1970 Class Reunion

We had another Apsan adventure on Saturday. President and Sister Gilbert came to spend a couple days with us. Fred arranged a day of golfing for the guys. Sister Gilbert and I just spent that time relaxing and visiting. Golfing, relaxing, visiting... very uncommon in the life of a mission president and his wife.
Saturday we took them to our favorite hiking trail, up Apsan. It was an absolutely beautiful fall day. This was the first time we went on the weekend and we found that it was filled with happy Korean families. I loved seeing the little children enjoying a day with their parents in such wonderful surroundings. Memories. These families were creating joyful memories.

We were also creating some memories of our own. This was our third time hiking to the cable car, riding it to the top, and then standing out on the viewing platform looking over Daegu. I don't think I could ever grow tired of it. We had some fun conversations with Koreans along the way. I am getting braver about stumbling my way through just using the little Korean I know and lots of gestures. Our mission president speaks Korean fluently, but even he admitted on occasion he just bluffs by saying "Nay, nay." Nay is their "yes" or "yeah".

After we rode down from the cable car, we stopped for a picnic lunch. I had packed chicken cranberry nut sandwiches, grapes and some fresh raspberry jam bars. The food was good, but everything tastes better at a picnic. Almost everything! An older Korean woman came by and gave us some hard ginseng candy. We politely tried a piece, which unfortunately tasted like dirt. I gave her one of my cookies in return. She politely took a bite, then wrapped it in a napkin and put it in her pocket. I am pretty sure she thought it tasted... well, maybe like dirt! She carried on quite a conversation with President Gilbert. He didn't have any idea what she was saying most of the time, although he did understand it when she offered to buy us each a beer. Guess she has no idea what our missionary name tags mean!

It came time for us to head back down the mountain so the Gilberts could get back to the nonstop business of running a mission. But there was one last memory to be made. A large group of Korean adults were gathering on a set of steps for a picture. They held up a banner with lots of Korean words and the number 1970. President Gilbert said it was a class reunion. Fred said he should be in the picture because he graduated in 1970 and jokingly walked over like he was getting in it. Suddenly the Koreans started laughing and clapping and gesturing for him to come and sit with them. Which he did. Then they motioned for the rest of us to join, which we did. So now their class picture includes four Megooks (Americans). Not only that, it was their elementary class reunion, so to them we were old Megooks. It was such fun. Two groups of people from very different cultures, speaking different languages sharing a moment to remember. As we walked the rest of the way down, every little bit a few of them would cross our paths. We would smile and laugh together again.

Small moments can make the most joyful memories. I am so glad we have this picture to remind us that we can enjoy the small and simple memories again and again.

"Mere pleasure is at best but fleeting; happiness is abiding, for in the recollection thereof is joy renewed." Elder James E Talmage