3 days till Christmas!! It is really weird though because as a missionary it doesn't feel like a normal Christmas because I will not be with my wonderful family and am not doing what I did all growing up preparing for Christmas. Time just kind of all blends together out here in the mission field. I had a lot of opportunities to pass out the "He is the gift" pass along cards they gave us to hand out before Christmas. We still have a lot more to pass out but that's okay because I love any chance I get to use my Korean skills, which aren't great, to talk about Jesus and Christmas!! I learned a lot of vital lessons this week that have made me really think hard. There have been some gifts I have took for granted and have really realized the importance of them till just now... You just learn so much being a missionary, it is awesome! One point I really liked yesterday when I watched the annual Christmas Devotional that was broadcast from SLC was the fact that God didn't send tornadoes, earthquakes, or strike us with lightning to get us to straighten up but He sent a tender little baby. That just shocked me when I heard that because I realized that God really did know and had the utmost patient in the world that He didn't strike the world with His almighty power but instead sent a baby boy. A baby boy that would soon become the Redeemer of the world! Through and because of Him we are able to be happy and have the opportunity to live for time and all eternity with our families. This plan just makes sense! God knows all of His children and wants us all to return to live with Him again. From here on out I will be able to view Christmas in a way I have never been able to before view it. Christmas has a whole new meaning to me now... I may not be the best person or missionary I can be right now but thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I can always be forgiven of my sins and become who He wants me to become. Hurrah for Israel! Hurrah for Christmas time! Because it truly is "the most wonderful time of the year!" We watched the devotional in Korean but lucky for me there was a man at church that let me use his Ipad so I could read along and actually understand haha. I wouldn't of got as much out of it as I did if it weren't for that man and his Ipad. That may not seem like a miracle but man was it one. I felt the spirit so strongly yesterday and couldn't help but smile.
I got to go to the temple this week! My companion and I did initiatories because they needed 2 elders to do them. We get in there and it was all in Korean and the men performing the ordinances were speaking really fast so I didn't understand a thing accept for "amen." Then as I sat there with my eyes closed I heard fluent English. For a second I thought I had just experienced the gift of tongues but then realized the man was actually speaking English... Although that man made my experience at the temple so much more meaningful and because he was there and that point and time to do that, that in itself is a miracle! I got my Christmas package but haven't opened it yet. So thanks family for sending that. You are the best. I also got some other mail. Thanks to everyone who sends me mail. I love getting mail, it's the best!
Since I get to Skype with my family this week this email will be a little shorter than usual. The last thing I am going to talk about is our ward Christmas party we had on Saturday. There was a pretty good turn out and I got to be Santa!! Being Santa was really fun and all of the kids in the ward knew it was me so that was pretty funny. One of them when I came in actually said "That's not the real Santa" so that was pretty funny. They had lots of food and some investigators came so that was really good. We actually have 2 sisters that have been coming to church and want to get baptized so that is pretty cool. Not sure when they want to but hey it's a start! Well anyways I love you all so much and thanks for your support while I am over here in Korea, you are the best!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Love,
Elder Picard
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| Santa and his companion |
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| They like there Santas tall and thin in Korea, a bit different than America. |
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| Santa in action at the ward Christmas party, too much fun! |
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| Public transportation, easy to find the tall white guy. |
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So crowded.
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