March 16, 2014

Ive found that in every moment of every day there are 12,000 things to complain about, but Im trying harder to change the way I think so that I can be more positive and draw more joy from my expereiences as a missionary, whether someone else thinks I deserve that or not.

 

after i just ended the comment about not complaining anymore, I am going to go against what I just said for like 10 seconds and throw this out there- WHAT IS IT WITH MISSIONARIES NOT SEPERATING THEIR LAUNDRY?!?!? oh my good heavens. they just throw in their darks towels and garments all together and think their clothes look fine. im sorry HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR GARMENTS?! seriously. like, this is the least of my worries in life right but it is really crazy that thir mothers didnt teach them to seperate their laundry. some peoples kids.

A few notes about our investigators-

.The Dentist investogato was progressing SOO well and had a baptismal date but suddenly dropped us when he got really busy with work (this was a few weeks ago) i was so heartbroken cause the next day we dropped Sister Han. This is the third transfer we have been teaching her and she is just not moving forward. I was really sad for a few days bt was actually grateful for what I was feeling because it proved to me that the Lord is blessing me with true love for the people that I am teching. I am grateful that I can feel this way.

.we have the cutest new investigator. his name is yoonyunghyun. (korean names look so weird in English.) He is so kind. His mother owns a restaurant in this super quiet end of town that I love. I think its just the two of them. They are so sweet. Right now he is primarily English Interest but we are hoping the he will transition in gospel. He has a lot of potential and I love the kid already.

 

the stresses of this week were in abundance, like always. i couldnt eat a lot. but i amn finding little ways to make myself feel better. one of them is showering twice a day! I feel like Casey. Also, frozen bananas are really good for upset stomachs and being sick from stress, which is like every day of my life.

I lost our phone this week on a bus. Haha my companion was going to KILL ME. its really funny now. I still havent figured out all the details on how the branch presdient somehow ended up with it. I tried to ask my companion but she was reluctant to talk to me at that time. oh the joys of companionships!

speaking of, as i was paying before bed one night this week, i said 'Heavenly Father, please bless all the missionraies that are learnign a foreign language, are homesick, or have companionship problems. *pause* And that should be allll.... the missioanaries." I feel like Heavnely Father probably laughed at that.

 

Hey, I love all of you. Thank you for the constant support and love tht you offer to me. Im sorry that basically all the time I am just selfish and compain about my problems and such. I had that really painful realization this week as I was pondering how I write my emails this week. Im really sorry! I am trying hard to do better.

 

Oh, and if anyone gets the itch to send me something, I could sure could use toothpaste and some flossing threaders. (I cant find them anywhere here!)

 

lovelove lovelove  you.

sista kelsey pappa

March 9, 2014

Your emails make me so happy. SO. happy. I loved all the pictures, and the stories, and the baby names(for cortney) you have picked out. I love that you guys give me a lot of strength, truly. I need it now more than ever. Seriously. I wish that I could provide you all with an email full of uplifting spiritual experiences right now but I dont think that lately Im in an environment which  produces a lot of those right now.

But this is what I came up with this week-

1/ I got the Easter Package and cried with joy. So many treats and surprises (although I did leaved the chocolate eggs on the floor over night and the only heat that is in Korea comes from the FLOOR. whoops... that was a fun mess to clean up.

2/ My companion had to get a wart burned off her foot (and needed to go to the hospital for that?) and I had the cutest little conversation in Korean with the litle girl.

'Hi! How old are you?'

'Im 5.'

'Your hair is pretty. Whats your name?'

'somethingsomething (cant remember)'

'Im Sister Pappa! Im a missionary!'

'Oh.' (and she comes over to touch my tag.)

'um...do you have a husband?'

'no, im not married.'

'well, do you have kids?'

'nope.'

'well, do you have a MOM?'

'Yes, I have a mom.'

'whats her name?'

'DIANE.'

'ooooh... di.ane. mom! this is sister pappa! she has a mom, and her name is diane!'

It was the cutest thing in the world and giggled during the whole thing. I love when Koreans ask about my family. It makes me really happy. Speaking of, I told Mom and Dad's precious conversion story to the Gospe Principles class at church and an old lady in the branch asked if grandmother was American Indian. umm.... no. I asked her if I have an American Indian face and she was like YES. She needs to go google what American Indians look like. It was hilarious.

3/ There is this sweet Phillipino woman in our ward. I want to tell you guys something realy sad about Korean culture. If there is a man who can;t find a wife based off of social, economical and any other standards, they actually PURCHASE one from the Phillipines. These men are really horrible to their wives, and I actualluy thik that abuse is generally involved. Its horrible.

Sister S. in our ward is an example. Her husbadn, though a member, treats her horribly (so ive heard). They had a little disable son who needed constant care due to a respiratory problem he was having, and one afternoon during a time where Sister S.'s husband was supposed to be watching him, the little boy had a breathing complication due to lack of care because the husband took a nap, and the boy passed away. When I heard this story my heart broke. I couldnt bear to think of being Sister S. Her strength is such an example to me.

Anyway, she has been on my mind a lot lately. I think the other members dont really pay too much attentio to her cause she doesnt speak a ton of Korean, but I decided this week that I would study and pray for her to find some answers. I miraculoulsy came across a talk that was given in ovember 2012 conferenece about losing children in this life. I printed it off inTagolag and leftit at her door. I feel grateful to have been a toll in the Lords hands in helping one of his daughters.

This month I hit NINE months left! Almost halfway done. Im not going to lie, Im looking forward to the end. Maybe I wont feel like that when the finish line is closer but I feel grateful to have served a lot of people and to have been the Lords missionary for a while now. This expereiecne has been a blessing. I dont think that any part of is has been easy but I feel I have learned a lot of lessons from the expereience.

I love you, oh so very much.