Dear Family,
I love you all so much! This week has really been a week about family for me out in the mission field. It's something that we have been focusing about a lot in our lessons, and it makes me so sad to see people's struggles with family.
Thanks mom for your update on Aunt Elna. Your email brought tears to my eyes, and I know that Mormor really is close to her right now. What a tender experience and testimony that families truly are forever. This week I had a dream about our family. I can't quite remember exactly where we were (America or Korea), but I remember very vividly that we were having family home evening. It was a wonderful experience, and there were more than just us. I remember that Mormor and Morfar were there too, and maybe others of our extended family. Anyway, I just remember being SO happy to be together with my family. At the end we all had a 'group hug' like we used to do after home evening. It was so cute. After I woke up I just realized how truly grateful I am to know that I have a family that I can be together with forever. The gospel is SO powerful. I am so grateful for the sacrifices the Mormor and Morfar made so long ago to have a temple marriage. What a huge blessing. I'm so grateful for our family, and the fact that I"m on a mission. Being away from home has really made me realize what a special relationship our family has. We support each other no matter what. I have been so impressed by the example of sacrifice of my grandparents and parents. Mom and Dad are so willing to do ANYTHING for us kids, and I KNOW that I can go to them in any time of trial and they will help me through it. Thanks for all of your love and support! It's been incredibly uplifting to feel that even from across the world! I love you all SOOOO much!
This week, we were able to teach Monica twice:) She has been reading some Isaiah chapters in 1 Nephi. With no christian background, that has been pretty difficult for her, but holy cow she knows how to study her scriptures. She always comes with them marked and underlined and annotated. She is a true seeker of truth. She's SUCH an example to me. Anyway, after we had kind of explained some of the chapters, she said, "You know. These are very difficult for me to understand. But. I love Isaiah! I love the way he writes and the way I feel when I read!" I was floored! Members of the church don't even say that!! haha. She's awesome. Anyway. After that we were talking a little and she said that her son saw her the night before reading the BOM, and he asked why she was reading it. She told him that she was reading it, because she wanted to be able to teach him the word of God someday. When she said that I just felt the power of a mother's love and how much she loves her children. She continued to tell us about this conversation with her son and how he said he wanted to be like her and go to church. (Back-story is that Monica's husband doesn't like religion. He told Monica that she could go to church if she wanted, but she couldn't force the kids to come with her, and he wouldn't watch them..... so basically he doesn't want her to go) But anyway. Now both of her children have expressed a sincere desire to go to church. I pray every day that this example from her and her children and having the power of the word of God in their home will soften the heart of her husband. It reminded me so much of the Army of Helaman and how powerful young people and children are, especially when they are taught by their mothers. Children are truly the best teachers and are so pure and in tune with the spirit. I want so badly for her family to feel the blessings of the temple and the gospel.
Another family experience is this- Monica referred her next door neighbor to us, and their whole family is interested in the church!!! We are so excited to be working with a family!:) The gospel blesses families so much, and that really is the best place to apply the gospel. Anyway, Ho Sunhee is her name, and she brought her family to a dinner with the bishop this week. They have been to church as a family once and the ward LOVES them. I hope they continue to progress:)
One more thing. So yesterday at church, the Temple President came and spoke in sacrament meeting. He said a LOT that I didn't understand, but he was REALLY stressing the importance of temple attendance and how important that is for our families. It's really hit me hard this week how important family history work and how anxious our ancestors are to have their work done! Please help them out. Bring family names to the temple. It will be an incredible experience for you. Something they really stressed in the MTC and now here in Korea is that as missionaries we are to pray to find people to teach, whose ancestors are ready to accept the gospel. I feel very strongly that our ancestors and people on the other side of the veil have a powerful influence on us and they truly bless and protect us. Think about your ancestors and how much they are yearning to be sealed to you, and receive those ordinances and covenants that will empower them to be with you forever. Anyway. That's my shameless plug for family history work. I can't tell how you all how important it is. Families truly are forever. After the temple president spoke, we as missionaries sang an arrangement of Families can be together Forever and I love to see the Temple. It was perfect and I loved singing it, because those messages are SO similar. I'm not sure I thought about it before.
Anyway, hope everyone is doing well, and I will be praying for our family and Aunt Elna. Thanks everyone for your love and support! Happy Birthday this week to Eric! I hope everyone is having a wonderful semester as well:):)
Love,
Sister Hunter
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