HEART AND SEOUL Februay 19 - 26, 2006

HEART

Dear Family,
This past week we have experienced "family emotions". First of all, Dan broke a bone in his hand the previous week and with other events that went on, he said he would not like another week like that one. Then, your mother enjoyed a phone call with Susan and she expressed (among other things) how much she will miss her grandchildren if Wade and Julie do in fact, move to Atlanta, George for the next eighteen months.
We were pleased that in as much as Susan was driving Janessa to Salt Lake this weekend, it would enable her to attend Curtis's homecoming. Curtis's completion of his mission has been paramount in our minds for the past month as we have thought about the bitter/sweet time it is to know that these people you have grown to love as you have served them and perhaps will now never see them again in this life. Yet the joy it will be to return to your home and family whose love and support sustained you in your absence from them.
Hearing from Nancy and her joy in all of your thoughtfulness to make her 40th so memorable was touching to us. We smiled as she noted when the first roses arrived she was in tears of love and by the time the last ones arrived it was laughter of love as her place looked like there was a funeral. (Perhaps it was the funeral of 39years that have passed away.) Nancy also reported that though Tyler was to have left for the MTC in Spain on the 31st of January, his visa has not arrived yet so he is still in Provo. However, he is handling it well and continues to enjoy the spiritual feast at the MTC.
CURTIS, WELCOME HOME!!! Please know that we are there in spirit as you report on your mission this Sunday.

SEOUL

Like all countries we have served in, there are the lows and highs of customs and ways. One of the highs of the Korean culture is their courtesy and generosity to others. As missionaries, there isn't a week go by that we don't receive expressions of gratitude for our being here or we are laden with gifts of fruit, etc. Always, we are made to feel like we are "kings & queens". The low of this culture is that they do not show their love for their spouse. We do not even know many of the temple workers partners even though both are serving in the temple. The wife always keeps her families sir name and so they don't even carry the same name. To a Korean man, it is not proper to show affection. However, the western culture is coming into effect here with the young and so perhaps in generations to come, this too will change.
Most interesting to us, even though we do not know their verbal language is to perceive their body language. How important it is to radiate a "merry heart" as the Lord tell us. One's body language reveals much about the feelings of your heart. Whether expressed verbally or by the language radiated from within, we know we are loved by these Korean people and we certainly have learned to love them.