Preach the gospel to every creature...

Today is my 2 month anniversary!!!!!!! I have officially survived 2 months in this beautiful country. The acid rain and acid kimchi haven’t killed me yet. We'll see about the extreme heat wave we've been having. All the members are saying it will be a really hot summer. Hopefully we'll have lots of investigators who like have lessons inside. 

Honestly if you had told me two months ago that I would be able to have a coherent conversation in another language...I totally would have believed you. Coming out of the Missionary Training Center makes you feel really confident. But if you had told me that one month ago, I definitely would not have believed you. Korean is really putting up a fight. My MTC teacher said learning Korean feels like you're growing a second brain. It feels like I'm growing a second head! But I'm able to follow most conversations even if I don't understand everything, and my teaching has improved a lot. 

Rose Festival

Monday was PDay, so after email we decided to try to find this rose festival thing. There were posters EVERYWHERE about it! It looked amazing. We looked for it for like 45 minutes. We figured it would be easy enough to find, but we couldn't find it. It turns out it's the same trail we walk and run every morning for exercise. It's pretty but definitely not a festival! It was really funny though, there were all these old ladies everywhere posing and taking pictures. We got ice cream and 밥버거's (rice burgers) which is like my favorite Korean food in the universe. They put meat inside these two pressed-down things of sticky rice and I think that's the food they have in heaven. We also watched The Testaments twice. Sister Olson cried. 

We went on exchanges with the 동대문 STL’s (Sister Training Leaders). They are so great! They're training this cute little Korean girl who got here 3 weeks ago. I thought we were going to roleplay with me teaching...but we ended up with her teaching and me being the investigator! It was super weird being on the other side of things. I always thought our gospel sounds pretty fantastic, maybe a little hard to believe, but when you explain it and let the joy just shine out of your eyes it's not hard to believe at all. She did awesome. Then we went to streetboarding, which is where we stand somewhere busy and ask passersby questions. I met a girl from Pakistan, studying media, fluent in Russian, Korean, and English. I gave her a Book of Mormon. She was really excited about it. Later that day we walked for about 6 hours to find a less active member's house. We didn't find it but we found out that, in fact, water makes you feel really good when you drink it. It was SO hot! We were dying, so we got ice cream and bought more water. I can't stress how great water is.

Wednesday we exchanged back. I had loved exchanges but I was so happy to see Sister Olson again, particularly because she had made really delicious banana bread. She's an awesome cook! This week we made cookies but substituted Cadbury eggs for chocolate chips. She makes everything turn out really good. Meanwhile, everything I make turns into a crepe. I made an omelette and it just turned into a crepe. I literally did nothing but pour pancake batter into a pan and it turned into a crepe. I'm so frustrated. My solution is to mess up the food and then let Sister Olson fix it.

MTC District reunited

Friday was like the best day of my life. We as missionaries don't take many field trips but Friday we got to go to a different mission! We went to Seoul South mission. Not only did I get to see my friends from this mission but I got to see my friends that went to that mission too! (I love them but obviously the highlight was seeing Sister Phillips, my MTC companion.) Elder Mains from the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder Ringwood both talked. It was so amazing! Elder Mains emphasized the power of young converts. He told some really cool stories. We got seats on the front row! (We also got up at 5:30 ish but it was totally worth it.) He borrowed my planner for part of it and flipped through it to make some point, paused and went "This is in Korean." It was pretty funny. 

The amazing Sister Phillips!

Honestly, even though the talk was so spiritual and amazing, seeing my MTC companion was just as good. (Next week is fast Sunday and I need God's strength to get through it, so I won't say it was better. Ask me again after fast Sunday.) Sister Phillips and I have been through a lot together, including missing the most recent Avengers movie. I had prayed to be able to sit next to her during the meeting. I sat on the end of one row and she sat on the other end adjacent. It was the best thing ever. I can't even tell you exactly what we talked about. I just know that I still have a smile on my face! She's the best person ever. Someday we'll serve in the same area and get to see each other all the time. I just know it. She also wrote me the best letter ever.

Saturday was cool. We did English class and afterwards practiced for this music thing we have coming up. I'll say more about it later but I'm super excited about it!

Sunday was good too. Our ward always makes really good food for after sacrament meeting! Ahhh Korean food. Then later we met with a new investigator. She's half Korean, half Chinese....and she accepted the soft baptismal commitment! It was the GREATEST feeling in the world, almost nothing compares to it. We're going to meet with her regularly on Sundays. We thought at first that she had blocked our phone number, which made us so sad! But then she answered and came and everything is beautiful.

That reminds me -- we set a really intense commitment this week. We want to have 7 new investigators this week. That means someone we meet with, who's interested in our message, who we start meeting regularly. In South America that number might seem low...but in Korea that's kind of unheard of. But this week we saw so many blessings. I prayed to be able to give away a Book of Mormon, and I gave away 2. I prayed to give away all my pass along cards and I had to borrow some from Sister Olson because I had none left. Similar things like that happened the whole week. It reminded me of when Christ visits his apostles and tells them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat, and the net is so full they can't even pull it up. I am definitely fishing on the other side of the boat here, and my net is ready and waiting! We are going to see some amazing miracles this week. After one day we already have one new investigator. Even if we don't get anywhere near to our goal, this is going to strengthen our faith so much. God works mighty miracles!

Brownies to celebrate Sister Olson's 1-year anniversary

It's going to be a really intense week but I'm so excited. It's not fun to go through hard things, but you come out looking a whole lot better than you did going in. I'm still obviously learning Korean and it's pretty rough sometimes, but every time I learn that new word or form or anything I feel so good! God gives us what we can do. He doesn't give it to us because it's easy. We're here on this earth to learn and experience and grow. The only way to really grow in a way that lasts is to struggle. A flower can only grow by breaking the seed and pushing through some pretty tough rocks. 

Anyway, it's been an amazing week. I would like to ask everyone who reads this to read Mormon 9:22 in the Book of Mormon. It's really an amazing scripture and an incredible promise. I know God answers prayers. If you're a lifelong Church member, or if you don't know anything about our religion, you can always act on what this verse says. I know it's true. It's easy to find, just go on mormon.org and type it in :)

Love you all! 사랑헤요!

Sister Bell

I feel God's love everytime I talk to someone...

Hey everybody!!!

It's been a really cool week. We've seen a LOT of miracles! It's been hard as always but I've learned so much. I had this dream last night that there was this amusement park with all these climbing walls. As I climbed one it seemed really hard and really high. Then I got to the top and there was another, much bigger climbing wall, and the ground didn't seem so far away anymore. In a weird way -- even though the next obstacle seems so intimidating -- that's super comforting because I feel like I'm on top of the world for a little stretch. All the hard work has paid off.

Tuesday was our temple day! I can't even express how much I love the temple. It was so nice to go with Sister Olson for temple day too. We both really love it and the Spirit was so strong. I also got to see a couple sisters from my MTC district which was fun! We went out to Ashleys again after and I ate about ten thousand crepes. They also have a chocolate fountain. Heaven, I tell you. Speaking of which, we also went to Costco. Koreans really love Costco. This one is three stories tall and has a lot of escalators, and is jam packed with all these women wearing bright exercise clothes. 

3-story Seoul Costco

On Wednesday, besides teaching English class, we met with our elders to figure out a music program. Since the Relief Society prepares a huge ward meal every week the bishop asked us to do a concert or something, and the brothers would make a meal. The elders were struggling a little bit. Sister Olson made some suggestions and the whole program changed. It got a LOT better! The previous one involved a midget opera but we cut that bit out :) I think it was probably an improvement.

Thursday we 전도'd for like five hours. 중랑 doesn't really have any good proselyting spots, so we walked around a lot. It was so awesome! I've never proselyted for that long before. We met a lot of cool people. I figured out this great trick. If I felt discouraged or my self confidence was lagging a little bit, all I had to do was talk to someone and I immediately felt better. I can testify that this is God's work because I felt His love every time I reached out. It's really amazing. I know that when I don't want to talk to someone, that doesn't come from God. If I walk past someone without talking to them I feel terrible! I HAVE to talk to everyone!

Fun Fact: McDonald's in Korea is definitely a step up. We can get it delivered for free and it actually tastes good. And the people that work there are all really pretty. It's a classy place. I love Korea.

Saturday we taught English, which was fun. We met this woman and her son there who turned out to be a possible golden investigator. Story time: when Sister Olson and I were 전도'ing, she told me that whenever you have a really terrible day/week, what comes next totally blows your mind. We had worked really hard all week, with little visible success. But we stayed faithful. I know because of that God recognized our commitment and sent us someone to teach.

Elders handing out roses at the ward music program

This lady stayed for the music program we had organized. It was SO fun! The elders and brethren stood at the entrance and made a tunnel, and as the sisters came in they gave them beautiful roses. All the tables were beautifully done up, and the food was really good. The program started off with the elders doing some Korean comedy. Then Sister Olson, our district leaders, and I did a Journey song. We found this random guitar in our apartment and gave it to Elder Anderson, and Elder Garff used the rice tubs as drums. Next the other elders did this bit from a Korean Saturday Night Live thing. It was SO FUNNY!!! Wish I could send the video. Lastly, we all sang Abide With Me acapella. It was so cool to feel the Spirit. 

Sunday was awesome too. We talked to a lot of people and went over to a member's house. I finally got to try Korean watermelon. It's amazing. Korea is the best.

I love this work even when it's hard. I know this gospel is true! Thanks all for your sweet support. Have a great week.

Sister Bell

Crepes at Ashley's (including Sisters Coates, Jones, Collinwood, Lin, Olson)

With Sister Olson at the temple

Transfers and Heavenly Boggle

Every six weeks on a mission God likes to play Boggle with our lives. This transfer the dice spelled out O-L-S-O-N. My new trainer is Sister Olson from Thousand Oaks California! She's SO cool. Kind of tall with crazy curly hair and the most solid personality ever. It had been kind of a rough last week with Sister Gil, just with transfers and all. We were really, really stressed about a lot of different things, and I looked like a mess! But one of the first things Sister Olson said was 'I like to have fun!' And I have loved her from that moment on.

We got to do training at President's house. It's the best place in the world. You just get drenched in the Spirit when you walk through the door. Seriously there's a very different feeling when you're inside and outside. It's so awesome. AND we got to eat these amazing honey chocolate cookies.

I also got to see the group coming in fresh from the MTC -- I knew them! It was so surreal. I feel like I've been here forever. They don't even know what's waiting for them in the next six weeks! It's the best and hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I loved talking to them and remembering how nervous and excited I was to be in Korea for the first time.

The next night, we got to go hear the BYU Wind Symphony in concert. We took the cutest FI (future investigator) with us! Her name is 이주영 and she LOVED it. I got to see not only my MTC group serving in Seoul but also our Seoul Nam group! It was too crazy. Everyone feels so different. They all looked about the same. But it was like that feeling when you reread a familiar book. You know exactly what's in it; you've already experienced it. Maybe someone else got something different out of it, but you recognize it because you know it. We've all struggled and rejoiced these past six weeks. Really, the only bummer was that I saw my MTC companion, Sister Phillips, but we only talked for 3 minutes and then we had to go! But it was so great—we could see each other in the audience and she drew this huge heart and showed it to me, and then we lip read for the rest of the concert. Seriously I love her with all my heart.

At the Wind Symphony concert, I was also excited to see Elder Hegewald from San Clemente. It was awesome! He is serving in the Seoul Nam Mission. All I could think of was “your dad is so proud of you!” I really felt that when I saw him and I know it’s true.

We've been doing LOTS of 전도 recently. I've never been so happy doing missionary work! We talk to so many people. Sister Olson never loses an opportunity to teach me a new phrase or word. I'm learning SO MUCH I think I might explode!

Speaking of exploding, we finally called the plumber. God bless Sister Olson, and God bless her common sense. We have two toilets and neither were working. It was a very long night. They both work now. Count your blessings, everyone. 

We also had some trouble at the bank. The ATM said we were stone cold broke. So we got creative in the kitchen and made the best french toast and curry ever. We had cereal for dinner the other day! It's all straightened out now, thank goodness.

One of my favorite things this week was English village! That's where we set up a pretend village with our English students. We got to go to another district and help out. We played the flight attendants. We had to dress up in a white shirt and black skirt and pull our hair back. It was super fun! A lot of cute kids came and we got to just play with them. 

The zone leaders said that if I finished LPP before this other elder in my district they'd buy me ice cream, so I'm working really hard. It's going okay. I'm on lesson 4 which is enormous. But I can do it!

I seriously love missionary work. Every day is a little harder, but every day I have more tools to work with. I love this gospel and being able to share it. The Church is so true! My testimony is growing in ways I never thought it could. I just have so much energy right now and desire to be my best. I love this gospel more than ever.

Love,

Sister Bell

BYU Wind Symphony in concert

English Village

Gift for my new trainer, Sister Olson

Elder Hegewald at the BYU Wind Symphony concert

Festive paper lanterns

With my two trainers: Sister Gil and Sister Olson

Final moments with Sister Gil

Newly arrived Sister Olson

A Week for the Scrapbook!

It's been a week for the scrapbook! My trainer goes home soon :( so we did a lot of fun things and worked our hardest.

Monday I went to 이문 again -- we taught this old woman. Her house smelled like trash. She listened to the Restoration, but when we tried to teach about the Book of Mormon she yelled at us! She was so angry!  The sisters I was with just kept using quiet voices, and being really kind. Eventually she calmed down and listened. It was amazing.

Tuesday was our PDay. We went to Gwanghwamun, which is where the big palace is. They had a huge festival. It was awesome! They even had a mock fight. We met up with some other sisters and had an amazing time. We even met some returned elders touring Korea! They were so nice and helpful, and took a lot of pictures with us.

Wednesday was zone training. It was so great. Everyone was so spiritually strong. I and my companion, because she's STL (Sister Training Leader), taught a whole lesson for the zone! It was a little scary but really fun. I went to 준전 again on exchange, this time with Sister Brown.

Thursday, Sister Brown and I went and taught this 90 year old woman who was literally drenched in alcohol. She couldn't even get out of bed because she was so old, but her whole house smelled like alcohol! She was really sweet, and we taught her and her housekeeper about God and sang a hymn for them.

Friday we were mostly just tired, but we taught a couple lessons and did a lot of proselyting.

Saturday was AWESOME! We went to the temple with our Chinese investigator. She has a lot of Korean interest, but when we went to the temple she started asking a lot of questions. We taught her about God and prophets. Then....huge miracle!! We met the parents of a missionary about to go home. The mom had learned a couple Korean words and she was so excited to use them, and she started to say hello to our investigator. We were like, 'oh, she's Chinese' and the mom stared at us then exploded in a flurry of Chinese! It was insane! She served in Taiwan and was a tour guide there for several years. She was able to share her testimony and our investigator almost came to tears. It was a huge miracle. 

After the temple we went to English class and met several of our investigators. We went out to dinner and had so much fun! But....later that night was transfer calls! We were really jumpy haha. My new companion is Sister Olsen. Never met her, but we get to stay in 중랑! My district. So happy.

I love this gospel SO much! More every day as I feel God supporting me through the good and bad. He always knows when to send me someone to smile at me. I know God knows us personally and loves us :)

xoxo,

벨자매

Sister Gil & Sister Bell at Gwanghwamun Palace

Sister Gil & Sister Bell at Gwanghwamun Palace

Sister Gil & Sister Bell at Gwanghwamun Palace

Sister Gil & Sister Bell at Gwanghwamun Palace

Sister Gil with In-N-Out gear from the U.S.

Sister Bell & Sister Gil with Chinese investigator

Gwanghwamun Palace

Gwanghwamun Palace

Squid-on-a-stick! Yum!