18 Dec 2008
Hello, hello!
Goodness, time is starting to move much more quickly. The other day we were on the subway, and a group of three Americans with skateboards got on. They were kind of roudy (sp? I don't have spell check), and I was kind of embarassed...and it just, in a weird way, reminded me that this is a neat place and a neat time in life. I am starting to love Korea. I am trying to talk to everyone, to talk to people as we travel--which is really weird for people. And here it's especially weird to talk to strangers, and it's weird for a foreigner to speak Korean. But even when I get rejected, I get rejected very politely.
It's not just that, of course...it's how I feel at ease here, and how I'm grateful to be able to focus just on the gospel. And to do that with them. Yesterday we took a bus out to an area outside the city. We were going to be meeting with two member couples. It was a rainy day, and when we got off the bus, there was a man with an umbrella who smiled and bowed--he and his wife came to pick us up because of the weather. We went to the restaurant owned by the second couple, and as the six of us sat around a low table, with a soup boiling in the middle, eating with chopsticks out of the same bowls, and as they laughed and talked with eachother, I just felt at home with them. I had had kind of a rough morning, and being with them brought sunshine to my soul--I don't know how else to describe it.
On Sunday, we ate with another member family--the family of the bishop of one of the wards in the stake we're in (Yong Dong stake). We had asked a couple hours previously if we could just stop by briefly, but when we did, his wife sat us down to eat with them. After the meal, as we kneeled and prayed, I was just overwhelmed by their goodness and love, when I felt I could give so little in return.
Some other stories from the week. It was kind of a musical week. On Saturday we teach a beginning English class, and we're supposed to do gospel time, in English, as the last part of it, which is hard with beginning learners. We decided to sing the chorus of "Follow the Prophet," since it has a grand total of three different lines, one of which you sing six times.
We had some time before to prepare, so I found a children's song book and practiced playing it on the piano. During the class, I wasn't sure if I would actually be able to play while people were singing--whenever I've tried doing so before, my heart beats so fast and my hands shake so badly that I can't play what I've practiced. But it was just fine. I played it without problems, and we went through it several times. Thinking about that, about being able to do something I couldn't do before, was another reminder of how...I often feel I am getting so much help. I can speak to people without getting nervous, without worring about the language, things that I didn't do before. And I am just grateful for it.
And the language is coming. I can usually follow the small talk that preceeds our lessons, and I am starting to join in with it and with the lessons. A little. And people are so, so patient. No one learns Korean, and they know it's hard. They are so kind about it (though sometimes I solicit a giggle or two).
On Sunday, there was a baptisimal service--someone the elders in Song Pa ward had taught (there are elders in every ward, then sisters divided between stakes). I was excited for my first baptisimal service in Korea. Sister Romney and I got recruited to be in an impromptu choir, and we rehearsed "The Spirit of God" as we waited for the meeting to get going. It opened, and after some remarks, people went upstairs to the font for the actual baptism...but we stayed down and practiced a few more times. Sad. But worth it.
The plan was to have a piano solo on the third verse. Our little choir was made up of all sisters, though there was one brother who's a ward missionary who kind of sang with us as we rehearsed. He obviously enjoyed singing.
Well, people came back in after the baptism, and there were some testimonies, and then we got up to sing. We got to the third verse--I had been warned a few times about the piano solo--and all of a sudden, the ward missionary brother who had kind of sung with us stood up, and, following the music and his heart, began an impromptu solo and joined us at the front of the meeting. The rest of us nearly burst out laughing, but instead joined him on the chorus.
There was some more music last night--Sister Romney and I played hymns on the piano together--me the left hand, her the right--as we waited for an investigator to have her baptisimal interview. Her name means "Morning Star." She had a baptisimal date before I got here, but since then we've met with her a few times, reviewed some things, talked about work and school.... She is nervous to be baptized, but she is ready. And I am just grateful to share in some small part of that with her.
I love you all!
--Carrie
Hello, hello!
Goodness, time is starting to move much more quickly. The other day we were on the subway, and a group of three Americans with skateboards got on. They were kind of roudy (sp? I don't have spell check), and I was kind of embarassed...and it just, in a weird way, reminded me that this is a neat place and a neat time in life. I am starting to love Korea. I am trying to talk to everyone, to talk to people as we travel--which is really weird for people. And here it's especially weird to talk to strangers, and it's weird for a foreigner to speak Korean. But even when I get rejected, I get rejected very politely.
It's not just that, of course...it's how I feel at ease here, and how I'm grateful to be able to focus just on the gospel. And to do that with them. Yesterday we took a bus out to an area outside the city. We were going to be meeting with two member couples. It was a rainy day, and when we got off the bus, there was a man with an umbrella who smiled and bowed--he and his wife came to pick us up because of the weather. We went to the restaurant owned by the second couple, and as the six of us sat around a low table, with a soup boiling in the middle, eating with chopsticks out of the same bowls, and as they laughed and talked with eachother, I just felt at home with them. I had had kind of a rough morning, and being with them brought sunshine to my soul--I don't know how else to describe it.
On Sunday, we ate with another member family--the family of the bishop of one of the wards in the stake we're in (Yong Dong stake). We had asked a couple hours previously if we could just stop by briefly, but when we did, his wife sat us down to eat with them. After the meal, as we kneeled and prayed, I was just overwhelmed by their goodness and love, when I felt I could give so little in return.
Some other stories from the week. It was kind of a musical week. On Saturday we teach a beginning English class, and we're supposed to do gospel time, in English, as the last part of it, which is hard with beginning learners. We decided to sing the chorus of "Follow the Prophet," since it has a grand total of three different lines, one of which you sing six times.
We had some time before to prepare, so I found a children's song book and practiced playing it on the piano. During the class, I wasn't sure if I would actually be able to play while people were singing--whenever I've tried doing so before, my heart beats so fast and my hands shake so badly that I can't play what I've practiced. But it was just fine. I played it without problems, and we went through it several times. Thinking about that, about being able to do something I couldn't do before, was another reminder of how...I often feel I am getting so much help. I can speak to people without getting nervous, without worring about the language, things that I didn't do before. And I am just grateful for it.
And the language is coming. I can usually follow the small talk that preceeds our lessons, and I am starting to join in with it and with the lessons. A little. And people are so, so patient. No one learns Korean, and they know it's hard. They are so kind about it (though sometimes I solicit a giggle or two).
On Sunday, there was a baptisimal service--someone the elders in Song Pa ward had taught (there are elders in every ward, then sisters divided between stakes). I was excited for my first baptisimal service in Korea. Sister Romney and I got recruited to be in an impromptu choir, and we rehearsed "The Spirit of God" as we waited for the meeting to get going. It opened, and after some remarks, people went upstairs to the font for the actual baptism...but we stayed down and practiced a few more times. Sad. But worth it.
The plan was to have a piano solo on the third verse. Our little choir was made up of all sisters, though there was one brother who's a ward missionary who kind of sang with us as we rehearsed. He obviously enjoyed singing.
Well, people came back in after the baptism, and there were some testimonies, and then we got up to sing. We got to the third verse--I had been warned a few times about the piano solo--and all of a sudden, the ward missionary brother who had kind of sung with us stood up, and, following the music and his heart, began an impromptu solo and joined us at the front of the meeting. The rest of us nearly burst out laughing, but instead joined him on the chorus.
There was some more music last night--Sister Romney and I played hymns on the piano together--me the left hand, her the right--as we waited for an investigator to have her baptisimal interview. Her name means "Morning Star." She had a baptisimal date before I got here, but since then we've met with her a few times, reviewed some things, talked about work and school.... She is nervous to be baptized, but she is ready. And I am just grateful to share in some small part of that with her.
I love you all!
--Carrie
