my first asian haircut....is coming

We are emailing today but saturday is P-Day because of 추석 Chu seok--the big holiday, we were have a sports day on saturday. Also I have potentially scary news. I am giving into the Gods of Asian hair. Yes I am getting my hair cut at a Korean hair salon. AHHHHH!!! I never thought I would but its bad. I've only had it cut once by Sister Knudsen who cut all the layers off. It is so boxy square, just a mess. The best thing is that the name of the place is오랜지 헤 어 Orange Hair. You better believe I'm asking for a discount since I'll probably the only person that has orange hair that they will ever cut in their careers at Orangie hair. Asianization. Potential nightmare but I'll survive. Its super cheap here too.
This past week we have been blessed with some amazing miracles. 김태순 and 성영숙 (Kim Tae Soon & Sung young sook) are still progressing for baptism on the 24th. Last week at church the brother had just changed. In Gospel principles he participated and then we met him later that day he was telling us about family prayer and just way more friendly. He did go off on me about Green Tea--how in China people drink it more than water and they are all thin and healthy, but he said he will try. Alcohol will be a challenge to. But they are still good. The holiday makes it impossible to meet people for about a week so we are texting them a lot. His wife 성영숙 is amazing. She's super stalwart, her sister is a member and a return missionary. Their daughter is 19months and is so cute. Korean kids are the cutest ever.

Then, we went to the this fancy dinner at 최명숙 (Sister Choi)'s house she's a travel agent, traveled the world really eccelectice she made us a fancy dinner--even had banana splits for dessert. Her husband--the got married a few years ago, 50s ish. Isn't a member. He's apparently some famous engineer, worked under Leby in New York. But he comes to church every week for a really long time. 3 weeks ago we changed Gospel prinicples at the last moment from the Second Coming to Baptism, it was good and since then he's been thinking more and more about baptism. MIRACLE. He asks me what he has to do to get baptized. He already knows all about the church, keeps the commandments, He said November would be nice. It is such a sudden and amazing change of countenance. His name is 유수엽 (Yoo soo yup) If you want to pray for him.

We also have a Philippino investigator name Roselle. Her husband is Korean, she's been her for 3 years. Sister Toronto met her on the subway and referred her. She went to the english ward with the Knudsens and met other Philippinos there and loved it. We met her and she just ate up everything. She rides the subway 2 hours a day and said she'd read it everyday. Everything made sense to her and she said she felt what we said was true.

our lovely 목동 ward is having some intra-ward drama and kinda weird things have been happening that makes me worry for our investigators. Sacrament meeting was especially ridiculous this past week. Our poor bishop. I won't say details. Our Relief Society President is in the middle of it, we visited her on mon and felt prompted to share Mosiah 7:33, it was just what she needed. You should read it too.

So things are good. my body is tired, its actually falling apart, its still hard getting rejected everyday but I feel my Savior's love daily and know that the Atonement is real. I try my best everyday, I still lack severely but the Lord makes up the rest. Love you all,

알수베리 자매선교사

P.S. I watch conference the week after you do but I'm so excited for it. Take good notes

P.S.x2 Drive safely and Jill run fast you can do it!
x3 You will be blessed for sending mail.

September 24, 2009

Family,
This email is going to be short. Lo siento. I'm kind of in a weird mood. Today we went to the the temple. I really love the temple here so happy we get to go. I'm sad about Landon and that just sad things happen to people, but I know that the Plan of Salvation is real. BYU football is sad news too.

Good news our family-I don't have a korean keyboard but Sung YoungSook, and Kim TaeSoon have baptismal dates for Oct. 24, If you want to include them in your prayers that would be really helpful. The first week in Oct. is ChuSeok one of the 2 big holidays in korea. Basically everyone goes from Seoul to the countryside and eat for 3 days at their grandparents house. Then the next weekend is general conference. I'm so excited for it.

-When I get home remind me to tell you about the day in Relief Society with Pak MungJa :)
-Also remind me to tell you what I get told everyday is the reason for my acne and what my response is.
-We met a man last week who went to Tulane lawschool, has read the bible over 100x and doesn't go to a church because he doesn't believe they are true. He asked about the 3rd heaven--crazy things, we have just what he needs if he'll just give us a chance to talk.
-This man told me this week that he couldn't accept our message because the Catholics in korea pronounce the word "god" like .5 a vowel different from all the other churchs. like a "ahh" versus an "euh" anyway. I'm slightly stressed with everything I have and want to do here. I love you all. Be good. The church is true.
Sister Paige McDede Alsbury

신총 플루

신총 플루--The Flu. Koreans are worked up about it. I have no idea what is going on. All of the sudden the church has signs that say don't handshake, just bow--sisters don't really shake hands in korea. thats good. And people have started to wash their hands and used hand santizer. Interesting. I'm out in the blue.

Today we are going to the Korean War Memorial. Its going to be sweet. Probably sad because korea has been conquered so many times.

Hey mom remember when the Stallings were freaking out about the truck that sprays the white cloud to kill the mosquitos? Its here! Random parts of the day it comes through wherever we are. I run from it. The kids on the street chase it. It scares me. But I do detest Mosquitos. White cloud of death. I need to video it. Its a little Damas. Google image Daewoo damas--its my favorite car.

Good news we got 3 more kgs of kimchi! Still eating it every meal.
Yesterday I took the last 한국어 3--the final test for korean grammar, reading, translation and vocab. I am know a king. In very humble way of course. But I destroyed the test.

I don't have time to type it but this morning I wanted to share with my fam 2 Ne. 10:23-25. Also read 1 Cor. 14:23-25--thats interesting
No more time but thanks for your emails and remembering me. Elizabeth Lewis is editing my essay and dad if you could try and get that done buy next week that would be swell. Love you all. P.S. I'm so proud of BYU football and my family. xoxox 사랑해요

알스베리 자매선교사

September

As I wrote September I just had this fleeting thought of mom driving down the freeway blasting Earth, Wind and Fire. Weird that I too have come to love that.
I was so happy to hear about Mac's first week back at BYU, the chicken taco wrap probably tastes the same huh? Briggsy boy is either out with his 1,000 new best friends or at the HBLL. I'll hope for the 2nd. I'm praying for you.
Today we went to the the temple. Such a blessing to go every 6 weeks I need it so much every time we go it fuels me up. Oh, I'm sure you don't care but yesterday I had been in Korea for exactly 1 year. yaya Korea. Hey is swine flu a big deal or something? Because last week at church they brought out the hand sanitizer and that was the first time I've seen Koreans use it. A couple weeks ago this lady called us and wanted to meet but she was concerned because Sister Bergeson had only been in Korea for 5 months, and she was worried about the flu. I have no idea about anything. Nobody confirmed about the missionaries in Cuba thing (I don't think there are but you never know)
Its kind of hot today but its okay we still have the parasols--I think that's what they are in english. Sun umbrella. We have real oreos at our house, made me think of Jill. One of my favorite members I'll call her Sister Jang (can't type in korean on this computer) She went to costco and gave us oreos as well as tofu. tofu and kimchi=well being.

Hey you have to update me on BYU football. Thanks for the package Mac I think I'll get it next week at interviews. Random thoughts:
Sister Bergeson dropped our kimchi tub, it landed face up fortunately. All over her face clothes, ceiling, in between her toes. that stuff doesn't come out very well. We also met Krystle our american investigator last night at the Knudsens (we ate bean burritos!) She's good, really has a desire to find truth and the only way is by reading and praying the Book of Mormon. Cool. Well my brain is fried, but I love you all forever and ever. xoxoxoo

Sister Paige Alsbury

Kimchi diet

So our fan in our house died but the weather has been a litter cooler. Rain, so much rain in Korea. If there was open land it would be really green. I have one profound thought in my head. "CanMore Makes you Beautiful" is the slogan of the cheesiest 빙수 like ice flakes/ice cream place, the chairs are swings that hang from the ceiling with floral upulstery(can't spell that word anymore) Really tacky one of my favorite places. CanMore makes you beautiful and Sharing the Gospel makes you happy. I know it to be true. Its a foolproof method. I'm really happy to have a sweet family, that emailed from the HBLL. The Gospel makes me happy, sharing it is the greatest responsibilty, and its good. that was a tangent, sorry.

Last friday from our lovely Mokdong ward sisters we received 8.6kg=19lbs of 김치 Kimchi. Its a lot of kimchi. We have resolved to eat kimchi at every meal. Who knows what it will do to my digestive system but its delicious. I think we can devour it.
Last week thurs. after emailing we were on the bus going to a member's house I didn't remember to tell sister bergeson to get off at our stop and I get off and she her and the bus driving away. oh nooo! A million thoughts ran through my mind. So I sprinted to the next bus stop and didn't see her but then way way off in the distance I saw her coming the other way. Ahhh. such a relief. I was so happy to see her. Surprisingly thats the first time that has happened. its weird not being with a companion.

I finished reading 몰몬경 The Book of Mormon in Korean this week. Don't worry I already patted myself on the back. It was hard. It made my head hurt, but its still true in korean too, I know it is.

성 영숙 (Sung Young Sook) and her husband 김태순 (Kim Tae Soon) are really progressing we've set a baptismal date for Sept. 13, It is a goal, they are wonderful. her sister is a member who joined the church in high school, the members love her sister--she's in Detroit now with her husband.. Family baptism would be a huge miracle.

Another huge miracle is our new investigator Krystle. An American! I had a hard time teaching in english. She went to the Tri-Cities Washington temple open house a few years back, she's here teaching english really cool. She asked the Knudsens for the Book of Mormon. She said, "I'm thirstying for truth" She also said that her goal is to read all of the Bible and the Book of Mormon before she goes back to USA in December. Its amazing to see something how is seeking for truth so much, we can't persuade her to believe but we invite her to find out for herself and make changes in her life to come unto Christ.
Today I'm working on law school stuff, kinda stressed out. But it will be okay. I love you all, thanks for all of your prayers, funny emails, letters, and love. xoxo

Sister Paige Alsbury

August 20,2009

I'm going to write in half sentences.
This morning before we walked out of our house my shirt was already soaked through with sweat. Then we went outside in a hot rain storm. I never thought I could sweat this much in my life.
A Korean beat Tiger Woods, cool. A former President died this week and we were at the same hospital on the same day.
I love korean Peaches. But still live the Strawberries and Watermelons lots. We don't have any Kimchi at our house right now so its a hard knock life, I asked the Relief Society President for more but I've heard the cabbage price is high latetly.
On Sunday 2 inactives and 3 investigators came to church. It was really an answer to my prayer. Its kind of hard not having elders in a ward, for example we have an appointment with a man tonight at 8 and if we teach men there must be a adult female present. Nobody can help as of 5:39 pm. P-Day and Sundays are the most stressful days for me. We went to the Knudsen's house today so I could write my law school essay.--Gee thanks for all feedback I got. but their internet didn't work. AHHH!! But missionary work is fun.
On Saturday they had the giant YSA conference for koreans--actually it was 3 days long, Elder Cook and Elder Costa came. So the korean missionaries got to go and while they were attending their american companions came and worked in 목동 MokDong so that was really good.
이한웅 (brother lee) came back from his mission in New York. His english is probably better than mine. He bore his testimony in chinese I was blown away. It made me realize that I'm not ready to come back until it is time. These kids are staring at me and said "백인 인데" white people. xoxooxoo Have fun at BYU family. Seon Ju said she talked to Briggs online--I dust love her so much. She was a huge miracle of my mission. Love you
알스베리 자매--Sister White skinned and sweaty

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