Real Intent

6/30-7/6
Monday was just another 그냥 PDAY. We stayed home, wrote letters, and then head to our investigator's house to make banana bread. 심하정S (Sister Shim) is the cutest newlywed house wife. She wants to learn how to cook and bake so today we came over with our convention oven and make delicious bread together. I never thought I would be able to become such good friends with an investigator. We really do love her and I think that because of the genuine love and concern we have for her, she has become more open and perceptive to the gospel message. It's cool to see. When the bread was about done she realized that her husband would arrive home from work soon... She panicked and scrambled to make 오므라이스 (spicy rice covered with a seafood omelet egg). We had no choice, but to stay. So we ate together and taught a lesson before heading out the door. It was a PDAY well spent.

We met up with the 부평 (BuPyong) sister missionaries to drop Sister Mineer off with them. Tomorrow is MLC and since we are the only STL companionship with a non-STL sister, Sister Mineer would have no choice but to attend our six-hour meeting. I figured that sounded like the opposite of fun so I set up a day for her to spend with her good friend and MTC companion, Sister Holmes. After dropping her off, Sister Gapinski and I traveled another 2.5 hours to the mission home by train and subway. We were both exhausted but happy to be greeted by two wonderfully comfortable beds. Let me say that again, we slept in BEDS with multiple PILLOWS! It was phenomenal.

Tuesday was MLC. It also happened to be the one year anniversary of the Korea Seoul South Mission! There was a chocopie cake to commemorate this monumental event ha. The meeting was good but long as always. I think the highlight was the time we spent on a mission motto. Incheon zone was dead set on YOSO (you only serve once). While that sounds childish we somehow twisted it to become a synonym for consecration haha. By the end we were out voted by "We are the message."

After the meeting we picked up our mail and made the long trip home. On the way we had the 부평 (BuPyong) sister meet us again but this time I left for BuPyong with Sister DeBuse while Sister Gapinski, Sister Mineer, and Sister Holmes went to our area for another appointment with 심하정S (Sister Shim) and 이지웅B (Brother Lee). From what I heard, it was awesome! They now have a goal date to be baptized! The evening in BuPyong was mostly frustrating. We taught a new investigator (김혜진S) but because this area has been hurting for investigators, Sister DeBuse was too apprehensive to say anything that might scare her away. This investigator didn't even know that we read from the Book of Mormon! I jumped in and talked about that, prophets, and baptism. Surprisingly enough this investigator was very interested and had so many awesome questions. I tried to make it a teaching moment not just for this investigator but also for Sister DeBuse... Tomorrow we have another investigator appointment scheduled so we'll see how much sunk in.

Wednesday morning we waited and waited for an investigator but they never showed. Instead we spent most of our day looking for less-active members. It wasn't successful but we were able to get a lot of contacts. Just before unsplitting we met with as very active family- the wife and sister-in-law are Filipino and the husband is Korea. They were SO kind. They all were baptized a few years back but they talk as if they have been lifelong members. It was actually really cool for me to see that recent converts can become just as dedicated and devoted to living the principles they have been taught as those who grew up never knowing anything different. It gives me hope for all of those I have helped bring into the covenant of baptism. We taught a short lesson and left. Once we unsplit our evening was spent contacting. I am happy to be back in 만수 (Mansu).

Thursday we had zone training. Elders Clawson and 김재겸E (Kim), our zone leaders, asked Sister Gapinski and I to train on real intent. The whole training covered the importance of the Book of Mormon in conversion. The lead in to our portion was, "If the Book of Mormon is true, why doesn't everyone believe it after they've read it?" Answer: they need real intent while they read. When I stood up I started by saying, "And stupid question number two, what is real intent?" We had an awesome discussion and heard a lot of cool stories. By the end Sister Gapinski talked about Moroni's promise found in Moroni 10:4-5 in the Book of Mormon. Since you cannot convert someone further than your own conversion, we committed everyone to read and test this promise. I feel like we did a good job. Zone leaders too- they were super inspiring!

Incheon Zone

Our stewardship

When the training ended we took a few pictures and I did "Teacher Improvement" AKA "Pass Off" with Sister Nebeker. She is so awesome. I admire new missionaries that have the courage to speak Korean because I sure didn't! When I was a young missionary I was too scared of sounding like an idiot that I just looked like an idiot because I chose not to speak... Nowadays I speak and while it is enough to fulfill my purpose, it's still frustrating because I can see and feel how much more I could do, save I grasped more of the language.

Once we were back in our area we went to a relief society dinner before traveling to our recent convert's house with 이두례S (Momma Lee). The lesson was going well until I became very aware of my earlier mistake of eating 돈까스 (fried pork cutlet) for lunch... I was about to be sick. I excused myself and Sister Mineer as we made a run for it toward our house. It was probably one of the most embarrassing things I've had to do but it proved itself to be inspired. As Sister Mineer and I ran back to 정현지S (HyonChee)'s house we saw a woman who was clearly having a hard time. She was sitting in a gazebo with a number of empty alcohol bottles laying next to her. It was clear that she was upset so I knelt down next to her, placing my hand on her knee and asked how we could help her. She looked at me and buried her face in her hands as she continued to sob. Sister Mineer and I sat on either side of her as we just held her. She feels alone. Her parents both died a long while ago and she had been living by herself with no one to talk to. Sister Mineer bore a simple but strong testimony that God loves her, that He is aware of her, and He wants to help her. She cried and cried. From behind her tears she thanked us for stopping to sit with her, for listening, and for comforting her. She told us that a number of people walked by without the slightest acknowledgment of her existence. We had to join back with Sister Gapinski and our member before their lesson ended so we gave her one last hug, learned her name (명희S), address, and phone number, and continued our run back to HyonChee's house. Despite my embarrassment of now being gone for about 30 minutes, I was grateful for the opportunity that Sister Mineer and I had to have hopefully helped MyongHee in that dark moment of feeling alone. We wrapped up the lesson and called it a night. What a day!

Red, white and blue fee dazee

Friday, HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! To commemorate this beloved holiday Sister Gapinski, Sister Mineer, and I proudly wore the colors of the great American flag. We met up with our investigator, 심하정S (Sister Shim) to eat a true American-style lunch. We first stopped at McDonald's then Krispy Kreme. Fat Americans for the win! We had a good time and were able to answer more Sister Shim's gospel related questions before she head to her mothers house for the weekend. It was an awesome lesson!

When she left, we held our weekly planning meeting in the lounge of Krispy Kreme. It was awesome. Our next appointment was with our member, 이은성S (Sister Lee) who we asked to meet us to drop by one of our investigator's houses. It turned out to be a fail because the bus stop where we decided to meet, is one of 4 with the same name that are not exactly close to each other. I don't think I will even come to understand Korean addresses or public transportation. We both did a lot of back and forth but all the time we had was eaten up so we finally just rescheduled and boarded a bus to meet our last appointment for the day, 정예림S (Sister Jeong, our English class coordinator). She fed us dinner, we played a game with her daughter, and ended with a practice lesson. By the end we committed her oldest daughter, 김윤빈S (YoonBein) to bear her testimony during testimony meeting in Sunday. She practiced a few times, prayed, and we left. It was a lot of fun.

Krispy Kreme~

Saturday morning we met the ward to play soccer again. It was a blast! The member we visited last night, Sister Jeong, her husband came this morning to play. He was by far the best player on the other team so I took it upon myself to block everything he did. Once again, I will be the first to admire my inability to play soccer but on the other hand, for some reason, I find pleasure in running full speed at whoever had the ball to body slam them or steal the ball. More often than not I fail but like I said, it's fun. When we finally went home we showered, studied, and then head back out to make it to English class. It was boring. The rest of our day was spent visiting potential investigators and talking to people on the street. No immediate success yet. Oh! But Sister Mineer did end the evening with a bang... or should I say a thud. ㅋㅋ After a superb street lesson Sister Mineer decided she wanted to know what it would be like to fly on the ground. Actually she just tripped but based on the bump on her head and the cuts on her knees, hands, and arms we have come to the conclusion that dirt is in fact the most uncomfortable element to land on and needless to say, flying on it is also a counterproductive activity. She is fine now but anyway is was funny slash sad.

김도훈B came to church!

Sunday was great. It was fast Sunday and it was super hot! We really felt like Satan was teasing us all day... For example almost every elevator we waited for, when it arrived a pizza or chicken delivery man would walk out as we got it. The mouthwatering aroma was just cruel. Church was great though. A family friend, The Arnold's, have been hosting a foreign exchange student (김도훈B) from Korea and he is here on summer vacation to visit his family. Guess where his family lives? In Mansu ward boundaries! Small world. We greeted him as well as a recent convert (조수인S) who is also Korean but has been studying in France, she was baptized there and will be here in Mansu area until September taking care of her mother. There were a number of new faces and the ward was super excited. Oh! Also, I found a more modest dress for HyonChee and she wore it to church!! Members were in awe, she looked so pretty. In sacrament meeting, Sister Mineer bore her testimony and took 김윤빈S (YoonBein) with her. They both did so well! Overall it was a great day at church.

When we left church we went to 인천대공원 (Incheon Great/ Big Park) to find people to talk to. It was super successful! On our way home we visited a less-active young woman. We were greeted by her active parents and we said we just wanted to drop a note off for their daughter. She was MAD! I hope we didn't do more damage but it was super sad. Her poor parents are heartbroken over how much their daughter has come to hate the church. The daughter did ask us how we came to believe the Book of Mormon. Sister Gapinski did a good job answering but this young woman was rolling her eyes the whole time. I've come into contact with my share of hard hearted people but this girl was beyond feeling...at least for now. We promised her that when she does need help, God will always be listening. We prayed and left. It was sad knowing that we probably left their house with more contention than when we arrived. We felt terrible.

Once we got home for dinner we all hit our knees to break our fast before devouring every edible thing in sight haha. It was a delicious and in less than 20 minutes we had inhaled our meal and were off to the church to end our day with our missionary coordinating meeting. It was a great meeting.

This week was busy but still no huge success in finding the new investigators we need. We are getting close though! Thank you for all of your prayers!!

Before I go I want to redirect you back to the sixth paragraph and the 116th word that begins the sentence of our commitment that Sister Gapinski and I gave to our zone at our zone training. Well, I'll say the commitment again and challenge you too, to read and try the promise for yourself. It is found in The Book of Mormon introduction as well as Moroni 10:4-5...

"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith (*with real intent) will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost."

I continue to study this promise and have found great power in it as I continually pray about it to receive a newfound testimony of the truthfulness of the inspired book, the Book of Mormon. Will you all do that this week and next week in your emails to me will you let me know how it goes? Also if you so desire to further your study, I would like to recommend the fifth chapter of the missionary guide, Preach My Gospel. It is my FAVORITE chapter. You can learn SO much about the purpose and importance of then Book of Mormon. Have fun!

Have a great week and I love you all.
Sister Sloan

The party continues