Angels Watching Over Us

Our family held our annual family reunion at Snowbird this week without us. We were able to connect with them a bit using Messenger. My reaction: “It would be good to be in the middle of them, under the pile, surrounded by their laughter. At least there is laughter and piles and games and good food.” They took family names to the Salt Lake Temple so the young people could do baptisms. They hiked and swam and made time to share testimony together. At least we have pictures, notes, Messenger, and the phone to keep us connected.

Wayne had a very fun morning run. His regular Korean buddy stopped to try out his new English phrase and Wayne asked him in Korean, “How are you doing?” His friend acted as though he didn’t understand so Wayne repeated the phrase in his best Korean. Still no recognition so he tried a third time. Then the man’s face lit up with a big smile and he said, “Oh, you are speaking Korean.” There was one younger man who ran a loop with Wayne before he was tuckered out and Wayne tried to use his Korean to communicate with him, too. There were others who greeted him with the standard greeting and Wayne came home beaming with success.

I learned the difference between an umbrella and a parasol. I went out in the rain with a parasol and learned that they do not repel rain. They are made only to look pretty and shade from the sun. Thankfully, it was only a light rain, and now I know I have a parasol to take with me on sunny days so I can be culturally appropriate.

This is a picture I’ve been waiting to share. Our neighbors are moving and they use this ladder with a platform that can be raised and lowered from a truck outside the apartment to move household goods into and out of the apartments through the windows. Pretty fun to watch.

We were able to see Wayne’s niece at the mission conference on Friday. It was wonderful to see her happy, humble, and comfortable in her role now as a missionary.

The conference was full of history of the church in Korea and ideas for sharing the message of Jesus Christ with the Korean people.

These are some of the missionaries from the mission as we wait for a bus to return to our own areas. Wayne is peaking out near the back. We do have elders but they missed being in the picture.  

Sister Kelly on the left is in the office. She and her husband who is behind sisters in the other picture have been a great help to us in our transition. Sister Cannon is our mission nurse. Brother Cannon on the right drove the car from Seoul to Dongducheon in the rain after dark to deliver us to our apartment. Then he drove back the next day to deliver our car to us. Their friend was the only non-missionary at our meeting.

Our trip to Seoul was full of tender mercies: finding the rail schedule on the cell phone (We left without a map.), help when we were lost (We confused two stops with the same name but different numbers and got off too soon.), a heavy rain that fizzled as soon as we left the train station, seats on the train both directions, finding our way onto our train home by ourselves, guidance to move forward in doing the work we have been sent to do. Those were just in one day. The Lord truly watches over us and sends angels to be round about us when we need them. He watches over you, too. Look for Him.​