My Mission to Korea

PATIENCE

Yesterday was a trying day. I held back tears the whole day, finally breaking down in the shower. So me and my companion cover two wards, which is really hard. I don't like it. Anyways, we went to Suji, this is only the second time we have been there this transfer. In Gospel Principles class there were no investigators or recent converts, so the teacher, the old Busan Mission President, decided to role play. He wanted me and Elder Duke, the other foreinger to pratice teaching the Restoration in five minutes. Elder Duke was suppose to go first, but after a akward silence of waiting for him to start, I got to go. I started out, got to prophets, the third principle and was interrupted and given advice on how to better answer a question the fake investigator had. It was good advice, but for the rest of the time this old mission president chastized us on how missionaries must always be prepared and how our Korean needs to get better...blah, blah, blah. Needless to say, leaving that class I was mad. I felt so stupid  because I am horrible at understanding korean and had to look to my companion to translate the whole time. All I can talk about and understand well is gospel. But if someone talks about thier own religion or random subjects, I have no idea what is being said.

Then our day got better when we had dinner at the Ward Mission Leader's house. He and his friend explained how when they were missionaries they never spoke english, only Korean. That's wonderful, but it's hard to do that when your companion speaks fluent english. I know we both need to do better at speaking Korean, but is was just annoying to be told these things. And once again, I felt stupid for not understand most of what they said to me. It's werid, when I listen to my companion speak Korean I understand well, but any other person and I can't follow the conversation. Then after we left my companion told me how he got after us for not spending more time in Suji. Asking us why don't we go to Suji english class too? Or why don't you know all the members names? I mean you've been coming here for 4 weeks, you should know every by know! Right?

Needless to say, I was not in a happy mood. First of all it is so hard to be responsible over two wards, second we are busy and don't have time to go to a second english class full of old people who have been coming to english for 5 years and still haven't joined the church. Third, our mission president told us to focus on BoonDang. I asked him this question, because its been a concern for me covering two wards. Grr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so frustrated. So last night I just cried. Advice, anyone? Please e-mail me.

I know I just told you about my troubles, but in all honesty our members are great and they weren't mean to me or my companion. Just the advice and critism they gave stressed me out and made me feel frustrated and more aware of how much I suck at speaking and understanding Korean.