Hello to all of you lovely people,
I think of you often and appreciate your encouragement, prayers and letters. I am currently at the Daegu train station because....I am being transferred already! Sister Brady (MTC companion) are actually just switching places. She will be in Daegu (Sangin) with Sister Oaks and I will go to Jinhae/Pungho with Sister Lee Ga Hee. Here in Korea you have to use all three of their names because there are so many Sister Lees or Sister Kims. Sister Brady and I, although we have different personalities, have similar ideals as far as obedience and hard work go. I think both of us had an idea of how we wanted a mission to be and it is a challenge to help change the perspective of some who have been here for some time while attempting to learn Korean and really how to do this missionary work thing.
It will be good to have a Korean companion, but I know I will be out of the loop more than I ever have been. That said, I'm looking forward to the challenge to get better at the language and learn all I can from another companion. I am also looking forward to a fresh start. I have gotten in some habits that I am ready to break, and while I have that opportunity every day, every hour, every moment through the power of repentance, there is something quite exciting about a new geographical location where no one knows me. I can be who I need to be for Heavenly Father.
So my big bag was two centimeters too tall to be shipped through Taek Bae at the post office. I'm hauling it around. It's a real doozy. Lots of staring eyes. Oh well. It's a good proselyting opportunity.
As I was saying goodbye to many of the members this week I was surprised to find my emotions close to the surface. Even though they don't really understand me and I don't really understand them, I can feel of their good hearts. In some ways I was sad I didn't serve them as well as I would have liked. It really has been a wake up call to me to put everything I am into this mission. I don't want to come home with anything left, as Elder Holland suggests.
We got to watch conference yesterday and Saturday. Luckily there is a military branch in our ward, so I got to watch it in English. It was quite the relief.
This may be short, but I might get another opportunity to write later after transfers. We'll see.
In any case, here is my snail mail address:
Sister Julia Elizabeth Mecham
Korea Busan Mission
Dongnae PO Box 73
Busan-si
Busan-gwangyeoksi 607-600
South Korea
Mom and Dad, will you send yours as well? The office sister was asking about it, and of course I would like to send you a letter sometime too.
Megan and Nick--I hope the home study went well. I have been praying for and thinking about you a lot. Thanks for the note, Meg! Love you both
Charlotte and Matt- Hope things continue to go well! You should think about writing me later if you have time.
Laura and Robert- Sounds like you're both very busy. Hope you're finding time for Alberto's every now and then. Write if you have time!
Love you!
Julia
..........
Well, I made it to Jin Hae. We are at Home Plus emailing on the computers they have for sale. They have to love that, I'm sure. I brought my giant suitcase, backpack, and an old guitar a missionary gave me before I left Daegu--inside the store. We asked if it was okay to have all that stuff in here and they gave us the once over and then put a sticker on my bottle of water that essentially says I bought it somewhere else. They weren't too worried about the amount of merchandise I might be able to steal. Thank goodness for a society who trusts one another. This would never happen in the US.
Sister Lee Ga Hee is a really loving person. I think I will learn a lot from her. A lot of Koreans are really physically affectionate and she is no exception. As some of you know, I am not, but apparently I will be learning. Ha. I think it's sweet, regardless of how unatural it is for me to hold on to someone's arm while we walk down the street. I think she is kind of recovering from what felt like a rough transfer for her. I am learning that the work is nothing without unity and so I will be trying to both follow her, trust her, and if need be, make any suggestions in the most loving way possible. She joined the church 3 years ago in the Seoul mission area. She emphasizes building relationships of trust a lot because that is how she felt God's love through the missionaries. She wants to recreate that experience for other people too. She will do anything for me. I can already tell that. I am already impressed with how quickly that attribute endears.
Jin Hae, from what I've seen, is a beautiful mountain town off the ocean. It's not at all like the busier Daegu. Daegu is very flat in the valley and the mountains aren't quite so close. Jin Hae feels just like the "city that is set on the hill," or at least how I imagine it. It doesn't have a subway and seems generally quieter. It will be fun to get to know the area and the people here. I have a feeling my language skills will have the opportunity to grow exponentially here.
Many things to learn...even more to teach.
I have been rereading a miracle of Christ in the New Testament every morning with the hope it will refine my perspective. The other morning I read about a leper who was healed by Christ in Matthew chapter 8..."and immediately his leprosy was cleansed." It seems simple, but as I read about lepers/leprosy in the Bible Dictionary, it became apparent that this may not have been simple at all. Lepers were not to enter the city walls, and if a stranger came upon them a leper had to shout "unclean!" as an audible warning. In this scriptrue it seems that we only see the immediacy of the miracle and forget about what may have been a very long walk of shame. This leper, despised of everyone, walked with faith because he knew the source of healing and that was his absolute focus. I thought of Lehi's vision of The Tree of Life in 1 Nep. 8 and how those who come unto Christ with full purpose of heart proceeded faithfully toward the tree heeded not the voices of those who mocked them because they knew something bigger. Anyway, my hope is that I will be willing to put my pride on the line for Christ.
Anyway, high hopes for Jin Hae and my new companionship.
Love to love you all,
Julia
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