Week 96: Buses and Exchanges and the Like

Elder Newton still doesn't have a working camera, so enjoy this photo taken by Elder Boden last week that looks as if it could have been taken from a bus window.

Discover Dear

Address and Acknowledge

Simple greeting but personal meaning

Stop the Problem

How?

Block the Sword

The proof is Discussion

Dear

Everyone,

So yeah. We've weeked it up out here. It was an entire week. Many things happened. 

We had district meeting again. The Donghae district is great. They're doing such a good job and they're all so fun. We missed our bus home. but the view was pretty. Sorry the camera is still dead. ㅠㅠ It's chill though.

Surprise! Elder Newton did take some pix with his phone after all. This is the border of Elder Newton's area and Donghae, as seen from a bus.

Something I've learned out here is pondering while on or waiting for buses. You spend a lot of time on them, and it's a situation where it's rather ineffective to study or call people. Sleeping is pretty effective sometimes, if we're being honest. I just don't fall asleep well on them. I mean often. Anyway, I've found that that time is best spent pondering. It's just such beautiful scenery to take in. I've definitely gained appreciation for the scenery. 

An apartment complex where the missionaries do some service

Same apartment complex, but different building and day

Really, I've thought of everything from my investigators, to members, to just the beauty of creation. It's one of the moments of missionary work that I won't get to experience as fully even if I come visit later. So you've got to appreciate it while it lasts. 

Also we had exchanges with the legendary Elder Mann. He served here for six transfers a bit ago, and he's the kind of missionary you just hear all these stories about. He would walk down the road and have a story about every single store and owner. He loved them all so much, and it was really good to see. It was a short time, so we just saw about half of the branch with him while he was here, but the strength of those relationships was so amazing. 

Some buildings outside the Donghae church

We had a lot of other cool things happen. He fixed a cane for a member, we committed an English Class member to read the Book of Mormon, and played billiards with the youth Saturday morning. Then Elder Mann went home and the aforementioned English class member drove part of the Go family, a less-active member and an investigator to a meeting in Donghae about youth conference. Then we watched Elder Renlund that night. 

Oh yeah, he was around. It was spiritual. He had a lot of good stuff. He talked about what we have to do to prepare for the second coming using parables in Matthew 25. Check it out sometime. 

Sunday went smoothly. I love it when that happens. I could report more, but we're low on time and I've been droning on. Sorry. 

See y'all later! (But not too soon)

Best Wishes,

Elder Newton

Elder Newton and Elder O'Brien wish you peace from the side of a highway