We Ran Away....

Family Blessings!

This is one of my favorite pictures with my daughters!

Can you tell who the siblings are in the above pictures  I couldn't believe how much the cousins look like each other!  DNA is strong! There are three families represented in this picture

I love this picture with my oldest daughter, oldest son, oldest grandsom and Tallest nephew!!

The beautiful bride and groom!

It was so fun to see our little Ellie learning how to pray!  We are missing her grow up so fast, so this was an extra treat!

HEADED BACK TO KOREA!

We stole away from Utah for a wedding for my niece.  Both of her grandmas have passed away and I felt like she needed an Auntie there to support her!  It was a great decision! Many great memories were made and we were able to visit with our family a little bit.  We were also able to visit with our granddaughter Rylie Simpson, who leaves on her mission January 5.  We were so grateful to see her and feel of her excitement about serving the Lord and the people of Virginia.  Grandpa Randy was pretty happy too since she is leaving to serve in the mission he served in 50 years ago!  Tender mercies!

 

 

Meanwhile Back in Korea -

We arrived home on Nov 21 at about 830 pm.  We didn't take time to recoup from our jet lag because their was a base chapel cleaniing scheduled the next morning and because we use it a couple of times a week we felt like it was important to be there to help clean.  I was proud of our LDS friends.  We had about 14 show up, the Protestants had about 3 and the Catholics about 2.  It was fun to get to know the other people, and they were so impressed that we could get that many people out to help on a Saturday morning. So it was way worth the effort we made to get there. On Sunday we went to Church and our friend Kris attended.  He is worried about losing his job and having to transfer - so we haven't seen him as much as we would like but he still comes to some of our activities.  On Monday we had a zone P-Day with pizza movie and games at the chapel.  Tuesday was district council and then my son and nephew came for a visit for Thanksgiving day and Friday and we had to get them to the airport by 6 a.m. on Saturday - I would like to say we came home and crashed but we had errands to run and we switched our game night to Saturday since we couldn't be with them on Friday and then we were back to Sunday. Our Zoom English class was glad to have us back - they always make us feel so loved and valued! 

We jumped into the routine of the week! We were invited to a special activity with the Korean Stake Presidency and all the missonaries who serve in the Stake.  It was a special experience and we loved being with all the missionaries and the people from the stake.  Such a fun day but a long ways away - it was a home in the northern most part of our mission and a beautiful place right by the South Hahn river which flows into the Hahn river in Seoul.  We went on a nature walk with the Mission president and his wife and has such a beautiful time!

The above pictures are with Elder Smedley from Wyoming and Elder Byeon from Korea.  Elder Byeon has a special place in my heart!  He has been in our district about 18 weeks and he is trying to learn his english better.  He has done a remarkable job!  He is so humble and kind!  He got transferred this week and will be a district leader - I am so excited for him!  In Korea, all males have to do their conscription service (serve in the military for a period of time around 18 months to 2 years) He has done his and I think it prepared him even more for his missionary service

This is our sweet Mission President and His wife - no words to say how happy we are to have Korean Nationals, two times now, as our mission leaders!  It helps us to understand the country better! And they are amazing with our young missionaries!

This is one of the first sister missionaries in Korea back in the later 60's.  Her mission president was L. Edward Brown - some of you may remember him from Pocatello. He was an institute teacher and later a general authority.  He was my stake president when I got married, So this was a tender time to meet her! 

This is our sweet Sisters that we work with.  They are both from Highland, Utah so we should be able to see them again after our time in Korea.  Sister Abbot, the dark hair one, just got transferred this week, she has been with us since June so we are sad to lose her!

 After all this excitement, I had developed multiple stys on my left eye and a massive cold sore on my right side of my mouth - needless to say they were pretty painful and the sty ended up infected.  I wasn't sure where to be seen so I called the international Hospital and they didn't have an eye specialist, so I ended up going on base to the urgent care at the hospital. They were very good and helped me but it took about three hours before I could be seen. - one of the reasons I am not in favor of national health care.  Anyway, I think I am on the mend they gave me medicine for the eye and the lip. 

We kept working through the week.  We had a Sisters Conference on Friday Dec 5 

then on to bowling back at the base and before you know it, it was my birthday - the people, Korean friends, base friends, church friends, and the missionaries went out of their way to make sure I had a wonderful day.  Three birthday cakes and lots of memories!

On This week we have had Christmas activites in addition to our regular activities!   Today was a visit from Mrs Santa at the library which I helped with and tomorrow is our interdenominational Nativity walk - I am looking forward to a nap on Saturday, If I am lucky!

Time with Nate and Hunter on Seoul CIty Tour and the DMZ

 

Dragon Hill Lodge all decked out for Christmas, but one little place to say Happy Thanksgiving.  They had a wonderful Thanksgiving Buffet and lots of fun decor.  It was fun to be with Hunter and Nate - but I have to say I missed the Thanksgiving leftovers we get when we cook our own Thanksgiving!  But we only had two day with the guys so we didn't want to spend it cooking. Nate and I got a kick out of the "sultry" Santa Clauses and there were more than what I posted here! LOL

Budist Temple

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Lots os symbolism here. Going through three gates, crossing a bridge over the water - hiting the drum three times. when you get into the temple there are three Buddahs. One for the past(Ancestors) present  ( Your family here) and serious situations like being diagnosed with cancer or somethig like that.

There were many people in the temple praying so out of respect we didn't take any pictures inside, but if you look closely at the picture of Elder Lowe and myself, you will see the large Budah that is in the center of the three. It's pretty interesting to see. Most of the people that are praying there are the older grandmas as Christianity is now close to 40% of the Korean culture.

LUNCH!

 DakGarbi!  It is one of my more favorite dishes in Korea.  This location wasn't quite as good as the one by our house, but I think they liked it.

NORTH SEOUL TOWER

Hey all you K-Pop Demon Hunters, this is where the last big concert in the show supposedly takes place. You ride a cable car to the top and then walk around.  Spoiler alert - there is no area for a concert, however, the tourism has really picked up here as a result of the show.  At the top you can buy a heart pad a lock and with the one you love, write your wish on it and hang it on the gates - they are all over!

Picture at the top with our darling Tour guide

HANOK VILLAGE

One of the PALACES!

THE DMZ OBSERVATORY

KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL

I feel like I have a lot more to tell you about, but I think I will close this post and try to create another one because it has been so long since I wrote one that all my memories are beginning to blur together!