August 11, 2015

So anyways. This past week has been pretty good. We met a new investigator who we are doing the English program with. We visited some members. They fed us lots of food. :P Um. We just... met people :P Nothing too crazy. We also did a lot of preparations for a branch activity that we had this Saturday, which was pretty cool :P Our activity was called "Jeju Summer Time" and was a picture scavenger hunt, so people had all these things they had to take pictures of and with. It was pretty fun, though we were worried it wouldn't go off well. First, because even though there was SUNSHINE it started to pour rain about an hour before the meeting was supposed to start. Sigh. So we said a prayer, and eventually it stopped, and people actually came (more than I thought would), and it turned out to be a really good activity. The picture taking part was really fun, and back at the church we gave out some prizes and such. We also did a musical number, in which I played a violin we lended from someone. That person said we could just keep the violin for Jeju missionaries, so that was pretty cool :) 

 

 

Sunday was pretty normal. Church, meetings, etc. We went out and proselyted for an hour and a half or so, and it was one of those days in which no one really wanted to talk to us. :P But that's okay, because I've noticed that God tends to take care of us little missionaries really well. It seems to me that often after we have had a bad day or had some rather unsuccessful proselyting time, something good happens, little tender mercies. And such it was. Just as we arrived home, our branch president's wife called and said they were almost at our house and they had some grapes to give us :D And guys. Korean grapes are SO SO good. So we were quite happy :) 

 

The reason I didn't email on Monday like normal is because we had a very special "P-Day"/Zone Conference. You remember how a few months ago we did a zone conference that included climbing a mountain? Apparently at that time, the Jeju zone didn't get to do that because it rained, and so Pres. Barrow still wanted to hike with the Jeju zone, so... we did :P So we climbed Hallasan, which is South Korea's highest mountain. We woke up at 5 so that we could meet up with the mission pres. and drive to the trailhead by 7:00. We only stopped 3 times along the way up for short talks by the mission president's assistants and his wife, but it took us about 4 hours to get to the top. It is a mark of how much we walk as missionaries that for most of the way, my legs weren't that tired :P It was only about 20 minutes from the top that I started to feel the burn :P But the weather was almost perfect for hiking, there was some cloud cover and it has been cooling down the past few days, so we weren't burning :P 

 

At the top, there's this really cool lake thingy. At this time of year, it is kind of small, but it was still really pretty, and we were quite pleased to be at the top :) It was a bit hazy, so we couldn't see the island edge that well, but if you looked carefully, you could see where the land ends and some islands not far off the coast. It was really fun, and there were lots of ROCKS. :P The rocks were pretty okay on the way up, but on the way down they hurt my feet super bad because my tennis shoes have absolutely NO support or cushion, so I felt every rock quite clearly :P I think I bruised the bottom of my feet :P But that's okay. Because at the bottom of the mountain we could buy a piece of paper that said we had gone to the top, so it was totally worth it. I really wanted that piece of paper :P 

 

 

 

So today my legs are rather sore and my feet still hurt, but we slept SUPER soundly last night, so. Still good :) It was a lot of fun, and we had some really good discussions about the Book of Mormon, our focus for the transfer. So much good stuff.

Anyways. I love you all so much! I hope you have a great week <3 <3 <3 <3

 

 

 

 

 

August 3, 2015

This week was pretty normal, though super HOT and HUMID. Especially Wednesday. We went out and tried to advertise for our English class with the Elders, but gave up after 45 minutes and ate Baskin Robbins :P Usually on Jeju there is a pretty refreshing breeze, but on Wednesday, when the wind blew, it felt like someone was aiming a giant hairdryer at us. So much sweat :P 

 

Other eventful news for the week, on Tuesday we helped a member "mow" her lawn. Most Koreans live in an apartment and so don't have lawns, but some people own smaller house thingies (they aern't as nice as apartments) that have small lawns sometimes. This member's lawn was so small that there was almost no point in buying a lawn mower (if you can even buy one in Korea... never seen it), so we helped her cut her lawn using scissors. Yes, just scissors. So that was interesting, and then we helped her clean some cups in the cupboard that had apparently just sat there for 2 years and got covered in mold :P But then she fed us lots of food and taught us how to make some Korean food :) And it is something I can make in America :)

 

On Thursday we had two dinners. We planned to just visit a member for a few minutes, but before we even arrived, she ordered some burgers and chicken wings (you can order everything in Korea, by the way, and it comes quickly by motorcycle :P). So we ate that, and then after we met with her, we had an actual dinner appointment with a lady who is actually from Singapore. Yay food. :P

 

As far as missionary work goes, at the moment we don't have many people to meet with, but we saw some miracles this week that will hopefully pan out into new investigators :P Usually, when we ride the bus, Sis ChoiYuJin and I sit seperately and talk to people if they sit next to us (haha), and one time we both got contacts at the same time with people who we might actually be able to meet with (sometimes we get "useless" contacts who actually don't want to meet but are too nice to tell you that). And on Sunday night, we didn't have much time to go out, but we were doing a religious survey and for a few minutes no one was coming, but then the first person who finally did our survey accepted a Book of Mormon and gave us her contact information, and so we might meet her again :) yay! So we hope that all those people work out and will meet with us :P

 

Ramdomly found this today

Also randomly found this lighthouse

Besides that, not much else to say. Just lots of sweat :P We are now halfway through the transfer (and also the Book of Mormon :P) and it has been so great :) I am so thankful for Sis ChoiYuJin, and I feel like nothing anyone ever does will ever bother me again after last transfer :P I am happy and we are trying to work hard together.

That's all :)

July 27, 2015

I'm very glad to hear that my Mom had a good day, and I hope that continues :)

Anyways. This week was pretty good. And pretty HOT. Geez. You would think I was on a tropical island or something. So this past week we met with an investigator once. She has some definite mental issues, but she is really sweet. She thinks it is really funny that I can speak Korean :P 

 

This past week we met with members literally every day. On Tuesday we visited a woman, and the rest of the week was all lunch or dinner appointments that they invited us to. So this past week we ate a lot :P So many meal appointments has reminded me again of the Korean culture of not understanding how much space a guest's stomach has :P Some members are okay and don't try to kill us with their love, but others do :P At least it was all tasty food :) 

 

On Wednesday, we had a District Meeting in Seogwipo, the other side of the island. It was raining really hard that day :P And kind of windy, so... my skirt was really wet, despite having an umbrella :P so that was an adventure. 

 

On Saturday morning, we played soccer again :P We also had a service activity teaching English... ah. teaching English. I'll be honest, it has gotten REALLY old :P It doesn't help when the group of students seem to want to learn English as much as I want to teach it :P Bleh. But serving is great, so I won't complain :P....  We also did a mission prep class for some young adults in our branch, so that was cool. It is kind of fun to see people getting ready to go on a mission. 

Sunday church was good, nothing too crazy. Sis Choi YuJin and I taught gospel principles because the teacher who usually does it is on vacation. After church, there was a kind of "lunch" for people who stayed for a meeting. It was watermelon and slices of sandwich bread. The plain bread was the part that really got me, haha. In America, we don't really ever just eat bread like that, but it has happened to me several times in Korea. It is just funny. Unfortunately after that little "lunch" we had a lunch appointment with a member who overestimated our stomach sizes. We made pizzas (Korean style), so they were all varying sizes, but she tried to get the 4 of us to eat 8 or so pizzas and a bowl of noodle stuff. So much food. And they didn't have AC, so it was SUUUUUUUUUUUPER hot. It was just the kind of weather that makes you want to collapse on a couch and not move for several hours until it is not hot and sticky. Seeing as no couches were available, we just continued to eat.. :P 

 

After that, we went with the branch president to try to visit a less active member, but she wasn't home, so we went to his mom's house, who is also a less active and attends the Jehovah's Witness church :P This was an interesting visit because her house, for one thing, is suuuuuper small. Imagine your bedroom (not including the bathroom part), and that is her house... actually your room would be bigger... So anyways, as we were approaching her house, we saw her through the open window definitely not wearing a shirt/top of ANY kind. Awkward awkward awkward. I saw too much. So yeah. But she put a shirt on by the time we got inside. I had no idea what was going on for most of the time, largely because Korean is 1: HARD. 2: different on Jeju. There is a crazy dialect here that usually only old people use a lot, and even native Koreans have a hard time understanding it if they are not from Jeju. Well, it's not so much of a 'hard time' as even they, too, flat out cannot understand :P So I think that was what was going on, because usually I can catch a bit of what people say in Korean, but I was clueless there :P 

 

So anyways. Today we went to a "Trick Eye Museum". It was overpriced in my opinion, but it was fun. I'll send some pictures. After that I got a haircut. Probably 3 or 4 inches. Yay. I think the lady cutting my hair was a bit bewildered by it though. Foreigner hair is a lot finer AND mine is curly :P So anyways. Nothing much going on... We reeeaaally need to find new people to meet with, but so far don't have much :P But that's okay. We are trying :P 

So yeah. I hope you all have a great week!!! <3 <3

 

 

July 20, 2015

I'm glad to hear that everything is going relatively well with my family. It is weird that thinking of going home is starting... I won't get trunky :P I don't want to go home :P haha. But it will be great to spend Thanksgiving with family, I suppose.. :P

 

Anyways. It has been a great first week in Jeju! And that's not just because it is a tropical island :P Basically EVERYTHING is the opposite from Tongyeong, which is realllllllly what I needed. The members, my companion.... so so good. Well, we didn't meet any investigators this week because there are only 3 and most of the time they seem to ignore us :P So we are working on finding new people to meet with. Praying for miracles and all that.  

Sister ChoiYuJin and I

 Some things we did in Jeju this week...

Jeju has lots of humidity, palm trees, and these little stone dudes.

 

 

On Wednesday we had a district meeting, which is funny, because it is also a zone meeting, because there are only 6 missionaries here on Jeju, total. But they all work really hard and I'm excited to work with them :)

 

The Jeju Branch has several upcoming events and such, so we have been preparing stuff for that too. There will be a party in August, and also a project right now about having all the members read "The Power of Everyday Missionaries". So that is pretty cool. I met some members throughout the week, and they are all super great. Our Branch President is kind of eccentric (in a good way). He is just super funny. I'll attach a picture to show you :P

 

Saturday morning we woke up early to play soccor with some members, because that is a thing... I think it was the first time I've played soccor, ever, but it was really fun and I actually didn't do too badly, so now they think I'm super good at it, because they knew it was my first time :P On Saturday we also have a service activity, where we teach English to children who have rough family lives. I'll admit, I'm not a fan of teaching English :P but, it's all good.

 

Our branch president acting like an animal :P

 

Sunday we had a Branch Conference, so Pres. Barrow came, so it was cool to see him and his wife again. Church was just really good because the members are really awesome :)

Today we spent most of the day with the branch pres. and his wife, because they had the day off and wanted to have fun with us, so they drove us all around and showed us a lot of random places around Jeju. He insisted on stopping and taking pictures of us all over the place, so we took almost 200 pictures today :P But it was super pretty and fun!I think I'll leave it at that and just send you some select pictures :P

 

Something I forgot to mention, this transfer our mission is focusing on the Book of Mormon, and so everyday for these 6 weeks we have a reading schedule so that the entire mission will read the whole BoM together by the end of the 6 weeks. They gave us new copies of it, and as we read, we are marking certain things, all of which pertain to Christ, and it is just a really awesome project! I'm really excited to be doing it. I already really love the BoM, but this will be the first time I'll be reading it so FAST, and yeah... I'm just super excited about it. Learning lots, etc. :)