I'd like to say that I miss you all so much, but I can already tell it's going to break my heart when I leave this place. It's so beautiful here! I'm serving in an are called Dogye (pronounced Dough-Gay). The members are so friendly and inviting. I was very nervous at first, but after I bore my testimony in sacrament I came to the conclusion that it's better to come off as Goofy-Yet-Loving than it is to be weird and quiet. 

My companion's name is Elder Bingham. He's an excellent missionary. We get a long really well. His knowledge of the Korean language is pretty immense, and he's so helpful to me. I'd be sunk without Bingham. He's from Blackfoot, Idaho and played football in Highschool. We have very similar perspectives on missionary work, and I can feel the spirit strongly when we teach.

As far as the language goes, I don't understand a whole lot of what is said to me. During lessons, I can get the gist of what someone is saying, but while contacting it's still tough. They understand me though! Everyone gives me props on my pronunciation, so I really hold on to that small glimpse of hope. 

The first day I got here I danced for some little kids who attend kindergarten next to our church. They got so excited that they all started dancing around me. This dancing lead to chasing, the chasing lead to punching and kicking and the next thing I knew I was getting assaulted by Korean school children. 

We've had the chance to teach a couple investigators since being here. I can feel the spirit so strongly when they talk of their experience with the book of mormon and the peace they feel when they meet with the missionaries. I didn't really understand it until now, but I love the people I'm around. I hope so badly that the book of mormons we place get read. I've been here less than a week and I'm already so excited to see the progress people make in their lives through this gospel.

Since being here I had the chance to dance on a street corner to get people to register for the free English class that we teach. There are a ton of people here want to learn English, thus we offer an English class with a spiritual thought at the beginning, and prayers before and after class. We also contact through playing sports and meeting up with people in our area. There's a super nice soccer field built into the side of a mountain right next to our apartment.

The ward members here are super kind. They're very excited about missionary work. Last night, we had dinner at the bishop's house. A member drove us there. He drove like he was from Initial D or Speed Racer. I was very afraid that we were going to die with empty stomachs. After that meal, I felt very close to the members. I showed them my family picture book. They said that Spencer looks like a famous actor.

Korea is beautiful! Particularly the area that I'm in. It's really mountainous and there's a lot of people and buildings everywhere. The food is excellent. 

I learn a lot every day. I had some great experiences with sharing the gospel to people on the streets. We were offering one man a book of mormon. Even though we testified of it's truth, he wanted nothing to do with it. I started to feel discouraged. I felt almost like a salesman. In that very moment, a man who had been listening in from the seat next to him reached over and asked for the book. We gave him one, and then he promptly left the train. I realized then the importance of enduring to the end and trying hard, even when it seems like no one cares. 

This place is beautiful and so is the gospel. I love you all very much and am excited to share my experiences with missionary work. 

With Love,
Sam