As for New Year's, nothing happened, except now I'm 23, so that's terrifying. (Remember, in Korea, age is counted differently) But it's finally the time of year again when I can use my favorite Korean phrase all day, every day.
새해 복 많이 받으세요!!
I'm trying so hard to remember what else happened last week, but I literally cannot. Plus my companion and I accidentally sat in the smoking section of the PC 방 we're emailing in so my lungs are suffocating from inhaling all the smoke. Bleeeeh.
DW got confirmed yesterday! It was so great! For various reasons, it was the first investigator confirmation that I've ever gotten to see, so I was one happy sister missionary! The gift of the Holy Ghost is so important and now our sweet recent convert is that much closer to enduring to the end.
Our other investigator (okay so we might have only two investigators now, but it's cool. At least they're progressing), let's call her Susie, is doing really well. She's already come to church twice and really likes it, especially Young Women's. We're hoping to give her a baptismal date when we meet her this week. I don't know what it is, but the investigators in this city are just so different, so prepared. It's pretty exciting and it's such a blessing to get to serve her, even for a short while.
This transfer, our mission has been focusing on becoming consecrated missionaries, so I've been studying consecration a lot lately during my personal study. And good news(!) I found a great few scriptures about it in 1 Chronicles. So everybody, get out your scriptures and let's turn there for a sec.
Okay, so we have David, right? He's the king. Okay, well actually Solomon's the king now because David's really old and is, like, dying or whatever, but for the purpose of my spiritual thought David's still the king. And King David says to the people, "We're building a temple and I'm giving everything I have left in order to build it." He says in the scriptures, "I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God. (29:2)" So, David is there. He's consecrated and ready and wanting to give all he can. But the people aren't quite there yet, so he invites them like any missionary would, to consecrate their lives and their service with him in order to build something magnificent to the Lord. In fact, in verse 5 he says, "Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?" He gives his people a challenge.
But what do the people do? Do they ignore him or shy away or shrug their shoulders and say, "Being consecrated would be nice, but not today." No! They "offer willingly" it says. And then my favorite part comes in verse 9, "Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy."
Now if we make this the same as the situation in my mission, then President Shin is King David. And we, the missionaries, are the people. And we're not building a temple, but we are building the kingdom of God and that's pretty much the same thing. So if we do as we are asked, if we try to consecrate ourselves as we should, then I know we, like David and his people, will "rejoice with great joy because we offered willingly."
So remember how much joy a willing heart can bring! Everything is better when it is done with a willing heart.
I love you with a willing heart!
Happy New Year!
Love,
Sydney
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| This must be her Harry Potter impersonation. |
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| Pictures of their apartment |
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| There was no explanation for this one. Must be a member. |
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| DW made them fancey towels |
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| New Years Bag |
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| It's been snowing |
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| DW's baptism |
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