December

FAMILY!! Hello!!
How are all y’all doing this fabulous day!?! It was a fun week here in Ulsan Korea. 

We had a training meeting in Busan and it was, of course, a blast to get together with all the missionaries. My poor companion is having a hard time thinking that she is in her last week as a Trainee.  I remember my last week with Sister 이예정 and how scared and nervous I was to leave her and have to go somewhere else with someone new.  Sister Yoon has forbidden me to make any reference of transfer calls on Thursday, haha!

It's been amazing to see her change and grow over the last 12 weeks. They definitely aren't lying when they say that training is the hardest part of missionary work!! But President Gilbert's advice that he told me 12 weeks ago is very true; "Without hard things, we can't progress", and I have felt that I've progressed a TON these past weeks.  It's been hard, but I'll always be grateful for the refining moments I had with Sister 윤은지.

Transfer calls will be interesting this Thursday.  Currently I am the missionary who has been in our zone the longest, but because my companion is a new missionary, there is a possibility that she will be leaving.  So I might be here for another transfer, or I might go, or we will both go!  haha Really we have NO idea! I'll let y’all know next week though. Mom, you said that I should get an English companion but that might be weird!  haha I've only been with Koreans my whole mission; I'm not quite sure how to work with or live with another American!! ^__^

After the training meeting, the next fun thing was THANKSGIVING DINNER!!!!!! It. Was. So. Delicious! The Priedman family from our branch invited all of us over, and then they had an American family from the neighboring branch, {the Wood Family (they have 2 little girls who are adorable)} and then our friend Valeria joined the group.  There was homemade stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy, homemade rolls (they were good, but I really missed Grammy's rolls), there was cranberry jello, fruit salad, and CHICKEN haha They couldn't find a Turkey.  Apparently Costco got about 200 Turkeys, and needless to say, those went fast. For dessert there was apple, chocolate and pumpkin pies. The pumpkin was so good!! Sister Priedman made everything from scratch, including the filling! So good! ((on the subject of pumpkin, I should tell y’all of the amazing change that has taken place with my tastebuds. I now, actually, GREATLY enjoy pumpkin, squash and the real shocker... Sweet Potatoes! (the yellow ones)... well, at least the Korean version of these things lol)

Overall it was just a nice relaxing night full of family time. I have to admit that it did make me miss y’all and our Thanksgiving traditions. I missed helping mom cook, and the chips and dip while we watched football. I missed the movie break, and of course, the week of leftovers and cold turkey sandwiches. But it was fun and I'm grateful I could still have a Thanksgiving. 

In y’alls emails you talked about Black Friday and all the crazy shoppers. There is nothing like that here!! And the stores actually waited till after Thanksgiving before they started putting up decorations! haha Weird huh!?!

Ok, so I've been talking about food... so I'll just continue (I promise I'm not hungry right now lol) Since I've been in Korea I have had a wide variety of meats! haha Well, since last night, we can officially add EEL to the list!! And actually...it was really good!! It was fun to watch the member prepare it as she cut it up and cleaned it out. Then she began frying it up and she coated it in this AMAZING sauce!! She mixed the spicy red pepper paste with a sweet grape juice sauce thing (Sorry, it was all in Korean. I don't know what it is exactly) and a couple other spices.  It was spicy and sweet and super good!  We ate it with rice in lettuce leaves.  We also had 3 different kinds of Kimchi (all at different ages).  The "best" kimchi was the 3 year old kimchi that we ate with some kind of pork (again...Korean name, not sure what it is exactly in English).  The meat and kimchi are cooked together and then you wrap the kimchi around the pork.. sooo goood!!! The member told us it was a "kimchi party" lol

On the subject of fresher food... Koreans are really really good about eating fruits and vegetables in their season. Really, if it's not in season, you either can't find it or it costs a TON of money.  But because they do this soo well, you end up eating the same fruits for m.o.n.t.h.s!!  Here in Korea was the first time I've ever had Persimmons and I have to say that I'm ready for them to be out of season!! There are 2 kinds.. the hard ones and the soft ones.. and the soft ones just freak me out! lol

The work this week was...well...it was kind of tough.  Every appointment that me made, including the back up ones, all got canceled.  But it's ok; this next week will be good. 

Kinda sad, one of the Elders in our branch had to go home for a couple of weeks because of medical reasons. Because of this, my companion and I are now on our own in Shin Jeong. This also means that we get to teach all their recent converts, which was fun. 

On the same day as our convert JuHee, two brothers SehMeen and SehJeen were baptized.  This week we taught SehJeen and it went really well.  But my favorite lesson was on Sunday and we reviewed with both the brothers about the Priesthood.  Then, they were about the be ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.  After church I went up to the older brother and asked him how it went.  He replied with 성스럽다 which means like holy, sacred, solemn. It was a neat moment.

Sunday, the Elders also had one of their investigators get baptized!!! Actually, when I was with Sister Yeon, we were the first ones to begin to teach him and then the Elders came, so we handed them over.  His name is 김경수 (Gyong Su) and he is TOTALLY the "cool kid" personality and all. So teaching him was always a bit hard, haha! To see the changes that he has made and to see his heart softening has been really special. Then on Sunday, to see him shed some tears (while trying to hide it to keep up the "cool guy" persona) was awesome.  I know that his heart will continue to soften and he will be able to bless and lead so many people to this Gospel.  When I look at him I can always picture him at the MTC.

For Gyong Su's baptism I made him a scripture case for his Book of Mormon.  On it, I put pictures of Captain Moroni, the 2000 warriors and another picture of the warriors right after battle as they are helping those who are wounded.  On the top of the case I put the scripture Alma 53:20-21.  Thinking of President Eyring’s talk from Priesthood Session, I was able to pray about Gyong Su and really think about who he could become. 

Well the work here is moving forward. I LOVE being able to serve in this mission. I know that Heavenly Father is really aware of the people of Busan Korea, especially as we keep our sights and our hearts on a Temple. 

I love you all!! Thank you for everything!! I'm excited to share a bit of Christmas with y’all through packages, and I'm even more excited to talk to you within a month!!!!!!

Oh, and a follow-up from last weeks letter, when I talked about my gratitude from being a Wells-Longshore, I turned to Helamen 5:6 and thought that scripture applied really well.

You are in my prayers! Love y’all!

kiss love hugs