P-Day Countdown... 1 Left!

Woohoo! Today is... whatever day it is. The 30th I think. I forgot to shave.

Anyway, things are still going great! My teacher, Wells Hyungchenim left for the holidays yesterday - he won't be back until the fifth! I'm happy for him, though, even though the rest of the kuyok won't get the chance to see him again before he leaves...

Sorry about last week's e-mail. The computer really did eat my twenty minutes worth of typing and messaging. The window just all of a sudden closed and died away. Unfortunately, it must've been bad because it didn't get resurrected into rightouesness, so I wasn't able to see it again.

But! I'll try my best to report on last week as well as this week. We taught the first last this past Saturday, and it went pretty well. We taught this little kid - he honestly wasn't very interested and I wished I could've done a little more to make it more exciting. Mostly he was just responding with "good". Which, truly made it a lot easier to deal with, but... that's about all. It gave me the drive to learn better Korean so that I know how to deal with kids and get them more involved! One of the sisters suggested making a game - but... that's hard! So we just taught normally. From that experience, however, I also discovered that I can read better than a ten year old in Korean. That was kind of exciting.

We're teaching the second lesson again this week as well. This is our final task before we get to leave and do the real thing to people with real concerns! We're focusing on resolving concerns this week - the set up is that someone's sister is in the hospital for some reason. We get to find out why, what we can do to help, and resolve their concern with the wonderful power of the Book of Mormon! When we were practicing, one of the elders in my district kept being incredibly funny and showed me a scripture that said something like God smites the wicked to bring forth the righteous. And then closed. I was laughing so hard. I could only imagine... Not like that'd ever actually happen!

So anyway - things are still going great here! We get to learn about middle form this week - that is, the more common form of speaking in Korea. They don't teach us until the last week. Why? ... I don't know. We're supposed to always talk in high form - more respectful and such - because we're missionaries. Makes sense, but it'd be nice to mix it up a little bit and hear a litle bit more what everyone else is going to talk to us in.

And yes! I finally get MY official flight plans. We had to go to the Travel Office - apparently there was some lost in transit from the mail. I don't really know what happened there, but anyway, I got them! There's a two hour lay over in San Francisco, and then we head straight to the Korean Incheon Airport (I think that's the name of the place). I'm getting very excited! We have one last P-Day left. For Thayn Chamehnim, Brassfield and Curriden Changronim this is their final day! Buhm buhm buuuhhhm. Shimpan eer! Judgement day!

The temple is still closed - but we do get to go one last time bfeore we leave. Oh! And Christmas was wonderful here. I really enjoyed the spirit and the feeling of love and charity that everyone had around here. Christmas Eve Elder Bednar came and spoke to us, and then Christmas morming Elder Holland came. That's four apostles that I've heard from since I've been here! Whaa~~! It's pretty amazing. Elder Perry, Elder Holland, Elder Bednar, and Elder Holland again! I think it's a record. I also think the MTC has been lifted off the ground just a little bit. Just a -little- bit of transcendens. ;) And also! Thank you all so much for all the packages and card and letters and other stuff that everyone out there sent me. I opened Grandma's package day of Christmas... that wasn't a good idea because when I did, I found out there was cookies inside... So, they're kind of hard but! still very good. I've been enjoying them.

I'm preparing for leaving now, too, so I've began organizing my room a little more. I've discovered that I've accumulated or brought a few things that won't work so well or that I really just don't need. So! I'll be sending a package home. Mom, I found out there's this service that delivers from the MTC for free - you just have to pick it up. It's in Provo, and they call you and let you know when you need to come. Would that be ok? Otherwise, I can just send it home. I just have some notebooks and maybe some clothes, my flip-flops... Other little stuff that I just don't want to worry about the weight over. So anyway, if you could let me know what you prefer. Otherwise, yeah I'll probably jsut use the free mail service.

Sorry I couldn't call home. I totally forgot to mention that every time I'd write. Sorry! I believe that I'll get the chance to call when I either get off the plane or board the plane. I'm not really sure when, where, or what time I'll be calling from, so... I guess around the seventh when I fly away on the bus in the sky, hopefully I'll get to call. Maybe I should clarify that I think this is just what I've heard - it hasn't been set in stone yet. It may also depend upon Cho Man Ku, the Seoul mission president. It'd only be for like 15 minutes anyway.

Oh also, this is more directed at Linda and Torie and Amanda. I got the package that was sent and really enjoyed. I'm recording on the tape and getting ready to send it back. I'll send it to Torie and Amanda first and leave it in their hands to distribute it to everyone that wants to hear it. It isn't anything terribly exciting, really, but... could be fun?

Oh! And while I'm thinking about it, Mother Jones - I still need Jessica's address in Tokyo. I have Chris', and he's been writing me as we exchange letters, but... Jessica's opsuhmnida! So, if you could send that over to me, that'd be nice. ^.^

Anyway. I write a lot. Look at all that! Wow. This is the doom area that it died last week. So, I'm going to close now. Thank you all so much for all the love and support that you've given me! It's helped me a lot! I'm glad everyone had a great Christmas. have a wonderful New Year - remember who you are and who you stand for! Heng boke hashipshio!

Sarang,
Webster Changro

The Computer Ate My Message!

I just wrote for about twenty minutes on everything that is going on, but the computer just totally crashed out on me and ate my message, so here's a quick five minutes summary because that's all the time I have left:

Things are still going great! We're having al ot of fun here and really learning a lot. We're all getting really excited for Christmas, and thanks everyone fo rthe packages! Thanks Aunt Ashley for the brownies and the other stuff, it was really good!

I hope everyone has a really great Christmas! this is a wonderful time of year to enjoy the birth of our savior and really appreciate everyone as a family. Mom, I got the packages ok. Thanks so much! I've been really enjoying everything that you've sent. It's been a lot of fun to open all of them. I've been feeling ok - my headaches haven't been bothering me all too bad. You sent me the essentials oils already M-Grain and a couple of others. I've been using them, but some days I forgot or run out of time. They've been helping a little bit. Thanks for asking!

I love you all, and I'm so thankful for all the love and support that you've been giving me here at the MTC! It's helped me out a lot, and I've really had such a wonderfully increased testimony since I"ve been here. I hope you all truly enjoy this Christmas season, and remember each other and get absolutely caught up the in the spirit of the season! Sorry for the short e-mail. Blame technology! Eeebil.

We'll be teaching the first lesson again this Saturday, and I discovered this past Saturday that my departure date is set for the seventh of January! We're all very excited, and getting really ready now with much anticipation. I'll be heading over to the land in the East in just two or so weeks!

Have a wonderful Christmas! I pray for everyone back home everyday! And everyone else, pray for the Korean people for me, and pray for North Korea that it may open up to the missionaries!

Sarang,
Webster Changro

Week... 1,000,000? It's snowing!

Yes, I have definately lost track of how long I've been in here.

Elder Rockwood says hi (he's our Zone Leader. He's sitting next to me :D).

Anyway, things are going great. We taught the second lesson last Saturday for the first time. That was kind of intimidating, and I didn't do as well as I probably should've because I kind of lost focus on the dano (vocab words) that I should've been studying. I was focusing too much on the directions that we had to give rather than on the words that I should've been saying during the lesson itself. Luckily che dongbancha did great on that and covered me on more than on time. But! We still did wonderful. We taught with the spirit, and did the best to our Korean ability.

Other than that, we're still just working hard here. Things are still going along, and we're still alive here. The spirit of Christmas is coming really great - I really love it here! I'm so excited for Christmas. I'm actually excited to spend the holidays here - I discovered that once I leave for Hangkuk, I'll be just in time to experience the Chinese New Year in Korea. How cool! I'll send pictures, and... other cool things. Maybe a traditional paper shirt? :D

We teach again this week - on Saturday. We get to teach a "recent convert with questions about Tithing". I think this'll be a great experience.

I heard some more information about Korea from my teachers, too. They were telling us about the people there and how much they love recreation and healthy stuff. "Kongkan chwego!" Health is #1! That's a motto over there. How cool is that? Apparently they love hiking, recreation, there're parks all over the country... Other really neat stuff like that. So I had a really great thought - how amazing would it be to teach someone the second lesson (that includes The Creation of the world principle, and God's plan for us) outside, after just hiking a wonderful mountain! I'm so excited. I can't wait to get out there and eat dog soup.

Oh yeah. They also eat dog soup. I forgot about that part. I'll let you know how it tastes. They also eat live octopus, but we are advised against eating that, as the suction cup of the octopus can apparently stick in your throat and kill you. That's kind of a lame headline in the Korean newspaper, so... I'll stick with dog and kimchi.

Anyway, mother! Thanks so much for the Christmas present. I guessed one of them was food, so I decided to open it early (... sshhhh.... >.>). I realized that by the time it gets to be Christmas, I'll have about a week left in the MTC, so I won't have a whole lot of time to eat that much food. The rest of the Elders in my room have been getting boxes of food as well, so I'm kind of fending for myself. So, I've decided that I'm going to start on the food early! The caramel popcorn is delicious. :) The other present will wait. As well as the present from Grandma! Thanks Grandma for that, I was excited when I received it. It's driving a sister in my district crazy - she's getting really excited for Christmas.

So! I hope everything is going well there. I'm still just working hard - we got the chance to hear the BYU Men's Choir last Saturday. That was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed their songs - very spiritual and very inspirational.

We've received our new teacher - for about a week or two now actually. I can't remember if I told you guys about that, but... he's here! And he's really great. He's just barely off his mission - by about two months! So it's been really great to hear the advice and the experiences that he can give to us. He went to Seoul, just like me and my companion, so it's been even better to hear from him. Apparently he spent most to all of his mission in Seoul. But he has a really keen skill at the language, as well as a really powerful spiritual knowledge that he is more than willing to always share. He's a really wonderful Preach My Gospel missionary.

I dunno if these e-mails ever get out to Jones Chongronim and Chamenim, but if they do -- you're doing wonderful! Keep up the good work! I've really enjoyed reading how it is first-hand out in the land of the East. And Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone! Enjoy the snow, and be happy! Also, the Provo temple is closing on the 20th. Go to the temple! I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to go before I leave, so go for me! Today was my last attendance for two weeks. Go to the temple!

I'm not entirely sure who all this gets to, but I love you all! Thanks for the support and love that you've shown me - it's really helped me out here! I hope you're all doing really wonderful, and enjoy the spirit of Christmas. Get absolutely indulged in it and celebrate the birth of our Savior as best you can!

Remember that our Heavenly Father loves you all, and that our Savior is there for you, and the Holy Ghost can always be with as a constant companion and friend!

Heng boke ha ship sheyo! Be happy!

Sarang,
Webster Chongronim

He's BA-ack!

Hey all! It's Micheal. Sort of. He has actually been taken over! Oh no! Sort of.

As stated in his last blog, Mike left to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He entered the Missionary Training Center on October 22 and is going to Korea on January 7! For now I, Torie, will be updating his blog, meaning that I will copy and paste his emails to this blog so you all can read and enjoy. If anyone has anything to say to Mike and they don't want to write him themselves (come on!), they can leave a comment and I will be sure to include it in my next letter to him. Here we go!