Summer Days

August was a another busy and fast-paced month. Our Relief Society decided to do a 'girl's day out' for lunch. As they were asking for suggestions on various pizza places, I offered somewhere that literally all the missionaries have said is the best; cheap yet good! It's called Pizza School. A group of us met at the church and walked about 3 blocks to the closest subway entrance. Some of our sisters had never utilized the subway system! This particular pizza place was at the end of one of the lines so we had a good ride there and back again.

Sister Olson on the left with Sister Simons sitting. Sister Fuhriman (our Relief Society President) is on the right. A Korean lady just sat and watched and watched and watched all of them laughing and talking.

Our Korean missionary sister, Sister Beh on the left with Sister Lang and Sister Wilder enjoying the ride together.

Sister Peterson, who planned the outing. Sister Beh's companion and our newest missionary sister, Sister McComber and Sister Williams. These ladies are such fun to be around.

Sister Serina Gordon is patiently waiting to get to the restaurant.

It's a small restaurant! We moved some outside tables together and had a great time. The missionaries were correct, the pizzas were delicious. We ordered a sweet potato pizza, by suggestion of the missionaries (excellent). Also a spiced chicken pizza that those who love HOT said it was great. I chose to take their word on that..... a plain old cheese that you can never go wrong  and a couple of spaghetti dishes for all to share. The man who owns and runs it speaks English. He'd been in the states several times and wanted to know where we were all from. It's some place we'd like to try again!

What's lunch without desert?!! Just happened to have a Baskin-Robbins around the corner. Full? Never too full for ice cream!!

I think this was the most serious many of them were all day! Decisions, decisions, decisions.......

Sister Beh and Sister McComber take their companionship verbatim; they need to be 'within sight and sound' of each other at all times.

Sister Lang, Sister Williams, and Sister Wilder all feel it's good to sit and relax with friends.... and it's hard to eat when you're already so full of pizza. However, we all managed quite well.

We had a very nice surprise this month!! Elder DohJaeUk was released from his mission about a week before the others in his time. He needed to register for college in Seoul and they would not extend him the week he needed, so President Gilbert allowed him to leave early for that purpose. We love Elder Doh and we were so sad when we found out he was leaving early as we knew we wouldn't be able to see him prior to his leaving, and we didn't. However - surprise!!! He called us and made arrangements to come down to Daegu on Saturday, the same week he registered for school. He spent the afternoon and into the early evening with us and had dinner with us. What a thrill for us that he thought enough of us to do that. I can not explain what these missionaries mean to us. What a true blessing to be in their presence.  

Here is 'Brother' Doh now... mission completed and most honorably served. He is blessed with one of the sweetest, kindest personalities of any we know. I don't think I've ever heard him say a thing about or against a soul. Just a kind, wonderful member of the church that we hope to always stay in touch with. He is planning on coming to the states someday so we're hoping that will come true!

Papa Howie with Bro. Doh, one of our 'adopted' grandsons. I'd claim him in a minute!

Me with Bro. Doh. He brought with him a lovely Korean hand-held fan which was enclosed in a beautiful case that his mother had made for me! It is made of such beautiful material; quite a wonderful present. I was very humbled that she would take the time to do that for me. Sweet, sweet people.



Another BIG event.... we'd all been waiting for this special day for Allison Williams. She's been a member in the church for over a year now it was finally time for her day, to enter the temple of the Lord on Saturday morning. We met the Lang family who'd also gone to Seoul on Friday. We spent the evening with them and their children. An added plus was getting to see and have dinner with CSM Dave Abbott from Seoul and his wife Kelly and daughter. Bro. Abbott was the Branch President of our branch prior to moving to Seoul.

The girls, Emmalee and Arianan, were excited to see a big Eagle there to greet them as they entered the hotel they were staying in.

Abbott's on the left enjoying the evening. The food was southwestern (in Korea....?) and quite good.

With the Seoul Temple behind us we lined up for some pictures after Allison's endowment. What a great group of members and what a thrill it was for Allison that so many made the trip. She's worth it!!

''The Sisters"

Cara McCain on the left, Allison's escort. It was a beautiful day and such a wonderful blessing to be a part of this moment.

Allison is such a special person. We are truly blessed to call her friend and a sister in the gospel. She teaches English at one of the schools in Daegu.

 

Time rolls around so quickly. Another transfer. We lost our 2 Suseong sister missionaries to other areas. Their gain, our lost most definitely..... Hopefully we'll have the sisters replaced in the near future. With our area covering both the Korean Ward and the Military Branch it's difficult to do so with only 2 elders. Missionaries as sooooo needed, everywhere.

One of the new sisters to our zone, Sister Mecham. Elder Gee is back! We're glad to have him back in our area again!!

A new missionary to our zone; Elder Hoskins.  I believe he's a Ute fan, what do you think?!

Oops...here's a Cougar fan.... Elder Cahoon. Elder Wilcox is studying someone's memory book. Oh, Bro. Merrill.... can you see your picture (or a portion thereof) in the background by Elder Cahoon's elbow?! We brought over the picture of 'our' missionary from home!

Interesting.... Sister Oaks sitting Korean fashion - on the floor - and Elder HwangJunSung sitting on the sofa.....

 Zone Leader, Elder Babcock, Sister Mecham and Elder Allen filling their plates and their mouths...

Our favorite SFC.... SFC Robert Gordon and Elder Harman. Bro. Gordon and family are so into missionary work, they too love the missionaries. As he was off this morning he came over for some breakfast and conversation with everyone. Elder Harman's tie is something to see. Koreans love their ties. They have sparkles on them, some a little, some more. This was a pretty expensive tie that he got for a bargin. No one seems to bargin better than Elder Harman! 

Sisters going out to the patio area to eat their food. These are the only 2 sisters we have now :-(

They love to get together and talk. What they're doing, investigators, challenges, plans......

Elder Schultz and Elder Arnell on the sofa.

Playing games and relaxing after all the food.

Writing letters home.

Sister Mecham found some quiet space for her thoughts and wrote a letter home to her family.

Elder Bagley and Elder Olsen in their new shirts they bought commemorating the track and field world championships we just had in Daegu. Athletes from all over the world came to participate.

Elder Allen decided to work off his breakfast for a while.

What a great group! A few new to us and a few no longer here. Times change. Actually every 6 weeks times change.... We, however, are still here in Daegu, Susoung District. The young missionaries tease us about whether or not WE'LL be transferred! One of the pluses of being a SENIOR missionary!!

What a honor to be here. In Korea, in Daegu. To be with the military families and other branch members plus the addded blessings of being with these wonderful young missionaries. This was all from August. We are now into September and I have other pictures of recent events - with the missionaries - to add on my next blog. So keep looking as I hope to get those done in the next few days. We are all going to Busan next week for the celebration of Chusok, a huge Korean holiday, so I will have lots of missionary pictures from that. AND I'll have pictures of some who are no longer here now - we will be able to see all of them in Busan! Fun time. We'll take the train there and back. We did this last year; wow!

Thanks for following our adventures. We are actually getting rather 'short' ourselves! 4 solid months left and we should leave the first of February sometime. It simply doesn't seem possible! I'm anxious to see our family though, I miss my grandkids!!!!!!!! My 'blood' grandkids........  I have several over here that will always be my grandkids too. Actually, many of them are home already and we can't wait to see them again. The gospel is true. Blessings that come from the scriptures, the church, and being able to serve a full-time mission is beyond words. It is, however, something I would highly recommend!