It's Hot!‏

I can handle hot, though....it's the HUMIDITY that gets me. Nothing like feeling that you're molding from the inside out. It's just beginning. I'm excited for the next few months of wet and sticky. Hopefully the fact that the weather is changing means that whatever I'm allergic to will go away soon. I'm quite tired of sneezing.

I forgot to mention a few weeks ago that Malea wins the award for the best pictures sent to me my whole mission. Between her new haircut and....Chalene's haircut in 1992...I had quite a laugh. Those are perhaps the worst pictures of our family ever...but they sure capture everyone's personality really well. I like it a lot. All this time we've really changed so much---yet so very little.

Things are going pretty well. Kang Chung Suk, a grandma who runs a little clothing store (and if I had my way I'd come home with half her store...) read the whole Book of Mormon and is excited to come to Sunday School (and be talked into staying for Sacrament by the RS President). She does not, however want to have us teach her the lessons. At least shell be coming to Church. Hopefully after coming to Church she'll feel a little differently. She's doing really well, though. Pray for her to want to learn more about the Restoration.

Chinhae is going really well. I found a less active family this last week who have children who have served missions and are married in the Temple (and now live in Seoul). No one at Church remembers them, but they must have been pretty strong at one point, given the way the Grandpa kept talking to me. Wish I could have gone in and taught, but the Grandpa was home alone...so a doorside visit had to do. We'll be back to visit them when the grandma is home for sure.

Time is going ridiculously fast. I can't believe that I'm one of the "oldest" sisters. I still haven't learned Korean yet! It's a good thing I still have plenty of time to work on that little problem. This past week my companion said to me "I've been here two months and I still can't speak Korean!" I looked at her and said "I've been here 13 months and I still can't speak Korean!!!" The thing is she doesn't realize just how good she is at Korean and just how much she's learned in that time. It's really a miracle we can learn it at all.

I'm not ready to send Sis. Hadden home in less than a month, though. She's been with me since day one. If she goes home it's like the time when you're working as a cashier and suddenly your receipt paper comes out splotchy red. It means it's almost out. I don't like it. It makes me panicky---especially when there's so much to be done. I'll just have to work excitedly every last minute.

This is the greatest work in the world. I get to wander around one of the most beautiful cities in the world teaching anyone who will listen the secrets to happiness and life. How did I ever get so fortunate as that? There's so much joy and happiness in the work. God blesses us when we do His work His way. I'm so grateful for the chance to serve as a pioneer in this work in this magical land. Watching the people blossom with testimonies of God is the most gratifying sight in the world.

Pray. Read Your Sciptures. Go to Church. Love one another.

All my love,
~R~