Hello!!!!!
I finally have a little more time to write this week! Hooray!
Things have been pretty busy! Which is absolutely wonderful! Last Friday was Pak Na ra's baptism. Sister Buford was so anxious to make it an event to remember. We turned on the heater in the bathroom about two hours early. We got a gift--a plant with pretty flowers and a notebook and (can you picture Sister Buford in the store?) a pretty candle and almost a little plastic bear keychain with the date on its belly and a pretty green coordinating gift bag to put it all in.
We were at the church early to try to get photos worked out for the Sister Buford fireside that next day. The elders were there too, it turned out, trying to get the baptismal font filled up. The boiler wasn't working, so we put water on the stove and in the rice cooker to start heating up. It ended up really not making a difference, though--poor Pak Na ra. She was a good sport about it, though.
The ward mission leader also requested that Sister Buford and I do a musical number, so we practiced singing a hymn in harmony. And then, as people were getting ready for the service, one of the women of the ward asked--if I could play the piano, they could play "I Am a Child of God" on the ocarina.
Have you ever heard of an ocarina? They look kind of like little submarines--kind of like a recorder in submarine form. They kind of seem to be a trend here. I had never seen them before. There's a mid-week ocarina class at church, and a lot of the ward members are learning it. I thought it was just kind of a way-to-make-music-accessible kind of instrument--inexpensive, pretty simple--but then I saw a big banner at an arts center for an ocarina concert.
Anyway.
So I accompanied the ocarina choir for "I Am a Child of God." I don't play much piano. I played the right hand and the bottom note and it worked out okay. I don't think anyone knew the difference. (Right??)
That was Friday; Saturday was Sister Buford's fireside. She had a translator--who I sent a text message to confirm with that morning, then turned around and called her and asked if she could teach a lesson with us that same day. I didn't put together that they were the same people. Oops. She was gracious, though, and did both for us.
Sister Buford showed pictures from filming the movie, getting her makeup done, practicing action scenes, with famous Korean actors. She got to the last picture--at her baptism. Dressed in white.
And I thought, "*this* is real."
After did "sign," as the Koreans say, and took pictures with people. I think it was a success. We'll do it again this Sunday at a different ward.
Sunday was Pak Na ra's confirmation. I opened my eyes after the blessing and looked at Pak Na ra...and she was different. After church that day we hurried over to a different ward building for an appointment, and happened to run into Byun Shin jeong, who got baptized a couple months ago. She was there asking another member for help with her family history. And this week, we met and taught a lesson to Byun Shin jeong's mom. Pak Na ra, and then Byun Shin jeong and how much she loves the church, how she's been changing and growing...they're helping me start to get it. I feel like I am finally starting to get missionary work. That people change with the church. That there's a difference when they are baptized and confirmed. That we don't just need it, but that it makes people happier. And that it's possible! I feel like I am starting to light up inside. I am finally starting to understand. And if it took me this long and this much work to start to get it, well, then how much more precious that knowledge is.
Also on Sunday, there were five other girls who attended church--investigators. And Monday and Tuesday, we went out to Ansan to meet some member high school students friends. There are a group of four members--three boys and a girl--who attend the same high school. The girl--Jeong Ee sul-- did some street contacting with us and is a better missionary than us! What wonderful people. And last night, the bishop of another ward went to a hair salon with us to introduce us to someone another member had met and wanted to introduce to us (confused yet?). I just feel privlidged to work with these people, be around them, learn from these members and their testimonies.
I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you dearly!
--Carrie
I finally have a little more time to write this week! Hooray!
Things have been pretty busy! Which is absolutely wonderful! Last Friday was Pak Na ra's baptism. Sister Buford was so anxious to make it an event to remember. We turned on the heater in the bathroom about two hours early. We got a gift--a plant with pretty flowers and a notebook and (can you picture Sister Buford in the store?) a pretty candle and almost a little plastic bear keychain with the date on its belly and a pretty green coordinating gift bag to put it all in.
We were at the church early to try to get photos worked out for the Sister Buford fireside that next day. The elders were there too, it turned out, trying to get the baptismal font filled up. The boiler wasn't working, so we put water on the stove and in the rice cooker to start heating up. It ended up really not making a difference, though--poor Pak Na ra. She was a good sport about it, though.
The ward mission leader also requested that Sister Buford and I do a musical number, so we practiced singing a hymn in harmony. And then, as people were getting ready for the service, one of the women of the ward asked--if I could play the piano, they could play "I Am a Child of God" on the ocarina.
Have you ever heard of an ocarina? They look kind of like little submarines--kind of like a recorder in submarine form. They kind of seem to be a trend here. I had never seen them before. There's a mid-week ocarina class at church, and a lot of the ward members are learning it. I thought it was just kind of a way-to-make-music-accessible kind of instrument--inexpensive, pretty simple--but then I saw a big banner at an arts center for an ocarina concert.
Anyway.
So I accompanied the ocarina choir for "I Am a Child of God." I don't play much piano. I played the right hand and the bottom note and it worked out okay. I don't think anyone knew the difference. (Right??)
That was Friday; Saturday was Sister Buford's fireside. She had a translator--who I sent a text message to confirm with that morning, then turned around and called her and asked if she could teach a lesson with us that same day. I didn't put together that they were the same people. Oops. She was gracious, though, and did both for us.
Sister Buford showed pictures from filming the movie, getting her makeup done, practicing action scenes, with famous Korean actors. She got to the last picture--at her baptism. Dressed in white.
And I thought, "*this* is real."
After did "sign," as the Koreans say, and took pictures with people. I think it was a success. We'll do it again this Sunday at a different ward.
Sunday was Pak Na ra's confirmation. I opened my eyes after the blessing and looked at Pak Na ra...and she was different. After church that day we hurried over to a different ward building for an appointment, and happened to run into Byun Shin jeong, who got baptized a couple months ago. She was there asking another member for help with her family history. And this week, we met and taught a lesson to Byun Shin jeong's mom. Pak Na ra, and then Byun Shin jeong and how much she loves the church, how she's been changing and growing...they're helping me start to get it. I feel like I am finally starting to get missionary work. That people change with the church. That there's a difference when they are baptized and confirmed. That we don't just need it, but that it makes people happier. And that it's possible! I feel like I am starting to light up inside. I am finally starting to understand. And if it took me this long and this much work to start to get it, well, then how much more precious that knowledge is.
Also on Sunday, there were five other girls who attended church--investigators. And Monday and Tuesday, we went out to Ansan to meet some member high school students friends. There are a group of four members--three boys and a girl--who attend the same high school. The girl--Jeong Ee sul-- did some street contacting with us and is a better missionary than us! What wonderful people. And last night, the bishop of another ward went to a hair salon with us to introduce us to someone another member had met and wanted to introduce to us (confused yet?). I just feel privlidged to work with these people, be around them, learn from these members and their testimonies.
I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you dearly!
--Carrie
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