Happy New Year

Hey Everybody!

 

I hope you had a super good new years! It's been really warm here and New Years is a bigger deal than Christmas so the fun continues on!

 

I'm in the came area--Chungchang!! Which means I will have served here for about 7 and a half months at the end of this transfer! I feel so lucky!

 

My new companions name is Byun SuJin- and we were friends in the MTC! She is the sweetest and we are already seeing so many miracles together I can't even handle it. Sister Uhl is also still living in the same appatment which is the biggest blessing ever.

 

Now for a miracle,and the story of perhaps why I'm staying in ChungJang...

 

Just before Christmas Sister Uhl and I were waiting at a bus stop when a man came up to us and said "Sisters?"

 

He intoduced himself as a member who hasn't been to church in a while, and told us to call his wife who isn't a member. We said "of course!" and invited him to the Christmas party.

 

The next day the stake president called and asked if we had met this man before,and that they were friends and he also invited him to the Christmas party. So ofcourse this family came!

 

What we didn't expect, however, was how much of an angel his 11 year old daughter is. I'll be honest, when I saw her I just fell in love. And I knew she was  going to be so so special.

 

So after the party I called president, told him about this family, and asked that he make sure they are taken care of- so when I got the news I would be staying, and that Byun SuJin would be coming, it built my testimony so strong that God has something special planned for this whole family.

 

Byun SuJin's frist night here we went to their house- and after a long long process of finding where they lived (definitely Heavenly Father's design)  we found out that they had just retuned home from Seoul a few minutes ago- but they welcomed us in so warmly- and our 11 year old friend told us with a HUGE SMILE she wants to follow Christ and be baptized in February.

 

I know that Heavenly Father is there, and He loves us,and no matter who weareor where we areheis aware of us. This week we have been reading Alma 26:37 over and over again. I know it's true. And That the Book of Mormon is the word of God- and it contains the greatest happiness when we live according to it's words.

 

I love y'all. I know to someone, somwhere you are an angel and God is working through you,

Thank you for everything. Man, I just seriously love y'all so much!

 

Have a good week!

 

love,

Sister Weston

Fun at the Mission Home 

Sisters

Elayna's Fav

Elayna's new companion

 

A Miracle Christmas and Happy New Year 12/27/15

Hello everybody!

Wow, Christmas is without a doubt the best time to be a missionary- I wish I could have been a missionary every Christmas of my life.

Every single day there were unexpected blessings, from getting intervied downtown on Christmas eve and being able to bear our testimonies, to running into and caroling with an investigator that we hadn't seen in weeks, to dancing at our ward christmas party, to meeting absolute angels, to seeing sooooo many smiling faces as they fielt their saviors love surrounding them.

The experiences I wanted to share the most are the baptisms of the Yuns, Brother Soe, and our beloved grandma Gangam Lee.

The Yuns are brother and sister that we had the opprotunity to meet and invite to be baptized last week. Their parents are not members, but their older sister is. They were baptized on Christmas day, their older sisters birthday, and their dad came- said the closing prayer- then came to church with them the next day. It was absolutely beautiful.

I don't know if y'all remember the man in the Purple shirt from a few weeks back, but that is Brother Soe. We've stopped by his house a coulpe of times each week as the elders have been teaching him, and wow he just loves the gospel! He loves that Heavenly Father hears his prayers and he always has faith he will recieve an answer. It was incredible, absolutely incredible and amazing and nuts, to know that a few short weeks ago we had met him at a bus stop and now he is part of our church family and has the girft of the Holy Ghost. Soon we will see him at the temple!

And then ofcourse, Gangnam Lee. Thank you for praying for her- I know that it has helped bring so many miracles about in her life. She had back surgery last tuesday, and we really werent sure if her health would be good enough for her to enter the water. But when we asked her on Christmas what she wanted to do, she told us with a steadfast heart that she was going to prepare for sunday. When we returned the next day, she was up out of her bed preparing white clothes for the service. I couldn't help but hug her and start crying. Her faith amazes me everyday. She was baptized on sunday the 27th and is so excited for her new life.

I can't believe how fast time has gone. I'm so thankful for every moment here. I'm even more thankful for the amazing testimonies of you at home and the tesimonies of the korean people. You inspire me. I love you all so much!

Thank you for everything and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

love,

Sister Weston

 

 

Look at all the Christmas Baptisms!!!!!!!

 

 

It's Not Magic, It's Faith and Miracles 12/21/15

Hello everybody!!

It was so good to see some of you on skype and talk to you and see your smiles!!! I love you all so much and I'm excited to have a great time these next six months and then be able to tell you all about it in person :)

This week has been nuts. Sister Beck HaYoung sprained her ankle so Sister Uhl and Sister Mackay and I have been in a trio. 

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! AND IT SNOWED SO MUCH! AND MIRACLES WERE EVERYDAY! 

I wish I had more time to tell you everything, but the most important thing I can tell you now is that Christmas miracles are real. And those miracles are wrought by Heavenly Father, who loves us more than we can imagine. Faith is real. It can move mountains, bring people together, and change lives. 

Please y'all have an amazing Christmas. We are having our mission party on tuesday, ward christmas party on friday, and then our amazing friends will be baptized on saturday and sunday. Keep them in your prayers if you can, and know that you're faith is changing worlds here in Korea too. 

I love you! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

love, 

Sister Weston

Tis the Season to be Jolly 12/13/15

Hey Y'all!

This week was so happy :) I'm really excited to tell you about it! miracles. miracles. miracles. 

We decorated a Christmas tree with Daeun and her family on Monday, watched the new A Savior is Born video and listened to Christmas music. It got us in the Christmas spirit so strong! 

And then the miracles started flowing in, and the ones I want to share most come from Saturday and Sunday :) 

Sister Uhl and I left the house, and were on our way to visit a less active member. We didn't have any other set appointments for the day and felt a little bit aimless.. so in the middle of a prayer I felt like I needed to set a goal for us, and let Heavenly Father know. We were going to make sure that day that two people were coming to church tomorrow. When we finished praying Sister Uhl looked at me and said, "okay. let's do it." So off we went!

Everyone we met on the street, we invited to church. And every investigators we stopped by to visit we invited to church! Christmas makes everyone super happy so even though a lot of people said they were busy we got to share A Savior is Born with them and they loved it. (funny story, I guess on Saturday every foreigner ever comes into downtown GwangJu so we saw at least 50 this weekend which is more than I probably ever have on my whole mission- super fun to speak English!)

We grabbed dinner with Sister DelaPena and Sister Ontario and then had two hours left in the night, still to find two people to bring to church. 

We prayed. And felt like we needed to go our Uzbekistan mom Alla. 

We prayed again before we got to their restaurant and told the Lord we remembered our goal and we knew He had guided us.  We talked, shared a short message, Sister Uhl shared an awesome testimony and then we invited her to church. She was a little hesitant. And I was about to get ready to go, when I found myself turned around talking to her husband and asking his permission for her to come. Not only did he say yes, but he told her to go! Then he said he would go with her! And then we were singing hymns and praying together!

It was the most amazing thing to see them walking into church together promptly at 9:30 Sunday morning, and to know that God had it all in His plan for them. Please keep them in your prayers, that they would continue to come and to find joy in the gospel :)

Heavenly Father knows the desires of our hearts. He loves us- He loves everyone. And Christ makes it possible for all people to feel that love endlessly. I can't express how lucky I feel to be here, how much closer I feel to Christ and Heavenly Father, and that I know they see each person for what they can become in all the infinite potential. 

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 

Please keep praying for Gangnam Lee! She made some awesome Kimchi this weekend and is set to get baptized this week or next, depending on how her back is doing. Also pray for our new friend HyunJeong who is set to be baptized on the 27th! She's a miracle I'll let you about next time!

Love you so much! be merry prepping for Christmas! Talk to you again soon!

Love,

Sister Weston

P.S. We are making cookies today for the people who might be lonely during the Holidays- shout out to mom for sending yummy American supplies! Koreans love American cookies! 

Holiday Cards

Cookies

Christmas Kids

More Cookies

Decorating for Christmas

Hello 12/6/15

Hey everybody!

I have to be honest with y'all... I'm not even sure what happened this week there was so much stuff going on, haha. I'll try to wrap it up for you though-

Tuesday was Zone conference and it was amazing! Everyone is so excited about this goal to baptize 200 people this year! I was able to talk about turning faith into power, through prayer and concecrating ourrselves in obediance and thought the Lord can work through us to do things that without him are impossible. It seemed to thouch missionaries, and I continue to hear from a couple on how it has changed their work- so I feel really thankful for the opportunity to share my thoughts and testimony. We also got to have interivews with President and I did a roleplay of inviting someone to be baptized with sister Shin in front of everyone! hahaha it was really nervewarcking to be honest but I'm so thankful for the both of them, how much care and love they share with each one of us and how much I learn from them. I'm so glad we will be heading back to America together :)

When it all comes down to it, this is the big thing I wanted to share with y'all this week. It starts in 1 Nephi 17:50- this is Nephi talking...

"And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done."

We often hear that if we had faith as much as a mustard seed, we could move mountains. It seems so small, just a mustard seed. Sometimes it can feel like we don't even have that- or we don;t know how to measure our faith. Sister Uhl and I were talking about this this morning- if someone spent their whole life in faith moving the dirt and rocks of a mountain; well then the mountain would surely be moved. But that made me think, when we move even some dirt, when we budge a boulder, is the mountain not moved? Ofcourse it is. 

In the same way, when we change, when we help other progress or recognize a blessing, when we act in faith, the mountain is moved.

It incredible to me to know what God calls us to do, and that if we have faith in Him we can do it. 

I just wanted you to know that this week- and to know you are all mountain movers. The Lord loves you and is aware of you. He hears your prayers and wants to answer them.

I love y'all so much and you know I'm thinking of and praying for you always! Stay warm and healthy! Goodluck on finals and Christmas shopping!

All my love,

Sister Weston

p.s. it's kimchi making season so everyone keeps inviting us over to help them make it and then give us a ton! But it's so yummy! There's a traditional dinner that goes with it, I'll send a picture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Korean Coke

American Food

Korean Food

Little Friends

Decorating for Christmas

It's the Holiday Season 11/29/15

Hey Everybody!

You know how everyone always says the holiday season brings lot of glad tiding and miracles? Well, they are correct. 

This Thursday was the first snow of the season, and with the first snow, and our first thanksgiving spent in Korea, the Lord decided it was time to give miracles- and he did not hesitate. 

Our district had been taking turns fasting for the week, and the fast moved onto our neighboring district when we were done. As a mission, we are fasting and praying to be able to teach people and bring them unto Christ by Christmas as a birthday present to the Lord, and as you know we have a goal this year  to reach two hundred baptisms. The next part of this email is my testimony that the Lord hears our prayers, he knows are hearts, and when we fast we truly earn his trust and blessings on behalf of his children. 

Friday morning, we go to visit Gangnam Lee, our grandma :) Her back has been hurting so badly this week that we hadn't really been able to teach her, we had only heart attacked her door and dropped off flowers. But on Friday she let us inside, and we were able to talk to her about priesthood blessings and she told us she wanted to get one, and that she had faith the Lord would help her. So we organized for her to recieve the blessing on sunday, and she was so excited!

Then that evening we had Dauens baptismal service, and the spirit was so strong. She was so excited to be baptized and her whole family came! It was beautiful, I'll send a picture for sure :) Her family is amazing. 

Then it was saturday, and a lot of the snow started to melt but the Lord did not stop snowing miracles... I got a call from our Zone leader asking how the day had gone and he told me "well, it's about to get a lot better" Our Zone set four baptismal dates in on day. I've never seen such a miracle on my entire mission and it is all because Heavenly Father heard our prayers and answered them- He truly loves each of his children and desires such great things for them. 

Then it was sunday- stake conference. And President and Sister Shin had come to speak. After Sister Uhl and I talked and prayed, we felt it was best from Gangnam Lee to recieve her blessing from president at the church- so we got in a taxi, picked her up, brought her back and waited for president. He gave her the most beautiful blessing, and then asked me how many lessons we had taught her. I told him, "all of them" and he said "Let's do the baptismal interview today." Gangnam Lee is so excited to be planning a baptismal service on December 20th :) Please continue to pray for her health, and that all things would allow for her to take this next step of faith. We love her so much :)

I wish I could express each small miracle we see each day, but I hope these express even the smallest amount of the gratitude I have, and knowledge that Heavenly Father is there. 

I love you all so much, more than you'll ever know. And I know God is watching over you and working miracles in your lives, I see it in your emails this week and I thank Him daily for being there while I'm gone. Y'all are the best and I love you so! Can't wait for Christmas!!!

Love,

Sister Weston

Baptism 

District Picture

Ping Pong Champs