Making it Happy

This week.

Let this email be a lesson as to why I never write home about investigators because, I swear, as soon as you write home about them, they drop you. Uggggghh. Why!?

But really it's okay. We still have one investigator left! Plus I think I reached a point on my mission, sometime in 정읍, where I decided that no matter what happened I was going to press forward with joy because gosh-darn it missionary work should be happy. Even if I have to forcibly make it so.

But update on the investigators I talked about last week.

MiO dropped off the face of the planet. We've called her, we've texted her, we've called her on the elders' phone. Nothing. I mean, if you're going to break up with someone, at least send them a text message or a smoke signal or something. Whatever.

MJ still has a baptismal date, but every Sunday when we text to remind her of church, she just ignores us and doesn't reply. I promise that when I have my own phone again I will respond to everyone always. Always.

Pongo and Perdita also dropped us. Bahahahaha. It was just one of those weeks. I won't go into all the details because they're complex and personal, but all hope is not lost with them! Basically Perdita and the puppies dropped us (or did they?!), but Pongo still loves us and came to both the Saturday night and the Sunday sessions of Stake Conference this weekend and ordered a triple combination, a book on parenting, and a picture of the Savior from Deseret Book. But we're still technically dropped. Mixed signals. But I have faith that it will all work out in the end and I will be sure to give you my usual vaguely-worded update about him next week.^^

Good things from this week. There were still so many of them.

The members of our district are the best ever. I mean, they always are, but I especially appreciated how wonderful they were this week. After Pongo and Perdita dropped us, each of the other companionships in our district called to tell us that they loved us, that we were working hard, and that it was all according to the Lord's will. Other missionaries are the best.

Our mission has been focusing this transfer on Becoming One and I've really started to see a change, at least in myself. I don't know if you can tell, but I love everyone so much now! I sent my mission president and his wife a Christmas present this morning I felt so much love for them! I truly do know now that as we can ask to feel the Christ's love in behalf of the other people with whom we serve. His love is real, it is powerful, and if we ask in honesty and humility, it has the ability to soften even the most stubborn of hearts. I know it's softened mine.

I've got to go now, but I'll leave you with one of my favorite stories told in general conference ever. You'll read it, won't you?

I love you all and I'll talk to you next week!

Love,

Sydney

A Story for You <3

Corrie ten Boom, a devout Dutch Christian woman, found such healing despite having been interned in concentration camps during World War II. She suffered greatly, but unlike her beloved sister Betsie, who perished in one of the camps, Corrie survived.

After the war she often spoke publicly of her experiences and of healing and forgiveness. On one occasion a former Nazi guard who had been part of Corrie’s own grievous confinement in Ravensbrück, Germany, approached her, rejoicing at her message of Christ’s forgiveness and love.

“‘How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein,’ he said. ‘To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!’

“His hand was thrust out to shake mine,” Corrie recalled. “And I, who had preached so often … the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

“Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. … Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

“I tried to smile, [and] I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. "Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness."

 As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

“And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself. 

 My cute companion last p-day, making Christmas decorations. she got so into the Christmas spirit that when I asked her what message we should share for FHE that night she was like, "Christmas!" and then I reminded her that it was mid-November and we lived in Asia.

Our Christmas tree. <3

We had a particularly hard day in which our progressing investigator most definitely dropped us, so our zone leader sent us this picture of his face and texted us to "be happy." My favorite part about missionary work is other missionaries.

Abba and Yeajin: take two.

Bored at a bus stop.

 We were trying to take a picture of ourselves to leave on the members doors so they'll remember our faces and I suggested we use my selfie stick. This is what we got. Eeyeajin hates it so much, but I still printed some to give to our very favorite members. The Korean says, "preach the gospel joyful."

 I made friends with this dog wearing tiny dog shoes. My companion thought I was using a clever proselyting approach, but no. I just wanted a picture with the dog.

Reunited with an old friend. Yay Stake Conference.