Elder Hamster reporting!

(This is from last week. I forgot to post it. Sorry! -Torie)

Things have been really great this past week. It's starting to pick-up. I've realized (although however long I've been out here too late) that I can't be as passive as I usually am in this work. Therefore, I've really started picking it up and becoming fully engaged. I can't turn back now, and everything I do rides on faith.

Our progress with Mr. 배 (Beh) has been really good. He's still working on his Word of Wisdom thing - we're going to teach him a lesson tonight that will help him to set goals and do what he needs to do to accomplish them to bring him closer to his baptismal date of the 31st. I think it'll be a great lesson tonight!

We've also been teaching Han Chang Hoon as well. He's the guy that drinks and smokes a lot, and does nothing but that and drive taxis. We actually played a game of Chok-ku with him this morning (look that game up on Wiki or something - it's so awesome. It's volleyball with your feet!) - and last time we met we taught him about the Book of Mormon and how it's a record of the ancient Americas. He had a hard time believing that the Lamanites are a direct descendant to the Native Americans, but... either way, I know the spirit touched him with incredible power. We taught him about the Word of Wisdom as well, and how he can't smoke and drink like he does (do you see a re-occurring theme here? Smoking and drinking is a very big problem in Korea). We told him to replace his drinking with cooking, exercising, and guitar (he plays the guitar! He's let me play it a couple of times when we visit, too. He enjoys it, and I love it!). So the part that really affirmed to me that he was feeling the spirit was at the very end. Usually when we leave we ask "So what will you do tonight?" To which he responds with "Drinking... and then.... sleeping." (he speaks ok English, so we talk to him in English a lot). BUT! That particular day, he said "Maybe... exercise, and then.... sleeping".

Hah! Take that natural man. Anyway, I think he has a lot of potential, and I'll let you know before I leave Wonju when his baptismal date is. ;D

Not a whole lot else to report. I've banned my Choco-pie addiction because I think I gained weight from it (maybe it was from the four boxes I ate....?). Oh and also, we have visitors that come to our apartment every morning, too. They like to just walk right in - it seems to be a theme for our apartment. We feed them, though, and they come back each day.

Two pigeons. Yep. They land on our balcony, and one morning we left the door open, so they decided to walk in and investigate. I'll send a picture of that sometime later - it's funny. We're making good friends with them.

Oh yeah, and about the title. I keep getting called Elder Hamster. When people try to pronounce my name in English, it comes out Hamster for some reason. Go figure. It's happened from three different people already, so yeah... Nice to meet you, I'm Elder Hamster.

Anyway, not a whole lot else to report I don't think. Things are going great! I hope you're all remembering to stay happy, stay healthy, keep reading your scriptures and to pray!

Love,
Elder Hamster