Time flies, you are the pilot

Another week gone, another month gone, time flies. I'm already 10 months out! Wow. As Elder Uchtdorf said to us in the MTC "The bad new is time flies, the good news is that you are the pilot"

Recently we have been visiting a part member family. They have 2 daughters and a little boy. The 2 daughters aren't members. About a month or so ago the oldest girl was put into the hospital for about 1 week with a problem with her intestines. At that time we went and visited her many times. Through those visits and caring about her the Lord has softened her heart. Its really exciting and fun to so the Lords work going forth. The changes people make for what they know is right is amazing and it blesses them so much.

I love the work I love Korea. It's spiritual and fun. This week I weighed myself. When I came on my mission I weighed just over 180lbs. I then gained a little weight in the MTC as most people do and then lost a bunch since I have been in country. I am now 162lbs. That's over 20lbs since the MTC! No, it's not because I'm starving or anything like that. Its just that I had that much weight to simply loose. I probably will loose even more I'm guessing. I feel like I'm constantly eating though. I guess rice doesn't fatten you up very well. ha.

In Korea there are a few English phrases that everyone knows. One is " You are handsome boy." We get that a lot over here. I think the elders here go home still thinking that everyone thinks they are handsome. Ha. Little Jr high and high school girls love us. We had some follow us for probably a mile this week. Its really awkward sometimes. I'll admit it though. It's nice to have a bunch of little kids think you are great after a day of rejection. Good ol' Korea. Hope all is well back home. Good luck with being married Ben.

lost planner

This week was good. I lost my planner which was pretty detrimental. We live from those things. I was able to go with Elder Asay (his grandparents live in my ward in Orem) to another area where he performed a baptism. It was really fun. I got to see Elder Wells for the first time in about 6 months I think. He has been on the Island for the longest time. He is now senior with a second transfer! Wow, that will be all of us once this big group leaves. I'm excited/scared and am doing everything I can to prepare for it.

We started meeting with a lady who has quite the interesting situation. She lived in the US for quite a while and converted while she was over there but never told her husband. She got back recently and now wants us to start teaching him. He is really cool its just that he works in an office building for another church. That is why she has yet to tell him. She wants us to just start teaching him and go from there. Kind of an awkward situation and I pray it doesn't blow up on anyone. He does seem interested though. We are teaching him both English and the Gospel.

BYU friends visit Teagu Korea

Our city, Home sweet home

Noele and Hanna, BYU Choir and Wind Symphony

This week the Wind Symphony from BYU came and did a concert in our area. It was really fun because on Monday night we got to go with them and split off to random members houses to do family night. In the band I knew 4 people. The director, Hanna Bates, Noel Reed, and Courtney Moses. (not sure on the spelling of those listed) It was so cool to see them.

Our group went to a young married couple's house. They speak pretty good English so we didn't have to do much but just enjoy the English being spoke. Ha. It is so weird to understand everything. Even when a Korean speaks English you still don't get all of their thoughts so to understand someone who in not a missionary 100% was a little strange. We were also able to go to their concert on Tuesday night. We brought a few people including a man in his 70's who hadn't attended church for a long time. He really liked it.

At one point the symphony played a Korean traditional song that got most people in the audience to cry because of the feelings of trying to overcome suppression and all of Korean history that it represents. It was really good.

They also played a few American songs and other songs that I have played. It made me a little American-sick. It lead to a lot of talk about our countries with some members and this older member. It really makes me realize how much of a patriot I am.

This week I got to confirm Roshan a member of the church in sacrament meeting. It was really good and he is as excited as ever. The ward is really good with him. They all try out their English with him. Some people that I didn't even know spoke any English were talking with him. It's a bit of a hard situation but it's working out. The work is still chugging along. I love Korea. Keep praying for me. Especially the language. :) thanks. I don't know if its legal to ask for prayers but I need it. Love you all. Elder Anderson

May 10, 2009

Stake Races: Caleb (Elder Anderson) is running in the red shorts and blue shirt.

random missionaries. Caleb is behind the guy with the guitar.

This week was a rather good week. It was the final week of the transfer and yes, I am with 이태희 again. By the way, if any one's computers can't read the Korean properly you should be able to download a program that allows you to do so. I guess that's also if you have the desire to read the Korean or if the question marks and money signs you may get instead make more sense, good for you.

We were able to go this week with our stake to the sports day. All the missionaries went and it was a big gathering for everyone. It was really fun. Most of the time was spent either eating or running relays. I guess they really like that. We also got a few Koreans together to play American Football. It's starting to warm up but it hasn't hit the real heat from what I have heard. The real heat comes with the storms and humidity. That should be fun. We started going on semi regular splits with one of the young men. He is really shy and just needs something to get him interested in the church. Elder 이 said that he has done this same thing before with a lot of success so we will hopefully be able to help him. I am really excited about this next transfer. Kind of scary though because there is a possibility that I go senior next transfer. Pray for me :)

Korea is amazing, I love it here.Love,Elder Anderson (if you send me anything make sure to write "Elder Caleb Anderson, there are a few Andersons in the mission)

from mom: We spoke to Caleb on Mothers day for about 2 hours. He is allowed two phone calls a year. Our next call is on Christmas. Caleb is well, positive, upbeat and his usual cheerful self. I asked him what he does when he gets homesick and he said he doesn't get home sick (stab?) He loves letters and packages. He said he gets the more packages than his companions. I reminded him that when he was 5 and I was packaging up some candy( Jelly bellies and other really cools stuff) to send to my sister Christina on her mission to Guatemala, I promised to send him a package a month when he went and it was then and there he determined to be sure to go on a mission.

Me translate?

This week was full of big meetings. On Tuesday we had zone conference where we had some physical and mental health people come in and talk to us. Making sure we are all OK. The other thing was Stake Conference. We recently had our stake president go to the second quorum of the seventy so this was kind of an emergency stake conference. It was really good although i didn't quite understand most of it. President and sister Jennings talked along with Elder Evens, the area authority President. He was really good and talked a lot about less active work. Members are much more effective at that than we are so we appreciated it. It is something that President Monson has stressed recently. Roshan was able to make it to the last bit of it and then he went to visit some other Sri Lankans that are investigating the church. He is amazing. I had a strange experience with him.

We were talking and a Korean came up and started asking him some simple questions. Roshan doesn't know Korean so the Korean just kind of stared at me to translate. I have never really had that happen, usually they look to someone else but no one was there. Luckily it was pretty simple but I understood everything he said and could translate back what Roshan was saying. It was a pretty fun thing for me. Simple but fun. I've been learning a lot from Elder 이. We are doing well. Thanks for the support and prayers. Love you all. Elder Anderson