August 4, 2014

So, this transfer is about to end and I don't have a new companion...  that only happens sometimes. We'll know on Thursday if it will or not, but chances are it won't, because new missionaries have a "12 week program" that they are trained with. Sometimes they give you two trainers, but I think typically you stay with one. So I'm pretty sure I'll be here for awhile with Sis Sung :P :) Which is good, because we get along really well. We have a lot of fun together and I love her a lot. I can see how a mission prepares you to get married, because you live with someone who typically is a good friend, but sometimes you push each others buttons :P hahaha. It doesn't happen that often, usually we just have fun. :)

Things this past week were pretty busy. I'm glad to say that we did NOT go to a public bathhouse, we just took cold showers. I wasn't prepared to see our neighbors in that way. :P hahaha. We had a lot of appointments and such going on. It was pretty cool. Aaaah, my mind is buzzing so much I can't figure out what is worth mentioning... Uh. We did some practices throughout the week for the Luau coming up... I keep boxing my own ear when I swing those Polynesian things around :P haha.

My District learning the Hula

 Another cool thing this week was a LOT of people just randomly came out of the woodwork, wanting to meet with us. One time, we were in the subway, and a lady stopped us, and asked who we were. Turns out she had met with the missionaries a LONG time ago and attended their English class. We know it was a while ago, because she knew the Church by a different name (in Korea, they retranslated the name about 10 years ago so it would be less strange). She wanted to get to know more back then, and for her kids to go to church, but had stopped because her husband didn't like it. But now she's divorced, and she seemed to be really interested :) We'll meet her later this week. 

We also had another random lady come up to us on the subway. She was Chinese, and a Christian, and she was sooo excited to just see any Christian missionaries, and wanted to meet with us. Haha. Cute. We have also gotten an astounding number of referrals (which are given by members or missionaries, and are for us to contact further) this week. It was cool :D

Also this week we did exchanges! Those are where for a day we swap companions. So I went to another part in Daegu with Sister Choi, who is also Korean, but speaks English fairly well. It was pretty fun and interesting. Basically, the point is to learn from other missionaries. What they do, things they have learned, etc. I did learn a lot, and enjoyed getting to know her, because I don't know that many missionaries yet. The next day however, when we exchanged back, I was really excited to see Sis Sung again :P :D Love that girl. Even when she forgets for the whole transfer to tell me about an important piece of paper that we are supposed to keep track of people on.... :P Haha.

Ah. Today was super busy. P-Day (Preparation Day) is supposed to be restful, I think. Ha, but it was Sis Campbell's last P-Day (she's in my district), so we went to an ice skating rink and ate and took ridiculous pictures in some picture booths (those are so funny. they make your eyes look bigger and your skin lighter, it looks so fake, but so funny!). The ice rink was interesting because in Korea they require you to wear gloves and a helmet. :P 

It is so strange seeing the Elders in street clothes. (P-Day activity at the ice skating rink)

 

Are you taking a picture of me?

 

Anyways. I'm learning a lot. To Koreans, feet are really dirty, that's why you always take your shoes off right inside of the house, and wear slippers in the bathroom and sometimes even in the house. It was funny: at the Fairhurst's house, we had an activity and invited a Korean investigator, and there were some of the American military men there, and as they were leaving, they took their boots into the house and sat on the sofa to put them on, and she looked so shocked. She was like "oh my, is that allowed? is that okay?" and we had to explain differences in cultures :P 

Something else I've also been learning is the love that Heavenly Father has for all of his children. And as a missionary, I kind of feel like part of my calling is to help him love his children, through us. Even if they do not care about the Gospel, we can still help them feel love, we can help them with things. I think that's why a few weeks ago me and Sis Sung felt like we needed to talk to that girl who we later found out was lost. We haven't heard from her since, but I think we felt that way because she needed help, and God was trying to point us to her, so that he could show that he was mindful of that one girl, that he loves her and wants to help her. But stupidly we weren't really listening very well. So as his "hands on earth," we can help others, even if what they need isn't the Gospel. I think he wants to help all of us, and he can do that through the people around us, if they are receptive to his promptings. So I have grown to better appreciate the love God has for all of us, as well as what responsibility that gives me.

Something else that I have also been thinking about, and have mentioned a little before, is doing all I can. I'm really trying to just do that, even if it is the littlest thing, and I've found that if I just do the little bit that I can, I am happy with the day and the things I have done. I'm also slowly seeing how I am getting a liiiiiiiiiittle bit better. I kind of feel like I am just on the verge of a breakthrough, or the verge of learning a whole lot. Maybe that's just because I'm generally understanding some things going on around me, like I know a bit about what people are talking about now, instead of being clueless (though sometimes I am WAY off, haha), and it's kind of exciting, so I'm expecting greater progress or something. But this past week I think I've been just overall happy/content. I've been able to do things, and I am just trying, and that's about all I can do.