Living in Korea

After a great 2 weeks to the MTC we finally were on our way to Seoul.  We left Provo May 31, 2013 at 3am.  Our flight left from Salt Lake City, Utah at 6am.  After a 2-hour layover filled with phone calls to family we left San Francisco at 10:30 am and arrived in Seoul at 3pm the next day.  (The flight was 12 hours. Since we were moving the same direction as the sun and flew through 8 time zones, the sun never set. We moved ahead a day as we crossed the date line.) It was a long flight to say the least.  Rick was able to sleep but Jackie found it hard to get comfortable to do so.  The reading lights & headphone sound in the cabin did not work for most of the trip. So although there were movies playing Chinese subtitles, we did watch as we don't read lips or Chinese.

It was great to arrive in Korea and be met by President and Sister Christiansen of the Korea Seoul mission. (They'll be our leaders until July 1 when the Korea Seoul South Mission is formed,) On the hour long drive from Incheon Airpot to our apartment we talked about our families, the country and the mission.  It was great to finally see our apartment.  Our address is  Dongnam-ro 23-gil. apt 203. Our apartment building is shown below. We are on the opposite side of the building facing east on the second floor.  It is all brand new and clean.  We have 650 sq.ft. to call home.  

Here is our kitchen.   We have new appliances. A gas stove with an oven is not the norm.  Usually there is only a cook top stove on he counter .  

Our bed room came with a king size bed and no closets.  There are no closets in any of the rooms. Our 2nd bedroom is our closet and study.  The mission was great in getting us furniture, dishes, pots, rice maker, toaster, blander and some basic food.  While very neat and functional, the bathroom is also different from what we're used to having.

  As you see above, the shower is the bathroom.  We did add a tension rod and a shower curtain to keep the toilet dry.  After showering squeegee the walls, mop the floor, wipe the sink then let it dry.  We really felt established when we received our internet connection.  Now we can call the kids and our family members via the internet.  It is amazing how close they sound being half the world away.  When we get our air conditioning installed all will be good since it is hot and humid.

We spent our first week in the Korea Seoul Mission Office.  That is one and a half hours away via the subway and the number 11 bus.  

This building was rebuilt in 2005.  I love the style.  You get off the bus and walk up a small alley to get to the property.  We have great instructors: Elder and Sister Ellis.  They are patient and generous with their time.  The Jensens will replace them when they leave for Alaska at the end of the month.

The subway is a great way to get around the city.   Learning the Korean alphabet has been helpful in reading the subway map.  (After a day we noticed the stops are numbered which really helps us see how far we have to go & when to get off.) The system consists of 9 different lines that take you anywhere you want to go.  There are also local bus routes that we have yet to explore.

Ogeum is the station we use to go to the office.  On the way to the Mission Office we pass a palace which we have put on our places to see and also the area where the president of the South Korean Republic lives in the Blue House. (It's named for its blue roof.)  The public transportation is very clean, neat and air conditioned.  It has been a good week and we are more confident in using the subway.

We are learning how the office operates along with the computer systems.  Jackie will be keeping the records of the missionaries, sending out correspondence, agendas, minutes of meetings, and working with the office elders and AP's.  Rick will handle the financial records & housing. Housing will be a big task since so many more missionaries are being sent out; new apartments need to be found 30 missionaries who will be coming over the next few months.

Friday on our way home we saw some  men in a fenced off area playing a game.  We climbed the hill and saw they were Lawn Bowling.  If any one who knows the Groesbeck's well, realize that has been  a favorite family game for years.  One man spoke with us and invited us to come and play.  He happened to speak English pretty well.  We watched for a while and then they finished their game and let us try.  The balls are different but the game is the same.  We had a great time and were invited into their little clubhouse for some orange juice and small talk.  They invited us to come back and play.  We hope we can and would be a lot of funs making new friends. 

 This is a statue of Sejong the Great, the 4th king of the Joseon Dynasty who created the Hangul (Korean) alphabet in 1443 AD.  The statue is located in the large square in front of the palace.

We are learning a lot about the history of Korea and the good people who live here. Tthey have been so kind.  Several times when we've been in the subway and stopped to study a map, someone has come up to us to offer help, even if just in limited English. We have a desire in our hearts to help others come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior.  We have undertaken a big step in a land "far, far away" with faith that The Lord will guide and bless us as we serve him. It is the land of the rising sun and a land of daily miracles in the Lord's work.