Sydney sent a little note to us saying next weeks letter won't come until Weds, Tuesday night for us. It's a Korean holiday coming up the first week in May. So her mission president moved her p-day. We used to experience something similar in Japan. It's called golden week there. So don't think we forgot you next week, it will just be delayed.
Happy Birthday, Grandpa Gray! You're getting so old, but I still love you!! I hope you had a happy day!
And...the lists are back.
1. We met Gongju's only German man this week! We were just sitting on the bus going to Sejong and I saw this man sitting across the aisle who had Andy Serkis's face and the 11th Doctor's fashion sense and immediately thought, "Where in the world did you come from?" Turns out he's a German professor at Gongju University and has had dinner with the elders a few times over the years, but doesn't really have any interest in the gospel. We had a nice, but awkward chat over the course of our bus ride, but after I got off the bus I was so grateful that the majority of my random conversations with strangers do not happen in English. At least in Korean, I can be the cute, ditsy American trying to speak a hard language. In English, I just sound like an idiot. I think over the course of our ten minute conversation, I said the word "awesome" at least fifteen times. Ugh. Fail. My companion and I had a good laugh later though trying to imitate his fancy accent.
2. Oh, how was The Amazing Spiderman 2? Amazing?
3. All the colorful lanterns are out in prepartion for Buddha's birthday! It's the same day as your birthday, Daddy! Korea is looking very festive.(Steve's birthday is May 6th)
4. Yesterday, I added another language to my "List of Languages in Which I've Watched The Restoration." I've seen it in Korean, Tagalog, Hindi, and yesterday, Mandarin! In fact, I don't think I've actually ever watched The Restoration in English. Which is fine, because I've had a chance to admire all the other, forgotten parts of it, rather than just the words. For a 20 minute film, it's so well done! The soundtrack, the cinematography, the metaphor of the seed of fatih...It's such a good movie! If you haven't watched in a while, I invite you to watch it today! And then watch it another language just for fun. ^^ (This is a movie made by our church. You can watch it at www.lds.org if you want to know what she is talking about)
5. In other awkward 전도ing experiences, we were out in the countryside, looking for people to talk to and we spotted this tiny, old grandpa, sitting on a patch of grass by the side of the road. We went up to talk to him, but he didn't answer and didn't seem to understand anything we were saying. So we awkwardly gave him our English flyer with our phone number on it and told him that if he had any interest in the gospel, he should call us. But as my companion was giving him the flyer, he turned to me and soundlessly mouthed, "What is this?" And that's when I realized that he was a mute. And probably also deaf. Poor little old man! I felt so bad, he was probably so confused! Since we didn't know what else to do, we bowed extra respectfully and then walked away.
6. And now for a really long and frankly wonderful mission story! One of my favorite thus far.
Last week, we taught our Modern-Day Mulan about fasting. She really wants to be baptized and has been progressing and reading the Book of Mormon like no other investigator I've ever seen. She's AMAZING. Like, truly, truly amazing. Anyway, she works in construction here in Korea until she can go back to China and be reunited with her husband and son, so this past Sunday (Easter) we fasted together with her that she would be able to find a new job, or at least have Sundays off, so that she could come to church and soon be baptized. And then one day go back to China and be with her family again.
Well, she had an wonderful fasting experience and so did I. I could really feel the Lord's love for her throughout the day and I knew He understood her troubles and her needs. And then, yesterday, miracle of miracles, she came to church!!!! Because she works in construction, she doesn't work when it's raining since it's so dangerous, so my companion and I prayed really hard Saturday night for rain and do you know what? It rained yesterday! In fact it's still raining!
And Mulan (홍춘영) had such a spiritual experience at church! In her 47 years of life she had always believed in God, but had never been to church. Not even once. And so yesterday, for the first time in her life she came to church and she loved it. She loved the members and the music and the discussion in Relief Society. She especially loved the bishop's talk in sacrament meeting and she very enthusiastically told him so after church, shaking him warmly by the hand. She even told some of the other members later that she wants her husband to become a man just like our bishop! She said she can't wait to share the Book of Mormon with him and introduce him to the gospel.
Wow, we just really had an incredible day yesterday. One of the best of my whole mission. I know right now missionaries are not allowed to openly preach the gospel in China, but I testify that the Lord knows His people and He is moving this work along in so many ways that we don't even realize it yet. I love our Modern-Day Mulan (홍춘영) and I feel so priviledged to be one of the missionaries that began teaching her. I never imagined that I would ever teach a investigator like her on my mission, so diligent and prepared and just ready for this gospel and the light it brings. And I know that one day, some day soon, she will take that light and at last bring it home to the saints waiting in China.
Well, she had an wonderful fasting experience and so did I. I could really feel the Lord's love for her throughout the day and I knew He understood her troubles and her needs. And then, yesterday, miracle of miracles, she came to church!!!! Because she works in construction, she doesn't work when it's raining since it's so dangerous, so my companion and I prayed really hard Saturday night for rain and do you know what? It rained yesterday! In fact it's still raining!
And Mulan (홍춘영) had such a spiritual experience at church! In her 47 years of life she had always believed in God, but had never been to church. Not even once. And so yesterday, for the first time in her life she came to church and she loved it. She loved the members and the music and the discussion in Relief Society. She especially loved the bishop's talk in sacrament meeting and she very enthusiastically told him so after church, shaking him warmly by the hand. She even told some of the other members later that she wants her husband to become a man just like our bishop! She said she can't wait to share the Book of Mormon with him and introduce him to the gospel.
Wow, we just really had an incredible day yesterday. One of the best of my whole mission. I know right now missionaries are not allowed to openly preach the gospel in China, but I testify that the Lord knows His people and He is moving this work along in so many ways that we don't even realize it yet. I love our Modern-Day Mulan (홍춘영) and I feel so priviledged to be one of the missionaries that began teaching her. I never imagined that I would ever teach a investigator like her on my mission, so diligent and prepared and just ready for this gospel and the light it brings. And I know that one day, some day soon, she will take that light and at last bring it home to the saints waiting in China.
I hope you all have splendid days!
Love,
Sister Arvanitas
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