Wow, what a busy week this was! Since it was the New Year, a lot of members had us over to eat at their houses, and we have a lot more to go this week. I love our members, they are so great, and they seem to like us a lot. I just wish I could talk to them! Some speak English, though, so that's good. We played Settlers of Catan (which is a board game I used to play back in America) with a youth member who's going to Pusan next week for college, and that was way fun. Also, I bore my testimony in broken Korean in Fast and Testimony meeting this Sunday, and the members were way impressed, even though my korean wasn't amazing. I guess you've just got to put yourself out there and try, and the members appreciate it. ps--I said "kido," which is prayer, instead of "kanjung," which is testify, at the end of my testimony...oops. :D
We had a mission conference for the Korean New Year! It was way fun. We got instruction by the Mission President, ate amazing food, listened to great musical numbers, and played Yut, a Korean game that's kind of like 'Sorry', only with wooden dowels instead of dice. It was held in the biggest Church building in Asia, which I think is pretty cool! It was nice to see all my missionary friends from the MTC, too.
We got to go to the temple for the first time today, too! We go every transfer, which is about six weeks. It was so great; I really needed it today. I had a good experience. Last week was kind of hard, becuase two investigators punked us (which means that they set appointments, but didn't show up to them). That's always a downer. But we gained more appointments from that set of circumstances, which just goes to show that the Lord works in mysterious ways. If we have faith, the Lord will do amazing things through us.
Korea is still awesome! I love the food more and more. Kim bap is one of my favorite foods now, it's just seasoned dried seaweed wrapped around rice and sometimes vegetables and stuff. Simple, but delicious! I also had fruit kimchi, which was interesting. Koreans like to keep a pot of soup on the stove for days, too, which kind of grosses me out, but you get used to it. We eat out about a third of our meals, and the rest we cook ourselves. I think I'm starting to get rice face, though...it happens when you eat too much rice. Your face starts to swell up and get a strange yellow tinge, and sometimes it's permanent. And I may or may not be pulling your leg. :D
So, to answer your questions:
Mom: I don't have jetlag anymore, I'm actually surprised at how fast I adjusted! Me and my compainion share a 2-man apartment, which is nice. We email at a post office on Mondays, usually, but sometimes things get switched up. On P day we shop, email, write letters, clean, and whatever else we want, and it's over at six. Congrats on your progress with your diabetes, I'm so glad! Keep me posted on things.
Dad: I haven't been to a public bathhouse yet, but I'm excited to go there! We might not have one here in Il San, though. We're in an apartment, not a house, but out in the country I'm sure they're in houses. My companion says that Il San didn't even exist when you were here! Korea has grown explosively. When I say regulations, I just mean learning all the ways we have to do things, and the constant pressure and stress of being a missionary. But it's gotten better lately. I can email pictures, but our last couple Pdays have been really busy, so I don't have many yet. If you can, please send your testimony in a letter, because I can't print things off from emails here. And if you could send a couple simple recipies in that letter, that would be great. :D
Austin: So I hear you got pulled over, huh? :D It's ok, it happens to everyone. I'm glad to hear you're so into snowboarding, and doing a backside 180 is pretty awesome! We'll have to go when i get back, but you'll proabably be a million times better than me by then. :D Nice job with being popular with girls too--go get 'em! Just remember there are more important things. (I have to say that because I'm an adult now... :D)
I love you all! The work is kind of hard for me right now. I feel like my testimony isn't where it needs to be. But I know I can do it, with God's help. My companion doesn't like me very much, I think, but I have faith that we can work together and accomplish great things. I'll talk to you next week, and I love you!
~Elder Matt Dean
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| Elder Dean's desk |
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| Elder Dean's apartment building |
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