How could I ever marry someone that doesn't have that power and authority?!

Wow it's so weird to think my brother is home now! And soon that will be me. I'm slightly freaking out. Okay actually freaking out a lot. My breathing problem actually started up again because of all the stress... haha but it's okay because our bishop is an oriental doctor and did some acupuncture stuff and made my body all leveled out again! It's actually super relaxing.

This week was a crazy one. One of my companions was sleep walking, but she had a dream she was drowning and couldn't scream out for help. My other companion and I woke up and thought she was either having a heart attack or was being possessed haha it was super freaky. But the next day she got a priesthood blessing and everything was so much better. We had to do the blessing outside of our apartment door because the elders can't come in our house. 

Right next to our apartment there is a subway/train station and so it's always super loud and there's construction going on around the apartment too, but when the elder started the blessing, all the noise seemed to drown out and the spirit was so powerful. 

My companion felt comfort and so did I. It's such a testimony builder to experience that. How could I ever marry someone that doesn't have that power and authority?!

Anyway, this week a bunch of random things went on. Emotions were flying all over the place, but I learned a lot. This past transfer I have been feeling really weird. Probably because I knew that this amazing experience is coming to a close. But this week I was able to go to the temple and really reflect on my mission. 

I got guidance on how I needed to end my mission these last few weeks. I really just want to do my best and really see miracles work through me. I know that if I do my part, the Lord will do the rest. I'm very lucky to  get to go to the temple one last time right before I leave Korea. 

Get some more inspiration and guidance before I get back into real life.

Above. I'm from UTHA.

I just really like this picture of my brother.

It's super awesome to be here helping her strengthen her faith and see this huge progression(:

So I don't know if any of you remember, or if any of you actually read my emails... But when I was in Gok ban jeong, we had this one investigator that was progressing super well! We met her because her sister referred her to us! Anyway, she was a miracle investigator and she gave herself commitments and came to church every week, but now she's been busy with her kid's school, family and other stuff so she hasn't progressed a lot. BUT in the area I'm at now, is where her sister lives! She's a member and somewhat less active, but I went to visit her the other day and they are like identical twins! It made me really miss that investigator, but I'm just really excited to work with this member as well! It's a cool little circle!

We have a recent convert in our ward that we've been working with too! She met the missionaries at temple square! She went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead for the first time this week and we're helping her prepare to get her patriarchal blessing! It's super awesome to be here helping her strengthen her faith and see this huge progression(:

Then at zone conference we have this thing where the missionaries who are dying (ending their mission) have to bear their last testimony in front of the zone. My entire mission I have been dreading this day. I remember when I first got to country, I watched an older missionary give their "last talk" and I remember thinking to myself, "I'm really glad I don't have to do this for a loooooong time." One, because I hate speaking with a passion. And two, because I would have NO idea what to share with these other missionaries. 

So when I was told I was gonna have to do my last talk, I had no idea what to say. So many things had happened on my mission, but nothing was coming to mind. I narrowed it down to how much I have learned and changed on my mission. For the better of course! But I truly have grown in so many ways. Ways I didn't even know I could grow! So because I had moved to a new zone for my last transfer, I basically had to introduce myself and then give my last talk. It was literally like, "hi, but bye!" Anyway, it just makes me so excited to give my homecoming talk... not.

This Sunday we had the Korean Seventy come to our ward. 최윤환 장로님. He's like a celebrity in the church all throughout Korea. Anyway, the ward I'm serving in used to be his homeward so he came and spoke and gave lots of amazing wisdom. The ward clerk made me coordinate a musical number for this special visit so the Elders of Geum chun 1 and 2 ward sang with Sister Matamata and I. 8 guys and 2 girls. They totally drowned out our voices, but the musical number was beautiful!

I found a Korean version of "brightly beams" and had my other comp, Sister Bae play the violin. Korea doesn't have a lot of the hymns we have in English, so it was quite the treat!

Anyway, I'm currently sweating up a storm here. It's been ridiculously hot. There's no point in even showering anymore because I just get soaked by the end of the day with sweat. YUM. And it's also typhoon season so it's been raining nonstop. But that makes it worse because then I can't tell if I'm wet from sweat or the rain.. Korea problems.. haha

Have a great week!

Sister April Johnson

In her prayer she said something like, I'm meeting with the missionaries and they say they are teaching the truth. I feel like they are right."

Nothing too special happened this week! My Korean comp, Sister Bae hurt her knee a few months ago and it was settled that she rest for two weeks at our apartment. So when we have appointments with investigators, ward members will come to our house and stay with Sister Bae as her companion while Sister Matamata and I go and teach! It's a lucky thing we're in a threesome or else I don't know how teaching investigators would have worked out! 

It's definitely a little stressful trying to plan around our companion with the hurt leg, but we're working through it! Being in a threesome is still super fun though and I don't think I've laughed so much in my life! Having three countries combined together was the best idea ever!

So one of the appointments that we did have this week was our cute high school girl! Our mission has been really focusing to work with the younger generation: students. We found her on the street and she is absolutely GOLDEN. Sister Matamata and I really connected with her and taught her the Restoration and also invited her to be baptized as she comes to know these things to be true. 

She didn't know what baptism was (she doesn't have a Christian background) so we quickly taught her about baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost! She said she would think about baptism, but that's okay because we just barely taught her what it was! But with all the questions we asked her, she answered so correctly! 

She said the Restoration seems to sound like it's all in order and that it makes sense. She understood everything so clearly even with our very insufficient Korean! haha She also said the closing prayer to the lesson and in her prayer she said something like, "I'm meeting with the missionaries and they say they are teaching the truth. I feel like they are right." The spirit was so strong and Sister Matamata and I ran home to tell Sister Bae everything that happened! We have a prepared young women here(:

This week I was told I looked like I was in middle school. I also discovered that German isn't that hard. And I think I've probably sweated the amount of a swimming pool. The humidity here is insane!!! I don't think my hair has been normal once.

Hope everyone's 4th of July was great!

Sister April Johnson

We're a three nation companionship and we might be having too much fun.. They are really hard workers and amazing missionaries!

Saying goodbye to Gang nam was really sad, but it happens! We handed off our investigators really well to the Elders and I pray that they'll take good care of them. I know they will(: Coming to my new area has been great! The area is still Seoul, but an older city. Definitely different from Gangnam that's for sure! The area is great and we have quite a few investigators! I came into a hopping area. My companions are awesome. Sister Matamata and 배준심 (Baejunshim)! 

They are hoots from New Zealand and Korea! We're a three nation companionship and we might be having too much fun.. They are really hard workers and amazing missionaries! I'm glad I can end my mission with them. We call ourselves the Powerpuff Girls. I don't really know why though..

In my new ward, we have English, Chinese and German classes that are offered for free! One of the Elders in my district is German. And let me tell you. Those languages are so hard! I thought Korean was hard, but when I tried learning Chinese and German, I realized that Korean isn't so bad.. I should be happy I'm learning Korean! hahaha my Korean comp even said that English is so easy now compared to those other languages.

I guess I'll let you in on a little secret.. I've never gone door to door proselyting on my mission! So this week I went with my companions for the first time! I like it! None of my other companions liked it so we always did different types of proselyting. We did a few floors of a big apartment when the guard came and kicked us out.. Sad.. All of those souls that could have been saved, but now cannot because of that guard..

We also met with this investigator that is a secret 전도사 (proselyter) we ended up dropping her because she would not stop talking about her church! Anyway, I was saying the closing prayer and she kept saying "amen" to every single sentence I said! At the end of the prayer, I couldn't help it but laugh so hard!

I couldn't hurt the investigators feelings so I tried to sublty turn my laughing into a coughing. Sly, right? After our investigator left, my companions and I laughed for a good half hour. I don't think I've ever laughed this hard in my life! My companions are great!

Lots of other things happened, but we're going to a bathhouse today so I gotta go! 

I like this area. I like this ward. I like my companions!

Have a great week!

Sister April Johnson