Hey mom!!

I got all of the birthday packages!! I've never been so excited to see muscle milk, protein bars, and a new set of Jordan clothes!! especially after using the same clothes everyday for almost a year!!! haha and all of the candy is great!! I don't know if I'll ever eat it all though!! haah the first thing I opened had grandmas jerky right on top and I knew it was all going to be great from there on!!! haha this week has been so awesome!!! we saw so many miracles this week it was so ridiculous!! all of the hard work we have been putting in is finally starting to show!!! visiting the temple last week was so great! we had a really good p day!! ha we went and ate Taco Bell for the 2nd time I've been in Korea! it's not really like Taco Bell but it's the closest we can get to Mexican food!! haha! but this week we found 6 new investigators!! so amazing!! we are super busy now that is for sure!! one of them is a girl and her mom, she went to high school in the Philippines and now she wants to go to BYU so she wants to learn about the church! I think she will get baptized before the end of this month!!! she is coming to conference with us this weekend! she is way cool! we watch conference a week after you get to! I can't believe this is already my 2nd conference in Korea! and I left right after one! time flies!! but also this week we met another guy that is a film director! ha he is pretty sweet too! he will be fun to get to know!! then we also met a high school kid and started meeting with him and his two friends!! they really like us a lot and are going to start coming to church with us!! also this week one of our investigators committed to being baptized! I don't think he will be completely ready to get baptized for a while still though. but he has come a long way!!! Ha I have some good stories for you this week as well!! so Saturday we were supposed to go play basketball with the three high school kids but they ended up not being able to so we just went to the park to try to play with some people!! we walked in and I looked at the far court and saw a kid dunk it! it was the first time I have seen a Korean that could dunk so I had to play against him!! I walked over to their court and we ended up playing against him and his friend!! it turns out that he plays for Korean Air College, but he's not super good we won really easily still but it was probably the best game I've had with Koreans!! it was way fun so were going to try to play next week he really liked us a lot!!! haha and I'm finally getting back in to shape again from the long winter of not being able to do anything!! I started running a few times a week and it has been helping a lot!! But, this week we also had a training on Thursday, it was all about getting referrals from our wards and becoming friends with all of your ward members and stuff! it was super good and I liked it a lot and learned a lot!! Our ward loves us though so that is super good! in Korea if the people don't like you there not introducing any of their friends to the missionaries!! haha but the girl and her mom were referrals :) haha so after church yesterday I was talking to one of my favorite families in the ward and I told the mom that it was my birthday on Tuesday! ha she wanted us to come over so they could feed us but her husband was going to be gone so she said she would buy me a cake and told me to come pick it up! (there family is super rich) but anyways I wasn't really thinking about it when I told her and I forgot that she is super good friends with everyone in the ward! so, everyone in the whole ward knows it's my birthday now! haha it's so funny.. But we met with Bishop and his family last night because I had some ideas of stuff to do to help with missionary work in the ward, and at church we set the appointment and the wife was like oh but we don't have any food  right now so we wont be able to eat! I was like that's fine we just want to talk to Bishop!! so we ate dinner and then went over there! when we got there she had prepared this huge meal! we ate duck! which is super expensive.. it's about 50 dollars for one duck! I've only ate it one other time the whole time I've been in Korea!! but it was super good!! haha we had been sitting and talking and eating for a really long time and my legs are totally use to sitting cross legged on the floor and eating now but for some reason they both fell completely asleep and I didn't even notice!!! ha so we got done and I went to stand up and I couldn't even feel my legs when I did!!! it looked so funny!! haha it was super funny too I was laughing so hard and so was Bishop!! Ha when we left he was like hey it's your birthday on Tuesday so I want to take you to a meat buffet!! haha so were going to eat with Bishop and his son tomorrow too!! our ward is awesome!! today we are going in to Seoul to play soccer with a bunch of people so it should be super fun!!! I love missionary work!! I love being able so see these miracles! this week has strengthened my testimony so much that when we continue to be obedient and do what we are suppose to do we will see the blessings we are promised for them!!!! I hope you all have a great week I love you all!!

Love, Elder Frei

Wow mom that is crazy that you got stuck in Miami! ha that is what you get for going without me ;) it sounds like it was a pretty fun trip though! ha 2013 here I come! ha that is super far away I'll have almost been home for a year by then! I'm super glad that you got to go to Elder Bessey's homecoming!! he was a super good missionary! it's way weird to me that he is home now.. I hope he comes and visits you sometime that would be sweet!! I miss diving that sounds super fun right now! ha just about a year and I'll be able to do it again though! That's really good that Grandpas surgery went well!! So how soon can he do his other knee?? The boat dive sounds like it was super fun! we'll have to do one of those!! I'll write you a letter and send you some pics :) I'll send it by tomorrow!! I will get stuff on Thursday we have zone conference so I should get that package then! I'm excited for it! I still have like all the stuff you sent me before that though! ha I need to start eating it! We have tons of Korean food at our house from the ward  so I just always eat that!!! haha but this week went pretty good!! We have a new investigator! we've talked to her for a while but never actually got to meet with her! we finally did and we met her with our ward missionary leader! it went good!! That is cool that Elder Nelson wrote you! He was fun to serve with! That seems like it was a while ago now! I guess it was in December!! He goes home at the end of April too!! I will have no companions left in the field that are older missionaries than me after he goes home! how weird is that!! he is number 5! time flies! ha this week one of our other investigators took us to dinner at a Pakistan food place!! It was actually pretty good we ate lamb haha it is like the only restaurant like that in Korea! so it was a fun experience! he wants to take us down to this China town place for my birthday so we might do that but I'm not sure yet!! it's been a fun week though! 
so what else is going on at home now? school only has like 2 months left then it is summer time again right? ha that is super weird! Zack is going to have a pretty busy summer probably!! it's still not very warm over here yet!! it's really annoying I'm super sick of the cold!! well, have a good week I love you all!!! 

Love,Elder Frei

Hello mom! 

Ha the only crazy part of my week this week was hearing about the earthquake! We didn't feel a thing! I was really worried about Elder Ovard I'm glad that he is ok!! I got the email from Benita that you forwarded and sent it to Mike.. i'll give you his email too at the end of this! When are you going on vaction? I can't remember!! One of the Elders I really like is going home on Friday! his name is Elder Bessey he is from Overton!!! I want you to go to his homecoming if you are home!! He knows Uncle Leon too.. he is awesome!! I'm super jealous that the weather is really nice now it's still pretty cold here.. there are a few signs of spring here and there but then it just gets cold again!! I'm so ready for it to be warm again!! Even though the summers are pretty brutal too!! The name of the city I'm in is Beu Pyeong! and I can't believe that transfers are this week either it is insane!! It's already been 7 weeks.. time flies!! and I have no idea what will happen this transfer I kinda think we might stay for one more transfer but you never know anything can happen! Being a trainer is super fun but it's hard sometimes!! I've learned so much this transfer though!! I got the package you sent!! It's awesome!!! I love the stress ball and muscle thing!! and I have to agree you are getting really good at stuffing the packages!!! I missed cadburry eggs! both types! you can send me some more of those! ha I'll think about what else.. Phillipino dried mangos I miss those a ton, ah just send stuff I like :) I can't beleive I'm almost 20!! so weird! this last week was pretty fun! I had a lot of meetings to go to so it was pretty hectic! I had to go to Seoul twice and it is a super far trip!! haha but it was really fun!! this transfer has been hard because we've opened this area but I'm finally getting to know the ward really good and were getting some good investigators, things are starting to pick up! I'm really excited for next transfer I just hope I don't get transfered!! I tried to think of what I wanted sent but I can't really think of anything else right now!!! I love you!! Hope everyone has a great week!! Today we are just going to a bath house and relaxing since we find out what will happen next transfer tonight!!!
love,

Elder Frei

Kristy is moving back here? That is crazy you will have to tell her to come find me! Haha I can't believe Lauren and Tai's wedding happened already, that's way sweet though I'm happy for them!!! I love those two! Tell them congrats for me! I want to see a pic of the razor! It still is not warming up here at all yet! I'm sick of cold I'm a Santa Clara boy! I really can't wait until summer!! and it's really weird to think that it will be my last summer in Korea! SO WIERD I can't believe Hurst has left too that is crazy!! he will be in the penes in no time!! we had a pretty average week this week!! the weather was really bad so we didn't get to go hiking!! I was super mad haha but were suppose to be making it up sometime soon! splits were super fun, I love Elder Hafen we will be friends for sure when I get home! He goes home at the end of April but he promised me he will come visit you with Christensen! He has family that lives in St. George so he said he will be down there within a month of when he gets home! Ha we are going on splits again on Tuesday because we both have to go to leadership training in Seoul! That should be really good! We have a way busy week! And then transfers are next week! Crazy. We are meeting a new family on Tuesday as well so I am super excited for that!!! I'll get mail tomorrow so hopefully that other package came by now!!! We’re going to Seoul today so I kinda have to email fast!! But even though the work has been moving slow this transfer the time has flown by and I have learned so much!! I read a scripture a few days ago that helped me realize how important all the people I teach are and how much I should care about them! I'll have to tell you the reference later I think it's in Alma 13 though!! Well I hope everyone has a great week! I love you all! I miss you and love you!


Love,Elder Frei

One of two Taco Bells in Korea

Pigs Feet!!!

Hello everyone! This week was a pretty good week!! Yesterday we had an investigator come to church for the 1st time since we have been here so that was cool and also we got a lady that was baptized a year and a half ago by one of my MTC teachers to come back to our church!! She had been going to a protestant church!! But we've been working with her throughout this transfer and it was so awesome to see her come to church!! I didn't get a package from you this week but maybe I will on Wednesday (that is when we will get mail) everything is still gong great!! There are only two weeks left in the transfer already and it feels like it just started!! plus this one is a week longer than usual!!! Time goes so fast!!  What else is gong on back at home? Aw it's almost wakeboarding season again!! When is the boat coming out?? This will be the last full season that I will miss!! That is pretty weird!! People that came a year before me now only have about 2 months left on their missions!!! Weird!! This week will be a way fun week!! We are going hiking with the ward tomorrow and then on Wednesday I think I'm going on splits with Elder Hafen! He is one of my mission buddies he goes home the end of April!! Actually he is from Kaysville and he knows who Nicole is!! It will be a super fun split!! This past week I had a chance to eat some pretty interesting foods that I hadn't tried yet!! One of them was pig feet, and the other one was raw fish!! They were both interesting ha, pig foot is super fatty though and I don't really like fatty meats but other than that is was good! I can't wait until you and Dad come here you will get to try so many foods haha!! Hope you will be ready!! Boots left the MTC this week then? Wow I can't believe he is already out!! Ha time goes by was faster when your out of the MTC that is for sure!! My companion was in the MTC with Boots! that's pretty weird huh? haha were not doing anything to serious for p day today we just want to relax! Some other missionaries are going to come hangout with us for a little bit so it should be pretty fun! I hope everyone has a good week!! I love you all!

Love,

Elder Frei

A Visit From Elder Cook

February 20, 2011

Here is my long email mom!!! I'll try to make it long! Haha, well this week was another great week!! We were pretty busy all week though!! On Tuesday we got to go to the temple! Always great of course!! Then after that we got to go to the DMZ! we got to see the tunnels that North Korea tried to dig to Seoul they are pretty intense those guys are crazy!! Then we drove up to this hill and you can see the divider of north and south and you can see into North Korea!! It was pretty cool!! It was a really cool sight!! You could pay money to look through binoculars and I did it and I could see some people out and people driving cars and stuff, it was super cool! It really made me think about how no one in that country has had a chance to hear the gospel and I really hope it gets opened!!! Then on Wednesday we had a special training! It was on planning! It was really good!! Ha it's really nice to be able to understand President now because I get exactly what he is saying instead of hearing it translated!! I always learn so much every time. Then on Friday Elder Cook came to Korea and we got to go listen to him talk!! He talked a lot about finding peace and happiness through the gospel it was really great I really enjoyed it a lot!! He is aging though it was weird to see him cause I haven't for a long time now haha!! Also this week someone called me and I talked to her and thought she was going to be a golden investigator!! Haha, then the next time I talked to her I found out that she got baptized a year and a half ago but then joined a different church!! But now she wants to come back so we will be working with her! It was crazy though cause the missionary that taught her was one of my teachers in the MTC!!!! So weird!! I will have to write her!!! we are starting to get to know the ward here a lot better!! They really like us a lot now! And are starting to want to help out with missionary work!!! Ha yesterday we were waiting for someone and this really drunk guy came up to me and shook my hand like 10 times! Then he pulls out a huge piece of paper and it has the English alphabet on the back!! He tried to find a couple of English words he knew to say to us and after a minute he couldn't and just said,  “I drank so much last night" in Korean then I was just like ha, I know I can tell! It was pretty funny though!! Other than that though we have been trying really hard to find new investigators and get the ward involved in the work with us!! It was a pretty good week though!! This Wednesday it will have been 1 year since I got my call! Can you believe that? I remember opening it like it was yesterday still!! So unreal.. Pretty soon I'll be on the downhill!! That is really weird to think about cause I have just always had the mindset that I am just always going to be a missionary and that I will never go home!! That is the best I think then you just always work hard and don't worry about time or home!! I do miss our family so much though. I loved the pictures they were great! I hope that everyone has a great week, I love you all! 

Love,Elder Frei

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) According to the Armistice Agreement, the Military Demarcation Line divides North and South Korea. The Demilitarized Zone surrounds the Armistice Line. The Armistice Line stretches 248 km (155 miles) across the Korea Peninsula from the Yeseong River and Gyodongdo of the Han River in the west to Myeongho-ri in Goseong-gun in the east. It winds through Panmunjeom, Cheorwon, and Geumhwa. The DMZ extends 2 km north and south on each side of the Armistice Line, covering a vast region of 64 million sq. ft. About one million armed soldiers of North and South Korea face each other each day along the Military Demarcation Line

North Korea began digging tunnels under the DMZ at the same time that the South and the North first launched peace talks in 1974. According to intelligence analysis, it is believed that North Korea began digging the tunnels after Kim Il-sung (North Korea's President) issued the September 25 Combat Readiness Order in 1971. In this order, he stressed the need to dig tunnels under the Demilitarized Zone, saying that one tunnel would be more effective than 10 atomic bombs and would thus be the best means to overwhelm the heavily fortified front.

Another short but sweet email from Elder Free :)

Elder Frei & Elder Murdock with a family from the ward.

Hi mom!

We're going to the temple tomorrow but after our zone is going to the DMZ! So we got permission to email today!!! This week was a pretty good week!! We found two new investigators so that is really good! I'm excited!! ha people keep telling me I'm super good at Korean now!! I got told I sounded like I had been in Korea 5 years and 6 years in one week! haha it was pretty sweet! ha then yesterday a recent convert from my greenie area called me and he always tries to talk in English to me, I answered in Korean and he didn't think it was missionaries, then I told him we were missionaries and he said will you give the phone to Elder Free? (that was all in korean) then I answered in English and said this is Elder Free!! ha he was so shocked it was super funny!! The new area is great I love it!! I hope I get to stay here way longer than one transfer!! The girl from my last area still hasn't got baptized but a different investigator did so that is cool! The other one should soon though!! My companion is doing good! It's still really weird that I'm training everyone ask me tons of questions in classes at church and my ward always makes me talk and teach and stuff! ha it's pretty funny but I like it!! Who is Zack going down to Phoenix to play with? That is cool. Is he playing tight end then or what? That is sweet that Haden is tearing it up this year!! I can't wait to see how good he is when I get back!! So far I am just going to send Mike and Adam some ties and a couple other things that are different in Korea! Boots emailed me! He sounds like he is doing good! He leaves pretty soon right? That is so weird. I hit my six months in Korea mark  on Wednesday. Can you believe that? Insane!!! It's been a while now! So weird!! Ovard is way close to his year mark now too that is super weird too haha it goes by so fast!! Well I hope everyone has a great week!! I love you all!

Love,
Elder Frei