August 5, 2013 - I'M IN KOREA AND SPEAKING KOREAN! IN ALL CAPS!

August 5, 2013

BEST BEST BEST BEST place :) I can't believe I've only been here for a week.

It was a great flight! I made some great friends on the plane (like, talking for 2.5 hours straight with a high school student who is GREAT - I love happy, friendly people, an American elementary school teacher, and a Korean lady). And I was super jet lagged.   (AH! I don't know how to send pictures right now. I'm in some weird sort of public computer place - lots and lots of gamers here. It's school break in Korea. ) As you can tell, I was going to send a picture of the airport there. AAWESAH! hehehe :) The first night, we stayed in the temple - something I probably won’t get to do again. And we met some sisters from Busan going home; they told us about Korea, missions, etc. The next day we went and 전도ed  (proselyted) for a little bit - and gave away a Book of Mormon! I was companions with Sister A (actually,  when you put this on the blog, you should maybe change names - I've heard that's a good idea.) who is a native Korean, but it was GREAT because I could actually understand most of what was going on, and talked as well! Not like, well, but also :) I'm actually VERY happy with how much Korean I can speak right now. I'm nowhere near fluent, but I can say and understand WAY more than I dared hope for. It's a crazy blessing that, after 2 months of studying in a classroom, for not even the whole day, I can say and understand so much. I've started up conversations with all kinds of people! And like I said most of them are great. There have been like, 3 who pretend you don't exist, but I consider that nothing compared to all the nice people! That’s only, like, 3 percent :)

My companion is Sister Gardiner, who is WONDERFUL! She's on her second to last transfer and is the best - super supportive, and helpful with Korean - she speaks really well and picks up the conversations I start when I don't understand what they're saying anymore :) My mission president and his wife are awesome. I haven't gotten to know them super well yet - there were 30 of us that came to Seoul, so there isn't a whole lot of time, but it's okay! There's time for that later! And he says “hello” to the Webb’s, so pass that on :) The food is great! Different, but great. And there's actually quite a bit of American food around, if I so fancy -- like COSTCO. I thought you'd appreciate that, Mom :) I have a great companion, great area, great investigators, great ward, and a Costco! Can life get any better? I submit that it canNOT! ^^(that's my attempt at Korean typing/texting ㅎㅎㅎ (a sort of hehehe in Korean ^^))

My apartment is pretty decently sized, for what I generally hear of Korean apartments (I've only been in 1 so far) - and has 6 sisters living in it :) kind of cramped, but I actually really enjoy being around/getting to know more people :)

I think things are generally pretty cheap - I've only bought food so far, and a couple language books, but clothes (from what I've seen - people are selling stuff all over the place, it's kind of like a reeeeeally big street fair, in a way) look like they’re pretty cheap! But shopping later, we have work to do!

We have seen so many miracles! I’ve only been here a week! One: that I can say/understand so much. A long way to go, but it's amazing. And I really couldn't ask for a better ward, companion, etc. (Previously listed in a non-exhaustive list). And I've started talking to a bunch a super friendly people, and quite a few who are interested - whether it be about the gospel, or about how our church is different, or just why I'm learning Korean/here in Korea - it's so FUN to tell people that I've only been here for a few days! hehe, and they always tell you how good your Korean is.) And we had one lady come up to us on the subway, and we (Sister Gardiner, mostly) talked with her for a long time - she asked questions we hope people ask - how is your church different, about commandments, why there are so many churches, eternal family, etc. :) It really was a miracle. And I've run into so many people who speak English, and who not only speak, but who want to talk to us, as people and a little about religion.) And then I've met one of our investigators, who is great. She came to church this week (in time to see me 인사 - introduce myself at the ward - quite the adventure, more about the ward later) - in a SKIRT! haha, Sister Gardiner was so happy about that, I guess she's come plenty in pants, which is great, but she wanted to wear a skirt this time! hehehe :) And a less active member came to church as well - (I'm not sure how much to use names, and I'm awful at remembering them anyway).  She's a middle school student, who's pretty good at English (everybody here learns, but some are definitely better than others) and we talked for a good 45 minutes after church :) Mostly getting to know her, which then reverted into helping me with Korean :) She's so great!

The Ward is wonderful too. Great bishop, Great friendly people - I don't think there was a single person who didn't come up to me after Relief Society. I gave a short testimony in Relief Society, a prayer in gospel doctrine, and an introduction in sacrament meeting. WOOT! And a lot of the older women were helping me as I was speaking in front of the congregation, finishing my sentences and everything :) hehe. They're wonderful! And I guess we have a meal after church every week, but we didn't this week, since it's Fast Sunday, but I'm excited!

Whew. Just a couple adventures. I understand now why people's emails are so long. Sorry to make you read it all. BUT! There's so much to say! hehehehe I LOVE KOREA! AND KOREANS! AND BEING A MISSIONARY! Lots to learn, lots to do! YEAH!

I hope I answered all of your questions too! If I didn't let me know! You know how I like talking, especially when I'm ridiculously happy!

LOVE! 사랑해요!

Sister Thomas

토마스 자매

July 26, 2013 - Forever remembered.

July 26, 2013

 So apparently it was a good idea to get up at 4 in the morning and do laundry again. Highly debatable. (but really - obedience to the schedule here is a big deal. You wouldn't think that switching around times or being a little late or early would matter too much, but there is a certain power/blessings that come from what we like to call "exact obedience", which I like to call "diligent obedience" - the principle that you follow the schedule because you want to be here. And it's hard to explain the ways that God blesses you for it. Little things. Again, hard to explain, but entirely real. Hence conflicted about regular 4 in the morning laundry.) Anyway, my swipey card, which is used for everything - getting in doors, and food, which is just about everything here :) - fell behind the washer. At 4 in the morning. Sniffle. And hilarious at the same time. So Lauren, when you come, check behind washer 11. My card may still be there. :) (they said they can't move the washers, though I'm supposing that's until hardcore cleaning time. So it probably won't be, but a Sister can dream, right?)

Sad that that's my story of the day. :)

Plenty of other hilarious things that I cant' think of now. Another reason why I'm not particularly a fan of writing at 4 in the morning. but alas.

I suppose I ought to talk about going to KOREA! I'm both entirely excited and entirely terrified. It depends on the hour you ask me if I'm ready to go or not. On one hand, it's time. I've been in the MTC long enough, and even though it's going to be a rough go out in Korea, talking to people in, like, you know, Korean, and being rejected all over the place, but it's time to start working with people. Which I'm SO EXCITED about! But on the other hand, I don't actually speak/understand Korean. I speak a TON for someone who has been studying for about 2 months, about 3 formal hours a day (most of the rest is personal scripture study, teaching activities, etc), but I, uh, am far from fluent. But hey, that's part of a mission, right? Jumping in and being ready to learn, and knowing the Lord will support me. Yeah! On the other hand, I can't WAIT to leave! I have big dreams about what is going to happen in Korea, am excited to work with people and the members and talk to random people - I guess the love it when people try to learn their language, which is nice - and to be a part of the work to bring happiness to His children. I've been realizing more and more just what happiness that the gospel has brought to me - to our family, that I know I always have support from y'all and from Him, who never fails, that there is a purpose to life and a reason for existing (which knowledge has helped me more than I think I realize) and through these supports and many other blessings and understandings (so MANY!), I'm happy. Even when life is rough (and boy, has it been rough at times here - and I'm sure that's just the beginning :) ) I always have something to turn back to.

Yeah, that will be the email for the week. plenty else to say, but not plenty of time.

And yes, I did receive the crocs, and they're great - but I'm wondering now if I have room. I'll let you know. and thanks for the jacket! Once again, I hope there's room, but if not, I'll send it back in a post-mark package with Jen. We're having breakfast on Saturday!

Love you! Have a great week :) *hug*

Sister Claire Thomas

July 19, 2013 - MTC, week something

July 19, 2013

So, I don't actually keep track of how long I've been here. Just since it's closer to the end than to the beginning, that there are about 10 days 'til I leave. Wait, what?!?

We got travel plans this morning while doing laundry at 4 in the morning - I'll be off to Dallas, then to SEOUL on the 29th. Crazy talk.

Also, today we got to clean the temple - I helped with one of the chandeliers. They're amazing - we took them apart crystal by crystal, and polished them. I was there for 3 hours, and we didn't finish one. 156 chandeliers in the temple. Amazing, huh! And really, it was just nice to go to the temple again, even if we didn't do a session or anything. The temple has been closed for the last few weeks, and I've really missed the peace in the temple. So it was nice :)

I was wondering what to talk about this week, since it's been mostly the same as other weeks - and then I realized I didn't say much about what we do day to day. SO! Here's a quick run-down of the Missionary Training Center:

Everyday, we have 6 hours of class, which includes Korean, teaching skills, and progressing investigator. We finished the Korean book like, 3 weeks ago, so we've just been learning other random grammar and expressions, and practicing LOTS on the basics. Really, you don't need fancy words to share the message of the gospel. Which is nice. Because I don't know fancy words, or always how to put them together. Korean makes a lots of sense, but is different in most ways from English. Subject, Object, Verb. Etc, etc. Crazy :) But it's really amazing how much and how fast we all learn here, assisted by the Spirit. The romantic language speakers sound just about fluent (in gospel vocab, anyway) when they leave. I'm a long way from that, but for studying Korean for only 2 months, it's amazing. (Though I still feel like I don't know much - Korea is going to be an adventure :)) We teach a progressing investigator in Korean all the time - right now we're teaching commandments like tithing and the word of wisdom - which is nice, because it's a situation where you can mess up horribly and it's okay. A lot of the teaching skills we go over are in Preach My Gospel - which is a wonderful, wonderful book. (sweet. My chair just broke :P) Sundays are the best - we have devotionals, which are always a pick me up, and sacrament meeting in Korean.

Aaaand I'm just about out of time. that's only a little bit of the MTC. But it's what I do :)

BYeeee!

Sister Thomas

토마스 차매

July 19, 2013 - So…. It’s 4 in the morning

July 19, 2013

It's 4 in the morning.

I'm doing laundry.

I don't know that I spelled laundry right.

Everything looks funny right now, anyway.

This is our district doing laundry at 4 in the morning, 

and being sad and hiding in the shade. 

I can't tell if it's actually funny, 4 in the morning funny, or missionary funny. Suffice it to say, it's amusing...to me.

Hehehe!

BYE!