Weathering It

Dear family,

The weather is nice and the old people are out. In the park next to our library there is a flock of old people relaxing and enjoy the wonderful weather. In Korea there are not many nursing homes, actually I have never seen one or heard of someone who lived in one. However there are LOTS of old people. They usually roam the streets or when it is nice outside they conglamurate in areas like parks and play Chinese checkers or just sit on the benches and gossip. It is amazing. I have never seen so many people over the age of 70 all in one area. They are probably more full of life than I am and even though they are completely bent over with age and osteoporosis don't be fooled, it still hurts when they "pat" your back and tell you that you are pretty.

I'm glad that the weather finally warmed up and decided to behave itself, however it also means that summer is coming. I have heard a lot about it from various people and have received many warnings about how I need to "prepare myself". The humidity is suppossedly horrid and chances are I will want to die, my laundry will never dry and if I don't leave the windows open on my apartment then everything will grow mold and smell horrible. However, until then I am not worried. It's really nice when we walk around finding people's houses and new investigators so for now I am enjoying it.

Last week we had a ward cooking battle in Junju ward. It was a lot of work and preparation, but it ended up being a lot of fun. Everyone put a lot of thought and effort into it and so we ate delicious food and played lots of fun games, like pie eating, eating onion rings off a string, egg passing relays and competitive bobbing for apples. Here's a secret of life, if you want to get a Korean really involved in an activity make it competitive, they will do anything to win.

Something I have been thinking about lately:

"The invitation to repent is rarely a voice of chastisement but rather a loving appeal to turn around and to “re-turn” toward God.14 It is the beckoning of a loving Father and His Only Begotten Son to be more than we are, to reach up to a higher way of life, to change, and to feel the happiness of keeping the commandments. Being disciples of Christ, we rejoice in the blessing of repenting and the joy of being forgiven. They become part of us, shaping the way we think and feel."

-Neil A. Andersen Oct 2009

This week one of the less actives that we were working with finally came out to church with her two young sons. I was ecstatic. It is hard to come back out when it has been so long and you feel like no one knows you and that they are all judging you. I am so glad that I have never gone less active because dang it's hard to come back. The most dissapointing thing though was when we were talking to a member, in hopes that they would befriend her because their children are similar age and all that she said was they she didn't really like her and they had known each other when they were younger. It was surprising to me. I was reminded of the story of the prodigal son, the father who welcomes his son back with open arms and the brother who stands seething outside. God is willing to forgive us and others and let us progress and grow, so why can't we?

Challenge of the week: Forgive.

I love you all.

--
Sister O'Bryan
Daejeon PO Box 38
Daejeon-si
Chungcheong bukdo 300-600
South Korea

Because what we are on the outside will get old in this lifetime, but what we are like on the inside will never get old. Just wiser and better, if we do it right.

Mama