Andy went to the black market. "We can get all sorts of good American food and other stuff like deodorant. It's stuff that Americans smuggle off the military base and sell to the black market dealers. "

Andy just passed his halfway point, but he wants to extend his mission a month or two. We will see how he feels about that as he get closer to his time to leave!

Andy and his companion are going to Pusan for a mission conference and there is a place in Pusan where he can buy root beer. He has only has root beer once in the past 10 months. "This time I'm not stopping at just one!!!!"

"i've been practicing my Korean handwriting. Koreans can always tell if a Korean wrote it so my goal is to write so they can't tell." Learning a foreign language has inspired Andy to major in Linguistics. He wants to learn Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Latin, Japenese, Native American languages - ancient Aztec, Mayan, Incan, also Navajo and Apache. "I better study hard when I get home". Yep - we think so too Andy!!!!

"I'm still in Taegu with my second Korean comp. I just started reading JESUS THE CHRIST by James E. Talmage. It's the coolest. I'm sure you've all read it but if you haven't I recommend it cause it's so interesting. Talmadge must have been one smart dude."

"I'm still having the time of my life here on my mission. The language is fun. I love just knowing that I'm not just working for some guy like me so I can earn money. It's good to read in Alma about Ammon and his friends and realize that I'm doing the exact same thing" (Hopefully Andy was not refering to cutting off people's arms.)

August, 1999

Andy has been in Korea for a year now. "Language gets better everyday. I'm learning so much. It seems like I've been in Taegu forever, so even though I think this is the best area in all of Korea, I'm ready to move on."

Andy also thinks "the key to happiness is to keep broadening our views. Look at the big picture which is the plan of happiness of our Heavenly Father."

Andy has a new mission president. His name is President Slover. He reports that the president knew Andy before he even arrived because they found his missionary web page. Andy reports that "the new pres is cool, but I already miss President and Sister Leishman. They were so rad."

September 1, 1999

Andy was transferred last week. He is now in Ulsan: "the 3rd most polluted city in the whole entire world!" The big electric sign (like the ones on banks) switches from time to temperature to humidity and pollution level. The ward has about 40 active members and literally hundreds of inactives. Andy's new companion is Elder Davis from Iowa. Andy is now senior companion. He's getting plenty of practice using his Korean.