

I also got to go to our Relief Society President's House on Sunday night and had really dilicious Korean food - in cluding Korean pizza ( the closet thing I can compare it to is kish (quish sp?)). At the dinner was two recent converts and one investigator. It was great being surrounded by all the people I love here in Korea. it hit me again that this is why I am here. To gather zion. To bring people home.

So it doesn't stop there. I don't know what people are complaning about - missionary work is easy! Well at least the way we do it. You see, all you have to do is go outside and talk to people and then they meet with you and then they get baptized - or in the case of Kim-hee-jung, they just show up at a baptismal service and ask for a baptismal date. So like 1 1/2 weeks ago or so we were street boarding and we got a phone number of a girl named 이선경 (Lee-sun-geoung). We meet twice that week and then she came to the baptism and then she came to church yesterday and we set a baptism date for july 24th! Yeah! It is so exciting. She is such cool girl. She goes to yun-seh university which is pretty prestigious, is studying enviornmental engineering and she plays bass guitar. She is a freshmen - so like 18 or 19 i think. I'm so excited for her. She really seems to enjoy church and being with the members. There is no way I can credit for all the wonderful miracles we are having here in Mokdong. I don't even know whats going on half the time. These people are prepared and that is all there is to it. God has blessed me so much to let me be apart of his work.

Ok, so we found out what is going on with transfers. My companion- sister lee is going to go to an area that has previously been elders and open it for sisters and she will be training again. She is pretty stressed. She'll either be training Sister Wadsworth or Sister Moffett who were in my younger district at the MTC. I will be staying mokdong and will get a new companion. I don't know who. I will find out on Tuesday I think. The thing is Sister Lee is leaving tuesday and transfers aren't until thursday so i will have a temporary companion - Sister Kim, who's companion will also be training next transfer. So far as I know we will be working in mokdong together until thursday. I've met her a few times. She is really nice. She is Korean and isn't very confident with English - so that'll be interesting since I don't speak Korean. But its all good. All survive.

Tuesday is the Full Mission Conference and the first time all the missionaries from both missions will be together. It will be exciting. Last wednesday my zone had a mini conference with President Lee - the Seoul mission president. He really focused on how we are going to unify the missions. He has been the Seoul mission president for a year already so I trust him completely. We had an interview - it was funny. He spoke in english and I tried to answer in Korean but failed miserablely. I'm a little worried being left in the area as a greenie. I don't really know every one's name of the right buses to take. But I know how to get to the church : ) That's all I need right....?

I love you all so much. I was joking before about the 4th of July. I do wish I could have been there. But I tried to be patriotic in my own way. we have a little american flag in our apartment so i sang the Star Spangled Banner and did the Pledge of Alligience. My companion thought I was wierd but whatever. Nothing has made me appreciate my country more than being away from it. We have no idea how blessed we truly are to be born in the United States of America. Everyone is jealous of us. Seriously. Even if they don't admit it they are jealous in one way or another. People over here are obsessed with learning English. It is how we get lots of investigators. They study for years and years and years but still they can't speak fluently. So thank God you were born in the US and can speak English - it is a great blessing.

I know this chruch is true. It is truely the House of Israel. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I read Elder Scott's talk today from Conference. It is a good one. Be happy. i know I am : )

-Sister Emily Kincheloe

4 Months Out. =]

Dear family,

Thank you so much for all the emails! They are so uplifting to me. I love hearing about Stake Conference. President Wasden is so great. I love that he talk about missionary work.I get a letter every month from the Stake Presidency. I guess we have alot of missionaries getting ready to go out. That is good. One thing I have really learned from the members here in Mok-Dong is the power of a member. I think alot of members want to help the missionary work in their area but they just don't know how. My companion has taught me that as a missionary it is my job to teach the members how to be missionaries. My companion is so good at getting members to all our lessons. They bear testimony and share personal experiences. They help answer difficult questions (because really they've been in the church longer than I have and have a little bit more knowledge on certain topics). Also they are a little less frightening because they are normal people. As children of the covenant of Abraham I know it is our duty to gather Israel. And so I challenge you to ask the missionaries when you can go to a lesson with them. Just pretend the missionary is me and I KNOW you would come to my lesson ; )
I want to give a shout out to Megan and Sarah Kenley. A few weeks ago I was passing out English Flyers (Flyers advertising our free english class) when I got an unexpected phone call from the Office Sistes, Sister Brancroft (who is basically the light of my life/couple missionary going home this next transfer - so sweet and loving). Sister Brancroft passed on a warm, loving message from Megan Kenley. The Kenleys were in Korea visiting places their Dad saw on his mission to Korea. Sadly they weren't able to visit me because that is against the rules : ( But just knowing they tried to see me fills me heart with warmth and happiness - like a Hershey's Chocolate bar. Thanks Megan and Sarah! I hope you weren't too bummed and you had fun in Korea! I love you!
That day we found a new investgator too - so good day all around.
This week we had our last Zone Conference with President and Sister Burton. Tomorrorw they are leaving for home in Murray Utah. As of that day my Mission President will be President Lee who is currently president of the Seoul Mission. The Seoul West and Seoul missions will combine becoming the new Seoul Mission. It is a sad yet happy event. Sad because we will all miss the Burtons. Even though I've only had them for less than a transfer i can feel their love and their power. When I first met Presdient Burton I was a little surprised. he was just a regular guy. He joked around with the Elders , drove a mini-van. I don't really know what I expected - maybe someone really stern and serious. but no, he is the most kind, loving person. he is really Christ-like. And his wife, Sister burton has been so helpful and loving and uplifting. I knew right away she loved me. So it will be sad that they are leaving, but is good they will get to be with their family again.
The combinations of the missions is very exciting for Korea. I don't know why or how exactly, but I know it is. President Lee is Korean so I will have to use a translator headset at all the meetings, but I think it will be really good having a Korean mission president, cause, well he knows Korea, cause he's Korean. On Wednesday we have a conference with him and then interviews. Also at the zone conference we found out that every companionship will be splitting up this transfer (except couple missionaries - that'd be wierd). So either me or Sister Lee are leaving mok-dong : ( We both love it here so much. We have seen lots of miracles here. I've been trying to memorize the area just in case I'm the one who gets to stay. So Korean names only have 3 syllables but for the life of me I am having the hardest time remembering people's names - something I am usually pretty good at. It is still confusing to me - the whole last name first deal. And it is wierd because Kincheloe has 3 syllables so people just call me kincheloe. Don't know how I'm supposed to take that. I was taught in the MTC to repect my calling and call Elders and Sisters by their titles. I feel like Korean culture gets in the way of missionary culture quite a bit. For example we are instructed to only stay at members houses for an hour but in Korea they don't even start cooking the food till you get there. Then they have dessert - usually fruit and then we give our message. It really bugs me. and since my companion is Korean it is hard to express my frustration. I don't know exaclty what to do but I'll figure it out.
We had a baptism on the 20th - Kim-Seo-Young. And so she was confirmed yesterday. When she came into church she was a little upset. Her friend didn't go home the night before and the girls parents were calling her to find out where she was. We prayed with her and Kim-Seo-Young prayed silently to herself too during sacrament meeting. After the closing prayer she got a text message saying her friend was ok. I was so thankful to the Lord for answering Kim-Seo-Young's prayer. I think it really strengthened her testimony of prayer. This gospel is for the individual. It fills all our personal needs and the needs of families. I know our family has been tremendously blessed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Last Pday our Zone went to Lotte World - which is the Korean equivalent of Disneyland. It was pretty fun but I felt wierd being at an amusement park as a missionary. Which I think is good. I think it shows that I am truely trying to keep myself set apart from the world and focussed on my calling. In our mission it is not against the rules to go to amusement parks on pday but in the Seoul mission it is. So we had to go this transfer before the missions combine.
I've met so many wondeful people here in Korea I want to tell you about all of them. But I simply cannot. I'm keeping a good journal so I can tell you all their stories when I get home. I love you all and I am so happy to be apart of this eternal family. Keep up the good work. I tell everyone I was spawned from missionary work - its pretty much true. Thank you for all your wonderful examples : )

<3 Sister Kincheloe

another baptism =]

Hello Family!

What a great week I've had. Yesterday we had another Baptism. Last week was 윤미 숙 and this week was 김서영 . This week's baptism was a 17 year old girl. She is a miracle. My companion found her on the bus and our second meeting with her she had a baptismal date. She has so much love and faith. Also this week at church was Elder Che - a member of the 70. He was great. I couldn't understand what he said but I could feel the power. We had district meeting this week as well. Super fun. The Jordins - who I met at the mtc and are Sister Leishman's Mom's cousins - are in my district. We met at their house and they made us waffles and eggs and muffins. It was so delicious. I hadn't realized how much I missed real food. I do really well with the Korean food. I'm just no to the point where I would choose it over waffles and eggs. I eat kimchi. The members love it when they see me reaching for the kimchi - it is basically cabbage fermented in spicy pickle juice - mmm, tastey. It is a little too spicy for my liking but it makes them really happy when you eat it so I eat it. My companion sister lee is great. She is really good at focusing on our goals. It is the mission standard to have every week 6 lessons with a member, 20 lessons total, 3 new investigators, and to talk to 140 people (talking means sharing a brief message about the restoration and the book of mormon, bearing testimony, and giving a commitment) and then to have 1 baptism per transfer. So far we have had hit the standard every week. I love you all and I am glad to hear spencer is recovering and robert got his bike fixed and everyone is home safe. Thank you for your emails and your love. I know this church is true and I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

-Sister Kincheloe

6/14/2010

Hello Family!

Apparently you're all together. That is good to hear. I'm there too in this email. Not much time again this week we had a Sisters Luncheon and it went over a little, you know what happens when girls get together, talk talk talk talk talk. I love you all so much. I am so happy to hear spencer is alive. It is just like him to fall down a mountain... just like dad.. lol. I had my first baptism this week! It was such a great experience. We had some investigators there and at the confirmation the next day. Super awesome weekend. Lots more baptisms to come. I am alive and well and healthy and happy. I'm so happy to be here and to be a servant of the Lord. I know the Chuch is true. Thank you all for being such wonderful example to me. It makes me so happy to hear that you all rushed to spencer's aid, that is what family is for. We are a great family. I'm so grateful for all the love and support I recieve from you. Now, get Spencer healthly again. Until next week!

-Sister Emily Kincheloe

Just a little note, pictures soon!

Sorry, not much time the pictures were giving me trouble.
I'm having a great week. I had zone conference and we had 3 investiators at church on sunday. It was amazing. My comp and I are teaching up a storm. Lol. She is so great. I love Koreans. they are the best.
At Zone conference we learned about adjusting plans and contacting investigators daily.
We live really close to the church so that is where we do most of our teaching.
At English class this week I taught the Nature lesson so I got to talk about Modesto. I just tell everyone it is by San Francisco because they know where that is.
We ride the bus and the subway and we walk alot.
I'm doing great with Korean Food. I love seaweed! Seaweed in speghtti is thee best! I know the church is ture and I know the Book of Mormon is ture.
P.s. my pday is monday except for when it is on tuesday because we are going to the temple

Mok-Dong

Dear Family

What a pretty amazing week I've had : ) I've talked to a ton of people. We have a mission standard of talking to at least 140 people a week and this week we talked to 169 or something like that. It only counts if you testify of the restoration and give them a commitment, usually to contact us if they want to learn more. It is fun but can get discouraging. I'm luvky because I don't understand when they are swearing or telling us that our church is a cult and we are going to hell. The other day i accidently started bible bashing with some lady. I didn't know what she was saying I just thought I was supposed to keep testifying. but it is all good. I am in the Mok-Dong ward and the members are AMAZING! like seriously, the most awesome members in the whole world. When I get back i want to be just like them. So far we have had a member at every lesson where the invesigator or less active had said it was ok. My companion is so good with the members. They love her death. I think it is because she pretty much is love. Her name actually means charity and wisdom and that is pretty much exactly what she is. We kind of have an awesome goal this transfer. 5 baptisms. Yep you heard me, 5 baptisms. The first one is this Sunday. It is a single mom with a little boy, whose English name is Chandler (lots of people have english names). She is great. She is a little hesitant because she doesn't think she is ready baptised. But she is. The other 4 people don't have dates just yet. But they will by the end of this week. I'm so excited to be apart of this work. Yesterday we were visiting a less active lady, also single with a little boy, when I realized it is basically my job to go around and make everyone happy and feel God's love for them. It is pretty much an awesome job. my companion is so good at it to. She is the most loving person ever. In Korea it is not uncommon at all for 2 girls or two boys to walk arm in arm or to hold hands. It is a sign of friendship and love. They don't really have a problem with homosexuality for some reason. I guess that part of the west hasn't quite made its way over yet. Anyways, she likes to hold my hand. She is the cutest little Asian in the whole world. I forgot my cord thing so I will send pictures next week.
Sunday was so great. I love being with the Saints. They had a member of the Stake High council that week and he turned out to be the father of one of the Koreans i met in the MTC. She is going to Seattle. I had some pictures on my camera of us at the temple so I showed him and he was so grateful. The Church is the Church no matter where you go. They even have the old lady bench in Korea.
Whenever a new missionary comes they have them introduce themselves and bear a short testimony in sacrament meeting. So I sat up on the stand. Luckily my name is wierd enough so I can pick out from all the other words so I knew when I was to speak cause there was no way I good read the program. I tried to say "I'm happy to be here in Mok-dong. I want to serve you. The Mok-dong ward is the best" (cause really they are). And then I bore my testimony. Short and sweet and probably not very understandable, but they all told me I did great, those little liars. I love when Sister Lee tells me stuff like that cause I always know when she is lying. She can't lie, she is too pure.
Today we went to the temple : ) The Seoul Temple is absolutely beautiful. It was dedicated by President Hinckley in 1985 when he was a member of the 12. He loved Korea. My zone and I think another zone where there as well as the APs and President and Sister Burton, The office senior missionary couple, and Elder and Sister Jordin! I met Elder and Sister Jordin in the MTC. There are Sister Leishman's Mom's cousins. It was a joyous reuion. They are so sweet. It was so good to see a familiar face. The temple was of course amazing. We got to do an English session. Afterwards we took a bunch of pictures. it was president and Sister burtons last temple day. i love them.
I'm doing really well with the food. If you want Koreans to like you eat their food. And I really want them to like me so I eat their food. Mom you would be so proud of me. I've eaten tons of things you've tried to get me to eat for years.
One cool thing they have here is the 30/30 program. We teach english for 30 min and then we teach the gospel for 30. And since I'm the American I do the english teaching. Ya, me! Lol, no its fun. I just don't really know how to teach english, I just speak it, poorly.
Oh yesterday we were jundoing, oh sorry, street contacting and we met this lady at a busstop and she was all hey, I want to study the bible in english and I guess I want to learn about Mormons too. She is pretty much golden I think. But she is going on a trip to New York so we won't be able to start teahing her till she come back. But it was just a little testimony builder to me that the Lord does put prepared people in our path and jundoing really does work. I love you all. Thank you for your emails and your love. Keep being good to the missionaries. More than your food they want your friends.
Through Prophets, God has again restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ to us. We have evidence of this through the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I love the Book of Mormon! and I love Korea and Koreans. Now the trick is just getting the two together ; )

Read your scriptures every day,
Sister Emily Grace Kincheloe

Emilys Address In Korea.

I know some of you have been wanting to write Emily a letter so here is here mailing address. I know she would love to hear from everyone!

Sister Emily Grace Kincheloe
Korea Seoul West Mission
Songpa PO Box 31
Songpa-gu
Seoul-si, Gyeonnggi-do 138-600
SOUTH KOREA

Korea Day 2

Hello Family
So I get to email again because my companion is emailing so i will too. She hasn't got to email yet thsi week because they are switching up P-days so that the whole world has the same Pday. My first area is Mok-Dong and my companion's name is Ja-Heon Lee. She is so super sweet and cute and loving. I can just feel the love radiating from her. My first full day in Korea we had a lesson in the evening. It was great ; ) i pretty much just sat and listened and at the end I bore my testimony about what I thought we had talked about. It was fun. When my companion was bearing her testimony at the end I felt the spirit super strong. Korea is a little wierd, no? The other day we were jundoing and street boarding and I felt like I was on a different planet. Everything is pretty much the same as the US except everyone is asian and everything is wacky. Jundoing (street contacting/proselyting) was a fun experience. it goes a little something like this. I say hello nice to meet you I'm a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints. Have you ever seen this book? (they answer yes or no) this is the Book of Mormon. It testifies (or scriptures - i can't remember if I was saying the right word yesterday) about Jesus Christ. When I read this Book I feel happiness. And then usually by this point they have walked away for just stopped looking at me. So ya, its fun. By one of the times I did it this girl I guess was kind of listening and then one of the AP elders stepped in and got her phone number. So i guess I kinda got my first pone number even though I didn't really ask for it. So yay for me. It is a little hard working up the courage to talk to someone when you know what you are about to say is not going to make any sense to the person and they probably won't care, but I will keep talking and starting up random conversations about Jesus with random people. They need this gospel. We all do. Plus you lose the spirit if you don't talk to people.
Funny things about Korea:
The shower and the bathroom in the houses are combined into one. It is basically a drain on the floor and one of those movable shower head things. Interesting experience this morning discovering that. Also, the water that comes out of the drain isn't purified so you have to use a filter. I came at the nicest time of year. Apparently soon it will be swelteringly hot. woohoo yeah me! That'll be fun. I used Tekbeh for the first time. Tekbeh is this great company that will deliver anything anywhere in Korea. My mission president had me tekbeh my luggage from the mission home to my apartment because the traffic would have been so bad we wouldn't have made it to our appointment. So I didn't have all my stuff with me the first night. But it is all good. Still a little jet lagged. I woke up at 4:30 this morning ready to go. It'll get better though in a few days.
I was kinda going through companionship withdraws the first night. I cried a little bit. I hope sister leishman is having fun and adjusting well. She's so great. She is from Montana, she can handle anything. I love my new companion so much. She is great :) She is the 2nd of 6 children. Both her older brother and younger brother and her were all on missions at the same time a few months ago, but one just went home. She is so spiritual and so in tune. We will definitely have a baptism this transfer.
I love you all! The mission home address should be on my facebook page so you can write me there. Oh, companion says I should get a translator. There are around 200 dollars I guess. I will try and get one on Pday with the money I have. I haven't really had to spend any. I wouldn't get one but she suggested it so I will do what she says. If you have any better ideas just let me know.
I know the church is true. The Book of Mormon is the sickle : )
<3 Sister Kincheloe

Korea!

Dear Family,

I made it to Korea! Yay! My last week of the MTC was simply fabulous. We went to a bunch of meetings where they shove as much information down as they can. It was great. We also had zone conference and took lots of pictures. I love the MTC I had so much fun there. I know I grew alot there.
But Now I'm in Korea! It is so surreal. Korea is pretty much just like America... only not. The plane ride from SLC to LAX was fun. I sat next to this old chinese man. I pretty much taught him lesson 1 and some of lesson 2 and I gave him a Book of Mormon. His name is Ricky Lam. I got his phone number and email and I'll be sending the missionaries his way. When we were in LA I got to call my family. It was so great talking to all of you. It was good to hear your voices.
The flight from LAX to Korea took approx. 12 hours. Yam 12 hours. It was long, but surprisingly not as bad as I thought it was going to be, I sat next to some elders in my district and Sister Lee. Sister Lee is from Korea and she is amazing. We can't really talk but we communicate very well and have so much fun together. Korean Air is thee best airline I have ever been on. All the stewardest are skinnny and beautiful and so polite and nice and helpful and they'll get you whatever you want. I got slippers for my feet ( cause everyone takes off their shoes) and I got a toothbrush and blanket and pillow and 2 meals and water and orange juice. It was great. I slept a little bit but Sister Lee wouldn't let me sleep the majority of the time becuase she wanted me to be on the Korean schedule.
My plane landed 5:30 pm Korean time on tuesday. My mission president and his wife were there at the airport to pick me up. President Lee from the Seoul Mission was there too and I got to meet him. He will be my mission president in 1 month when the missions combine. There took me to the mission home gave me some food and let me go to bed. i don't remember much excpet there were alot of people there. The president and his wife, the office elders (like 6 of them) and Brother and Sister Brancroft who work in the office. ( They say to tell you that they already adore me. They are nice.)
Korea is humid. My hair still isn't dry. But I'll get used to it.
This morning I went and played soccer with the elders. They are all very nice. Then I showered and got ready and then Sister Burton made us a traditional Korean meal for breakfast. It was delicious. The food is spicier than I am used to but I think the food and I will get along just fine. Today I will meet my trainor and get everything set up so I can have money and I'll get a t-money card which will let use all the transportation. My first area is Mok-Dong and my trainor's name is Sister Ja-Heon Lee. Yes! Native! I'm pretty stoked. I wanted a Korean companion : ) I haven't met her yet but I think we will do great together. I love you. Thank you for all your support and love and prayers. I'm finally in Korea! I'm excited to get to work and spread the message of the restored gospel. I know the church is true and I know the Book of Mormon is true.

-Love Sister Kincheloe

Last week in the MTC

Hey hey hey Family! Guess what? i got my flight plans! Yay me! I am so so so excited! I'm going to Korea! I leave Momday morning may 24th from the Salt lake airport at 8:37am. I have a 3 hour layover in LA and then at 12:30 pm I take off for the Inchon Airport in South Korea. It is about a 9 hour flight (eww) and i'll land 5:20pm South Korean Time. I'll basically be travling for like 24 hours. Its going to be great! The time difference betweeen Utah and Seoul is about 14 hours, so I guess it would be a 13 hour difference between California and Korea. For example when you wake up at 7am in Modesto on the 27th it will be 8pm in Korea on the 28th. I think that is how it goes. Anyways, my whole district is getting way excited and we've all begun packing. I'm pretty sure i'll be sending a package home so look for it. So many exciting things have happened this week I hope I have enough time to write it all.
Last tuesday at our devotional we heard from Elder Holland!!! It was soo cool. he is know for being very enthusiastic and exciting and he didn't let us down. It was a really awesome talk about what missionary work can really do for your life and how we should act as missionaries now and after our missions. Loved it!
So there is this tradition that the departing district sings a special musical number their last sunday, so my district and the native Korean district have been practicing this compilation of "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go" (in korean of course, oh did you know I can sing in korean? cool huh) and a traditional Korean folksong called Arirang about this hill you have to cross over to get from North Korea to South Korea. It is pretty sweet. So we've been practicing this song and our Branch President, President Shin who is this crazy powerful korean man who was instrumental in getting the church in korea, heard us and told us we had to audition to be one of the special musical numbers at the firesides and devotionals. Well we do what our branch president says so we went and auditioned and got picked to sing on wednesday at the new missionary meeting for all the new missionaries. Cool I suppose, but then the lady who is in charge of special musical numbers recruited us all to sing last sunday at the fireside. We sang some random scripture put to music. it was a pretty simple song I liked it and it was easy to learn luckily since we had the music foor like 2 days. So ya, I sang in front of the whole MTC. Pretty sweet. Afterwards i got to shake president Smith's hand. He is the MTC president.
Next exciting thingt. My companion Sister Leishman and I were selected by our teacher brother Erickson to participate in the How to Begin Teaching Training given to all the new missionaries their first night in the MTC. My experience with that particular meeting my first day at the MTC was not the best. It pretty much just freaked me out because I realized that as a missionary I would have to like talk to people and get to know them and help them with thier problems. LOL something you think I would have realized before. Silly me. But I am honored that my teacher thinks we are good enough to be the example for the new missionaries. We got to go to a special training on Monday. It was so cool and the spirit was way strong. The first few min of meeting someone are crucial to their progression in the Gospel. So we will teach wednesday night three different investigators while all the new missionaries watch.
Sister Leishman and I also got our shots this week. I didn;t even cry and they gave me a circus bandaid. I was very proud of it and showed it off to everyone.
We have a goal this week to contact at least 120 people. Pretty much start a conversation with them and then bear our testimonies in Korean. It is a pretty lofty goal considerinf our usual weekli goal is 14 and we have a hard time meeting it. But so far so good. I already have one today, 9 more to go.
I lovce you all and I love this work. I am so excited to go to Korea. I know the Church is ture. Thanks you for all your support and love and be happy : )

oh if you want to dear elder me you have to do it by friday morning otherwise i won;t get it : )

MTC...still

Dear Family,

So basically, I'm really great! Having fun living life, ya know. Last wednesday was super fun. We got to host. Meaning we greeted the new missionaries and showed them all around. It was cool. I felt pretty good about my self because I knew everything about the MTC, but then I felt really lame because I've been here for 2 months. ya. We get to host again next wednesday too. I'm pretty excited. Those poor missionaries. It is so overwhelming the first day, they need a beautiful smiling face to help them forget about their fears. And I think I am just the missionary for the job. Also last wednesday Brother Erickson came back from his cruise which instituted some stability into my life. He is an ordinance worker at the Provo Temple as well and so this morning when we went to the temple we totally saw him. It was great. Oh and then wednesday night, May 5th, all the sisters in the Korean zone ( so like 9 people) had a Cinco de Mayo party! Thank you so much for the package BTW. Totally could not have had a cinco de mayo party without it. I laughed so hard when I got it. I explained to my companions about how it was kind of a joke because obviously we're not mexican, and in fact we get quite annoyed on cinco de mayo when all the mexicans drive all over town with their flags out, displaying their lack of respect to the country in which they now live and take advantage of. I don't think they really understood why it was funny. But I did. Thanks family for sending a little California love to the MTC. The best was trying to explain cinco de mayo to the Korean sisters.
I love the Korean sisters! They are so awesome! The other day at gym they taught me and my companion some Korean games. I pretty much was on the floor laughing. They are crazy!
Oh! Today at the temple we did Korean names again! Ahju Jehmi (super fun)!. I am already having opportunities to serve the Korean people.
So, story time. Last wednesday (man lots of things happened on wednesday) I was walking from breakfast in the cafeteria to my classroom when who do I see walking towards me with a cute little MTC Staff vest? None other than my dear sweet recently returned from a mission to Italy cousin, Aubry Bjarnason. We embranced, we laughed, we cried ( ok so maybe we didn't cry). It was great. She is so cool. Yay for seeing people you knowin the MTC. It makes the day memorable, you know... not that very day at the MTC isn't memorable. Imean come on its the MTC!
So last week or the week before maybe, I wrote my wonderful mom a letter asking her to send me some different black shoes because the ones I had just weren't working out. I asked her to get me the same shoes as my companion becuase they looked comfy. I told her the name and the brand and tried my best to describe them and then of course I drew a lovely picture of what they looked liked. And do you know what happened? My awesome, beautiful, amazing mother sent me the exact right shoes! it is a miracle I know. Things like that didn't even happen when I was home. Plus it is super awesome now becuase my companion and I totally have matching shoes! How cool is that. We celebrated the other day by matching our outfits as well. We looked unstoppable.
You what is unstoppable? The spirit. It always gets what it wants. I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I love you. Thanks for your letters and support.... keep it coming : )

Love
Sister Kincheloe

P.S. is there anything specific you want to know? I don't want to bore you :)

MTC 2 Months

Hello Family and Friends!

I can't believe I have already been in the MTC for almost 2 months! Its Crazy! On the 10th of May is our offical 2 months so my companions and I are going to have an anniversary party. Woohoo! Oh, big news. So remember how I told you I had two companions? Well that has kind of changed.
This last wednesday we got 16 new missionaries in the Korean Zone. They are so cute and new. I read in my journal the other day about my first week here. I remember being their shoes. It is pretty overwhelming the first week. They are still a little shell shocked. Ah-ma-tin (any-hoo in korean), so there are 13 elders and 3 sisters. The three new sisters are our roommates, Sister Wadsworth, Sister Moffett and Sister Sherwood. They are pretty much super cool and I love them all ready. Well, Sister Sherwood is half Korean and was born in Korea and speaks Korean, so pretty much there is no way she needs to be here in the MTC for 12 weeks. So yesterday they moved here up to our class and now she is Sister Alcazar's companion and Sister Leishman and I are a 2-some. Crazy, I know. There are definite pros and cons to the situation. It is a little o-sec-ham-ni-da (awkward) being with just one person all the time when I am so used to being with two. But kin-chin-ai-o (its okay). Sister Leishman and I are practically the same person, except well, for the fact that she is from Montana and went to BYU-I, and has 7 brothers and 1 older sister, and graduated with an advertising degree, and has long blonde hair, and is really good about being on time (which I am getting better at by the way), and likes banannas, and is obsessed with ultimate frisbe. But other than that, ya, we are practically the same person. Really, I pretty much love her to death. I don't know what I would have done if they would have split us up. We're like chocolate and peanut butter, and you just can't mess with chocolate and peanut butter. No Sir. But luckly that didn't happen, so we're good.
This has been a good week despite all the craziness. We're had subs all week because Brother Thorely left for an internship and Brother Erickson is on vacation. So our schedule has been all wacked out. I feel bad because I never write anything super exciting. Really it is the little things in the MTC that make the day go by. For example:
1. Finding a funny scripture during personal study
2. getting to pick the opening song in class
3. Devotionals on tuesday nights
4. Devotional reviews after the devotional - best meeting of thee whole week
5. mastering a new grammer form
6. Chicken Cordan Bleu in the cafeteria
7. racing Sister Leishman at meal times to see who can finish a class of water first (i've only beaten her like twice, out of the 50 times we've done it)
8. Gym time!!!! We get to go outside now! This makes Sister Leishman happy because we get to play frisbe.
9. Zone prayer everynight with the sisters in the RH
10. President Smith sightings and smiling at president Clegg in the cafeteria
11. oh and of course getting mail.

Its not much, but it is what makes me happy : ) I love you all. I love being a missionary. Thanks for all your support! The church is true. Be good and love the Lord.
-Love Kincheloe ja-meh

Letter From Emily

Emily wrote me this personal letter but i thought id share it because i know some of you are wanting news on how she is doing. =]

Dearest Kelly,

I am soooo proud of you! You are amazing! You are such a great example to me and to Porter. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me. It sounds like it was fun and uplifting, especially with those people as counselors. I know that what you taught your girls is true. I know that Jesus Christ truely is our Savior. He has saved us from mortal death as well as spiritual death. Because of Christ's great sacrifice each one of God's children can become clean, as long as they repent and come to him. I am so grateful for the Atonement and its effects in my life. I use the Atonement everyday. There is no way I could get through one day in the MTC without Jesus Christ. It is hard being on a mission, i'm not going to lie. but I can already tell that the blessings are going to vastly outway the trials. I have met so many awesome, righteous, fun people here. Its like, hello!, we were meant to be best friends for life. I can't wait to introduce them all to you. You will love them! If you want to look up their facebooks their names are
Tiffany Leishman (She is my comp that quotes Mean Girls and Drop Dead Gorgeous and pretty much makes every day of my life full of sunshine)
Nancy Swenson
Jessie Kate Patterson
Whitney Stevens
Ciera Alcazar (My other comp, i don't know if she has fb)

They are all so great. It is amazing how fast you can make eternal friends.
Thank you so much for your email kelly. I Know this Church is true and I know God is our loving Heavenly Father. I love you Kelly and I miss you. God be with you till we meet again!
Love,
Emily

MTC Week 2

hey family
another great week in the mtc. last tuesday i got to go to the temple and we did korean names. it was so cool. i love the korean people already. they are awesome. our whole zone got to go. president shin and his wife came too. president shin is our branch president. our one zone makes up our own branch. we are the korean branch. it is an awesome branch. sundays are full of meetings in cluding our own little sacrament meeting. i don't remember what i said last time so sorry if i repeat things. i love my zone. we are now up to 16 sisters and 15 elders. go us (exclamation mark). korean is hard but it is fun. i love it. they moved my seat in class so now i am under the air conditioner so i am going to start bringing my jacket to class. my roomates, the girls in the district ahead of me, are so amazing? the other day they got us candy and left us lovely notes. i can now almost pray all in korean. the spirit is so strong here i love it. yesterday we taught one of the teachers. we were practicing asking questions, giving an overview, and praying to open the lesson. pray is so powerfull i know this church is ture. i love you all. be strong.

love emily

MTC Week 1

Hey guys this is Kelly Kincheloe (Emilys sister) Ill be updating her missionary blog, posting letters and pictures and such. If you have any questions on how to write her get in contact with me. Thanks =]

Here is her first letter to us!

hey family
thanks so much for the email and for the letters : ) i feel loved. the mtc is a very interesting place. my first day i met my companions sister alcazar and sister leishman. there are very nice... lol just kidding i love them (and just so you know this keyboard isn't letting me do capital letters or exclamation marks so just imagine where i might use them). sister alcazar is from san diego california but really is from spokane washington because that is where she grew up. she likes to draw, she has bolivian ancestry, her father was in the air force and so she was born in germany, she studied a year of japanese in high school or something which helps a little bit. sister leishman is from st ignacious montana. she graduated from byu-i in communications. she had some job offers after she graduated but she decided to go on a mission instead which is cool. there are 12 people in my district: 9 elders and 3 sisters. however in my zone there are 12 sisters (exclamation mark) there are all so fun. everyone in my zone is korean speaking and all are going to korea except 3 elders are going to washington and 1 elder is going to anahim. the other girls in my room are in the other district in my zone and they are 6 weeks ahead of me and my companions. they are also in a threesome. they seem so much older but in reality we are all pretty much the same age. in our room is siter cramer, sister swenson, and sister patterson. they are all sooooo coool. i love sister missionaries. they seem like they have it all together and most of the time i feel like i'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off. i guess i just need more experience to get the schedule down. every morning i wake up, pray, get dressed, and then most days we go get sack breakfast and have personal study in our rooms because right after that we have gym. then we go back to the residence hall (rh) and get ready for the day. ?ext is companion study and then language study. after that is lunch. then we have class untill 5:30 which is dinner. after that we go back to class untill 9 which is when we have planning. from 9:30 to 10:30 we are back in the rh where we can write in our journals and get ready for bed. mondays and wednesdays are a little different cause we have gym in the afternoon but is all pretty much the same. i love having gym everyday. sister cramer, who is our coordinating sister says it will soon become a source of sanity : ) i can see that. tuesdays are my pdays. we get to do our laundry, write letters and emails, go to the temple. it really isn't a day of rest just a day for a different kind of work. 1 week down, 11 to go. i will need a source of sanity. my teachers are brother erickson and brother thorley. they both served in korea as well. they are nice...
korean is hard. but i love it. sometimes i'm like "seriously people really write and speak like this?" but then i'm like "hey this is kinda fun." i think i am getting pretty quick... i think. the other sisters in the zone say we are doing really well, but there is a part of me that thinks they are just saying that.
i am feeling much better. practically healed. i have a theory. so when i was set apart pres wasden said i wouldn't have any health problems, so the first few days i was like "whoa, whats up, why am i sick?" and then i realized i was probably sick because i hadn't been really obeying all the rules. and as i was being more obedient i was being healed. so ya, all better now.
i know tons of people. i see friends everyday. its great. my companions are like wow, your popular. its fun.
i love this gospel. the church is true.
i need a watch please: )
love your missionary
sister emily kincheloe

15 Days Till The MTC

So Only 15 Days till I arrive at the Missionary Training Center in Provo Utah. And I can't wait! This is a pretty awkward time of life. Just kinda hanging out. Of course I should be using this time to extra prepare for the mission but in the usual Emily style I am finding it extra hard not to procrastinate.Slowly but surely I am getting things together. Today I got two sweaters, an electrical plug converter and I almost bought a camera. So, good day. Still need some skirts. Curse the fashion industry for not being sister missionary friendly.