Hello all ye who read this word,
First off, a big thanks to those of you who help me set the district record for most DearElders received in one day. (8 yesterday). It was quite the feat.
Oh my goodness. We are in the actual month of my departure. I think I'm going to throw up. In actuality I'm both very nervous and very excited--much as I was to come to the MTC. I'm sure it will be great. Somedays won't, but it will be a good experience. We had someone come speak to us a few weeks ago who told us that a mission is the most wonderful awful thing you can do. I had previously been calling it the worst best, but I guess his saying trumps mine. Our branch president, President Shin, has some really great parables about life sometimes. He told us that we'll always be greenies. As soon as we get comfortable here in the MTC, we get sent off to a foreign country and realize our own smallness once again. My favorite line from this analogy was: "President Hinckley: big dog here, when he pass away, greenie again." President Shin is incredibly humble and hilarious. He also admitted a mission is hard and difficult. He described two experiences to which we compare our mission. It is up to us. As a parent of teenagers we can get frustrated they are not home on time, we wait up, we are upset with them, things aren't going the way we would like them to. Or, as a parent of a baby who keeps you up all night, crying, in need of the basic functions of life, we are admittedly tired, but when the baby smiles for those 15 or so seconds at 2 in the morning, it makes the rest of our missions worth it. Our joy will outweigh our frustration. I hope I can see it that way. Laura, you'll have to let me know how accurate his description is as Baby Collard makes her grand debut.
We have six new elders and six new sisters this week. One elder and one sister are going to Busan. They all look fresh and young and inexperienced. They are inspiring though because they have such a desire to be here and a vivacity as a result of the gospel. One sister from Mongolia, Sister Gumparev, received her endowment today in Mongolian at the Provo temple. It was cool. The Book of Mormon was translated into Mongolian just ten years ago.
6 weeks is 6 years here, I swear. Well, at least the first 6 weeks. The next four are going to fly by, I know it. Next Wednesday, the Korean elders and sisters, who will fly to Korea with us, arrive at the MTC. This is getting hauntingly real, but I'm looking forward to it.
Turns out Korean is still difficult, but it is coming. The hard thing about Korean (and perhaps other Asian languages?) is that there are three to four "forms" you can speak in, depending on the amount of honor you wish to bestow upon the recepient of your words. We are only taught high form, here in the MTC. Essentially, it's like talking to everyone like they're you're grandpa (Love you, Grandpa!), even when they are your same age. When we talk with Koreans our age or the investigators we have here at the MTC, they speak to us almost completely in middle form. The best way I can think to describe it is like learning Pig Latin just as you are learning to form sentences in English. It really does make it a very different sounding language. It will take some getting used to.
This week we memorized The First Vision in Korean. I wish I would have brought the direct English translation, so you could get a better understanding of just how different the grammar structure is between English and Korean. The verb doesn't come until the very end of the sentence. It makes for a much more climactic interaction. "I...interest...your church....very....strongly...(YES!)..........NOT HAVE." I have been surprised, though, at the power I feel even when relating The First Vision in a language I don't really understand. I didn't have it completely memorized for our lesson last Saturday and spent much of it trying to remember. Paul Cha Mai Nim, another sister in my district, had been working extremely diligently at it this past week and had an overwhelmingly spiritual experience with it. Both she and her investigator were brought to tears. It was a testament to me of the importance of the message of the restoration, and the ability to look someone in the eye and mean it even when you don't quite know what you're saying.
As of August 1st, we are on a new program here at the MTC. We teach two times a day in Korean to our "progressing investigators." This means less structured class time for things like Korean. It requires greater personal accountability, which is a good prep for the mission field. That said, I haven't always been a great goal setter. Somehow I managed to graduate from college without this essential skill. I have learned a lot about how to focus my time and efforts more productively here. Overall, I think the change is a good one for the MTC. I am excited about it.
I don't understand how I learn so much here, and more than that, how I really don't have words for what I've learned. One scripture that I've been particularly impressed by is Helaman 3:35:
"Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, een to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."
I love the idea of growing stronger and stronger in humility, through humility--something that takes submission of all things, admission of our need for help, to the depths of what some may call weakness. But I know it is not.
Ah, things are good and time is short, as per usual.
Nick and Megan--will you send me your address? Glad you got to move back into your house!
Chucky--new address soon? Have fun in UT. I loved your pictures and the letter(s). Tell Lincoln to hold down the fort on "Posion" till I come home. Also, great date night story!
Ladi- gracias for everything again. The pics were a real hit. People cannot believe that's me.
Mom and Dad- keep up the National Geographic adventures, can't wait to hear more. Sounds like things are going well! Thanks for your consistency.
Kacie B! Congrats!!! England is lucky!
Saranghayo, yoraboon!
Julia
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