August 18, 2009.
It was just a regular Tuesday. Kind of. Sister Musser, Sister Beckstead and I went to the post office to check for some much-awaited mail. A regular stream of cars flowed up and down the street. Nothing particularly unusual. Sadly, the mail hadn't come yet. As we stepped back into the sunlight, we were about to cross the street when five 70 year old men all blew their whistles at us. Then we took a look around- ALL the cars had disappeared. Everything was still. No pedestrians crossing the street, no cars driving by, just these elderly men with armbands standing at prescribed locations on the street with their whistles ready. Needless to say, we were just a BIT confused. Luckily, we ran into Elder Kim (from America) and Elder Draper who were walking to the post office.
So we found out that on August 18th, all of South Korea clears the streets for 15-30 minutes in the morning to practice for war with North Korea. No, I am NOT making this up! An ambulance zoomed down the street but nothing else was allowed to go down the street. Even an old man driving down the street in his wheelchair-scooter thing had to pull over. Sis. Musser, Sis. Beckstead, and I were really intrigued by the whole situation. All of a sudden, we remembered that there is a fairly unstable communist country just to the north of us. Not that'd we forgotten, it was just a, ahem, SUBTLE reminder.
So that was probably the most exciting thing that happened this week! Sister Beckstead and I also went on splits with Sister Hill, our sisters’ coordinator. She also happens to be my good friend Alyse Smith's cousin! (Alyse is serving a mission in Brazil). It's a smaaall world out here in the mission field! We had a really good experience together meeting with an investigator who Sister Beckstead had taught in a previous area. She seemed so happy when I first met her, but we realized as we talked to her that there was much beneath the surface that at first glance you wouldn't notice. It showed me that everyone is an iceberg. That's why getting to know people is so important in missionary work. In order to help people with their concerns, we have to gain their trust so we can actually KNOW who they are. As we taught this girl about the plan of salvation, we all felt the Spirit. I know that we can find true happiness as we follow Heavenly Father's plan for us. It provides us with the purpose in life that so many people are searching for. No one EVER has to feel alone. Heavenly Father will always be there for us, and I know He hears our prayers. I am so grateful for that.
I am excited for this next week with Sister Musser and Sister Beckstead! The transfer is halfway over- it goes by so fast!

I love you all and am so thankful to be counted among your family and friends. Really, you're the best!

Sincerely,
Sister Linford