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
