Be not afraid

                 We had a quiet week with a couple of days at the USO, an expanded group of soldiers at our Family Home Evening activity and a trip to Seoul for mission training and one more Christmas celebration. Wayne had a soldier to tutor in math and I worked hours trying to prepare two sets of daily lesson plans for three weeks.  It was still good to have some open time to prepare and rest.

                With the help of a Korean we figured out how to catch the fast train to Seoul. We learned that it leaves from the east side of the platform and not the west and that it has an extra word on the sign. We had time to withdraw won from the Worri Bank that has a great exchange rate plus we think its name is comical for a bank. We walked the mile up the hill to the mission home because the air was mild and we wanted the steps.

                We enjoyed the association of the other senior missionaries and the training provided by President and Sister Sonksen. The Spirit is always strong at the meetings. We learned that Elder Holland will visit us in February. I don’t know why we are being so blessed. Sister Cannon made GF pancakes for me and made sure that one of the breakfast casseroles was gluten-free. I felt extremely pampered. Sister Sonksen had Christmas gifts for all of us. Someone delivered long-Johns for both elders and sisters to every mission in Korea. They want the missionaries to be warm.

                I was the speaker for sacrament meeting so I used scriptures around the theme of choosing faith over fear and trusting that all will work out in the end. I shared stories about my ancestors whose faith and dedication to their testimony of Jesus Christ and his restored gospel were forged as they weathered some pretty difficult hardships in the early days of the restoration of the church. They were eye witness to angels round about them as they consistently chose to act in faith in spite of very real dangers and fear. In the end, they knew that it would be all right. With the sealing ordinances of the temple, they had hope of everlasting life with God, Jesus Christ, and with their family.

The one surprise was about twenty Korean members who joined our sacrament meeting for the first time. They will meet with us and then hold their own extended meetings in Korean. The plan was for them to bring ear phones and a translator, but that didn’t happen today. I wanted them to be happy they had come today and happy to meet with us so I asked our elder to translate the talk standing beside me. He was quickly replaced by one of the Koreans who had been educated at BYU-Hawaii. It was a first for me to speak with translation, but it was the right choice today.

We had two African women who stayed for Relief Society. I was the Relief Society teacher today, too, so I had the opportunity to introduce President Hinckley to these two women who are both recent converts and share the message of the restoration.

We had one soldier at our meeting on post. Since I was the only speaker I decided to read the full talk. I think it is amazing that partaking of the sacrament is so important that in the Lord’s Church we hold a meeting for one person. What a wonderful way to being a New Year.