CaLea in Korea: Part 2 of 2.

It's been a long time coming, but I am happy to say that I am finally able to respond with "a couple of weeks" when people ask me how long until I get to step back on a plane destined for Korea. I don't know an exact date yet but we are aiming for December 18th. Maybe sooner. I'm ecstatic but also exceptionally nervous. This whole mid-mission break thing has been the most difficult trial of my life up to date. I know that stepping on the plane isn't going to be the end of the struggle either-- I've got to transition back into the missionary lifestyle. I've been really pushing to keep a schedule as close as possible to the missionary schedule, but you can only get so close when you're not actually a missionary. 

Anyways, I'll be spending the next few weeks repacking and praying for lots of extra strength! I don't know what my future holds but I know that whatever it brings, God's hand is in it. My plans for the future have been somewhat spoiled for the time being-- so I'm kind of just walking forward with my fingers crossed and a prayer in my heart. 

I know that God designed a plan for us-- and not just us as a whole, but for each of us individually. God created a plan of happiness for me, CaLea Myshel Bagley. He didn't send me here just to suffer and "endure" the days of my life; He sent me here to ENJOY my life. The enjoyment of life isn't reserved for those with "perfect lives..." if that were the case then I suppose none of us would be enjoying our lives. We're here to endure but we're also here to enjoy. We're here to experience sorrow but we're also here to smile. We're here to learn and to grow but we are also here to help those around us learn and grow as well. 

Yeah, each day of our life is a climb to become a little better than we were the day before. Sometimes our journey may feel a little steeper or our legs will feel a little wobbly-- but we've got to keep climbing! The view from the top is going to be worth the effort, I just know it. 

"If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill."
-Henry B. Eyring 

Here's to old adventures and new adventures alike. And here's to miracles-- because I've seen so many miracles during the course of this journey. Here's to being a missionary and here's to serving in Korea! I consider myself so very blessed. 

xoxo

Sister CaLea Bagley

Hey, Guess What.

I'm going back to Korea!!!!

xoxo

Tips For Preparing Sister Missionaries (Round 2!)

//Okay, let's be honest, skirts are the hardest things to find these days. Like, since when does a mini-skirt even count as a piece of clothing?? That being said, in my opinion, the best place to go for mission skirts is thrift stores. Why? Because grandmas are ALWAYS throwin' out their old skirts. The skirts are longer, cheap, and unique. Yes, there are also really great places like downeast and mikarose that offer awesome mission clothing, but they are pretty pricey-- especially if you're buying in bulk. 

//As for shirts. I found that a lot of the shirts I took on my mission (the first time around) were sheer just because that's the "style" these days. No. You can take a few sheer shirts, but I promise you, as one sister missionary to another, life is so much easier when you don't HAVE to wear anything under the shirt. Obviously if it's going to be freezing where you're serving then it doesn't really matter because you'll be wearing a thousand different layers anyways. But I always preferred to wear the shirts that were cute and low maintenance. (And again, DI/thrift stores are the BEST!)

//Since I keep bringing up thrift stores, I'll explain once again why I like them: they're cheap, you find unique clothing, there are so many long skirts available, and most of all, you'll likely leave all your mission clothing in your last area when it's finally time to come home. So why spend all that money on something that will only last you eighteen months? Solution: thrift stores. (I really am just obsessed with them. If you want, I'll take you and be your personal thrift-store-trainer.)

//Keep a little book with you at ALL times that you can write in. I don't care what you put in there, feelings, frustrations, spiritual thoughts, amazing experiences-- whatever. It's a little journal full of an assortment of little things and it's such good therapy when you're out serving the Lord.

//My companions and I LOVED telling stories via video. We'd record ourselves telling a story (funny experiences, weird moments, you get the idea) and then when Monday rolled around, I'd store it on my little hard drive and forget it even existed. NOW those little silly videos are total gems. It is such a blast to go back and watch some of those old memories. 

//Print out and take your favorite conference talks with you. In fact, make a little binder full of them. It really does make all the difference when you're out in the field. 

//For language learners: when you hear a word you don't know, write it down and then ask others what it means. For some reason, this was the most effective way for me to learn new words. They always stuck.

//For the record, at the MTC no bags are allowed in the cafeteria. Leave all your books and stuff in your classroom and only carry your bag with you twice a day: when you go from your room to your classroom and from your classroom to your room. Your MTC classroom is literally your entire world for the time you're there. You're only in your room for an hour at the end of the day and a small amount of time in the mornings. So leave everything in your classroom! There's no use in lugging everything around for no reason!

//Do personal study ALWAYS in  your native language. The whole point of it is to strengthen your understanding and help you to receive inspiration for your investigators. The spirit speaks to you in your native language so save reading the scriptures in your mission language for language study. ;)

//Wear your watch on the inside (bottom) of your wrist rather than on the top. It's much easier to sneakily check the time that way when you're in a hurry or needing to end a lesson.

//It says pack hangers-- don't. There are always hangers available in the apartments from the sisters that leave. The houses kind of just accumulate left-over things from all the sisters that live there and move on.

//Tell your family all about dearelder.com and then teach them how to use it before you go. Because you get mail like twice a day at the MTC and getting dearelders are the BEST. Plus, they're the easiest ways to send letters to the MTC for your friends and family. 

//They always tell you your first few days there, "Just make it to Sunday!" They're not lying. Those first few days will likely be the longest days of your life... but enjoy it! And, just hang in there until sunday. :)

//Always go to the salad/soup bar. It's located near the back of the cafeteria (kind of?) But they have these "wraps" there that are awesome and I'm pretty sure I ate those as like 78% of my meals. Ask me if I got "sick" at the MTC. Nope!

//Go early to devotionals to get good seats! But bring your scriptures and a study journal so you can get some good study time in while you're there waiting for it to start.

//Relax-- just take moments to breathe it all in and appreciate the fact that you're a missionary! You've only got so long to be one, so enjoy it!

//Get REALLLLY familiar with PMG. Especially if you're learning a new language. Teaching is so much less stressful when you've got all the lessons down and you know them like the back of your hand.

//I never really got homesick on my mission. Of course, there were days... but I'd say the best way to avoid homesickness is to just stay busy! Study, study, study, and serve, serve, serve. When you don't leave time to think about home there's no time to be homesick!

//Keep a journal, dang it. If you don't like writing, draw cartoons. If you don't like writing or drawing cartoons... write a sentence a day. COME ON, it's not that hard. But it's so important to keep a record of the things you learn, see, and experience while you're on your mission. Figure out a way to make journaling fun for you and then just DO IT. 

//Pack all the liquidy stuff (lotions, hairspray, whatever else you need) in plastic bags just in case they spill. It protects your suitcase and all its contents and makes the clean-up process a lot easier. 

//Make it your personal goal to be the kind of companion that every missionary deserves. IT'S NOT EASY. But life is so much better when you have that mindset, I promise. Serve your companion and love your companion and missionary work is FUN.

//Have a nice water bottle and KEEP it with you. Water bottles are lifesavers, I'm tellin' ya. 

//Bring a hard drive or flashdrives to keep a back up of all your pictures and videos on. I saw too many missionaries lose their cameras and along with it alllllll their mission pictures! SO SAD.

//Be content but not satisfied. Don't beat yourself up because you're not as good at the language as you want to be or because of this, or that, or whatever-- be happy. Be content. But also be determined to keep working and keep improving no matter what. 

MISSIONARY LIFE IS THE BEST. I've never been happier than I was on my mission. So don't let the hard times get you down. Let the good times keep you going. It's hard, I'll be the first to tell you that. But in all honesty, it doesn't FEEL too hard. Not ever. Because you've got angels helping you on your left and your right and you've got the message of the restored gospel in your life. You're a part of GOD's grand army. So just remember to keep on fighting, soldier. Time passes much faster than you can imagine, and before you know it, it's all over. So make it count!

xoxo,

Sister Bagley

Officially Resubmitted.

Well, kids, I have officially resubmitted to once-again be a missionary! As of right now, I don't have a whole bunch of answers (for example, how long it will take for me to find out what's going on, if I'll get to return to my mission, when I'll get to go back if I get to return, etc.) but I feel really good about conquering this first little challenge and I'm keeping my fingers crossed and prayers being sent up to heaven in hopes that I'll get to return to my beloved Korea Seoul South Mission.

I don't know why things had to happen the way that they have. But I do know that God has a grand plan in store for ME and that no matter what, the most important thing is just remembering that He's the one in charge. 

So, whatever happens, happens. I've done my part, and now all I can do is just wait and see what the Lord has in store in my next chapter of life. Wish me luck!

xoxo

GUESS WHAT.

Guess who got medically released today...

THIS GIRL!!!

Now, onto getting back to Korea! 

thoughts from an early RM.

Being home (when you still feel as if you're supposed to be in another country) is such a surreal thing. You're surrounded by people and things that at one point in time were so normal-- and now all the normalcy almost makes it all feel abnormal. Have you ever had a dream where you were watching everything happen from a third-person perspective? For example, I once dreamed that I went to the wedding of my dear friend but instead of seeing it all from my own two eyes, I watched myself from above as if I were merely a fly on the wall. Kind of like in A Christmas Carol where Mr. Scrooge gets whisked about from past to present to future and he sees all that is happening but he's not actually a part of the occurrences. Well, that's what it feels like to be an early-returned missionary. 

I'm here, I'm home. I'm with family and loved ones. But given my current set of circumstances (i.e. desiring more than anything to return to Korea but remaining unaware of what the immediate future may uncover) my heart doesn't feel quite at home. I'm not sure any collection of words could ever fully capture the feelings, thoughts, and emotions that are so deeply intertwined with the experience of returning home before your assigned release date, but I do know that it's one of those rare life experiences in which a person can only truly comprehend once experiencing it themselves. 

And so I sit, day after day, rejoicing as my younger sister moves off to college and my younger brother receives the Preisthood, cheering as a dear friend exits the temple after being sealed to her sweetheart for time and all eternity, laughing when my nephew attempts his first few steps and falls so adorably upon his diaper-clad bottom-- and experiencing life while not actually mentally feeling as if I am progressing down any particular path of life. It's the missionary limbo-- I'm working to complete my service as a full-time missionary in the Korea Seoul South Mission but I am a released missionary residing in Utah. And with no definite verdict in the given situation, I feel as if I am standing at a stopping point in the journey; I'm at a fork in the road and at some point I'm going to have to keep walking. But with the limited information I now have, choosing a course upon which I must continue my journey is a terrifying concept. 

And so I just keep smiling when my infant niece presses a slobbery kiss to my cheek. I just keep falling to my knees at my bedside each night in gratitude for all the many ways in which I have been blessed. I just keep pleading in my heart for the opportunity to return to Korea and finish my time in total service of the Lord. And I just keep pressing forward; it's not easy to be home when your world revolves around your yearning desire to once again be a missionary... then again-- life was never meant to be easy. But it was meant to be enjoyed. 

All we can do amidst times of hardship and adversity is will ourselves to continually keep taking steps forward-- even if we do not know in which direction to walk. Our Savior is constantly reaching out to us and offering a hand to hold us up and support us when we feel as if we can no longer stand. I don't know many things, but I know He lives and I know that He loves me. And that knowledge alone makes everything I've gone through, everything I'm currently going through, and everything I have yet to go worth absolutely and entirely worth it. 

So to any of you who feel as if you're drowning in a sea of sorrows and discouragement, close your eyes and remember to just breathe. Because no matter what, when we do all that we can to be the best that we can be, we're promised our own happily every after. 

And it's worth every salty tear drop.

xoxo,

Sister Bagley

Tips for Sisters Preparing for Missions

Being a sister preparing to head out into the world for 18 months to preach the gospel of the Lord can be somewhat of an intimidating thing; during the last few weeks of my own pre-mission preparations the inside of my skull was heavily populated with a wide variety of questions and concerns. I can't tell you how many times I googled and pinterest-searched "sister missionary tips" between the time I received my call and the time I actually got set apart as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-- but I know it was excessive. 

That being said, after gaining my own MTC experience, I feel a genuine desire to help out those who are currently preparing to enter the beloved MTC. I don't care how long you will be staying there, the MTC is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that should be enjoyed, not endured. 

First of all, coming from a girl who has spent her entire life deemed as a "night owl," getting used to the missionary schedule is definitely a tough thing! You'll be far better off if you start working on getting on a missionary sleeping-schedule prior to entering the MTC. I can't tell you how many nights I laid awake staring at the darkened underside of a bunk bed. It's like a form of torture! You're exhausted and you know you've got to wake up in just a couple of hours-- but old habits die hard!

As for missionary clothing-- I didn't know the first thing about what to look for or what to get. BUT, after a few weeks in Korea I learned quite quickly that my choices of missionary clothing were not exactly what I'd hoped they'd be! It's possible to be cute AND comfortable. If you have a shirt or skirt that you're not sure about when you're packing for your mission, then don't pack it! If you hesitate even for a second then you'll likely never actually wear it when you get out there.

Buy one of the metal clip things from the MTC bookstore for your name tag. Actually buy two. I used those every single day. I didn't like the pin name tags because it would put holes in all my clothes, so I'd just pin those name tags on the little clippy-gadget and life was a million times easier. 

Also- if you're planning on staying at the MTC for an extended amount of time, go to the MTC bookstore and ask them for the "ID card clippy thingy." I don't actually know the term for it... but they'll know exactly what you're talking about.

People always worry about what towel to bring... but I found the world's most perfect mission towel! It takes up very little space, isn't very heavy, and works like a charm. You can find it HERE.

Bring a soft, comfortable blanket from home. Just pack it in one of those vacuum-zip bags so it doesn't take up too much room. 

Have a little book with you where you can record addresses of friends, family, etc. And collect addresses (both house addresses and email addresses!) before you leave because you'll find yourself every now and then wanting to write a letter to an old friend and you have zero way of contacting them. 

Bring a photo album. You never realize how much pictures will mean to you until it's all you've got to remember your family! Plus, they turn out to be super valuable teaching-tools in street contacting. The people you teach will love to see your family photos. 

If you're going abroad, bring all your favorite medicines. (i.e. ibuprofen, sleeping medicine, cold medicine, etc.) People in different countries use different kinds of meds... but also medicine just seems to be so over-priced when you're a poor missionary! (But I'm including tampons in the medicine category because Asia sure didn't believe in them... )

Make sure you take the time to get your patriarchal blessing shrunk and laminated at the printing center at the MTC. It fits perfectly into a journal, scriptures, etc. And it's SO good to have with you on days where you're feeling a little overwhelmed. 

Bring NOT only a normal, every-day journal, but also a study journal. You'll want somewhere to record all the things you're learning and spiritual moments you'll have. And definitely take that journal with you to the devotionals and firesides. 

Another fun thing to do is take yet another journal (we called them memory books) that functions kind of like a yearbook. You give it to people you love and they fill it with words, pictures, and memories (duh). It's one of my favorite things I have from my mission. 

Bring either a hard drive or several little flash drives with you to put all your photos on (to back it all up just in case something happens to your camera or memory card) and to store all the fun photos you get from other missionaries as well. It's suuuuper nice to have, just saying. 

FOUR-wheeled suitcases. One of my suitcases only had two wheels and every time I had to move I wanted to kill myself. Life is so much easier when you purchase four-wheeled suitcases. I promise! 

Bring a little photo frame along with a bunch of mini pictures of quotes that you can find and print off from Pinterest. It's a brilliant desk decoration that is super easy to mix up often.

Create an 18 month calendar that is covered in pictures of the people you love and your favorite memories. It's the most wonderful thing to hang over your desk. Plus, it can kind of become a journal in and of itself. I always wrote a couple fun things on each day to help me remember little details of each day. 

Bring good music! Seriously-- it makes all the difference to have good music playing at nights when you're getting ready for bed, in the mornings when you wake up... or just whenever. 

Make a book/collection of 30min work out plans for the mornings. You've only got half an hour to work out and time in the morning seems to slip away super fast. You don't want to waste any of it sitting around trying to decide what you should do!

Buy a mini PMG. They give you a big one at the MTC, but nobody wants to carry around the giant PMG in their purse when you're going to district meetings or zone conferences. That being said, get a mini Book of Mormon for you to carry in your purse (mostly for foreign language learning sisters) so that you can have something to refer to when you look up a scripture on the street while you're contacting. 

Bring lots of hand sanitizer. I can't tell you how many times that came in handy for me. Also, tide to go pens. They are magic. 

Don't throw away your letters. Take a little box or something with you where you can keep all of your letters organized and safe. 

If you're curious about what mission life is like, get in contact with the sister missionaries in your area. When you're actually a missionary you will see JUST how important it is to have members with you at lessons. Plus, it's a good way to prepare for your own mission. 

Don't pack your suitcases so full that you won't have room for stuff you buy. I promise, it's way less stressful for you when you have room in your suitcases on the way there because you'll definitely need every last bit of space in your suitcases for the plane ride home!

Um. If you're going to a foreign country, bring the kind of bleach that won't turn your garments gray when you try to use it. They change to not-so-white colors pretty fast so it's good to have a way of making them white again!

I personally bought a new set of scriptures for my mission and I LOVED it. I was able to mark them all up in specific ways that helped me study better and prepare better for lessons we had with investigators. 

Sticky notes, stickers, and coloring books are always a good idea for church. And sticky notes are the best just for day-to-day missionary work. They come in handy probably forty times a day. I kept mine on the back page of my planner. 

If you're learning a language, don't be afraid to mess up. I learned the most from just TRYING to speak. Korean is SO hard to learn, but I didn't really start learning until I let go of the fear of messing up in front of other people. Just open your mouth and speak!

Make up fun games and competitions with your companion/ other missionaries when you're out and about proselyting. It's not always an easy task, but we're sharing a message of happiness so it's important to BE HAPPY when other people see you wearing the Savior's name upon your heart. 

I could sit here and spit out hints and tips about missionary work all day long... long story short, you'll be fine. Somehow, as a missionary, everything always seems to work out. I'm not really sure how, (magic? the priesthood?) but it does. So even though it's scary and it's hard, just remember that the Lord provides a way for His children to do the things He asks us to do! So put on your biggest smile, say a little prayer, and get out and get to work. Being a missionary truly is such an honor and it's important to really enjoy all the little things as a missionary because we're only missionaries for a very short period of time.

So make it a happy, growing, wonderful time. 

If you have any questions or concerns don't be afraid to ask below! 

xoxo,

CaLea

Obstacles on the Path.

On July 24th, I fell very ill. I woke up in the middle of the night with rather severe stomach pain and consequentially I spent the remnant of the night vomiting. The next day, we laid low for a bit hoping that maybe I'd just eaten something funny and that it would all kind of heal itself. But alas, it did not. 

We found ourselves in the emergency room that night in order to prevent any potentially serious issues.... we were there practically all night... and yet we went home still unsure what was causing the problem. What was worrying us the most the the pain-- we didn't know what it was or what to do. From that point until now, I found myself at the hospital on thirteen separate occasions in attempts to find the problem and conquer it; but we had no luck. For some reason, despite our numerous attempts and constant battling, we couldn't seem to defeat the sickness. And believe me, we did everything we could possibly think of doing in order to try and fix things. 

Needless to say, after a month of struggling through all of this, the decision was finally made to send me home. I was absolutely heartbroken. The only reason things went on for as long as they did in Korea was because I was set on staying on my mission. So the decision to send me home was... painful. I can honestly say that it's been one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. 

On Friday, I boarded the plane in Incheon Airport in Korea. I arrived home that same Friday in Utah. For now, I'm still doing all I can to battle this fun little situation. My greatest desire is to return to the Korea Seoul South Mission and finish what I started! But as for now, we're not really sure what will happen. I just wanted to say thank you for all the love, prayers, and support that have been sent my way. 

This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do... but I know that the Lord has a purpose for everything. He knows all things. Maybe I don't have all of the answers right now, but I know that the Lord loves me and I know that He has a very specific plan for me. So I know it's going to be okay.

xoxo,

Sister CaLea Bagley