Hey!
Thanks so much for all of the great emails! It sounds like it was a great week for everybody! Sounds like you’ve got an exciting spring break coming! That should be a blast!! I can’t wait for spring! It keeps warming up to like -10 and we think its coming and then it shoots back down to the -30’s. It’s ridiculous! Luckily we’ve been teaching a lot! It sounds like it’s been cold there too eh? That’s no good! How’s the skiing been Payt? Mom thanks for staying on top of all the schooling stuff. I have to say its kind of depressing to think about school again! Listening to Payt talk about his senior thesis made me upset to my stomach! By the way, what did you write it about, Payt? I loved your emails though! I got a chuckle because both mom and dad said "well not to make you trunky but...." haha Over a year down and you still want me back. I also laughed because Mom said she’d be content to have me there for bike rides, lunches, shopping and movies. I’m sure after a week a that you’d be ready to ship me off again! You guys are the best! I love and miss you a ton!!
So this week as just been crazy! Today we thought we were gonna be on schedule to get everything done so we could have time to clean up the apartment and get Alex’s gift sent, but then we ran into a guy that wanted to bash with us at Quiznos. Man, I was so excited about Quiznos and this guy really messed it up! haha I didn’t even enjoy my sandwich. We were there for an hour and it went no where! How do people not see that the church is true!?!? It’s funny because I’ve tried so hard to not get contentious with people and I’ve gotten a ton better like I haven’t bashed with someone in a long time. But man, when you interupt Quiznos and tell me that Joseph Smith is not a prophet, it sets me off! haha This guy caught me at the wrong time, so i just went bible bashing crazy. It’s funny because like all our points are right and make sense! I don’t know what he’s thinking, but I always feel terrible when it’s all said and done because without the Spirit, it goes no where. It’s a funny thing! It’s been one of those things that has been so neat for me to see on my mission! The Holy Ghost is sooo wonderful! As we strive to live worthy of it, it can make such a huge impact on our lives! It’s been hard to learn because of my pride, but it really isn’t me at all that converts people to the Church of Jesus Christ and if it is because of me, it doesn’t last. People don’t truly gain a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ until they receive and recognize an answer from the Holy Ghost. And once we have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, it can help us so much as we let it! And when we live worthy of it and listen, life is sooo great! I am so grateful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost!!
But anyways, this week was kinda crazy!! We had a lot of miracles and craziness! A lady that we tracted into, invited us over for food. She said, “Whatta you want?” And she listed off some things and we said we were happy with anything and she said, “Well I’ll make whatever.” She listed of some more and then said “steak” and both me and Elder Woods said, “Yes please!” haha So we showed up and the steaks are all ready and everything. She lives with her boyfriend so we were excited because we wanted to teach him and we thought she was a member. After eating, we found out that neither one of them was a member!! My eyebrows raised! haha I guess her whole family got baptized when she was younger, but her. They live in a super nice house with a kid and they want to get married but they don’t know what church to get married in! After supper we had a great lesson, and we are going over again this week! It was super exciting! We also taught a great lady on Saturday night! We had a great lesson with her and she came to church the next day!! We were super excited about the week and then church got here.... we had a couple people there, but man the Sacrament Meeting was soooo painful! Crazy speakers, the choir of 7 people sang, (3 never went to the practices and 2 were the other elders). hahaa Man, I was cherry red and trying to decide wether to laugh or cry! I promise you that you have never experienced a meeting like that! haha Like man, I’ve had a goal to not say anything negative and I was doing great until Sunday! haha Good thing it’s a new week and I can repent and reevaluate! Like man I wish Dad would have been there. We would have had some good laughs! BECAUSE OF IT, I KNOW THAT THE CHURCH IS TRUE!! There is noooo way that people would come back week after week if it wasn’t! The people here are so amazing and so loving and long suffering! I asked the new lady what she thought. She said "hmmm, what did I think........." She looked at me with a confused questioning look and said "It was... interesting." Luckily, even with crazy people and crazy services, I think new people still feel something there, because she is still having us come and see her this week! It’s been so neat though because even with all of the imperfections of this ward, the Spirit is still there and there are some amazing members!
We have a busy, exciting week ahead of us! Hopefully all goes well!! I love and miss you all so much and I’m so grateful for all that you do for me! The church is so true!! Have a wonderful week! Love Elder Smith
