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