1O Days, and I'm in Korea

I GOT MY TRAVEL PLANS

Dearest Family, I love you all so much!!!!!

Thank you so much for the dear elders and emails. Last night I really needed the support and uplifting words. It means so much to me.  I am happy Anna got a job at Retro Bakery! How are all of you? I'm doing better this week and definitely don't want to die! I GOT MY TRAVEL PLANS!!!!!!! We leave the MTC at 2:30 AM and leave for Dallas at 6:00 AM. We arrive in Dallas at 9:40 AM TX time, and leave for Korea at 10:45AM! I was so happy last night that I definitely squealed for an hour straight. It is just so crazy to me that in 10 days I am going to be in Korea. 

This week has been full of great expereinces. We had the coolest mission conference on Sunday. Sunday was just a super great day in general. Subeen and Brother Wade spoke at the mission conference about baptism and Subeen's conversion story. President Nally arranged all of it and my district got to sit in the very front row, right where the cameras were. Hearing her talk was good, but afterwards is what was really wonderful to me. She told me that before our TRC lesson she didn't know why baptism was important or why she should even get baptized. She didn't really have the strongest desire to get baptized either. She told me that something that all of us said was exactly what she needed to hear and that afterwards she knew she wanted to get baptized. That was the neatest thing for me to hear. She said that the spirit was so strong and that even though we just said basic things and basic sentences the spirit testified to her of the importance of baptism. It helped me to have more confidence about teaching and that anything I say can plant seeds no matter how small. I've been thinking about that lately and Subeen really touched my heart. Sunday night, Jenny Oaks Baker gave our devotional. It was INCREDIBLE. The spirit was so strong as she played the hymns and as she bore testimony of our Savior through music. Especially powerful was when she played Beatiful Savior and I know that My Redeemer Lives.

On Monday we had a really good lesson about becoming and about what we want to become as a missionary. Becoming is not a one time thing but it is somthing that we strive towards every day. It is something that we strive towards daily. We become through our actions and through all we say, do, and are. It was a really spiritual expereince as I thought about what I want to become. We also had a wonderful lesson that was truly inspired. It was about being strong and about no matter what happens on our mission, we must be strong and of a good courage. Mom, thank you so much for sharing that scripture with me. That is two scriptures now that you have shared that I have really thought about and have studied. I know that you and Dad are inspired in what you say to me. Thank you so much! Tuesday morning I woke up feeling sad. I felt that there was this huge dark cloud around me and I just couldn't shake it. During my personal study time I studied about being strong. I love how in Joshua 1:9 is says "be not afraid, neither be thou idsmayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Basically that is one of the best scriptures ever. My teacher told a story about how when knocking on doors on their second transfer, a man opened up the door and threw them against the wall, said some terrible things about them and then told them never to come back. The next day they did not want to go out since they were so discouraged and they were physically hurt too. But then after studying about being strong they went out and a man came up to them with so much excitement wanting to know about the church. Sometimes Satan throws us against walls of despair, doubt, discouragement, and depression, but through faith and trusting in God, and through being strong and having good courage, God will help us overcome. I know that I talk about that a lot, but it is something that has really helped me while I have been here.

Thursday morning I did not want to wake up. I was so tired! I had a dream where my alarm clock was going off but I couldn't figure out how to stop it and then right as I was about to say something in my dream, I woke myself up yelling "Juke go sheep oh?!" the lowest form of "do you want to die?"  in Korean. I am glad that the first thing to come to my mind was in Korean. Anna told me about "Satan's bugs" in Mt. Charleston. I am pretty sure they migrated to the MTC because our residence building has huge bugs everywhere. A giant bug in the shower is definitely not the first thing you want to wake up to. Also, a sister in my zone has a Duck Dynasty shirt and she wore it at gym time. I died. I saw her shirt and squealed so loudly I am pretty sure she thinks I am crazy. It had a whole bunch of quotes on the back and I was so tempted to take a picture of it, but then I didn't. It was pretty much the best thing ever.

Anyways, I love you all so much! Thank you for your love and support. I can't wait to call you next Monday! Have a wonderful week and I am praying for you all.

Love,

Sister Goodnough.

P.S. Please thank Sister Mecham, Amanda, Christian, and Grandma Julie for their letters. Also, please thank Grandma and Grandpa for the doughnuts and lemon turnover, and Sister Melaerts for the munchie package. Thanks!