I love my Savior and I will serve him forever as his dedicated disciple.

So when I was thinking and pondering and praying as to what I could say I just thought back to my farewell and the quote that I LOVED and shared:) From non other than the great Winnie the Pooh- How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

That is how I felt leaving to Korea. And that is how I feel leaving Korea. 

Like...  I am so filled with words.. and thoughts I don't know where to start. I think I am stressing this out way to much. So what I'm going to do is just send you my usual e-mail:) no need to make this one any special:) 

Anyways... sorry... ha ha ha. So this week was amazing. I want to tell you of this amazing member, Sister 박웅비 Park Onug Bee. HOLY COW I LOVE THIS GIRL!!!!!! She has a bit of a mental handicapped  and I have seen more of the savior in this one sister than any other person, place or thing. She is just FILLED with the spirit of God. She is the one who last week told me "Sister Ensign you need confidence. Don't be afraid. You are Sister Ensign". I think I held her hand for 4 hours yesterday and just hugged and kissed her to death. Heavenly Father LOVES his children. All of them. And I know that we can feel that love through other people. I have felt that love through Sister Park. 

Also our amazing investigator Mr. Kim is just amazing. AGAIN when we taught him he couldn't stop talking about how good he felt when he was with up. And when investigators feel that spirit there is no greater time to ask them to be baptized. So we asked him to be baptized on the 13th. He said he will talk with his wife and let us know. We didn't hear from him for 3 days which I was FREAKING OUT and praying like no ones business!!!! And come to find out that he was just out of town referring  for volleyball:) So he wants to meet us tonight and we will find out if he wants to be baptized next week:) I love this man. He is so in tune with the spirit and HE LOVES OUR GOSPEL. No wonder he does, its Jesus Christ's message. 

So my thoughts have been really focused on the temple lately:) And mom, your amazing example and testimony of family history work has really helped me and I have been able to talk about you in my lessons where we talk about family history and the temples. Maybe its because I just miss the temple so much and cant wait to go to the bountiful and salt lake temple and be able to fell Gods love and spirit. It truly is the house of the lord. I know that. And I cant wait to go. The temple is our celestial kingdom. And I cant wait to be home. 

I honestly have NO idea what I will do when I get home. But I do know a few things for certain: I'm going to the temple. I'm going to kiss Samantha and Bubba's cheeks off.   No matter how much they hate it. I'm going to pray. and pray again. And I will just go to the temple again. Those are my plans. And I like them a lot.

So let me talk about missionary work... and cry my eyes out. I think about this last transfer and my heart is just warm. So warm. So so happy. I have a testimony that this is the work of the Lord. God loves his children and so he send us  on missions and while we are out here learning things for ourselves, we get the amazing blessing of helping people on our way. I have learned that that is life. We go through experiences and we get to help  people so that our experiences are GOOD. 

So I think of everything about this mission and everything in the past, to come, and now and my thoughts are turned to Christ. 

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.  2Nephi 25:26. 

All of my efforts have been for Him. He is the one who died for us. I don't need to die on my mission to help people receive salvation. I just need to teach them about the one who did die, who did suffer, who did make it possible to receive eternal life:) No greater message. No greater work. I love being a missionary. I love talking of Christ and bringing others to Christ because it is in Christ where we find our purpose, love, happiness, joy, fulfillment, peace, comfort, rest and answers to prayers/ life. I know that Christ lives. That he loves us. And like it reads in Jacob 5, that I am the servant in the vineyard. I love in Jacob 5 when it reads in verse 72: And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the lord on the vineyard in all things. 75: And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them; Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according  to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought  unto me again the natural fruit, and ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard." No I am no prophet and the second coming has not happened yet, but I am so blessed to have been able to work in the vineyard. This truly is the work of the lord. 

Advice for missionaries: that includes you Bubba:) part of this was some great advice I got before my mission from a friend, Elder Marsden. And I want to share it with you all.

1: Charity never faileth. LOVE IT ALL. AND LOVE IT ALL THE TIME.  Let that love of Christ fill you up and give it to others. That is what will make you successful. Mom sad some amazing words to me- They (investigators) may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you helped them feel". So give them the greatest feeling, the one they will remember. And that is love.

2: Decide now that you will be 100% obedient. It is the lords way. You did not ask God to help you do your work as a missionary. God called you to do HIS work and you have to do it HIS WAY. Obedience. is Love. Obedience is what God asks for us. And it is obedience that brings blessings and miracles. 

3: There will be times when you will feel sorry because people wont accept this and you just love them so much and so you will feel sorrow. THAT IS OKAY. That sorrow is what God feels and it is a godly feeling. You will feel VERY close to the Lord during those times. Sorrow was the only thing that Christ would not take away from the 3 Nephites.

4: LIVE IN THE MOMENT and EXPECT BAPTISMS!!!!! Expect them. And LIVE IN THAT MOMENT. Don't move on to the next thing running like a chicken with its head cut off. LIVE IN THE MOMENT. Even the hard ones. Live it up. Live each moment, each person, each experience and live them. Don't rush them by.

5: This is the most important. Remember and never forget that it is all about CHRISTS ATONEMENT. All of it. It is the MOST IMPORTANT. The MOST!!!!! I know that to be true. I love my Savior. And I will serve him forever as his dedicated disciple. 

I love you all to the moon and back. Catch ya on the flippidy flop:)

Sister Nicolle Ann Ensign

Celebrating the Women in the Church

.....how thankful I am that I know, and even more grateful, that I can share that testimony with others!

Another great week:) Goodness mom your e-mails are so good. thank you for always sending me updates and just.. your love. I love you!!!!!! Sammy is getting so big.. like i have a feeling she's taller than me.... ... And Bubba looks like he could squish me with 2 fingers... I hope his games go well this week!!!!

So this week was so great. Me and my amazing companion made some great goals this week with God. We are really trying to focus on our top investigators who can be baptized. We are really trying to help our investigator, Mr. Kim Jong Hun. I love this man. He is the next area president. He is interested in English and that is why he called us. We actually were talking to one of his friends on the street by our house and have his friend our number. His friend knew Mr. Kim was interested in English and gave him our number. MR. KIM LOVES THE GOSPEL!!!! Amazing experience this week was when we were teaching him and we were reviewing what we talked about last week (restoration) and he was just so impressed at how we don't try to convince him through scriptures or through our knowledge that this is true but that we encourage him to ask God. The one who knows all, if this is true. He really respected that. By the way, this is the famous Volleyball ref. Well we prayed and we got done with the prayer and he said "you know, I feel really comfortable when I come to this church. It is a good feeling. I would like to meet more". Yes SIR!!!! You've got it:) So we met him again and talked more about the plan of salvation. HE EATS IT UP!!!! I am so excited for this 53 year old man!!!! He said his family is not interested in English or the gospel right now but "maybe later". Well we talked again and we were explaining a principle of the gospel and he clapped his hands and said "I like your church". We asked him to be baptized and he said when he comes to know if this is for him, then he will.  Well he came to church yesterday and said he wants to come again. This gospel truly is for everyone. I love Mr. Kim. I know he can be baptized on April 13th. Which is our plans for him. He can do it:)

Yesterday at church was an amazing experience for my mission. We celebrated the relief society/ women in the church yesterday and it was amazing:) we all wore our Han Boks:) It was so amazing. The amazing 15 grandmas in their 80's and 90's got up and bore amazing testimonies that will change my life forever. This 500 year old grandma got up and sang the song "Truth reflect upon our senses" and it changed me forever. I will miss that. I will miss my Korean grandmas. I love their un-shakable testimonies and their bad breath and I will miss it when they shove food in my mouth and miss it when I say hello to them and they think its HILARIOUS that I speak Korean so they laugh and smack my back. Goodness I love this. 

The spirit as really taught me this week. I have again been reminded of my savior this week. Studying his life and death has really helped me be able to have an even stronger testimony of him. And then when I get to share that testimony with others it grows even more. I love my savior and I am so thankful for him. and...I KNOW MY SAVIOR LIVES. I read a great quote by a 70 that said "I know-as I know that I live- that HE LIVES. And I know that my savior lives. He has a body of flesh and bones and he lives. I know it. And how thankful I am that I know and even more grateful am I that I can share that testimony with others. Like it says in 2 Nephi 33:10-11 "And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words BELIEVE IN CHRIST. And if ye shall believe in Christ, ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye- for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day...". I love the scriptures because they teach me of Christ. 

Mom, I have to run. But I love you. I love you to the moon and back. Can wait to see you. In just a few days:) 

Love you mom, dad, bubba, Sammy, and Shmee:) Kill it Shmee. You are in my prayers. God is with you. So is Chelsea. I promise our angle is with us:) DI4C:)

Love Sister Collie Ensign

I love this work and it just can't end......

So like... so many miracles this week I will have to do a bullet point.

* So we meet every Wednesday with this little young woman, Sorl Jee min. I will call her Min. Well she is the one whose dad abuses her and she wanted to end her life. Well we have been meeting her every week and been going on dates and just trying to share the "good word". AND I CANT EVEN BEGIN TO  TELL YOU THE CHANGE IN HER!!!!!!!! I have a testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Christ's Atonement works. And as missionaries it is a HUGE blessing to be a part of the amazing experience of being the hands that help change people through Christ's Atonement. Truly amazing. I love being a missionary. Yesterday Min had a talk and shared her testimony of the restoration and Joseph Smith. It was amazing. She told everyone that she wanted to later be a missionary who could share this message with others. :) She use to be this really shy, no smile girl but when she stood up on that stage she had a smile that filled the room and confidence of a daughter of God. Because that is who she is.

 

* Our investigator, Sister Go-san-oak!!!! We had our lesson with her and we felt impressed to sing my favorite song "abide with me tis even tide". And we end and she was quiet and said "I feel something. When you sing or with I hear your message I feel something". We explained to her that it was the spirit telling her heart Gods message. She smiled. She also confessed to us that she has NOT EVER PRAYED ON HER OWN AT HOME!!!!! And what was our lesson on that day.. PRAYER. God told us exactly what she needed and then she did. ha ha ha ha. Truly amazing. We committed her to be baptized and she didn't answer. She said she would pray about it. WE are really trying to work with her because she is just so so so so close.

* I HAVE A TESTIMONY OF ENGLISH CLASS!!!!! This weeks English class was HEAVEN ON EARTH. It changed my life. We started using our English class as more of teaching opportunity instead of a service thing. so we  teach an hour of English and then tell everyone, hey if you want to hear a good message about god, just stay:) and then we teach about 30-40 minutes of a gospel message. THIS WEEK WAS AMAZING. we taught about the Book of Mormon and LIVES WERE CHANGED. we had 8 non members there asking SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!! It was truly a bit of heaven as we answered their questions. they all asked if they could meet with us to learn a bit more about our message. So amazing. I am so excited to be a missionary. Our investigator, Brother Kim Jing Hoon was asking so many questions. we are asking him to be  baptized this week so please pray for us. He is a famous volley ball ref who travels the world and he is so so interested!!!!! But I just want to bear my testimony that it is through small simple ways that gods greatest work is brought to pass. just read the bible and you can see how Christ did it through those small and simple ways:) Look at me. I am very small and simple:)

* The things I learned through Sister Najuttes Dad,  aka a stake president: Love makes us vulnerable to heart break, but invulnerable to temptation, filled with good works, unburdened by selfishness, pure in heart, fearless (perfect love casts out fear), and ultimately like God... True Joy is the loss of self". Though I still do struggle to completely give my self, when I do, THERE IS THE JOY. !!!!! TRUE JOY!!!!! Also I loved the quote he shared by Thomas Pyane. And coming from someone who LOVES AMERICA I wanted to share this quote:) "These are the times that try men's souls. the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink form the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and women. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheep, we esteem to lightly. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated". Now please look at the word freedom and remember that true freedom is eternal life with God and Jesus Christ. And it is not easily won. 

  

* From the talk by Sherie Dew- "Choose carefully who you listen to, and then listen. Choose carefully who you will follow, AND THEN FOLLOW." 

I love being a missionary. I am crying.. again. I do that a lot these days. I love this work. I love it and it just cant end. It wont. ha h ha. Reality check will come,  but I'm avoiding it as long as I can. This work is Gods work. I know it. 

I love you mom. Thank you for... everything. School, e-mails, keeping me updated, and raising me to know what I now know. Because of what you taught me as a girl, I know now as a woman. As girls we need our moms. And as women, we need our God. ... and our moms.  But I want you to know that I know. Thanks for the help. I cant wait to be a mom:) We were on a hike with our investigator this week with the ward and he asked me what my dream was. I thought of you Mom. Being a mom and changing the world through that amazing calling. Mom, Korea, Australia, and soon Ireland and Scotland have to thank you. And so do I. Oh ya, hey dad, I have not forgotten you:) You are to thank too:) I love you both so much. Thanks to my sent from heaven Parents:) I love you to the moon and back:)

Sister Nicolle Ensign

"All we do in the church- our meetings and activities, our missionary efforts, the lessons we teach and the hymns we sing- should point us to the Savior and the work we do in the Holy Temples."

So this week was really great:) A lot of great lessons learned!!!!

Lets start:)

I want to start off with this quote that helped me remember my purpose and actually what I love doing as a member and as a missionary.

 

       "All we do in the church- our meetings and activities, our missionary efforts, the lessons we teach and the hymns we sing- should point us to the savior and the work we do in the HOLY TEMPLES".

 

I was sweetly reminded by the spirit how much I LOVE temples and how it is all about getting to the temple. I have loved that. I was able to testify of temples this week to our recent converts and also to investigators. I was able to help less actives prepare / take steps that will get them to the temple. I was able to tell them just how much I missed the temple. I was also reading in Revelations this week and John had a vision of what the celestial kingdom will be like and he tells us that he saw no temple because THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM IS A TEMPLE. holy cow!!!!! like I'm doing whatever it takes to get to the celestial kingdom because I want that feeling. I want that love. I want to be in the temple forever. I want to live there. and we have that opportunity. Also my sweet companion bore her testimony to our investigators that one day when we do go to heaven that we will want to find each other. That we will want to see how each other is and to love each other in the presence of God. The greatest desire of any missionary. 

We were able to meet a new investigator who referred us his 2 children who are now our new investigators and we will be meeting them for lunch today. And so great because THEY LOVE OUR MESSAGE. we will be asking them to get baptized and to come to church this coming week:) He is a really amazing man. He is an artist and actually a famous one here in Korea. This week when we met he took us with his daughter (who is now our BFF) to his studios and IT WAS AMAZING. I was amazed. I cant wait for him to create something that represents his testimony and how he feels about Jesus Christ. It will be beautiful:)  Our area is really exploding. We were able to receive 5 referrals and we were able to teach a LOT of people the gospel. I have really tried working on being peoples friends THROUGH THE GOSPEL. When we meet someone and have a relationship with them, THEN WE TEACH THEM THE GOSPEL. If you love them you will give them what they need most, which is the gospel. That is love. That is the greatest love you can give an investigator, or anyone. Is by giving them the source of joy, love and happiness. Which is Christ. And you come to Christ thorough our message:)

So we have 4 sisters living in our apt and one of the sisters, Sister Naatjes wrote her a letter that she shared with me and I want to share it with you. Its about missionary work: You are on the lords errand. you are doing a great and important work. Never doubt the power of your simple efforts. Wearily, all of the saviors greatest moments and teachings were reported as one-on-one or small group conversations. Have patience with the pace of it. Love the small moments. Love each person and focus on them, as though they matter more than many of the choicest of God's creations, because they do. The lord has always blessed the world though small and simple things and people. happily and cheerfully be one of them. The poor and the meek will have the gospel  declared to them by the weak and the simple. This is the Lords way." Thank you President Naatjes. 

I am simple and I am weak but my message is not. My message is perfect. I was able to bear testimony of that yesterday as we met our investigators who are trying to start a new church because they "cant find the truth". HELLO. agh. anyways. They asked us and the elders to share our testimonies. The spirit was strong and I felt so inadequate but I trusted that in my weakness God would testify to them through me. IT was an experience I will never forget. we finished our testimonies and they did their "worship dance"........... But I was just sitting there and asked God in my heart for direction.  And I could see heaven for a minute and God was just hanging his head. They are so close, yet still so far.   I told God that I know the truth and that I will try to help them. The hard thing about them is that they don't have any evil intentions they just believe differently, they worship different and God bless them for the faith that they do have. But I was again reminded of the temple and the "BIGGER PICTURE". Which was a tender mercy. How thankful I am that I know the bigger picture and that I can try in my weakness, to share that with everyone. We are working so hard to get our investigators baptized. I have spent my mission focusing on members and RC and LA and investigators, but me and my companion got revelation to focus on our investigators. WE see them every day. we call them every day. We pray for them every day and our investigators really are trusting us. We have made it a goal to ask them all to be baptized with dates this week. Please pray for our efforts. WE want to harvest. WE have planted with the help of the lord and now we are to harvest. Sweet Sister Goo San oak will be baptized if she can believe in God. WE are working so hard to help her have that. WE are working hard with a handful of members who will give their friends to us to teach. WE are working hard with 2 teenagers to come to church BECAUSE THEY WANT OT BE BAPTIZED. But they go to Seoul every weekend with their mom. WE have made it our business to become friends with the mom so that she will trust us with her girls during the weekend. So many miracles. This week we were able to make appointments with 4 people on the street to meet and come listen to our message. This is all so true. These people are searching for truth and we can give it to them. I have come to learn this week that I am also seeking for truth. I have been so fortunate to know where, how, who , when and what way to seek for that truth. I know I have found it. I know it. And I'm here to share it with everyone that I can:) 

I love you all so much. Thank you for all of your love and support. Please pray that our week will be filled with the spirit to lead and guide us as to how to do this work. I love you. Thank you for the prayers and I am so excited to see that you are still all my "brothers (and sisters) in the gospel". I love you to the moon and back.

Sister Nicolle Ensign

p.s. This is a shout out to Sister Drusteller. Your son is in my district and he is like my baby brother. He is an amazing example to all who meet him. He is working so hard and is just filled with the spirit. He's got a good attitude and he is changing this mission through his testimony and love for the Lord. He told me you read my blog and I just felt like reminding you how amazing your son is. He reminds me of my amazing brother, Hunter,  who just got his mission call to Scotland/Ireland. And I wanted to tell you because I hope one day when my boys serve missions, I would love to have someone remind me that my boys are doing a good job. You are one amazing mother. You and my mom would be friends. Amazing moms are friends.  Thank you for your sacrifices. I know you miss your son. He misses you too but he sure loves this work and he is working so hard because he loves the Lord. Such a good missionary. I pray one day I can have a son just like him. God job:)

I'm crying my eyes out...............

 

Bubba!!!! YOU WILL LOVE LOVE IT!!!!! I am so excited for you and Scotland/Ireland better look out because Elder Ensign is well  on his way to change you forever. I love you Bubba. You make me so HAPPY AND I' M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!! Like I'm crying my eyes out. Like a baby!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would have failed to learn that the opportunity to serve is a gift !

Just given a little shout out to bubba!!!!!!!! Holy cow Bubba!!!!! Scotland/Ireland!!!!!! GUESS WHAT!!!!!!! I just made a new investigator who is part scottish part Irish, living in England and spending 10 months in Korea to look at car products. Like. Holy cow. I should have seen it coming. Bubba!!!! YOU WILL LOVE LOVE IT!!!!! I am so excited for you and Scotland/Ireland better look out because Elder Ensign is well on his way to change you forever. I love you Bubba. You make me so HAPPY AND I' M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!! Like I'm crying my eyes out. Like a baby!!!!!!!!!!!

I also want to tell Diondra to give her companion a big hug for me. Me and my companion just cried hearing about her Dad passing away. God be with her.  There is no other person better for her during this time than you Shmee. God has a great purpose and sometimes it does not make sense, but in the end it will. Tell her we love her and that she has MANY prayers going out there for her!!!!

So this week was really good. Sadly I was really sick for 2 days.  But I was actually really worried that I was not getting enough fluids because I would but water next to my mouth and throw up. So I was worried for those two days BUT I prayed, and others prayed for me and I'm better. Still only eating bread and 10 pounds lighter, ah ha but I'm feeling better. BUT it was still a miracle week.  We met 3 new investigators and one of them is the one from England who is a Scot/ Irish. ha ha ha. His name is Neal. I'll ask him where his family is so that maybe I can get you a referral Bubba.  But he is amazing. I found him on the street. He was trying to find a Bar with his  friend, Collin. And they couldn't find it. So we helped them find a bar. ha ha ha. But they asked if we were English teachers, I proudly said "No we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints". :) He laughed and said in his SWEET accent "well, I'm a Roman catholic myself but I'd love to have a pretty girl like yourself try to convince me other wise". ha ha ha. Don't worry he's in his late 50's ha ha ha. But we also told him that we could teach him Korean for free and he was really interested and so we made an appointment for this week to meet:) AND we also made 2 other families our investigators. They are English interest but we are so excited. Right before we came here, Brother Kim, the dad, called and said "I'm in the hospital for a few days and would love to read more of your church material. Could you send me some books". ha ha ha. YES SIR!!!! We are sending him our materials right after this. He also met the missionaries to play ping pong 25 years ago when he was a kid:) 

Then at church yesterday our 2 investigators who are friends brought their other church members to our sacrament meeting. Their church "royal priesthood" members filled up an entire bench. It was amazing. This church is really great. They focus on the first commandment; to love God. But they think there is no method or way to worship. So their entire church has 8 members and they are all in their mid thirties and just great. And they are all "looking for the truth". They think that all churches are good and carry truth but they speak more with their actions than their heart. So this "Royal Priesthood" believes that faith is more important that action/ works. We are meeting and love them and our ward is really excited to convert this "Royal Priesthood" to our religion. ha ha ha ha. But when I asked them how church was they said it was "interesting". They think we have to many rules and "methods". They just want to be free. They believe that we don't need a schedule or a day to worship, just follow the spirit. If you want to sing a song during a talk of your church family members, then sing. If you want to pray anytime, pray, etc. We understand their thinking but there needs to be order in all things and a body of UNITY. So we are trying to teach that. They also think that you can choose which commandments to follow but we are all to follow the first commandment. Yes they are fun:) and sometimes difficult but we love them.

Also we met with our investigator, Sister Goe. She is amazing. She has been meeting missionaries for about 6 months and everyone wants to drop her but she makes such good progression. It is slow but so good. Yesterday I asked her simply "what will it take for you to be baptized?". She said "if I can come to know that God lives, I will get baptized." She already loves our church and teachings and she will be baptized if he knows God lives. She just is unsure. WE talked about doubt and faith and how we choose to focus on one or the other but if you have doubt you can not have faith. and if you have faith, doubt is gone. I bore my testimony of how I KNOW GOD LIVES. I told her how I see him everywhere. I told her how when I was in collage and was studying the muscles in the body, how I had the spirit confirm to me that this was all WAY too perfect and that it couldn't just happen. Someone had to be a creator. And that was God. And how time after time I have received spiritual answers to prayers. We committed her to pray with her heart and with faith to know if God was there and to LOOK for the answers, because they will come. Please pray for her.

Yesterday was a tender mercy when we were at the church for a lesson and all of the sudden we heard a lot of noise and look out the door and its the entire stake including MOKPO members greeting an elder from the church head quarters. It was so nice to see my Mokpo members and they were so excited to see me and agh, I am just so excited for you to meet my Mokpo members:)

So this week was just a good one. I know I was sick, but it was still really good. I am so thankful to be able to have this last transfer be this GOOD!!!! Like God is WAY too nice!!!!! I am just able to go out and work hard and serve his children with no distractions. Also with you and dad coming to Korea I don't have to worry about saying goodbye and doing those distracting things, I can just focus on missionary work:) It is so great:)n I love this work!!!!

So I read this amazing article in the Liahona of a woman who was given a calling as young women's President. And she shared her thoughts after she was released and it really portrays how I feel and I wanted to share a bit of the article. It reads "I thought back on that day when I could have turned down the calling because of all my other responsibilities. But I am the one who would have lost most by not accepting the calling. I would have lost the opportunity to learn humility, gain understanding, develop patience, and become an instrument in the Lord's hands. But mostly I would have failed the Lord in the confidence He placed in me, and I would have failed to learn that THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IS A GIFT". And it is. I love this amazing gift to serve for 19 months as a missionary in Korea. And Diondras Gift is Australia and Bubbas Gift is Scotland/ Ireland. What amazing gifts. Like Elder Holland says "in this family we serve missions". Well here in the Ensign Family, WE SERVE MISSIONS. Because we have been called and we will serve our Lord. Because we love him. 

I love you all to the moon and back.

Sister Nicolle Ann Ensign

Nicolles New York Times Interview

Nicolle's interview with the New York Times.  Click on the link below to see the article and videos.  Nicolle's interview is about half way down under "Strangers and closed doors".

Missions Signal a Growing Role for Mormon Women By JODI KANTOR and LAURIE GOODSTEIN After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lowered its age requirement for female missionaries in October 2012 to 19 from 21, the thousands of women who have signed up are expected to fundamentally alter this most American of churches. Or, copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://nyti.ms/1pLJSPt

...because I HAVE gotten answers.........and He gives me peace.

Hi there my lovely family:) Looks like your week was amazing!!!!! LIKE I'M DYING THAT BUBBA GOT HIS PAPERS SENT IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM FREAKING OUT!!!!!! Bubba!!!! Congrats!!!!!! Mom and dad thank you for your testimonies and they were perfect!!!!! I will translate them and let you know:) Also I got a call from the NEW YORK TIMES this week and they are hoping to publish the paper on March 2nd or the week after that:) They called to ask a few final questions and to tell me that the video of everything was great and that we would really enjoy it!!! So be looking for that.

 

This week was pretty good. It was not the greatest week of my mission because I didn't actually get to serve in my amazing area. I was needed in another area because some other sisters were struggling and as Sister Training Leader, I had to help out. I was happy to come back to my Gwanju after a week:) Especially because this week are transfers and I wanted to get things ready for who ever would be coming. Which by the way, I am not transferring but my companion is. And I am getting another Korean companion, Sister Pack. I don't know much about her. But she is Korean. I am really excited to be ending with a Korean sister because then I will get to just be smothered in.........the  Korean-ness of my mission:) So I am excited about that:) BUT I am so sad that I don't get to end with Sister Lee:( I really love her and will miss her.  I just love being a  missionary,  it is truly a blessing.  

 

So this week I learned a lot. I met our amazing investigators and just fell in love with them. I just love my investigators and really missed them this week!!!!!  I learned that God needs his children to hear the gospel. My one investigator who is a leader in her "Royal Priesthood" church,  doesn't agree with SO much that we teach and so that is difficult,  but at the same time, I just love her and I can feel Gods love for her every time we are together. And with all of her arguments my testimony is even more deeply rooted because I have to think about what I believe, and think about where my testimony is and think,  "do I know this is true or am I just preaching what I have been taught?". Well I'm here to tell you that because I have needed to testify with the spirit, I have needed to gain a testimony of the things I preach. God has helped my testimony truly grow and I am so excited to be a missionary who can preach WHAT I KNOW and WHAT I FEEL. Because I HAVE gotten answers.  God HAS told me the truth. It is all true and I am happy to share this with everyone!!!  The sad thing about my investigator is that she doesn't think she needs to pray about this because she believes the spirit has already taught her the truth and that she has the truth. So she doesn't even want to try. I just love prayer. I  have really been focusing on my prayer and my sincerity and just....... PRAY!!!!!. And I found this amazing verse in second Nephi 9:52  , "Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; Pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. LET YOUR HEARTS REJOICE". My heart does rejoice because he does here my prayers. He does answer my questions and he gives me peace!!!! And I know he will do the same for our investigators.

 

Also our other investigator, Sister Sue-ein is so cute!!!! I just love her. She has no background of the gospel but is loving what she is learning. She believes in it and said she would think about being baptized. She is just so great. I was not able to see much in our area which was sad.  Sorry this e-mail is pathetic. I hope you know I am doing good. I am so excited to go out and work this last transfer. Sorry my feelings are kind of all over the place this week. I am  feeling a bit exhausted.  ha ha. But I'm okay. Really.

 

I do want to share one last thing.

 

I love my Heavenly Father. I am doing this work for him. No other reason. There needs to be no other reason. After talking a lot with President Shin, he really was kind to me and gave me some great advice and just some amazing love. Truly heaven sent. I just love My heavenly Father. He loves me to. This work is true. God loves you too mom. He is there for you. I know it!!!!!

 

To the moon and back.

 

Sister Nicolle Ensign       

I am also thankful that my heart is as much of a missionary as it was when I got here, I just love this work.

What a good week!!!! Sounds like you all had a great week too. Sacrament talks!!!! Holy cow I bet you guys did amazing. And Soccer tournament and DAD!!!!! Way to go on making dinner for everyone!!!!! Pretty much you are all amazing!!!!!!

 

So this will be short and I apologize but I HAVE to tell you my miracle!!!!  So this week I was excited my convert in Mokpo got baptized and I wanted to write her a letter and so I got her address and put it in my address book. Well that distracted me to look at all the names of all the Koreans I LOVE and so I started doing that and came a cross a name Yang Gin Ah. (English is Gina) So I was like "umm that sounds familiar... was that from Gwanju?" So I just looked in the phone and the name was there!!!!! ALL THE SUDDEN I REALIZED it was one of my old investigators when I was a greenie. So I texted her "Hi is this Gina? This is Sister Ensign. I met you a year ago with Sister Hurt?" 5 seconds later I get a call and the Gina was on the other line just screaming!!!! ha ha ha ha. She was SO excited to hear from me!!!! And I was SO excited too!!!!! She said in her perfect English "Sister Ensign, it is time for me to come to church and be a member. I just need it now. I am ready". She promised to come to church in March. Church attendance was always her problem. She keeps commitments and she LOVES the Liahona she knows its true, but coming to church is hard... So I am just so so so so so excited!!!! I love this woman and her 3 girls are the CUTEST!!!!! I just love it. So that was a huge miracle and we are hoping to meet this week and then her to come to church in 2 weeks!!!!!! Miracles baby!!!!!

 

Then our lesson with our new investigator, Sister Sue-in. Love her. She has.... no... religious... background... She has heard of God... and that's it.... so when we started from the beginning. AND YESTERDAY FOR HER IT JUST CLICKED, she now understands;

 

A; She has a heavenly Father

B; She has a Savior to help her get back to God.

C; God talks to us today.

D; He has a church.

 

When we said that God has a church She was like "oh so its in Jerusalem where Christ was right?"  Well we explained about the apostasy and she was like "oh so that's why there are so many churches". ha ha ha. YA BABY GIRL!!!! Then we said that God restored his SAME church:) She asked where it was ... we proudly yet humbly pointed to our name tags and said "ITS THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS". We then told her to not just take our word for it but to ask the one who knows. Ask where his church is and if that church is our church. She  then prayed for the very first time with us in that lesson!!!!! I was just praying so so so so  hard that she would feel something. And I think she did. She is so cute. She is 18 years old and just a cutie. As she was praying I could just feel God smiling and saying "Goodness its been a while,  I haven't heard from you and I've missed you".  And I could just feel his smile to me of thanks for helping her find it and to know. It was a smile filled day.

 

I felt the same smile as we met with our other investigator who LOVES her other church yet wants to learn about the Mormons. We watched the Restoration DVD and I was just feeling the love of God. He loves this daughter and she is so so so so close to the truth in her other religion but not quite there. God wants this for her. I could feel it. And God was so happy:)

 

The rest of my week has been good. Lots of miracles. But I was just very thankful to feel Gods love this week. I am also thankful that my heart is as much of a missionary as it was when I got here. I just love this work. Love love love it. Everyone needs this. Why not right? Its ONLY GOOD!!!!!!!! "If you have the desire to serve God, ye are called to the work". So lets work right?:) I love you all to the moon and back!!!!!

 

Sister Nicolle Ensign

 

 

Hello from my Korea

We are all to be 100% obedient, no exceptions ......................

So this week was a good one. In fact yesterday was really good:) Miracle day:) I was fasting that my miracle girl, Sister Lee, would come to church or that we would find a way to find her. Though she didn't come I left the house feeling "something big is coming, a miracle is going to happen today":) And oh did it happen. So this week Brother Hoons LA son promised my companion he would come to church. AND HE DID. It was so great!!!!!! THEN Brother Hoon promised me his referral would come to church AND SHE DID. It was just a great day to be a missionary. Our new investigators name is Sister Kong Yeah Surl:) She is going out of town this week but wants to meet next week:) So ya. I love her and pretty much and can't wait to start teaching her!!!!! I love Brother Hoon. I just love that family. Heidi invited us sisters over for lunch and she made spaghetti and it was so good!!!!!! I love my members. I love Korea. AGH!!!!!!!!! 

 

So I have some great news:) MY INVESTIGATOR IN MOKPO GOT BAPTIZED YESTERDAY!!!!!!! She was a new investigator I found through street contacting and so I didn't know her so well but she was the investigator who came to our Christmas party and LOVED OUR MEMBERS. She said she feels like the church members are her family. She goes to church every week and is just AMAZING. She is a high school student. Sister Scott is sending me a pic and when I get it, I will forward it to you:)  But I was just so happy. So yesterday when sister Scott called me she also told me the greatest news. I was just crying and had SO MUCH PEACE.  So I don't know if you remember, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE INVESTIGATOR, Sister Wang( Sister Juliet),  well.... she started texting the Sisters in Mokpo last week!!!!!!!!! They don't have an appointment but they are just talking. My heart was SO comforted when I heard that!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!!! This woman and Sister Pack from Mokpo , are the loves of my life!!!!!! I know they are ready for this gospel and so prepared and I just hope they will push out everything that is keeping them from commitment and just come to Christ. Like you said mom, WE NEED TO ACT on the testimony of Christ that we have and I KNOW THEY HAVE A TESTIMONY. They just need the action. My heart was just so comforted knowing she might come back. I love this woman, holy cow!!!! Miracle Mokpo!!!! I know it:)

 

So my day was really good yesterday. This week was also pretty good. As Sister Training Leader I am helping a lot of sisters  and there were a few problems and a sister had to go home and same with an elder. Our amazing zone leaders saved 2 other elders from going home this week. This week was a bit sad for other missionaries. 

I ask for all of you suggestions: Right now our missionaries are really struggling to find JOY. Weather its the most obedient missionaries who work so hard to the non obedient missionaries. our missionaries are just trying to find that Joy. They are trying to loose themselves in the work but are finding no success and that has their spirits down a little. I have been preaching "study Christ and gain a testimony of him" and "live the gospel of Jesus of Christ" but if you have any other good ideas, please let me know. Our mission is just a little in the blues right now and we have been preaching "work and forgetting yourself" but some people are just still struggling. Any suggestions, please let me know:) Thanks:) 

I have found that God expects every missionary to be the same when it comes to obedience. We are all to be 100% obedient, no exceptions for who you are or where you are from. BUT he does not tell us all to be the same missionary. He just asks us to be like Jesus Christ. Be the missionary Jesus Christ would be. Well our missionaries are trying to mix their God given talents with the attributes of Christ and some are doing well, and others are struggling. As leaders we are trying to find a way to help them balance the two but others are struggling to think that their personalities are "good enough". I have been telling them that they need to be themselves but to be like Christ. God has given us amazing talents in our personalities and we are to USE those on our mission. I have found that I am someone who LOVES to listen to people. Sometimes member visits are the member telling ME their testimony. Their experiences with missionary work, their problems, their happiness's, etc. And then I do the listening. Yes you could say I don't get a lot of "teaching" done. But I have found that when I do share my little bit, that person is now trusting me and now wants to listen to what I say. Thought it is short, I am able to search in  my thoughts for ways to help them, listen to the spirit and feel for what I can say that will help them or bless them. The spirit is always there. I love that. I know God and Christ are GREAT listeners. I think of all the things I say in my prayers. All my hopes, wishes, desires, confessions, and thanks and they do a LOT OF LISTENING. And then when they do talk, it is felt and heard.  I really appreciate it. I have found that as a missionary, people appreciate a missionary who will do the same. 

 

Right now my investigator, Sister Kim, who is the one who thinks she holds the priesthood, is not an investigator who wants to be taught the principles, she wants to learn about how I came to that knowledge. How I came to have that testimony. If I just say "I know the Book of Mormon is true" she wants to know who, where when why, etc of how I gained that testimony. She is amazing. She really believes in revelation so we are teaching her that she can receive an answer if this church is true. and then we are teaching her what she has to do IF THIS IS TRUE. There's that action again mom:) 

One of my sweet sisters got a letter from her dad who said "love in action is charity". I truly believe it. I think that is why as a missionary your love for people is so strong because you are ACTING all the time for them. Praying, planning, etc for this loved one. It has taught me a great life lesson. That love is Action and Loyalty. And I am so thankful that I have this time to act and be loyal to my Lord. 

Our investigators right now are doing well. All struggling to come to church and to accept it but they are slowly but surely progressing. We are working hard with our members right now to work on talking to their friends. Some are heading the call:) Its great. :) I love this work!!!! Such a blessing and a miracle. God Loves us. This IS HIS WORK!!!!! I know it and I am so thankful to be a part of it. I love you all to the moon and back!!!!

Sister Nicolle Ensign

Its because I love the Lord. Simple as that.

Well I just want to start off by talking bout how much of a miracle it is that my back is healed. And it is even better than it was 6 months ago when it first started!!!!!!!!! God is SO merciful!!!!!!!Thank you for all of your payers and love. THEY WERE ANSWERED!!!! God is a God of miracles.

 

 

So this week was a good week we actually were able to get many miracle filled activities done with it still being the biggest holiday in Korea. On the 30th and 31st Korea celebrates the new year and everyone gets a year older. So now... I'm 25... crazy right.... agh... stress..... I need to get married.,... and like,.. babies?... when will that happen... oh wait... I'm on  mission. ha ha ha. Just kidding;) But seriously... ha ha

 

So because it is impossible to do missionary work during this holiday (literally your cant street contact, door knock, call or visit members or meet investigators)... so what did we do.... we all got together as a zone and did some practice teaching. WE have been promised by the first presidency that if we improve our teaching we will see miracles. So that is just what we did. We did practice teaching from 9am to 9pm. ha ha ha.   IT was actually great and miracle!!!!! while we were teaching one of our new investigators who is the most dedicated "royal priesthood" church member that I know. holy cow... she is going to be fun to teach!!!!!!!!! she has 500 billion questions a day!!!!!! Luckily she believes she can receive revelation and so we always ask her to pray about what we have taught and she called and invited us to lunch on Thursday with her other church members. ha ha ha. She is not one to bible bash, which is great, so I trust that this lunch date is just to get together with friends!!!  I'm praying for that:)  But during the teaching practice time the spirit was so strong and I know that all of us missionaries left with a greater understanding of how to teach our investigators!!!!!

 

Sadly 2 of our baptism preparing investigators dropped us.... I was not able to meet them very much because they were always busy these past 2 weeks that I have been here but my companion was HEART BROKEN. I just feel so bad for her!!!!!! I know how she feels. She loved these two and did so much for them and has worked so hard for them. We were walking home from talking to people on the street and she had her head down and then threw up her hands and in the cutest English (she never speaks English) says "WHERE IS GOD?!?!?!Why cant we baptize like those in the bible. Why is it so hard?".  I too had my head down searching my head for the right answers.... I wanted to slap her butt and say "what do you mean 'where is God'". But I knew that was not what she meant by that comment. I said in Korean "You know he is there. He is working harder than us. But its not going to be easy. We wouldn't learn anything". It was a testimony builder to me. I told her the miracles were there. She agreed. And I asked her "So what do we need to do to have those miracles?". She knew all the answers:) So do I. ever since then we have worked even harder. I have realized on my mission that God is NEVER gone. His miracles are JUST as great as Moses and Noah and during the times of Christ. But we just have to RECOGNIZE them. They are there.

 

 

My amazing Choi family are really helping us with missionary work right now. Today is Heidi's birthday and Hoons was 4 days ago and we meet together a lot. They are the ones in our ward really focused on missionary work. I was reading Shmees letter thinking she was saying what she was WISHING her members would do. ha ha ha. No way is that real.... I wish I could print that off and give it to my members and say "SEE!!!!!! THIS IS WHAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO DO". Ha ha ha. No I would never do that. But for members in Korea missionary work is a little different. They are amazing missionaries we just have to help them to do it. I have noticed missionary work is different here than Mokpo... we were  the highest member lessons a week in mokpo with about 5-6 a week and now I'm lucky if I get 3 a week. We have really been putting a focus on member lessons and church attendance. Getting our members to come to church and helping our investigators come to church is our focus on helping them come to Christ and then will be right on our way to help them be baptized!!!! God is always SO happy when his children get baptized and I think he deserves to see it soon in the Gwanju area:)

  

Sadly my miracle street contact who came to church last week was not able to come this week because she was preparing for a HUGE test..,.. gotta love the school system in Korea.... ha ha. But she is still great. Hoping to meet with her on Thursday:)Please pray for us to be able to meet with her!!!!!!!!!! Our other investigators are amazing and such a blessing. I love meeting with them. Also our less actives are a bit stingy on coming back to church but they are so great. Our Asia mission has started a new church program where we meet with new members and less actives to teach them all the lessons again and meet with them once a week for 3 months. Its an AMAZING program. Truly inspired. Our retention in Korea is....... sad...... really sad... but I feel like this new program is inspired and will truly bless Korea!!!!!. I am so happy to see the progression in this ward and in our mission and in Korea since I have first gotten here. God is truly helping us and the work is truly hastening. We had zone conference this last week and I was able to do a training that really helped even me and our AP's and President did an incredible training!!!!!! Truly amazing. I just love it. I love this area. Hoon and Heidi are really helping us and they have already given us SO many referrals. They are so kind. They said "president told us you were crying in his office because you feel like you work so hard but do see any baptism is and we want to help with that before you go". I was thinking,  "umm thanks pres. for telling the world my secret feelings"  ha ha.  But I'm glad they want to help me. Love them so much because I told them, its not in helping me, its in helping the people they love come to Christ. That's what it is all about!!!!! Bringing Gods Children to him. I LOVE this work. I have made some great goals to help accomplish that and I have stepped it up. It feels good to just give it all to the Lord. I love this work!!!!!  

 

I just love my Savior. I was able to reflect this week again on why I chose to serve a mission. Its because I love the Lord. Simple as that. I love my Savior and so I will serve him by helping his children come to him:) I LOVE boldly telling people to repent, come to Christ, attend church and get baptized. I just feel so good doing it and I wont stop. NEVER:) I love working with a bold missionary and us just telling to come unto Christ even if they think we are crazy and turn us down, we are doing it. I love my companion. And She loves me. It is truly amazing how we have this Christ like love for each other. She makes me so happy and she loves me.  And I love her. She is one of my miracles.

God gives me so many miracles every day and I am so thankful. 

 

Well, I'm out:) Gotta go get someone in the water;) ha ha ha ha. Just kidding. Its more than that:) I'm out to go tell them they have a GOD who LOVES THEM!!!!!!!! God loves you too Mom, Dad, Sammy, Bubba, and Shmee. I know it. Keep the faith:) Live the faith!!!!!!

 

To the moon and Back!

 

Sister Collie Ensign 

I woke up and couldn't even move... like.. I just wanted to cry..........

 So this whole week I have been showing everyone the pictures of Heidi and Choi Hoon coming to our house and everyone, especially missionaries, just DIE of laughter. So funny. Goodness I love them. And just like 15 minutes ago I got a call from Heidi telling me she had something from you so great. Thanks mom. I love you:)
>
> So this week was great but let me tell you of my frustration yesterday because it has a miracle attached to it:) So... for the past 5 months my back has been stiff and just annoying but not anything to keep me from the work, thankfully. I work out and stretch and sleep well it has not been too bad... well yesterday I woke up and couldn't even move... like.. I just wanted to cry. lifting my legs was a joke. trying to sit up made me want to die, etc. well like God is a God of miracles so I prayed and got up. It killed. Like... I thought something was really wrong. But hey God has no other choice but to heal me because this sister missionary does not have time to rest. especially with investigators coming to church. Well... I get out the door... putting on clothes..... ..... thanks to my companion and house hold members... ha ha ha . I was dressed like a new born baby... I was useless.... Well I get to church and think that maybe sitting down would help so I sit down... even worse. I was so frustrated because MIRACLE: an investigator we invited to church on the street showed up and was so so so so excited to come to church. She even took a bus for an hour. she's only a high school student and is just AMAZING. She is the investigator from last week I met on the street waiting at the bus stop and as soon as she found out we were missionaries she said she wanted to come to church. Well I'm sitting in church by her (by the name her name is Sister Lee - Hee- Woon) and I am frustrated because my back is in so much pain that I cant even focus and I'm sitting next to my MIRACLE and I just wanted to cry. I tried leaving and went to go lay down and it was still burning. I was PLEADING with the Lord. I told him "I know you can heal me. Like this is possible for you." I just poured out my heart. Sacrament ended and I grabbed the elders and said I needed a blessing. I felt peace from the blessing but no release of pain... sadly yesterday we were in 4 meetings so I had to endure. But Church with Sister Lee was...AMAZING. We talked about free agency and our ward mission leader who teaches the class bore his testimony and told of his conversion story and I look over and she is just crying. I KNOW she felt the spirit and it was just amazing. I am so excited about her. She wants to come again next week:) Then we had all our meetings and then a sweet grandma invited us over to dinner. I told God I was keeping these appointments and that I just needed his help. He did help me. I survived. The lessons were amazing. Then after our appointments I was thankful because I could just go home. (by this time the President knows my situation and is calling Dr.s in the ward to see what to do). And then I was walking feeling like crying and I was like "stop thinking about the pain". I decided to just say hello to this man on the street. He was SO excited to meet us because just a few weeks ago he met the Elders and was so excited. He had all these questions about our church and the Book of Mormon and we were able to bear POWERFUL testimony to him. My companion pretty much called him to repentance and told him he could not receive eternal life with out this book and what it teaches. LIKE I LOVE MY COMPANION@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 So I was so thankful for that. Sadly I was on the verge of throwing up and was dry heaving because the pain but with much laughing because I was walking like  a freak, we made it home. I smacked some ice on and said prayers. I arranged to go to the Dr today. And this morning the sharp pains were gone but it  still hard and painful to move. A member took us to a back Dr. and they took some x-rays (by the way it was all free because the man who owns the hospital is in our stake. ha ha ha) So they pampered me to say the least!!!!!! I was taken to "physical therapy" aka a spa ha ha ha. Where they smacked me with heat and a massage. Like the best. Though all of those things were great I was still a little stiff BUT I KNOW THAT GOD TOOK THE PAIN AWAY. I was just laying in bed crying because I wanted nothing to stand in my way these last 2 transfers... so I was really .... really frustrated. But God heard my prayer. I felt [peace talking with the Dr. and him telling me I would need two weeks in bed and me saying "sorry... I don't have 2 weeks. I have today... ha ha ha. "He laughed and said "okay.. meds, ice and heat". I said "deal". ha ha. I'm just not willing to accept me not working. Like this may sound funny and maybe you may be thinking "umm... way to be humble collie". but I just told God "like this is not negotiable.. I have to work. I have the faith and desire so I'll wait for you to heal me". He did. I'm still stiff but I'm okay. I was so thankful God heard my non humble prayer. God loves us.
>
> This week was also great because we were able to find a LOT of new investigators like MIRACLES!!!!!! We were even guided to put flyer's in certain places and got a lot of calls and it was just so great. And the members we have been able to meet have been amazing and they are gaining our trust and telling us they have people they want us to teach. It is truly a blessing. I am really thankful to serve here and to just do the work. I love this work!!!!!
>
> I want to just share my testimony about... well... all of this... This huge GREAT PLAN OF HAPPINESS. We truly can get peace and happiness. God is TRULY aware of our lives and he knows us. Personally. He knows Tammy, Paul, Sammy, Shmee, and Bubba and he loves you. I know it. He knows I want to just baptize and bring people back to church and he IS working with me to do that. I'm not doing this alone. No way. This is HIS WORK and he is apart of it. He is in my life. He knows me. Even the stubborn parts of me that wont allow "no... its time to rest". ha ha ha. He knows me. And HOLY COW HE LOVES ME!!!! And he loves his children  that I am also blessed to know. I love this. This LIFE. I love my life. So frustrating some times but SO GREAT and SO REWARDING!!!!!!!! What is my reward. JOY. Who is my work for... Christ. I have really been preaching CHRIST to our missionaries and our mission. Being in a leadership position I get opportunities like that and the only thing  I ever want to talk about is CHRIST. I love him. And I will serve him because I love him. Mom, I loved your quote of if I love the lord I will be obedient. Well, I love him. I'm only here for him. Not for anyone or any other reason but him. I'm only focused on pleasing him and it is so rewarding. I'm learning that great life lesson, to only please HIM!!!!!! only him. If I please him,  I've done it.

I love you to the moon and back!!!!!!!
>
> Sister Nicolle ENsign

Goodbye My Mokpo

So up until the day they kick me out, I will preach and declare to the people in Korea GODS WORD!

Dad, HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!! I think you are old. end of story.

Just kidding. love you dad. Yes I think you are old but holy cow... for an old guy... your pretty amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you to the moon and back. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!

So I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not going to lie.. I was TOTALLY missing Mokpo for a few days... but who wouldn't... but yesterday at church and after we went with members and I was reminded how much I love this are!!!! I am so excited to serve here and.... ah, its such a blessing to be back and to see all of the people I use to love and still do love. Minus one family;  WHO WAS WITH YOU TODAY!!  For all who don't know, one of my favorite families in Korea,  who is from Gwanju, had their daughters wedding in Utah and they went and met my family and sent me pictures. ha ha . AGH the best!!!!! I love it. I am so glad you finally met them. They are amazing and I love them so much!!!!!!

So our ward is doing really good at focusing on missionary work and now we are just working on baptizing the people they have given us. The work in Gwanju is really moving along. It is truly a blessing to be here.... again.... :) I think I could go down as the luckiest Korean missionary. Anyways. Not lucky... blessed;) So we spent the last few days getting things ready for the area. We had to take time to talk about our investigators and we had a LOT of meetings for Zone leaders, AP's and Sister trainer leaders. It was so intense. It helped me to realize that my responsibility as sister trainer leader is bigger.... than... I thought... ha ha ha. Anyways. Good stuff:)

 

We were able to meet with the bishop and his family and we were able to look up old investigator records and go search for some and we found a sweet lady who wants to meet again. 

My companion is 이다슬 and she is the cutest. Love her. Oh her name in English is Lee Da surl:) Love her. Her personality is dedicated yet relaxed. Like she is obedient, persistent, wants to get good work done, but she doesn't let the bad stress get to her. LOVE HER!!!!!! She is just what I needed:) Love it. 

 

This week it was a bit sad to hear about some of the problems in the mission and with our sweet sisters. I am thankful that I will be able to meet with them and see if I can help them. This mission is really changing for the better. We have been getting more and more baptisms as a mission and it is truly because of what changes President Shin is doing. Not that what President Furness did was wrong or bad, he was amazing,  it is just different and that's what we needed. Isn't God so smart?;) I love it. So yes. I have been in close contact with the ZL's DL's AP's and the sisters. Yesterday our sisters in one are had a baptism and it was the niece of My investigator in Mokpo, Sister Pack. I was not able to say goodbye to her because she didn't answer her phone... what's new... but I really hope this baptism will get her thinking.!!!!!!!! So yes. I was happy to hear that~!!!!!  IT was hard to say goodbye to Mokpo... Like I had a good cry.... but it was just so satisfying to me to feel like I did everything I could have done for Mokpo, my members and investigators. I feel like I gave it my all and I felt okay with leaving

. 

That is something I have decided is that I am done trying to met my "expectations" and trying to do what I thought I would do. I have decided to just do everything my leaders tell me and to just give it all to the lord. Because at the end of my mission, the only one I will want to have pleased on my mission is the Lord. This is HIS work. I only want to do his will and his work. Though we BOTH wish we could see a bit more success... we are working. And yes, I do realize God is helping a lot more than what seems to be. I love being a missionary. Yesterday in Church I was asked to introduce myself and give my testimony over the pulpit and I shared this scripture; 3 Nephi 5:13 "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God. I have been called of Him to declare his work among his people, that they might have everlasting life".  So up until the day they kick me out, I will preach and declare to the people in Korea GODS WORD. His healing, joy filled, peaceful, forever and ever words. This is his work. I Am so thankful to be able to do this. 

Before I go I want to point out that God DOES answer prayers. So a few weeks ago I was down that none of our investigators could meet and that things were a bit rough. I prayed. Oh did I pray. And the week I left I saw SO many miracles. Person after person on the street, at the door, randomly on the phone, wanted to meet and they had REAL interest!!!!!!! The day I left we met a new investigator who wants to learn about the Mormons.... well who better to ask right. And DURING that lesson a lady called me, from a flyer we hung up saying we teach free English, and that she wanted to meet. Just all of these HUGE blessings and miracles. And now I'm ready to make them happen in Gwanju too:)

I love you all to the moon and back. This church is true. GOD IS A GOD OF MIRACLES. EVEN TODAY!

to the moon and back:)

Sister Collie Ensign

...sometimes our faith produces different miracles than we thought, BUT THE MIRACLES DO COME!!!!!!.

Well goodness mom. I just love your letters/ e-mails. I am so glad you got my Christmas package... sorry it was so late:( This week was really good:)  God always seems to shoot you through the roof when you hit bottom;) But this week was so great!!!! This week I was able to just put my head down and pray and give it all to the lord!!!! And oh did the miracles come. Oh so by the way..... I'M TRANSFERRING TO MY GREENIE AREA!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING BACK TO GWANJU !!!!! I still cant believe it is real and at the same time I am devastated to leave Mokpo but I feel at peace. I feel like I have done what God has needed me to do in Mokpo. Speaking about that. That feeling has come through the realization that I am Gods servant and there is no way I would be able to lie and say that I have been doing this work in Mokpo alone. I first off have had sister Scott and like..... hello.. God never leaves his missionaries. he is "before our face. on our right hand and on our left and he is lifting us up"!!!! So true!!!! And so I was thinking a lot about faith this week. We are told in Ether that if you have faith you can do this.. that ...etc. Well we are also told that it was through the faith of the missionaries in the Book of Mormon that so many were converted. Well I thought to myself "hmm... is the reason I don't see baptism's because I don't have faith?".... THE ANSWER IS NO. I do have faith. Just sometimes our faith produces different miracles than we thought , BUT THE MIRACLES DO COME!!!!!!. And if they don't seem to be coming. WAIT.. Well I read this amazing talk that I want to share a part of it with you;

I recently saw a deeply moving film that traced the history of the Willie and Martin handcart companies. In May 1856, two successive groups comprised of more than a thousand Saints left England to immigrate to Utah. When they arrived six months later in the Salt Lake Valley at the end of their perilous journey, more than 200 of them were missing. Most had died of sickness, hunger, or exhaustion along the path leading to the place they called “Zion.”

One of the pioneers featured in the film deeply impressed me. He flooded the company with his good humor and enthusiasm. He was, however, not very typical of most pioneers. A small man and severely handicapped, he was a miracle in himself! I learned this valiant pioneer was Robert Pierce of Cheltenham, England.

One of his traveling companions described him as “one of the worst cripples I ever saw to be a traveler. His lower limbs were paralyzed and his body badly deformed but he was strong in the faith. He was able to propel himself with surprising speed with the use of crutches.”¹¹

One day Robert Pierce took the wrong path and lost sight of the company. Several men set out to find him and finally found him in a very uncomfortable situation. I cite their words:

“To our horror we saw around an old tree two large gray wolves prowling around, and half a dozen eagles hovering over the tree waiting for him to quit his screams and gesticulations with his crutches so they would pounce upon him and devour him in his cramped position under the roots of the tree. …

“We arrived in time to save him from his pending fate, took him out and placed him on the cart we had brought, placed him in position to ride back to camp.”

And now, an insight into the well-tempered character of Robert: “How the poor fellow begged us to let him walk as he said he had promised … when we started on our trip that he would walk every foot of the way to Salt Lake City.”

Then, the sad part of this story: “However, we only saved him to travel a few days longer, when at the close of the sixth days march his trouble in this world came to an end and he was buried on the banks of the Elkhorn River.”¹²

Sister Jolene Allphin, who compiled the story of Robert Pierce, said of him: “It is truly remarkable that Robert Pierce had already traveled 600 miles on his crutches before he succumbed to the hardships of the trail. His heart’s desire had been to gather with the Saints in Zion and not be a burden to any of his fellow travelers. … Robert did not want any handouts or special treatment.”¹³

Brothers and sisters, I asked myself the following question: Why would God, who had miraculously saved this man of great faith from the wolves and the eagles, allow him to die on the side of the road only a few days later?

His passing is one of great serenity. In the film, he says, shortly before the end:

“The missionaries taught me that I am important and that someday I will be superb! …

“I always wanted a strong body. Now, I am going to get it. When you get to Zion, think of me.”¹⁴

With respect to Robert Pierce, I think of words from the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews:

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

“… They that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. …

“But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly” (Hebrews 11:13–14, 16).

At the end, Robert Pierce realized that his ultimate destination was the kingdom of heaven, not the Salt Lake Valley.

Thus it is the same for all of us. The promises of the Lord assure us of our final destination. The itinerary for each of us will vary according to the foreknowledge of God. Our circumstances may change, unexpected events may occur, challenges may arise, but the promises of God to us are assured through our faithfulness.

Sister Anne C. Pingree wonderfully outlined what it means to have faith in the Lord’s promises. She began by quoting Elder Bruce R. McConkie as follows:

“‘Faith in its full and pure form requires an unshakable assurance and … absolute confidence that [God] will hear our pleas and grant our petitions’ in His own due time. Believing that, we too can ‘stand fast in the faith’ today and tomorrow.”

Then she continued:

“It matters not where we live or what our individual circumstances may be. Each day our righteous living can demonstrate a faith in Jesus Christ that sees beyond mortal heartaches, disappointments, and unfulfilled promises. It is a glorious thing to possess a faith that enables us to look forward to that day ‘when all that was promised the Saints will be given.’”¹⁵

My brothers and sisters, the circumstances of my life today are, obviously, very different from what I had planned when I was your age. However, I don’t believe I’ve ever been so happy. If one had given me, when I was 20 years old, the account of my life up to the present, I think I would have signed without any hesitation on the dotted line!

 

 

 

 

There are two things I want to share with every one reading this. A: As a missionary I want everyone to know that you too can be SUPERB. God has given us a Plan and a WAY ( the way is Jesus Christ). to be SUPERB!!!!!! Don't ever forget that God ONLY SEES YOU AS SUPERB!!!! He has never seen you as anything else because SUPERB IS WHO YOU ARE!!!!! WHO YOU REALLY ARE. and B:  Just like Gerald J. Causse said in this talk- I too could look at the lay out of my mission as it has been and was asked if I would do it. again;  I too would sign on the line with out hesitation. YES!!  This mission is not what I had expected it to be but it is still SO WONDERFUL because it's not been me in charge, but God and I love this mission. I have loved every experience. Even the hard ones and the stressful ones (yes even New York Times)... just kidding. But I have loved my mission because it has not been my plans.. This mission has been Gods and I am so thankful!!!! I love this work. It is BY FAITH THAT MY MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERY WEEK. God IS giving me miracles and I do have that faith. Sometimes I wonder as maybe Brother Percie did like,  "umm okay God I have faith and I'm acting.... so like why am I not getting what I expected." Luckily unlike Brother Percie I will not die, but like him, I am getting that greater reward. And that is to do the will of the father. There is no greater work. I love this work. I love being a missionary . I will miss Mokpo and my loved ones here but I am willing to go where the lord wants me to go!!!!

 

This weeks miracles were meeting an AMAZING couple who are SO PREPARED!!!!!!!! We met with them and the they knew missionaries from 12 years ago and loved them and now they are SO SO SO excited to meet with us. Sadly I will not be there but because I am sister Training leader but I will be able to come back to Mokpo and see how everything here is going:) haha ha. Oh ya...l I'm sister training leader. So still training but on a different scale.  Wish me luck.

God bless you all. I love you all to the moon and back.

Sister Nicolle Ann Ensign