Elder Ryan Smith's Mission Blog: Week 7

AREA: Northwest Zone, Tucson (Catalina, AZ)

COMPANION: Elder Young

Monday: Today was pretty great. We started off with our morning lift
and then met Elder Jacobs and Wall at the library for emailing. After
emailing we went to the stake center for sports. Sports as you know
isn't really my thing so I just sat on the stage and emailed alittle
more. We had dinner at the Rizzley's tonight and they have 3 kids and
they are soo awesome. The message we had for them tonight was based on
prayer and so I decided I would give them all a prayer rock that
savannah made me. We didnt have church this week so I will be giving
them the rocks next Sunday and I can't wait!

Tuesday: This morning we went over to the Barnes for some service
which was great and they have a non-member living with them that is
trying to quit smoking. Sister Barnes brought up how we can give
blessings and she thought why not... So we gave her a blessing which
was awesome. Her name is Aimee and hopefully her and her kids will be
investigating the church soon. Training meeting today... Since I am a
greeny and everything. We have to go to a trainer trainy that was
super long and boring but we actually learned some stuff. The trainer
meeting took up most of the day. We then had dinner with the wright
family which was fun and after dinner talked to a less active guy who
we might have got to come back to church.

Wednesday: More meetings today. But before meetings we had the
opportunity to go over to Traci's house and help her family move. She
is a less active from when she was a teenager and is interested in
coming back to church and wants her family to look into it too. We did
have to pass her family off to another set of missionaries but atleast
we got to plant that seed. After our district meeting we went and got
shut down by some former investigators which was fun. We really need
more investigators... I pray for it everyday.

Thursday: This morning we did some service for Bea's daughter. Just
did some yard work. Elder Jacobs and Wall were able to help out which
made things go by alot faster. After service we just did our normal
missionary stuff and then at the end of the night we had stake
correlation meeting. Right when we get to the meeting Elder Young was
saying he didnt feel very good. Didnt think much of it till we sat
down in the meeting and 5 minutes later he taps my shoulder and says
he needs to go to the bathroom. We get to the bathroom and starts
puking. He pukes very loud. Hes feeling fine now... Dont really know
what that was.

Friday: Today we did service again but at a food bank. When we got to
the food bank we sat and did nothing for about an hour until the truck
got there so we can help distribute the food to the people. After the
service the people were sooo nice and they made us lunch. Since it was
Friday after dinner we went to the church for volleyball like usual.
Usually when we get to volleyball we dont really do much... Nobody
shows up. But people showed up today and that was awesome!! On the way
to dinner today we had a flat tire and I got to change it because
Elder Young didnt know how. That was super fun actually.

Saturday: Conference... We sat and watched conference all day... I
swear no matter what position you are in you will fall asleep. We did
miss out on the first 30 min of the second session of conference
because we had to get our tire fixed. Luckily they put the talks on
the gospel library app so we can read them:) I will definitely be
doing that asap. After conference we had the opportunity to teach a
lesson to one of our investigators. Her name is Rachel Ramm and she is
really interesting. She has been exposed to alittle anti-mormon
literature and it makes teaching her difficult. She does have a little
girl that I gave one of the prayer rocks Savannah made:) she loved it
and it was sooooo cute. Don't know what to do but to tell her to pray.
Priesthood was tonight and was awesome! learned some interesting
things and felt the spirit super strong. After conference we went to
chili's with a bunch of members. It was a good day for the most part.

Sunday: Conference, studies, and then dinner with the Cherringtons
which was fun because after dinner we played a cool card game that I
was horrible at.

My mom this week told me that my siblings said I sound like a bishop
in my emails. Sorry for that because I am a missionary. haha I will
work on that. This week at alot of the members house we gave a message
called the set the date. Its when you say a prayer for a missionary
experience, get a person in mind, and then set a date that you will
invite them to a church activity. It works and with all the holidays
coming up and ward activities happening its a great opportunity to
help out the missionaries. Missionaries need help finding people! The
statistics prove it! I challenge you to be a missionary in your
community so that all of God's children can be exposed to this amazing
gospel. Also it would be really awesome to help out the missionaries
in your ward!

Love you all and I hope to hear from you every week, I might not be
able to respond but I will try my best.

Love,

Elder Smith