Week 57: My dreams have been crushed

Discover Mountain

Scale and Soar

small peak, but wide open spaces

Stop the Problem

How?

Lose the Jacket

The proof is royalty

Mountain

This week was a fun transfer-ending one. We had a week that took us all over the area on the off chance Elder Saguinsin would be sent off forever into the darkness of Seoul. But it's OK because he wasn't sent off. Elder Saguinsin gets to stay. That's Transfer Part One

As we rode buses for a long time this week, I had some really great conversations. I especially enjoyed two of them

The first was with a man who works on one of the local Army bases. He was so nice. Elder Saguinsin complimented his jacket, and after that he led the whole conversation and asked for our number. I love him

The next was on the way back from our beloved Christmas Café. We had actually missed the bus we wanted to take, but we ended up on the bus the Lord wanted us to take. (wow I'm so typical missionary) And so I sit down, and since I'm me in order to avoid awkward proselytizing, I just jumped right into conversation with this kid by telling him I was a vegetarian. Well, I said a few things before that, but we didn't know each other's names and he already knew my dietary habits. (He also had heard the First Vision before we were fully acquainted, but you know how it is with spaghetti*) So yeah, he was just a nice kid fresh out of Army with a few questions for the foreign vegan missionary. I taught him the whole Restoration, and he was so touched that I'd give him the Book of Mormon when it was so valuable to me. So yeah, Elder Newton is out of story time so we're moving along

I also don't have time to masterfully share a story about each of the other elders and say how their transfer happened, so we'll wrap up. Sorry I can't be as dramatic as I want to be. Wait a few years. 

So yeah, Elder Bond stays, Elder Lee goes to be zone leader†, and there are still no sisters. 

Thus becomes Wonju

Oh yeah, and as for my subject line, my dreams were crushed, because I am now district leader. It's a sad day. Mourn for me. 

And now pictures!

We found yet another quaint library!

And also the sky is always pretty over the Wonju I will stay in forever

Really though, like I'll be here until at least General Conference. I was here for the last one too

Anywhooooooooooo

Best Wishes,

Elder Newton

* Spaghetti stories are an internet meme in which a socially awkward person in an awkward situation is further embarrassed by spaghetti falling out of his pockets, a symbol of his social ineptitude. (I know, kids these days.) 

† He will be in a tripanionship with Elder Pulsipher, Elder Newton's companion from the MTC! Meanwhile, Elder Bond's new companion is Elder McKinnon.

Week 56: Interviews happened I guess?

It was on the street. Munmak is an artist town apparently. At least that's what Christmas Cafe guy says

Discover water bottle

swing and slosh 

utilitarian use but a plethora of joviality 

stop the problem

how?

wood for sheep

the proof is burning

Water Bottle

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this week is transfer calls and I'm still the oldest one in the area and we're all scared. What if I go back to Seoul? I'm not ready for that kind of pressure

Nah, don't worry, I'll serve in Wonju forever. It is my home where I live. 

Anywho, this week was good. Not too rainy, but not too sunny. Not too hot, but not quite nice nice weather. Yaknow? Like we just went through, did the work. Taught some people. After one appointment we got driven all the way up to our old favorite, 횡성. It was so nice of them. Like it's a half-hour car ride. We gave them English class at least

Oh yeah, also this week was the Chicken and Beer Festival in the Market. We proselytized in there, and it was fun, but also there was literally nothing I could partake of. Good times.

Also I took pics this week, as I have been less wont to do recently, so stay tuned. 

And yeah, Sister Sonksen inspected our house and was rather concerned at the lack of a lock on our door. To be fair, it is there, we just don't have a key. Anywho, that problem is solved now, and the only other item of report is that Sister Sonksen likes my study room wall. 

And back to the subject line, I had an interview with President. It's always so relaxing to talk to him. Except this time he asked if I was ready for leadership, which was scary, but he even helped me be less scared of that when I become a leader in three transfers or so

haha I'm in denial

Best wishes, 

Eler Newton

Thank Elder Saguinsin for reminding me that you all might want a pic of me and not a random road in Korea with a painting and Kimchi Squatting Korean in the background

Week 55: Birthdays and 횡성

The library. Can you spy a man in a red hat?

Discover Mercury

Revolve and Return

Melted landscape but Frozen scenery

Stop the problem

How?

Cut the scene

The proof is interpretation

Mercury

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii to you all! It's been a great time in Wonju! (OK, let's be real, I will always say this. Even if it was terrible, when it comes to the email in the end I will always speak this way)

But it really was great! We taught an investigator with a member and everything. And he had kept his commitments. I felt like a real missionary. 

Also I went to good old 횡성 two days in a row. Both times were to give our recent convert a gift. Both times I didn't know his address. But both times he was in the library studying. We're all so predictable. Also the library and our recent convert are featured in the one picture I took this week worth sending. (Elder Bond took several pictures worth sending, but he was called away by the spirit to Seoul, and his email time has not happened yet. So you'll see pictures next week.)

Also it was Elder Bond's birthday! It was great. We got dinner with our recent convert (by the way our life revolves around 임윤섭 now). He's such a good man. He bought a cake. We told him not to, but he did. It was delicious, and saved us, because we ran out of eggs and couldn't make Elder Bond's American cake. 

But yeah, back to our lesson I just skimmed over in the beginning, which was really the biggest part of the week. We got lunch at a buffet, and the member (임윤섭) hit it off super well with Anderson. They have a lot of similar questions, so it was like teaching two investigators, except one had a super strong testimony and had already been baptized. Also the Koreans sing 1 Corinthians 13 as a song. So that's a fun fact to close a short email. See you later!

Best Wishes,
Elder Newton

Week 54: Red Hot Chile Peppers

Elder Newton, Elder Bond and Elder Lee

Discover Cracker

crumble and crunch

scattered crumbs, but gathered stack

stop the problem

How?

Shine your shoes

The proof is  =: O

Cracker

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii to you all! It has been one of the hottest weeks of my life. Wonju is so hot, and I was so grateful for every moment inside. This week also flew by, but we have a couple things we can talk about, so let's go

Thing the First: 

 

I taught a Chilean this week. It was a sick exchange. Also my Spanish is terrible, but I can translate from Spanish to Korean, which was interesting. The man's name was Alex(some suffix that we aren't 100 percent sure of) and his son is Alexander. I have no picture, but just imagine Angel Herrera but with a beard. It's spoopy. He's living in Korea because of his wife (she teaches English) and works as an internet design person. He also is so sincere. He said he felt a special feeling at the word restoration, and if that doesn't scream prepared, I don't know what does. 

 

Also, I spent all week praying for the gift of tongues in this meeting, which came in handy, because at the end I was able to (in a probably incorrect way) translate Elder Lee's testimony into broken Spanish. Shoutout to Dad and the Spanish branch. 

 

Speaking of, I got to testify on the street a lot this week about learning the gospel in different languages, and it was nice

Thing the Second: 

I forget, and I'm low on time. So part 2 will be pics! Sorry I'm not there. Whoops

Bus ride to Gangneung (l-r Elder Lee, Elder Saguinsin, Elder Bond)

Pretty sights in Hoengseung (fun fact: There are three times as many cows as people in this county)

We went biking this morning. It was sweet

A dragon looks over his kingdom

Thanks for reading!

Best wishes,
Elder Newton