Life is always good when you're doing the work of the Lord :)

This was transfer week!

The first half of the week was full of lots of member meals because Sister Partridge was leaving.

But on Tuesday we were able to have a special experience.

We got to go pick up the new missionaries from the airport. We had a bigger group of Sisters this time so they wanted some STL's help. Sister Partridge and I got to drive to the airport with President and Sister Morrise. Since the airport is on an island we got some amazing views.

^^Proof that I was with President^^

​

We met the AP's and the office elders at the airport and waited for the new missionaries! The Seoul mission people were there to pick up their missionaries too. I was getting nervous because we were going to travel back to the office with the new missionaries on the subway helping them to talk to people. It would be their first in-field mission experience.

We picked them up. We had 3 Korean sisters, 1 from Australia and 1 from New Zealand. Cool right? We split them up and . . . for some reason . . . I was in charge of help the Korean sisters talk to people on the subway. We had a 2 hour ride back to the office so we had a lot of time. When we got on the subway I had vivid memories of my first time in country. How terrified I was to talk to people because I didn't know any Korean. But this time, I knew more Korean and I could talk with people easier. I realized that even though the sisters with me spoke fluent Korean they were still really scared to talk with people. When we got on I talked with them and was able to bear my testimony on heavenly help when we need it. I gave them a few tips on how to start a conversation and I worked with each one at a time as we talked to people.

At the end they all had a really great experience. They said that their 'hearts were full of love' and that the more they talked the easier it got. I was so blessed to be able to share that experience with them. We have some AMAZING new Sister missionaries added to our mission!

Sister Partridge and I finished packing and cleaning and on Wednesday morning we were off to drop Sis Partridge off and get a new companion for me!  This was going to be my first time ever leading an area. For once, I was the one staying in the area. So, you could say I was a bit nervous.

Sister Moyer and I, instant friends, came home, settled in and we got a call from an English Class member telling us that he has something to give us for Solar (the Korean holiday). Everything would have been good but I wasn't quite sure where he asked us to meet him......

So an hour later and several phone calls back and forth, and walking all over Korea (poor Sister Moyer!) we finally met up with him and he gave us 떡 dduk, traditional Korean rice cakes. I'm glad he and Sister Moyer were patient in my lack of knowledge of Seongnam. But I have learned that getting lost is a sure way of learning an area :)

Sister Moyer and I are not super good at the language yet which really humbles us all the time. But we have seen more miracles in the few days we've been together than I have ever seen. This is going to be a rockin' transfer.

I know that when the Lord calls us to do something he will ALWAYS provide away and he will ALWAYS be there for help.  We couldn't do this without Him.

Thus, life is always good when you're doing the work of the Lord.

On Thursday was a big Korean holiday so our zone met up with another zone and we played sports and watched Meet the Mormons. It was so much fun to watch the closest thing to a real movie I will ever see on my mission :)  If you haven't watched it yet . . . you should!

I love all of you so much! I hope you have a wonderful week!

- Sister Holdaway

Note: There are new pictures on my Seongnam Ward photos page!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Hello All! 

I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s day! 

This week was Sister Partridge's last full week here in Seongnam so we have had no problem with want for food because we have a meal with members or investigators at least daily. Trying to squeeze in meeting with all the people you love after being somewhere for a year can be kind of difficult and saying goodbye is always hard . . . but I've literally had the best food I've ever had.

On Wednesday, we had our last district meeting as our district before transfers. Our district leader, Elder Thorup, is going Zone Leader in another zone. So now - every single one of my district leaders I've ever had are all Zone Leaders. That's right, I've met some pretty stellar people on my mission :)  

#awkward district selfie:

​Elder Lim (임),  Elder Rogers, Elder Thorup, Sister Partridge, Me, and Elder Downing. 

This weekend was stake conference in Suji. So I got to go back to my greenie area and back to my greenie ward! Last time I was at this stake conference I was leaving Suji for Bupyeong. Because it was stake conference I didn't get to say goodbye to any of the Suji members. But this weekend I got to see all of them! And they remembered me! They were shocked to see me again and said I've changed a lot which is really good - I'm glad they get to see me not as a shy greenie. I also got to see 김혜실 who is a cute little grandma Sister Berry and I taught. She was baptized the week after I left. When I saw here she got a huge smile on her face and we hugged and cried. 

We also brought one of our new investigators to the Sunday meeting and she seemed to really enjoy it even though it was really long and she didn't understand all of it. All in all - great conference weekend~~ 

On Sunday morning we got Transfer Calls. I couldn't sleep the night before because I was worried sick, wondering who my new companion would be. But I remember back to a time when President Morrise told us that he knows that the Lord guides transfers. He bore his testimony on the fact that we go exactly where we need to go and we get who we need to get. 

So, I'm staying in 성남 Seongnam and I'm getting . . .*drumroll* . . .  Sister Moyer! 

Does that name sound familiar? 

I lived with her when she was being trained by Sister Wright! We already know each other really well. It will be so fun being her companion. I remember one morning when we were eating breakfast and she looked at me and said "you know what would be awesome?" and I answered "If we were companions????" "YES!" "It's gonna happen." 

We're companions! ~ 

In honor of Valentine’s Day I want to list some things I love: 

* I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK

* I LOVE THIS GOSPEL

* I LOVE YOU ALL

* I LOVE SERVICE 

* I LOVE HELPING OTHERS BE HAPPY 

* I LOVE KOREA!! 

Until next time, 

사랑해요! 

- Sister Holdaway 

EXTRAS . . .

This, my friends, is ribs wrapped in melted cheese. 

Smoked and grilled duck meat. SO DELICIOUS. 

Love At Home (sometimes it's hard to think up subject lines for these....)

What a fun, crazy week!

This week was easily the craziest week ever.

We went on 2 exchanges - I left our area and went to another area . . . twice. We had Missionary Leader Council (MLC), Temple Day, and Zone Training.

We were pretty busy but we had a blast doing it!

With all that, we were also to get some amazing miracle lessons.

On Monday, we had our weekly visit with a recent convert at her restaurant. We sat down and began reading with her from the book of Mormon in the middle of her restaurant. A man eating lunch close by overheard us and came over to ask us what we were doing. He asked a lot of questions about our religion and about the Book of Mormon. Immediately, the recent convert spoke up and bore her testimony on the Book of Mormon and the Bible. She said it with so much conviction. Sister Partridge and I were just sitting back watching her share something important to her. It was a good reminder that as missionaries, it's our job to not only help strengthen members, but also to support members in their own missionary work. We were so proud of her!

The next day we had MLC which seemed like forever (maybe just 7 hours . . . but still). Despite the length, learned so much and focused on a talk called Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by Elder Pearson.

The next day I went on an exchange to 이천 (Icheon not to be confused Incheon). Icheon is out in the middle of nowhere. It's definitely country but since I've lived in cities this whole time it was fun to experience that. It took an hour bus ride out there. I got to go with Sister Park (박우림) and with her little English and my little Korean we got along really well! It was the first time she led the area and we had lots of fun adventures!

​

The next day was TEMPLE DAY!!  Always the best day of every transfer. It is such a blessing that I'm in a mission that can go to the temple often.

I'll send another email with pictures :)

I slept at my house that night but then packed again for another exchange the next day.

On Friday we had Zone Training where we took what we learned at the leadership meeting and trained our specific zones on it. It was also Sister Partridge's last zone training - she gave an amazing talk and shared her amazing testimony. This mission will miss her so much :/

On Sunday she also gave her 마지막 말씀 or her last talk. Then, our district sang Love at Home with an arrangement that our District Leader, Elder Thorup, composed. It was really good!

Because Sister Partridge is leaving after being in this ward for almost a whole year (wow) we have a lot of meals this next week. We will be well fed this week!

At the Temple, all of her (still-on-mission) companions were there! She got to take a picture with all of us:

I love you all!

Until next week,

Sister Holdaway  <3

Baskin Robbins and Raw Fish Unify a Country

안녕하십나까??

This week has been wonderful :)  I'm not sure if I've said this yet or not but the standard for lessons taught in a companionship per week is 10 lessons. Those lessons can be investigators, less actives, recent converts or practice lessons with members. Since we have a shortage of all of these we have been struggling reaching that number but this week we have done so much better! Our hard work is finally paying off!

This week we kept pretty busy either teaching or finding people to teach. We also did a companion exchange with some wonderful sisters in our zone. I love exchanges. It's so nice to see how other missionaries work and I always learn so much. It keeps us really busy though, but because there are two STLs we only have to do 4 exchanges this transfer . . . instead of 8 :)

On Tuesday, we taught the little boys. We came prepared with fun games to teach them English and then we were going to teach them the Plan of Salvation by writing down questions on sticky notes and having them try to answer. When they answer they can pull the sticky note off that reveals the picture underneath. The picture was a picture of the earth.

The first question asked "Where did we live before we were born? Who did we live with?"  

With some hesitation to think one boy said "From my mom's stomach?"  

We chuckled then said "Before even that we used to live in heaven with Heavenly Father."

Their eyes got wide and they said "대박(Awesome! Seriously! I can't believe it!)! You mean, we saw God?"

"Yes we did! And we lived with Him too!"

They were very impressed with this new information. Then we continued and talked about agency and our life on earth. We said that we all make mistakes and choose the wrong thing sometime.

Then we asked, "Are we perfect?"

Confidently one boy said "Yes."

Confused, we asked "Are we reeeallly perfect?"

Again, "Yes, Because God made us."

From the mouth of babes, everyone.

At the end the 9-year old prayed and in his prayer he said 'And, we'll try not to make mistakes, Amen."

It was such a touching experience. I was touched by their reaction to the news of our premortal existence and to the fact that God loves us because he created us. Yes! This message is 대박! It's awesome! The message we share is amazing and one of a kind. Teaching these boys changed from somewhat scary and frustrating to a learning experience for both of us.

On Saturday it was Sister Partridge's 18-month mark! She served a full Sister missionary's mission! We were so busy that day that we didn't have time to celebrate or do anything. She did make mention that she wanted some Baskin Robbins. We got home late and we were sad we couldn't get some. I reassured her that we could get Baskin Robbins tomorrow instead. It was still a bit of a bummer.

BUT THEN, while we were planning we get a knock at the door.  We open it and there are the Elders with a HUGE half gallon bucket of ice cream that easily cost a fortune. All for us.

That made our whole night and definitely made Sister Partridge's 18 month mark memorable.

​YUUM.

On that note: everyone go out and treat yourself to some ice cream. And remember - 대박 (Daeback!)! What a happy message we all get to share!

I love you all! Thanks for all the support and the sweet messages :)

-Sister Holdaway

P.S.

​Raw Fish Unify a Country - Korea.