Week 48: Subject lines are the most stressful parts of emails

I took a picture because the sky was pretty

Discover Key

Switch and squeal

Simple modulation but Diminished chord

Stop the problem

How? 

Take the plunge

The proof is pillow

Key

This week just flew by. Not much even happened, but also things happened. Missionary work is like that. 

But we have important things to talk about:

It's only six months to Christmas! I love Christmas so much. I should probably start preparing now tbh. I love Christmas. I also watered PlantyMcPlantface again this week. It feels like yesterday, but the last time was a month ago. I love succulents. It means I only have to water him six more times before Christmas (and the last one will be Christmas Eve).

We found a new investigator this week by the way. He's a year older than me, but we're both born in the year of the ox, so we're still friends. We met him on the street a week or two ago, and when I texted him he was a little surprised that I actually texted. So we set up an appointment to eat ice cream and talk about Jesus, as you do, but he only had time Sunday. So we had to buy ice cream Saturday night and store it in the church freezer. That was a good time. 

So yeah, we met the kid, and we just sat and talked in the kitchen of the church eating vanilla ice cream. It was a great first lesson, let me tell you. It was almost like member missionary work, which, by the way, I really want to do now. It's like missionary work, except you're not always stressed. It sounds amazing. 

And yeah, so that was how we achieved our weekly goal with like an hour to spare. It was good. 

And that's about it. Byeeeeeeeeeeeee

Best Wishes,

Elder Newton

Week 47: Stolen memes

Here's Han Lee with one of the stolen streetboards (before it was stolen).

Discover Blood Donation

Draw and Drip

Give life but get a cookie

Stop the Problem

How?

Treat the fool

The proof is pollution

Blood Donation

I'm working on this poem's Korean translation. We'll see how it goes.

So I've spent another week in Korea! Good job me. There has been no death, which is always fortunate.

So yeah, we went to Seoul last week. I had cream cheese kimbap. It was really good actually. Our appointment was forever, so there wasn't a lot of time to do much in Seoul. It was mostly starting the day in Wonju, grabbing a quick snack in the market, getting to Seoul about noon, wandering the city for a bit, getting it legal again for my companion to stay in Korea, and then running around Seoul more. 

Then the rest of the week was OK. Only a couple things happened, really. 

1. Our streetboards were stolen.* They are gone, so we are starting the slow process of remaking what was lost. Our "Talk to Me in Korean" board turned out pretty good, though. 

2. We met a Chilean less-active member yesterday. That was really crazy. We were just in the market streetboarding and she came up to get a picture with us. She only has her day off on Sunday, and she lives a little far from the church, so we don't know if we can get her to church, but it was cool to translate between Korean and Spanish. (I just need to remember enough Spanish to go the other way now.) 

And yeah. Those are the memes.

Here's pics

The aforementioned kimbap

The greatest king of all time

Now ft. me

They follow me

I am still aesthetic trash

Best Wishes,

Elder Newton

* Elder Newton believes he knows who the culprit is.

​

Week 46: Lots of surprises

Elder Newton with his new companion, Elder Saguinsin

Discover Clarinet

Slide and Squeak

Thin body but wide register

Stop the Problem

How?

Befriend the President

The proof is 정 

Clarinet

So we'll just go through the week with varying levels of detail.

Monday: Tried to proselyte with the clarinet. It was k

Tuesday: We went to Gangneung! It was great. There's an annual sports festival there with all of the members of our district. They're all so fun. Some missionaries got hurt but I wasn't one of them. We had an amazing picnic with Branch President and his family. Also I played with children a lot and it was great. After it ended it took until almost 9 to get home though. But it's OK because Branch President Kim drove us. I love that man. More on that love later. 

Wednesday: I met my new companion. I showed him the countryside and a less-active member who has suddenly really come to dislike the missionaries. Then we closed the night with music practice

Thursday: We did something Thursday? An investigator couldn't meet, but we still managed. Then we closed the night with music practice

Friday: Just like Thursday, but with weekly planning. 

Saturday: We tried to do missionary work in the morning and also do studies, but time got hard near the end. But it's OK. We made it to English class, and then afterward we had more music practice but with President Kim. He helped us improve a lot. I love that man. More on that love later. For now I spent that night learning some Tagalog. I can now say that I'm going to ride the bus, but not much else

Sunday: The craziest and maybe best church meeting of my life. Like my journal last night was 22 minutes, and a good 21 of those were about that meeting. So I'll type my thoughts on it until I'm out of time. For now, just know we finished by closing the night by playing music for new Branch President Jung. 

Oh wow, now my Discover Poem has double meaning. Cool. 

Anywho, sacrament meeting was great because of a few things. 

1. It was branch conference, so the district and mission presidency all came out

2. We missionaries did a musical number. It was "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," and it featured a clarinet duet featuring me and (exish) Branch President Kim (This sacrament meeting changed my life, but I don't remember if the music was before or after he was released)

3. By that point Brother Kim gave the greatest talk I have ever heard in my life. It was all about sacrifice. I love that man. He cares so much about our branch and the missionary work here, and he sacrifices so much. He is my true Korean dad. I don't think anyone will ever replace the place he holds in my heart. Like I don't know when it happened, but I would do anything to help this man. And I'm out of time, but I'll write a letter to my mother about this. If it's not too sappy, you might read it. 

In the meantime: Pictures!

It's the Tiger!

It's (Ex) Branch President Kim!

We took selfies at the same time

Elder Horne (left) ready for the big city

Best Wishes,

Elder Newton

Week 45: Hey, want a sticker?

Discover Whey

Cool and Curdle

Simple Breakfast but complex molecule

Stop the Problem

How?

Fold the crane

The proof is disapproval

Whey

So hi. The most predictable news from Korea is that while I am a day ahead, an hour is still the same amount of time as it is in America, and typing is not my strongest suit. (That's my navy one, if you're curious)

So as for short news: Meeting people is hard, but it's OK because so is proselyting. We did that a lot this week. I discovered my favorite method yet, though. All you do is give people stickers on the street. It's an instant bond, both emotionally and literally to their skin. It has really helped people open up. 

Warning: Sometimes people don't understand what's going on, and they end up just walking away looking confused

And in other news: Transfers! But I'm staying so it's chill. So is Elder Lee. So that is also chill. Elder Shumway is heading off to my old area to be companions with the old AP. That'll be cool. I'm telling him all the memes, so he'll be ready. 

Also our beloved Elder Horne, poor fifth-transfer Elder Horne, is going to the office. 

And I am really out of time, so here's pics. Elder Shumway had a birthday.

Also I keep running into these things. The Olympics are still a while out and yet …

He enjoyed his stapler

Best wishes, 

Elder Newton

P.S. Oh yeah, I have a new companion. He's Filipino and I'll make him teach me Tagalog I think. His name is hard for me to remember though. It's Seguinsin? I think? We'll keep you updated