Week 4

November 9, 2016

Hi all!

The days are flying by! Time is slipping out of my hands and I am already almost a month in! It is crazy!
There has been a lot of stuff happening! First off my Korean is coming a long and I am actually starting to enjoy it. I'm not getting frustrated with myself because I am trying to remember I have been here only a month and can't expect myself to be an expert. 
Volleyball has been getting really fun! I have been stepping up and actually trying because there is a new Elder who played volleyball. But he is 7 feet tall so you know he thinks he is good. And I hate tall people that play volleyball because I am so jealous so of course I had to prove my superiority. So I made sure I was lined up so that he would be in the back row when I hit and that I would be opposite when he hit. I hit a good 10 balls right at him and he shanked them all, then when he got up to hit I stuffed him 3 times. I felt so accomplished. I also hit his companion in the face, but not on purpose, I was actually aiming for him. hehe
Anyways I also have become one of the more liked Elders because of my stories. I tell them Oregon adventure stories, rock climbing stories,  volleyball stories. And then the Choir director served with my second cousin so now I tell them stories about him, along with other extended family. I have told them Clay's cop stories and they like those the best. So pretty much every night I tell everyone a bed time story. 
Other than that not much has gone on. It is the same old stuff everyday. Breakfast Class lunch Class Dinner Class Bed. One thing is one of the girls in our district was already fluent in Korean so they fast tracked her and were going to send her to Korea last week early, but she is waiting on her visa. So they sent her to Carlsbad California while she waits for her visa! So I started talking to her about my trip to Carlsbad and it made me miss home a wee bit. 
So this week had been up and down. Toward the end of last week I was a little discourages. I missed home and just wanted to leave. I didn't feel like studying or reading or teaching. but I tried to change my attitude because the days seemed to go on forever and I wasn't enjoying myself. So I started praying a lot for help and for comfort and strength. and I started reading the Book of Mormon and working harder. And I felt as I did that, so peaceful. My attitude completely changed and I was happy and didn't miss home and started doing really well! I know God answers our prayers!
So this weeks devotionals really stood out to me. One thing both of them touched on was time. Making time count. They talked about being happy. It really made me think. I have been telling my self you will be way happier once you get to Korea or you will be happier once you learn the language really well. And I have also been counting the days. I really miss my mom, and Lyric, and my family and friends and just normal daily life. So I have been counting the days and having the attitude of I cant wait to get home. But after those talks I changed my way of thinking and have seen such a difference. I am choosing to be happy now and to work my hardest and make the time count not count the days. 
So on Sunday Jenny Oaks Baker came and spoke and performed. She is the daughter of the Apostle Dallin H Oaks and is a professional violinist. She performed and it was amazing! it made me really want to learn violin. So lyric, when I get home I'm going to need some lessons. But she talked about how she recognizes the Lords hand in all things.Which stood out to me. I think if I was a professional musician or sports person it would be easy for me to think I did this all on my own and through my hard work. But she doesn't think that way, and I have realized with learning Korean that God helps us with EVERYTHING. Whether it is learning a language so I can be a good missionary, or helping someone learn the violin. I'd encourage you all to think about your blessings and try to recognize all that the Lord has blessed you with, I have been doing this and I have felt so much peace and been so much more happy and been feeling closer to my Father in Heaven. 
Also the speaker last night said that a mission is 17,000 hours long. That seems so short to me! He said we cannot waste a single hour. I am going to do my best to not waste anytime and give 100% effort.
I love this Church and know it is true! 
Till next week
Elder Goon