Wow, I love being a missionary. Seriously, coolest thing ever. This week we found and met with three different new investigators. Two of them are college-age siblings. They called us because they saw our English advertisment in the newspaper. The first time we met, we just introduced ourselves and what we do as missionaries/English teachers and how we teach English for 30 minutes and then talk about or church for the other 30. They said they would be fine with the 30/30 program and we scheduled to meet again. Then, we met again just barely on Saturday and it was super good. We taught them common phrases and expressions for 30 minutes and then took them on a tour of the church for the other 30. During the tour, we talked about why we come to church and who God is. They don't have any religious background, but they were really open to our message. We showed them how to pray, and they said the would when they got home. At the end as we were saying goodbye, they both said that it was really fun to meet with us and that they're excited for next time. Sweet!
Then, later on Saturday, we had our big English Class. About 10 people came this week and I was going to be teaching the class while Elder Ward worked with the kids who don't have many English skills in another room. But it's okay, I actually know English so teaching it can't be too hard, right? Anyway, I wanted to share with them popular and fun phrases to say in English. One of them: "Don't have a cow". Oh boy, I didn't think that one through. As the time came for me to explain it to the class and why we use it, I went into a little too much detail. It went something like this:
"So, 'don't have a cow'... This is a really common phrase usually used when you're telling somebody to calm down. This is what having a cow means: Giving birth to a baby is really painful I'm sure." ......ummmm.... In my mind, I was thinking why did I just say that, over half the people in the class are over-40 years old korean moms. How would I know about child birth? But I already started to dig my hole, so of course it would go deeper.... I continued.... "Child birth is no fun. Someone who gives birth to a baby is in a lot of pain and is freaking out, probably really angry and loud too".... WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I SAYING..... "So imagine this: Giving birth to a cow. Cows are really big right. Like. Really big." ....awkard.... "If you were giving birth to a cow, uhhh" ....I started realizing how awkward I was sounding and tried to dig myself out... "Well, hmmm, cows are big...... ummm, yeah. heheheh, birth is painful right? Um, so cows and birth with pain and freaking out. Yeah, that's right... freaking out. Don't have a cow"
And that's how I explained it. Hahahaha, dang it. I'm not sure they quite unstood. It probably also didn't help that I was using hand/arm expressions when I was describing how big a cow is and what it would be like to give birth to it. Anyway, they're all fluent at English now. Yay for English.
Anyway, it was a great week. Full of funny stories, full of missionary work, and full of Korean - that part is getting better. We're getting spoiled too, one of our past-investigators who is REALLY rich took us out to a fine dining restraunt on the side of a lake where food on the menu was over $200. That was INCREDIBLE. Also, we just got our transfer call and I'm staying here in Gunsan, Elder Ward is leaving. So I'm here until at least September! Yeah! Too bad for Elder Ward though, he really did so much for this place and all the members/investigators are going to miss him. Anyway, until next week!
Elder Crap