Monday, March 23, 2015

March 23, 2015 - Leap of faith



Didn't my parents teach me NOT to talk to strangers?
 
Sorry, mom, dad. Guess there's nothing you can do about it anyway, now is there? As I am literally an ocean away. And have been here now for one year! Can you believe that?
 
Circle one: YES or NO
(I would adivse that the action taken above be done after having printed this email, or perhaps with a dry erase marker, but you've got free agency, so act as you will)
 
One year! Yikes. At least you don't have to worry about cold toes sneaking up on your warm legs under the covers anymore, right mom? And dad doesn't have to drop whatever he's doing and drive to the school becuase my basketball shoe, yes, singular, is more important than whatever million dollar contract he was about to sign...
 
What was I talking about? Ah, yes. Strangers. I'll be talking to them all I want, thank you. :)
 
This week we had some special encounters with some of the best. We saw a lady carrying a bag of vegetables on her head that was nearly the size of her teeny body. There wasn't much she could do in terms of protesting as we lifted it and accompanied her home. She turned out to be one angel of a woman who left us with the words, "I didn't know there were people like you in this world". No if THAT doesn't make you feel good, I don't know what will. Besides maybe a bubble bath.
 
We also had a cool experience where we visited, kind of spontaneously, a potential investigator. The whole family was there and they were so gracious at our visit asking us if we came because we heard the news. It must have been clear by the blank stares on our faces, because they relayed to us the sad story of the father having passed away three days earlier. The one daughter, a convert in a different ward of nearly one year, concluded that it must have been the Spirit that brought us there that day. We agreed, undoubtedly. It was such a cool experience.
 
We had a pretty slow week in terms of investigators as they are all busy starting the new semester, but we were able to meet with Seahorse and a young student member, which was awesome. And Imma's still keeping up with us on reading the Book of Mormon! All is well. The temperature is finally going up and the price of bananas is going down. We even went on a run the other day and Sister W got to see her first ever sunrise!
 
And I realized something the other day.
 
Every Wednesday and Saturday at our church we teach a free english class where we often introduce new expressions and idioms. You know useful ones like, "see ya on the flipside" and "ants in my pants". The other day the phrase "leap of faith" popped into my head and we explained it in terms of a guy taking a leap of faith and asking a girl to marry him. Or some crazy person jumping into a lake off an 80 foot cliff. But that's not a very good example now, is it? People don't do that... Or do they? (cough... DAD.. cough). I realized that now, having been in Korea for over a year, that phrase has taken on a whole new meaning. If you really want to know what a leap of faith is, ask anyone who's ever sported a black tag with their name and "Elder", "Sister", "Hermana", whatever those are in every other language, or in my case,  "자매".  A mission truly is a leap of faith. A leap away from the comforts of home, the normalcy of life, friends, school, family and mom's cooking... Everything that was once filed under the tab titled "Life". Leaving all that behind and pushing off. But unlike cliff jumping, this leap of faith is not over when you hit the water; It's is not simply done when the papers are filled, signed and sent. When bags are zipped and when hugs are exchanged. When tears are shed and final glances tossed over shoulders. Everyday on the mission is a leap of faith. And boy does there have to be faith. There's no way a missionary could do this work without it.
 
I'm so grateful to you, dad, for taking that leap of faith. No, not off the 80 foot cliff, but that was pretty cool too. :) For taking the leap 35 years ago TODAY and joining this incredible church. One of the bazillion blessings that has followed because of your great example, is that of me having this experience out here. When I think about my testimony of this gospel and where it is because of you and mom its so... satisfying? Is that the word I'm thinking of? I don't think so, but it will suffice. I know it's true. I know it. And I've never been able to say those words, or type them, with more truth behind them than I can right now.
 
I love you all and am so grateful to get to share this amazing experience with you. Have the best week, okay?
 
Love your secret admirer,
Sister McCloskey
 
P.S. I don't have many pictures this week as we spent p-day last week in the bath house. So... Here's


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