Plans.

Dear Family-

 

This week. I loved it. Two experiences I had strengthened my testimony and deepened my understanding of the Plan of Salvation.

 

first, TEMPLE. we watched the new video and I just CRIED. it was also the first session I have gone to in Korean, and that was amazing. We had headsets, but I only put it in one ear. And I really tried to understand the Korean. and I was surprised how much I got! I mean, it helped that I have heard it so many times. But it was beautiful! I cannot describe it...I just FELT God's love. That plan was made for YOU and ME and each of us. God has provided us a Savior. He has made a way for us to return to Him. He absolutely desires to have each of us home again.

 

second, we taught the Plan of Salvation to the less active sister that we are redoing the discussions with. It just FEELS RIGHT. eveytime I testify and teach of the Plan of Happiness, the truth of it is confirmed to my own heart. Her nonmember friend was also there. It is an amazing privilege and blessing to tell other people that they are children of God.

 

I gave a talk in church on Sunday about that...God's love for each of us. It is real. If we will search for it, His love will never be hard to find.

 

xoxo, Sister Bassett

hello, Sister Kwak!‏

Dear family--

You guessed it! Transfer week! My new companion is Korean...Sister Kwak...and she is super awesome. I just love her already! She is a lot quieter than me, but I think we will get along. She is learning English and just got thrown into to the fire with this area! We transferred on Wednesday and she has already been to dinner with two American families, Church, Korean class, and English class. Ah! She is a trooper. We both can understand where the other is at because language is a frustration for both of us now! I speak so much Korean with her, though. So that is awesome. And it will really help me! We made a goal to do every other day...english korean english korean... to help both of us. I am excited to see what we can do together here. It will be great!

This letter will be short, but I just wanted to share something I learned this week from my reading in Jesus the Christ. It is a wonderful book. This morning I was reading about Christ healing a woman on the Sabbath. The leaders of the synagog (of course) accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath. And the Savior patiently and perfectly shows His love for this woman. If animals are to be let out of their stalls on Sunday, shouldn't a "daughter of Abraham...be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" Later, Elder Talmage writes that "whatever her ailment, whether wholly physical or in part mental and spiritual, she was FREED FROM HER BONDS." I love that though. No matter what is binding us down, be it physical sickness, sin and mistakes of the past, or trial and sadness, we can be freed through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Mom, I loved you letter this week, the He is our Advocate. He is there to lift us up and help us reach higher. He will always be there to release us from our sins, heal our wounds, and become like He is. 

This transfer is one of the many chances I have on my mission, and in life, to START AGAIN. to remember that faith is pointed towards the future.

I love you all! you make my day with your emails. go forward with FAITH! 

xoxo, Sister Bassett

cactapus?

Dear Family-

The cold stopped being jealous this week! yay! Spring is coming to my town, mom! Today I am not even wearing tights! yessss.

So, in an effort to learn Korean, my brain has gotten rid of all English words that I don't use regularly. Like cactus... Sister Goines and I were in the store last p-day looking at flowers (because I love the ranuncula that I have!), and I see all these cactus plants. They would be so easy to take care of, right? so I turn to her and say "Hey Sister Goines...wanna buy a cactapus?" she just starts laughing and me and is like "what?!" I didn't even notice! when she pointed out what I had said, we both got a good laugh. Welcome to Korea!

AND...transfer calls! We knew that someone was going to leave. And we were pretty sure that it would be Sister Goines. She was just so anxious all night. And we were the LAST ones to get our call. at like 10:35. It was crazy. BUT! guess what! I am staying here and getting a Korean companion! I am really happy and excited! this is my transfer to really learn Korean and feel comfortable with it. Because, ya know what? it took a long time to get here, but these last 6 months I have are going to be the BEST ever. It is just getting better and better. Good things keep on coming! (ps...Sister Goines is going up to the city with Sister Saunders!)

I am still loving reading in Jesus the Christ. I have a goal to finish it by Easter and it has been so good. And what is even better, I know that I am changing myself. Everyday, every decision, adds to my mighty change of heart. Situations that would have made me so upset or frustrated before...now I think about the Savior more and act differently. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and how He can change us. I pray everyday that the things I am reading and experiencing will get inside of me and affect me for eternity. Because that is what we are building here... our eternities. 

I am looking forward the the change! It will be hard and I will sure miss Sister Goines, but we are both excited. It will be a fantastic transfer.

I love this work! I love being here in Korea. 

AND! shout-out to the best dad in the whole world! happy birthday, daddy! I love you pops!

xoxo, Sister Bassett

the cold is jealous.‏

Dearest Family-

They have this saying in Korean... 꽃샘추위. it literally means that the cold was jealous of the flowers, or spring. And that happened this week! It started to get warm, then this week it got freezing again. Like, it snowed yesterday. But, it is only supposed to last one week, so that is a plus!

and... ONE YEAR! can you believe that it has been a whole 365 days since I went into the MTC and started this adventure? I hardly can! The mission has been the most trying, strengthening, faith-building, miraculous, difficult, tearful, amazing, beautiful experience of my life. I am so grateful for it.

This week. It was awesome. Nothing huge happened, but it was just a great week. I just FEEL good. that "I am a missionary! and it is the best!" feeling happened a lot this week. I have had a really rough past little while...mostly my own fault...and really let it get to me. But ya know what? THIS is EXACTLY what I wanted. I am so happy to be here. And the more I learn of the Savior's atonement, the more I realize the joy it brings to my life. I have been reading "Jesus the Christ" (trying to finish it by Easter) and I love what I read this morning. He is talking about the parables Jesus taught in Matthew chapter 13. As I read them, EACH ONE applied so much to me, to those we are teaching, to life in general. I especially loved this quote about the parable of the merchant man and the pearl of great price- "the price of possession is one's all...if he willingly sacrifices ALL that he has, he shall find that HE HAS ENOUGH. the cost of the...pearl is not a fixed amount, alike for all; it is all one has. even the poorest may come into enduring possession; his all is a sufficient purchase price." I really love that. No matter how insignificant my contribution is, if it is my all, it is enough. Christ has promised us that.

We met a new investigator this week through a service project, so that was awesome. She has some English interest, and is really wanting to learn about the Book of Mormon. We will meet her on Friday! AND, from the same service project, we met an American from the base. And he came to church with us. and stayed the whole time. and went to dinner with us and a bunch of ward members afters...in total, probably spent like 7 hours with church members! he is really prepared. it is SO cool. 

I love you all. I am grateful for you. I know that God is preparing people for us to find and help, wherever we are in the world. 

Happy birthday Ally! make it a great week!

xoxo, Sister Bassett

안녕하세요!

hello family!

this week I bought a flower. a little pink ranuncula. Just a little bit of color for our home. it makes me so happy! so Ross can have his onion and I can look at my flower.

BYU Provo! that is still crazy to me. and so far removed. I am really happy! and grateful to Heavenly Father. I just have this knowing feeling that I need to be there, and I'm grateful for God's help in recognizing that and getting me there.

At English class on Wednesday, we have this 9 year old girl who comes with her dad. And this week, the dad brought his friend with his 6 year old daughter! The dads just sit in the back and the girls listen. So on Wednesday, I just sat with her and tried to teach colors (she is 4 years old American age) but she just wanted to chat! She talked to me...in Korean...for a good 30 or 40 minutes. About everything! it was adorable. Hopefully her twin sister will also come this next week!

also. We ordered 배달...Korean food delivery. But its not like in the states. They deliver ANYTHING you could want. really fast. and they find your house. even ours! It is hard to find because it is tucked behind this big motel and another building. So they called, I gave our address and a few directions, and BAM! 10 minutes later, 자짱면 (this really good noodle stuff with black bean sauce. sounds strange...its delicious.)and chicken and pickled raddish (YUM) shows up. They bring it in real dishes, not Styrofoam. And then, a few hours later they come and pick up your dirty dishes. it. is. awesome.

As missionaries, we are always offering to serve or help people..."ask the missionaries! they can help!" But this week, someone actually asked us! yipee! Our branch president is moving back to America, so on Thursday we spent a few hours with his wife...cleaning the house and helping them get ready. She is the sweetest lady and almost started crying when she said thank you! It was so good. I loved being in her home and doing just a little bit of service.

Part of being a missionary is figuring out how the Spirit works with us, and with others. I had an experience this week that reminded me how special the Spirit's guidance is. We had lunch with a sister in our ward. She is in her 60's, has no children, and her husband is not a member. After a delicious meal, she packed us a big bag of food to take home...true Korean style! For our "message" Sister Goines and I had decided to share in 1 Nephi 17:50-51 about Nephi building the ship...that if "God had commanded (him) to do ALL things, (he) could." so why not build a ship? After we shared it, she thanked us. But it wasn't what she needed. She started telling us about some challenges and struggles she was facing. Near the end of her talking, I still didn't know what exactly what she was talking about. So when she asked "what should I do?" I had no answer. BUT God did. The scripture 2 Nephi 32:3 came to mind...that the words of Christ will tell us everything that we should do. We turned to that scripture and read it together. I shared my own thoughts...that when I face a difficult situation, the words of Christ usually have an answer. THAT was what she needed. We could tell. It was a testimony builder for me that even if I don't know what people need, God does. That's why HE is in charge. not me.

I love you all! Heavenly Father is in charge of His missionary work and He is involved in each of our lives. 

all my love! Sister Bassett