It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

It's been yet another incredible week here in Duisburg. And while it doesn't look anything like Christmas (warmest December they have had in like 50 years at least), it sure feels like it. I am going to go all cliche here, and say being a missionary during Christmas time is one of the greatest things in the world. All you have time for as a missionary is to think about Christ, and during the Christmas Season, we get to make up excuses to do that even more!!

Highlights:

*One of our investigators prepared for church by staying up until 12:30 Saturday night reading the Ensign...he also has watched more General Conference Sessions in the last week than most people do in 5 years.

*We had two people walk into church yesterday saying that they wanted to learn more about Jesus Christ

*I went on my first splits this week..the Sisters out here are incredible!!

*We went Christmas caroling, and everyone tried to pay us.

*We had a jam session with a street performer. (please click here to view video)

I was trying to figure out how to share how important Christ is to me, and the only thing I could think of was to write a poem.

So, here it is.

The dust, the heat, the sweat,

Fleeting traces of a thousand footprints,

suspended between heaven and hell.

The hunger of humanity, thick and heavy,

captive, servant, slave to the law of their own sorrow.

Bruised by their iniquity,

scarred by the memory of the lost, the torn, the scattered.

They are forgotten.

A babe, a child, an innocent,

born into the dust, the heat, the sweat.

Poised, a bronze-plated serpent,

tipping the scales of justice,

the single hope for humanity,

the only balm for Gilead,

the final end, and the new beginning.

A shaft of light in a dark and angry world,

a clap of thunder or roaring fire,

the silence, the holiness, the calm,

bring the wise, the men, and the kings

down to their knees.

Without money, without price,

the souls of men, purchased, bought, and paid,

won by the blood, the sweat, the tears of He who is Grace.

I know God lives. I know He loved the world so much, that He sent His Son, our Brother Jesus Christ, to be a baby. To be human, to feel what we have felt, and to be prepared to save us.

Trust Him. Take the opportunity to trust Him a little more this season.

I love you all SO MUCH!!

Sister Roderer