Hello my friends and family!
Has is really already been a week? Wow! We worked hard this week, and I feel it. It’s super humid and hot, but just like the mail we go out every day! The work of the Lord will go forth! ささ
Since we’ve been working so hard I’ve actually lost a few pounds (take that, MTC teachers!!! ささ) and I am happy because I believe the abs that I had in high school are beginning to come back! ささ The only thing is that my trainer says once I adjust to the food that won’t be the case anymore, and I think she might be right, especially since some of the ward members feed us really well and keep us with a pretty steady supply of ice cream. But I will try to not let that happen! Anyway, I lost a few pounds, and it was enough that some Korean missionaries(Koreans notice everything about you and they are frank to tell you if you’ve lost or gained weight) noticed, and I proudly told them yes! Then they asked me if I was sick and they told my trainer that she is a bad trainer because she doesn’t feed me! *sigh* I tried to explain that losing wieght is a good thing in America and that I wasn’t sick. I don’t know if they believed me.
The language is very slowly coming. I am beginning to understand a little bit more every day. My 穿亀 is improving, and I can pray a little better. Yesterday I was asked to pray in four different meetings! I try my best, but I don’t know why they like to ask me to pray so much. Probably because I am new. ささ
I taught English class the other day. Teaching English is one of the best ways we find people to teach. We do a 30-30 program: 30 minutes of English and 30 minutes of the gospel. A lot of people are interested in English, so we offer English for free. ささ One of our new investigators came for English, but we think she may be really interested in the gospel now. Oh, I hope so! People also get nervous about their English when I tell them I am an English major, but what they don’t know is that I am nervous to talk to them because I don’t speak Korean! I have to speak in really simple English when I use it to help them understand me and I am trying to use more and more Korean as I learn it. I am already seeing my English going away little by little, and my only hope is that it is at least getting replaced with Korean.
So this week I realized that I need to change my attitude about Korean and my mission. I am always super nervous when I try to speak, but one night I remembered a quote from one of my favorite TV shows as a kid. Many of you will remember Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. Her catch phrase is “It’s time to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!” and then the class goes on a field trip and does exactly that! They end up learning a lot from the experience, especially from their mistakes. I realized that it needs to become my catch phrase when it comes to immersing myself in the Korean culture and my mission. I need to think positively and not focus on the mistakes themselves, but on what I learned from them. I make TONS of mistakes, but I am learning more and more every day. This is the task that Heavenly Father has set before me, and I need to remember that he always makes a way to accomplish his work. I know the gift of tongues is real, and I know that Heavenly Father has a way for me to do everything that He needs me too. He will never leave me alone when I am doing my part and keeping the commandments. I know this is true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Thank you all again for your prayers and your faith in me. They are great strength to me as I do my best to serve the Lord. I love you all so much!
All my love,
Sister Jessica Pope
The Worth of Seouls 