November 15, 2021 - Gimje/Jeongeop

 Double Doozie

This email is gonna be an update on the last two weeks! We had a zone activity last p-day, which was a blast, but it meant I didn't have enough time to write one of these. I've been busy, but also a lot of the same, so I'll try to hit all the interesting points briefly!

Firstly, the p-day activity was really fun. There was soccer and basketball, but me and my companion who have regularly had to wake up early (yes, even earlier than missionary early) took the more chill route of board and card games. It was really fun getting to know the missionaries in this half of the mission! 

I also had an exchange with Elder Carter in 전주. It was really fun, and there was so much to learn from their whole apartment of missionaries! There are so many ways to do missionary work, and I always enjoy seeing more slices of the missionary spectrum! That and the boys in that apartment are all super fun. I actually quite enjoy the quiet nature of having an apartment to ourselves, but it was a nice change of pace to be in a more crowded and energetic environment.

Last Saturday we had a Halloween party in 정읍 (Jeongeup). Yes it was substantially into  November. And yes, it was awesome. I really love the ward members over there. They have a large number of young families and great youth, and the energy of all the members is just heavenly. 

I also had the opportunity to do more service! We got to help harvest soy beans, which was a much different process than I had imagined, and basically amounted to whacking the whole soybean plant on a concrete slab until all the soybeans come out. Helping people on their farms will likely be a somewhat regular opportunity out here in this area, and it is quite a bit of fun! We also had the opportunity to help transport 연탄 to a few peoples homes. Literally translates to coal briquettes, but these bad boys were more like coal columns the size of my head. None of these things were things that I imagined doing on my mission, but I don't think defining missionary work in a tiny little box is a productive use of time, because these opportunities have actually brought us into contact with our most promising teaching friends! it goes to show that the work of the Lord is always whatever it needs to be.

I also finished rereading the Book of Mormon this past week. It wasn't my first time, and it certainly won't be my last, but as always, this read through was special. Every read through gives new insights and new blessings, and I continue to be amazed by this book. It truly is the keystone of our religion. It almost feels like a cheat sheet! It doesn't matter what you have a question about - Joseph Smith, the plan of salvation, receiving revelation, priesthood, you name it - the answer can be found within the pages of this one book and the spirit it brings. I want to put this book into as many peoples hands as possible! It has truly blessed my life and the life of my family, and I know it can and will continue to bless all of you lovely people.

Keep your guys's heads screwed on straight! 화이팅!

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Elder Wardle

Pictures: The GIANT coal briquette things, more of the "briquette" service project, a "leaf" frog, one day this week was "pocky day" so I got a bunch of flavors, view from the train station in my area, several pictures from the multi-zone activity last week, helping at the soybean farm