Let Us Live to Make Men Free

Transfer calls! I'm staying with 이에진! If any of you folks at home are counting, that's four companions my whole mission (not including the MTC). Four. And two of them for six months. Surely that's a record.

A miracle for the week--I found sixty dollars! On the ground! 

But wait, let me rewind a bit.

So once upon a time, last P-day, my district leader Elder S...... lost his wallet right after taking $150 from the bank. He was so sad. I was so sad. His companion was so sad because transportation here is really expensive and now they had only $150 to split between the two of them which meant rice and soy sauce for two weeks straight. But they were faithful missionaries and carried on.

Then Sunday came, fast Sunday, and they had a decision to make--to pay their fast offering or to not pay their fast offering? 

They paid it!

And then, miracle of miracles, someone found Elder S......'s wallet and sent it to him. Of course, all the cash was gone, but at least he had all his cards back. And then the very next day I was just walking to the bus, looking down at the ground to make sure I don't trip, and I see a ten-thousand won bill lying on the ground and I'm like, "Yay! Money!" And then I pick it up and find that the ten-thousand won bill is wrapped around a fifty-thousand won bill and I'm like, "Oh no. A lot of money." So I called Elder S...... and asked him if he needed it and he said, "Yes. Yes, please." So pay your fast offering! Because blessings.

As for investigators, MJ has kind of, sort of, dropped us. Ugh, she was so close. We've called and texted and the only text we've gotten in reply is "I'm sorry." Except in Korean.

But DW (the investigator who came to church last week) came to church again yesterday. Also she has a baptismal date that she set herself. When we asked what date she'd decided on I was definitely expecting her to answer like February or March, but instead she said, "I think January 28th would be good. Is that okay?"

Um, yeah, of course it's okay. I'm so excited for her! I think this one might actually work out!! There are lots of young adults in our ward and Nongseong Ward (the ward that meets at the same time as us) so she's already started making lots of good friends. Fingers crossed!

And finally, something spiritual!

It's Christmas! And thus I'll give you a Christmasy spiritual thought, brought to you by one of my favorite Christmas hymns--"Battle Hymn of the Republic!" Because, yes, it is a Christmas hymn as well as a missionary hymn and a patriotic hymn and probably a sacrament hymn too if you slowed down the tempo enough.

Let's look at verse three:

"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea 

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. 

As He died to make men holy, 

Let us live to make men free, 

While God is marching on."

Isn't it true that at Christmastime we live happier, we act kinder, and we love better? This is because, as President Monson says, the spirit of Christmas is at its essence the spirit of Christ. How thankful I am again to be a missionary during this beautiful season of giving and love. 

As a missionary during Christmastime, I have found that "mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

And oh, what a blessing that is.

I love you all dearly.

Sister Sydney.

The theme for this week is putting stuff on my eyes.
I truly think Sydney has lost it this week.  Missionary work has obviously taken it's toll.  :)