July 26, 2013

July 26, 2013

Anyoung haseyo, yoraboon,

I got the package!  Thanks a lot.  I was especially glad of the letters and pictures.  The pants will be good to have as well.

It is so great that Emily is going out with the missionaries so much.  It sounds like she and the sisters are having much more success with their real investigators than I am with my fake ones.  In our very last lesson with him one of our investigators said that the only reason he had wanted us to teach him is so we could help him quit smoking.  We'd been asking him what he wanted us to teach him and he never mentioned that.  Towards the end of the lesson he also fell asleep so I guess we need to work on our speed.

One of the more important things I have learned here is that asking God to take our problems away rarely gets good results.  When we ask God for the ability to accomplish our purpose in spite of trials we get miraculous results.  When I am too tired to think in class or I have a headache during a lesson, I have been able to ask God for help and within a minute I am thinking clearly again.

I really wish I had studied the scriptures and church literature more before I got here.  I am reading from the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel daily but I also want to study the Bible more and read all the way through Jesus the Christ again.  I don't have nearly enough hours in the day here and I never will during my mission.

I get to call you Monday!  We should get to the airport at 9ish in the morning and I will call sometime before my flight leaves.  I hope that isn't a bad time for you guys.  There aren't any restrictions except that I'll need to get on a plane eventually.  I hope we'll get at least an hour.  The card I have hasn't even been scratched away yet and it should have a ton minutes on it.  If something doesn't work I can borrow someone else's card.  There are a lot of people that don't want to talk long and get homesick.  I'm more worried that there won't be enough phones available.  I know some parents sent in track phones for their missionaries to use in the airport but I think that is bumping up against the rules.  Its too late now anyway.

We got our all-hanguk name tags!  My name came out five syllables but it actually sounds like it does here when you speak quickly.  I have pictures with some of the Elders in my district and with my companion.  I am also imitating my companion when he thinks sometimes.  Isn't that the kabuki face?  My companion had no idea what that meant when I called it that.

Did you see the official facebook pages for the Brethren?   I want to like them as soon as I have facebook.

I really like getting pictures from home.  Keep 'em coming.  Be sure to include some of you guys in them.

I love you,

Stapley changno.