May 11, 2015

I love Sister Hill

 Soo, this past week was fairly good. We had some rough days, I guess, but overall things are going well here. We have a lot of new investigators, and a lot of them seem to have a lot of potential. So we've been really busy and blessed lately. We meet 3 people two times a week, and then a couple other people too, so that is really exciting!

 

On Wednesday we had a good District Meeting, and the topic was the missionary purpose and being a successful missionary. That's something that I've thought a lot about and my companion and I have talked a lot about, and it's still something I'm learning about, but so far, here's what I got :P : Being a successful missionary does not neccessarily have anything to do with numbers and all the stats that we have to report. There are people who have excellent stats, but it could possibly be just superficial, or not a real sign that they are successful. There are missionaries who work hard and do their best and yet NO ONE listens or whatever, but that doesn't mean that that missionary isn't successful. 

 

Our success isn't determined by what other people choose. Others can choose as they wish, but if we are doing all we can to give them an opportunity, that is good. So our success isn't based on their agency, but our own. If we know we are doing all we can, then good. But more than that, I've learned that a successful missionary is one that is always striving to progress and become better, and is becomING more Christlike (it's a process that we always gotta work at, haha). If you start and end your mission the same person, it was a waste. But if you progress and try to do what the Lord wants, and yet no one gets baptized, I consider that a success. I'm sure there is more to this topic, but that's some of my thoughts. - Tessa

 

On Thursday we had our service activity, but had to leave early to go on an exchange! I stayed in Shinjeong, and was with Sis Koyle, who I've been on an exchange with before. She's so good at talking to everyone. I need to be better at that :P Buut, it was an interesting exchange because almost everything we planned didn't happen :P We had an appointment, but it cancelled, so we went around trying to find some less active member's houses. One LA's was demolished by another LA person's apartment complex. :P oops. So we found one apartment :P Also while running around, we ran into some other church people who were handing out free pumpkin porrige. Some churches here hand out free food as a technique to talk to people, and they invited us to come over and sit and eat, so... I recognized it as a church, and I'm not sure Sis Koyle did, because she was like "Okay!" and I was thinking "Oh man.. I hope they are nice." And I will admit, that their behavior was kind, though their words weren't very.. :P They were talking to this other guy, and because he didn't believe them, they called him a monster :P Soo. Yeah. And they said our church is a cult and that we can't go to heaven. But they listen fairly nicely as we explained a couple things about our church. So. That happened. 

 

Then next morning when we were on our way to unexchange, we ran into some other people who were a little more strong. They stopped us 'cuz they noticed we are missionaries and so we talked a bit. They were trying to tell us what our church believes, but Sis Koyle was a boss and said something like "well, we are representatives for this church, so, we know" Hahah. They told us that because we worship on Sunday we can't go to heaven. Apparently one of the requirements to get in heaven is to go to church on Saturday. Who cares about charity and love, right?! It's gotta be Saturday. (please read this with lots of sarcasm) Haha. It was silly. I've noticed that a lot of churches go around trying to tell people what they HAVE to believe, and if they don't think exactly that way, they will go to hell. Seems a little drastic to me :P So anyways. 

 

We had some good lessons this week.. I just really love our investigators! We have a lot of really nice people, and they are so kind! AAah. I don't want to leave. On Friday, we had had an appointment with the Taekwondo lady, and she called us later that day just to say that she missed us and was wondering what we were doing. It was so cute! Too much love.. haha. And I have really enjoyed serving with Sis Hurley. As with all people. sometimes it is a struggle, but she is so fun and dedicated to missionary work, and we have a lot of fun together. Hahaha... 

 

Ancient Star Observatory

Hills covering the bones of dead kings