Elder Ryan Smith's Mission Blog: Week 4

AREA: Northwest Zone, Tucson (Catalina, AZ)

COMPANION: Elder Young

\Everyone,

Monday: Woke up this morning at 6:20 our normal time and went to read
scriptures with a less active family in my ward named the Otuafi's.
They're a really cool family! After we read scriptures we get buff in
their home gym they have in the garage. I didn't lift though because I
have been sick with a cold from the stupid mtc. For pday me and Elder
Young met up with the zone at the stake center and played basketball.
Basketball really isn't my thing and I was sick, so I just watched and
talked with the other missionaries that didn't feel like playing.
That's all we did pretty much...

Tuesday: Awesome day! Today the day started off alittle slow because
Elder Young wasn't feeling too good, but after getting up and moving
around he felt better and we ended up getting lots done. We read the
B.O.M. with a recent convert ric Barnes. Super cool guy! He loves the
church so much. He is endowed now and everything and has a calling. He
is a ward missionary and is potentially going to set something up with
his friends Amy and Michael. Will be hearing something back from him
soon. We also met with a previous investigator and taught her the
restoration. "She was like oh my gosh this is amazing! It has to be
true" we would have invited her to be baptized if she hadn't said
before the lesson "I'm not joining your church, I love my church...
I'm happy to learn about your church but I'm not joining your church."
We will be meeting with her soon again to teach her the plan of
salvation!

Wednesday: zone meeting sucks... Takes up sooo much of your day. We
have now 4 hours of studies a day because I'm doing 12 week, comp.
study, personal study, and now having to do area book. I came out
on a mission to invite and help people come unto Christ. How am
supposed to do that if I'm in meetings and studying?? It's whatever
though... It has to be done.

Thursday: worked hard all day and then came home to find that savannah
send me an amazing package. love that girl so much. So many goodies
from her. candy.

Friday: weekly planning and did nothing but planning (6 hours)
ridiculous... I really want to be a good missionary and fulfill my
missionary purpose. But do I really need this much time to study and
plan??? It's crazy. I feel like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do
but then again I am... So it's dumb but whatever.

Saturday: I felt pretty good today. I went on a two mile run. yeah I
know... After our run we went over to the Otuafi's and talked to the
son Nephi who is 19 about life and the Book of Mormon. Was fun, after
that we did our studies then went to Manny's football game. Another
one of the Otuafi's kids he's 11, really cool kid. At the game I had
my first snorn dog which is apparently only known in Tucson... It's a
bacon wrapped hotdog with everything on it. Sooo tastey. I will be
getting me some more of those. After the game we went over to a less
actives and they let us in because it was really hot out and stuff. We
went in and talked about the church. They explained alittle about why
they left the church and it's because of the thing with blacks not
being able to have the priesthood back in the day... I honestly didn't
know how to respond because it's not something I even really
understand. All I know is that the prophet at the time.. Was a prophet
of God and that he did it for a reason... I'm sad I couldn't say
something right to help them to see why this church isn't like any
other church... But maybe if I continue to pray for them they will
come back to church.

Sunday: church, more meetings but awesome ones. Last Sunday was my
first Sunday and we were supposed to have ward council meeting but it
was canceled but nobody told us so we showed up to church really
early... This Sunday was good though. We had a great lesson on the law
of chastity I'm elders quorum and I was able to kinda put some
comments that I hope will help the elders in my ward raise their kids
to keep the law of chastity. Love my ward and can't await to serve the
people of the Catalina ward.

Overview: everyday my testimony grows stronger and stronger. Being a
missionary is one of the best experiences ever. I know that I am
supposed to be here. There is someone who is ready for me to teach
them that first lesson or reactivate them in this amazing church. I
KNOW this is the one and only true church and that through reading the
Book of Mormon which is the thing that holds ever truth in this church
together... And praying about it. You will receive an answer that it
is true. If the Book of Mormon is true... It's all true, it's that
simple. I love this church and I couldn't be happier serving our lord
and savior for these next two years.

I love you all and hope that you all feel the same way I do, and if
you haven't had an opportunity to know it to be true, take the
challenge and try to prove me wrong. (Good luck proving me wrong) it
is all true and I'm so happy to share that with you all.

Thanks for all the prayers. I can really feel them having an affect in my work

Update on my investigator Michael. He moved to Tennessee but is
continuing the lessons there and might becoming back here to be
baptized for his mom to see

Plus we most likely will be having an investigator named Kim get
baptized soon. She just doesn't know what date will work yet because
of her crazy schedule but she is for sure getting baptized! I never
taught her a lesson... The missionaries before me taught her but
still! Awesome.

Goodnight and talk to you next week.

Love,

Elder Smith

P.S. Sorry it's late... I'm not perfect. I just have been busy all day
and never had a chance to tell everyone about my week.

I milked a cow!! This is Abby.

Some of the milk I got from the cow

Me milking the cow!

Savannah a package, she made me a box of prayer rocks to give to the kids I teach. She said when the missionaries were teaching her, they gave her prayer rock and said it really helped her to remember to pray. Super cute.