Week 36

Happy Birthday to Free and James! I was talking about DZ Discovery Zone and Chuck E. Cheese with a family who used to live in America, and it made me think of all the times we went there as kids. I'm sure if we saw those places now, they would seem so small, but back then they were gigantic. I hope you have great birthdays. It's James' tomorrow, right? At least where you are. It's already his here in Korea.

Did you do anything to celebrate Grandma's birthday? Please give me pics if you did. Anyway...

I spent the first half of this week in meetings and on buses and trains. I had a crazy day last Monday as you can tell from the lack of substance in my last email. I was with a missionary who will be leaving back to America this week, so we went around and saw some sites. We split a Quiznos sub for lunch.... and I don't think I've ever spent so much money on such little amount of food... luckily it was delicious. And luckily we met with a member that night who took us out to a fancy Italian restaurant, with fancy food and fancy chairs. I may or may not have broken a chair... ok, I definitely broke a chair in there. Shhhhhhh...

 

I can't believe I spent so much time traveling before. Or at least, I can't believe I was able to handle it so well. It's still exciting, but it wipes me out like it never did when I was touring. It may have something to do with the fact that I'm texting investigators in Korean, and I get motion sick very easily. Or it may be due to the fact that I never get to take a nap on the mission. Whereas in the band, I think I took a couple of naps a day in some form or another. That, or maybe it's because I just want to get out there and work. The less motivated I feel, the more I know and feel the urgency of this work snapping at my heels. It makes me work harder oddly enough. When i feel down, just throwing myself into this work is the best remedy. Getting to testify of this gospel ona  sometimes minute-basis, is an amazing feeling.

You can feel and see how quickly the Spirit works on people. Yesterday we came up to a man who wanted nothing to do with us. I said, "Oh, you seem busy. Since you're busy is it ok if we leave you one of our name cards?"

He took it and I explained as I handed him our card, what we are doing in Korea. He took it and nodded his head like "Yeah Yeah," i might as well have been saying "blah blah banana bana fana fo fana" and it would have gotten the same response. But then something caught his eye, he stared at the card, and said, "Wait, so what's this all about?" We talked to him and taught him about the Book of Mormon for over 20 minutes, and plan to meet again.

Yesterday we finally met a soldier who has been having sacrament on base with a couple of members for nearly the last 6 months. We've met with the fellowshippers before, but this is the first time we met with Park Song-Ho. His fellowshippers are an RM name Lee Han-Eueng, who served in New York, and went right from his 2 year mission into his 2 year mandatory army service for Korea. And the other is Kang Tae Gyeoung, who is a recent convert of about four years who got baptized while studying in America. It was by far one of the most amazing lessons I've ever been apart of. He's truly been prepared by the Lord. And it was just letting the Spirit do the talking. When we committed him to Baptism he said yes about a dozen times.

The whole experience getting into the place was pretty bizarre. We had to go to the front gate and explain who we were meeting. The front gate has all sorts of pointy, sharp things that would mess you up pretty bad if you tripped and fell. Plus, a bunch of people with guns saluting you is pretty intense too. Am I supposed to salute back?

Last week we also ran into a less-active woman that I hadn't seen since Christmas. Her Mom has been sick, and so she's had to take care of her. I said I miss her sons. And sure enough she brought them to Church yesterday. I had only gotten to visit her once before, and since I'm pretty sure I'm leaving this week, so we visited her today and sang her a song. She treated me like I had seen her everyday, and that I was leaving forever.

I'll give you the full story next week if I do leave, but after the meeting last Tuesday I'm pretty sure this is my last day here in 원주. Again 생일축아합니다 to Ka-el and free. I have good presents in mind for you... sorry you'll be getting them late.

Love you all!

-Elder Reyes