Hey Ya'll!!
It is BEAUTIFUL spring here in Korea! The trees are full of WHITE and PURPLE and PINK blossoms! I LOVE IT! Reminds me a bit of the beauty of winter, with all the trees covered in magical white, but without all of the COLD! (Thank goodness!)
Meanwhile Sister 유아영s and I are just trucking along in the ways of missionary work. We were both got a bit sick last week but nothing can bring us down. Through working with her I am reminded a bit of my greenie days! It's crazy it's just about a year ago that I came to the the beautiful land of Korea... boy I hardly knew anything about missionary work at that time. Or Korean language. hahaha. It's a bit laughable, but in all my reflecting I realize just how loving and merciful the Lord has been to me! I think back to that time and realize that through so many various experiences and opportunities that I've grown quite a bit. God is good!
This last week we gathered together as a zone for Zone Conference! It was awesome... I took a ton of notes, but my favorite part was our "Book of Mormon Feast", where all of the missionaries went around and shared for a few minutes something special they've learned from the Book of Mormon in the last few months as we've read it again as a mission. It was a special time! And I realized (again) just how perfect that book is... not a single person shared the same thought! I truly know that as we study the word of God, we find messages that are meant specific to us and our situation. I have found my own personal answers countless times... it truly is a means for personal revelation from God.
When asked what the greatest miracle she's seen so far during her time in Korea, my companion responded that her legs aren't nearly as sore from all the walking that she had anticipated! hahaha. It's so true though... She prays everyday for our bodies to be able to handle the stress and the work that we have to do. Prayers really do work!
Which leads me into something that has continued to impress upon me this last week. I think it's a bit similar to what I shared last week... but I was reading sometime ago in 1 Peter in the Bible and stumbled upon this beauty of a verse: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." After reading that verse, I realized that part of our purpose on this earth is not just to live by faith, which can help us in inevitable hard times, but that our purpose is to have our faith be TRIED. The hard times are a part of our purpose here, and THEY are PRECIOUS. It pretty much blew my mind...
Then this last week I was reading in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, where the story talks about Alma and the righteous people who were baptized. Some time after they lived in peace, they were found and enslaved by the Lamanites. Why would the Lord let this happen to people who were good and honestly striving to lived according to His word? "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith." (Mosiah 23:21) It's because the trial of our faith is precious...
But the Lord doesn't just give us these trials without giving us a way to overcome them. Later in we learn that that the Lord provides a way.(Mosiah 24:13-14) He makes our burdens light! Sometimes it's by removing the burden... but sometimes it's by STRENGTHENING us! I know this to be true. The Lord loves us dearly and it is through Him that we are strengthened!
Have a wonderful week!
--
Sister Marissa Hatch
해치 자매
It is BEAUTIFUL spring here in Korea! The trees are full of WHITE and PURPLE and PINK blossoms! I LOVE IT! Reminds me a bit of the beauty of winter, with all the trees covered in magical white, but without all of the COLD! (Thank goodness!)
Meanwhile Sister 유아영s and I are just trucking along in the ways of missionary work. We were both got a bit sick last week but nothing can bring us down. Through working with her I am reminded a bit of my greenie days! It's crazy it's just about a year ago that I came to the the beautiful land of Korea... boy I hardly knew anything about missionary work at that time. Or Korean language. hahaha. It's a bit laughable, but in all my reflecting I realize just how loving and merciful the Lord has been to me! I think back to that time and realize that through so many various experiences and opportunities that I've grown quite a bit. God is good!
This last week we gathered together as a zone for Zone Conference! It was awesome... I took a ton of notes, but my favorite part was our "Book of Mormon Feast", where all of the missionaries went around and shared for a few minutes something special they've learned from the Book of Mormon in the last few months as we've read it again as a mission. It was a special time! And I realized (again) just how perfect that book is... not a single person shared the same thought! I truly know that as we study the word of God, we find messages that are meant specific to us and our situation. I have found my own personal answers countless times... it truly is a means for personal revelation from God.
When asked what the greatest miracle she's seen so far during her time in Korea, my companion responded that her legs aren't nearly as sore from all the walking that she had anticipated! hahaha. It's so true though... She prays everyday for our bodies to be able to handle the stress and the work that we have to do. Prayers really do work!
Which leads me into something that has continued to impress upon me this last week. I think it's a bit similar to what I shared last week... but I was reading sometime ago in 1 Peter in the Bible and stumbled upon this beauty of a verse: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." After reading that verse, I realized that part of our purpose on this earth is not just to live by faith, which can help us in inevitable hard times, but that our purpose is to have our faith be TRIED. The hard times are a part of our purpose here, and THEY are PRECIOUS. It pretty much blew my mind...
Then this last week I was reading in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, where the story talks about Alma and the righteous people who were baptized. Some time after they lived in peace, they were found and enslaved by the Lamanites. Why would the Lord let this happen to people who were good and honestly striving to lived according to His word? "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith." (Mosiah 23:21) It's because the trial of our faith is precious...
But the Lord doesn't just give us these trials without giving us a way to overcome them. Later in we learn that that the Lord provides a way.(Mosiah 24:13-14) He makes our burdens light! Sometimes it's by removing the burden... but sometimes it's by STRENGTHENING us! I know this to be true. The Lord loves us dearly and it is through Him that we are strengthened!
Have a wonderful week!
--
Sister Marissa Hatch
해치 자매