Friends and Family!
What a week!! First off thank you so much for the great emails and letters! You are all the best! Tell Grandma Happy Birthday! And tell her I love and miss her sooo much! Also, thanks for the update on Jordan Bowman! I actually got a letter from him this week! That’s insane! My friends shouldn’t already be getting married! As for Elder Neff, I saw that one coming. ha ha I think he did too! Addi’s Flat Stanley should be there any day, it was mailed over a week ago. As for your question, I don’t know where Elder Riding is from but he is an animal!! He is tearing up that new area! As for the call you should probably buy a calling card like you did last time and don’t get to excited, yet! haha It’s still a ways away. And Dad, just so you know, I totally believe you and I’d stand up for you for sure! But I’d have to say you’ve got a better case if you say it was Payton rather than Mom, that locked the keys in the truck! ha ha ha Man I love and miss you guys so much!
So this week was definitely the most stressful week ever! haha I am so stressed about this area, training, and all the great investigators here. I put a ton of pressure on myself but on top of that there is pressure from everywhere else; leaders, President Paulson, and God! Some days are just so overwhelming! I love President so much and we have a great relationship, but because of that he just makes it known that a lot is expected.
It’s great to know that he knows, that we will have success, but it’s so much pressure. I’m working so hard, but we had 0 people to church this week! It’s so tough when you put everything into it and that happens. Karl and Chris (our baptismal dates) didn't show because stuff came up and all of our other investigators had some kind of excuse. I was not happy! But so many people are right there and I think this week will be a make or break week because we are going in with some super bold, powerhouse lessons! Next week I will either be excited out of my mind, or we will have no investigators. We will see what happens.
We are extending a date to Sandy tonight and telling her that she has to go to our church to get answers to her prayers. I’m nervous but excited! I love being bold but hopefully it goes well! I love her and her family so much. So we will hope for the best!
Chris quit smoking this week and he’s been off 5 days now! We are going in bold with Christy tomorrow so hopefully that goes well! We also set up Sharon for a Family Home Evening with some members this week! These people are all so great, but they are so nervous about change!
After church we found another family, though! I’m super excited about them and we are meeting with them tomorrow! Hopefully all goes well there!
As for training, it is so fun/funny/stressful/hard! haha My companion is Elder Platt from St. George Utah! He loves the work and he has a lot of energy, but he doesn't know what to do with it! haha It is soooo fun to be around a new missionary because it revives you, but also makes you see how much you have grown. I have had to learn so much patience, when it comes to letting him teach. The other day he started teaching lesson 3 when we were supposed to be teaching lesson 1. Then I corrected it and then turned it back over to him and he shared the same scripture I had just shared! It was hilarious and the investigator thought it was pretty funny, too. It all worked out, but man it’s funny to train. He isn't nervous at all but he doesn't know what to say with all of his excitement.
We went street contacting and it is so hard for me to let contacts get lost that I think wouldn't have, if it was me. But at the same time it’s so fun to teach him and see him get better! He definitely likes to work though and as long as it stays that way, it should be a great transfer!
A little more info on Elder Platt, he is the youngest, again! Every companion I have had has been the youngest child! haha It’s crazy because the youngest kids really are wired a little different. And I’ve come to find out that the oldest (like me) are wired really different too! I have learned so much from all of my companions, but I will learn so much from this one! It really has made me go back to the basics and evaluate my teaching! It has already helped me a ton and I think it will continue to help me a lot more! I am usually a big ball hog, when it comes to teaching and that was when I was with missionaries that had been out and knew what they were doing. So it has been so hard to sit back and let him teach, but it has been so good for me! Also, I must say that the most fun part about training is when they are teaching or talking to some one we tract into or street contact and they don’t know what to say. hahaha He looks over to me with this horrified expression on his face, that is pleading with me to jump in and help! haha It is the best!! At first, I would jump in and save him, but now I’m having to make myself smile and look back at him. It’s horrible and so hard for me, but it’s what we’ve been asked to do and it really does help him! But man, it’s fun to see that face! The other funny thing about training is when they think they know everything! I’m sure I was the same way when I got out but he will come up with what he thinks is the best idea in the world and it’s something that you just do anyways as a missionary. haha But I play along with it and build him up! It’s so much fun and so neat! It makes me respect my trainer a lot more, too!
It’s been so weird because I am still a young missionary, but I’ve been given this responsibility. There is so much that I don’t know! It’s been super humbling and I have learned so much! I think I’m learning more than Elder Platt!
The training meeting and transfer meeting was a blast! I learned a ton at the training meeting and it was so fun to see all my missionary friends! It’s so weird how fast time is going! Life is just unreal! I’ts just a huge crazy dream right now! I’m so stressed, but I wouldn't want to be doing anything else and I think that I wouldn't be happy with myself if I wasn't this stressed. haha It’s just part of life I guess!
I’m doing good though, healthy and happy! I’m so excited about this week and I really hope things go well! This branch really needs a boost and I feel like it is so close to getting it!
I love you all sooo much and I’m so grateful for all of you and all that you do! I love you all a bunch and I’ll talk to you next week. Love Elder Smith
