There are NO gummy bears in Gumi. But there is rice!

January 13, 2014

Dear everyone!

I'm officially in my fifth transfer!!! By the end of the month I will have been in Korea for 6 months. That's crazy. I feel like I just finished training a week ago, but ever onward!

Sister Park and I are still together in Gumi, and things are going well! Brother Choi and Jiwon are still active, and Brother Choi will receive the priesthood on Saturday. We're so excited for him, and he's still valiantly keeping the Word of Wisdom. It's still a struggle for him, but he's doing so well. We're so proud and grateful for the changes he's made in his life to be worthy to receive the blessings of the gospel.

In my first transfer, another sister missionary told me, "Every transfer is for something new. If you only learn one new thing that whole transfer, you can know you did well." Each transfer, I have learned something new: how to love a companion when I don't like them, how to express love when you can't use words, that investigators and this work are in the Lord's hands and His timing, there is power in the scriptures for you and your investigators, obedience opens the windows of heaven, gratitude is the most powerful balm for the soul, and so much more. This past transfer however, I learned more about the enabling power of the Atonement than I ever imagined I could.

Sometimes, I think we misunderstand the power of the Atonement. We know it is SO HUGE and it covers everything, but that doesn't just mean the most horrible sins. It means everything. Every weakness, every shortcoming, every flaw, EVERYTHING. If changing it means you become more like Christ, the Atonement can help you. We don't have to change and repent or improve through our own grit and willpower. We can pray and ask Heavenly Father to help us partake of the enabling power of the Atonement, and we will receive. We can do things beyond our own power, we can have courage that is not ours, discipline beyond what we were born with, and the ability to accomplish things with a grace that is not ours.

I want to share just one way the Atonement has helped me personally this past transfer: I loved my last area so much. I learned how to proselyte there, and I learned how to do missionary work there. The people is Busan are so kind and friendly, and so it was easy to talk to them, and although they usually weren't interested in the gospel, they would talk with you and encourage you. When I came to Gumi, I struggled so much talking to people. It just terrified me. Although the people in Gumi are so kind, they are not as warm or friendly as in Busan. But in my personal study time, I began to study more about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I didn't even think these two things related, because not being able to talk to people isn't exactly sinful. But as I learned more about the Atonement, I began to pray more to be able to use the power from it. And almost overnight, I was able to talk to people without fear. It was the most incredible personal transformation I've experienced yet on my mission.

The Atonement is real. The Atonement covers everything. I know that Jesus Christ performed it for each and every one of us. Each of us can partake of it, and overcome anything because of this priceless expression of love from our Heavenly Father. If it helps you become more like Christ, through the Atonement, you can do it. I know that Jesus Christ lives. He is my best friend. He has been with me every step of my mission, and I'm so inexpressibly grateful. I know that He is with us every step of this mortal journey, and He will always lift us if we only ask. I know that Heavenly Father is my Father in Heaven. I know I am His daughter, and I know that He loves me as a parent loves their child. I know He loves me and I know that He knows me so perfectly. We can talk to Him through prayer, and He always ALWAYS answers. I know He lives. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Bonney

Baptisms for the New Year!

January 6, 2014

Dear everyone!

Brother Choi and Jiwon got baptized this past Saturday and confirmed yesterday in sacrament meeting. They're already such amazing members. The baptismal service had a spirit words can't describe, and Brother Choi and Jiwon were just as excited for their baptisms as we were. Actually, Brother Choi was so excited for his baptism that he woke up at 4am that morning. :) After they were baptized, we asked them how they felt when they were baptized, and Brother Choi said he couldn't express it in words, it was so wonderful.

It has been such an indescribable blessing to be able to teach them, prepare them for baptism, and then witness their baptism and confirmation. I know Heavenly Father loves them so very much, and He prepared them so perfectly to find and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. Missionaries didn't find Brother Choi and Jiwon. They found us. They just came to church because they wanted to learn more. They tested the gospel as Alma asks us to do (Alma 32:27) and they learned of its truthfulness. Because they chose to accept it, it will only continue to bless their lives.

Faith building experience from just yesterday: On Sunday afternoon, we had planned to visit two families, but we felt something was missing. Sister Park felt we needed to visit someone, but we didn't know who. We took a look at our less active list and found a name. Sister Hyosun Lee. Sister Park knew her and I had met her sons, but we didn't know her very well. Even still, we felt we needed to visit her. We gave her a call Sunday morning, and asked if we could visit briefly that night. She said sure. Part way through our second appointment, we got a text from her saying she couldn't meet us. We asked her why, and she texted back that she was at the hospital with her youngest son who had just broken his arm. We called and asked if we could visit, and if she would like her son to receive a priesthood blessing. We called the elders and as we were meeting, we ran into two brothers from the ward. We went to the hospital together and the elders and the two brothers from the ward (Brother Moon and Brother Jung) offered a priesthood blessing for her son. When we got home that night, we got a text from Sister Lee's oldest son: "Thank you so much for taking care of us..."

We didn't take care of them. Heavenly Father did. He knew where they were, He knew that they would need help before they needed it, and He knew to put Brother Moon and Brother Jung in a place where they would be needed. It was so incredible to be able to witness how perfectly Heavenly Father knows and cares for His children.

Til next week! I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Bonney

Happy New Year!

December 30, 2013

Dear everyone!

 

This week's email is short! I'm almost out of time!

 

Brother Choi and Jiwon are getting baptized this Saturday!!!! They are keeping the Word of Wisdom, and what a miracle that is. It's such a precious opportunity to teach them and prepare them for baptism.

 

A highlight from this week was our exchange with our sister training leaders. The American sister from their companionship came with me and Sister Park went to the other area with the other Korean sister. The American sister and I were supposed to teach Brother Choi and Jiwon together. Two Americans. Teaching in Korean. About Tithing, Sabbath Day Holy, and ... Law of Chastity. I thought I was going to die. But I didn't. Surprise!!! We taught the lesson, Brother Choi and Jiwon didn't drop us, and we were able to explain everything well. They're still getting baptized!

 

From that one experience, I realized how much Heavenly Father has blessed me with Korean. The sister I taught with had been in Korea twice as long as me, but we matched each other as we taught. Heavenly Father has blessed me SO much with the language. I've only served with Korean companions and I think that sometimes because I can rely on them and their wonderful Korean fluency, I doubt my ability to do what Heavenly Father has called me here to do. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to see Heavenly Father work miracles on behalf of His children in Gumi. I know He is because I've seen them!

 

I love you all so much!

 

Love,

Sister Bonney

Merry Christmas from the Korea Busan Mission 2013

메리메리 크리스머스!!!

December 23, 2013

사란하는여러분!

Merry Christmas! It's hard to believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve and then Wednesday is the big day! I honestly am kind of surprised and very grateful that I actually survived to this point. ;) There were a few times during my first couple months in Korea I didn't think I would. haha

Alright! Brother Choi! And Jiwon, his adorable daughter. They are keeping the Word of Wisdom! And Brother Choi likes tobacco and alcohol and black tea AND green tea. Jiwon only likes green tea. (Thank goodness.) But we taught them this week and asked how they felt about the gospel. Brother Choi told us he knows it is true and he's so happy and grateful for the opportunity to repent and have the chance to make a new start through baptism. The word he used actually translates into "rejoicing". We taught him about the priesthood and how through the priesthood, he would have the power to bless and serve his family. We asked him what he understood about the priesthood, and he said, "I don't understand very much, but I know that it's the power of God, so you should have a clean heart to use it." Wow. We talked to him about the Word of Wisdom, and asked him if he would keep it in order to be baptized and later recieve the priesthood so he could bless his family. He said yes. Jiwon was a little harder, but we promised her if she didn't drink green tea, we'd buy her hot chocolate.^-^ Yesterday when they came to church, I asked her if she was keeping the Word of Wisdom and she said, "Yes. I don't drink green tea. It's hard because my mom drinks green tea, but I don't." Oh my goodness. She's so pure-hearted, and I'm so SO grateful to have the opportunity to prepare her and her father for baptism. Heavenly Father loves them so very much and He has truly been preparing them to receive the blessings of the gospel. 

With Christmas and my 7th month mark coming this week, I've really been starting to realize how much my mission has, is, and will bless my life. If I wasn't on my mission, I would be home with my family, taking a break before going back to another semester at school, but I also would not have the testimony I have now. I would not have the deeper understanding of the Atonement that Heavenly Father has taught me in only the last few weeks. I would not be able to witness the Spirit work in such precious children of God as Brother Choi and Jiwon. I also would not have the precious opportunity to testify everyday of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for that I have this time to serve Heavenly Father and consecrate myself to Him as a missionary. I'm so grateful. I know Heavenly Father lives, and I know that He loves each and every one of us more than we can ever imagine.

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Bonney

With wondering awe the sisters saw... a miracle!

December 16, 2013

Dear everyone!!!

I hope you're doing well and getting SUPER excited for Christmas!!! We've had snow in Gumi, and it makes the cold weather so much more worth it. :)

Also, we have two investigators with baptismal dates!!!! It's such a miracle. A little bit about Brother Choi and his daughter:

Brother Choi came to church three weeks ago because he wanted to learn about the church. Well, he came to the right place. :) We called him later that week to see if he wanted to meet for a lesson, and he said, "Yes! Can we meet tonight?" Uh, sure! He accepted the lesson well, took a Book of Mormon, and started reading it. His 10 year old daughter came to our children's English class and the lesson, and she's the adorable little girl who asked us how to be baptized. This past week, we taught them about the Plan of Salvation, and invited them to be baptized on January 4th. They both accepted and they're progressing! Even Jiwon (his daughter) is reading the Book of Mormon, and when we asked her if it was hard, she said, "No, it's fun! Like a story!" She fits right into primary, and she answers questions like she's known the gospel her whole life. In our gospel principles class on Sunday, Brother Choi expressed how the Plan of Salvation makes sense and that he's looking forward to his baptism.

Here's ANOTHER miracle: It's still about Brother Choi. (He's kind of my favorite person right now.^-^) So Brother Choi has a tobacco and a drinking problem. He knows about the Word of Wisdom, and he also knows that in order to keep the Word of Wisdom, he needs to stop drinking and smoking. We planned to sit down with him this week to make a plan to quit both. In the meantime, he came to church on Sunday, and there was just something different about him. His skin was lighter, his eyes were brighter, and there was just a new kind of radiance to his countenance. Turns out, he's already starting to cut back on his own. President Packer said, "A study of the gospel will change behavior faster than a study of behavior will change behavior." And I know that's true. The gospel is so powerful because it is true.

Being able to teach Brother Choi and Jiwon has been such a testimony builder to me. Missionaries didn't find them. They found the Church. They sought out the gospel. Heavenly Father knew them and guided them before we even knew who they were. As missionaries, we do a lot of what we call "finding". We talk to others and proselyte and work with members in an effort to find those who are willing to listen to the special message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a HUGE part of missionary work, but even though we need to find those who are willing to accept this message, they are not lost. Heavenly Father knows EXACTLY where they are. Every single man, woman, and child on this earth is a child of God. He knows each of them, each of US so perfectly, and He loves us so perfectly. There is nothing we can do to change that love. It is simply there. He loves us and He knows us, and if we seek to follow Him, He will bless us more than we could ever imagine.

I'm so grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows each of us and loves each of us infinitely and individually. We can come to know and love Him too, in our own imperfect way. We can do that through prayer. As missionaries, we pray a lot. Several times a day. With others and alone. But the true relationship with Heavenly Father through prayer comes when we seek Him sincerely, with full purpose of heart. I know that when we do pray with faith and with love for our Heavenly Father, we can feel more of His love in our lives and see more the numberless blessings He's already placed in our lives.

I love you all so much! But Heavenly Father loves you most.

Love,

Sister Bonney

"How can I get baptized?"

December 9, 2013

Dear everyone!

 

So I'm now serving in Gumi! (goo-mee) Sister Park and I get along so well, and it's awesome. She's hilarious and so kind hearted. We talk a lot and easily in a mixture of Korean and English. She's only learned English on her mission, but she speaks it really well. She sounds like an American! She uses "like" all the time and everything. It's pretty cool. My Korean continues to improve, but I am very grateful to have another native speaker for a companion.

 

Also, Sister Park LOVES food. She has a very slim figure, and eats about three times as much as I do. (I really want to know how she manages that..) We eat lots of "delicious things", and I'm honestly afraid of gaining some serious weight this transfer with her. We eat a LOT of "delicious things"..fried chicken, cake (2 for her birthday this week), street vendor pastries, donuts... But hey! As long as they're delicious, I'm not going to complain too much. ^^

 

Gumi is great. It's defintely NOT Busan. My last area was in northern Busan, and Gumi is kind of a super country outlying part of Daegu, one of the top three largest cities in Korea. The people here move SUPER fast, but once you can catch up to one of them and get them to slow down, they're really open and kind. We've already seen a LOT of miracles in this area. We started off the week with no investigators, and I was afraid that it was going to be a repeat of my last transfer where we had 4-5 weeks straight with no investigators. But this week, we found three. Two of them are the most golden investigators I've ever heard of in my life. It's a father and his 10-year-old daughter. The daughter asked us the other day how she can be baptized. Yes. Miracles still happen. We plan to invite them to be baptized during our lesson this week. Exciting!!!

 

Okay. Some random things you probably didn't know!

 

- I can count the number of times I've used a fork in the last 4 months on one hand. Chopsticks!!!

- I've slept in a bed ONCE in the past 4 months. Mats are where it's at.

- Yes, Koreans do bow. All the time. It's just part of how you greet people. I might have a problem breaking that habit when I get off my mission. NOT kidding.

- Koreans eat a TON of rice. And so do I. They also eat a ton of ramen.

- If you wear your shoes in the house, you WILL lose serious points with Koreans. DISRESPECT. Haven't worn my shoes in a house in...the past four months.

 

Also, Christmas is NOT a big deal in Korea. They play the Christmas music and stuff, but it's just in the stores. In Korea, Christmas is a couples day. Kind of irrelevant for missionaries.... But that's okay! It snows in Gumi. It doesn't snow in Busan, so I'm SUPER happy to be getting snow around here soon. I've heard we get blizzards, and I'm not going to lie. I'm SUPER excited.

 

Well, the Work of Salvation is going forward, and I'm so grateful to be a part of it!

 

I love you all so much!!!

 

Love,

Sister Bonney

 

PS Even though I got transfered, my address is the same! Korea Busan Mission, Dongnae Post Office Box 73, Busan, South Korea 607-600