Special conferences, a major holiday and another week of coming and going!

Last week we were so busy with special conferences, training meetings and probably the most popular holiday, Lunar New Year, we didn't get to publish our blog.  I can promise we wanted to, but we couldn't spare the time.  We started with a meeting with all the new missionaries from December and checking with them on how they were doing on their language learning and experiences. Along with the normal, we have to have some goofy ones! 

We then received special training from the Executive Committee of the Missionary Department.  We had half the mission together for one day and half for the other day.  Our schedule is changing allowing the missionaries to be more responsible for their daily schedule.  We are excited about this.  It will provide more agency, more focus on rest and health, and more productivity.  Of course, we had lots of pictures.  You'll notice the special dresses the women are wearing.  These are the traditional Korean clothes.  This weekend was Lunar New Year.  We invited them for the holiday to wear the special clothes.
The first conference were for the Anyang, Suwon, and Young Dong zones.

 There were four burritos (not very Korean, but on a holiday hard to find anything else...) left over and the old rock-paper-scissors game settled who the winners were of the extra food.

Elder and Sister Black are our office couple.  We couldn't survive without their organization skills and their love for the missionaries!
The second conference was for the Incheon, Gangsoe, and Seoul Nam Zones. We hope you find your son or daughter in these pictures or at least someone you love...

 Sister Turner up to her antics again.  The missionaries love it!

 Need to work on this pose a bit more I think.

We took a trip to the Korea Folk Village on the Friday of the Lunar New Year holiday.  We ended up having a number of missionaries there as it was their preparation day and a day to get immersed again into the culture.  The Folk Village is a place where period clothes are worn, old farming, pottery, cooking, metal work, etc. skills are shown.  There were a few interesting shows as well.  It was pretty cold so we were all bundled up pretty tight.  We look forward to going back in warmer days.

 These are the guards at the local Buddhist Temple.

 A family invited us to join in their family photo shoot. Beautiful dresses.

 These are the local jesters.  They were loads of fun.

 Traditional whirling dance.

 This fellow was on the equestrian martial arts team.  Very interesting.

 The closest thing to driving Terri would do in Korea. 1000 won and she rode for 60 seconds.  The thrill of being behind the wheel. 

 It was freezing.  The earmuffs were a big hit!!! :)

The front of the Buddhist temple.
We had some shows as well.  They were very entertaining.  I hope you can get a feel for it. First we have the equestrian martial arts team.  This piece is still entertaining.

The musical pieces were especially neat.

Finally, this week has been full of meeting with missionaries coming and going.  We had three new missionaries come in this week from the Missionary Training Center.  A Korean Elder and a Korean Sister came and an American Sister who actually lived in Korea with her family during some of her early school years.  She remembers no Korean from that time, but has show great ability and desire to learn.  We also had a missionary join us for seven weeks as he awaits his visa to serve in Anaheim, California.  We're excited to have him join us.  They met their new companions this week.

Elder Kim Jihyeon and his companion, Elder Chu Jiwoong (the tall one)

Sister Kim Sujin with companion (Sister Soung (the taller sister)

 Elder Lee Daewon (will serve in California) with Elder Young

Sister Oldroyd (coming back to Korea as a young adult) with Sister Cordova (red, white, and blue)

We had a great day with them preparing for their journey.  It's easy to fall in love with them.  Sort of like seeing your new born baby for the first time.
We also sent home some veterans this week.  There were truly many tears during a great departure meeting.  What a powerful impact they've had on Terri and I.  It's worse than sending kids away to college for the first time.  We look forward to the day when we will see them again.

 A wonderful meal prepared by Sister Turner.

 L to R: (seated) Sister O'Loughlin from Missouri, Sister Holste from Utah, Sister Turner, Sister An Jimin and Sister Gil Hwanhui from Korea. (standing) Elder Kim Geunsu from Korea, Elder Eads from Maryland, Pres. Turner, Elder Stapp from California.

 Have to bring in the flag...

Now the flag and the antics!
What a wonderful couple of weeks.  We laugh, we cry with the missionaries.  The more of them we can be with the better. Terri loves it when the walls of the house ring with the laughter of these great sons and daughters of God.  The hugs, the handshakes, the smiles, laughter, the tears really have a great impact on our morale and we believe on theirs.  Until next time, we're doing our best.

Coaching a Team

This was another week of about 50 interviews.  We had so much fun with them.  Their personalities, their energy, their interests, their faith are all such an inspiration to us.!
This week while I was contemplating my role with these wonderful young people, I thought of some of the best athletic coaches I've had over the years or whom I have watched.  We have all these 'players', but though they are playing the same 'game', they are not all playing the game in the same place.  They can't rely on everyone on the team at the same time, they have to rely on just the players right next to them at the moment.  They are literally playing 24/7.
As with any coach, our responsibility is to look at their individual strengths and weaknesses and try to put players together that will have the greatest impact.  In a few cases, we have three together and not two.  That creates new dynamics which have to be considered.

 Here we have a very young looking young man we call our "Iowa farm boy" with a Korean young man several years older.

 Here we have a young Korean sister with a dynamic, energetic Utah girl.

 This group has a Korean raised in California, a Hawaiian girl, an Idaho girl, and a Utah girl.  Some are two transfers in country, some are two transfers from going home.

 We have a young sister from the Philippines and a sister from the east coast.

Here we have a Chinese-American from Hawaii. The picture is of an octopus.  He loves to spear fish and eat octopus.  (Did you know that in order to kill the octopus, you bite it's brain.  We learn something new everyday from these youth.)
Our role is fun in that we have to tailor the coaching and counseling to each of the 112 individuals.  Like on any team, some have more natural talents and need little guidance from us.  However, others are less sure and have played less of this game and need a little more personal attention.  Some have fouled and need some discipline.  Some get a little big in the head and need humbling.  Some are so good, yet don't think much of themselves and need a little pep talk.
Some people would probably look at us more like conductors of a unique orchestra.  However, they play so far apart, music is clearly not the results.  Whatever the metaphor or analogy one may want to use, we are having fun working with these 'players' and watching each one develop their game!
Occasionally, the coach gets a special thank you from the players:

This weekend we didn't take much time to relax because of all that was going on.  The missionaries are being so blessed in their work we could have been in six or seven different venues this weekend and not seen the fruits of their labors.  On Saturday, we were able to witness an 18 year-old young lady enter the waters of baptism with her uncle referring her to the missionaries and after they taught her, he baptized her.  She is a bright light.  Her mother attended and is now showing interest in the message that is bringing her daughter such joy.

The missionaries prepared a musical number to share.

Of course, they love being with the coaches and to ham it up like they would after any game winner!

Each baptismal service usually follows this agenda: 
Start with pictures of the person receiving baptism with the missionaries and or family and friends.  Sometimes unique characters join the photo shoot... This little one's older sister was baptized some time ago and has now brought her little sister to church.

Then there are messages shared and music sang. In this case, the young 10 year old introduced herself and shared her feelings about the day and the good people in her life.

 Usually, the missionaries sing a song sharing their love.  We're amazed at the musical talent of these missionaries. At least three of these young ladies could have been playing the piano here.

Afterwards, the local church ward or branch brings out the food and shares their love through food.  They all know the way to the missionary's heart is through his/her stomach...

We've had a few missionaries put on 40 pounds in six months.  We have to coach them a little differently.  We have one college prospect with a scholarship to play wide receiver, but at the rate he's going he'll be an offensive tackle...

We had our first real snow this week. The temperatures have been cold and we have to be cautious because our missionaries spend so much of their day outside.  However, like anywhere else with snow, when there is work to be done, they love to serve.  It's fun to be with them.

 This coach had a cold flight in for this event...

We traveled over much of the mission again this week and found a few more unique things to share.  We have the luxury of capturing some of these where the missionaries may not be able to or may not think they are so unique any more.
 We have had no idea what this meant, but of course you can find anything you want on Google, right?  Tart Farm

Why put a smell in your fridge or freezer when you can hang out dinner on the clothes line.

 On a downtown street we found architects were bored and decided to show people climbing up a pole.  We saw it in passing and took a picture, no chance to investigate.

Once again, we've had a fun week with our team members.  They are seeing tremendous miracles everyday.  They are showing results that are nearly double what we've seen before in our mission.  They are happy and working hard.  Some areas in which they play are more challenging and need additional coaching or guidance, but their attitudes remain fixed in faith and diligence.  When we leave them, we look at each other and say "Wow, these guys are incredible!"
If you've sent one of your children to play on this team, we thank you.  They are blessing our lives more than we could imagine.  We are seeing miracles every day!

One more interesting story to share before we end.  It made Terri and I really laugh! and excerpt from a letter received earlier this week:
My letters all sound the same, so I will end it a little different this time because a very funny thing happened this week!!! haha Me and my companion were walking and we said Hello to a Grandma and she just in shock, started telling us how handsome we were and how she was so happy!! Keep in mind she was like 80 years old and just bursting out in joy haha!! And when we finally said bye she patted [my companion] and then spanked my butt!!! I was in complete shock and so confused [my companion] and I just speed walked away it was a pretty funny moment.

Interviews, Cultural Experiences and more

This week was a very busy week.  Terri had the opportunity on Monday to get into one of the local open air markets called Moran Market.  As you can see in the pictures here, it's a place where you can get just about anything.  The missionaries get to see these types of markets periodically.  Some are small and only in a location for one day a week and others are larger and in one place a few days and then move to another location.  Like I said, this is just a small sample of what you can acquire.  Please enjoy the minor commentary...

 You have to start with your basic fruits and nuts...

By the handful or the kilo.

 I bet you didn't realize there were so many types of roots, and vegetables and various items you can dry and make into herbs and spices.  Korean cooking uses lots of interesting things.  All which add great flavor to the food.

Of course you have to have your ginger and other roots to spice up the teas and finer things in life...

 For those who need some meat in their diet, you have dried fish and cuddle fish or squid...

 along with the rays, sharks, and skate...

not to mention the small frogs, turtles, snails and other things to add color and 'flavor' to your meals;

as well as man's best friend, rabbits, and chickens.

You must have the Adidas and Nikes right next to all those goodies...

You can decorate your garden inside or out, and for the children shopping with you,

There must be candy!  The wrapped items you might expect, but the large buckets in front are called Beondegi.  For your entertainment, here is what Wikipedia says about it: 
Beondegi (Korean: 번데기) is a snack food in Korean cuisine.^[1] Literally meaning "chrysalis" or "pupa" in Korean, Beondegi are steamed or boiled silkworm pupae which are seasoned and eaten as a snack.^[2] Beondegi are often served by street vendors, as well as in restaurants and drinking establishments. They are also sold in cans in grocery stores and convenience stores, but they must be boiled in water before serving. Beondegi is not always sold in the market and is usually sold from street vendors, although it is possible to buy the live variant for personal preparation.
Ask your missionary about that special treat...
Of course one item greatly loved is called Hoddeok.  You can buy it in the grocery store like bread, but is best prepared by a street vendor.  On a cold day, this sweet pastry snack is awesome.
Here's an opportunity to wet your appetite: Hoddoek  I can tell you Terri was most anxious to return to Korea for this cold winter treat.

 During the week we did interviews and try to attend some zone training meetings.  Last week we attended this conference is Suwon.

 We missed the one in our own area, but we got their picture.  We're trying to get your missionaries in the pictures.  We hope the families enjoy them.

 This group also did some role playing, splitting into groups with some teaching and the others being taught.  It's a great learning technique if done properly.  For those learning a foreign language, it is exceptionally helpful.  For those that tend to be nervous when teaching, it is a great practice technique.  They do it in their apartments and in their training events.

 We try to visit a little with the missionaries in informal venues as well.  We met these two sisters, one from Australia and the other from Korea making a little snowman in the 1/8" of snow we got.

 While I meet with one missionary, Terri visits with the other and then we switch.  At least they are smiling!

 In the evening we have been trying to go teach and proselyte with the missionaries.  In the morning we do personal study in their homes. Terri goes with the sisters and I go with the elders. This past week and the week to come we will be with the zone leaders and sister training leaders.  While visiting homes I like to see how they are organized.  When you have four to six elders in one house with only two bedrooms, they typically use one for studying, one for all the clothes and the living room for sleeping.  They sleep on mats on the floor so they fold up in the morning.  Missionaries aren't home much so other furniture isn't needed much.  The room held for clothes is interesting indeed...

 We are so impressed at how well they do with taking care of things and making good use of space.  They do their own laundry in a washer and then hang the clothes to dry.  They all know how to iron their clothes!  Moms should be very proud.

We travel quite a bit during the weeks of interviews.  We catch a few nice sites.  This is one of the main gates around the city of Suwon.  At night it's a nice view.

 Since we are out late and up early, we have a few nights at hotels.  We really liked this spot.  It reminds us of Mushu from the Disney movie "Mulan".

 This week we said goodbye to a senior couple, Elder and Sister Park. They are Korean, but emigrated to Australia some 20 years ago.  They have been so helpful to us as they are the ones who have to work to secure housing, negotiate leases, fix all kinds of problems, etc.  With something like 30 apartments in the mission, they have been very helpful.  New church buildings mean missionary moves.  Aging apartments mean moves.  It takes a tremendous load off the shoulders of the mission president to have such a capable man and his wife to help with all these things.  We will miss Elder and Sister Park, but we know their family, especially the grandchildren are happy to have them home!

The highlight of the week for us was the special experience of making the Korean delicacy of Kimchi.  At Christmas, Terri had asked the wives of the church leaders if anyone could help her learn how to make Kimchi. The wife of President Lee, Inho of the Seoul West Stake volunteered.  We got a cool surprise when they invited us to be taught by a Kimchi Master (true title).  For about an hour we listened to her teach the finer arts as well as make some ourselves.  She had the ingredients there for our simple pleasure, but we got the real hands-on experience.  Thank you, President and Sister Lee.  This was truly a highlight to our cultural experience here.  We got to bring several kilos of kimchi home with us which we are most excited about. 

Finally, it was a good few days for me.  Just a few days ago, we received a Christmas box from our son Josh and his wonderful family.  It had a special little gift which you can see to my left (your right as you look at the picture) which really summarizes what it's like to be a grandparent!

Then, Terri surprised me a few days early with a special gift which I missed during the Christmas holiday season.  I was quite happy.  I didn't share much, but I was so happy!

Finally, Terri surprised me at staff meeting today with some Baskin and Robbins ice cream.  It was fun to be with her and the staff.  It's hard to believe I am only a few years (or decades) older than these lovely young missionaries we get to spend so much time with. 

One more note, at Christmas we had five zone conferences.  We have six zones, but we had to combine two smaller zones to get them all into the week.  The picture of these two zones was not included in the December blogs and I wanted to make sure mom and dad got to see their son or daughter who is in these two zones.

Once again, it's been an amazing week with some of the best young people on the planet.  They bring us smiles, joy, and occasionally surprises.  The newest one was putting a Choko Pie in the microwave for ten seconds and having a warm treat.  They truly share their pleasures with us.