Monday, December 14, 2015

What happened to the time??

Seriously the past year and a half has gone by so fast! I can't believe that this is the last email I will write as a full time missionary! As I look back on my mission, I now have a better perspective of what people meant when they said their mission was the best 18 months of their life. I definitely wouldn't say it has been the funnest or easiest 18 months... but I would say that it was the best time FOR my life. Words can't express how much God blessed me this past week. Everyday we had a full schedule with appointments almost every day. We were so busy and it was the best! Sunday we had a
primary program in church so there were no speakers except my final testimony because it's my last Sunday in this branch. I'm so sad. But the primary program was really great! Because there are only 2 primary kids in our branch, all four missionaries and 3 young single adults men helped with the program.
The primary president asked me if I would sing a duet with another member. I DON'T SING. and almost half of the song was a SOLO part of just ME singing! talk about waaayyy out of my comfort zone. haha. but as I think about it.... what have I done that's not out of my comfort zone here?? haha so I did it. It was a neat experience but I will probably never want to do it again! So scary! Also one of our investigators Sister Kimhaebin came to church on Sunday! She mostly came because it was my last week and wanted to support me but she said that she felt more love at our church than she has ever felt at the church she attends<3. yay love. She kept crying and giving me hugs and I was thinking how hard it is to leave these beautiful Korean people. I have come to love them so much. They are my people. They are family. This past week we were also able to meet our sweet Filipino less active named Aya. She is doing so well. She is so sweet and I will continue to keep in touch with her through facebook. On our last visit I decided to prepare her a small goodbye gift for her. I simply wrapped 3 ctr rings (one for her and one for each of her two kids), then I gave her a picture of us together and a goodbye letter. We visited her and at the end of our visit I was about to give her the gifts, but before I could take it out of my bag, Aya went into another room and pulled out a gift for me. It was HUGE (shoes,lotion,lipstick,body wash, and a few other things). I felt like my gift was so little....haha. All I can say it I have met the most generous people EVER on my mission. They give so much of what they have to others. Ah and I have just felt so much love from the members here. We just got back from a members house who invited us over for lunch on my last Pday. They fed us enough food to last us the next week. We were able to visit another sweet member yesterday and eat dinner with her and her family. At the end of our visit, she insisted on giving me a korean traditional dress called a hanbok that she wore on her WEDDING DAY. can you believe it? I knew it must be so special to her so I told her she should keep it but she wouldn't let me leave her house without it. She said that she can't wear it anymore so she wants to give it to me. I have never met such kind people! I really have felt so much love from so many people here and especially from my Father in Heaven. I have so much gratitude for Him for allowing me to serve as His servant for the past 18 months. This has been a time of great personal growth and development for me and I have been able to feel the spirit in more abundance than I ever have in my life. I have learned what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. and it's not easy. We have to work for that title every second of everyday and we often fall short and make mistakes but Christ is there to pick us up and push us to keep going. The trials I have faced on my mission have deepened my gratitude and Love for my Savior Jesus Christ. I LOVE HIM. I'm SOO GRATEFUL FOR WHAT HE DID FOR US. Because Christ was born, we can find true happiness. I'm incredibly happy that I was able to share His gospel with the people of Korea for the past 18 months<3.

This week we will have a mission Christmas meeting and I will be in Busan for most of the week so today is my last full day in my area... But President gave me permission to visit an old area later this week on Wednesday so I will be visiting Sister Parkjihyeon (an investigator I had in shinjung) and I'm SOO EXCITEDDD:D

I am so excited to see you all this friday!!!! woot woot!!! sorry if I smell like Kimchee:)

SEE YOU SOON<3 LOVE YOU!!!!!

Sister Hurley<3

​took these yesterday after my last Book of Mormon proselyting activity as a missionary:(

I'm sure going to miss these night of passing out as many BOM as we can in 2 hours!

Monday, December 7, 2015

No time...

So... Today we traveled far a way to go to an amusement park outside of our area... which left us with a very limited amount of time to email... SO SORRY!!! This last week I was able to learn all about gratitude and had the opportunity to give a talk about it at district meeting. One thing I learned is that we can choose to have a good day by seeing all the blessings and good things that God is putting into out lives. Read D&C 59: 7, 21.

I also realized how grateful I am for such loving family and friends who have supported me while I have been away. I love you guys so much!

Sister Hurley<3