"Well something funny that happened this week..."

Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 7:20 AM

Howdy Family!

Wow sounds like everything is happening so fast! I hear that Andrea and Abe got there one week, and then the next they have a house! And Laurel will be moving too! So much is going on, and Nat starts junior high! And you are remodeling the house! Hopefully things can calm down for you guys here in a little bit. Sounds fun though! I can't wait to see pictures of Andrea and Abe's new place and also the finished product of our remodeling. And thanks for the scripture Dad, I can relate well to that sometimes.

Well things here are crazy aswell. We are doing lots of things to get our ward moving! The pace was a little slow here but we are starting to get going now. We have been teaching alot with our members and taking the young men with us during the day. Alot of the young men only have school until 11 or noon and don't have much to do after that so they are usually free and it is something good for them to do! And it helps us aswell, they are fun to be with. Our English class is going really well. Our first class only two people came, but then the second was more like 10! And people are really liking it and are inviting people. Also our activity on friday went well, alot of people arrived late but it was still great. It started with about 10 people and ended with like 25. We did a treasure hunt and I made brownies. Everyone loved them. Tell Mark Lybbert thanks! 

We will continue doing these activities to help the members, non-members and less-actives. The work of the Lord is exciting, never-ending, and fun! I really love these people here and I hope we can leave this ward better than we found it. I am playing the Organ here (they don't have a piano) so that is fun aswell. 

This week during district meeting we decided to fast to find more people, specifically more men because the church needs more men here! During our fast, we found an awesome family that lives really close to the church. We made a contact with the dad, who at the time had a beer in his hand, and he let us come back and teach his family. We are teaching 4 of the 5 members (one of the sons isn't home often and I don't think is much interested). They all went to church sunday and agreed to be baptized! We just need to help them with the Word of Wisdom, I know the Lord will help them because when ever He gives us a commandment, he will always help us fulfill! (1 Nephi 3:7) I am very excited for them.

We also found a lady who has already heard about the church because she is currently using familysearch.org. She came to our english class the same day we knocked her door. The young men washed her cars already too (they are saving up to go to EFY). She is very awesome, just that her ''husband'' is in Rio right now and they plan to marry the beginning of December. We will have to talk to her more and figure out what we can do. She loves our church though and I am excited for her and hope we can help her embrace the Gospel in her life and in her family.

Well something funny that happened this week, one young man had a football and I got way excited because I haven't thrown a football in awhile. I was in my church clothes but I just wanted to make a few tosses. So we did a few tosses and then I remembered my long-snapping days. I bent over to do a long snap and at the same time ripped my pants a little bit. But it's okay cause mom sent me with a sewing kit and so I will sew it right up! It was pretty funny though. It wasn't huge and no one can tell it's there so I continued on throughout the day.

Well I am grateful for the oppurtunity to serve here. I am grateful for the success we have had so far and I hope we can remain humble and hard-working so we can acheive great things here. All things good come from God. We must always remember to give our thanks to our Heavenly Father for all he does for us. I am grateful for this Gospel and for the chance to be a missionary. Sometimes it's hard to deal with the responsibilty of being a missionary, but I can always remember that what I am doing is what Heavenly Father wants me to do and that His spirit can always be with me if I live worthy and am ready to recieve Him. 

I love you all and I hope you have a splendid week! Tchau!

Yours Truly,

Elder Smith

Pic #1: This was after our activity Friday! I love these people!
Pic #2: Me and Elder Pechel! 
Pic #3: This is Marcello, a young man in the ward. He is always willing to help us and is great. One day he was sad and I asked him why and he said he was hungry. Another time he was tracting and teaching with us and he realy wanted ice cream. So we told him we would buy him ice cream if he stayed with us until 7PM. We bought him ice cream, but still he left a little early. He is way funny.