One of the miracles I witnessed

Family!!!

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year!!!! hahaha I feel like thats something Rudy would say.. haha anyways, busy busy and lots of good things this week! One of the miracles I witnessed this week was when we were teaching our investigator and her little sister was being loud and obnoxious and we were watching the restoration video. I was praying the whole time for her to be reverent during the first vision and make it a special moment. Right when the scene started, the little girl came by me and was quiet and silent the whole time, and we were able to enjoy first vision and feel the power that it has, and then right when the scene ended, the little girl went back to being loud and noisy and walking around.  It was just so amazing that our Heavenly Father would help us with something like that.  I was able to notice the little miracle that is sooo huge to me! Those little moments just strengthen my testimony so much more.  I’m still trying to look for the little things that just make the days so much better, and this is a BIG little thing!! hahaha 

Anyways, this week we did a service project and peeled cuties and I think they are going to make juice or jam out of them! Super fun.

I’m cutting my hair today!!! haaha and for Christmas I ate some pig skin, someone told me it was chicken.. so I got a lot, and we were at a bulgoli buffet, so we had to eat it all........ grosssssss keeping it fun over here! haha Happy New Year! 

Our ward is super small. Smaller than I think any of the wards around here, they might have to combine with another ward because everyone is moving! 

There’s a pic of rockstar members who have super knowledge of the gospel and great asset to the ward, they are so cute! and I still can’t understand what they are saying!!!!! hahahaha it will get better!!! Love you and wish you a good week!

Sister Wright

Having faith is power

Family!

Ok, this is going to be short and sweet but I just want to express my love for you and all that you’ve done for me!! I had a talk this Sunday, it was pretty short, but I just told them that I love my family(intentional for you) but I expressed that the 강동 ward is now my family.  I hope that in my missionary work I can share the same love I have for my family with the ward families of Korea! They are my family now! I have a testimony of faith over fear. They are such opposites and if we have fear, we don’t have the power of faith and the Holy Ghost with us. I have been so scared and timid about sharing what I know and speaking Korean and being the best I can be because I don’t believe in myself, but what a difference it is to have faith and no fear.  Having faith is power.  It enables us to teach with the spirit and be bold and know what we are saying is true, and then the Holy Ghost will manifest the truth of it to our investigators. I love you!  Remember Christ’s love for us this year, his love triumphs all!!!!!

Sister Wright

I found Jello!!

Their pizza is really good here, 10xbetter than ours!!!

More squid (which i didn't eat)!!!! 

It's getting really cold and snowy and slippery

Family!!

How are youuuu?? Merry Christmas I got your package!! It is getting really cold and snowy and slippery, my companion already fell! I broke out the snow boots and they are perfect and keep my toesies real warm :) This week we taught more than usual and we are trying to help the members and our investigators. We met with this cute family and the mom is in the United States for her children’s education and the dad is with his son and daughter. This one boy is 7 and just moved from Utah and only speaks English!! He is having the hardest time adjusting, but we had a super fun time meeting and he introduced his hamster to me! haha his name is White. He is the cutest lil boy and I just want to help him!! 

We have been teaching English and that is fun and we teach bible English class. It’s crazy; it’s more focused on English than the bible aspect, which I’m super sad about. I want to share what I’ve learned in institute and seminary, but that’s not what my companion wants to teach so it’s rough. I have so much to give I feel but I just can’t at times!!!!! ahhhh it will get better!!  I am the yw 2nd councilor and we are in charge while the president is traveling.  I give a talk this Sunday about Christ! Wow lots of pressure!

This week I was told I look like Sandra Bullock! hahah Koreans are crazyyyy and so funny. 

It’s hard at times but I’m trying to understand day by day what I can do for the lord and what he wants me to do for Him. I pray all the time to try and seek inspiration and guidance and just to be able to come closer to Him. I think that what I need to do is be able to discern the spirit.  I go through these different obstacles and I feel that if I keep the Lord in mind especially at those times, I can focus my thoughts and be able to accomplish what’s at hand. Wish me luck! hahaha talk to you on Christmas!!!

Sister Wright

Cooking something

Super large phones people there use

Computer place she uses to send email

"Fishy Fish" anyone?

I tried everything, even the octopus..

So starting off this week we made the ward Christmas tree and made the ornaments! They are really cool and we tried adding some festive Christmas colors to the buildings!  

Glorias mom won’t let her get baptized :( so we will have to postpone the baptism. She is the sweetest girl and comes to church every Sunday.

We sang in church, the elders and us. I hope it sounded ok, the members just kind of looked at us... soooo it probably was really bad.

I had another exchange this week, and we met with the cutest grandma ever! She can’t read and so we show her pictures and talk to her about them. She was baptized about 2 weeks ago, she would interrupt and start singing the Korean anthem song in the middle of our lessons hahaha and she kept saying I love you and making a heart around her head!! So adorable!

The octopus legs are moving!!!!!

We went to a seafood restaurant.  They fed us a mound of raw fish!  I lost my appetite after I saw the octopus.  You would be proud, I tried everything, even the octopus.. after a lot of skepticism. Oh man that was scary! They like their fried food, North face and face masks!! 

The people are super nice sometimes; I talked to this one lady who just gave me a hug after I talked to her for a little bit and said it was nice to meet her. Those are the best moments ever, especially because I do that to some people as well! Hahaha. I am becoming more Korean each day!  

I also was given a calling in yw? I didn’t think missionaries could have callings? Anyways, tonight we are talking about patience and how if we have patience, that we will be blessed. So simple but so true. We go through so many different challenges and we just need to have faith that things will get better, that things can change, if we stay strong. The Lord shapes us as we humble ourselves and bring ourselves back up and we become the person God wants us to be. He can use us as his tool to help others. We are one big family helping each other. This gospel is so beautiful and I’m so grateful for my immediate family and for all the family that has helped me grow and used their gifts to help me become who I need to be to help others around me. Thank you!!!! I love you! I love this gospel!

Sister Wright!

Scripture cover

suburb of korean appt. complexes!!!

i got a lil blankie that looks like a dog blankie! it makes me feel like a bulldog, baby brunooo!!!!!

Public Bath--Hmm idk if I'll do that again..

Hellooooo famm!

Sooo... guess what I did this morning... my companion really wanted to go to the public bath. So, I had to go along with her. Holy cow was that a different experience.  uhhhhhh hahahaha I think I was in another world. And my companion ditched me so I didn’t know what to do!  But then again it’s not like I would have wanted her or me to be hovering around each other.  Hmmm idk if I’ll do that again.. hahahahaha maybe.

Street contacting

So anyways... this week we had thanksgiving at our mission president’s house and enjoyed good American style food! They don’t have turkeys here though... so that’s kinda weird. We had chicken instead. After we ate though, my stomach felt really funny.  I’m getting used to the Korean food and my body can’t handle the differences!  haha its not that bad though. We had our thanksgiving party the other day, 29 people came!! yayyy ahaha the ward isn’t too involved in things so we’re working on that. Thanksgiving, we went and tried to find less actives later at night, it was freezing. And it’s impossible to find people out here in the city, the houses are on top of each other and all over the place and their addresses aren’t on the houses and it’s a pain. And most people around here move a lot. I met someone on the bus though, she was so nice. She knew I didn’t speak Korean, but offered me here earphone for music! It was the nicest thing ever!! hahaha I wanted to take it but I couldn’t. I then dropped my name tag and she helped me find it on the bus.  It was in the depths of nowhere but we got it. hahaha sorry I’m rambling, but it is sooo relieving to meet someone who is just genuinely nice. And because everyone else I talk to doesn’t want anything to do with us missionaries.. hahaha I’m just sensitive to these small little things. I really have been trying to focus on the little things, whether it be the things that I do that have bugged my companion, or the little things that have helped my testimony grow more and more, or the little things that can lift my spirits like the cute girl on the bus. Small and simple things are great things brought to pass right???  It is sooo true. Just a little smile can make someone’s day, or talking to someone about nothing and laughing about it. I think I speak gibberish. No one understands me, but being able to laugh about it makes all the difference.  The time when I would see dad reading his book of Mormon everyday has influenced me sooo much.  Or those times when mom would be spend so much time on a talk or a lesson and that preparation made all the difference. Just having that example has helped me want to be better. Those are the little things.  I’m soo appreciative for all those little things that have helped me want to become the person I strive to be!! :)  Thank you!! lovessssssss

p.s. Korean fruit is amazinggggggg and I’m getting a little more used to the kimchi.. Slowly but surely. Maybe once I start liking the kimchi is when I'll understand the language....!! hopeeee

Sister Riley Wright

Random Picture.  Maybe this is her apt. building

Probably something for ward activity

I ate a little fishy fish with eyeballsss!

Hello family!!

Another start of another week! We went to the temple on Thursday! That was awesome and it was a beautiful day :) so cool I was at the temple that I drew a few months earlier!! I went on an exchange with Sister Saunders! She’s the blonde one in my picture. She is so fun and awesome and helped me sooo much with the language and we talked to soo many people. I think it was her blonde hair! hahaha, we witnessed so many miracles. A man on a bike knew we were the missionaries and wanted to talk to us and go to our English classes again. Another lady waved us down and asked us for our cards! We gave them our Mormon.org cards we have and talked to her for a long time. Really good experiences!

We had a lesson with a new investigator that has been coming to English class for a while. She came to church and we taught her and she said yes to the baptismal question! holy cow is she prepared! Her name is Gloria and she’s about 14. It’s just amazing to see such young people questioning which church to join!  She’s the same age when Joseph Smith had the same questions!!!! so cool.  She is so sweet.

I am not very good at this language...  The ward members help me a lot when I ask for their help and they are so willing.  Sister Kim is a super member and is just so amazing; she’s in my food pictures!!! haha she served a mission in Temple Square! I heard all about what they do there and they are such hard workers!!! Constantly talking to people and on their feet!!!

It’s getting colder..... Yesterday was the first rain, so now its downhill from here!!! haha im staying warm! Hopefully it won’t get any colder ;).We have one other investigator named Sunny. She is so sweet and is older. She is just so smiley and nice. She is interested and we will teach her tomorrow.

It was difficult getting used to things the first week, but I’m adjusting. 

Prayer has been my favorite activity. It is a time to meditate and have a conversation with the Lord.  Even though sometimes I don’t feel like he is there, I just have to be patient and have faith in Him and when the time is right, He will help and will comfort. I have had those experiences and I’m so grateful to have noticed when He has helped me. My testimony has grown of my Heavenly Father so much and I seriously can’t do any of this by myself. I love you!!!  Keep in touch and Happy Thanksgiving!!

라 이 트 자 매

사 랑 합 니 다!!!!

I ate a little fishy fish with eyeballsss! its was soo gross hahah but i had to do it!@!!!

they talk so fast and I can’t even catch one word they say!!!!!

So, this week has been one of the craziest.  Opening an area has its challenges to say the least, but it is getting better and we have an investigator to teach tomorrow!  It was scheduled when I go on exchanges with the sister training leader, so that’s a big huge bummer:/, but I will hopefully be able to teach her Thursday.  Her name is Sunny!  I love that a lot of Koreans have English names!  It makes it soo much easier for me. We've been making a lot of our goals and my companion says that I am a blessing to her!  Wow, that’s a compliment.  Maybe there wasn’t as much success in her last area. But honestly, I get so lost in the land of Korea sometimes!!!  People look at me like I’m crazy for even speaking to them.  I just focus on the nice ones, they’re the ones prepared for us anyways right??  It’s hard to bond with some of the ward members especially when they talk so fast and I can’t even catch one word they say!!!!!  I get along with the youth and younger adults, they help me with Korean and they are so cute! 

We had English class for service and it was amazing!  I felt like I could be the real me and talk to them in normal English!!!! yayy!  They are so nice and took us out for hot chocolate afterwards!  I placed my first Book of Mormon last week!!! It was amazing and I did it all by myself:)

I made fried rice today:) Thank you family for teaching me how to cook :)))) it is nice to have a homemade meal that I’m used to.  Chinese food here is not Chinese.... hahaha people ask me what my favorite food is and I can’t say Chinese because it’s just not the sameeee!!!!

We watched a broadcast for stake conference yesterday and they talked all about not shutting the door of your heart to your family and they talked all about the importance of families and unity, I really enjoyed it and related it to missionary work and how I can help my brothers and sisters of Korea to come home and feel the love that we and our heavenly father have for them. We have an amazing message and I try to be more Christ like every day and be the best person I can be.  I love you!!!!!!!!!!  Thank you for everything!

p.s. Tell Annie good luck for meee!!! She will do great!!!

Sister Wright

The language is like gibberish to my ears

Family!!!! 

I finally made it to Korea! I never thought this day would actually happen. It is kind of crazy that I’m here out all on my own with my companion. I’m so used to having teachers and leaders all around me but now we are out here in the real world! The last day in the MTC was super emotional saying goodbye to our favorite teachers and fellow district. It’s hard leaving people you have spent 24/7 with and experienced so many challenges with. 

Jeeze the plane ride was the longest of my life. It was sooo uncomfortable trying to sleep. haha but I did talk to a lot of people on both plane rides. The first one to Detroit was a less active member and we talked about the gospel and that was a good experience. Even though she has some different stances on the gospel, we came off the plane as good friends I feel. Anyways.. Then I sat next to an American on the plane to Korea and we had good chats as well, He also gave me advice on how to not get jet lagged....idk if it really worked because I was exhausted. 

We took the subway from the airport and were to talk to many people on the subway. It was an interesting start to our new missionary experience! Apparently I talked to some drunken men... Idk why no one told me!  I’m so naive. But whatever, I guess I learn from my mistakes! I just thought they were tired.. We didn’t get to bed that night till 12:30. We stayed at the mission presidents super nice home and slept on our last real beds! I met my new companion the next day(Saturday)!  Her name is Sister Han Da Som, She is from the busan area in Korea and we are serving in the kang dong ward pretty close to the Han River. We are opening that area so there aren’t any investigators and we're starting fresh. 

We met the ward yesterday and I gave a little talk. The ward is super small. There’s about 30-40 active members and a ton of non active members. We have a lot of work to do! ahh. It’s a bit hard because my companion is more on the quiet side and doesn’t talk much..... so I am learning that I have to be the one to try and start conversations... This is super hard especially because I don’t know any KOREAN!!! I say something and people don’t understand.. so this is great! I feel like a buffoon!!!! Anyways, it will come with time a allllottt of studying!  We did our weekly planning session last night and I didn’t realize that missionary work entailed being a super expert at party planning!!! Thank goodness I learned a few things from my momma but not nearly enough! haha How do I get these members to come to activities and help them to invite their friends!? They don’t invite friends to anything or have time to help us out with teaching with members present! Any ideas??? This will be a fun week for sure! lots of hard work! It’s good I was raised by the craziest hardest workers ever! Hopefully I do you proud :) 

I’ve learned this week that I can’t get discouraged. At all. If I do, there is a barrier keeping me from doing my work as a missionary. This work is hard, but if I go about it with a positive attitude then I can accomplish more than I thought. It is hard not being able to be spiritually uplifted on Sundays because the language is like gibberish to my ears, but then I learn to be able to read doctrine and scriptures and uplift my spirit by my own efforts. So I have a goal this week to try to be the most positive I can be and not let the adversary get into my head and ruin me! I hope that makes sense! I love you! I think about a lot of my home ward :) those old memories make me happy and I hope this ward I can help here will be as great as my ward back home! They have taught me so much! I love you all!!!!!

Love

Sister Riley Wright

There was a piece of squid in my soup.  I avoided it at all costs!!!