New Year's Eve Work and Celebration

We didn't want to go so long between posts, if we could help it!  There are lots of pictures today primarily because we were with so many missionaries this week.  Over the next week there will be more.  We need to get more pictures of missionaries! This week was primarily about catching up from the busyness of the past weeks and planning for the crazy schedule for the next few weeks.

Terri and I attended a middle and high school graduation ceremony at a school set up for children of North Korea refugees.  Unfortunately, the pictures probably won't be available for a day or two.  We will add them next week.

We did have a nice lunch with a man named Duke Kim (김도균) and his wife this week along with Elder and Sister Robinson.  He attends church with us in Songpa.  Duke is a member of the Korea Olympic Committee and committees for international competition including the ASEAN games and World Cup, etc.  He is an incredible fellow.  The Robinsons are the public affairs couple helping with communications here in Korea.  We learned so much during these few minutes together.

It was a true Korean meal which we don't get very often.  Most restaurants are more Chinese fare.  This was quite good.  Korean food has been greatly influenced by the strong spices of China, Japan, etc.  Everything is pretty red because of the hot pepper powder and past used.  We happen to really like it spicy.  Asia is where the spice variety is, sorry Europe and the Americas.

The real activity for the week was New Year's Eve. Two zones were joining together to sing carols (I know, it's after Christmas, but very natural to do here) and to do what is called sticker boarding.  We have mentioned sticker boarding before.  We hold up a sign that has a question or several on it and people place stickers on the board next to the question of greatest interest to them.  We did this outside of a large mall at a busy subway station.  There were lots of individuals and families walking through the area. 

We asked the question of which of the following questions do you want to know the answer to?
Where did I come from? What is the purpose of life?  Where do I go after this life?  The most common question of interest was "Where do I go after this life?"  It led to a number of very good discussions.  We also handed out some 200+ pamphlets on the Plan of Salvation which were well received.  We had individuals of all ages wanting to put a sticker on the boards.
Here are some random pictures of all of us involved.  There were about 40 of us busy in the work.

Here are more random pictures of just your missionaries who were involved in this activity.

We left the mall and headed to the local church where the stake had invited all the missionaries and their friends, those investigating the church, those who joined the church in the last year in this area and local leaders to a special program and dinner.  The missionaries performed skits, sang songs, and performed in other ways to entertain the crowds.  It was a fun evening of laughter.  We had a much better turnout for the New Years Eve event than we expected. Here are some random pictures of the participants.  Some of the productions were a little goofy, but very entertaining.

 A Santa with an Italian heritage.  He did terrific...

 He's pretending he's on the subway, he's not going to hit her!

 Imagine three large rooms with tables covered with food!  The Relief Society sisters of the stake prepared a meal that was targeted very much to the foreign missionaries.  It had a Mexican flair to it that was very unique to the Koreans.  Terri took the time to patiently teach them how to roll a tortilla into a burrito you can eat with your hands.  The missionaries were in heaven.  There was so much food!  Add to that some salad, smoked salmon sushi, nuts, fruits, several large cakes, etc. and you find the missionaries in heaven for the evening.

On top of that, they had provided a gift for each missionary and, yes those are Krispy Kreme donuts for every companionship.  Terri and I ate ours for dessert and breakfast at home.  They were just like the ones you get in the states!  They were awesome!!
 The church members truly gave a great gift to our missionaries.  It was fun to watch the interactions and the joy.  This is a hard time of year for many  missionaries, being away from families and all.  They were given the kind of attention they needed.  Here are a few more random pictures of the group with us this evening.

 Yes, they all eat well with chopsticks.  At first many think it's a sort of diet strategy, but they quickly get the hang of it and have no trouble eating!

 This is a good picture of some diversity with Koreans, Philippino, Polynesian and American.

 They look like very group of clean cut, happy young men at home... These guys know how to eat!

 The kind group that worked so hard to feed these young people.

 Yes, some are more angelic than others, but we love them all equally!

 We are having a grand time with these fine missionaries.  They are the crème de la crème.  They make us laugh, they make us cry and they make us hopeful for the future of this world.  Thank you to the parents and all those who helped raise such fine young people!

Hello, Goodbye, and.... That's Interesting!

Transfer weeks are always the busiest weeks.  We start the week shopping for food to feed the coming and going.  We had 17 coming in (#18 will come in next week) and 15 who have finished their service and are headed home.    I did the 15 departure interviews over four days. I spend about 45 minutes with each missionary discussing how they've grown, what they've learned and how they've seen the gospel and atonement of Jesus Christ change lives.  Many times it's their own lives that have been forever changed.  Here's the outgoing group.  You'll see 16 missionaries, one went home a few weeks ago and wanted to come back and visit her group.

Here's a comment from one Elder he sent in his final email to me:
"I'm happy because I'm always happy, but honestly my heart is torn. It's been so bittersweet saying goodbye to members, investigators and others that we've been working with here and in other areas. I've been thanking them and they've been thanking me, but in the end we are all just thanking our savior.
I've come to realize how much of an effect service and love have on a people. Every missionary who comes to Korea or who goes anywhere puts so much love and care into the people and the Korean people know that legacy. I feel that the love that in turn comes back to us is also meant for those who come before us and those who come afterwards still putting their love into this people.
Last week sometime I was thinking about going home and mostly about what Heavenly Father has thought about my service here. I believe that I have gotten part of my answer. During the last week about everyone I've talked to during proselyting has ended saying just about the same thing. All of them expressed their thanks for me for helping the Korean people. I know that people don't always accept our message, but they know that we are helping others and helping their country. Heavenly Father was speaking to me saying, "Thank you for serving my children." I think of the scripture, Matthew 25:40 "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me."

But more than I could ever give to our Savior are the blessings that I've received. I was looking through quotes I liked this morning and Emerson said this "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
There is also another quote that I will use to describe a mission. "The joy of living comes from immersion in something that we know to be bigger, better, more enduring and worthier than we are." Being a part of this mission and this gospel has humbly opened up my eyes to the glory of God and I feel very blessed that I could've taken a part of it; when it is so much bigger and worthier than me.
I'm excited for where this mission is headed. I wish I could be a part of it all. I know that miracles are going to happen in so much abundance. But my part of this mission's story has come to an end, and I wouldn't give up any of what I experienced for anything." 
As you can see, these are deep thinking, considerate young men and young women! 

On  this evening we have a nice dinner and final meeting that is incredible.  Here's a cool picture of the pre-dinner table for about 10 of the missionaries.  They were busy helping us get ready:

I know we've

shown departure pictures before, but they are so interesting.  The three or four block walk over the hill to the bus stop is a sight for the local neighbors.  We go over the hill with a bunch and come back normally just the two of us.  Some times we make the trip two or three times. Interesting that this bus taking them to the airport said it was heading to Paradise... Some would agree!  Some went to California, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Korea, and one to Australia.  The one from Australia had a twin sister serving in the Seoul Mission that was meeting her at the airport to fly home together.

We met the 17 at the airport on Tuesday evening. Talk about energy!  This group was wanting to go to work. I interviewed all of them in the morning the next day in advance of assigning their companion.  What a wonderful experience.  One little sister is from the Philippines (another is coming next week from Manila), and one is from Thailand.  The rest are from the US.  Similar to departing missionaries, they are from all over the US.  We put them on the subway with four other experienced elders and two experienced sisters.  The rest of us drive the luggage back to the mission office/home.  We meet them about two hours later for dinner.  They are hungry and tired, but still happy to be here.  The nine weeks in the MTC really teaches them a lot, but it also gets them hungry to get here and put the language they have learned to work.

After interviewing, we have lunch and announce companionships.  This group has so many and not enough trainers we have some in threesomes.  They all get along very well and during the orientation we ask them to introduce each other to the larger group.  We have some pretty neat groups.

In the area of interesting findings recently, we were able to visit with a good friend from the US and from our departure home in Indiana.  Dave Kinard and I worked together at Eli Lilly and Company.  He brought some treats and a note from my great and loving friends in Global Mobility at Lilly.  We had a nice breakfast and shared stories and experiences.  Given his periodic travels into the region, I hope to see him again.  Thanks, Dave!

For those who enjoy Pixar flicks, you might recognize this fellow on the stairs:

We work our missionaries pretty hard.  Sometimes they need a break.  They always have to be with a companion.  This elder wasn't feeling so good.  He had received a slight concussion hitting a door when he turned around.  He was resting while his companion worked in the office.  It's a great picture! The light bothered his eyes and Terri instructed him to sleep.

From a food standpoint, there is always an adventure waiting.  Terri went off with one of the young missionaries to the Garak Market which is basically sea food.  However, this woman was selling chicken feet.  If you check out the goodies behind them you'll identify them.  Of course, one of my favorites is the first meal I ate with my companion in 1978 when I arrived the first time.  It's called JJamPong (짬퐁).  It is a spicy noodle soup with sea food.  As you can see, I found a tasty little guy with eight legs (only four of the octopus's eight are showing)!

On the way out of the restaurant Terri found these little guys in a place next to us.

Finally for this week. We have found this great advertisement on the side of a building.  Think of it similar to what they put on the side of the JWMarriott in Indianapolis when big things are happening in town.  The color and detail is pretty amazing!

We wanted you to see the traditional clothes Korean royalty wore in years past.  We had a little fun today in a hanbok.  Ah, the memories we are creating.

There is so much more, but it will have to wait until next week!  Too much to do to prepare for the next week.  The days and weeks and months fly by.  Thank you all for your emails and Facebook comments.  We appreciate your love and good wishes and support.