ABC's, Pop Rocks, Mail & Birthdays

Okay, (this is Cecile writing)...I have slacked off in my posting. I also lost a week or two due to LeGrand flying to Korea and establishing a regular email again. Maybe I will dig out his letters and transpose them onto this blog, but for now I have posted a few more letters as well as some cool photos from LeGrand. So check out the old letters, as I have added in the photos that were taken at the time of his writings.

Hello Family

I was wondering if I could get an update on the package. there is a member in our ward that teaches a pronounciation English class to 1st-4th graders. She is really anticipating that cassette tape. oh, and do you think you could put some "pop rocks" in there as well? The mail system in korea is really fast and really cheap! Sending that package to Arizona costed me about $2.50. And whereas it costs 41 cents to send a letter that will arrive 2-3 days later. It costs 25 cents to mail a letter that will get there the next day! So the Koreans do well with mail. I got that letter from Caleb about 2 days ago and it was postmarked on the 5th. Anyway, the point is, I can send stuff to you a lot faster than you can send to me...

Alright, not much happened this week. I've had some ups and downs with the language. But I know it will take time. Our teachig pool is starting to dry out so we need to do some more finding...I really dont know what else I can write. DearElder is terrible when it comes to attatching pictures. And since my camera setting is on "the best of the best" quality, it is also set on "the biggest of the biggest" in size. But I think i will just copy the whole thing and put it on a CD and send that to you. It is too slow this way. Congrats of the promotion Dallen! And Happy birthday to you, Anneliese!

Love you lots!

First Baptism!

Hello Family!

Well as you know, I wasn't able to Email after I called. There's a lot to talk about and from the letter you sent, there is a lot to respond to. I have about 20 minutes to write and attatch pictures. We have to catch a train at 4:15 and it is 3:40 right now..Yes. The baptism went through! It was really good. The other companionship in our district had a baptism two days after ours so it was exciting!

As for Email, I will email sometime after 9 oclock on Monday mornings (Korean Time). So expect them then. Today, was an exception. I am 6 hours late because I had to register as an alien. (One of those Green, black- eyed, big headed Aleins). Soon I will be one of those.

I really want that tape of the ABCs and their sounds. (" A says A or ah, B says b ....etc") That will really help over here.

OK... Gas is about 1.70 a liter. So its a little steap. Right now Arizona is cheap.

Flight Plans!!! Time is Almost Up!

This Last Thursday was one exciting day!We didn't expect flight plans until Friday, but they came a day early! This event marked the start of the end of our stay here at the MTC. It was a sign that Time was still in motion and that we would soon be out of the MTC and in Korea! Yes, it was an epic day!Yes... This also means that I will have a chance to call home at the airport. I tried to give Caleb my flight plans but the transaction never fell through. So now I have a copy of my plans right in front of me and any minute now, I will tell you when I can call....
My visit with Caleb was really awesome! I was anticipating some fat guy to come waddling in and claiming he was my brother. I think if that would have been the case, I would have spent the few minutes we had together taking fingerprints and asking really hard interigation questions. But to my surprise and delight, Caleb was not 45 lbs overweight as the letters claimed to be. But we had a nice chat.... We pulled out the punpkin juice and had a toast or too to the king of England... Shmashing reunion! Jus' Shmashing!....
So you wanted an update on the laguage, well here it is:We taught the first discussion for the last time on Saturday and it went really well, It was probably our best one so far! We teach the Second lesson this week, so we'll see how that goes... Since Saturday night, I am speaking only Korean. This was supposed to be a District goal, But my companion and roommates have resorted back to English. So that is kindof a letdown. But for the most part it is going good. I, for the most part, (if given time) can say what I need to say in Korean, but understanding is not up to par. My companion is kind of opposite. He can understand really well but has a tougher time saying what he wants to. So I guess that makes us a pretty good team!
Oh! Flight plans!....So I leave Salt Lake at 9:40 Utah time, but I will have some time before to call. ( I think we are at the airport for a couple hours) And then we get to LA at 10:38 LA time. we have another 2 hours at that airport. Ind then we fly to Korea at 12:30 LA time and get to Korea at 5:15 Korea Time. I will send my plans in the mail today. Just be ready at these times so I can call when I can.

Love you all,
Elder Shumway

Flight Plans (Almost)

So on Saturday, I, along with the other two Elders going to Pusan, got our "flight plans" from our mission president all the way from Korea! I say "flight plans" because it was not our actual flight assignment. but It was a letter telling us that we would flight from Seoul to Busan at 8 PM after we got to korea. We were pretty excited, Probably just because it was a confirmation that we were really going to Korea soon and that the mission president was makeing preparations for our arrival. The real flight plans, however, come this week! So hopefully, when Caleb comes, I will have a copy ready to send home with him. This will give the details on the layovers I will have, etc. Oh! Speaking of layovers, I need a phone card to use in the airport.
Alright... Caleb can visit Friday of Saturday, but if it doesn't matter to you, make it Saturday. My Korean teachers would be completely fine if it landed on Friday night. I also would probably want to sent a few things home since I leave in Two Weeks for Korea. So if he can take some things that would be really nice. (I need to send a couple jackets and some extra letters home.)
This week, a couple Japanese districts went home. We would always sing "called to serve" on saturday nights with them. Next time we sing, I will record it. If you can, send that other memory card back so I can send you another one.
:-)Love you all,
Elder Shumway

New Missionaries!

We finally have new blood in the Korean zone. After the older group took off a couple weeks ago, we were fealing a bit lonely and our floor was unpleasantly quieter. But this week, new Korean speakers came in. Koreans come in almost every 6 weeks and they always come in a group. Unfortunately, this group only had 4 Elders and one Sister. So their presence didn't make too much of a difference. But we are happy they could join us nonetheless! The next group comes in about a week after we leave and thet group is about 32 missionaries! Alright... Yesterday was the first gym that I didn't do any running. I got caught up in a great game of volleyball.
I think I have gained about 4 pounds in the MTC so it's not looking good. Most of my gym time is trying to stay fit. But the Missionary's schedule is not anywhere near as active as I would be if I wasn't a missionary. I am really excited for Caleb! And I am excited when You guys can come up so I can see him!
Well, I'm glad you liked my Korean "translation guide". But as I said before, dont rely on it for too much. for the most part it holds true. But there is almost always at least one sound change in almost everword. So dont think you are now "certified" or anything in Korean writings. I've been here for 7 weeks and am still learning new rules! I'm glad you got the memory card. Once you upload them to the computer, send that one back and I'll send you a new card. I envy the time you have to spend with G and G Creek! And I am excited for Joey!......
The talk given by W. Douglas Shumway was pretty good! It wasn't really based on one particular topic. It was mostly just a bunch of quotes and insight on a lot of stuff. It snowed again up here! I was pretty excited! It looked really amazing! I took some cool pictures (as always :-) !) Oh... As for packages, just send 'em when they are convenient. Any missionary would like to recieve as many packages as people would care to send him. But I realize that what will come will come. Thanks for your packages! Send them when you can! Fill them with anything you want. I really dont care. Maybe mints, They dont let us chew gum.
Love you all,
Elder Shumway

First Discussion in Korean

Hello out there!Sorry, I dont feel like opening this one with anything exciting. But what is exciting is that Just this last week I've gotten really excited about Korea and preaching the Gospel there! Before it was just like, "Ill deal with that step when I get to it". But now it's like, "Send me over there!" All we do in the MTC is in preperation for the next two years.

Oh... It looks like I have almost a month left in Provo. But Im sure that those of you who are keeping a tally already knew that as well. I was really hoping that they would do an MTC choir for General Conference. And they are!!! HaHa just kidding. No choir this time. But Choir here is great nonetheless! My fist week in the choir we sang "Come Thou Font" like the arrangement that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir does. That one has been my favorite so far. But I've been going ever since. Tuesdays are thus pretty hectic since we go to the temple and then, right after, go to choir and then right after, have dinner, then right after that, have a devotional by someone from the 70 or Maybe a member of the quorum of the 12.

My new mission president is a guy by the last name of "Jennings". Apparently, his son won a couple million on Jepardy a while back. You might have heard of him. Everyone up here has. They say that the only people who could beat him were his parents, so it looks like my new mission president of Busan, Korea is a bright lad!

Yes, I got the Easter package you sent me. My roomies really apreciated the cookies. Thank you for the egg hunt. I think I will need to just hide them around our room, however. I just don't think the schedule has time for a full out treasure hunt. Oh! Speaking of treasure, I finally found the treasure of "Nimrod". But it was a lousy treasure anyway. Not worth the time.

The first lesson in Korean was alright. It was really slow, but me and my companion stumbled through it nonetheless. This week we give it once more. It should go better. :-)

Love you all!
Elder Shumway

"Almost P-Day!"

Its another beautiful Preperation day in the MTC. Every day prior to this blessed day is given the title "almost P-Day". Thats kinda the slogan around our disrtict. When we wake up, we say "It's Almost P-day!" When someone holds the door for us, you say, "Its almost P-day!". The phrase can be pretty much exchanged for any common phrase. Even if you're mad at someone or are getting a little frustrated, you can yell, "It's ALMOST P-DAY!!!" and people will understand what you are feeling. But today IS P-Day, and it is only a week until the next P-Day!
Yes, I got your package. Thank You very much for it. I tried the homemade stuff and like it. So yes, thank you. Unfortunately, I've realized that that sweater doesn't go too well with any of my 2 suits so I might have to wait till I'm out in the field to sport it.
Wow! I've been gone a month and you're already planning a Disneyland trip. That is pretty exciting! I envy how little time Caleb has left, but I know I will feel differently once I actually get out there.
This Saturday, me and my companion are teaching the first lesson in Korean. All of it. 35 minutes worth. In Korean. I think we can do it. They say we can take notes in if we need to, but I think that's cheating so I wont do it. I'll let you know how that goes. The next week is general conference so we wont teach that week.
We have a couple awesome teachers! Brother Wells and Sister Lee. They are both really great! But Sister Lee is pregnant and this is her last week. So we get one new teacher.
The two districts that were above us left. That was a little sad but it means that we are that much closer to leaving... They gave a bunch of candy to the younger district (us) and a lot of pass downs. There is a drawer in our room that is completely full of candy. It is pretty wild, and with all the new packages coming in, There is no way we will run out of junk. So thanks for sending more healthy snack stuff in the package. That stuff is hard to come by.
Well, now I see why I normally waste time in the beginning of emails. I have 6 minutes left, and nothing to write about.

Love ya, Elder Shumway