Farewell to The Land of the Morning Calm

Happy Independence Day!!!

This is my last email home from Korea. Crazy.

Yesterday (Sunday) was kind of sad. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. Last night we gathered at the Church to have a final party because Sister Linford, Elder Oxborrow and I are all going home and we've all served here in Bangojin. We shared final testimonies and ate food together. It was a really memorable time.

I've made a lot of great friends here in Korea, and I've really enjoyed my time in this country. Yesterday at church I shared a scripture about how I feel: Enos 1:26

I told the church members that when I first came to Korea, I had a hard time with a lot of things. The language, culture, heat/humidity, missionary work and lifestyle, companions, the food... But as I've labored here for the past two years, I've also experienced a change of heart. I've learned a little of the language (I'll never be fluent probably), I love the food, I love the people! I feel that I can call Korea "우리 나라" ("our nation") and I will always want to call it that. I wanted the friends I have here to understand that, and I think they did. I hope they did. I love Korea. I've rejoiced in the opportunity I've had to share the gospel with my brothers and sisters here! The work has been hard, and I've received a lot of rejection, but they are still my brothers and sisters and I love them all the same. It has been an amazing experience.

I promised some members that I would do a few things:
1) I would go home and work to live the gospel and continue doing missionary work;
2) I would continue studying Korean and never forget about this country; and
3) I would come back to Korea...kind of soon.
I think those are some good goals to start with.

Tomorrow I'll go back to Gyeongju and say goodbye to friends there, and then it's off to Pusan and Seoul. I'm almost home!

I'll have stories for you all in a few days!

Love you!! The Gospel is true!

Elder Bocchino