Mother's Day and other things

Dear Family,

This week I have been thinking a lot about prayer. We have two investigators who have finally started to progress, this means that they are reading the Book of Mormon assignments that we leave them and they are actually interested when we start out lessons and ask questions that you can tell are really from their hearts. Also at the end of the lessons this week we asked if they would pray and they did. It was the first time for both of them, one of them is a lady who says she has been Catholic for years, but yet this was really the first time that she prayed. The other is a little girl who has no religion and so she really didn't know much about it except from the times we have prayed with her before. There is something really neat about being with someone the first time they pray, I always feel so privelaged, it is like they are opening up this communication with their father in heaven who has been wanting to talk to them for so long and I get to be there when it happens. I love it.

I have also been thinking about the Mother's Day call that is coming up in a few days. I talked to mom this morning and she said that on Mother's Day she will try to have people at her house and call from there at about 6pm MST which will be Monday morning for me. As not everyone can come to Mama's house I thought that maybe the rest of the crew could try to do a conference call a little bit earlier, maybe like half an hour before, which would be 5:30PM MST. Any earlier than that and my companion will be talking to her family. If that doesn't work... well.. I'm not really sure. I just know that last time the huge conference call had some issues so I thought with fewer people it might be a little more successful and I would just try to have two calls.

Also, in preparation, if you could find your favorite scripture or a recent testimony building experience to share, that would be great. I love to hear your voices and your questions, but

I only get to hear from you twice a year so I'd like to make the most of it, if you know what I mean.

The first picture I attached is from a birthday party I attended. It was so intense. This little girl was turning one and that is one of the biggest birthdays in Korea so they had a HUGE birthday party. The second is a picture of some of the things we ate. I am always amazed because just when I think I have eaten everything there is some other animal or vegetable that I am served.

The third picture is me at a Buddhist temple jumping off the steps. They had HUGE Buddhas there and other things and then off across this gully was where all the monks live. I thought it was funny because there was this big gate that said "Temple Square training center" and it made me laugh a lot.

Another thing I love about Korea-- the random holidays and festivals. Yesterday was children's day so school was out and one of the wards I serve in went on a picnic in the mountains. So of course we went with them. The mountains in Korea are just as beautiful as the ones in Utah, just with more ancient ruins scattered about, and it was a lot of fun to picnic Korean style and play kick ball and what not. Koreans are really competitive-- always, so it was a really intense game of kick ball with the bishop egging everyone on and lots of yelling and running, things you usually don't do much of as a missionary.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods, the church is true, God loves you, I love you.
--
Sister O'Bryan
Daejeon PO Box 38
Daejeon-si
Chungcheong bukdo 300-600
South Korea