Christmas is Coming

It has been a really interesting time being out in the mission field for Christmas. I feel like sometimes I was humbug at home, but I really love Christmas!

So lets get some of the temporal things out of the way first:

I forgot to mention this last week, but my trainer is the same elder that trained Elder Cole, the missionary in this mission from Preston. That's pretty cool, I think. Also on the topic of strange coincidences, There is an Elder Gunnell in my district. When I first met him he asked me my full name so I told him and then he was like, "Did you ever go to Millville Elementary?" I was like yes... He was like we were in the same first grade class, I saw your name on the mission newsletter and I thought I recognized it. Somehow he had remembered me from first grade. It was Jordan Gunnell. I don't know if you remember him, but I only remembered like one thing about him. What are the odds right?

I also had the opportunity to go on exchanges, I went to Liberal, KS for a day while my companion was at a training. Liberal is super big on The Wizard of Oz. So they have statues of Dorothy on several street corners. I wanted a picture with Dorothy, but unfortunately I never rode by her. Earlier in the week though I drove by Dorothy to go to Zone Conference so I took a picture of her then.

Apparently there is a tradition to make a new planner cover every transfer. Some missionaries have themes others don't. I used a picture of Arthur and Nora Harrison Williams because they looked cold and all dressed up for winter and I'm cold and bundled up a lot. I've been thinking of ideas for future planner covers. So fun!

Now onto the better stuff:

Earlier this week we had the opportunity to provide service at a place called Loaves and Fishes. It's like a Bishop's Pantry but for a lot of denominations. It's a great place to make contacts because the humble heart is a lot more teachable, as we learn from Alma's experiences with the Zoramites. After the service the song 'Feed the Birds' from Mary Poppins came into my head. It was in my head for most of the day, I thought it was unrelated for awhile but it's really not. The message of 'Feed the Birds' is of service. It wasn't until the First Presidency Devotional last night that I connected Service to Christmas. I love Elder Christofferson's quote about shepherds:

"When we see shepherds may we remember to be humble."

The Shepherds were humble and teachable and though they might have thought they were providing service by going to see the Christ child. It was the baby who was providing a service to them.

We all need to endure, if we endure in Christ it is possible. We need courage to endure, but I want to say that Courage isn't always a loud roar. Often it's the soft voice at the end of the day that says, tomorrow I will try my best again. I wish I was in Kansas so I could make a cowardly lion reference here, but I'm in Oklahoma so I can't :). Thinking of courage this way reminds me of a quote I have often seen in Grandma Nichole's bedroom: "If on our quest we do our best, the Lord is there to do the rest." Think of what the Young Women's President said last night: "Sometimes small things are the most important";"Sometimes the small and simple acts have the largest impact." I think that this is so true.

As all of you continue preparations for Christmas I wish you a season full of service and courage. Have the courage to serve.

Love,

Elder Waldron