Well I'm finally here in Korea........Where to begin...... While I was flying here on the plane I suddenly saw these islands and that's when it all hit me.  Boom!!!  My heart was pounding and when we were 15 minutes away from landing I began to freak out.  I felt so far away from home and was so scared.  We got off the plane and just tried to find our way out.  We got out to the front of the airport and our mission president and his wife were there to meet us.  He seems to be a very sensitive kind man.  We took pics and said goodbye to the other district.  We then had a little meeting and put our luggage in the car.  The President gave a pep talk and told us to take a Book of Mormon and try and hand it out that night.  We hopped on the subway which was really weird and scary, but exciting.  We rode for 2 hours on it and tried to talk to everyone we saw.  The first person I talked to studied in Boston so her English was really good.  I talked to her for awhile and tried to speak in Korean as much as possible.  She said she wasn't interested but accepted a mormon.org card.  The whole subway ride everyone declined me.  I didn't know how to say much but there were others there helping me to know what to say.  I was exhausted but tried to hand out the Book of Mormon,  but no one would take it.  We got to the mission office and had a nice Korean dinner.  It was the most delicious food I've tasted in 2 months.  I then had an interview with the president so he could know what companion to put me with.  We then crashed and went to sleep!   I slept on the floor on the hardest mat you could ever imagine.  Surprisingly it's really comfortable.  I will probably come home wanting to sleep on a mat from now on.   My companion's name is Riley Wright.  She's from California and she's 20 years old.  She has been out a year.  She is amazing, and a very happy person.  She is just so patient with me.  She's half Chinese.
     I'm in a city near Seoul called Inchon.  It's to the west of Seoul but it's near the airport.  I love it.  They said it's the best place for a new missionary.  There are amazing markets which you would love mother.  I just think of you every time I walk down them because there are vegetables galore.  There's a ton of people walking around everywhere.  It smells  like New York City, sometimes really good, but sometimes really bad.  Everyone smells like kimchi.  haha!  I LOVE kimchi.  I just love the food here.  It is healthy and tasty.  The city though is really dirty.  It looks like a third world country where I am.  I am having culture shock still but I know I will get used to it.  The people are different but so cool, and the culture is so different as well.
     My first real day here we went to this market and we talked to a lady that knows my companion.  The lady looked at me and pointed to this oyster and said to eat it.  I said, "No.......I'm alright." She insisted,  so we both picked one up and it was ALIVE!!!!!  I had to eat it and I almost threw up in front of everyone.  She said to eat another one and we said, "uh.....no thanks," but she insisted again.  I heard we shouldn't offend them so we ate another one and I literally thought I was going to die!!!  haha!  We started to walk away, and later we came back to take a pic and tried to hurry away fast.  She caught us and insisted and insisted that we eat another one and this time when I did I started to really gag so bad.  It was TERRIBLE!!!!!  I wanted to be brave.....but I learned my lesson.
     Well, I want to tell you that I bought a guitar, first thing.  It's super nice but only $180.00  I have been using it every day and later today we will be singing in the subway.
     For breakfast we usually have some cereal,  but it's a good healthy cereal.  For lunch we usually cook noodles with steam vegetables and dinner we do the same or with rice.  We always make our own food.  This week has been quite an adventure.  Let me just say how grateful I am for my companion.  She's so helpful to me and patient.  On my first day we were walking to the apartment with my luggages.  This lady popped out of nowhere and freaked out when she saw us.  She couldn't believe she was seeing Americans.  She offered and insisted that she helped with our luggages.  As she was walking with us we talked with her and found out she doesn't believe in God and doesn't have a religion.  We said thank you for your help and she went on her way.  My companion said to run after her and give her a mormon.org card.  I tried to get one out and struggled a bit and slowly watched her disappear.  I ran after her and didn't know what to say so I just handed her the card.  She started saying something and I had no clue what she was saying.  She pointed to the number on the card and asked me questions.  I still didn't know what she was saying.  After a few minutes of trying to understand her, she pulled out her cell phone and called the number on the card.  Boom!!! We had her number now.  My companion answered it, and the lady smiled at her, then she hung up and said goodbye.  I walked back thinking, "Wow!!  I had no idea what just happened but I am glad she took the card."  Two days later, we got a call during companionship study and she was on the other line.  She told us she wanted to meet with us that day.  I was shocked but super excited. We met with her 2 hours later and she took us to her house where she had 5 of her girlfriends there.  I couldn't believe it.  We sat down and they were just swarming over us and asking us questions.  I could barely understand anything they were saying but it was so fun.  After a few minutes they started to talk to us about this product.  They wanted us to buy it.  We nicely declined and then we started talking about who we are and what our message was about.  They listened and thought our purpose was good.  Then we had a huge lunch that they prepared for us and we got to talk more.  They invited us back next week and we will be teaching them more and inviting them to church.
     I am so excited to be here serving the Lord.  It's not easy but it is so great!!! What an amazing opportunity we have to share the gospel to the Korean people.  I love everything about Korea.  I am so blessed.  I know that I will have people that are prepared and placed in our path.  This is a great time to be alive!!!
     I hope everyone is doing good and I can not wait to tell you more next week.  I love you all!!!  I love my mission and I know that I am supposed to be here for a reason.  I love serving God.  It is very hard but I know that I can do this.
     I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!
                   

               Love Michelle