July 19, 2015 - rainbows love unicorns and more unicorns.

I need someone to ship me off to an island in the middle of nowhere so I can get a new supersuit and fight a big metal ball so it can stretch out my hands and legs and crack my back. My back! But don't worry. It's just "mind over back pain", right Dad? Right. 

Aside from my back hurting and being totally wiped out, we're great! :) 

I don't have a lot of time, so this'll be a flash. We have seen so many little miracles this week with new investigators (Chinese and Malaysian!) one of which showed up to church on Sunday, member present lessons (total miracle- people here in Seoul are SO busy), three investigators accepting the baptismal commitment, referrals, and so many opportunities to teach. We are literally jumping from subway to bus to subway talking to everyone lucky enough to be taking public transportation that day! It's an absolute blast.

I received two pretty meaningful gifts this week too. Elizabeth, our 60 something investigator who loves to sew and has showed us how, gave me two handmade Korean dolls. Mom, you're gonna die. SO thoughtful of her. And then one of my former investigators, who didn't even know of my great fondness for sunflowers, gifted me a sunflower fan. Can you feel the love? 

Oh, I can feel it.

I also got told twice this week that I look like Kiera Knightly.

It's the corset isn't it?

... okay I'm not THAT scandalous. I have always wanted to wear one of those though. 

Talk about TMI.

Anyway.

I got to go on exchanges with Sister Collinwood this week exactly 18 months after we met that fateful day in the MTC! So fun huh? We had a pretty miraculous day too. One investigator said "I've felt many times as you were talking that this really is true". Hey guess what, you're right! We also taught the whole restoration lesson to a lady in the park and got two return appointments. Woo! I love Sister Collinwood. And I love bearing my testimony and teaching the gospel in Korean. Good news is I've got two more weeks to do it. Boo yah.

Sorry this letter is pretty lame. But then again so is the one Quinn sent. Oh wait. He didn't.

:)

Love you love you love you xoxoxoxox muuuuah love love hugs kisses hugs xoxoxxoxo more kugs more kisses love rainbows unicorns....

Have the best week, kids. 

Love,

Sister McCloskey

P.S. Half my pictures are of sunsets so, uh, sorry. But this is our view and we're going to that tower today! Woo!

... And here's a funny picture of our zone leaders. They're great. :)

July 12, 2015 - Starts with an "h" and kinda rhymes with "stupidity"

It's been a year and a half and there's been plenty of blood and tears... and now for the SWEAT.

Humidity.

Thanks to thirsty little Provo, that is a word that didn't mean much to me growing up.

Let's just say you'd best bring your oatmeal and bran cause I'm going to shrivel into a raisin the moment my feet hit that rocky Utah ground.

But before I do, I've still got plenty to do and plenty to be grateful for! I mean just look at that sunset! I have been saying gratitude prayers lately and just been overwhelmed at how blessed I have been. Remember how sleepovers at Grandma's house used to be more terrifying than that scene in War of the Worlds where all the people are trying to get in to their car? Well, it may sound silly, but I consider the fact that I've made it a year and a half without you guys a total miracle. 

And then there was the whole walking up to the podium to give talks in primary which felt something like what I imagine Frodo felt when he went to face Shelob in her den. ALL BY HIMSELF. And now I can do that. We had zone training this week and I, along with our zone leaders, gave a training to the zone. Not that we're challenging MLK Jr. or anything, but we did it.

And then there's the fact that, aside from a few little colds here and there, I have been quite healthy this whole mission (please take a moment and knock on some wood for me won't ya. I'll wait) 

You back? Cool. THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR.

This week we had Mission Leadership Council with the new president, which was great (except that we all got a good laugh as I stood up to report about our zone and completely forgot how to speak english), zone training, which went relatively bump free, exchanges with Sister Olsen, which was lovely, and we managed to pic up four new investigators! We even had time to help a little pregnant lady carry a watermelon and she ended up giving us her number. Woo!. Mina and Elizabeth and our Chinese investigators and Sister Kim are all doing great too. 

So uh, yeah. Keep yourselves hydrated and have the best week. (especially good old Jen Jen with her birthday!) 

Love you, as always.

Love, 

Sister McCloskey

P.S. Here's a sunset and our zone :)

July 5, 2015 - That'll beat fireworks anyday.

We're eating with all the Korean sisters (and me- practically one of them by now) going home today for pday so this'll be a short one. Short, but sweet.

Like Dad!

Heh.

Well I guess you could say this was perhaps the best fourth of July I may have ever spent. Which we all know is saying something. Just look at those pictures of Michelle and I decked out in RWB. Not sure there are two teenagers with more patriotic spirit than we had. 

I even had a white "U.S.A." swimsuit for goodness sake. I don't think George Washington ever owned one of those, now did he.

Anyway.

This year there was no dressing from head to toe in every red, white or blue piece of clothing or accessory we could find in the house, no sleeping out on the parade route, no cakes smothered in white frosting decorated to look like the American flag, no floats shaped like Winnie the Pooh, no belting the National Anthem at the top of our lungs, no spending time with the family... and not one single firework.

"Well gee Rach. Didn't you say it was the best one yet? Sounds pretty lame if you ask me."

I could almost hear Jessie's voice as I typed that.  

No decking out in all red, white, and blue, but I did (unintentionally) don a red skirt and white shirt.

No sleeping out on the parade route, but falling asleep beaming at the full moon outside after hanging up a long awaited phone call (and many a prayer) from our Mongolian investigator Mina saying she would be at the baptism.

No cakes smothered in frosting, but a whole lot of baking banana bread and cookies. Baking is not something they do in Korea (hardly anyone here even owns an oven) so that was an adventure with my two Korean companions. :)

No floats shaped like Winnie The Pooh, but I did manage to whip out and frame an oil pastel as a gift. 

No belting the National Anthem, but singing a choral version of "He Sent His Son" with the Elders.

No spending time with the family, but the ward members showed up to show their love and Mina was able to be there too (an answer to many a prayer). 

Nope, no fireworks. But yes, Sister Kim got baptized. :) 

And the Spirit at that baptismal service was just as strong as any boom of a firework I've felt. Everything went wonderfully (though it did take three dunks.. hah.) and she is just the best. We couldn't be happier for her or more excited to take on the whole enduring to the end thing together. 

We also got to meet our lovely new President and  Sister Sonksen in a mission conference on the 4th (they are wonderful), and continue meeting with Elizabeth (who reminds me so much of you mom) and our Chinese investigators. The three of us couldn't be happier (especially now that we have toilet paper). 

I wish you all the best of the best and love hearing all your summer adventures each week. I hope you can feel my love from these many miles away cause I know I can feel yours. 

Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuah!

Love,

Sister McCloskey

Sister Kim's baptism. (The guy on the left served with Josh Crowther in the Daejon mission. Cool huh?)

The beauties (Sister Ju and Sister Kim)

Here is just an idea of how much we laugh together.

June 21, 2015 - Take me out to the ballgame

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks... Cause I don't care if I ever go back. GUYS I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY.  

Really. Nine innings never was enough, was it?

This week was amazing. 

Tuesday: Temple day. Beautiful day. P-day. Art gallery hopping with the comps. Sister Kim. Accepted baptismal date. Couldn't be more excited.

Let's just say this fourth of July is gonna be the best one yet. :)

Wednesday: New investigator! Elizabeth (english name). Super nice. Really great lesson. EXCHANGES. Sister Wijetunge and I reunited. Never let go of each other's hands. Man on the train gave us a huge box of chicken. We gave him a Book of Mormon. Visit with Imma and all my favorite english class members.  So happy. 

Thursday: Paratas. Miracles. Lunch with Tanya (the Russian member). Visit Chad (the less-active) and Ji Hye and their newly born twin babies. Talked with the nicest people on the street, taxi and train. Book of Mormons. Return appointments. SRI LANKANS. The happiest visit in the countryside with our recent converts, Uditha and Sisera, and five other of the Sri Lankan investigators. Ice cream by the lake. Sri Lankan rice and curry with our fingers. So much food. So many laughs. A beautiful lesson about coming to Christ. The best part about it was getting to see Sisera and Uditha and the change that has occurred in them since that first time we met them on the street. That change... is a modern day miracle. A man on the way home who had met missionaries. Wants to meet them again but hasn't been able to find them since he got back to Seoul. Exchanged numbers. Miracle. 

Friday: Goodbye Conference for President and Sister Christensen. Bittersweet. Interview with President. Maybe a tear or two. Bittersweet. Weekly planning. Lesson. Exchanges with Sister Bryan!

Saturday: Thunder storm. Caught in the rain. Lesson with a Christian and her Buddhist son at a cafe. He asked so many questions. Answered them with the message of the restoration.  

"Do you believe man can find perfect happiness?" 

"Yes" 

"Well, how?"

Almost instinctively I opened to 2 Nephi 31:20-21, which I had shared just that morning with Sister Bryan. 

"This is how. Jesus Christ is the way." 

I don't know if he felt the Spirit as I bore my testimony, but I sure did. 

"Yeah, okay. So what do I do?" 

"Just keep reading" 

His eyes paused on 2 Nephi 32:3. 

"Oh." 

Long pause. 

"Can I have this book?"

"No. It's mine."

Hah. Just kidding. Yes, we gave it to him and planned to meet the next week. I love missionary work.  

Reunited with Sister Lee and Sister Ju. Finally home. Transfer calls. Stayin together. SO relieved. Can't wait for this next transfer. And couldn't be happier to be here one more. 

Sunday: Stake Conference. Sister Kim came to church with us, sang in the choir with us, and went to an adult meeting with President and Sister Christensen. She's awesome. We were exhausted. 

끝! 

LOVE you guys and I root root root for the home team everyday :)

Love,

Sister McCloskey

P.S. Here's two from P-day! The three some and an art gallery. :)

On exchanges with Sister Wijethunge- reunited.

 

 

My last photo with the lovely Sister Christensen

June 14, 2015 - No subject

Hey kids. You know when you walk in to a bathroom just after someone showered and as soon as you open the door a wall of steam smacks you in the face?

Well that's kinda what it's like walking out the door everyday. So much for showering, right? Might as well pull a Chris Kreuzberger and "Save Water Shower Together". 

Hah. 

Okay not really. 

This week was wierd, kinda like the wall of steam, but only in the best way. We had exchanges again which kept us busy and we've met some really cool people on the street and engaged in some really really cool street lessons. It's been hard to meet with Mina because of her crazy work schedule, but we met this week and she still has this huge desire and love for the gospel. And Shinee and Ganaa came to church yesterday! Which was so great. One of our mongolian members, who is the nicest, translated for them through sacrament and gospel principles so it was really cool to watch.

We also had the biggest miracle of all, a new investigator who has taken the lessons in Australia and just moved here for a few months. Sister Kim! She's twenty and the coolest ever and not only came to church with us yesterday, but loved it. We're planning on giving her a date this week so we're pretty pumped. 

Pumped. Haven't said that in while.

We had a pretty exciting episode that began late Thursday night when we had to take Sister Lee to the hospital. She was having stomach problems and collapsed/ threw up several times. Long story short, she recovered and we were all SO grateful to have been in a threesome. I was able to talk in english with President to figure out what to do and Sister Ju was able to figure out everything at the hospital. Seriously if there had only been two of us... 

Yeah, we don't want to think about that. :)

So much to be grateful for this week and so many little laughs and miracles. I've been reading "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" lately too which is a great read. Seriously I'd put it up there with The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Screwtape Letters, Kite Runner and my 8th grade Algebra textbook. Okay I didn't like math THAT much, but you get the idea. 

I love you all and feel your love every week through your emails. 

You are all my heroes.

Love,

Sister McCloskey

 P.S. Here's a sunset and blurry rainy Seoul. Love you guys.

June 7, 2015 - Nuts

Sister Sieverts and her family

So I left my planner (SINNER, I know. I'll repent.) at the apartment so this'll be short. But maybe that's just Heavenly Father telling me it's time to stop putting it off and just sign up for my classes already... Sigh. Fine, I'll do it.

But first. :)

This week was nuts. Almonds, pistachios, pecans... gang's all here! We had MLC on Tuesday again where we got training from President and the APs which was super great. I had a mini exchange with Sister's Bell and Olsen (both so awesome) and then Zone Training on Wednesday! We are STLs over two zones so we had to split and I gave the training in another zone. It turned out to be really cool bearing my testimony in front of a bunch of missionaries I had served with in the MTC and other areas. Needless to say we were totally wiped out, but the week kept moving. 

This week we picked up the coolest thirty something year old Mongolian couple this side of the Mississippi (Geography was never my forte, but if I remember right there's quite a substantial amount of earth between the Mississippi and Korea... so that's saying something) as investigators! Shinee (such a beautiful smile) and Ganaa (looks like a Mongolian version of the bad guy in Italian Job... in a really good way, of course!). They have been to church several times and love it. They are very busy with work and Ganaa is struggling to overcome a long smoking addiction, but we're so excited to be meeting with them.

You know who else I was excited to meet this week? Yeah, I think you do. SISTER SIEVERTS and family popped on over to Korea and we went to dinner and just had the best time with them. That day was one of those days I wish I was famous and had the paparazzi there to catch every moment.

(This is one of those times when common sense comes in whispers, "careful what you wish for, rach")

I take that back, I don't want to be famous... but you get the idea. 

After our tummies and hearts were full we bid adieu and boarded the subway. I wanted to share that same love I felt from Sister Sieverts with every single person on that subway and it was then we saw a miracle. The very last person, a high school student, I talked to with only a few stops left, had talked to missionaries before and I was able to get her number right before hopping off at our stop. That night I flipped through our area book and happened upon a very familiar name.. Turns out she was a former investigator who's name and information had gotten lost... and we found her. :) How cool is that?

Okay, and last but not least. Remember Uditha and Sisera (our Sri Lankan investigators)? Well, not only did they stop smoking, share the gospel with their family and friends... But they got baptized on Sunday. :)

Now, how. cool. is. that. 

Love you all so so much.

Love,

Sister McCloskey

P.S. Moonlight and the package. Thank you so much!

I wasn't able to go to the baptism (as it was on Sunday), but here's a pic. :) WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Easton on his mission in Paris using the chalk that you gave him.

May 31, 2015 - Let me tell you a tale

Let me tell you a tale 

like those of old 

that begins at the beginning

and needs to be told.

It began at dawn

a break from the mundane

as we arrived a bit early

and boarded the train.

The train was quite empty 

not a person in view

so we pulled out our scriptures

and began to review.

An lady approached

looking old and quite tired

and of the books in our hands

whence they came she inquired.

"It's God's word" we replied

and began to explain

and the Spirit, it seemed, 

just could not refrain. 

We set up an appointment

to meet her the next week

whereby we could share with her

the great knowledge she did seek.

You'd think this little lady 

is the hero of this story

but in fact she's not!

I'll get there, don't worry.

So we met her and her friend

in a new little town

new people to find

new streets to walk down.

To make this long story short

and to keep my little audience awake

I'll spare you the details 

and less time I will take.

It turned out that neither

the old lady nor her friend

were interested in our message

or in the words we did send.

But because of those two 

and their invitation to talk

we found ourselves on a road

never before did we walk.

And it was on that road

that we happened upon four men

Sri Lankans, you know,

are greeted by Ahayoobowan.

We met them again

and the gospel we did teach

and now four months later

eternal life is within reach.

Two of those men are in fact

the heroes of this tale

and for others to follow

they are forging a new trail.

Yes, you got it, my friends,

they are taking the first of many steps

to come unto Christ 

and be lifted from the depths. 

Because of these two, 

six more have been found in this land

and more in their hometown

have begun to seek for God's hand. 

I, too, can't help but feel 

that He is here and He knows

each one of His children

and in their hearts seeds He sows.

Heavenly Father is there

and guess what, His plan's true

so take a look around 

and you'll find He's right beside you.

There she goes again. This is when I get to spit out all the English I have bottled up inside me during the week, so I apologize. :) But pretty darn cool story, eh? We really see so many cool little miracles everyday and are keeping very, very busy. And are very, very happy. Mina came to church yesterday which was the answer to many a prayer and fast. We have a new Sri Lankan investigator! And are still meeting with our other Mongolians and Chinese. It's really hot. I was given a "Jesus Fish" necklace by a lady I talked to on the street. We had a combined Seoul and Seoul South mission conference where I got to see some old friends. Sister Ju and Sister Lee keep me laughing everyday. It's really hot. Wait, did I mention that already? Yes, but did I mention the fact that I'm really quite happy? Ah, yes, it appears I've done that too. Guess that's my cue.

Love you!

Signed... sealed... delivered,

Stevie Wonder

Did I say Stevie Wonder? Oh, I'm sorry... Sister McCloskey :)

P.S. Us at mission conference and a whole lot of peace signs (with Ehneh our mongolian investigator featured on the right!)

Tschau tschau!

Mission conference

A cool view from our church