Week 7 - I Think

Personal note from me...MOM.  Sister Westrup had been allowed to call home because of her surgery.  First it was to let us know she would be having surgery, then it was from the MTC clinic to let us know the surgery was going to be scheduled.  She received at least three 5 minute phone passes and at least one 15 minute phone pass before her surgery.  I tried to let her split it between her dad and I.  After her surgery I spoke with her at least antoher 3 times.  She is having a hard time staying awake while on the pain meds.  I have talked to her so much in the last week, I have run our of things to say.

 

Corrections to spelling and grammar have not been made so that you can see how hilarious she is when on pain meds.

 

 

Dear Family,

 

What a week! As some of you may know, I had a little surgery this week. And in fact, I hope this letter will be somewhat coherent since I have learned that while I am on pain medication I am a little less than coherent.

 

Last Thursday was a day of miracles. If you remember, I had a meeting with the surgeon. I was expecting to meet with him and then have surgery sometime this week. While we were in the waiting room, I struck up a conversation with the couple sitting next to us. They asked where we were serving. We said Korea. And then they mentioned that they had an adoptive daughter in Korea. But they said they weren''t sure if she was really going to church or not. I told them that although we weren''t going to Seoul, there are definetely sisters in my district that are going to Seoul that could look her up. So we got a referral in the waiting room!

 

Once we got in to see the surgeon, I was relieved. He was so incredibly nice! He explained what was wrong with me in a very clear way. And it turns out he was a mission president in Brazil. So he really wanted to see me up and moving around again. So, we decided to just go ahead and do the surgery the very next day (last Friday).

Every time I''ve left the MTC I''ve been with a different companion so that it''s not just my companion that misses things. The companion that went with me to surgery is one of my very favorite people in the MTC. Her name is Sister Washburn. She''s from Colorado. And we''ve decided that we are very much kindred spirits. She told me some amazing stories while they tried to stick the IV in. I barely even felt the pricks because she was so captivating. I was scheduled for the first surgery of the day. So the Doctor came in and asked if I had any questions. I said no. But I did ask if we could say a prayer first. So he did! It was a beautiful prayer. I''m glad I asked for it. After, the nurse said she''s never heard anyone ask him that since he''s been here.

So then they started giving me drugs. And the last thing I remember is being wheeled around the corner saying, "This is just like Grey''s Anatomy"

 

And then I woke up.

 

Apparently the nerve block didn''t work because I was in a lot of pain. And I couldn''t go to the bathroom by myself, so they just decided to keep me over night. I said some pretty interesting things... I  can''t remember most of them. But at one point I turned to sister washburn and said, "Do you want to know what I''m thinking right now? I think that the lost city of Atlantis really is Cuba." And that was that... hahaha.

 

So I was able to stay overnight. They sent my companion home. It was weird being all by myself. But I slept for most of it.

I''ve been heavily medicated every since then. On Sunday, I got up to go to Sacrament meeting. But I feel asleep during the water part. The poor Elder was just holding the tray in front of me waiting for me to take a little cup. But I was asleep! So I have no idea how long he waited.

 

It's been such a blessing to have Sister Painter as a companion. Since she''s a nurse, I really don''t have any qualms about her helping me out when I need it. She''s more of a trooper than I am. I''m always asking her to helpe me out with something.

 

Well, I think I had more to say, but I just took some medicene. So I''m very sleepy right now... Earlier, my companion was wheeling me around in a wheel chair and I was shooting at the Elders with my crutches... I thought it was really funny. None of the Elders laughed though.

 

Anywho, I think I''m going to sleep some more. I''ll try and write people back today. But I can''t guarntee anything. But thanks for the prayers! I sure need them!

 

Well, I''m very sleeeeeepy! So untile next week!

 

-Westrup cha-mae

ps. Keva. you promised me a letter last week. you''re fired.

I've Forgotten What Week It Is!

So dear family and friends,

I want to thank everyone so much for all of the prayers these past couple weeks. I don't know where I'd be without them.

It's true, I'm having hip surgery. If you're asking yourself , "What the heck happened!?" Don't worry. I am too.

Nothing happened really. Just a bit of pain. So I went to the doctor, who referred me to another doctor, who reffered me to get an MRI (yeah, I've totally gotten to leave the MTC twice now).

We got the results of the MRI back yesterday. I have a small tear and some fraying in the cartilage of my right hip socket. So I'll get to see a surgeon on Thursday.

 

But no worries! I'm so glad this is happening now and not in the mission field. And it's only a minor scope surgery. So I won't be coming home, but I may be delayed in the MTC.

 

Despite the pain, I'm glad because I've learned a lot going through this whole process. For whatever reason, most of what we've learned in class has been easy for me to pick up. But now with all the doctors' appointments and physical therepy, I'll be missing class time and study time. I think that's the most upsetting thing actually. I love the MTC! As crazy as that sounds to some people, I really do! I hate leaving and falling behind (although my companion still swears that I understand Korean a lot better than she does). I've also learned to rely on my companion more. She's in the nursing program at BYU, and she interned at the Mayo clinic this summer, and she's had a similar surgery, more invasive though, on her knee. Pretty fortunate that she's my companion huh? Heavenly Father always seems to know what he's doing.

 

Things always have more value the harder you have to work for them. Whenever I walk, sit, or stand, I just think of who I'm doing it for: the Koreans. Every step that I take, every pain I endure, every trip to the doctor's office, brings me closer to teaching the Korean people about the love that Heavenly Father has for them. It makes it all so worth it to me.

 

But the best growth that I've taken away from this whole experience is coming closer to the Savior. Alma 7:11-12 has never meant more to me than it does now. I wish I could type what it says quickly, but unfortunately, my time is almost up.

 

I know that the reason we go through trials is to gain knowledge. That may seem like a cruel way for us to learn what we're supposed to. But I know that more than ever! So I'm grateful this is happening. I'm learning a lot, and I'm grateful for every little thing I'm learning. Especially the patience.

 

-Westrup 자매

 

ps. the new district comes tomorrow. We are so excited!!!!!!!!!!

Week 5

It's been a week for growing that's for sure.

The older district left us. So that means we're the older district now. A lot of the sisters are worried that we don't know as much as the other district did when we first entered the MTC. But I think we do.

We also learned something else that's really sad this week. One of our teachers (the awkward one mentioned in my previous email) is leaving us to work for the Daily Universe. We're all pretty sad about it. Although I am thankful for the opportunity to not have any more awkward run-ins. But luckily, our other teacher, Brother Tanner (who has swiftly become one of my favorite people of all time) will still be with us the rest of our time here. Sister Hatch left early this morning. We'd had bascially the same schedule for meals and gym. It was so great to be together for this time. I think Heavenly Father knew how much we would need each other.

 

So mom, you know how you always commented on how my legs were different lenghths. Well, I've recently learned that I look like that because my hips our out of alignment. And I'm going to have to start physical therepy this week probably. On the bright side, my companion and I will get to leave the MTC on Thursday to see a sports phyical therepist type person to see what exactly I need to do. SO, that's just a warning in case the MTC calls on Thursday. Don't worry. I'm fine. I just need a little touch of physical therepy.... (and a side note to all the people out there who didn't believe me when I said that I had fragile hips: I was right. and you were wrong.)

How are the kids doing? None of them ever wrote me back.

 

I saw Maychee last week at the temple! It was so great! Then later that day she sent me a package with Milkus and choco pies. I swiftly ate most of the choco pies that night, and then tied the Milkus on a string to hang outside our window to get cold. It was delicious. Like liquid skittles. You should get some for the kids to try. I want to send her a thank you! But I don't have her address. So hopefully she gets this. Also, Sister Baggs always sends me great notes, but never a return address. Maybe I could get hers as well.

 

Things with Korean are moving forward. I was sitting next to a senior sister in choir and she asked about how they teach at the MTC and why missionaries seem to learn the language so much faster. I told her that it's true, we do learn languages much faster here. I never felt comfortable praying in German. And there was no way I could ever bear my testimony in German. But last week I learned how to pray for my investigator's grandfather to get better. And I can pray that they feel the Spirit when my companion and I teach. The motivation behind why I learn is completely different from German. In school, I memorized vocab for a test, just to get through a semester. But here, I memorize vocab to help the Korean people know how much Heavenly Father loves them, to know where they're going after they die, to know what the Book of Mormon is really about. The motivation is so different. I'm not learning Korean for myself. I'm learning it for people I have jong with that I've never even met. (Look up jong. It's a Korean word. It's really hard to put into English words).

 

Have I mentioned how much I love PMG(Preach My Gospel)?!?! Everyone should read it and use it as a study tool. It's incredible. Every day I learn something new.

Well, looks like it's that time already! Miss you! Pray that everything goes ok at the physical therepist. And don't freak out if the MTC calls you. I really am great!

Love,

Westrup cha-mae

Another Sister Westrup Moment

Dear Family,

I must relate to you now an experience which caused me great embarrassment this week.

As I mentioned in my last email, I have been feeling a bit under the weather. Come to find out, I actually had a sinus infection. But no worries!!! I went to the doctor's and I am all healed. I don't tell you this to worry, but just as an explanation as to how I was feeling last week. Feeling as I did, I decided to solider on anyway. There's so much to learn at the MTC! I would hate to miss class for anything. So, last Friday morning. I went to class as normal. I didn't participate too much. And thankfully, I think my teacher could see how sick I was, because he didn't call on me. Now, I must explain a little bit about my one of my teachers. He is a dear dear soul. But I think a little unprepared for how to teach a classroom full of all sisters. I mean, who would be? Isn't the MTC supposed to be full of Elders? So, I think our dear teacher feels a bit awkward at times, teaching all sisters. But we love him for it. (In fact, I was going out of my way to make him feel uncomfortable at least once a shift during the first couple of weeks) But what happened last week was unintentional! It was awful! It was horrible! It was undescribibly horrifically detremental to my soul!!!!!

 

Our teacher's shift was over. He was packing up his things to journey to the outside world. The night before, our other teacher had taught us the phrase for "see you later". So naturally I wanted to "SYL" (speak your language. a philosphy we live by at the MTC). I said to my teacher, "How do you say 'see you later' again? Bo-bo-ju-say-o?" I had just said the first Korean phrase that popped into my head. It flowed off my tounge so easily, it had to be "see you later".

 

But my teacher turned and looked at me with the most horrified expression I have ever beheld upon any person's face. Shock. Pure shock. That was the only emotion visible in the poor man's eyes.

 

"Cha-mae-nim. That is inappropriate," he said.

 

Immediately my face turned red as my brain went searching through the annals of my memory trying to remember 1) what I had said, and 2) where I had learned it.

 

I thought of Heartstrings (my favorite Korean soap opera). Nope. I didn't learn it from there. I thought of my old Korean room mate. Wasn't that what she said when she would answer the phone...???!?!?!?! Nope... It wasn't from there either.

 

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

 

Christopher. Andrew. Hunt. (now forever to be known as the bane of my existence) Chris was a boy who lived in my ward during the past few semesters. I would consider us pretty good friends. After I recieved my call, Chris would always pop his head in our apartment enthusiastically saying the only Korean phrase he knows which he learned from a Korean girl he dated: bo-bo-ju-say-o..... English translation: give me a kiss....

 

If you thought my face had been red before, you can imagine how fire engine red it turned then! I covered my face with my grammer book as the other cha-mae-nim-dur asked what I had said.

"It's not important!!! Brother Wells, I'm sooo sorry. That was horrible. It totally was inappropriate. I didn't mean it. I didn't know what I was saying." The words came flooding out in a torrent as I tried to fix the situation.

"Westrup cha-mae-nim! What did you say??!?!" The other sisters quiered.

"It's not important... It is inappropriate.... Ok, I just told him to kiss me..." I briefly admitted. And then followed by saying, "I just had this friend who would say that to me all the time this summer! It was the first phrase that popped into my head! Don't worry. We never did it!"

The room erupted in raucous laughter!

My teacher then said, "Oh, you don't have to explain that to me...." He then procedded to pull his squeaky roll-y chair out of the room while the rest of the sisters died laughing at my mistake.

 

It wouldn't have been sooo bad. But it was that teacher. And he was just happening to be observed that day by his supervisors (we found out later that they had already left... but even so)

 

The next day, some other sisters in our district greeted Brother Wells with a friend "bo-bo-ju-say-o". And we were able to laugh about it. But until the day I die, I don't think anyone will have had as an embarrassing language mistake as I did in the MTC.

 

I have 2 minutes left.

So I'll just briefly say that I loved General Conference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think my favorite talk was Elder Packer's.

I'm still learning a lot, teaching a lot, but especially feeling the spirit a lot.

 

Love,

Westrup Cha-mae-nim

A Sister Westrup Moment

Sorry, I'm a week behind.  This email came last Tuesday, Sept 27th

 

So I must relate a story that happened to me this week.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather. Which hasn't had too much of an impact on my day to day life (and don't worry, I'm feeling quite better), but it made me a little scatterbrained throughout this week. So Wednesday, we went to go teach our investigator. I had my little bag, and my lesson plan as we went into our lesson plan. I hope you can see the full picture with my loafers and all. As I sat down at the desk to teach our investigator, I noticed that my little notebook with our lesson plan had disappeared. Within the space of two minutes! How it happened, I do not know. But as I sat there, with no lesson plan to behold, my face grew bright red. "my lesson plan is gone." i whispered to my companion. "what do you want to do?" she asked. "let's just teach..." Our investigator, who is really our teacher, was trying not to laugh at my despair, but i'm sure it was plainly and hilariously evident on my face. So we tried to teach the lesson. He asked about the Atonement. A scripture popped into my head. Alma 40:11. So I found it in my Korean Book of Mormon and then gave it to him to read. "irk-o-ju-say-o" (will you please read?) I turned to my english book of mormon to follow along when i relalized that i'd given him completely the wrong scripture. i was mortified. mostly because i don't know how to say sorry, wrong scripture in korean. the rest of the lesson actually went alright. but the icing on the cake happened when we got up to leave and i saw that i had been sitting on my little notebook, with my lesson plan THE ENTIRE TIME.

a typical moment in the life of sister westrup.

i'm happy to say that upon leaving i thought the situation was more hilarious than anything else. i'm the only person i know who would do such a thing.

i'm still loving the mtc. last week elder nelson came to speak on the october ensign. AMAZING.

i'm still loving korean. sometimes i'm just in awe that i can actually read korean. that's such a miracle in itself. of course it will still take months before i can really learn the language. but it's so cool to read and recognize words!

there's this mongolian sister in my zone that i LOVE. she bows all the time. and gives a little peace sign every time we see her. the more time i spend with her, the happier i am, and the more i realize that i was meant to serve in an asian country. i love bow-ing... it's awesome.

-Westrup 자매님