Week 50

AREA: Central Tucson 
COMPANION: Elder Cox

Dear Family and friends,
Monday: Today was pretty cool. Was a pretty regular pday other than
that accouple zones from around me got together and had a basketball
tournament. Got to see a few of my old companions before they go home.
Two of my previous companions are going home this transfer, Elder
Young and Rasmussen. Got to facetime home to say goodbye to Kevin
before he left for the MTC. Crazy to think he is leaving on a
mission...
Tuesday: Spent some time preparing for district meeting which was fun,
learned a lot of new things while preparing for it. Travis brought us
out to dinner to a cool pizza place. Travis is so awesome!
Wednesday: Had district meeting and we gave the training on planning
and goals. I thought it went really well. Elder Cox and I have been
studying this book called "The One Thing". Really good book about how
to have a more successful and organized life. This book is what we
based a lot of our training on. After that we had a lesson with this
less active Samoan family and Hannah.
Thursday: This morning we had Foodbank as usual, went over to
Richards, and had a lesson with Carlos. Once again our appointments
with him have been going great! Love preparing for his lessons and
love the spirit that is in his lessons.
Friday: This morning we spent a lot of time helping people move. Two
people in one day actually... One gave us a few days warning and the
other just accouple hours. Cool thing is the second one was right
across the street from the first one. Someone who helped us with
moving brought us out to lunch which was nice. Since we were helping
out with moving people for so long we didn't pay the parking meter
enough so we got a ticket. The member with us took it though and said
he would pay for it... Super nice of him. After moving, we spent the
rest of the day Weekly planning.
Saturday: This morning we went to a baptism for a young 8 year old in
the ward getting baptized and we were asked to speak on baptism and
the Holy Ghost. After the baptism we went home and finished the rest
of weekly planning. After dinner we had a lesson with Lupe & Humberto
which went well.
Sunday: Pretty good Sunday. We had Carrie, Hannah, Tyna, and Lupe's
family show up to church today. Good to see them all there. Nothing
too exciting happened at church, just your typical 5th Sunday... After
church we did studies, did some finding, and then we to to Hannah and
Tyna's for a lesson.
This week as I was studying the Book of Mormon I was reading in Alma
22 and really got a lot out of the story in it. In this section of the
Book of Mormon, Aaron was teaching the people in the land of Nephi and
was led by the spirit to the King. He was talking with the king and
taught him the plan of salvation. The King having the faith had a
desire to follow Gods plan and wanted to know how to do that. Aaron
told him he needed to pray to God and repent of his sins. He then got
on his knees and says, "18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a
God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make
thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee,
and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day."
He was then overcame by the spirit and fell to the earth as if he were
dead. After he wakes up he was converted to the Lord and began to
preach to the people, and they were then converted.
And he stood upon his feet, receiving his strength.
23 Now this was done in the presence of the queen and many of the
servants. And when they saw it they greatly marveled, and began to
fear. And the king stood forth, and began to minister unto them. And
he did minister unto them, insomuch that his whole household were
converted unto the Lord.
What I got out of this chapter that we can all apply to our lives is
following the example of the king. As missionaries we do not have the
opportunity to get to know the people in our areas like the members
that live there get to know them. Like the King he was converted, he
had a friendship with the people in that house. After ministering to
them they were converted.
Member missionary work is more important than you think! Sometimes it
may be scary to talk with friends about the gospel but I know you can
do it! Do the best you can:) I love you all! Hope this message makes
sense.
Love,
Elder Smith