As I write this email, I only have 5 more weeks left here in South Korea but I don't really feel it yet! I feel like after the transfer ends, I'll just be starting another transfer, the work will go on, etc. I don't think it'll hit me until they ditch me at the airport to go back to America haha
BUT ANYWHO, I have been blessed with a wonderful new companion, Elder Sperry! He's 18 years old and from Alpine, Utah. He's been here in Korea for six days now and he's doing a great job. He eats the food way better than I did, he speaks Korean way better than I did, he does everything more diligently than I did.. Honestly there's not much to train haha I've been teaching him a lot of Korean and he's really good at picking it up after I tell him something. He's super humble and willing to follow and learn. I could go on but just know that he's the best trainee ever and he's going to be the missionary Terminator by the end of his mission.
STUFF THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK:
-I was in a threesome with two other trainers while waiting to pick up our trainees on Wednesday. It was interesting to fit three elders in our microscopic house one night (it's arguably the smallest house in the mission, no jokes). It felt like a fun little two-day exchange. We did FHE in our area on Monday and did English class in one of the other elder's area the next day, and then picked up our new companions the next day.
-We visited a less-active that works at a hospital nearby to our church. We didn't even know he existed until a couple of weeks ago and he's really happy to have us to come visit and talk to him. He's going to be taking us out to dinner this week! We talked about the importance of reading scriptures and praying regularly. We're hoping to see him at church sometime soon!
-I introduced Elder Sperry to the famous 대신 할머니 Daeshin Grandma. She's always so happy to see us.
-We got to meet and eat dinner with a less active brother that usually has no time and can't really answer us back too much. He hasn't been coming to church every since he started college so it's been two years since he hasn't come out. But we got to see him for the first time in a long time and we talked about why we became missionaries with him. We might be able to see him again some other time to study together, so that's good!
-We got to teach a man named Lee, who Elder Hunzeker and I met for the first time last week. He has a TON of religious interest. And when we gave him a Book of Mormon last time, he wouldn't accept it for free and so he demanded to feed us the next week (we didn't argue with him). He works selling traditional Korean health products (like teas, and other dried herbs and stuff) and he met the missionaries a very long time ago when he was just a student and but he hasn't seen them ever since then. The strange thing is, his shop is only a ten minute walk away from one of the old church buildings here in Busan. So it looks like now is prepared time haha. We ate dinner, toured the church, and discussed the importance of the Book of Mormon. He's big on learning, we just need to help him with the acting now...
-We also got to meet another less-active member we don't usually see. And it was a super good time. She's still reading and praying diligently. She asked us for a smaller copy of the Book of Mormon in Korean. And she's also interested in receiving her patriarchal blessing. And she might have someone to refer to us! When we planned our day we didn't originally plan on meeting with her but we were able to get this appointment with her out of nowhere. I guess we're not the ones who actually plan our day haha
-We have a new person to teach! His name is 정수열, and he's a man Elder Hunzeker and I met on the street and got an appointment with once. When we first said hi and met he was not very fond of us because he had heard a lot of bad things about our church in Korea. But we were up front with him, let him know that there wasn't anything weird, and told him who we are and why we're here. After we spoke honestly to him about what we're doing and why we're trying to talk to people, his heart softened up, and he agreed to meet with us. After explaining more he REALLY respects the missionaries and has listened to everything we've said so far. His younger brother has been nudging him to read the Bible and go to church for a very long time now and he thinks it's funny that he's finally letting into all the religious stuff with two random Americans he met on the street. It is kinda funny. But he's committed to reading part of the Book of Mormon, and I'm sure we'll be able to get another appointment with him again.
-Our friend 명진 MJ is trying to prepare for baptism right now. He has a lot of doubts but we're focusing a lot on helping him gain his personal testimony that this is true. So we've taught him "CPR". Not the thing you do when you're trying revive someone, but "Church, Praying, Reading". It's the abc's of what we do gain and grow a testimony in this church. And when we don't observe the Sabbath, sincerely pray, and read the scriptures, our faith can be weakened. So we told him to focus on those three things and he'll be ready in no time. So if you're ever "drowning", just remember CPR! (Elder Sperry is the one that came up with it, he's a wizard)
That's all I got for the week! I've never worked so hard or been so busy in my life. I don't think I've written in my journal since I've transferred here either. Oops. But that's alright! It;s satisfying to use every single drop of the day. Gotta go! Thanks for reading and writing~
-Elder Metcalf
1-3) My "trainer's holiday" with Elder Clark and Elder 이용호 (Lee Yongho)
MORE PICS
1) The elders I served in the office with all ended up training this transfer (our fancy name tags for training meeting) 2) 대신 할머니 3) tteokbokki 떡볶이 4-5) Me and my boy
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