Happy Thanksgiving

December 2, 2013

Hello family and friends!!

I think I actually prefer hand writing this letter lol so maybe I'll
go back to that. Anyway, my second week in Korea has been crazy of
course!! Sorry no pictures this week either, hopefully next week:).

Thanksgiving was this past week!! Hope you all had a wonderful
Thanksgiving! We have an army base in my mission and the incredible
members of that branch hosted all of the missionaries in my mission!!
So crazy but so nice. The apartment I went to was really nice and they
had all of the Thanksgiving favorites, including my ham! Yay! They
also had every pie you could think of! And they let us take tons of
food home. I was so grateful that these wonderful members let us into
their home and let us share the holidays with them.

That night I also went on my first exchange and it was great! I
learned a lot, I learned that being a senior companion is not easy.
Sorry during the exchange the other sister came to my area so I was
senior companion and that meant I took the lead in everything. Not
fun!  I don't know the language or the routes so I had to learn
somethings fast. At least now I know how to get home :).

Have I mentioned how much I love my ward?? The members are all so
kind! and we had dinner at the bishops house Sunday and it was
amazing! His wife is an incredible cook! He also used the opportunity
to teach us all some Korean, thankfully!

Things have been great and although I feel like I'm regressing in the
language I know I'm progressing, but it's hard. I've decided to take
on on Christlike attribute a month and really study it and apply it.
This month the attribute I've been working on is diligence. It's
interesting because as I was trying to decide which to do that one
felt right. Well a couple of days after I choose it I was rereading a
blessing I was given in the MTC and in the blessing it talked a lot
about diligence and how much I need to have it lol funny right?
Definitely not a coincidence :). Anyway, I've learned so much about it
and I keep learning more everyday. Diligence is working even when you
are too tired to work, it means not giving up. And it means enduring
EVERYTHING that gets thrown your way in the best way possible. It
means giving everyone and everything your best. I'm trying so hard to
do that because that is what everyone and every situation deserve. It
is hard and I am also trying to remember to be patient with myself but
it's doable. Of course I won't always be great at diligence but as
long as I'm trying and I am giving my all that's all that matters. So
when things get tough I just try to smile and remember all the
blessings I have and that things are great and I can do anything with
my Heavenly Father.

Hope that wasn't preachy but that's just one of the many things I've
been learning.  You know I think even after my mission I want to say
hello to random people and smile at them they seem to like it even if
it is a bit weird. :) Anyway I hope to hear from you and I hope
everyone is doing great! I love you all so much and I am so grateful
to have you in my life. I love being on a mission and am grateful to
have the gospel in my life and my families life.

Love Always,
Sister Tovar