CONNECTED BY THE GREATEST LOVE.

WEEK 66- MONDAY AUGUST 15 2016

HELLO~~!!
Guess what.. this summer in Korea is the second hottest summer in history. haha please pray for us.😥 I hope you all had the best summer vacation ever. Good luck with the starting of school~

Zone Conference

Fun times at Zone Conference.

Hearts

Sisters with Sister Madsen

MtC homies

This week we had Zone Conference and because we are Sister Training Leader over two zones we went to two Zone Conferences and had to prepare two trainings for the missionaries. I have never had to do something like this before so it was both exciting but stressful at the same time. haha. But it was a successful week and the zone conferences were so fun! I wanted to share the training that my companion and I gave at the second meeting. 

One personal study I was studying Alma 20 and before I started reading that chapter I decided to highlight the first 3 things that stood out to me and those 3 things were something that I needed to work on in my life and missionary work.

1. I know, in the strength of the Lord thou can do all things. (verse 4)
I know that I can't do anything by myself and I only need to trust in the Lord and what I can do through Him. I am not perfect and I make mistakes but only through Christ I can be lifted up and can be an effective instrument in God's hands.

2. Great Love (verse 26)
In our training we decided to focus on "great love". Great love for your companion. Being on a mission and being with a companion 24-7 is not an easy task. But I think I have learned so much from each of my companions. Especially Sister Beck. We have not had it easy but I am so grateful for her and all that she has taught me. When we gave this training together and I felt the spirit so strongly. Before we had a hard time being one and teaching in unity but when we were speaking I felt the spirit just connect us. We were one and felt that "great love". We showed a Mormon Message called "enduring love". If you have the time to look that video up, it is amazing. Our companions are the most important person in our lives right now. and the same thing goes for marriage. And every member tells us that because of our companion and the hard times with them, it helps you in the future with future relationships and how to deal with them. So if we always have that desire to show that "great love" to everybody, we can be like Christ. Christ is the best example of Love and we should all strive to be like Christ always and have that "큰 사랑" GREAT LOVE.

3. ..and they also had suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings. (verse 29)
~~PATIENCE~~ I know that this was something I needed.. I always need to be reminded of patience. I am grateful for the scriptures and everything that they teach me. I know that as I read the Book of Mormon I receive specific revelation for myself and how to be a better missionary! 

Well deserved Pday

I love the members in my ward.

XOXO

We are not perfect people and God loves us all so much. I am not a perfect missionary, I have so many weaknesses and I can't do anything on my own. As I rely on God and Jesus Christ I know that I can do anything and overcome any challenge. I know that I am suppose to be here for a reason. I love my mission and I am so grateful for this opportunity! I love you all so much!!~~ Have a great week!!

사랑해요!!❤
Happy Birthday 16th Birthday Olivia!!!~~~ *finger heart*

Happy 16th Birthday Olivia!!

태너 자매 

aka Sister Tanner

ONYANG BRANCH = INSTANT FAMILY

WEEK 65- MONDAY AUGUST 8 2016

HELLO!~~~ 

MY Crew

I hope you all are having the best Summer Vacation ever!! I just know that we are literally melting over here!! It's so HOT!! the humidity kills me and makes my hair tens times its normal size... haha and its already really huge!! Anyways... 

This week was a great week! It was kind of a slow week due to a holiday here and so everyone was traveling or just really busy. So we didn't really know what to do. This week the AP's called us because we are trying to figure out where to move. Our rent is up on our apartment so they have been calling us to see where the best place is for our missionary work and so they called us and originally we thought we covered to areas, Cheonan and Onyang. But during my first transfer here we did not have the opportunity to attend the Onyang Branch at all. So we decided that this upcoming transfer we would try and focus on Onyang but then when the APs called us they said that we are only Cheonan Sisters and we had no idea. haha so that threw us off a little bit because we already promised the Onyang Branch president that we were coming to church this Sunday. So we called the Branch president to see what we should do and he said to just come anyways and say Hi to the members for the last time.

ONE OF THE BEST SUNDAYS OF MISSION
When we went to church this Sunday in Onyang it probably was one of the best Sundays since I have been on my mission. I don't know how to describe it but I felt Heavenly Fathers love for me and that Branch more than I ever have. From the time I walked into the chapel until we left the members just gave me so much love. I know that was an answer to my prayers and I really needed that. Because we were visiting and the newbies I said the prayer a lot during those 3 hours haha. and every single time I finished the members just went crazy for my korean!! I don't even know.. it just felt like a family there. They had just met me but treated me like someone that they have know forever. Then it was sacrament meeting and every new missionary gives a little intro and testimony. So I stood up and this was my first time just going up and saying what came to mind. Usually when I would transfer I would write it down and bring a paper up and read it but this time I didn't and I just felt the spirit so strongly and the Gift of Tongues is real. When sacrament ended all the members rushed to me and gave me a big hug and said that my Korean is amazing. Throughout my mission I have been so stressed about the language and felt like I would never be able to speak naturally but with all the prayers I know that God had given me my answer through this Branch. Then I was talking to a member and she was asking me what I studied before the mission, or what I wanted to study after and I told her I still wasn't very sure. And she told me that I need to be like a performer or something because there is just a light about my personality. I told her that before my mission I wasn't super super outgoing and a little shy and she didn't even believe that. She said that there is just something about me that is so beautiful. Then I showed her my family photos and she told me... ahhh thats why... your parents and family are beautiful and you are apart of this happy family. They also thought that Dad looked like some famous movie star and that they have seen him on TV alot.... hahah i was like uh thats not my Dad hah. But the constant compliments from these members were so unexpected. I felt God's love in abundance that Sunday for sure.

Ohhh these cute girls have melted m heart.

 김보영 자매님~ SISTER KIM

She is an Onyang member and literally an angel. When I first came to this area, Elder Johnson told us that we have to visit her. That she had changed his life. And the first time I met her I knew what he meant by that. She is the most amazing person I have ever met. Such a sweet woman and such dedication for this gospel. I have only met her once or twice for just a short time but this Sunday when we were about to leave she runs up and gives me the biggest hug and tells me that she only has 2 sons and doesn't have a daughter and she told me that she considers me like a daughter. I heard that and my heart just melted haha. Feeling that type of love from her made everything worth it. I know that we might not be able to attend that Branch in the near future but just hearing everything they said to me and about my family just made it all worth it. I love these members and the korean people with all my heart. They have changed my life and I have learned so much from them. They are amazing examples to me and just seeing their faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ is so motivational. I am so grateful everyday to be able to walk these streets, even if we sweat from head to toe all day long, people don't want to listen to our message in this heat or the amount of missionary stress that I get.. it is all worth it! I wouldn't change it for a second!~

Taking a break from the heat.

Korean Shaved ice Bingsu

I love you all so much and hope you all recognize those people that God sends to you that could be an answer to your prayers. To always recognize God's love in our lives and all that He does for us. He wants us to be happy and to succeed GLORIOUSLY!!

사랑해요!!!~~

태너 자매

CONTINUE IN PATIENCE.

WEEK 64- MONDAY AUGUST 1 2016

HELLO~~~ 

We are still alive over here!! It's been extremely hot but we are happy and love doing the Lord's work. This week there were a lot of up's and down's but I have been studying patience a lot and focusing and relying on God's will.


I wanted to share a quick quote that my companion shared with me this morning.

"If we don't experience personal storms and drought, our roots never have the chance to become strong. Ironically, smooth sailing is its own test- and a difficult one. The absence of problems can soften us if we aren't careful. We may not watch ourselves, and our thoughts, and our words, and our deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith (mosiah 4:30) without a trial that bends our knees and works on our hearts."

Final farewell Baptism Elder Johnson

This past transfer in Cheonan, to be completely honest, has been one of the hardest times of my mission. But I have come to be so grateful for every single challenge that I have faced. I know that through our challenges and hard times we become closer to our Heavenly Father more than ever before. When we rely on prayer and take each "bump in the road" with a positive outlook on life, I know that in the end everything will be okay. It might be hard now but as we continue with patience and endure we are promised so many blessings in the end. 

Elder Johnsons Family 

I love his family.

The Cheonan Branch Celebrating Elder Johnson

As I was studying the concept of 'patience'.. I know for a fact that patience will be something that I will continue to learn throughout my entire life. It's not the easiest attribute to obtain... hah.
I was reading the 2010 General Conference talks and there was a talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf titled "Continue in Patience".


"Patience- the ability to put our desires on hold for a time- is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times bitter. Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect."


We are here on this earth to continually progress and grow. We can become like our heavenly father but without patience we don't have that opportunity. I am CONTINUALLY learning the attribute of patience. As I have served my mission, the hardest times were when I was being selfish and only thinking of myself. That is when I was inpatient with others or myself. Patience is not simply enduring, but it is enduring WELL. I am so grateful for my trials and all that I have experienced so far on my mission. I know that every moment was made for me in someway or another. This mission has changed my life.


There are a lot of things in store these next upcoming transfers. My companion is going home at the end of this transfer, we both become Sister Training Leader. I know that this calling was made for our companionship, in order for us to be strengthened and grow, to help the other sisters of this mission. I love you all so much and thank you for all your support and love. 

Music concert

"GOD DID NOT SEND US HERE TO FAIL, HE SENT US HERE TO SUCCEED GLORIOUSLY"


사랑해요!!!~~


태너 자매