Ride a camel.
Check.
Need I say more? Actually yes, I have so much more to write! But I figured I might as well start with the fact that I did, in fact, find myself atop one of those very large, rather lumpy creatures. In the most unlikely of all places here in Seoul, Korea! What better way to spend a Pday than atop a camel with my trainer! We definitely made the most of our last days together, and the camel was only the beginning! On Tuesday, we visited each of the lovely ladies we have been teaching so I could say goodbye and deliver the drawings I had made for them. I had a strong feeling that we should visit the lady we do the service for at the underpriviledged kids place and so we did just that. We got there and she was just reading the newspaper by herself. I was a little bummed at first cause the kids weren't there and I really wanted to bid them my fondest farewell. But it ended up working out perfectly. She invited us in and, as always, showered us with love and gratitude. Then she asked us the questions every missionary loves to be asked, "Why are you here?" "What are you doing?" "What makes your church different from all the other churches?". So we taught her all about the restoration and into the plan of salvation and she loved it. She even committed to coming to church! It was such a cool experience and she is such a wonderful woman. (Oh and mama and pop. I should probably inform you that I have invited half of Korea to come stay at our house when they visit Utah, so if any Koreans show up at our doorstep, say "ahnyonghasehyo" and show them to my room. Just thought I'd give you a heads up :) ) After we left and were walking down the street, we heard a little voice yelling behind us. We didn't think anything of it for the longest time and then finally looked back and saw my favorite little girl from the service running as fast as she could to catch us. She really came out of no where and it was such a tender mercy, as that would be the last time I would get to see her for the longest time.
Tuesday night, several missionaries from my district and I also got to go with a family in our ward to an old folk's home where we sang "Edelweiss" and the traditional Korean goodbye song. The old folks are the sweetest and this 97 year old woman held my hand the entire time we were there. It was so special and it really felt like home.
And THEN came transfers! My new companion is Sister Seegmiller (Seh-gmiller) from St. George and she's wonderful. She's such a hard worker, has the strongest testimony, and is so happy all the time. We're so much alike in that we're both very down to Earth and I have no doubt we will continue to get along perfectly. Wednesday, our first day together, we met with so many great people and went all over my huge new area of Sindang. Then on the way home I sat next to the nicest Buddhist lady on the bus and we talked the whole way. I had run out of cards to give and I didn't know what stop we were getting off on, so when we got to the stop I had to quickly get up and say a fast goodbye. Well my companion and I stopped to get a few groceries so I could survive the next few days and as I was going to pay I realized I didn't have my wallet. My wallet with both my debit cards, my subway pass, cash and my foreigner's card which is what is keeping my in Korea (and my nearly full stamped Paris Baguette card--but that's not really important). I know Dad, you're heart probably did a funny little dance after you read that, didn't it? Funny, because as we went back and retraced our steps over and over, I had to say to myself, "where's dad when I need him?". So my companion and I turned instead to my Heavenly Father in a very heartfelt prayer, putting full trust in Him that He knew where it was and that he knew I could not get far in the work without it. It was amazing how neither Sister Seegmiller and I were even the slightest bit panicked as we left our efforts and went home.
The answer to our prayer came via telephone call the next morning. I had not given her a card for my new area, but I had left one from my last area in the wallet and so the phone call came from my trainer in Gireum. The best part is that this is not the end of this tale! We met up with her on Thursday morning (a perfect way to celebrate my sweet mother's birthday) and she took us to a cafe, bought us orange juice, and agreed to meet with us again next week for lunch! It was such a miracle. And such an incredible answer to a prayer.
So now my companion and I decided that our new tactic will be to leave our wallets on the subway and train and hope for a similar outcome...
KIDDING. This is one of those commercials that has the asterisk at the bottom in very fine print reading, *this is not a real life situation and does not happen everyday. please do not attempt the activities featured above.
But really, it was so cool. We have already started the transfer off with some very cool experiences and I'm excited to have more and more. Our new area really is SO big and is at the heart of many tourist attractions. Our ward, too, is equally as big and the members are awesome. We have a magical garden on our roof and on the roof of our church, and we got caught in a huge rain storm. Two of my very favorite things. And the other sisters I am living with are wonderful and my new apartment is cockroachless and actually has an air conditioner type thing! Woo! There are a million things I have to leave out of this letter due to an insufficient amount of time, but I want you to know how crazy happy I am here. I love what I get to do everyday and I can't believe that as of this week I will have been in Korea for five months. In your next package, could you try sending me some time? I hear it's universal so it'll probably work here. I might have to buy a special adapter or something.
Hey, I love you guys.
TOO much.
Love,
Sister McCloskey
P.S. My sincerest apologies on behalf of this internet cafe, but you will have to wait but a short week for ze photos de la camel and of my new companion! For some reason they are not coming through. But here is one of Sister McGill, Jin and I after my last time teaching her. 
No comments:
Post a Comment