Week 51

AREA: Central Tucson 
COMPANION: Elder Cox

Hello everyone,
Sorry I didn't get a chance to send out my email yesterday, was super
busy packing and getting ready for transfers.
This week was pretty typical, we had Foodbank as usual on Tuesday and Thursday and had a blast hanging out with Travis there. Some other
stuff that we did was we had a couple lessons with Hannah to help
prepare her for her baptism on Saturday. Tyna has been doing really
good lately, she is still Tyna but she is manageable and really wants
to help her daughter come closer to Christ and their family.
Found out last Monday that Joe, the recent convert who we brought to a
lot of our lessons decided to just get up and move out of nowhere...
It was an extreme impulse being that he came to a lesson the day
before and said he was going to bring those people to church. It's all
good though, he moved to Cleveland Ohio and is doing great so far from
what I've heard.
Saturday was transfer calls, found out I'm staying in the same ward,
moving apartments, and areas within our ward. Our ward has two sets of
missionaries and the south elders both went home. Another thing is
that I am training and so is elder cox. About to spend 8 months of my
mission in one area... Looking forward to it haha.
Sunday was very powerful, Tyna got up and bore her testimony. It
amazing what kind of changes can be made when you look to our savior
Jesus Christ. Tyna is a perfect example of what happens when you look
to our savior, she went off on the wrong path for a while and has
decided to make a change. Instead of trying to do it all by herself
she looked to our savior and the comfort and peace he brings to us
when we need help.  We had a lesson with Hannah and Tyna again. Tyna
bore her testimony about the temple and how much at peace and joy she
felt when she went in for the first time when she was about 20 years
old. It's been almost 28 years since then but she is working as hard
as she can to go in again and feel and feel of that spirit she felt so
long ago.
I love my mission so much, I have come such a long way. I am about to
hit 1 year down on the 19th. Seems like only yesterday I was a new
missionary coming into the field not know up from down. I love this
gospel, I love my savior, and I love my Heavenly Father who has
provided a perfect plan that if we follow, we are promised we can
return home to him with open arms telling us "well done, thou good and
faithful servant..." Mat. 25:21
Thanks for all the prayers and the love sent my way☺️
Love,
Elder Smith

Ryan with his "son" (trainee) and new companion, Elder Esplin, and his "dad" (trainer), Elder Young

Elders Smith and Cox