Week 44

Transfer calls :D Nothing to exciting for Sister Earnshaw and I though since we're training. Lots of people will be moving around in our mission so I'm excited to see what miracles will come this next transfer. Sister Greenwood will also be leaving our house. We are all super bummed that we can't be together longer, but we made up for it by eating cake for breakfast this morning :) 

This week we headed to the mission home for our six week follow-up meeting. It was a great meeting and seeing everyone was so fun. It was also nice to see that I'm not the only one who struggles with training. I love Sister Earnshaw and she is so amazing, but training is just hard. I absolutely love it though!

This past week has been a little rough, mostly because I've been fighting off a cold. All of our investigators were unable to meet due to different things, but on the bright side that meant we had lots of time to visit our members and less-active members. We were able to visit a few people and dropp of lemon cookies for them as we visited with out Relief Society President. She is the sweetest women on the planet! I love this ward so much!

Some other news.... I broke a window at the church..My companion was practicing with the elders for a musical number that they performed on Sunday and I was just trying to open the window to get some fresh air and it wouldn't close ㅠㅠ They have weird windows that open normally, but also "tilt" so the top opens and not the bottom. I accidentally got it stuck between the two so the next little while was spent struggling to get it to close. At one point my fingers got caught in the window >.< and I couldn't move at all. It was a struggle, but I finally got my fingers free with one a few bruises going across them. Elder Case was kind enough to help me get it closed and I have vowed to never touch one of those windows again.

Our investigator came back from her trip to America this week and came to church for the first time! She is such a sweet women. She has a baptismal date for May 14th so we're still teaching the lessons to help her prepare for baptism. She is so amazing! Our other investigator who is getting baptized on May 20th also came to church. She is such a bright light in a 13 year old girl's body. She always has a smile on her face :) I absolutely love teaching her and getting to spend time around her!

Missionary work is amazing and I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be. Times are hard, but it is always worth it. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel that I have. I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for the marvelous plan that He provided for us. I know that everything is working in His way. I love you all. Hope you have a great week!

-Sister Rindlisbacher

Last week we bought matching pants :) #houseunity

Week 43

"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come."

-Joseph Worthlin

Happy Easter everyone! I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend celebrating Christ. I definitely felt His love a lot this week!

Cherry blossoms are so beautiful! Sadly they are going away already :(

Trying to organize things is alphabetical order is a little rough in Korean >.<

This past Saturday we did a mini MTC with out youth. It was super fun to do it in another ward. Although I didn't have as much fun this time (mostly because I was stressed about making sure everything got done because I was in charge of it this time) as I did in my last area it was still a success. My favorite part was making little name tags for everyone :)

This week we also had interviews with President Turner. It is always such a treat to meet with them. I got a lot of good advice on how I can be doing better individually, as a companion, and most importantly as a trainer. I absolutely love every moment that I get to spend with them. Sister Turner made some really yummy cookies that had Cayenne pepper in them. I've never thought to put that in chocolate chip cookies, but I'll definitely be trying it in the future ^^

A lot of our investigators weren't able to meet this week which was pretty discouraging, but we had two big miracles happen yesterday. 

First, our investigator Sophia told us that she had guests at her house so she wouldn't be coming to church. It was a really bit let down because we had a great meeting with her on Friday. On Sunday we were in our missionary correlation meeting and she called us randomly saying that she was coming to church! It was such a tender mercy to have her come again. 

Second, our other investigator 서윤 자매님 has a baptismal date! She is a spunky little 13 year old who comes with her friend who is a recent convert that was baptized last year. When we started the lessons she was just coming to have fun, be recently she started reading the Book of Mormon and has gained a desire to be baptized! It is such a privilege to teach her and hear her innocent and honest testimony of our Heavenly Father. 

Due to rainy weather our mission activity (the 5K) got postponed to next week. To make up for it we made a big breakfast today. We recently got bacon from a member so we decided to make an American breakfast. We made pancakes and syrup from scratch along with bacon, eggs, grapes, and oranges. Plus orange juice on the side. It was a lovely breakfast :D

I hope that you are all doing well. I know that our Savior Jesus Christ lives. Over the past weeks we've struggled a lot opening a new area, but I have never felt my Saviors love more. I know that because He lives I can do it. He is there for us in all things as long as we are willing to reach out to Him. I know that He is the Son of God and that through Him we can live with our Heavenly Father again. I love this gospel so much and am so grateful that I can share it with those I meet on the street. I love you!

-Sister Rindlisbacher

Quotes:

"Stop... we don't have time to worry about dumpster logistics!" -Elder Curtis

Our breakfast this morning :) and p-day last week.

Week 42

What a busy week! It was filled with zone conference, a special meeting with Mark Peterson (a professor from BYU), and General Conference.

Last p-day we played dress up at the Suwon Fortress with President and Sister Turner.

Sister Turner and President Turner

We had a wonderful zone conference at the mission home. Our APs did a hilarious role play about proselyting. I'll share a few of my favorite things:

- zoom out and show the big picture while also explaining the little things

- simplicity brings the spirit

- "Nothing comes easy, if you want something bad enough you have to get up, get going, and go after it"

- "If YOU want something you never had, YOU must be willing to do something YOU have never done." 

We were also blessed to have a special meeting with Mark Peterson. I was able to take a Korean culture class from him before I came on my mission. It was a two hour throw back to sitting in his class. It was so interesting to listen to the things he had to say about the religious culture of Korea. It really made me miss learning in a classroom setting. He is so incredibly smart and knows so much about Korea. 

General Conference was also amazing. As our wards watched it in the chapel together all of the missionaries were able to watch it together in English. We had a great time. Every talk was so inspired. I loved that they focused so much on the Plan of Salvation. I know that the Plan of Salvation is Heavenly Father's plan and through it we can find any answer we are looking for. I am so grateful for the eternal truths I know about my purpose here on earth!

Next p-day we have a mission activity and we'll be running a 5K together :D My last companion Sister Carnahan really enjoys running so she asked President Turner if we could do one before she left so we'll be doing it next week. The mission cannot be together all at once so half will do it next week and the other half the week after. I am in no shape to run a 5K, but it's going to be so much fun! I'll make sure to send some pictures from it later.

This past week was pretty stressful, but it was a good learning experience. I've been feeling like a one army lately as I train. During my personal study one day I was reading in Alma 58. It talks about the sons of the people of Ammon and their struggle to maintain their liberty against the Lamanites. It goes to talk about how they asked for more men to strengthen their armies, but didn't receive them. Instead of complaining this was their response:

"But, behold, it mattereth not - we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies."

They had the faith to know that Heavenly Father would deliver them. That He would provide exactly what they needed, exactly when they needed it. I know that this is true for all of us. I know that Heavenly Father may not give us the "armies" that we desire, but that He WILL deliver us from our trials. I am so grateful to know that I have a Father in Heaven who is watching over me. I love you all. Have a great week!

- Sister Rindlisbacher

Quotes:

"Get on the same freaking bus" - Sister Earnshaw

"Let's have a concession fession.... If you understand German root words it sounds like a food party" - Elder Partridge

Week 41

I can't believe that it is April already!!!

This past week has been super crazy. Last Monday we moved into the Elder's old house. We woke up, emailed, and then started the craziness of finishing packing and cleaning our entire apartment. We got everything done in a couple hours and then waited for President Turner and the elders to come pick our stuff up. They had to move 3 different missionary houses so it took a long time. In the mean time we did a little bit of studies and updated our phone.

We also had an ice cream break :)

It has been really nice to live 5 minutes away from the church. We have done a lot of walking in the past couple days to try and figure out our area. We have visited members, less-actives, and taught a few lessons to our investigators. Since there are now sisters in this area we will be teaching all of the Elder's female investigators. We had a meeting with the Elders the other day to figure everything out. We were also able to go with them to teach one woman and introduce ourselves. We are really looking forward to teaching her. She doesn't have much of a Christian background, but has a sincere desire to learn more. She mostly relates to Buddhism so the idea of Resurrection for her is a bit weird, but we'll work on that. 

Since our p-day was moved to Thursday we went to a Raccoon cafe. That was an adventure. The raccoons were a bit stand-offish, but it was really fun.

We have a lot of work to do in this area that keeps us busy. I am so grateful that I get to be here with Sister Earnshaw. She is such a hark worker and I know that we can work miracles here. I hope that you are all had a wonderful conference weekend. I love you all!

Sister Rindlisbacher