So - crazy week! First, I found out that I'd be leaving Gunsan and going to Cheongju. That was sad and exciting at the same time. The rest of the week was spent saying goodbye to all of our investigators and members. I loved all the people in Gunsan, it was really sad to say goodbye to all of them. Also, I didn't tell a single one of them that I played the piano, but for some reason every single member had the natural instinct to ask me to play the piano for them when I visited their houses to say goodbye. So I got to play the piano for the first time in 6 months, I'm pretty rusty. But they all seemed to enjoy it.... I still don't know how they found out I could play... haha.
So I packed my stuff (Mom, I don't know what I would do without the spacebags) and said one final goodbye to the city that had literally become my home. Off to Cheongju!
First: It's huge! It's no New York City of course, but it still is a big city with a lot of activity.
Second: The ward is massive! The building here is a stake center, so that's a big upgrade from my last building and the ward has over 100 members. That's crazy! I don't know how I'm going to learn all of the people...
Third: Our apartment in incredible!! It's so big, nice, and new. Four missionaries live in it, but there's 2 bathrooms and 4 bedrooms so it isn't crowded at all.
And last: There's sadly not that much going on. Nothing at all. The missionary here before me wasn't much of a worker, or missionary, for that matter. So right now we don't really have any investigators. There's just a list of names of people that haven't been contacted in about 4-5 months. So. There's a lot of work to do. Hopefully we can turn this place upside down and turn it into a baptizing machine.
So there's my first few impressions of the area. Basically, this area is exploding with potential, we just have to find out how to tap into that potential. We got together as an area (there's six missionaries in this area along, 4 elders and 2 sisters) and talked about how we can really change the system here and make it into an effective area in the mission. We have a ton of new ideas (especially about how we can use English class effectively) and can't wait to get started.
Anyway, I'm super excited to be here!! Especially because I know everyone in this district, it's such a small world. First, Elder Ward (my trainer) is in my district as my Zone Leader now. It's awesome working with him again. Then, Sister Jacklin (one of the sisters in my area) is really Chloe Jacklin from Lone Peak. How awesome is that? Haha, a year ago in class together, we would've never thought that we would be in KOREA, of all places, serving in the same area. So we see each other practically every day. Pretty funny. And finally, the other day we had a meal appointment at a members house and the second I walked in the door, Jeong Uiyong (a member in the family) just bust out in perfect English "Wait! Graf. Do you know Justin!?"
Haha what!?
I came all the way to Korea to get placed in one of the many wards here just to find out that Jeong Uiyong served his mission in Toronto almost two years ago and was in the same Zone as Justin for a long time. What are the chances!? I thing he probably went by Elder Jeong on his mission (pronounced Juhng).
So I feel pretty much at home here in my new area, it's pretty nice. Just pretty funny that there's my trainer, someone from Lone Peak. and a connection with a family member back at home.
Anyway, I've got to go. Wish me luck! There's a lot of work to do!
Elder Graf
Oh how I miss Elder Jung... So jealous that Christian got to have dinner AT HIS HOUSE!!
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