FIRST BAPTISM!!

So I definitely forgot to tell you about an important event that happened on the 8th of February - Sun Jung Taung got baptized in Oakton! Can you believe it?! I KNOW. After almost a year, I've had my first baptism. Pretty exciting! The ENTIRE service, aside from some translation, was in Korean. Thankfully, there are some Korean members out here that were able to help her in her progression with the gospel. We heard a couple talks in Korean, prayers in Korean, and the actual ordinance was done in Korean. Sun was so cute in her HUGE white jumpsuit. This was Sister Mitchell's first baptism as well. If you don't remember, she was my MTC companion AND my companion during my time in Oakton. We started teaching Sun together first, then I left, and then her and her trainee finished teaching her. All in all, it was about 5 months from the time Sun started learning till the day she was baptized. Sister Mitchell and I got to watch her come out of the font - it was pretty amazing. What a whirlwind of a day, but so special. Sister Mitchell and I also had the chance to teach together one last time in front of all the attendants, including Sun's non-member husband, Chur. We taught the message of the Restoration (we found out that we were doing it 10 minutes beforehand) and were able to bear our testimonies. Oh man, I love the rhythm her and I had! Just reminds me of old times. Love that girl! Sun bore her testimony at the very end in Korean, with some translation, and she basically said:

"I still don't know very much about this church, but I know how it makes me feel. I pray when I need help and feel very good inside. I love reading the Book of Mormon and coming to church and seeing how many people care for me and my family. I look forward to growing more in this church."

Mind you all, she has a Buddhist background. I look forward to the day when her and her family return back to Korea to find how STRONG the church is there. She will be able to rear her daughters up in righteousness and become an even stronger disciple of Jesus Christ. And I KNOW her husband will find himself accepting this gospel one day as well. Can't wait for them to be an eternal family!

I don't have much time to write, but I'm so grateful for this gospel! I know that by living it, we experience TRUE and EVERLASTING happiness. Of course, there will be hard times, but if we put our trust in God, He will ALWAYS see us through.

Loves,
Sister Hansen