Monday, September 10, 2012

September 10, 2012 - LAST TRANSFER!!!!!!

HELLO!!!! This week I will start a new transfer! My Last Transfer - we will get call tonight and change on Wednesday. So crazy how fast time fly's. Sister Rovelsky has been here for 6 months - so she is probably going to leave :( 

Today is a big soccer game^^

We had a pretty good week.Our Hong Sang Yoo took us and the senior couple out to a special lunch. It's a nice buffet on the 31st floor of a building in middle of Seoul....so we could look out the windows and see everything! It was so cool!
 
 We weren't super busy with appointments this week so got to try a new finding method...pretty similar to what we usually do but we had a table out with materials and just greeting people. We didn't get to talk to a ton of people but the ones who were interested stopped and talked so it was fun cause we weren't making the ones who were not interested mad. We gave away a few Books of Mormon :) and made a few appointments so it was really good, and one of the guys went and got us some soy milk haha so nice. 
 
Well this morning on our run up the mountain we decided to try a new trail and we found this sweet Buddhist looking tower and its the most beautiful view of Seoul! We went up it and you can see the Big Kang river and the other side is just skyscrapers everywhere....we will go again tomorrow and I'll take camera and show you next week :)
 
We've been a little disappointed with our ward not fellowshipping our grandpa super well. He's old definitely and has more of an American humor so they don't seem to give him much of a chance...so i think he just loves being with us or the Smiths (senior couple) cause we are patient with him and really he just needs friends. He keeps buying us so much stuff it's insane and we try to tell him to save his money but Sis Rovelsky and I were talking about how cool it kinda is that he is at the point where money really doesn't matter to him. He wants to do nice things for people he loves and make memories with them. and all we are telling him is to stop and save his money.....hes 85! He needs to live it up :) He took the Smiths to a baseball game this week too haha. yikes. such an adventure. 
 
 Sorry I'm out of time for today but will have pictures and info on transfers next week! Take care have good week!!!!
 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

September 3, 2012


WOW what a week.


GREAT NEWS!!! my favorite 85 year old man got baptized as a member of Christs restored Church on September 1, 2012 :)



He was so funny! they had him practice before going in and he asked "its not gonna be cold right?" the ward just laughed. Then as he came out of the water he said " that was fast!" and was about ready to do it again
the ward was very supportive lots of people came and they prepared a little meal afterward! 
 
 
 
 

He received the Holy Ghost yesterday and became a priesthood holder!










 We had to teach Hong Sang Yoo all the lessons and he can’t hear very well so it takes us awhile. hehe But he sure has a lot of faith. We can just skip the "promise blessings" part cause if he knows God says do something or don’t do something he'll listen! He is so amazing and funny we just love him so so much. We were able to teach with our senior couple that live near so he really loved them too and Elder Smith was able to bear his testimony at his baptism and
even did the Confirmation of the Holy Ghost, so it was neat to involve them.
 

  
He took us all out to dinner Friday night, had duck meat and he bought
us boxes of pears(so expensive) and called taxis to take us all home!
What a rock star!

We also had exchanges this week I stayed in my area with Sister Cho.
She was born in Utah but her parents are Korean.   She’s such a good
missionary and it was fun to spend the day with her.
We then had sister’s conference at Presidents house. So fun! Love them.
They just have such fun personalities and it was a really nice meeting.

We had a typhoon or two come through Korea this week. Some people had
us expecting to get floods and broken windows etc...but it was just a
lot of wind...and I’m sure used to that :) (A little St. Johns Humor)

We had Temple day which was also amazing and I bought a cheap Olympic Korean soccer jersey for p-day! Somebody told me it was the jersey they beat Japan in.  :) Happy b-day to myself   hehe
Kinda out of time I’ll go read your other emails then need to go! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!  



Monday, August 27, 2012

August 26, 2012


Hello! What a crazy fast/fun week! 

Monday we went to my old area and visited a family I taught. They aren’t meeting missionary’s anymore...kinda sad, but we've stayed in good contact and I just love them to death. The little girl Carly is leaving to Canada so I promised to see her again before she left. On our way home we had to take a taxi and it was so fun... I just got to chat with him for 20 minutes (traffic jam. don’t miss that) he was way nice and had seen missionary’s before but he went up to ask them about Book of Mormon but they had to get on  their bus and leave...so I just got to talk to him and he was blown away that we could speak Korean and he randomly asked if we had ever received a gift from a taxi man haha...said no of course not so he opens his glove box and hands us a vitamin water so we will remember him haha. So before leaving I told him I’d give him a present too and he was so excited to get the Book of Mormon :) best gift ever...and cool for me cause its free! :) We made it back just in time for Ward family home evening. it was a music night...but we were the speakers of course so we talked about Joseph Smith and made up our own little rendition of  spring morning hymn and praise to the man...niether of us are singers nor know anything about music but I thought we did a pretty fine job :)

Tuesday we got to meet with our new mission leader. It was so fun! Usually we had just been doing a quick meeting on Saturdays with Bishop and mission leader but it wasn’t really anything ...but he just got called and he lived in Canada and is really living up the calling so we are so excited to be working with him and his wife made best dinner ever... tofu steak (confusing I know...no meat involved) and there was SALAD!

Wednesday some of our English class members took us to a nice buffet restaurant for Sis Rovelsky’s birthday it was fun and they are just great people.

Thursday was our conference got great training and good to see everyone again. In our conferences we just get trained on different things and then testimony meeting which is usually the leaving missionary’s last words and new missionary’s first.  Pretty fun to see the difference in the talks, the old ones giving advice and what they’ve learned and the new ones just so shocked to be here but so ready to go and work.
Afterward had a lesson and then went to outback steak house with Sonjiyoun for Sis R.s bday! yum! so weird to be in American restaurant really feels like US just waiters still have black hair...but they even tried to speak all the English they could for us haha

Friday was quite a shocker we always have planning meeting but we planned, then went to meet our 85 year old Investigator, who is just fun but we kinda never thought he would progress much he is just old and likes to visit and has nothing else to do....but we met and talked about baptism and he was like "yeah. ok . when? today? can we do today?" haha WHAT???! we didn’t even know what to do...that does not happen lol we were a little speechless...yikes...you’d think missionary’s would know what to do in a situation like that. I tried to explain what it would mean...he still goes to another church and has only been taught first lesson so we have a lot to teach...but as of now...his baptism date is September 2!!! haha...and good news is he says he is coming back to AZ with me hahahaha...i hope you have an extra room ready. He is adorable! I’ll send pic if have time... super cool too during our English time he told us his history in the war!! He was in college when North Korea invaded and he told the coolest story ever and I got in on video! Can’t wait to show you!
Saturday had lunch with Marsha...remember her? She comes to our English class and took us out to dinner actually not lunch but it was fun she’s adorable, just love her.

Sunday was stake conference. 4 of our investigators came! Amazing!!! It was way good and they liked it and yeah....just way good. Somehow we both hurt our knees...i think we sat weird while eating at a members after church and it was a stressful meal trying to pull chicken meat off the bone with chopsticks! So I didn’t pay attention to my legs. Anyway so instead of crosswalk contacting we went and did calls at the church to give legs a rest and we got like record contacts haha it was so fun talking to old people who had given missionary’s their number.  I was able to make some appointments and even some referrals for other areas!

Carly got a letter back from the girls (Rylee and Tatum – Janell’s nieces have become pen pals) and was so thrilled...called me and read both the letters they had written her. For p-day (preparation day= day off) we went down to Boondang to see them , it was fun,  they said if we go back next year to stay at their house :)
My Croc shoes are great! Usually just wear them in the rain ...I think I’ll try to keep nice so can pass to other missionary’s before the next rain season.   

I played soccer last Saturday :) some of the wards play in our zone but not mine but if they need us they call and I get permission to go :)  

Ok so, long letter and almost out of time. Sorry! It was a good week and hope you have a good one too! This week is gonna be another awesome one so you make yours awesome too! Thanks for package and love and prayers! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sister Richardson 
 
 

AUG 19, 2012

Hi there
well....another week. Can’t believe it. It went by pretty fast but was good. We spent a lot of time preparing for a special English class. We set up an English village and were hoping to get a lot of people and members and old investigators to come and...well it kinda worked! We had 2 less actives come to church Sunday because they got the text about English class! We picked up 2 new investigators and possible 2 more soon from it! way cool...
This next week is gonna be busy and so so good. It’s Sister Rovelsky’s birthday week^^ her b-day is Thursday and we have a big mission conference so it will be good...and all our investigators want to take us out to eat for her b-day so we might be getting fed just about everyday hehe yes!
Sorry my mind isn’t coming up with much else to say.  I hope everyone had a good week and will have a great next week too. I’m going to see the old investigator family in Boondang today so I have lots of travel time to write real letters...I love you.
sorry again its short...but forgive me cause I sent a picture ^^
Sister Richardson

Aug 12, 2012   

HI!
We had a pretty good week. Started off with our p-day at the bath house...the ole grammas loved us hehe. So we got our 전도 (proselytizing  I guess) on. Our Son ji youn is still on house rest so we went and had dinner with her and studied together. We read Alma 34 together and usually people have a hard time understanding the Book of Mormon cause its way hard Korean that no one speaks anymore. But because she’s an artist (and prepared) she was totally making things click it was amazing! We went and saw her Friday too and watched Testaments together and she loved it. She’s studied so many random things because of art that it totally made sense that they were Indians. 
Sorry don’t have time for a long one...wanted to write lots of short little ones back and forth this week. Not much has changed here...meeting interesting people and learning to love awkwardness missionary work brings.  mom said something about being worried to share too much with your neighbor and husband like don’t want to make enemies but I learned..if people aren’t interested, they'll just say no and life goes on the same....but if you don’t ask, maybe they would say yes but you’ll never know! And if anyone makes you an enemy out of sharing something that’s so important to you they weren’t a very good friend anyway. Easy for me to say as a missionary that’s my job...but hopefully I will be able to feel that way as just a member too! yikes...I’ve never been good at member missionary work!
Ok sorry got to go! I love you so so so so so much! I still haven’t sent box yet :( oops but am going shopping right now to finish off.
p.s. mom HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE
Sister Richardson


Monday, August 6, 2012

August 5, 2012 - Transfer Call !!!






 




ANTICIPATION!




























                           WE STAY!!!!





Been a pretty good week! I’ve forgotten the feeling of dry, but it’s pretty fun to laugh at each other as the sweat is just pouring down.  It was not this hot last summer and there was so much more rain! I was so
excited for rainy season but I guess it’s gone! :(   

 Son Ji-Yeoun is doing great we had dinner with her and a member Monday night, she’s adorable and really progressing. We talked about baptism and she said she wants to get baptized but with her husband! and we haven’t even met him! So we are trying to meet him and get him out to church too. However
she can’t leave home for a couple weeks so its slowing things down, but that’s ok. She had a surgery-ish thing so while she was gone for it, we “heart attacked” her door (just taped up paper hearts) but
normally we do it to members with like 5 or 6 hearts...but we went all out on her haha it was fun probably over 200 hearts haha, she always says she’s Miss Korea so we made a crown and stuff...she loved it.

We met some interesting people this week. Everyone keeps trying to hug or kiss my companion...I’m getting sick of pulling old men off of her haha, but it makes us laugh.  We met an 85yr old man this week he is
super good at English, and we made an appointment to meet with him again, it was a riot, we went to McDonalds cause we didn’t have a member so had to stay in public place...he tried to cut the line and
oh man it was just epic I don’t even know how to explain but he said he would come to our church on Sunday and if God tells him to attend our church he will. He did come, and after the meeting he asked why so many people got up and why some of them were crying because he couldn’t hear a word they said haha. Yikes. 

But we have a couple that’s been coming to church since Christmas! Husband loves our church but wants
to get baptized with wife and she’s not too into the whole religious thing, but she comes too. Anyway we weren’t sure how to help them they won’t give us address or number so I guess they didn’t have good
relationship with past missionaries, but they came to English class this week! 

And we found a new mountain to run up every morning with a soccer field and track up top and he was there! So now we see him every morning! So basically we have 2 people wanting to get baptized
just waiting on spouses!! It’s cool but also hard because we aren’t sure how to help them more.

Things are great here and excited to start another transfer in this area!
LOVE YOU. Please stay safe and healthy.       Richardson 切古

Sunday, July 29, 2012

July 25, 2012

Sister Richardson - marks her ONE  YEAR ~ IN COUNTRY on July 25, 2012!  She actually has less than 100 days left....a bitter sweet thought, she says.   She has her travel plans already - but things could change -She should arrive -  Friday - October 26, 2012 - at 2pm at Sky Harbor - Phoenix.   Will keep you posted of any changes between now and then!

July 29 -30, 2012

My Favorite Elder - at the Temple




Part of our English Class - they took us on a Picnic to an Island on the Big Kang River - Angel, Frank, Daniel, Liz - Me and "Mom"
Close up of "Daniel"


Me at a Waterfall while on the Picnic

Last week went to the War Museum -
YUMMY Soup I was telling you about!

More of War Museum


TIGER! - With Sis Ganpurev

Me Catching up on Letter Writing - waiting for ride

Our District!

Sister Kang about to eat Pig intestines stuffed with noodles

The Gramma that grabbed my hand and didn't let go!

So weird transfers are already here! and even weirder...I'm almost out
of time today! So I'm sorry I cant write a good letter this week but wanted
to send some pics.
We went to war museum and temple day this last week super fun and some
of our english class members took us on a picnic saturday on a little
island of the big kang river. So pretty so enjoy some pics. and sorry
i cant write much. but all is well and son jiyeoun came to church
again! hooray!
Love you!!!
Sister Richardson

Monday, July 23, 2012

July 16, 2012



wow its too fun to just write back and forth but then the time is
almost up and i cant tell you about our week. but ill try really fast!
This week was AMAZING!!!!!
We’ve been meeting this cute little girl ( ok she’s 42 but doesn’t act
like it) she’s soooo funny...maybe I told you about her I don’t know,
but she is the artist, and has been really fun meeting with her and she
seemed to be progressing, well this week she just took off!!! She came
to our Family Home Evening activity Monday , we did Olympics ( thanks for 22 years of
Easter Olympic experience :) and it was a miracle in it self she came
cause she said no but her husband went to dinner with friends so she
decided to come! and she loved it! she was so impressed with all the
members and the fact that it was all ages and families together and she
just loved it...and then they had really good food after and she still
talks about it today haha...so then we met with her on Tuesday and she
took us to lunch and ice cream and THEN we invited her to a Relief
Society activity and again at first she said no but then we told her
that same yummy food making sisters were making food again haha so she
came! and again LOVED IT! I was worried cause they had like an hour
discussion/lesson thing but she loved that too! and we played fun
games and had amazing foood, and while we were eating she started
telling all the sisters how she met us and how she used to hate
churches but now she’s learning about our church and its not just to
learn English anymore and how she’s so impressed with us and what we do
and  on and on it was amazing....and she still wanted to meet AGAIN
that same day to do our English and lesson. So when we got there she
kinda skipped right over English and we taught plan of salvation and
asked her to be baptized.... she said at first it sounded scary haha
and then she said she wants her husband to do too. Anyway we kinda
left a little discouraged cause we thought she was for sure ready...but
then the next day she called us and wanted us to meet her sister...so
went and met with them and je-yun (artist) just started telling her
sister everything about our church! and like oh they do this...and its
so cool and they don’t do this...and its so coool...then taught her the
plan of salvation! haha we were just sitting back in amazement! Super
long story short...she also came to English class and CHURCH! She sang
with the RF in sacrament meeting and all! AH! she’s amazing. and we are
meeting with her for lunch today too! I’ll have to go more into details
maybe in real letter....but Sister Rovelsky and I were so excited this
week...like maybe we found our reason for being in Mokdong :)
don’t have much time to tell anything about our week but it was busy
and way good!
I love you so much! Have a wonderful week! Next week is already
transfer calls! WHAT?!?! so crazy fast its unreal.
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!