Week 13 - Very enjoyable - Snail mail

     

Hey, It's me . . . .  Elder Westarp,
I love Mom and I hope things are going well at home.  Oh no. . .  sounds like you had some trouble with the flooring.  The email for the week I wrote this was TOO short,  SORRY !!  It was a packed day.  Y ?
The temple took most of the day and we weren't on our area.  I LOVE U thou.  Korea is getting Hot and people are stopping less and less, But I'm fine.  I love the members here and I think they like me !?!  So far I've learned two things or three of what they think of me.  One,  I (supposedly) look like Kevin  (from the movie Home Alone).   That was a shock to me !  Two,  I look very young . . .   I did see how it could be true, until I met  ummm ....  
밖 채 혁  bakk chae hyeog ,   who is 12 years old in Korea or 10  (actually).  How that works is, that when u r born you are one years old.  Then on New Years, is the day  "EVERYONE" is one year older.  So in Korea I'm 21.  The point I'm getting to is that  밖 채 혁  looks older than Stephen, who would be the same age, like two or more years.  WOW . . . .   Oh I might write or by then have written this.  But Today on the train ride home a drunk started talking to me,  It was WEIRD !  I had no idea what he was saying until later on, afterward.  He thought we were 

재덥's   Jehovah Witnesses,  and that I was handsome & then he saluted me.  Well Mom I have more time to email you.  But this last email, on the 27th is the last short email.  Since I will have a draft for the President.  I  LOVE U  Soooooooooooo  Much  &  Miss you too.
                                 
                                                             (see back)


Love you Mom,  Hug      Love you Mom,  Hug          Love you Mom,  Hug
Love you Mom,  Hug      Love you Mom,  Hug          Love you Mom,  Hug
Love you Mom,  Hug      Love you Mom,  Hug          Love you Mom,  Hug
Love you Mom,  Hug      Love you Mom,  Hug          Love you Mom,  Hug
Love you Mom,  Hug      Love you Mom,  Hug          Love you Mom,  Hug
Love you Mom,  Hug      Love you Mom,  Hug          Love you Mom,  Hug
Love you Mom,  Hug      Love you Mom,  Hug          Love you Mom,  Hug


I used to say it every day.  Why I stopped !?!
I never knew.
But in my heart I always knew . . .
You said it Too.
And as I grew I thought you knew,
I love you.
So I just shy-ed away
It wasn't cool . . . .
But memories all fade
and I can't remember that Dreadful Day . . . .
I forgot to say  . . .
     I Love You Mom !

 There is one for every day I've been in Korea,
A :  I Love You Mom     And A HUG  . . .

I do & it was a long time that I forgot to tell you that
I LOVE YOU.



Dad,
How are you?  I know you are very busy trying to support our family.
So, I'm writing to say . . .  I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH & I MISS YOU.
& I know you love me too. . . . .   I'm  learning two BIG  lessons out here.
How important families are and how expensive things are.  Especially
food !! "HEAR THAT OTHER KIDS IN THE FAMILY."  WOW 
I can't believe how good of a shopper Mom is.  I've spent  103,540 won
($97 US) this month & It's not over.  Plus rent & everything else. Wow.
You & Mom did a great job living the best you could.  How you did it,
I don't know.  But Thank You.  I realize now why we couldn't go or do
things like other families. Well I love you & tell Mom I love her too.
Bye Dad




Hanna,
Love you.  Sounds like u have a good chance for that job.  I'm sorry I didn't read your whole email.  I was in a hurry to get back home.  I will pray 4 u until I hear u got the job.  I still pray 4 the house everyday.  Sounds like it's almost done.  YAH  !!  Pday is ending soon.  So I'll stop for now.  Whoooh, you are so lucky Hanna.  Learn from this,  how to work & the value of money.  You need so much to live on in this world & so the quicker one can learn the value of money, the better.  I feel bad now that I'm a burden on the family.  I wish did work, then I would be ready for this.  It's hard work, it's like being in school & having a full time job &  I'm behind on my studies.  The only thing I pray for myself, is that I will do my best & I know the Lord will make up for the rest.  I love you Hanna & I know how Bright you r.  I've always been jealous of how bright you R & how you do everything with full effort.  I regret not trying or really trying.  But I can't change the past, so I'll be ready to take a chance to change my future.
Love you,  Bye

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
Rhylie,
How are you ? .....  EMAIL ok, School is done & you can email me at least once a week for five or even three minutes.  Please . .   ok.  Well I read your 1st, for me, letter.  I kept it.  Which reminds me, Did I mail Stephens or Daelins letters?  If so I want them back.  If not, I think the MTC ZL will throw them out.  I caught them trying to throw away a few of my things.  Why !?!  I don't know.  Sorry Rhylie, this is your letter.  I forgot & write to everyone sometimes .  Well then   Rhylie,  I love you & miss you . . . . Bye

Hug,  for the poor letter I wrote.
Here's a hug from across the world.

Hey Stephen,

I love you so much.  I hope that when I get back that UR still you.  I hope we can do tons of stuff together in
2 years minus umm 2 to 3 months.  Keep busy & stay creative.  Your ideas are awesome.  I love your drawings,  so good.  Don't think that they aren't good,  because the more you do something the better you
R at it.  So  DRAW ! !
Love you,  Elder Westarp

Daelin !

Top Secret Y :  I found the sane people. 

FACT #1, The Food.  So my companion is Korean & I know

that when he eats, he EATS !  We eat cereal some mornings

& when we do, I take an average size bowl, but he takes this

HUGE ONE. You could easily fit your head in it.  I start first,

then when I’m half done, he starts & finishes BEFORE me!     

FACT #2 ,  The Old Man.  One day while I was

전도  - ing , contacting, I saw him. A little old man with a WAY

Huge Heavy wagon. He moved it like it was nothing.

FACT #3,  Proud People  (the good kind)

They have honor & Respect.  Show who you are with these

2 things.  It’s Very Big Here.

Communication stop . . . . . .

Well long time with no word.  How are things in our city

of Portage.  Tell Ben & Mindee HI for me.  Writing them is on

my to do list.  So much has happened.  The . . . .  Pdays over  . . .

the last few weeks & it’s flying by.  2 years is going to come & go

like “THAT”.  Well I have accepted your future challenges,

so be ready !

See you in 2,  Micah.

Week 13 - Rainy Email

Well I've been doing great, but there is so much rain  

and the worst...  My umbrella broke. I used it 3 times,

and today it is totally useless. Luckily, we have a 

few at our home. Besides that I'm ok. Our investigators

are struggling and don't want to be baptized yet, 

they’ve been taught all the lessons. We are trying to 

show we care about them and I think they like us, 

since they keep meeting. One even called yesterday 

to meet. He didn't show up but later he called to 

explain why. I love it here and the people are 

friendly. So far I've had many meals with members. 

A few times they asked us over and other times we 

drop by to give them cookies, which are getting 

better and better. I'll try to keep my eyes open

today to see what is available in the store. 

I love you and hope you can finish the house. 

It's so good that the date changed. bye love you...

Week 12 - 1st letters from Korea

First Korean Cartoon by Micah (READ THE EXPLANATION BELOW)

Panel #1  -   Title  “  I’m in Korea  ”

Panel #2  -   Me &  my Companion (unseen)  running for the bus. 

Panel  #3  -  Me &  my Companion on the bus heading to a members
                              home.

Panel  #4  -  We arrive at the members apartment.  Very tall compared to

                                    anything in Tremonton

Panel  #5  -  We are “Heart Attacking”  the members doors, but it has
                         been done before so we took off the old ones first.

Panel  #6  -  Just expressing how happy it made me.

Panel  #7  -  Here I am “jeondo-ing”  or contacting.  I’m saying
                      “annyeonghaseyo”   which means – Hello -

Panel  #8  -   I’m trying to shake peoples hands. 

Panel  #9  -  This is an old man that I’m trying to talk to.  He
                      doesn’t  have time to talk.

Panel  #10  -   Me trying again to say – Hello – the guy is very
                             surprised

Panel  #11  -   I’m scared here because I don’t know what he
                            is saying in Korean, he is upset.

Panel  #12  -    It turned out to be a minister who we meet while
                           contacting.  So I politely leave.

Week 12 - All is well

Sorry today was weird.  It was temple day for us so we are there. Pday is normally on Monday or Sunday 

night in the US. To write better emails I’ve been keeping a journal to remember what I did during the week.

so this week was rough a lot of cancels and a lot of 전도. oh that means contacting... so the best thing that

has happened this week is our two new investigators who we meet. We were only going to or planed to meet

김지열  (Gimjiyeol ) but he brought his friend with him. I thought that the lesson wasn't going anywhere at 

the time, until we changed rooms.  We were at the church at this time, and they settled down and listened to 

our lesson. I had no idea what was going on and I tried my hardest to listen. we taught the plan of salvation 

and about the book of moron. I shared my testimony the best I could and my companion helped them 

understand what I said. Yeah it went great. Oh also I went and did service by making screens for others. The 

person invited us to dinner. Ya, it was great and so weird. The food was great and they were so nice to us. I 

think they really liked us because they invited us to help the next day and have dinner. Which was good 

because I didn't buy enough food for the week and I was low. Wow so many blessings this week with food. 

Members give us food when we visit some times. So... as for our original investigator, who is he? I don't 

know... I’ve never seen him before, oh well. So I'm doing great, I love you and I have to go. Right now, I’m 

in a store and we have to leave. Next week will be better. 

love you bye. Oh i sent a package it should be there friday.

Week 11 - First Week in Korea

Hi, how are you at home. its been a long it since I've 

talked to you.I'm doing great here. I'm in the 안양 

(anyang) zone 금천이 (gumchon 2)district. yah, its been 

so exciting. so we arrived around 10pm in Korea
( 8am in the Usa i think) we then went to the mission 

presidents house to sleep. it was a rough flight, the 

first plane ride was great and comfortable. during that 

time one of the Koreans went to all the other missionaries 

and had them watch Tangled. It felt weird to watch it
but, it made the ride seem quicker. if you haven't seen

it yet, i would say that its much better than the 

commercials made it. Ok, so we arrived in japan early 

and we had nothing to do. we tried contacting but most

everyone was Japaneses. by the time our plane arrived I

was tired. we got on at the last, almost, i was looking

for my companion with elder Boyer (he was looking for 

his companion who ran off with my companion). the plane

was small and pack. i almost had to take my luggage off

and pay for it as and extra bag (one of the flight 

attendants told me this), but another flight attendant

found room for my stuff while the other told him that 

there was no room... So the next day we went to a meeting

with our new companions. mine new companion is great, but

we have one problem... that is he is a native Korean and 

doesn't speak that much English and I can't speak much
Korean. he's awesome though. 

he's name is 배형수 (bea hyoeung su). we 전도ed (contacted) 

then went to teach English, no one showed up. i meet the
bishop that day in a meeting, so i didn't call him. i think

that the face to face was better. the next day we 전도

(contacted) all day almost. also we baked cookies... 

We are not cooks... Please send easy recipes that
use the metric system. oh no im out of time. i love you 

and misss you. please write me soon.