Officially Half-Way!

Well I am on the down hill slope now! I am past my half way mark! I promise I am not trunky (missionary slang for more excited to go home than do missionary work). Sometimes you just need a reason to celebrate. :)

Anyway last Wednesday marked my first day as senior companion. And what an adventure that was. The plan was to pick up Sister Sweetnam, come back to the apartment and eat lunch, then let her unpack for a few hours before we headed out again. Half-way during the unpacking session the zone leaders called us. They told us that there was someone at the church who may be an inactive member. They couldn't meet with her because she was a sister. So they called us and told us to book it to the church as fast as we could. So that is what we did.

We met the sister and took her to a classroom to talk to her. And it turned interesting pretty quickly. The woman began telling us that she wanted our help finding her an American man to marry. She didn't really have gospel interest. She didn't really have English interest. She just wants to marry and American man. But she doesn't speak English. Anyway she talked our ear off for like on hour about how Korean men are just not right for her and stuff. She is about 50 years old and speaks no English at all. What an adventure.  She has been texting us asking us to help her find one ever since. We are pretty sure she was baptized years ago, but she doesn't know anything about the church (as with most Korean less actives). We want to help her feel loved but just not quite from an American man haha.... We can help her feel God's love but that is about it. ;) The things you run into on the mission sometimes....

Sunday something really sweet happened to Sister Sweetnam and I. And I have to start the story by apologizing. Dear Mom, I know that when I left it was hard for you, but I was on the other side of it. I got to see just a taste of what you went through when I left, and I now see how hard it was.

We were standing up in the relief society room waiting for one of our investigators when one of the sisters looked at us and began to tear up. She then got up and quickly left the room. We were confused and asked the other sisters around her what was going on. They reminded me that her daughter had left to go to the MTC last week, about to head on a mission to Hong Kong. Our name tags reminded her of her daughter, and she began to cry. We ran out after her and found her in a room where the lights were off. We asked her if she was okay and she reached out to hug each one of us. She started stroking Sister Sweetnam's hair as she hugged her. Koreans don't hug, but this was like a straight up squeeze-you-tight hug. She told us about her daughter leaving and how worried she was about her. We told her that everything would be okay and started telling her about miracles we had seen in the MTC and on the mission. It was the sweetest thing. Sister Sweetnam and I started tearing up too. We can't be her daughter for her, but I think we are the closest thing she has to fill the hole that her daughter left. We are definitely going to keep an eye on her and comfort her.

Love you all so much! Miss you always! :)

Love, Sister Maughan