Oh my gosh. Im here. Im alive. Sorry that Im a little late today. Things were a bit behind this morning and so we were rushing out the door, then right when we were about to start emailing we got TRANSFER CALLS AND IM TRANFERRING! and also my companion is as well. This area is reaaaaally struggling and I think that the members are really needing some new misisonaries to liven up the work with some fresh ideas.
Im transferring to 중앙 (Joongang) to be with Sister King, who is a really great missionary I had the privelege of going on a split with about a month ago. Also Im going to be in a FOUR MAN HOUSE again. Im so excited I cant even think right now.
Your emails all made my whole days. That sentence doesnt make any sense but I think you get it. Cort's baby bump pictures. Funny FB posts. April Fool's jokes, another package coming (seriously you guys, seriously.) Dad taking care of my new debit card, pictures of standing on the horses and being the same ol cowboys/girls I know you to be. our new laundry room and of course all of your sweet and encouraging words. OH MY HEAVENS I AM SO OVERWHELMINGLY JOYFUL RIGHT NOW I CAN HARDLY CONTAIN MYSELF. Literally, so scatterbrained. Wow. Just wow. I feel so blessed.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD! Im grateful that youre my parents. I am oh so grateful. I love you. I hope you did something super fun together.
Random Happenenings of the Week:
1. This random old lady came up to me on the street and started hugging me. She pressed her cheeks up against mine and just WEPT. I was so darn confused. On top of my limited language ability, understanding old Korean ladies is IMPOSSIBLE. Theor language is a world of its own. It turns out that when she saw me, she was reminded of one of her children that are abroad, and seeing the face of a foreigner brought the pain of missing her own child. It was so weird and so sweet at the same time. I laughed a little to myself afterwards wondering if my mom did the same thing everytime she sees an Asian person.
2. I talked to this lady for like 20 minutes on the street, by myself. Granted I probably could understand like 60 percent of what she was saying, but I actually by some miracle was able ( I think) to answer a question that she had about returning to live with God... with a SCRIPTURE! I was so lucky to have studied for soemthing so similar a few days earlier.
3. FHE with the branch is so dang fun. Just wanted to say that. Tonight is our last one. THREE of the four missionaries in our area are leaving. Im sad, I wont lie. I love the members here and I know my heart is going to break to have to leave them. They are so special and like family.
This week was a miracle. A downright beautiful miracle. My companion is finally coming around and surrending. I think she has just come to terms with the fact that using our limited energy to hurt is exhausting. Surrender. Be kind. You don't have to like everyone you just have to be nice to everyone. (thank you mom.) I want to share with you the sweetest moment of our companionship so far. It started on Tuesday as we were walking back from the PO. We were walking alongside the nasty Naju river and I stopped for 3 seconds to pick two fluffy dandelions from alongside the bank. Immediately the most miraculous thing happenes.. my companion giggled. She requested that we take a picture together. I wish you could have seen how much effort it took for me to not drop my jaw at the sound of her words. We smiled for a picture and then I took a video of us making wishes on dandleions. It was the most simple moment that provided so much comfort for the both of us. No one was judging. No one was yelling or crying or upset. We were just childlike in our innocence and simple in our joy, with two dandelions in our hands.
The Lord allows things to end peacefully when we put our trust in him. When we don't give up. When we don't throw the towel in and run away. I hung in there. I did it. She did it. And I think that both of us a re better people now for handling our misfortunes in the way we did. We didnt do it perfectly but we did it, and thats what matters. We allowed God to help us grow. It was incredibly (and at times seemigly unbearable) but We DID IT. We spent all of winter in little Naju, growing.
Oh my gosh, I am so blessed. I am learning so much a on my mission. I am becomign a different person, I can feel it. I am experiencing trial and heartache and sorrow but I know it will all be worth it. Im so excited to hear conference this week. Im excited for my new area and my new companion. I have the most wonderful family, (which will have grown by the time I get home!) and friends who support me and spoil me out of my mind with letters and emails and packages. NO words can even being to describe my blessings in this life and in this experience.
Thank you all for hanging in with me, through everything. I love you I love you I love you.
Sister Kelsey Rae Pappa
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