September 25

Hello again. Did you know that Korea is called the land of the morning calm? Yes now you do. Wow another great week has gone by so fast. Today we are going to the mission home for a sisters luncheon--sweet that means american food. Don't worry they don't usually baby the sisters like this--its rare. And p.s. the elders all live in nicer apartments and have more money for food because the don't travel. Anyway before I get on to the real cool stuff some thoughts.
BYU football wow yes amazing. Today I explained to Sister 방 about the church in america and how a lot of people know about the church through prominent members, Mitt Romney, Steve Young, polygamy (yuck) and BYU football. If thats not missionary work--well yes it is.

The other day I had a dream that I was in Montana and Briggs and I were trying to drive this giant jeep thing that was a stick shift it was a headache. Briggsy try and enjoy senior year. Like Dad always said to me "mission prep" for real dealing with difficult people will be such a benefit to you, and seminary too keep it up. I'm proud of you. Do you BYU application asap so you can get in fast and then kick back (slightly) and enjoy your senior year. You can send me your first album k? Maybe you can just move to korea and become a korean pop star. Ahh Korean culture so fun. 5 Little kids just pointed at me and said "Mi-guk saram" Yes I am an American person--I'm getting used to the staring and pointing, kick of fun. My companion says I am special (in korean) Members at church say they have never seen hair like this before and they all like my white skin and good teeth. Thanks mom and dad! I think each week I will try and do a Korean culture spotlight yes this is a goal.
So this week's Korean culture moment: Anchioves (can't spell) Yes remember on teenage mutant ninja turtles "hold the anchoives" okay koreans love them. They are awful. They are little fish dried and extremely salted. They eat them all the time. I choose kimchi over them. The grocery stores sell them in mass quantities and they scare me in our fridge. My companion likes spam for breakfast. Awesome. I just say thats okay I'll go with cereal without milk (milk is very different here) OKay no more culture for today.

Oh mom yes schools here as way different. Like most other countries they wear uniforms. But Koreans are obsessed with school. They all go to regular school where they all learn english but can't speak it. But these little kids go to hag-one 학 ㅝㄴ where they do specialized school. Like science, english, art, math--these are elementary to high aged kids. The lucky kids get to go to cool taekowndo hagones, and the really expensive ones are the english schools.

Koreans think I know a lot more Korean than I really do. But I have learned a ton in the past 3 weeks. Church is the hardest thing. 6 hours of korean and my brain hurts. But I can pick things out. Its coming slowly. I'm glad I have a Korean trainer--its a blessing. Sure its hard but it was inspired. We are growing in unity and this is becoming a real strength. People see me and want to talk because I am "exotic looking" and then she can supplement and talk about that its not an american church. Yes the church really is the same everywhere. Why? Because its Christ's Restored Gospel here on the earth today.

Okay so now on with the main event. Last thurs-sat. We taught 이 귀 임 (ee, quiy eem(or cuy in spanish sounds the same cuy in spanish is guninea pig--I don't think she knows her name means that in spanish but it also means ear in korean) I'm sorry I really can't romanize their names. I taught her everything. mY companion \supplemented. WOW. She was so prepared. She had been taught 6 years ago when her son was baptized and now he is on a mission in Busan and she started going to church when he left. What a great opportunity to see someone whom I taught the Gospel to receive this ordinance. The spirit teaches the missionaries are the instruments. I know that baptism by the proper authority and by immersion is the example the Savior set. She really wanted to be baptized asap and we were able to have her baptism on sunday. The entire ward came and we even had noodles afterwards. We are working with several other great sisters who are making changes in their lives and preparing for baptism. Its fantastic. Everyone is a child of God an needs to hear our message. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is simple which is a blessing for me because I speak simply and bear testimony and they can feel the spirit.

The members are fantastic they love the missionaries and always welcome us they want to fellowship others and they are so strong in the Gospel. Even though they talk super fast and my legs always fall asleep sitting on the floor I love to talk with people and see how great and loving Koreans are. The church is growing in Korea and it is strong people are being prepared. Asia is great these people are so cool. I never thought I would be here in Korea doing the greatest work that there is. I love everyday. Of course its frustrating and not easy but I know that that is the Lord's way. I'm grateful for my family and their support of me always. I just remembered when I made that baby carrier thing when I was in second grade. Good grief I'm a weirdo. But I know help other people receive everlasting happiness. How great is our call!
Mac I'm happy that our plaques are next to each other and that you are obedient. I love it. Be good. I'm working on a letter p-days are crazy though. We are going to the Seoul temple in 2 weeks awesome.

Briggs keep runny okay really fast. I can send noodles when you finish the season. Actually I knew that the Office starts tonight but I try not to think about it--please enjoy it for me.

Jilly love you let me know about school Okay? Dad--yes get online and buy a yo for yourself. And buy some cool bike stuff too you deserve it. Crack down on the members so they give the elders referrals do everything you can to help. When I come home I just want to help people in MT. Mommy have fun at school. I dust love you and everybody. Keep talking about missionary work. Planting seeds. If you want to send me a family photo with everyone it to that would be good. I have lots but not one with everyone it it. Also I might need another box of contacts and if possible a cheap discman so I can play this pronounciation CD. Tell everyone I say hi. I got a great letter from Elizabeth Lewis and some MTC friends. So nice forward this to anyone. You can delete some of my randomness.
xoxoxo
사 랑 합 니 다 !!!!

Sister Paige McDede Alsbury

miracles!

Hello again from Korea. Team Alsbury does Asia. Its great. I love this place. I loved all of your emails it makes me miss you all so much when I read your emails every week they make me laugh so so so happy. I'm glad to hear you are all well. Don't forget me in your prayers, I need all the help I can get. Briggsy! Congrats on the xc, you are my hero I'll make a tape of me screaming and mom and dad can play it at state for you. You must be eating Korean noodles. I think I had the best ramen type thing ever yesterday, you would be proud. I echo Elder Alsbury God bless BYU football. Wow that is dust amazing. I forget that it is football season. Actually I forget a lot of things. Mac love your english grammar. I can already tell my english is dying. When I talk to my comp in english its very very slow and simple. So pretty much can't speak english or korean. But I can smile.

So yeah I fell like I have had hundreds of koreans laugh in my face but if you just keep with it you will see tender mercies. So yesterday we are out street contacting. Sister 방 just follows me. I have been praying so hard to find meaningful contacts on the street because it is ah ju frustrating sometimes. So first of all we are walking around and these 2 old guys stop us and they start speaking english! Ahh the mother language. It was great, they were in the military in the Vietnam war and were in California. So I taught them about the book of Mormon and they had so many good questions so they are going to meet with the Elders. In korea we can only talk to men if they talk to us. Which is nice because they don't do what latino men do when you walk down the street. Tangent must stop. So then I really felt like we should go up this one street and without thinking I run up to this lady with a stroller. And I just start talking about the bible and the book of mormon. It wasn't me it was the spirit. We were on fire. So she was smiling and eating up everything. Good thing I have a native companion because sister 방 can fill in a lot. This lady is golden. We gave her a book of mormon and she is so stoked to read it. It really was a tender mercy.

So then another miracle. There is a woman in Geumjong 2 ward area her son is currently on a mission in Busan, she has been attending church but not meeting with the missionaries. Anyway, she has really been affected by her son's mission. So yes this is a story. Her son's mission President (Ken Jennings--Jeopardy whiz's dad) is going to fly this missionary here so that she can be baptized on sunday! But we haven't met with her. This is the only time that he can come home and the bishop really wants the son to be there for the baptism. So what does this mean? It means that tonight, friday and saturday we are teaching her everything. And she is being baptized sunday. Well it will be my first baptism and I don't know all of the circumstances but I think its good. I think she has a lot of member support and has already read the book of mormon. wonderful!

Its still really hot here. Sister Hunt my friend from the MTC called me today it was good to talk to her. She's stressed, her senior companion doesn't know very much korean either, all of the sisters are very young in the mission which stresses me out to think about it. Having a companion that speaks kindergarton (probably less) english is a blessing. its also a challenge. Some days I just crave english or just to chat or communicate what I really want to say when we teach. The other day Sister 방 was upset with me because I told her we needed to follow the white handbook. She's really really shy as it is (most korean girls are super shy and when you talk to them they get super embarassed) so she stopping talking to me for 2 hours. I had no clue what was going on at all. I told her we needed to talk and communicate and she said a lot of korean super fast in a tone. And all of her english was gone that night too. It comes and goes. I just have to study hard and pray for the gift of tongues. She has a electronic translator I I was able to use that to help figure out what was going on. I think she is just tired and stressed and didn't see that I was trying to help us receive blessings through obedience. But that was a couple days ago and things are good now. I have found that communication is just better if I try in in Korean that is better than slow english. Opportunities for growth that is certain. Our zone leaders told me that Sister 방 really wants mail from the United States just something. If you want to write her a quick note she would be happy, she has a translater and knows basic things. Oh I don't really need a costco card, I think she just wants to go, I'm fine without one. I think they are expensive. Grocery stores here are an experience. My nose is not happy with some of these smells. I think I am going to avoid all fish the rest of my life.

Mac I don't know if your mission has pass-offs but we do. Stressful yes but the good thing is that I passed off lesson 1 this week. Yay. Still so much more to do. Korean is really hard. Sometimes I think they are just making up words because its all slurred together. Like baby talk and they are tricking me. The Korean grandmas are cute they are like 3 feet tall and walk almost at a 90 degree angle. Cute.

So 주 속 was sat. sun, mon, its like thanksgiving, so we had a combined zone sports day saturday. We went to Suwon I saw elder Sundwall from my MTC district. We had Anyang zone vs. Suwon. They have 18 people and we have 12. We went to a world cup stadium and played on the warm up field for it. Yes soccer it was glorious. The sisters stood around but not me it was heaven so much fun. Sadly I even took out 2 elders. We also played volleyball and water balloon volleyball. It was a good break the Elders are so nice and fun. Do you know Chase Hilton from Dillon? He just went home everyone asks if I know him. There is an Elder Light from Billings still here but I haven't met him.

Time is short random stuff:
6 hours of Korean church every Sunday ahhhh!!
cultural differences are real
I keep having really weird dreams.
Octupus==not good
Junk food ==not good
Kimchi=not great
I'm not in love with the food yet but its fine
Zone conference tomorrow
People have heard of montana
There are tons of little kids in our area primary is huge
Oh yeah on sunday not many people were at church, we taught primary
I see a lot of bad english grammar every day
Korean is really hard.
Yo's are comfortable. Dad don't sleep on the floor get on ebay and buy a yo, or you could try a bed too I suppose.
Jilly What classes are you talking? Mom be good at school, Briggsy boy be good love you. Mac love you Our zone leaders live in Helaman when you did--left after christmas though. You are my example. Yes try and update the blog, I think I was typing in the email address wrong but tried to forward today. no time
I'm good don't worry about me. Love you all forever,

Sister Alsbury

피!

Fw: Sanbon.

Fw: I'm here!

Machiamak email from the MTC