September begins 2011

Hey mom!

So I'm really liking this new area. My companion is a hard working guy, and as a result we spent a lot of time outside or on the subway proselyting (we don't have a lot of people to teach quite yet) and you know what happened? In one week we got 16 phone numbers. Obviously that's nowhere NEAR what Harman and his last companion got last transfer (them and their  55 contacts) They're really doing well though. They're not working together anymore but that's not stopping them by any means. Actually funny thing is my companion has a competition going with Harman's old companion. So far he beat us by one this week, but they started a day earlier than we did.

So my new companion is awesome, it's nice to have one I can relate to a little more.  Yeah, I'm doing a lot better than I was. Your prayers are appreciated.

So today is a special P Day that the Howertons put on for the zone to meet new missionaries, feed us a crap ton of food, and play games. It. Is. AWESOME. At the moment I'm kinda missing out on the action so I can email but it shows you how much more important communication with my family is :D

It's cool to hear what y'all are doing with school this year, as far as having one teacher focus on one subject. Somehow I saw THAT coming a mile away, you teaching English that is. And to think you wanted to teach....what was it, science? Bah. Hehehe. So wait, for science and history do you still have a homeroom class? How's that gonna work? Let me know.

So birthday, half, etc. Ummmm......money should suffice. Half....tons of candy? I dunno haha.

The pants fit REALLY well, in fact. My problem is I gotta find some smaller shirts....see, my shirts fit fine, they just have a lot of room in the stomach. A LOT of room. A LOT OF ROOM. But the problem with American shirts is....if you have a big neck and you're tall, OBVIOUSLY you're fat as well. So....I'm going to get my shirts hemmed. Our office missionary Elder Roskelly told me that it's pretty cheap, he had like 5 or 6 shirts done for $30. Just an idea.

What else? Oh, I tried on my suit coat. I CAN wear it, but it's....pretty big on me. But Sister Howerton said if I gave her my measurements she could look one up on the base or online for pretty cheap and I could pay her for it. So....we'll look into that. Stay tuned.

Anything else...? Oh, contacts. I actually think I can just buy them in stores here, since I don't have a problem with astygmatism anymore. The perscription is right on the box. So....I'll try that this week or sometime and get back to you on that one.

I don't think there's anything I missed....halfway, I'm not sure yet, birthday, I think money would be good. I'll think on it this week and get to you :D

So that's all for this week. Glad to hear things are going well, and things are good on my end too. Stay happy :D

Love,
Aaron

PS. Oh, hi to all the missionaries and members and anyone who still cares about me :D

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사랑 보내셨으니까 감사합니다! 사랑해요!

Elder Cahoon in Korea. November 2010 to November 2012

August 30, 2011

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FROM:

• Aaron Cahoon

TO:

• Shirley Matthews 

Message flagged

Monday, August 29, 2011 10:44 PM

Message body

Sorry I'm late! It's been a little crazy! Let's begin.

So I was transferred to an area called GyeongSan, which is right outside of Daegu (yes!) and the best part is the fact that the Howertons (senior military missionaries) are in my district! But I'm sure you already know that if you've been talking to Sister Howerton.

The cool thing about having the Howertons in my district is the fact that they get stuff from the military base for the missionaries, and it's actually comparable in price TO America. Which will be amazing NEXT week when I have money since we don't get MSF money until Thursday.

Also, my companion is really nice. I'm still a junior, but my companion doesn't really care. Legitamently....my previous companion said he didn't care, but that's PROBABLY because he wouldn't listen to me even if I WAS co-senior.

I regret to say I was witholding a lot of frustration in my emails home as I'm sure you could sense...

So about my new companion, his name is Elder Olsen, he's from Alaska, he has been in the country for about a year and 2 months, and he's really cool. He follows the same ideal that I follow. Namely....work hard, play hard. Like, duh, it's important to work hard as missionaries, but it's equally important to have fun. Not breaking rules by any means, but....like, just enjoying life. So I think we'll get along just fine.

As far as why I couldn't email yesterday, well, here's the story.

So we gathered at the mission office for transfers, but what happened was those who were waiting in Daegu for new companions didn't come down, they just sent their old companions. So a bunch of us were supposed to go up, and there was a group of 3 that were going to meet our new companions, those three were me, Elder Gee, and Elder Allen (names probably mean nothing to you). Well, what happened was Elder Allen had an interview with President Gilbert, and we were told that Gee would be fine since our companions would be at the station to catch him (apparently the missions do this all the time, sending one person just having teams at each end to catch them (out of the mouth of President himself)). So I waited back with Elder Allen. It was about 4 PM before we could leave because of the interview and him needing to talk with the office staff. But we got to the train station at about 4:45 or so. Now, I had been told that there was a car on the train we took that would have computers and internet. It did...but it was closed. By this time it was fairly late in the evening (we arrived in Daegu at like 7:30) And President had said that if we didn't have time to email yesterday just to do it when we had time today. "Just get it done, I don't want calls from worried mothers," he said. It was pretty funny actually.

But that's about it for updates....I don't really want to talk about what happened the last couple transfers. It wasn't bad, we just didn't DO anything. I just want to do as my new companion, Elder Olsen suggested. "Work hard, play hard." So far, it's pretty good, I'm already feeling better than I had been in Daeshin. Which isn't to say that that area's bad, the members were absolutely amazing. Like this one old lady who was actually baptized by Elder Choi Yoon Hwan when he was attending college at BYU Hawaii. She still gets letters from members of the Quorum of the Twelve and has met personally several of them. And that's just one example.

Well, I hope things aren't too stressful with school starting up (although I know they are) Oh well, you're a good teacher (the best that school has actually)....so it's nothing you can't handle.

Oh, as far as being late for Josh's farewell, think of it this way....you were doing service because nobody was watching the kid. Don't take this the wrong way, you still have to go to church, but don't be too hard on yourself ;)

I don't really think there's anything else on my mind at the moment. I'll have more for you next week, since my companion and I have planned to hit it and hit it hard. Which it's about time, if you know what I mean. Anyway, love you, be safe, tell those who still care about me that I love them, keep giving people pressure to write me, and all those other things I normally ask of you. Also...remember that God answers EVERY prayer, no matter how small or insignificant you may feel they be. But you already know that :)

Anyways, have a good week! Suffer much! (it's a joke based on the Korean passing "수고하세요" (Su-go-ha-sae-yo) which taken in CONTEXT means "Work hard!" but it's literal translation is "Please suffer much!")

Yeah, Korean does weird things to your brain....

Anyways, see ya!

Love,
Aaron

PS You probably thought I'd forget but I didn't. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!!

--

사랑 보내셨으니까 감사합니다! 사랑해요!

Elder Cahoon in Korea. November 2010 to November 2012

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August 21, 2011 Beginning month 10

Hey again, mom!

Wow, hard to believe I'm already writing back.....that last week just kinda flew by, because we were so busy setting up for our activity on Saturday. It was pretty cool, we did a youth activity where we made the church into a haunted house and the teaching theme was actually based on Lehi's dream (the iron rod)....strangly enough (believe me I didn't come up with it) It was really fun, even though only ten people actually came and we bought snacks for 30+...so.....yeah we had a lot of snacks that we either had to leave in the church or take (which....I decided to do the latter (don't worry, I asked permission))

And this week will fly too, my companion has army reserve training tomorrow so I'll be on exchanges, then we have district meeting on Wednesday, and Thursday is our transfer calls, and then from then on the week will be spent packing either way because, if I transfer, I need to pack, and if not, I need to pack anyway because we're changing houses (which is good) The house we found is right next to the church, which is awesome considering we have to go there every day.

I dunno, my companion thinks I'm out. At least he says that, I don't really know what he thinks....he flip flops more often than a lot of Democrats I know (sorry, to all my Democrat pals, you know I love y'all)

As for the pants, I dunno yet. I haven't gotten the package because the office is holding mail until transfers are made so nobody knows where they are going (makes sense) but I'm going there today so I'll probably pick it up there.

I hoped you'd like the gift I sent....it was admittedly pretty hard to find and I wasn't sure if I should or not, because it was pretty expensive. But yeah, I'm really glad you liked it. Happy birthday, mom :) hard to believe mine's next (at the end of the next transfer as a matter of fact :D)

Oh, I'm not at ten months yet. I'm at 9. This is the beginning of my tenth. But thanks anyway :D

I'm glad you found Sister Howerton's blog, she and her husband are really nice (as a matter of fact I want to serve in Daegu so I can be in the same place as them) We do have senior missionaries in this area but my companion is kind of a recluse so he kinda avoids being with other missionaries. Well, he prefers Korean missionaries anyway.

Either way there's a high (extremely high) percent chance of us splitting up. Oh well, you'll know next week, and I'll know Thursday.

Thanks for all the support, mom. Sincerely, thanks. You've no idea how much it means to me and the others that you're writing. If you wind up becoming teaching partners with Jan again, be sure to have her give Elizabeth a hard time for taking so long to write me :)

Well, I need to get going. Tune in next week to find out where I'm going. I love you!

Love,

Aaron

Bus vs pedestrian

      Just a short post to tell about the bus wreck I was in.  Not really a wreck so much as a bus vs. pedestrian issue.
      Long story short I was on the bus one night coming home when this lady just steps off the curb right in front of the bus.  I was almost asleep, but heard the bus driver shout ..."No, No, No"  Then we heard a thump.
      Luckily the lady wasn't killed, and she was awake when the medics got there, but she was really beat up and bleeding badly.  Rotten luck for me they used my camera to take pictures of the accident and if it goes to court I may not get my camera card back.  There goes a lot of pictures for the last few months.
      Well life goes on, and transfers are in two weeks.  Wonder what this transfer will bring.  I'm hoping for a transfer to get somewhere I am needed and there is work to do.
      All the best to family and friends...Keep the cards and letters coming.
                                                                        
Elder Cahoon In Korea 2010-2012

August 2011

Wow, where to begin.  It is amazing to me that Aaron has been serving for almost ten months now.  Time passes so quickly.  This has been such a learing experience for all of us involved. 
He finally sent some pictures from Korea, and I will try and upload some to share in the coming days...baby steps here. 
Suffice it to say that Elder Cahoon has made wonderful strides with the Korean language, and is loving the experience as he serves in this beautiful country.
Our biggest issue at this time is sending him new clothes as he has lost a considerable amount of weight, and his suits no longer fit.  As he put it..."Some of my pants now look like I'm wearing clown pants."  Stay tuned for further updates, and ejoy the ride with us.