another one down

Hello choae gajok!

 

Well, it certainly has been nice to hear from a few of you this week. Thank you for writing to me! It is often a nice treat at the end of the day.

The biggest news of the week has been hanging out with the native Koreans. There are three sisters and eight elders. They are quirky, energetic, affectionate people. I love them, even though I have no idea what they're saying and vice versa. Most of them actually know a lot of English, but they're trying to let us use our Korean. It's a struggle.  One of my favorite things is that they are so expressive. Two hands for everything: waving, peace signs, giving you something, using their fork and knife to eat doughnuts, etc. They are just such kind and gracious people. They compliment us on our Korean if we can even say hello. They are sweet.

The other day we taught the Korean sisters how to play frisbee. I guess we taught them two things: charades AND frisbee. We don't have the frisbee vocabulary down quite yet. It was really funny. They get so embarrassed when they can't throw it well.  Funny how simple games become complicated when you've never played them before--it's probably a similar sentiment for them regarding the Korean language. 

It has been fun to watch them attempt to enjoy our food. Food is a big deal in Korean culture. You eat what you're given and you compliment the chef extensively. We had pizza at the cafeteria the other day and one by one the elders tried the pizza. Each of their reactions were subtle, unique but demonstrated their distaste for American pizza. It is especially fun to try and figure out personalities without knowing their language very well.  We also gave the sisters some Sour Patch watermelons the other day. They hate sour things! Not quite as subtle as the elders, but they faithfully finished their one piece of candy...

Fast and testimony meeting was incredible. I understood every twentieth word or so. Is this really the language we're trying to learn? Even with the language barrier, I could feel the spirit, the sincerity of testimonies gained in a distant country, and in that way I felt unified with these gracious people who know what I know. The language of their hearts is both the same and different. It was a lovely feeling. I got to play piano for sacrament meeting, which was surprisingly fun. I miss music.

Speaking of food, the MTC is rocking us. Church jokes get really funny on your mission. Three weeks in and I've already decided that. We have coined the phrase "there is apostasy going on in my stomach." Needless to say, we can't wait for each new dispensation. To be blunt, there have been far too many false prophets doing their thing lately.

This Sunday, Jenny Oaks Baker came and played violin/spoke at the MTC devotional. I didn't realize the extent of her music education background (Juliard, National Symphony Orchestra etc.) It was really great to hear an incredible performer. Instead of hurried, scribbled notes, I got to close my eyes and feel something without trying to capture it immediately. That's part of what I love about music. You can feel it, know that it's moving you, and be okay with that moving. You don't have to define it right away. It feels good to feel. This was the first time that I had time to miss playing music.

This last Saturday we had some 4th of July festivities. It was kind of ironic to spend Independence Day with a companion attached to my hip. Dependence Day, really. But, in seriousness, this Independence Day is what gave us freedom of religion and ushered in what I know to be true. In a display of mercy, the MTC held a fireside about liberty, spreading the gospel to the world complete with bagpipes, singing (You're a Grand Ol' Flag!, Yankee Doodle etc. Did not really make me miss music), bagpipes, key note speakers and ice cream bars. They even let us stay up past our bedtime, eat ice cream bars and watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks that were going off at Lavell Edwards Stadium down the street. It was actually pretty fun, as any break from routine tends to be. Rumor had it that they wanted to shield us from any semblance of worldy entertainment, including lo-fi echoes off the east mountains of  performances by David Archulleta of Brad Paisley....but rumor always has it, doesn't it? I think I'll be begging for another break from the routine in a month or so.

Charlotte sent me a letter this week that has helped me begin an important shift of thought. It contained no new advice, necessarily, but as I told her, when someone close to you tells you something it takes on more meaning. I think God puts people in our lives so he can speak to us through them, knowing we would hear him more clearly--knowing that perhaps they are the only person we would be willing to listen to, as they say things so bluntly. I am grateful for Charlotte and her boldness. Her lines that may very well become my mission motto:

"If you focus on yourself and how good you can/should be instead of how good you can help others become, you will have a headache your whole mission."

Lovely simple truths that resound.

Learning a language by way of a specific topic is crazy. I can bear my testimony, pray, invite people to make commitments, schedule appointments, but common conversation lacks deeply. I miss the stupid phrases we learn in Spanish 1, like "my dog eats faster than your cat." Or even, "How was your day?" Soon enough. It forces me to be simple in a way I don't believe I could be in my own language. Maybe that's why I'm learning a new language. Simplicity. It is both frustrating and refreshing.

My favorite spiritual insight of the week is that Christ is both the author and finisher of our faith (Moroni 6: 1-4). He is the reason we can have faith, and he also makes up the difference for us when we exercise that faith. Pretty cool.

Love you all! Thank you for loving me

Sis. Julia Mecham