"OHHHH YOU SO PRETTY"

WEEK 10- MONDAY JULY 20 2015

  5 days of being in KOREA!! Can you believe that?! I sure can't. I still feel like I am experiencing some out of body dream where I am just watching all this happen. But WOW... okay where do I even start... IM IN KOREA.

Last day in the MTC with my district.

Love My Cuz Sister Carter

Going to miss these amazing Elders

AHHHH.Okay..When we were leaving for Seattle we saw this Korean woman staring at us and we went over to talk to her and she said she knew President and Sister Shin!! So we traveled to Korea with her and she helped us get around the airport and she came with us to meet our Mission President. It was really comforting to have her there with me. She was just holding my arm and helping me. So we landed in Korea and we had to part ways with the rest of the district.. Probably one of the hardest things I had to do.. I just cried and cried because they were my family away from my family. I miss them so much. We then met our Mission President and got on us bus to go to Daejeon to the mission home. I'm exhausted at this point and can barely stay awake. The bus then makes a pit stop and they hand us Book of Mormons and say now go talk to people. YEAH SCARY!!! It was so hard.. I did not know what to say. ( I used a squater potty... TMI, sorry, I just was not expecting that when I went to the bathroom.)

My Family away from my Family:(

We then made it to the mission home and we did some paper work and emailed you. Then we went to bed. It was so hard because I was the only Sister that came with this group of missionaries so, I was alone most of the time. All the Sisters that I later met when My trainer came and picked me up, felt so sorry for me that I had to endure Sister Shin by myself. haha. She is one of a kind. She kept telling me to cut my hair...
We then had training all day by the APs and President. We went proselyting a little bit with some sisters from a different area. Then they took us out to lunch at some Bulgogi place around the corner.. ahhh so good!!! All the pictures on my camera since I have been here are just pictures of the food that I have eaten so far. I am in food heaven!! I love all the food here so much. hahaha!!

My food heaven!

anyways.. After training, We met our trainers!!!
I love my companion!!! Her name is Sister Lee. She is Korean!! But she is from Canada and grew up in California and went to BYU Hawaii for school. Her Korean is really good so, shes been really patient and helpful with helping me learn along as we go. It's been super frustrating though. I just kind of sit there as shes talking to our investigators or people on the bus because they just dont want to talk to me because my korean is so ugly hah. But its okay!! I'm learning. I'm just really overwhelmed with everything that I have to do and what I need to learn still. 

Rice Burgers are the bomb

 We are spoiled by our members. Sister Lee(right)

I've met some amazing people here. All the Korean people are so nice. We have a few investigators that the previous missionaries have met through an English class they do here in our area. I am serving in 유성 (Yuseoung city) right now. I love it here! This is such an amazing area. It's the city part and it's beautiful. Ahhh theres so much to say but so little time.

Okay so some experiences that I have had here in Korea so far.. Man. It's been a whirlwind of experiences and so many things to take in. It's been really overwhelming with how much I need to learn and study. We have this pass off book that you have to complete before the transfer is over. So thats given me a lot of stress. But I can do it!! My brain just might explode though. So we have met with a few investigators and I've been meeting so many different people. It's so hard to get everyones names straight and remember who they are. We met with this Sister shes a student and is wanting to be an English major so we mostly taught her in English. She bought us lunch afterwards. Sister Missionaries get so spoiled. I've really only had to pay for like 2 of my meals here so far. We have been 전도(proselyting) more and it honestly is quite terrifying sometimes because I can't really communicate with them so they just kind of dont want to talk to me. But it's been helpful to have my companion talk with them. All they say to me is "AHHH YOU AMERICAN, YOU SOOO PRETTTTYYY" hahahaha ^^ (these two triangles is a korean emoji, how they do smiley faces)
Yeah so, we proselyted and talked to this one sister at the bus stop and she was really sweet. She said she was really lonely and that she wanted someone to talk to so we were there in the right place at the right time. I then tried giving her the BOM and she didnt really want it but I insisted that she keep it. haha. Later we were walking back and I saw the BOM on the bench. :( quite the scarring of my first placement of the BOM I would say. booooo.
But its okay. Yesterday I ACTUALLY PLACED MY FIRST BOM BY MYSELF WITHOUT MY KOREAN SPEAKING COMPANION!! I just hope she kept it this time. I sat next to some lady on the bus and just started asking her where she was going and then I looked down at the BOM in my hand and asked her if she'd ever heard about this book before and she said, No. Then I flipped open to the pictures in the front of Jesus Christ and said it testifies of Jesus Christ. I testified and bore my testimony of this book and gave it to her. She was quite surprised that I was actually giving her the actual book. And then she got off the bus and that was it. SO we will see what happens. We got her phone number too!! It was quite the experience. My heart was pounding the whole time. But I DID IT!! My companion was really impressed.

My First Sunday!! The worst day.. hahah I couldn't understand a word anyone was saying, and it just turned into a big headache. But I gave my 인 사 말 슴 (the new missionary talk) It was terrifying to speak Korean in front of a congregation of Koreans!! But it went well and they all were "awww"ing at the part when I talked about my family so that was really cool. Each sunday will get better!! I will understand more and more as I go! The Korean Church they have a big feast after Sacrament meeting. The church is true;) I LOVE IT HERE!!! 

I LOVE KOREA!!! oh my goodness. I just walk the streets and just am in shock that I'm actually here. This place is amazing!! I can't wait until the day where my whole family is here with me. The people are the nicest and I love being a Missionary here. We are the only Sister Missionaries in the area that we are in right now. It's just so exciting to talk to people and tell them all about this Church and amazing Gospel. It's hard when they don't want anything to do with us after we say we are from the LDS church. Like the other day this woman was like holding on to me and saying how pretty I was and touching my hair and then my companion began to tell her who we were and she put her hand up and ran away. haha..
But really that comes with this work. It's hard and tedious sometimes. But oh so rewarding!! I want to become the best Missionary that I can. I only have 16 months here and I need to work as hard as I can and be obedient. This church is true!!! It's all the way over here in Korea! And I am a messenger of God to help these people come unto Christ! HOW GREAT IS MY CALLING!!!

I love you all so much and sorry it was so late! I am praying and thinking about you all everyday!!!! So happy to hear from you and I will talk to you next Monday!!! ahh so long away. hahah its okay!! I'm okay!! love you!!! sorry I'm so scattered. theres just so much going on.

XOXO, Tanner 자매의

We received this email from the Mission home today 7/21/15

Dear Brother and Sister  Tanner,

Sister Shin and I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to you for your wonderful daughter, Sister Sydney Lauren Tanner .  We met her at the airport upon her arrival in Korea and are happy to inform you that she is in good health and very excited to have begun her labors in the mission.

We know that Sister Tanner's love for her Heavenly Father and Savior, her testimony of the restoration, and her understanding of the gospel will grow as she teaches and shares her testimony with others.  As her love of Heavenly Father and the Savior increases, so will her love for her family.  We trust that your daughter will receive many blessings through her missionary service in Korea.

Sister Shin and I extend to you our sincere appreciation for sending us your precious daughter.  We look forward to a wonderful relationship with her.  It is an honor to serve with her at this time.

Sincerely,

Yong-In S. Shin
Mission President

Sister Tanner with President and Sister Shin