The Brooksby and Won Show!

Sister Brooksby here, reporting from Cheonan! 

My new companion is Sister Gretchen Terry from LAS VEGAS Nevada! It's way fun when we introduce ourselves, because the Koreans here think Sister Terry's dad is a card dealer, that her family lives in a casino, and she sleeps there too. Hahah! I was actually surprised that most Koreans know where Las Vegas is-even though it's not in there country. 

Anyhow, she's laid-back and SuPeR fun to work with! I think it's because you can really tell she loves missionary work-She loves Jundoing to people-talking to them on the streets! She really is a natural. :) And because this is her last transfer in the mission, she'll die and I will introduce this area to my next companion. I'm not sure if you remember, but I'm awful with directions and finding places without MapQuest or GPS- Hahahah Pray for me! ;)

Cheonan is a fantastic area! We have one ward and one branch (in OhnNyang) and we share them with Elders in this area :) It's fun! 

The ward members here are so FUN! (Especially the Bishop here-he's hillarious.... ;) The missionaries that have served here have told me stories about how when the missionaries eat with his family, he always takes a picture of them at the end, and at some point (after a few normal pictures) he starts grabbing random stuffed animals or blocks or heavy things (for the elders) to hold and pose with!!! I've never laughed so hard when he told us his and his wife's love story! You can tell he's told it a few times, but it had to have been especially funny this time because Sister Terry was translating for Elder Zaleski...have you heard about her translating abilities? They are not only for the words, but what the story-teller is saying in his head too. She translates thoughts. Some thoughts they maybe haven't thought yet... I don't think I've ever seen Elder Goo laugh that hard since I've come out-he was red in the face and could barely breathe :):):)

 AND I LOVE OUR ONYANG BRANCH! They are JUST like a big family-not quiet but totally fun people! I'm so excited to work with them :):):) Our JibooHwaiJangNim (Branch President) loves his branch too. Awesome Spirit in that building. Wonderful people-I feel so loved.

And we got to set an appointment with a woman who's come to English class maybe once or twice before. It was during English class. We were talking about weather and our favorite kinds. Elder Zaleski said he really likes Stormy Weather. That led xxx to start talking about this world and how sometimes is hard to feel happiness, even though there are good influences and bad influences. We asked if we could talk to her after and we found out that she really wants to be closer to God. We we so excited, we set up a time to meet. And, since one of our ward member's daughter was getting baptized that night, we invited her to stay and see. She said she couldn't make it but that, as her faith grows, she wanted to be baptized in our church. I was blown away. 

So we meet with her next Wednesday to talk with her and help her get closer to God. Whoo hooooo!!!! MIRACLES HAPPEN!!!! 

Hahah, okay, so since I've managed to go from the very bottom and warmest part of our mission for Sisters (where it's still fall), to the second to the top in the mission, it's gotten a little chillier. We have to bundle up a TON! Hahah Mom THANK YOU FOR THE SCARVES! I'm wearing two, (along with two pairs of socks) going to buy warm stockings today, and I'm loving these boots! I'm even thinking about earmuffs. They're super adorable here :D

OH! and I ended up giving away my gloves to a woman that had none. (She was visibly shaking!) Sister Terry had a second pair. It was a neat experience. :)

So every Thursday we get to meet with our OhNyang Branch Mission Leader, a man in his 80s who just loves the missionaries. It was the day we traveled to Cheonan that I got to meet him, and we had such a fun time getting to know him and showing him my pictures of you, family! Both Sister Terry and Brother WonBae were impressed with how well I could communicate after having been in the country only 3 months. I honestly didn't think I could speak as much Korean as I was able to until I transferred up here. And I understand more too! After talking with Sister Terry, I think it's because in the southern part of Korea, the people have a heavy Saltari, or accent. That particular accent is very difficult to understand. So when I moved up north, also because I'm in a much larger city and lots of people from every where in Korea come to work and live, I could understand more! It's an incredible feeling. I know that because of the 2 years of listening to Korean Music and watching the movies and dramas, I was able to get a head start on recognizing the speech, but more than all that, Heavenly Father has really given me the gift of tongues.

OH! One funny experience I want to share: My first night here, Sister Terry and I went Jundoing. We talked with everyone we could, one of whom was an older woman (harmonie or 'grandmother') who was walking alone. We asked her about her religion, and she said she was Christian. We responded happily and said we were too, then she looked at our name tags and saw that we were missionaries. Oh! She said. I wasn't sure if it was a positive reaction or not...but she started reaching into her purse for something. Suddenly 3 dollars flashed into view and then into my unexpecting hands. Immediately both of us started to refuse, trying to give the money back. "We are serving missionaries," my companion said. "We can't accept your money." But she didn't hear it. She said to take the money and buy something warm. Then, I didnt realize why at the time, she quickly took off running down the street. I yelled a goodbye greeting, defeated. She had completed her good deed for the day. The three dollars remained with us.

We're planning to give it to someone who really needs it or give it back if we run into her again. Hahahah!

In PMG there's a quote I read this morning. "Leave your area a better place than when you came." When I read that, first I thought about Suncheon, then I thought about Dad. Thank you Dad, for always teaching me to leave things better than when I came :)

Suncheon was a slow area when I first came. When I left, we'd met xxx and seen her baptized, (still no confirmation, but I know she will receive it someday!!) began meeting with one of our youth's non-member mother who's never agreed to meet with the missionaries before, met xxx and her wonderful family, seen many miracles, and Suncheon will progress even further, I just know it! It wasn't anything I did-we just worked and did what we could, but God saw fit to bless us beyond what we thought.

And now here we are in another part of the Lord's field. We set our Transfer Goals on Friday with the faith that we can see 2 baptisms. It's all in His hands. We just go and do!

With love from Cheonan!

Sister Brooksby