Week 97

AREA: Safford, AZ

COMPANION: Elder Maloy

Friends and Family,

Monday: This morning we had a great time playing tennis at a members
house. After all our normal pday things we had a lesson with a
potential investigator named Victoria and her mom. Her mom is a member
and she seems very interested in coming to church which was super
exciting!

Tuesday: Typical missionary day... studies and visits. Ended the night
with going out with a couple of members to do some home teaching.

Wednesday: Did service this morning helping someone move and ended up
digging through the trash for a bunch of free stuff we could donate to
the mission. It was a bunch of pots, pans, measuring cups, etc. They
were throwing them all out and they were super nice things. After
doing that we got ready for district meeting. Had some lessons this
evening with the Williams family and Chuck. Lesson with Chuck went
well, the Williams I'm pretty sure were all hyped up on sugar. Chuck
our investigator has been hanging out a lot with a less active who is
starting to come back to church.

Thursday: Had a doctors appointment in Tucson today so we spent a
majority of the day there. Went and visited some people which was
super fun:) Saw Sister Broadbent:) It was great to see her and see the
home I lived in when I first came out on my mission. After her place I
went and visited the Barnes. Sister Barnes was there and it was so
great to see her:) went back to Safford and immediate headed to dinner
and then a lesson/splits. I went on splits with Brother Curtis and
Maloy went with Kale. Elder Maloy went to the lesson with Dana and I
visited a bunch of people with Brother Curtis. Got dropped off at the
lesson after doing visits and spent some more time talking with Dana.

Friday: Weekly planning day! That is pretty much what we did all day
till we went to a YSA activity where we played kickball and ate BBQ.
While playing kickball and I was up to kick I kicked FOUR fouls! In a
row! It was awesome ;) After the BBQ Dana's friend Hannah-who is a
less active member, was having some medical problems and asked if we
would be able to give her a blessing. Went over to Dana's again with
chuck this time and gave Hannah a blessing. It was a pretty powerful
experience:)

Saturday: Helped clean the church this morning and then had a prayer
with the Passey's and the rest of the missionaries in the mission over
the phone. Today they left for home and President Passey is no longer
my mission President. We now have president browning. Excited to get
to know him for the next 4 weeks. I'm curious of what his plan for the
mission are. Had another lesson with Dana answering some questions she
had about repentance. That was about it for the day...

Sunday: Had an awesome turnout at church today! 4th ward had some less
actives there that had not been there for a while. YSA had two
investigators there, one of them was a new investigator! After church
we went to mission prep with Matt Hackett, who just was set apart as a
missionary and is reporting to the MTC Wednesday. Got to know him
pretty well since being here and he is a cool kid. He will be serving
his mission in Indonesia which should be super awesome!

Something I would like to put emphasis on this week in my message is
that God loves us more than we can comprehend. Throughout the
scriptures he expresses His love to the people of that time. It may at
times not seem like it but I know He does love us all. God gave us a
plan on how to return to live with Him again. This plan is called the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Only through Jesus Christ can we be worthy to
enter the kingdom of God once again but this time in perfected
immortal body.

Something I have been pondering on this week is how important it is to
remember that I love my Heavenly Father very much. As I have pondered
on this love I have for Him, I have gained a greater amount of respect
for Him and what He does for us everyday. It has also given me a
stronger desire to keep the commandments and sincerely repent of my
wrong doings. I invite you all to ponder on the love you have for
Heavenly Father. I have seen how it has given me a change of heart and
have a stronger desire to make Him more proud.

Thank you so much everyone for all you have done for me:) Look forward
to seeing you soon. 30 more days :)

Love,

Elder Smith