We were working last night, and usually, for some reason it is better when the Foreigner talks to the people first (thats what my companion says) because people will listen to a foreigner who can speak a little korean before they listen to a korean talk about church. every once in a while though, we talk to people who dont speak korean, those situations are extremely weird. mostly because doing missionary work in english is very different. its hard to explain, but i am pretty sure that anyone who has gone foreign speaking can understand. yesterday we talked to this guy, and he just started talking fluent english to me, and i was positive he was korean, so i was caught so off guard. it worked out, even though he had no interest in religion. My companion really helped out there. he does in most situations. he is a really great guy i like him, he is hard working and lives missionary work. i think i said this before but this is his last transfer. he lives in the Daejon mission area. which is west of the busan mission.
the food is still good, i LOVE kimchi now, before my mission i had it once or twice, but now it is so good i eat it all the time. reminds me of something that happened back in andong. so kimchi has a pretty potent smell, and somehow it permeates everything in your fridge and freezer given enough time, so back in andong, my companion and i found this ice cream in the freezer, and we were so excited to eat it, but it was probably in the top 3 most disgusting things that i have eaten since i have been here. kimchi/freezer burn flavored ice cream is not good. as far as recent food stories go the fish markets are pretty awesome. so much dead fish its crazy, the one in Pohang was huge, and the market here isnt nearly as big, but ill try and get a picture for you guys.
We teach a lot of english classes here, and everywhere else we go, but those are a lot of fun. oh and one more thing about the food, probably the most delicious thing here is fried korean chicken, it is so good. Raising Canes is McDonalds compared to it. Buffalo Wild Wings (for anyone who doesnt know was my life before the mission) is wendys. it is so good. There is an Elder in the mission, who if i remember correctly ate Chicken 27 times in a transfer once, which is insane. The most i've done in a week is 4 consecutive days. but that was too much. Ramen is also really big here, but its not just you average Top Ramen Korean Ramen is actually good tasting. which is both a blessing and a curse, because it is cheap, but it is so unhealthy, you can see the oil on the water when you cook it. we eat more than just ramen though. another weird thing that koreans like is burnt rice. they like to leave some on the bottom of the rice cooker and cook it longer. i t tastes ok but like i said, Chicken is King.
Every time we see a Foreigner it is weird. Im talking about the American/european/non Asian foreigners. there are a lot of them here and i though that i would get used to it, but it is still weird. the work is progressing here in Geoje, slowly but surely. I've said this a million times but i love missionary work so much. its definitely awesome. This week, i've been trying to really focusing on coming to know God better through reading his words, and studying them very diligently, like more than normal, and it has made a huge difference. in Preach my gospel Chapter 7 i couldn't tell you the page, but its at the end somewhere, it quotes a talk by president Monson, and i cannot remember it word for word, but it says that there is a language common to everyone and that is the language of the spirit, and one cannot become proficient in this language by memorizing vocabulary or phrases, this language comes through striving with all your heart to know God and Keep his commandments. thats all for this week the church is true, i love this gospel, and i hope everyone back in america is having the time of your lives and loving the gospel as much as i am!
Love,
Elder Dobbins
the pictures are me and my companion with chicken ,and the oter is my companion eating chicken