Only Two passengers unaccounted for, Skipper!
That's a number I can live with! Good landing boys! Who says a penguin
can't fly?
Hey!... Happy slappers! Is this some reason to celebrate! Look at the plane!
We'll fix it.
Fix it?! How on earth are you going to fix THIS?!
Grit, Spit, and a whole lotta Duct Tape. We should be up and running
in say... Six to nine months.
Sixty nine MONTHS?!
NO, six TO nine months!

I got nothing to connect this one to. I just like quotes from this
movie and happened to pick this one... That's it.

Fun fact about being out on the mission. You learn quite a lot of
different things here that you could probably have a harder time
learning when you're chilling out in the real world. You learn on a
mission how to adapt to living with various people. You learn a
different language. You learn a lot about the Gospel and it's subtle
truths. Or, if you were with me for the past week (which none of you
were, I assure you) you would have learned one of the real reasons
they have us missionaries wear white shirts. So, without further ado,
story time. Once upon a time... My companion had his birthday a couple
weeks ago. We also had Zone Conference this past week, where those who
have had birthdays since the last one get a massive piece of cake
cooked by the mission president's wife. Now, she is a really good
cook, and it is a really giant piece of cake. So... what would you do
if you're at a table with your companion, you're eating some cereal,
he has the brownie, and he gets up and goes somewhere? Let's be
honest, it is not hard to figure out that of course I swipe some. I'm
sorry, Ok? I'm not perfect, I like to eat, he had plenty left, and I
was going to pay him back anyway. So I swipe a small piece, down in,
wipe my mouth and face to get rid of any evidence, and as smooth as I
can, resume eating and reading a magazine with a perfectly controlled
face. My companion comes back in, takes one look at me and starts
laughing. With what I hope was an incredulous face, I look at him and
ask "...what?" "Did you enjoy the brownie?" he asks. Inside, I am now
going into panic mode. How on earth does he know? But on the outside,
I try to keep it together. I try playing dumb, which comes natural to
me ;) but he just laughs and points close to my tie. Turns out, dark
chocolate brownie crumbs stands out really nicely on a white shirt.
Yes... He caught me. And this is why missionaries shirts are white: it
helps to maintain honesty between companionships. Heh... Yeah...

Fun story.  I mentioned briefly in it that we had gone to zone
conference this past week, during which our mission president spoke a
great deal about happiness. This is something that has interested me
the most, cuz it is so different from what I expected before I came
out on my mission. I expected him to talk about how our statistics are
going down and how we have to repent, and stuff like that, so this was
new to me. One of the stories he told was of someone who had escaped
from North Korea, who was converted to the gospel and had an interview
with the president. She spoke much about how, in North Korea, many
many people thought that if they just had a home, or enough to eat,
they would be happy. But, she said, when she came here, she had those,
but she still wasn't happy, for her family was still in North Korea,
they had no idea she was out, and she didn't think she would see them
again. But, eventually she found the missionaries, and she was able to
receive the good news of the Gospel. This, she said, has brought more
happiness than she has ever felt, especailly knowing she will see her
family again. This made me think for awhile. How many of us, even
church members, seek for happiness elsewhere? How many of us think
that, if only I had this, if I had a legit ride, if I had a
girlfriend/boyfriend, if I got a promotion, yatta yatta, I will be
happy? This is one thing that really sets apart LDS people in Korea
apart from others here. Everyone is rigorously pursuing money,
promotions, advantages, scholarships, thinking that it will bring them
happiness, and I am not saying those pursuits are bad! But one thing
our president mentioned was that the first thing he noticed about the
missionaries before he ws converted was how happy they were. Why, he
wondered, why are they happy when their clothes are shabby and don't
fit well, when they don't even have a car, not even a job, why are
they happy, and not me? The rest is history. Think about this as well.
Strive to pursue all the goals and dreams that you have, but never,
ever lose sight of the eternal. Always remember Your Identity. Always
remember the glorious plan Father has for us.

Wish you all the greatest in everything, especially since it is now
summer, and the cares and worries of school and tests have
disappeared... for now ;) ... and we will end on that ominous note.

Good Luck, God Bless, and God Speed,
Elder Annen

"OK, it's not technically THE Great Stone Dragon, but hey, I was still happy about it ;)