Hello family!
You cannot appreciate the highs until you have endured the low.
Last week we were riding a wave of success and things were better than they
have ever been. This week was really hard. But true to form, God takes care of
His missionaries. For every disappointment there is a miracle right around the
corner. When we are obedient, God will do the rest. Never doubt, never fear,
our Lord and Savior is ever near.
This week, Cedric dropped us. We were planning his baptism for
yesterday and he was really, really excited for it. We had the last few
commandments to teach and he was ready. All was well until we taught
tithing. He doesn't want to pay it and doesn't think he
ever will. He didn't come to church and he doesn't want to meet with
us anymore. It is heart-breaking. I don't think I have ever desired more for
someones salvation than I have for his. It is so hard to watch people
you love choose not to be happy and to receive salvation. Sigh. Life goes
on.
Deji bombed our appointment and has slipped into limbo unless we
miraculously find him. Also sad.
But lots of happy happened this week! For the past
long time we have been trying to get a sports night started to
fellowship investigators and less actives and it has finally happened. The past
few weeks we have played basketball once a week and it is great. Its too
bad though because all these months not playing have driven what
little skill I had into hiding. I felt pretty useless the first time and
slightly less so the second. I can still shoot decently but my court sense
is nowhere to be found. I feel like a chicken with no head. Enough of
that! On to missionary work!
On Tuesday we were in Kitchener for a Speciallty training
pretty much all day. We stayed Monday night in London (two hour
drive) with the Zone Leaders and then drove the last hour and a half
to Kitchener Tuesday. On the drive to London the Assisstants called me and
asked me to do a last minute musical number...I'm pretty sure there hasn't been
a big mission meeting without me singing in it. I'm okay with it because I need
to share my talents but I can never just relax through a meeting. It went
really well. Elder Baconawa, the Elder who did it with me, is sweet and had
this amazing arrangement of "I Like to Look for Rainbows" that we
performed. It started by him improvising while I read Mosiah 18: 10-11 and then
we sang the song together and just made up our own parts. It went really well
and the Spirit was super, super strong. It was a great meeting and I learned
a ton. It was a really great experience.
Wednesday was equal parts disappointing and happy. We got bombed
and cancelled three times but during that time we found a new
investigator and a super promising potential. The new investigator
is Michael. He is from Ghana and us taking some classes from UofWindsor.
He already believes the Book of Mormon is true and is praying about
baptism. He wants to take it slow and is doing his research but he is real
cool. The potential is Logan. He is from China and is super busy with school
but really wants to learn when he finishes this semester. So in May we'll call
him up and then baptize him. :)
Thursday was when Cedric bombed us but it was also when we
played basketball. It was actually really nice to be able to forget and just
play for a while. I really needed to get my mind off of it to get the
right perspective. It was a good day I guess.
Friday was Distric meeting it went pretty well. I feel like I
have got the hang of things finally and I know what I can and should do. Then I
went on exchanges with Leamington and had a great time. I had a "realize
how far I've come" moment while tracting. I placed a Book of Mormon and
set up a few return appointments and was just feeling really good. I just felt
like I knew what I was doing. I then thought back to exchanges with my district
leader in Markham. We were tracting and every house he knocked on would
talk to us and some even set up appointments and he made it look easy
while every house I knocked on went poorly. On my exchange
this week I saw those roles reversed. I got to see how the Lord had
changed me. It was great.
Saturday and Sunday were okay. We only had one investigator at
church. Shawna brought her brother Albert and we got to teach him after. He is
super sweet and is a great kid. He probably won't get baptized for a while
becuase his mom is a little opposed. Pray that her heart will be softened and
that he will be able to be baptized. The rest of the day was spent riding the
bus and trying to talk to people. The bus crowd is a tough crowd. :)
I am doing well and I'm lovin' this missionary thing. I am
surprised by how fast it is going and I am hoping I'll be able to enjoy every
last second. I know that this church is true and that we as members have
secured our salvation as we strive to live faithful to the coventants we have
made. I am so grateful for this chance that I have to serve the Lord for two
years. I love you all and hope you have a stellar week! Work hard! See
miracles! Do good things!
Love,
Elder Smith
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