Wow! It's so fun to read all about what is happening back home. I love reading these emails. Everything is going great here and I have a lot of things to share with you today.
This week I went on exchanges with a Korean sister. I was so scared because she didn't know a lot of English. Exchanges are for 24 hours, so I prepared myself to speak in Korean for 24 hours:) We got a long really well, and let me tell you about my experience. She picked me up and we went to a members house, whose area was in the middle of nowhere. The member fed us and we had a wonderful lunch out on the porch. We then had a service project planned with her, so after lunch we went into her huge green house and pulled out weeds and plants. I got to take this big knife and cut down plants, In fact we pulled out EVERY single living thing in that green house. haha We wore masks because of the dust, but it was so much fun!! Then we went back into her house and after cleaning up she fed us this beautiful fresh fruit from her garden. She then found out that I studied music, and she brought us into her family room and showed us her microphone and amp, and I got so excited!! She had all these karaoke tracks to American music and she asked me to sing some songs in the mic, and in particular the song, "Imagine," from John Lennon. I hadn't sung like that in a long time so it was very fun for me! I felt like I was performing again, just for a moment. After we went home, the next morning she called me up to tell me that she listened to my song. (recording) She said she started crying and that no one has made her ever cry. She was so cute and I had such a blast on that exchange. Even though speaking Korean the whole day was a little stressful, I still had so much fun!!
A few days ago we had just received a new investigator and we met with her at her house. She was mainly just interested in learning English from us, so I was kinda worried about that. We taught English to her and then we went into the gospel portion of the lesson. Suddenly she just started grabbing pamphlets and the Book of Mormon and tried to read everything, which was a little strange and all over the place. She wasn't REALLY listening to us and I was concerned. We then testified how the gospel will bless her life, and we told her that she can feel God's love every day. She then looked at us, and said, "Do you really feel God's love?" We confidently said, "Yes!" She acted shocked by that, and then asked us how, and we got to tell her all the ways that we feel His love. I then asked her if she could say a prayer to end the lesson, and she said, "I have prayed in my heart but never out loud." She asked us how to pray and we taught her. She was so scared but she did it, and in her prayer she said something interesting, "Dear God, my heart is not ready right now, but please help me to have a desire to listen to the missionaries and accept their message?" After she was done she had tears falling down her cheeks, and she said she felt something warm and good inside her. I know that Heavenly Father was guiding that lesson, and I know that what she felt was from God. I am so grateful for this gospel, and I love being a missionary and sharing God's word!
So someone wrote me and asked about the shower set up in our house, or villa. We don't have any shower curtain or door, and it's exactly what you see in the picture that I sent you last week. I have to make sure I put my towel over the toilet paper roll because it's the only place that will not get wet. haha! I know it's awkward but we are used to it. In the picture I sent to you of the city where I live, there are Korean clothes hanging on the fence. That's because they don't have dryers so they hang their clothes outside to dry.
I miss mothers food the most here, but I realize that when I get back I will probably eat some Korean food because it will be really hard to adjust for awhile. A little over a week ago the bishop's wife invited all the missionaries to come over to the church and learn how to make, "Mandou." We had a blast, and then we were eating at a members restaurant, and I told her that her food was really delicious. She then invited my companion and I to come over to her house to learn how to make her korean dishes. That was so much fun!
We made "Japay" yesterday for the whole ward, because a lady in our ward asked us to make one of the meals for the big lunch we were going to have. We woke up at 5:00a.m. and started cutting and cooking, and it turned out pretty decent, but lets just say I need practice!! haha My favorite food now here in Korea is duck soup. It's not literally duck, but that's just how that word is pronounced, and it's probably the most healthy Korean meal you can eat. I eat kimchi about every other day with my meals.
Every male here has to serve 2 years in the army, so I see military people off and on. Everyone in Korea respects the Americans so much, and you never would hear a Korean talking badly about one. The Korean ferry disaster where hundreds of students drowned here last year, is such a touchy subject that the people will not talk about it, and don't bring up the subject at all.
Since we live by the base there are some Americans, and I got to teach an American member, just because she wanted to hear a lesson. We now go over every week and get to teach lessons in English, and it's the best!! Believe it or not I like teaching in Korean even more, but the BEST part about teaching in English there, is that she feeds us yummy food! haha! Last week was taco salad and I almost died!!
This Saturday we are singing for the big relief society event, and my comp. and I are performing. I'm playing the guitar for the whole event, and we have been practicing a lot. Each week when I teach English to the Koreans I always teach and sing a fun song to them in English, and they love it!! Music touches hearts!
Today for p day we are just sleeping, because our bodies are so tired because we didn't get much sleep last week! When I get home I want to do something very relaxing, like take a cruise, but whatever it is………no stress!:)
I love you all so much, and thank you for all your letters. I hope you all have a great week!! My address in korea is Taepyeong 3-dong 5770 1st floor Room 2
Seongnam, South Korea
461-823
Love, Michelle
p.s. I can't believe that happened to Harrison Ford. I am so happy he didn't die. We need him for Star Wars!!
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