February 9, 2014 My First Cheonan Baptism

February 9, 2014

My First Cheonan Baptism
 

Hello Family!!

Wow, it feels like forever since I last wrote and so much to say!!  Last week after emailing all of us Cheonan missionaries headed way out into the countryside to visit a SUPER old original Korean village.  it was so awesome, people still lived in most of them but you could walk around the village and they had a couple open set up in the old traditional style, definitely a cultural experience.  Though the Korean manequinns in the houses made me jump a few times^^  We also walked up towards the mountains (or the closest hill I've seen to a mountain in Korea...)  Well elder smith, Elder Allan, Sister Hingano, and I obviously started off the trail and up the mountain the minute we saw a way, but of course the Koreans just waited at the bottom, Koreans aren't necessarily the "adventurous" type.  They also eventually found a sign and told us we weren't allowed to hike up the mountain anymore, what??!!  I was a bit disappointed.  The part I left out in all of this is that it was absolutely bone chilling cold this day.  I felt bad cause we made Sister Hingano freeze on her birthday, but everyone kept up good spirits and we had quite the fun day!!

Wednesday night we planned a special dessert party with the youth for them to come and bring their friends and introduce them to the church.  Well tons of youth came but not many friends, we still had a great time.  After lots of fun games we brought out all the desserts and us Missionaries introduced them all to root beer floats, aka Fanta and cola floats since root beer doesn't exist here.  They loved it but we did something really stupid, brought coke.  Lots of members in Korea don't drink coke and think it is against the word of wisdom or something...well all the youth drank it but our Mission Leader made a comment and then we got a little chewed out by the Relief Society President yesterday cause we left some coke in the fridge and they don't want the youth thinking it is okay to drink it, well we just took it and sent the rest with the recent converts, hahaha!!  Lesson learned!!

 

This week we finally found a new investigator, which was such an answer to our prayers.  Elder Allan got sick on Wednesday so the elders went to the pharmacy by our church and the pharmacist was interested in studying English with us and was curious about our church, yay!! We met  her on Saturday and her English is awesome we just had a conversation together and read from the Liahona.  She had lots of questions about our church but does NOT believe in God.  As we taught she came up with some doubt or remark to every principle, I just kept repeating that we can only share the message with her and give our testimony and she can decide for herself.  We are going to continue to meet her and I praying hard to figure out how to help her believe in God.

Yesterday our investigator, a 16 year old friend of the bishop's daughter, was baptized along with the elder's investigator who is the 9 year old daughter of a recently activated brother.  Our investigator was so excited about her baptism and that she could be clean again.  When we first gave her a baptism date she wasn't sure  about baptism but as she continued to learn and pray she became so excited and ready for baptism.  I am glad I will be here for a while and can continue to see her learn and her testimony grow

My current area is not the easiest but it just means we have to work even harder and can see the blessings.  This week I really focused on feeling the spirit and answers to my prayers, as I did this I saw myself receiving answers for the big things but also the little things I asked for.  Like when I prayed to stay awake as  a recent convert talked to us for 2 hours straight, and somehow managed through:)  God is always there to help us if we are willing to ask and through my missionary experience I am learning to recognize and be even more grateful for the answers to my prayers.  I encourage everyone to take a moment every day to reflect and see the blessings we receive every day.

 

Love you all!!

 

Love,

 

Sister Jacklin

Picture:  Freezing on Monday but still plenty of smiles!!