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
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
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 : )
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 : )
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
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 :)
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 :)
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