Last Day/Last Post in Korea

Wow! Saying goodbye and letting go is so hard! We have been so grateful and feel so blessed by the amazing experiences of the past three years. So much love to give and receive, so many miracles to witness, so much beauty in a land full of ancient culture. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have been called a servant of the Lord, and to be surrounded by young men and women anxiously engaged in the work of bringing souls unto Christ. His church is here on the earth, led by a living prophet. The Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God through the prophet Joseph Smith. This incredible book testifies of Jesus Christ, and through the Spirit of the Holy Ghost everyone with desire can know of its' truth.

We were so surprised and pleased by a great sendoff at the airport by people we love so much! Left to right: Kang Byung Seok, Baek Seung Ik, Ha Young Soo, Sister Koo, Elder Choi, Lee Se Ri, Jung Eun Joo, Oh Min Jung and Choi Sang Mi. They came prepared and sang a beautiful departing hymn to us, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives".


A little bit of fun was enjoyed by the Passing of the Cellphone ceremony, which signifies the passing of the mantle of stewardship from the departing President to the newly arrived President. At the moment the cellphone is in the hands of the new President, it rings. The AP's stage a call to report a big problem of a runaway companion. After a moment of panic, the Elders return to the room as they continue to talk on the phone, and the joke is revealed. Elder Anderson tried to beg forgiveness with the lowest bow possible, but was still threatened by banishment to the nether corners of the mission!

Thank you for preparing and sending your precious sons and daughters to the Best Mission in the World! I've enjoyed sharing with you. This blog will obviously need to change in title and form, but will hopefully continue to report on the lives of the missionaries who served with us from July 2007- July 2010. Sister Furniss plans to create a new blog, and we will create a link for you to be able to visit them both.

Baptisms!!

It's been awhile since baptism pictures were posted. I wish I had all that have taken place, but mostly these are the ones that we have attended over the past few months. Attending baptisms and witnessing the harvest after a sometimes very long planting season is so thrilling! I feel so very blessed for the opportunity! Some missionaries don't actually see the fruits of their own labors, but every missionary who has had a part in the process is fulfilling their purpose and is an important part of the eventual success.
(If you move your cursor onto a picture, it will pause the slideshow until you move the cursor away)

Elder Bowcut Live! Practice Clip

This amazing Elder has been playing the violin since he was three years old! I am so grateful to have heard his beautiful music several times in the last couple of weeks! He and his companion have been doing some of their street contacting through music which is having a great effect!

Moving Furniture

Don't try this at home!! All I could think of was President Hinckley's advice to missionaries at the MTC, "Don't do anything stupid"!! Thank goodness everything went smoothly and no one was injured!

Our Last Zone Conferences

West Gwangju Zone

East Gwangju Zone

Jeonju Zone

Sisters forever!
Happy July birthdays to Elders Thompson, Burton, Brassfield and Sisters Erdenezaya and Lee!

District missionaries presented us with a wonderful little memory book with kind sentiments and fun pictures! A huge THANKYOU to Sisters Warner and Kil, and Elders Thompson, Stephens, Kim and Thomas!

I was totally blown away by the incredible surprise that our dear Sister Pierce pulled off. Somehow, without my knowledge, she contacted all the missionaries who have served with us to ask them to send a memory page and photo and filled a beautiful album that she covered in the perfect Korean fabric. It is a precious, priceless gift that will be cherished forever.

Suwon Zone

We were sorry to miss Elder and Sister Wright who had family visiting and couldn't be at the airport and zone conference at the same time!

Cheongju Zone

Daejeon Zone

Happy Birthday to Elders McArthur, An Gi Boem, and Christiansen!

How we love our sweet, lovely Sisters!

We enjoyed a couple of wonderful, love filled and emotional days with our dear missionaries. Zone conference agendas were business as usual, with focus and training on continuous improvement of missionary skills, increased effectiveness in teaching #3 - The Gospel of Jesus Christ, and developing the Christlike quality of faith. The AP's created a wonderful video "How Great a Call", with testimonies borne by missionaries and new members of the miracles that abound during the conversion process. We are SO grateful to witness these experiences!

We showed a photo and information on the big screen of Elder and Sister Furniss, who will be arriving to take over the helm of the mission in just a few days. We are so desirous that it be a seamless transition, and expect that the missionaries will experience the miracle of the law of love - that it doesn't divide, but multiplies! We are pleased that they are curious and excited about the new turn that their missions will take as they welcome their new Mission President and another "Mom".

Mark Chester Furniss, 57, and Julie Ann Barlow Furniss, five children, Korea Daejeon Mission; Pleasant Valley 5th Ward, Ogden Utah Pleasant Valley Stake. Brother Furniss is a former bishop, high councilor, ward Young Men president, elders quorum president and missionary in the Korea Seoul Mission. Tax partner, Schmitt Griffiths Smith. Born in Pocatello, Idaho, to Lloyd Smith and Carol Marie Chester Furniss.

Sister Furniss is a former stake Primary president, ward Young Women president and adviser, counselor in a ward Relief Society presidency and ward Primary music leader. Born in Logan, Utah, to Granville Elwood and Edith Rawlings Barlow.

Enjoying Local Korean Culture

A shadow shot, taken looking straight down from the bridge

I carried a postcard picture of this bridge around for 10 years, and finally discovered that not only was it within our mission boundaries, but a mere 30 minutes from Daejeon! This hike epitomizes opposition in all things. It claims the most injuries of any hiking spot in Korea, and is a tough hike, climbing up and over boulders and rough, steep trails. But the beauty is breathtaking, and the bridge and ladder suspended between mountain peaks are exhilarating. I LOVE this place!

Elder Pierce leads the way!

Elders hiked from here

to here!

We spent some time on a couple of preparation days to show the office staff some of the beautiful sites near Daejeon. SangGoksa, in Gongju, is a Buddhist retreat that boasts over 10,000 Buddahs, an amazing sight to behold. Daedunsan is a popular mountain hike. You can take a cable car part way up (or not) and then hike up to the suspension bridge and then a little further to a suspended ladder, and then another last push to the apex with a gorgeous panoramic view of the whole surrounding valley.

Our First Reunion in Korea!

On June 19th, we spent the most wonderful afternoon with 29 of our returned missionaries. Some left in our very early transfers, nearly three years ago, and one had not quite left yet, showing her parents the highlights of her mission in person before returning home to be released. Two are are married and we are delighted to adopt their lovely wives into the Daejeon Mission family! Jun Sung Cheol happily announced that he has acheived 2 bae plus alpha in his personal life, with a wife (2 bae) and a baby (alpha) on the way !

June 2010 Zone Leader Council

We are coming down to our "last" of everything, including this Zone Leader Council meeting. But for some, it is their first. We are so blessed to witness the growth and strength of the leadership skills demonstrated by our amazing missionaries!

Pictured front to back, left to right (sort of):
Elders Choi, Anderson, Casey, Bulloch, Fertig
Shrack, Han, Thomas, D. Morin, Lee
Alberro, Stephens, Lallatin, Duckworth, Pres. Perriton and Elder Jube

Change in the Ponbu

With the departure of Elder Bullen, we welcome the wonderful, delightful and talented Elder Lallatin to the Ponbu in his new assignment at mission recorder/statistician/supply manager. He is key to the smooth running of the mission office, for which we are so grateful!

Our Last Departures Return With Honor!

Elders Joseph Park, Kang Byeong Seok, Gregory Treuhaft, Paul Chamberlain and Sisters Jung Eun Joo, Oh Min Jeong and Chyanne Stehmeier return home with honor!

Elder Reed Bullen and

Elder Eric Booth returned home a little earlier than the rest to jump right back into school. Just look at those wonderful, happy faces!

We have delivered our last missionaries to the train to depart for home! How strange that the next ones to board the train to begin the trip back home will be us! And just before that, the next missionaries we will greet at the airport will be President and Sister Furniss! We are blessed to have such a wonderful couple come to love, nurture and guide our precious missionaries on to great new heights of success in the Daejeon Mission!