You'll never believe it!‏

GUESS WHAT??? I have so much good news for you this week! For one, It snowed this morning and actually stuck, so it's a white morning today! My first one in Korea :)

So we are pretty happy about that, and also there's more to tell about the stuff that's really important--missionary work!

So this past week was pretty busy, because we've been planning a program that we want to do in a couple weeks with our members, in order for them to feel a little but more connected to the cause of getting our investigators to become committed. We want to do a two-week program where they read certain passages from the scriptures, General Conference, and PMG every day, and then the two weeks will end right on Fast Sunday so that all of the members can do a big fast for our investigators next Fast Sunday (first of the year!). It should be really great, if we can get the support of the members for it. :D

So yes, we've been trying to make appointments with all of the members, but everyone was busy and the odds weren't looking so great. But this past Sunday we randomly got invited to come to dinner at a member's home that hardly ever invites us over, and another family came too, so it was a perfect time to introduce everything, and it was soo fun to talk with them. The two mother's had served their mission together, so you can imagine how fun that would be to listen to their conversations. :)

Also we have were finally able to make quite a few appointments with the members, including a member who's baby is due next week. We were way surprised by that invitation, and wonder what will happen...... haha

Anyway, so the members are great, and the investigators are even better! We were able to meet with the investigator that is our age this week, and it was a miracle. Such an amazing person. 

She has been reading the Book of Mormon pretty consistently, usually one chapter per week. But this past week when we met, she had read FOUR chapters, all about Nephi's dream, and she was able to understand and apply it really well. We asked her if she thought that Nephi could be a real person, and she replied that the Book of Mormon was a record of his life, so he must be real, right? Wow. Then, we taught about the Gospel of Christ, and how there were certain steps she can take in order to return to God. She took it so well, and when we asked if she would prepare to take those steps, she said isn't that what I'm already doing with you? Again, wow. She was more prepared than even we thought she was. 

So yes, the miracle of the week, and the joy of my mission: Sister Lee has a baptismal date for the end of this month! It was so amazing how happy we felt after that lesson. Especially because when we first started meeting with her, she didn't know anything about God or religion, having only gone to church once when she was a tiny kid. And yet not, she is so willing to do anything required to return back to our Father in Heaven. She is amazing!! Such a sweet spirit. <3<3<3

Yep, that's how I'll end. It's the perfect ending in my opinion. :D

I love you all, and will be seeing you soon!!

Sister Segovia

Happy Holiday Season!!‏

It's begun! The best time of the year, when there are so many things to make you joyful. I love this time of year! Anytime I see Christmas decorations, hear a Christmas song, learn about the True Christmas Spirit, it all just makes me smile! Can't wait to be able to smell Christmas smells again too :) (There will be a Christmas tree at home right?? it's a necessity! :D)

The last week of November was great, and lots of eating! We had three buffets, Monday-Wednesday. hahaha! Monday was in Nampo, then on Tuesday we went with our member and the Elder's investigator to Pizza Hut for a buffet deal they had going on. Then on Wednesday we had a meal at a members house with our investigator. THEN on Thursday for Thanksgiving (Happy Thanksgiving by the way! Sorry I forgot to say that last week) we went with the Elder's investigator again to a super nice restaurant and ate a ton there. Yeah, it was definitely Thanksgiving time. hehe

Anyway our investigators are all doing well! We met with most of them, and though none of them came to sacrament meeting, they are still faithfully reading. In fact, one of our investigators who just last week had said she doesn't want to read the Book of Mormon by herself randomly asked us about a chapter we had asked her to read forever ago and read it on her own, even without us asking her to! That was a surprise. 

As I think about what happened this past week, I realized that throughout the week I had been disappointed because our investigators weren't progressing how we wanted them to. But now I can see that perhaps I should have payed more attention to how God was helping them progress, no matter how small. It always important to look for any progression at all in the people we are working with, because the little steps are almost just as important as the big ones! I'm a firm believer in never giving up on people before they choose for themselves. :)

It was a great week, and keeps getting faster and faster! Just one more email after this...........Weird. 

So mom, as for your questions, I did really like water painting! if I can figure out a way to get the painting home, I'll bring it so you can see!

And wow, there are Koreans in Mountain Home?? I will have to find them and become friends!!

Finally, school starts on Monday the 6th of January. So I'm thinking I should be up a few days early so I can make sure everything is in order and such. :)

Anyway that's all!! I will talk to you again next week!

Sister Christina Segovia

Interesting Fact: Korean dentistry is a lot cheaper in Korea than in the US. And you already heard about the whole wisdom teeth fiasco, right? If not, I'll remind you. So pretty much every Korean missionary I know didn't get their wisdom teeth out before the mission, because the dentist always just says they don't need it. But then something happens like whats happening with my poor companion. Hers actually came in pretty much right as she started her mission, but the last one wasn't set right so it's been trying to come out but is stuck by the other teeth. So she's been in a lot of pain, and we will probably be getting it out this next week! SO Pray for her! She's super nervous about it <3

And the best is always for last :)

We had Zone Meeting this past week and I learned so much from our leaders! It's really interesting because the church is starting to really crack down on member missionary work through social media. It really seems like a great, easy way for members to bear their testimony to hundreds of people in small and simple ways. Something cool they said about Korea is that right now there are only three Koreans posting Anti-mormon stuff on the internet. So if every member who has a social media account (and that's almost everyone I bet) then those false Anti-mormon things would be completely out-ruled by the true testimonies of our members :) let's make it so that when our church is searched on the internet, our church websites always come up first!

One way to start with your social media missionary work is to share this Christmas video: http://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=HPFR112814529

Back in the Past‏

So I'm actually writing from an ever-so-familiar place right now.... Nampo Shopping Center! If you don't remember, I transferred from my second area to this area (Deshin) almost exactly a year ago. And I decided to come back! Missionaries who are in their last transfer get to choose one P-day and go wherever they want. I didn't really have anyone that I could see or make an appointment (all the people I would want to see again work at this time or live wayyy far away :[) so I decided to come back here! It's such an awesome feeling to be back, especially because when I served in this area we came to Nampo pretty-much twice a week. So it's been a blast to show my companion around!

Anyway, this past week was great. We didn't get to meet with two of our investigators because they were super busy, which was a bummer. But our other two investigators came to church! The one mother brought 6 of her kids with her, and they all absolutely love us :D

Also, we had exchanges! I was so proud of my companion, because she was with a third-transfer American, so neither or them could speak the other's language very well, but they both did a wonderful job. ^^ And I was with Sister Bonney, one of my MTC roommates--our second exchange together-- which was a last as you can imagine. I love all of these Sisters I serve with! 

Something I've been working on this past week actually started last Monday when we had Family Home Evening. We did water-painting, and I was so excited about it that I continued every night and morning during the hour of personal time we have. It was so fun! I finally finished the painting yesterday lol Sorry I don't have any pictures of it yet. Anyway, it was really do something like that again. I forgot how much fun painting/art is! 

Anyway... I don't have much else to say. We just continue to work hard and get our investigators to realize this church is the truth! I hope you all can know that too <3

Love Sister Segovia

Interesting Fact:They have a TON of children's songs that almost everyone (if not everyone) knows. Anything from learning to say thank you, to a song about tomatoes becoming ketchup. Hahaha Anyway it's really interesting how many they have, and how well-known they are. Us Americans were trying to remember all the little-kid songs in America but only came up with a small list, and those we couldn't remember very well. lol

Spiritual Thought:

When I went on exchanges, I saw this quote: "God and Christ care more about our growth and progression than our comfort and convenience." 

When I saw this statement, it struck me how much sense it made. Really, isn't our progression a lot more important that convenience? There's really no question about it. We may ask why He lets us suffer and curse Him for it, but that is actually the very thing that will make us grow the most! Probably the times when we are comfortable are the times when we sit on a plateau of knowledge. Thank God for the struggles!

Any progression is‏

Well, today was a great day! We actually had a P-day with a bunch of missionaries who came to Gyeongju to check out the sites, from the zone right next to us. I had served with a couple of the Elders before, so it was great to spend a P-day with them just like old times! We went to the Budhist temple, which I'd already seen two times, but it was way more beautiful this time because of the colors in the trees. I love Fall!

This past week was a great one, especially concerning our investigator Sister Choi. She has been coming to church for a while, but she never comes to sacrament meeting, because she always is too busy. But yesterday she came in the middle of sacrament meeting, which we were happy about because it's definitely improvement! And she also is willing to study the Book of Mormon with us when we suggest it, and acknowledges that it's a good book and that she should continue to study it. Her progression is slow, but it's there. We are determined to continue to love her, and we think she will eventually realize just what this church means in her life.

Also, our other investigators are also progressing! Both the investigators that are our age are continually reading the Book of Mormon on their own, and one of them finally is done with the huge College test which frees her time up quite nicely :)

We did meet with the investigator that has 7 kids this past week :) Though she didn't come to church yesterday, she did say that she wants to continue to come to church, though she would rather just learn slowly and not rush into anything. That's a little frustrating because it's like, she already knows it's true in her heart, it's just her mind that's keeping her from accepting it solid.

Looking at everything, this week was pretty great! Everything is going quite nicely. :)

So for the interesting fact, I'll answer mom's question about the Sound of Music. They don't have a Korean dubbed version of it, they just have it in subtitles. In fact, the most common way for Koreans to watch foreign movies is by subtitles, not dubbing. Usually the only movies that have dubbing are movies for little kids, since they can't read subtitles. And listening to English songs is totally normal and cool.:D

Anyway, have a great week!

Love, Sister Segovia

I was thinking a lot about the comparison between the cup "half-empty" and "half-full" a lot this past week. Especially lately, I've been seeing a lot of things that I can have and do here in Korea that I won't be able to in the US, and I was thinking about how important our attitude is about the circumstances we are in. Too often I think we focus on what we don't have, and miss the chance to enjoy what we do have. At least for me I've seen that a lot. For a missionary, perhaps I thought too much about what I couldn't do, and now--FINALLY--I'm thinking about all the things I CAN do! It's humbling to realize how much more I could have gotten from this experience if i had seen the glass as half-full earlier, but I'm glad I've been able to change my view now. :)

The Sound of Music‏

Helllo family and friends! I love you all. :)

This week was great, being a very happy and exciting week. One miracle that I was thankful for was with our members. We finally were able to meet with a member that we had been wanting to meet for so long. But at the same time we were so scared to meet her, because she had kind of been treating us coldly lately. But when we went to her home this week, we were able to really talk with her and I think from now on it will be good! Yayy

Also while we are on the subject of members, there's another member that we actually met with twice this week, both unplanned. One night we were at the church, and she called us saying she was in the area and invited us to go out to eat with her. Then yesterday she wasn't able to come to church so we called her wanting to give her cookies and when we got there she fed us again! Such an awesome, fun-loving Sister. :]

As for our investigators, two of them came to church yesterday! One was the lady that came last week, and she brought 5 of her 7 children this time. We were able to make an appointment with her for this week, so we will be able to know more about her soon! It was great though because all of her kids have someone already in the ward that are their age, so they were able to make friends fast.

And the other investigator that came to church also came to a stake activity we had the night before. It's a yearly activity, where each ward prepares a couple musical numbers. We prepared one song that our members sang, and then our President played a clip from his very favorite movie, The Sound of Music. He really does love that movie, playing music from it for every spiritual message he gives at activities. lol

Anyway, that's about all for the week. it's been pretty warm lately too, so we are all happy.

I was really sorry to hear about Feliza Segovia..  I wish I had been able to meet her. But I know that I, and everyone else in our family. will be able to meet her later! This life is not the end, and I know that she will be happy to see us again. :)

Glad to hear that mom and dad got back safely to home! Love you both so much. Thank you for all of your help, your testimonies, your encouragement, and your guidance. It's always what I need!

Love, Sister Christina Segovia

Interesting Fact: When you get your haircut, they usually will cut it dry, and then afterwards they shampoo. Is that a thing in the US too? I've always seen shampoo first and then cut. Anyway, I got me hair trimmed today, so that's what was on my mind.

This week our District Leader told the story of the man who saved and saved his money so he could buy a ticket for a cruise ship. When he was finally able to buy the ticket, he was unaware that all of the luxuries were included in the cost. While on the cruise, he stayed in his room, eating food that he had brought with him, and not participating in any of the activities. Everyday a crewmember would come and ask him if he would be attending the party that night, and this man said no everytime. On the last night of the cruise, the crew member wanted to know why this man never attended the parties. After finding out the man's misunderstanding, the crewmember was able to tell him that everything was already available to him!

When I think of this man, it always makes me sad how he must have felt to find out he had missed out on so much. Now, we as members of God's true church are like that crewmember. We have the knowledge of all we can do in this life and in the life after. We know our potential. And there are those out there that, while they bought the ticket to come to this world, they've no idea all of the wonderful things they could be doing. They've no idea about eternal families, or about becoming clean through Christ's Atonement. But we know! So when we see those people, don't wait until the last day to tell them what they could be doing. Imagine how happy and grateful that man would have been if the crewmember had told him the first day!

I hope that we all can "live up to our priviledges" and help others do so too.

Here's a Mormon Message about this same story:

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?im=true&v=2081541444001

First of the last‏

Yeah, wow it's the first day of my last transfer. Weird thought. It still hasn't quite sunk it yet I don't think, because I'm not freaking out as much as I would have thought. Today we went to transfer meeting and heard the last testimonies of a LOT of missionaries going home. It was inspiring, and it's now my turn to start thinking about what I'm going to say for that last time. It's just six weeks away!

And this past week was such a great one to end out the transfer. We went to two halloween parties! One was in Hogye (yeah, I get to go back to my old area all the time! :D) and the other was here in Gyeongju. The one in Hogye was wayyy good, and a bunch of people that I would never had thought would come to a church party were there! It was so cool to see them :) I was so glad to see that progression in the area! And I like to think that their Halloween party had such good attendance because of how well we did on the Luau party last time :P

And our own party was really really great too! We had it for our English class and some members were able to come too. We did pumpkin carving, then had a talent show, then ate pumpkin pie along with other food that everyone else brought. It was so fun, especially because it was most peoples' first time carving a pumpkin. We just used little tiny cut green pumpkins (Interesting Fact: it's really really hard to find a big pumpkin like they have in America) and it worked really well! And we had a miracle happen! We still aren't sure how she came, but a woman who used to come to English class a LONG time ago randomly showed up at the end, and she came to church the next day too along with her friend! We aren't sure what will happen with her, but something big could be coming!

As for those we are teaching.... We had a HUGE miracle week. By miracle week, I mean that every single one of our lessons was WITH A MEMBER! That's like unheard of in all my time in Korea! We actually didn't have as many lessons as we usually do, but I was still super stoked because in my mind a lesson with a member counts as two lessons without. So yeah, it was awesome! One of those lessons was a meal invitation so we were able to go with our investigator to her home and eat delicious food. And then the next day we had a different invitation for a meal with a different investigator at a different member's home. And then the next day we had another meal invite for just us missionaries. It was a lot of eating. haha

Anyway, this week was fantastic! And I got all my needed classes signed up for so that's good! Mom you stay safe in OK and dad you stay safe at home! I love you both <3

Sister Christina Segovia

Like I said, today was transfer meeting, and in the meeting the Senior couple in our mission talked about gratitude. Something I liked from their talk was this: "Gratitude can be a window to perfection." When we are truly grateful, when we are able to see that all that's good in our lives is not from us, then we are on the road to perfection. Without gratitude, there's no way we can move forward. But when we do recognize the goodness of God, then He can help us so much more. I'm so grateful for everything he has let me experience here!

P.S. Here are some pictures from Halloween!

The Time Continues to Fly

Yeah, so about yesterday, it was so fun!! Our whole mission got together for a big mission activity. What was this missionary activity, you may ask? You'll probably never guess. Our mission president and his wife called us all together to Busan to run a 5k! That's right, we spent our P-day doing exercise. Haha Many missionaries were not too pleased with this, but I thought it was way fun. And yes, you will be proud to hear that I did indeed run the whole thing! Remember the last time I did that was in the MTC! So I'm pretty proud of myself :D

Our mission president's wife actually studied Physical Education and such, so she is super into being healthy and all her family likes doing marathons and such, so I guess they are going to get all of the mission to be just as excited about it as they are. :) And also, we all got tshirts, and were wearing the same shirt. It was very exciting. lol

As for LAST week, it was pretty busy. We had a Zone P-day last Monday, then Zone Conference on Thursday, and also we did exchanges and the Elders did exchanges so we have been seeing other missionaries all throughout the week. I've been really happy about it. One of my favorite things is gathering together and seeing other missionaries. It's just so fun, and we are like a big huge family. 

I actually caught a cold that has been going around our zone, so I've had an interesting week trying to get my health back to par. I got sick right before exchanges, with a cold where your throat hurts too bad to talk. Our Sister Training Leader was so nice and just kept talking and encouraged me not to (she had the same cold just the week before). I was really really worried because I had to sing for the musical number in our Zone Conference the next day. When Zone Conference came around my throat was so rough and I could barely hit the top notes, but I figured I'd just do it anyway. But THEN, during the morning meeting, my voice just all of the sudden DISAPPEARED. Like really, I couldn't get more than a whisper out. So I had to ask another sister to sing the song in my place. It was an interesting experience. My voice is back now, so don't worry!

Our investigators are all doing well! The two students that are our age are really fun to meet with, and have become comfortable with asking their questions about the Book of Mormon (they are reading when we ask them to! :D) so we are so happy. I love seeing them progress! It's amazing. I just want them to accept this gospel so bad! I know that it can help them with anything in their life! But one of them is studying for a super important test so she may start being too busy to meet :( Pray for them to realize how important this is to continue studying!

I think that's all for now; everything is going great! Say hello to Mariah for me, as she gets home this week! Tell her I love her lots :) And I love you lots too, Mom and Dad! Have a wonderful week <3

Sister Christina Segovia

Interesting Fact: 

Students have to study all the time, literally. When we talk about studying in the US, we usually can say "yeah I studied all day yesterday" but actually mean we may have studied for an hour, taken a break, studied for another two hours, break, etc. But in Korea, when they say they are studying, they are actually studying, like nonstop. And if they don't study, they feel this kind of regret/guilty feeling because they think that they are getting passed up by all the other students who are studying when they aren't. It's kind of not-great circumstances.

Spiritual Insight:

In zone conference, our mission president showed us a clip from the movie Walk With Giants. In the clip, a football player was told by his coach to carry a 160-pound teammate on his back and bear-walk down the field. The normal amount to do was 20 yards, but the coach asked this player to promise his very best and try to go to the 50-yard mark. The player promised to do his best, and then in order to not give up before he really had done his best, the coach blind-folded him. The player then started down the field, the coach staying right by his side the whole time. The coach didn't help with the burden, but he continued non-stop encouragement, not letting him give up. The coach's words to his player helped the player continue. With all the passion he could, the coach yelled, "Don't you give up! You promised my to give your best! I know it hurts, but don't you stop! Let it burn! Don't give up!"

This player was able to keep going because he knew what he had promised to his coach, and because that coach was there every painful step he took. He couldn't see where he was going, he had no idea when the end was, all he could feel was the burning pain with every move forward. And yet he kept going. When he finally had given his all, he fell to the ground. That's when his coach showed him where he had come. He had carried a 160-pound load all the way across the 100-yard football field, more than he or any other person had expected.

So I actually want you all to think about how this story can apply to you right now.. I hope that I told it well enough for you to be able to see yourself in the story. I certainly was able to feel a huge impact on me as I watched it, as I felt that Heavenly Father was just like that coach, encouraging me to keep going even when I said it was too hard, because I had promised him my best.