Kenzie+Korea: The One with a 한복 and a 10K

Hello everyone! Sorry I didn't email yesterday! We had a mission-wide fitness day all day yesterday so we have special permission to email today. This week was a busy one with lots of cool experience...where do I even begin?

Let's start with an apology to Dad (who is currently managing my bank account since I am internet deprived) and my savings account. So last week, y'all know I went to 남포동 and shopped. Well, while we were walking down the street of the most amazing stores I'd ever seen, I saw the most beautiful modern-style 한복 (Hanbok: traditional Korean clothing) in a boutique window. Every sister who serves in Korea needs a Hanbok...and they're not cheap. But I was planning on buying on at one point during my mission because like I said, you have to. Anyway, I saw this Hanbok and in was haunting me all day while we were shopping so we just decided to try it on for funsies. Well, I tried it on and couldn't take it off. Especially since Korean Thanksgiving was coming up and you wear a Hanbok on Korean holidays. So in a moment of irrationality and mindlessness, I bought the Hanbok. And like I said, Hanboks are not cheap. So I went home with a Hanbok and a bunch of clothes from the $10 store, sat down at my desk and then looked at the receipt from the Hanbok store and realized the terrible awful I'd done. I just imagined my poor father's face when the charge came across and wanted to die. I think I know what Alma meant when he said his soul was wracked with eternal torment. I literally just couldn't handle it so I knelt down on the floor and repented: no joke. I was dreading getting on my email today because I was pretty sure that I would receive news that my father had been hospitalized because his 바보 (stupid/dopy) daughter spent all of her life-savings on a more-than-$100 hanbok. Honestly, I don't think I've ever spent that much money on an item of clothing in my entire life...but it was so beautiful and from the Kate Spade/Anthropologie of Korean Traditional clothing. Oh devil knew what he was doing when he heard I was going to Nampo. But every Korean in the ward and my companion kept telling me that that wasn't a bad price for such a unique and stylish Hanbok. So I think I might live. Anyway, I am still feeling so guilty. But when I wore my Hanbok on 추석 (Korean Thanksgiving) and the entire ward died and my member trust points went way up, I think maybe it was kind of worth it. But I really do think I'll be guilty till the day I die...but also yolo because you only serve in Korea once and when it's your money you can do what you want, right...? #rationalizations

Anyway, let's talk about stuff that is actually important, like Hong Yeji! Last P-day we had dinner with her at this most beautiful Thai food restaurant in Changwon. The food was so good and the restaurant was the closest thing I've seen to an American restaurant since I've been in Korea. It felt so nice and had an Anthro vibe like the places Kristin and I used to always go to together. I didn't know that existed here. Anyway, we had a really great conversation and Hong Yeji is just the most beautiful person. She has traveled the world and loves weird books and movies and music like me! I know that we did not meet on accident. Hong Yeji is so understanding of all of the missionary rules and lifestyle because she is Christian and she even said that she wants to be more like us in her religious conviction. She is just the most wonderful, lovely person--I can't even describe it. Also, Hong Yeji was worried about me feeling left out/homesick on Korean Thanksgiving so she gave me a roasted chicken because they don't really have turkey in Korea. It was so sweet. She is the best human and she treats me as if I were her little sister. I am so grateful for her. This week we will be getting transfer calls (I can't believe I'm almost not a trainee anymore!) and either me or my trainer will probably be leaving Jinhae so we are going to invite her to come to church to hear our bye-bye talk. I have been praying a lot for Hong Yeji! She is such a great friend and so kind!

This week was a really great week because I felt a click in my brain. It happened on Thursday night when we were eating at a member's house and we were talking and all of the sudden I was leading the conversation and not just nodding and agreeing with what my companion said. My Korean isn't perfect but I can speak and understand enough to get by. That is such miracle! Also, last night for the first time ever I dreamed in Korean! It was so weird, but when I woke up I realized that everyone in my dream was speaking Korean. It wasn't complex Korean or anything, but I feel like I am starting to not feel like I am drowning anymore. What a blessing! Also, communication with my companion is so much easier now and we have become best friends. When we first became companions it was a little hard because she really doesn't speak any English so I kind of just awkwardly pantomimed and we made it work. But now we talk and talk and talk. I have only laughed as hard as I do with Kim Yeji with my best friends and I really think I could say that Kim Yeji is definitely amongst my best friends now. We have so many funny jokes and we really are best friends. There is no other way to put it. We have to really try to go to bed on time at night because our pillow talk is so fun...and it's all in Korean (well...Konglish). I feel so blessed! But I still have so far to go because I still talk like a Kindergartner and make so many mistakes!

Sunday was Korean Thanksgiving and we ate SO much food at a member's house. I almost died. But we were lucky because even though there was a lot of food, it was pretty light because the family who fed us likes to eat healthy. The 추석 moon was so beautiful and bright and I made a wish on it! But I won't tell what it is or it won't come true! ;)

On P-day we had a mission fitness day and we met with 3 other zones and ran a 5k/10k. I ran the 10K with Sister Amende (my MTC buddy). She is an endurance powerhouse and she kept me going. It is so sad how out of shape I have gotten. It was hard to finish 6 miles...a norm/easy for me before my mission. But it's okay because I have all of my life to run for hours every morning and only 18 months to be a missionary. But it was so great to feel the post-running high again. You just don't get that in your 30 minutes-1 hour of exercise every morning when you're a missionary. I am so glad that President and Sister Barrow are so into exercise and fitness. It really has been such a blessing. Also, while we were walking to the 10K starting point yesterday President Barrow gave me a much-needed pep-talk about gaining weight/staying fit as a missionary. (It's crazy how revelation works. How did he know I needed that?!?!) Gaining weight really does happen to all of us and as long as we are doing all that we can to stay healthy on our missions, we will be blessed and we won't have stress about weight. I really want to emphasize to sisters who are planning on serving that they will gain weight. There's no question. But it's okay. It will all come off quickly, especially if you do your best to eat as healthy as you can and exercise as much as possible. We need to treat our bodies like the temples they are and put good things in them and not think bad things about them.

Today I reversed the 10K and did not follow my own advice to treat my body like a temple because we had two back-to-back lunch appointments because Korean Thanksgiving is still going on and of course everyone wants to feed the missionaries on holidays. I literally almost threw up while I was eating at the second appointment because I was so full. My stomach has never been so sickly full in all my life. We had to go to both appointments and there was no way out of it. But it was okay because we got to see 박부자 again and sing to her. I was so sad because she had to spend all of 추석 by herself! So even though I was dying, I forced down the weird rice and mystery meat soup she made for us. It's crazy what you'll do for the people you love.

Anyway, that's all of the adventures for this week! Love ya'll!

Sister Johns