The Worth of Seoul: Building a Testimony 101

Hi fam,

I commend you on your efforts on making me miss AZ with talks of orange blossoms and oranges. but it's warming up over here.. finally.. so I'm happy with our jeju island cuties instead. And besides.. this was the best week ever! hahah

Really though, I'm beginning to understand that this life isn't just about the pride cycle.. but everything is a cycle! Each transfer has brought a season of 'hardship'.. for those of you unfamiliar with missionary work in Korea.. We really don't have herds coming back to the fold just yet. and sometimes.. you find yourself, one week having 4 baptismal dates.. to 0 the following week..... Or times when everyone is busy, even too busy to talk to you. Or times when people push you. But hey, at least it's part of the cycle.. so you know it's not permanent.. and in order for it to keep rotating.. you keep working.. and eventually, you find yourself seeing a miraculous amount of miracles and you've successfully rotated to the next blessing phase of the cycle. This week was that next phase!

Sister An and I have been really trying to find new people to teach.. we have done everything from street-boarding, sticker boarding, carrying 90 food trash bags for old ladies, no exaggeration.. they were the size of a backpack.. but I don't know any object that could produce that amount of weight mass in such a small size, so i'm still confused and have blisters on my hands. and even though we met at least 300 people.. WE FOUND 5 NEW INVESTIGATORS LAST WEEK! I hope you can feel my excitement through the screen! And guess what?! One of these.. is actually not a 'one', but a mom, dad and son! i am so beyond thrilled to meet with them! Initially, the mom expressed interest in meeting again.. so we made an appointment for Sunday afternoon.. and to our surprise, when she replied to our confirmation, she said she would be there with her son.. and then when a ward member got us and told us they were downstairs (they arrived early) He told us there was a family downstairs with a father!!!dad, Stu, Eric, and Spence, I am sure you can sympathize with our enthusiasm! Everyone wants to meet a family!!! The meeting was timid.. as the father just sat off to the side and wanted to watch at first... but you'll never guess what got him interested in joining us in our discussion.. I shared with them the story of our family road trip to Oregon and the tang incident! We all laughed for a few minutes.. it's even funnier in Korean! hahaha.. Anyways.. it was incredible to have a fervent prayer for the opportunity to meet a family come true.. I know He wants to bless us with anything that we ask.. even meeting a family!

And then.. the next HUGE miracle, and favorite new part of this new phase to date.. We were so pumped to teach the family of one of our recent converts... we've met with them all a few times.. but this one would be the most official lessons. We prepared all day.. and I even spent my dinner time making apple crisp for us all to enjoy together. We took it right out of the toaster oven (we don't have a real oven) and I carried it with mittens.. steaming and giving off the most amazing aroma of willcox baked goods ;) hahah and hustled over to their house (it's about 5 minutes away) we got to the door and wow.. We were pretty harshly sent way.. not even permitted to walk in.. We turned around heartbroken.. with the only back up plan to proselyte. However.. it's slightly difficult with both hands grasping a still steaming apple crisp.. and a Book of Mormon lodged between your arms. So I told Sister An we were going to find an investigator right then to eat it with a teach.. We said a prayer and then walked to the nearest harmony.. I should have realized it wouldn't be that easy as she harshly rejected us.. but then I saw a girl walking the opposite way on the street.. I automatically turned the opposite way and started walking straight towards her.. I stopped her in the middle of the sidewalk and asked her what she was doing and where she was going.. she said home.. and that she had no plans.. so i lifted the apple crisp up and asked if she wanted to eat with us.. FAMILY.. i would have looked at me like a crazy person and thought it was poisoned and ran away if I were here.. but she said yes and grabbed my arm and we walked to the church together.. When we finally sat down to eat and talk.. she told us she hates apples... but that she's been looking for a church. WHAT?

Family.. this is not my work.. nor my mission presidents.. but this is the work of the Lord.. And I know that as we continue to push ourselves, following after His will.. that through His will.. we will receive blessings and be able to accomplish MIRACLES! My baking has never been that good... nor has my confidence.. but through the blessings and strength of the Lord.. through honest hard work.. we were able to find some of His sheep. I know that this phase applies to all of you as well. From what it sound like, you are all in different parts of the cycle.. so my commitment to you would be to keep holding on! As the scriptures always say, "And it came to pass..." will come true for you as well. Don't just hold on, but keep fighting, keeping pushing.. and that pass will come! I bear solemn testimony of that.

I love you and and am so grateful and so blessed to be apart of your family.

All my prayers and love,

Sister Willcox