Hi, Family!!‏

Dear fam,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!! I can't believe it's already come up!! Definitely crazy. One year younger and wiser too... ;) 

Today our pday is short because we're meeting Song Seongsuk so we only have 1/2 of our email time! So I'm sorry... I know I say this every week... but this might be a short email!

This last week I went to Gangneung to exchange with Sis. Xxx. She's a really good missionary! Lately.... missionary work has been hard for her and she's been having thoughts of ending her mission... but the exchange was so good. We were able to work really hard and talk with lot of people and have so much fun. She says she feels a new spark for missionary work and has found new motivation! Yes! She's determined and will do great things! :)

Right after, we met the Donghae sisters at the Gangneung bus terminal and then I went to Wonju to exchange with Sis. Bell. She's darling! Such a hard worker. Ok, here's the craziest thing.

All of the buses to different areas leave at exactly the right minute. Literally the clock hits 3 or whatever time the bus is supposed to depart at and the bus starts moving. Well, we got to the bus terminal 2 minutes after a bus was supposed to leave so we were sure Sis. Bell and I had missed it and would have to wait for the next bus. BUT NO! the bus hadn't departed yet and we were able to get on it! It left 4 minutes after the initial departure time. I have never seen that before. So then we took the hour and half ride bus to Wonju..... (I promise there's a point to all of this^^)

We got off the bus and I decided to take a different way home than normal. We were walking home and I was talking to a lady as we were walking (just met her on the street). All of a sudden I heard Sis. Bell talking to someone so I turn around to see this massive white man behind us! I was so shocked!!! I finished the conversation with the woman and then joined their conversation. His name is Joseph Schlosser and he's one of 3 foreigners stationed in Wonju with the American army. He's been here for 1 year and had no idea there was an LDS church here! (He's a member) He was so excited to meet us. He's 32 and from Idaho and has a wife and 3 kids in America. His social security number is -  haha no I'm kidding. 

We took him to the church and showed him around and the elders came and met him (not that I didn't trust him........ but...). 

So here's his side. He never leaves his apartment because he doesn't want to spend money but he was skyping with his wife and she said he had to get out and do something. So he reluctantly went to a Pizza Hut (yes, there's one here), and was eating there. He had eaten half of his pizza and was just sitting there because he was full and was thinking how he wished there was someone he could give his pizza to that would understand him. Right then he looked out the window  (he was on the second floor), and saw us and knew that we were sister missionaries! He said he got out of there as fast as he could to try to find us and talk to us. He was so excited! It's been about 18 months since he's been to church because he was just stationed in Iraq. 

The next day (Saturday) All the missionaries in our two zones went to Gangneung for a fireside where this musical family was touring around. They were so musically talented! The wife played piano, the 3 daughters played the violin, and the husband sang opera. Very cool! Joseph came to it and was soo excited. He didn't even know what Gangneung was.. Doesn't get out much :/ Then he was able to come to church on Sunday. He's a very nice guy! 

The point is.. if that bus hadn't left 4 minutes late, he would have never seen us! Yep, so many things led up to him being able to see missionaries. 

Ok! I'm out of time! 

Love you so much!!

Sis. Evans

Crazy week!‏

Dear family,

Wow, I don't think you'll be able to believe everything that happened this week. I wish I had time to include all of the super cool spiritual experiences that we had but there might not be time today.

I'm going to skip to Thursday. Well, wait. So, last Sunday we found out that one sister in our zone that was in 속초Sokcho was going home because of knee problems :/ Oh, so so sad. We were heartbroken for her! So our whole week changed with exchanges and where we were going to be. Our exchange with Gangneung was pushed back a week and we had to change with Taebaek because Sis. Kim Hansorl had to go into a threesome with the sisters there since her companion went home. (So yes, 속초Sokcho closed again :/) Hope this makes sense...

So, Thursday my companion Sis Seo went to Taebaek for an exchange and Sis. Gwak came to Wonju with me. That night I got a terrible call... Sis. Seo got hit by a taxi in Taebaek. Yep, you can imagine my shock and horror. 

She was walking across a crosswalk (there was no light), and the taxi turned the corned and hit her. Luckily, slowly. Nevertheless an ambulance came and took her away. Went to the hospital and took X-rays and other exams.

Here's the amazing thing... SHE'S OK!!! She's in almost no pain now and it's only been a few days! Nothing was broken! Friday she went to the police station and actually the taxi that hit her had a black box and the whole thing was recorded. The police officers had seen it and were shocked when they saw her walking in. They all asked her, "How are you walking?? Are you ok??" because the video was so bad. 

She watched it and said it was terrifying- She was shocked at how bad it looked! Saturday I went to Taebaek and took her back to Wonju. Is that just the craziest thing you've ever heard? But not even kidding.... she's in almost no pain now! It hit her back and waist but the only place she's hurting a little is in her neck. Just such an incredible miracle!!!! We can't believe it.

So that was the craziness! Along with a sister going home and now having 3 people in Taebaek. 

Oh ya... So there's some problems in the church....

Here's the good thing, first. We met Song Seongsuke a few times last week and she came to church yesterday! She is amazing!!! She says she wants to be baptized, she's just getting some things in order first. Because she understands how important baptism is she wants to make sure she's rid of past things before she makes this covenant with God. We love her so much!!! We always have so much fun teaching and talking with her.

Back to church... So there was another little explosion at church yesterday. Luckily the 3 investigators there didn't see it (we were all in a different class upstairs). It's been one particular woman... Funny thing is she LOVES the missionaries. She was baptized about a year and 4 months ago and thinks missionaries are angels... (not true, in case you're wondering ;) ) We love her, but she has a huge anger management problem (like a serious one), and has explosions. 

We (my companion and I) meet with her a lot to try and help her because the only people she doesn't get mad at are missionaries. So that's that! Besides that, everything else is fine :) The members invite us over for dinner all the time. Too much.... No I'm kidding :)

Ok, times up!

That was my crazy week! I hope you have a good week and always remember the goodness of God in all of our many blessings!

Love,

Sis. Gentry Evans

So much to say!‏

Dear Family,

I'm so sorry.... Because there's so much to say I feel like I won't be able to say any of it!

So this will be a really quick run-through....

Last Monday night my comp and I went to Seoul and stayed the night with the 4 zone leaders at the president's house. It was nice to talk to Sis. Sonksen a little more to get to know her.

Tuesday was AMAZING!! We had MLC (missionary leadership council), with the zone leaders and STLs. Everyone is just a spiritual powerhouse... I'm so grateful for how much I am continually learning on my mission. The thing is I'm just shown over and over how much I lack! Just how inadequate I am and how much I must rely on the Lord and the Spirit for help. So many things I feel like I should already know and have resolved to do I'm just doing now. But it's ok! The beautiful thing is our ability to progress :)

Anyways, this months focus is The Doctrine of Christ: The Missionary Purpose. (with an emphasis on baptismal dates) Such a great focus! After MLC Sis. Seo and I went to 동해 Donghae and spent the night and then Wednesday we did the zone training in that zone. I think it went well! We just meet with the zone leaders that morning to prepare for the training so there's not a ton of prep time but enough to know what we want to talk about and then just let spirit guide. (I'm kind of bad at that part, though, so it would be good for me to have some more prep time^^)

Afterwards, Sis Seo and I went to Gangneung and spent the night so Thursday we could do the zone training for that zone. I think it went well! Both zone leaders are such a hard workers so we were blessed to do the trainings with them. There's so many incredible quotes and stuff that we used I wish you could see!! I'll just show them to you later^^ 

Right after I went back to Donghae to do an exchange with Sis. Murdock while her companion went to Wonju. Sis. Murdock is awesome! They're such hard workers. We saw so many miracles on the exchange! It was amazing. 

This past week was so so good, but honestly Friday night when I got back to Wonju it was kind of a like finally being able to take a deep breathe after the week. I was able to learn so much, but it was kind of a lot of things in a row!

So sorry but I have to go! Thanks for everything you do! You're the best and don't forget it^^

Love,

SIs. Evans

Happy 4th of July!!!‏

Dear Family,

Hello hello! Sooo I'm just going to jump right into it!

Last Wednesday we got up early and exchanged with the 강릉 Gangneung sisters so Sis. Lautaha came to Wonju with me! So fun. We street boarded for a couple hours and then met 송성숙 Song Seong Suk. She is just amazing. I can't express it anymore! Just the best. Teaching her is one of my most favorite things. Then we met 안은순 Ahn ehn sun(e) who was baptized in October but doesn't come to church. We meet with her a lot. She's so, so kind, but honestly a tiny bit strange. In a funny way! Not a bad way. She's great! We always meet her in her "secret garden" haha. Anyways, unfortunately the exchange wasn't too long because the next morning we got up early and went to 강릉 and then met the 속초 Sokcho sisters and started an exchange with them. That's right..... 속초 opened back up this transfer!!! I'm so happy! Sis. XX came to Wonju with me. Sis. XX is in her 3rd transfer! So.... here's the thing... Right now the Sokcho sisters are having a really hard time.... You know, sometimes people just don't get along well. It's always so hard to see other people when they're struggling. I just wish I could help in any way possible! The two sisters are really awesome, just have different personalities. It's hard now... but I know at the end the two will be able to look back and see how much they learned and were able to grow. God never gives us challenges we can't  handle, only ones we can grow from :) 

So that was a really good exchange! I was able to learn so much. That next day (Friday), we met the Sonken's. We had a combined conference with all of the "강원도" Gangwondo missionaries who are out in the country. They're great! We were able to feel their love and their excitement to be in Korea serving missions. Here's the thing.... we're all so excited for them but we just love the Christensen's so so much. They are two of the most incredible people on this earth. So the Sonken's were showing us pictures so we could get to know them and we were just exciting and oohing and ahhing but then they showed a picture of the Christensen's when they left their house.. The entire mood just shifted in that instant when we saw that picture. Every missionary in that room started crying. I'm not kidding, everyone. I felt bad, I don't think anyone wanted to in front of the new mission president and his wife but.... I can't express the love we feel for the Christensen's. It was a very sad moment. Anyways! We are very excited for the new presidents. They will be great!!! Tonight Sis. Seo and I go to Seoul for MLC tomorrow so we will sleep at their house tonight. I'll do some more investigating ;) Haha, just kidding :)

Then Friday! 4th of July! We visited someone that was in the hospital with the elders (Houston and Ashbye) so they could give him a blessing. (He was in a car accident on his motorbike :/) Then we had some appointments that... didn't go through and then English class! Afterwards we ate with 채주민 Chayjumin who's a less-active and her friend who comes to English class. The friend teaches karate and is super awesome! She just graduated from BYU and is working in the RedCross. Unfortunately BYU didn't leave the best impression on her and she doesn't like the church very much.... But she loves missionaries! We've actually met with her a few times. We're working with her :) 

Yesterday, church was good! Actually there was a fight kind of so that wasn't good.... Just one member got upset. It was in front of a few people there for the first time so... ah we were freaking out. The thing is right after we met with Songseong Suke (who came to church!) She was so amazing about it! She said that people come to church to become better people, that we don't come perfect. Who is she?? So luckily everything was fine! 

We ate dinner with 박정순 Bakjeong sun(e) who... is someone that's had a lot of problems with this branch but! We've been meeting with her and she's starting to attend our branch (she usually goes to Seoul to go to church), and bore her testimony yesterday during sacrament! I wish i had time to tell you all of the miracles that happen here everyday and all the good that we're seeing but there just isn't time!

I love you all so much! Oh ya... I guess I should add that I do realize I've been on my mission over a year.... That's just weird. How is that possible?! But there actually isn't even time to think about it so it doesn't seem real! Just gotta keep working :)

Hope you had a good 4th of July! 

Love,

Sis. Evans