Maligayang Pasko!!! (Merry Christmas)
Hey everyone! I'm so glad I got to talk to some of you; it was great hearing from you. Christmas was good; we really got spoiled. On Christmas Eve we had zone conference and President Howard and Sister Howard gave us pizza and candy and we watched a movie on Emma Smith. After that we went to Elder and Sister Smith's home for another movie, little gifts, food, and some spiritual stuff about Christmas. It was really cool. It doesn't feel much like Christmas here but I got to reflect on Christ's birth and it's amazing to me that he willingly came here to die for us and provide an atonement so we can return home to Him. Every day I love Christ more for all He has done for us.
I hope all of you had a great Christmas. I love you all and I hope you're all doing well. Stay safe and remember how blessed we are as members of Christ's true church. I know this is His work and I know He loves us. I have felt His love; His arms of love are always outstretched towards us waiting to embrace us if we come unto Him.
Love, Elder Smith
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Hello everyone,
We went to the Temple with a recent convert this week. We didn't go in we just showed her stuff. She is really excited about working towards going to the Temple. We also took her to the Family History Center. We had a bit of extra time there so I started asking the sister about it. While I was there I looked up some of my family and the work that has already been done. It's so cool! I'm actually really interested in family history now; I never thought that would happen. I've learned how important this work is. It's one of the greatest works we will do here on the earth. Our families are just waiting for us to do their work for them. I looked up some family and found Emma Sommer who I got my middle name from and Joseph Hyrum Smith. I just think it's so cool! These are real people. I saw some people who have been found and just need to be taken to the Temple and I wanted so badly to do their work for them. It really is an important work.
Well other than that it's been a short week because of transfers. I hope everyone is doing well. I love you all.
Love, Elder Smith
We went to the Temple with a recent convert this week. We didn't go in we just showed her stuff. She is really excited about working towards going to the Temple. We also took her to the Family History Center. We had a bit of extra time there so I started asking the sister about it. While I was there I looked up some of my family and the work that has already been done. It's so cool! I'm actually really interested in family history now; I never thought that would happen. I've learned how important this work is. It's one of the greatest works we will do here on the earth. Our families are just waiting for us to do their work for them. I looked up some family and found Emma Sommer who I got my middle name from and Joseph Hyrum Smith. I just think it's so cool! These are real people. I saw some people who have been found and just need to be taken to the Temple and I wanted so badly to do their work for them. It really is an important work.
Well other than that it's been a short week because of transfers. I hope everyone is doing well. I love you all.
Love, Elder Smith
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Hey everyone,
Well it's been a crazy, busy week. We have been working a lot (like always). I can't believe I'm already done with one transfer. I'm still in the same area and with the same companion.
So I had some crazy food this week. 1) Fresh squid from the ocean 2) Wasabi, some stuff you put on sushi that is super hot! (the elders didn't tell me it was hot). 3) Monkey :) We went to a member's house and they started feeding us. I knew something was up when they were all staring at me, then the mom said "it's monkey" Crazy! It was actually pretty good.
Well we don't get much of a Christmas here, but we got to bring Christmas to some orphans. We went and sang at an orphanage as a zone. I've never seen anyone as grateful as these little kids were. They wouldn't let us leave after we were done singing. They all came up and started hugging us. It really reminded me of what Christmas is really about and the love that Jesus Christ has for us. I hope you all remember how blessed we are for what He has done for each of us. We would have nothing and receive nothing if it wasn't for Him.
I love you all!
Love, Elder Smith
Well it's been a crazy, busy week. We have been working a lot (like always). I can't believe I'm already done with one transfer. I'm still in the same area and with the same companion.
So I had some crazy food this week. 1) Fresh squid from the ocean 2) Wasabi, some stuff you put on sushi that is super hot! (the elders didn't tell me it was hot). 3) Monkey :) We went to a member's house and they started feeding us. I knew something was up when they were all staring at me, then the mom said "it's monkey" Crazy! It was actually pretty good.
Well we don't get much of a Christmas here, but we got to bring Christmas to some orphans. We went and sang at an orphanage as a zone. I've never seen anyone as grateful as these little kids were. They wouldn't let us leave after we were done singing. They all came up and started hugging us. It really reminded me of what Christmas is really about and the love that Jesus Christ has for us. I hope you all remember how blessed we are for what He has done for each of us. We would have nothing and receive nothing if it wasn't for Him.
I love you all!
Love, Elder Smith
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Hello everyone,
Sorry this email is late. The internet was down here. It's crazy; things just stop working for no reason. The power will just go out for hours or the water or the internet; it's crazy. I'm in a town but it's not really nice. There are lots of just houses and if you go past the houses there's just rice fields or "jungle" and mountains. It's a small town but a lot of people. It's way different than any place I've ever been to.
Well it's crazy this transfer is over next Wednesday. I won't be emailing next Monday either because P-day gets moved for transfers. Most likely I'm staying here; I'd like to stay. We have couple missionaries here, Elder and Sister Smith, who are really great. We get to have Family Home Evening every other week at their house. We have a good dinner, a lesson, games, and ice cream which is a luxury here. They are really great. They have a blog it's dvs-manilamission.blogspot.com. On it, they have pictures of us and us singing at our zone conference. You can look at those pictures since I've been really bad about sending any.
Well something cool but kind of bad happened this week; I got sick. I really didn't think I was going to be able to work for the day but I remembered something someone said in the MTC. "Have faith and take the first step." So that's what I did. I said a prayer and took the "first step" out the door. We worked for 9 hours and although I didn't feel 100%, I was doing pretty good. When we got home for the night, right when I sat down in our house the sickness came back. It was cool seeing the Lord help me do His work and answer my prayers.
During the week, we got a referral for a lady; she is 96 years old and wants to be baptized. She is reading the Book of Mormon and she came to church which is a good ways away from her home. It's never too late for someone to come to the Lord. It's so great seeing people receive the gospel here. We have a lot of investigators; the Lord has really prepared these people.
Well I love you all and I'll write again on Wednesday and let you know if I'm staying in this area or not.
Love, Elder Smith
Sorry this email is late. The internet was down here. It's crazy; things just stop working for no reason. The power will just go out for hours or the water or the internet; it's crazy. I'm in a town but it's not really nice. There are lots of just houses and if you go past the houses there's just rice fields or "jungle" and mountains. It's a small town but a lot of people. It's way different than any place I've ever been to.
Well it's crazy this transfer is over next Wednesday. I won't be emailing next Monday either because P-day gets moved for transfers. Most likely I'm staying here; I'd like to stay. We have couple missionaries here, Elder and Sister Smith, who are really great. We get to have Family Home Evening every other week at their house. We have a good dinner, a lesson, games, and ice cream which is a luxury here. They are really great. They have a blog it's dvs-manilamission.blogspot.com. On it, they have pictures of us and us singing at our zone conference. You can look at those pictures since I've been really bad about sending any.
Well something cool but kind of bad happened this week; I got sick. I really didn't think I was going to be able to work for the day but I remembered something someone said in the MTC. "Have faith and take the first step." So that's what I did. I said a prayer and took the "first step" out the door. We worked for 9 hours and although I didn't feel 100%, I was doing pretty good. When we got home for the night, right when I sat down in our house the sickness came back. It was cool seeing the Lord help me do His work and answer my prayers.
During the week, we got a referral for a lady; she is 96 years old and wants to be baptized. She is reading the Book of Mormon and she came to church which is a good ways away from her home. It's never too late for someone to come to the Lord. It's so great seeing people receive the gospel here. We have a lot of investigators; the Lord has really prepared these people.
Well I love you all and I'll write again on Wednesday and let you know if I'm staying in this area or not.
Love, Elder Smith
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Hey everyone,
Sorry I couldn't write earlier this week. We got to go to the Temple this week and that meant our P-day gets moved; I didn't know that. It happens eveytime we go to the Temple or have transfers (transfers is on the 16th! That's crazy). Well this week has been really busy. The Temple was great today except we had to wake up at 2 am to beat the traffic. I'm pretty tired and we work for a few hours tonight but it's great. This week we also had interviews, splits, and a baptism for a little girl; it's been crazy!
We have been really busy lately. This area that I'm in is so great! We taught a guy a really quick lesson when we tracked into him. When we were leaving he said in English "Come back again." The spirit was really strong as we left and I looked back at him when we got a ways away from his house and he was reading the pamphlet we gave him; it was so cool. Well sorry this is pretty short but I've got to go. I love you all and hope all is well.
Love, Elder Smith
Sorry I couldn't write earlier this week. We got to go to the Temple this week and that meant our P-day gets moved; I didn't know that. It happens eveytime we go to the Temple or have transfers (transfers is on the 16th! That's crazy). Well this week has been really busy. The Temple was great today except we had to wake up at 2 am to beat the traffic. I'm pretty tired and we work for a few hours tonight but it's great. This week we also had interviews, splits, and a baptism for a little girl; it's been crazy!
We have been really busy lately. This area that I'm in is so great! We taught a guy a really quick lesson when we tracked into him. When we were leaving he said in English "Come back again." The spirit was really strong as we left and I looked back at him when we got a ways away from his house and he was reading the pamphlet we gave him; it was so cool. Well sorry this is pretty short but I've got to go. I love you all and hope all is well.
Love, Elder Smith
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