Week 36- Service and Love

Hello Dearest Family and Friends!

Sorry I wasn’t able to email yesterday. We had another 5k run with the whole mission! It was so fun! We even got shirts for it. I love it. Then we had a training meeting. We didn’t get home until around 540 and the elders had to use the church computer so we couldn’t email last night. They had less time today but we had some time to email. So, long story short, here i am.

Guess what we ate again last friday?????? Next week we will see who guesses right.

We went looking for an old investigators house, and guess what we found? A garden instead! The house is completely gone!

This last week we were super busy! We are trying to up our numbers and we have been doing everything that we can to find new investigators and talk to everyone on our phone, looking through old records, and getting everything all up-to-date. It has been crazy. We have called, and visited so many people. We have a lot of potential investigators and I am excited to start meeting with them.

After the 5k

Korea has huge bugs! This caterpillar was huge!!!!!!

We are also super busy this week because we are planning a big Halloween party for our branch. The branch is amazing and have really been helping us to get this party started and they are inviting friends and everyone to come. We want this party to not be just a branch party but a community party so it gives us, the missionaries in Miryang, a chance to meet new people and have them become investigators. We are excited. We are planning the haunted house and it is going to be really good! ahh! We are so excited and are really going to make it super scary. The theme is a Psycho Hospital. It is going to be the bomb! We are really pumped for this activity and we hope a lot of people come.

2 Big thoughts of the week.

First Thought: I was reading Jacob 5:71 this week. “And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard; with your might. For behold, this is the last time that i shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is night at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come”. I really like this scripture because it reminds me of what we are doing here on a mission but also as member missionaries. We are working with the Lord to improve his vineyard. We shall see the fruits of our labors as we work with him.

Second Thought: This was this morning. I was thinking about missionary companionships. I was observing  a lot of companionships and thinking about reasons why they work/don’t work. I decided that it was all based off of service. I wonder if in those companionships that don’t work whether they serve each other enough? I was thinking about all of my companions so far and why things all work out and it is because we all served each other. Service adds more love to the relationship which then in turns helps them cope with their differences. I was thinking about how the Savior loved all, even those who spit on him, mocked him, hated him, hurt him, and then killed him. If he could love those kind of people, we can love anyone and everyone. I also realized that if we recognize that all of us are children of God, we act kinder and love more. I have never not liked someone. For some reason I have been given the gift of being able to genuinely like everyone I meet and associate with. I am grateful that I have been blessed with this. I do not say this to boast but I am just saying it because I never really fully realized that I had this gift for a while. I just don’t know and can’t understand how someone could hate another person. Of course, there are circumstances but forgiveness is key. Like the Savior, he forgave all, despite what they did to him. I am grateful that the Savior can be such a great example to us of love, service, kindness, and forgiveness. My question for you all is: Do you serve the ones you associate with? If not, start doing so now. If yes, keep it up! I challenge you all to serve someone that is the most hardest to serve. I know you will be blessed for doing so!

Delicious Bingsoo. We are for sure eating this when we get to Korea! ^^

Another Picture. The only two companions I have left in the mission field. Of course my current companion and Sister Johnson. She leaves in December 😦

Also, every night before we say our companionship prayer and individual prayer we say 3 things that we are grateful the other person did that day. I really like it and I believe it has made our companionship a lot closer but also more affective. We trust each other and we are able to work well with each other. I have another challenge for you all. With the people you live with, I suggest one thing. That you tell them why you are grateful for them everyday. I know it will soften hearts and add more love to any relationship. Husband/Wife, Parents/Children, Friends/Friends. I am really grateful for this because it boosts my confidence and I am also wanting to serve my more and more each day because I know it will make her happy.

So, service, love and gratitude! You can do it!

I love you all tons!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Sister Orme

Week 35- Christ’s Atonement

Hello Dearest Family and Friends!

What a great week. Well, actually every week is a great week! I am a missionary and it is the greatest thing in the world!

It is getting colder and I don’t like it but I am super excited to wear scarves again! I love wearing scarves!

We were so busy this week. I love being busy! We are working hard and I love it. I love my companion. She is seriously the best. She is so kind, selfless, loving, funny, hard working, spiritual, serving, and everything else and more. She is amazing. I could not wish for a better trainee. I have been very blessed as a missionary because every single companion I have had, has been the greatest and the best!!!!! I am so blessed! So blessed.

Patbingsoo! Delicious!

 

My companion, Sister Kim!

We taught our family investigators this last friday. We taught them the atonement and I wanted to highlight some thoughts that I had about it. I studied it a lot this week because I really wanted this family to understand why it is so important that Christ died for us. For those who do not know what the atonement is will now know what it is and how you can apply it to your life. We thought of a really good way to explain the atoenment to people who don’t know what it is. So, here we go. Imagine you’re hand being completly dirty with mud, you can’t wipe it off, you can’t pick it off, or anything besides using this really special soap to wash it off. You can only use this soap because it will completely wipe the mud away. After you use this soap, your hand is clean and new. The atonement is the same way. Your hand is your life. The mud is your sins, worries, any sadness and injustices you have felt, anything that burdens you. The soap is Jesus Christ’s Atonement. His atonement is the only way that all things can be made right. You can feel clean and completly new, and fresh like your newly washed hand.

We then asked some questions. Why would someone die for you? What reasons would they have to do such a thing? If you died for someone, what would your reason be? The Savior died for us, why would he do that? Why would anyone do that kind of thing? Those children were amazing and knew exactly where we were getting to. The reason the Savior did it and why anyone would do a thing like that is because of one word: LOVE. The Savior loved us so much that he died for us, so we could have the opportunity to feel the cleansing power of his sacrifice. What an amazing thing that he did for us.

Many people think that the atonement is so complicated. But the reasons are so simple. It was all about love. Despite the reason being so simple, it is one of those most important gifts we have ever received. The power of the atonement is real and I know that as we use it, we can feel the heavy burden be lifted off of our shoulders. We can become clean and new.

I love this gospel and I am so happy that it is always a happy message. It brings hope and light to people’s lives.

And of course, as always, I love being a missionary!!!!

You are all the greatest! Thank you for all the love, support and prayers. It really means a lot to me.

Love you!!!!!! 사랑해요!!!

Love, Sister Orme

Week 33- Care for the Flock

Hello Hello Dearest Family and Friends!

I am so grateful for all the love and support you all show me. I love it and I love you all!

This week, of course, another fantastic week in the service of the Lord. We were super busy which is always a good thing. My korean is seriously improving so much. My companion and I are somehow able to communicate with each other and I think it is all because of the Lord. Sometimes it is hard because sometimes I won’t have a clue what she is saying but then she is happy and fine with breaking it down more simply or using a dictionary on our phone or testing it out in english. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t but it always ends up with laughter or talking about something else. ^^ I am grateful that we are able to communicate with each other and  that we both have one purpose and that is serving the Lord.

We have General Conference this weekend. I am excited to hear the inspirational words of our leaders.

I was thinking a lot this week about agency. But I was also thinking about how people use it for good and for bad. I was reading an article “Keeping the Faith in a world of Confusion” by Bishop Gerald Causse. It talks about how we need to continully seek the word, accept unanswered questions, seek the testimony of the spirit, follow and seek the words of apostles and prophets, and then lastly nourish your faith. We have several investigators who ask the really tough questions that are usually answered if they have enough faith to trust God that everything is alright and trust they are under his watchful care. Then they can believe and they will realize that those questions don’t matter. I love their questions because I am up for the challenge. Sometimes people don’t realize that it is them that have to find out their own questions by their own personal work. My companion and I can receive a lot of revelation for them but it is their choice to act upon what we say. We all do. We have to study, work and then get the answer after all we can do. He said “In our search for truth, we can be tempted to want to understand everything right away. However, the intelligence of God is so infinite that ‘it is impossible that man should find out all his ways’. We must accept living for a time without answers to all our questions”. I know that maybe right now all of our questions won’t be answered but as long as we nourish our faith and continually seek for truth and the guidance of the spirit, we will see what truly matters, the knowledge that the Lord has a plan for each one of us and that He wants the best for us. He knows what we need.

Look at what we ate this week! Spam! And it actually was amazing! This is my second time eating it. The first time was at Grandpa’s house but that was gross. This was suppperrr Good!

We did a service project picking dates on saturday. It was super fun! I am representing the Orme fam! And yes, it is a selfy. I admit to it. 😉

Another thing I found this week in a old ensign was a quote by President Thomas S. Monson: “Ours is the responsibility to care for the flock, for the precious sheep, these tender lambs, are everywhere to be found– at home in our families, in the homes of our extended families, and waiting for us in our Church callings. Jesus is our Exemplar. Said he, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep’ (John 10:14). We have a shepherding responsibility. May we each step up to serve.” I really like this quote because it again reminded me why missionary work and member missionary work is so important. We are helping gather the Lord’s flock, his sheep. Since I have been a missionary I sense the urgency of why it is so important to help out people to come back or join the fold. It seems like my only goal and drive is to help people realize that this gospel will bless their life more than they can imagine. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be apart of the Lord’s work. I know that he wants everyone back. We are here to help him and assist him in this great work. I am so happy to be here in Korea. I know this is where I am supposed to be. I am grateful for my past companions, and my current companion. I have learned and I am learning so much.

Keep working hard everyone! Remember the Lord is always on our side, and does He ever so desire that we wish to be on his side! I am happy to tell you that being on his side has never brought so much strength, happiness, joy, growth, and everything good and wonderful. He truly loves each and everyone of us. He wants all of us to come back to him.

I love you all! I love MISSIONARY WORK! and I Love the Lord!

Love, Sister Orme

Week 32- My trainee!

Hello Dearest Family and Friends!

Well, this week was fantastic! I have a cute little trainee under my wing. I am grateful and humbled by this opportunity that the Lord has given me. Her name is Sister Kim Da Jin. Yes, she is korean! My first korean companion and she is my trainee. We are basically the same person. 🙂 It is awesome. We both want to work hard, we are clean, and best of all we want to serve the Lord with all our hearts. She is good at English but not at the same time. One thing that I am extra grateful for is all of sudden this week, I can understand most of everything that people say! The week before I still could catch a few things here and there but not all. The Lord has seriously blessed me. I know that as I continue to be humble the Lord will help increase my understanding. So, despite my cute little companion not having perfect english we are able to communicate just perfectly fine! We laughed about that exact thing the other day. We were talking about how for some reason we have been able to almost completly be able to understand each other despite not being very fluent in both english and korean. She understands a lot but can’t speak super well. Oh I love it! My Korean is really progressing. Such a blessing. She works so hard and wants to be the best. I love it. She is just solid and is a really good teacher! We work so well with each other. Now, I am not afraid to talk to anyone! I know that if there is something important that I need to understand the Lord will help me. Missionaries: DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK! I used to be but as I have come to know more and more that as we speak we will be blessed!

My cute little trainee! ^^

 

My first two companions: Sister Benbrook and Sister Yokum. This was their last week.

This week was amazing. I kept being reminded that we need to be humble, meek and lowly of heart as we go about doing the work of the Lord. I know that I am trying but it is always a good reminder because we can’t be completely who Heavenly Father wants us to be if we are selfish, prideful and lack lowliness in our hearts. As we pray, read the scriptures, go to church, and do what Heavenly Father wants us to do we will be able to be humble, meek and lowly. I know what my purpose is and right now I am a missionary. I am helping others come unto Christ to feel the joy and healing power of the atonement by repenting, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and helping them endure to the end. One thing that I do know is that the Gospel heals wounds, and helps bring families together. It is all because of our Savior, Jesus Christ! I love him and know that he died for all of us that we may be able to be forgiven and live with our Heavenly Father again.

I love you all soooooooooooo much!

Love, Sister Orme

Week 31- Big Big News!

Hello Dearest Family and Friends-

Well, sorry I emailed late but we didn’t have time yesterday because we had alot of meetings for transfers. Sister Johnson and I got a call on thursday about the happenings for transfers. President Barrow called us. Sister Johnson is going to Tongyong, which is still in my zone! So super fun! I will still be able to see her. She only has two more transfers left! Wah! President Barrow also extended another calling to me. I am going to be a TRAINER!  He asked if I would accept it, of course I said yes, but in my mind I was saying “Wow! No! Not ready!”. I am deeply humbled and feel very privileged to accept this calling to train a brand new missionary. I am nervous because I am still really young in the mission and I don’t understand all of what people say still. Actually quite a good amount if they speak in a heavy accent. Which, because it is country, almost everyone does! So, I will be staying here in Miryang for at least two more transfers. Tomorrow we meet other new missionaries and thursday we find out who our new companion is. I feel very inadequate because I am still so young in the mission but I know that the Lord trusts me, otherwise he would not have called me to be a trainer. Anywho, we have been very busy cleaning and doing things for my trainee and getting Sister Johnson taken care of to move to Tongyong. I have decided that since the Lord trusts me, I don’t have to worry one bit. I decided I was not going to be scared and ever since I chose to not fear, I haven’t feared. The Lord is always ever mindful of us and knows who we are and what we are capable of. Even when we don’t think so. Trust in the Lord! He is always there for you! So, next week I will tell you this exciting news of what happens this week. My mind is still blown but I am slowly sinking everything in. ^^

I always say it, but I can never stop saying it. I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK! Miryang is booming with miracles and we have really good investigators who are willing and ready to listen, and follow the Lord. Of, course they have struggles but they are working on it. I feel like my new little, cute trainee will bring a lot of good things to Miryang. I know it! This last week we had 14 lessons and even 3 appointments were canceled! It is amazing what the Lord is helping us accomplish! I am constantly grateful for the Lord and how he helps us.

By the way, because there are so many Elders coming in, many people are white wash training! It is amazing. Sadly, 9 sisters left and there are only 6 coming in. I am excited for Sister Morrison to come in. I might not be able to train her group though, but maybe. Not sure. Maybe follow up train. We will see. 2 out of the 9 Sisters that left were my trainer and my follow up trainer, Sister Benbrook and Sister Yokum. 😦 I am very sad to see them go but now they are off to another mission. By the end of this year all of my companions will have left except for my trainee. It is sad. But all is good because I will get to see them again! ^^

Well, the Lord is the greatest and I love serving him. Have a great week this week and help hasten the Lord’s work by sharing the gospel to a friend! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Love, Sister Orme

Pictures (not attached)

1. Our awesome investigator! JonMinJeh. She met with the missionaries 4 years ago and she was an old record. We called her and just a month before she had come back from Seoul because she finished university. It was a blessing to find her. She is so ready and willing but needs to keep working on getting there. She is so close! ^^ I love her dearly and she has a great desire to change and grow.

2. Our District. All of the missionaries from Dogeh received a present from an investigator and it is a selfie extender pole thing. It is so fun! So that is why the photo is angled that way.

3. Elder Ralphs birthday. We surprised him with ice cream and then also planned a surprise party with the branch. They loved it and had never done one before. He loved it all!