Elder Nicholas West Smith: President Wall Loves To Build Up The Suspense! 1/21/14

Hey Y'all!! Sounds like you are having a BLAST in Hawaii! That sounds so nice! This week we went over to the Phillips house and she is from Hawaii and she said she is very jealous! haha I would be too!

Mom and Dad you guys are so awesome... I love your example to me about all the missionary work you do. That is so cool about the family you met down there. I am glad you can talk about me and use it for missionary work. Heavenly Father works through his vessels and both of you are some of the best vessels I know. Thanks for your great example to me and to everyone in our family. I loved those pictures you sent me! The Islands look so amazing as usual! I actually had a dream about the Grand Wailea. It was a good dream. But don't worry I am still focused on the work here! haha

Alright so I know you are dying to find out about transfers.. Okay so it was last night we were about to go to the Hospital to give a member a blessing and our phone rang. I answered and Elder S. our district leader called and then he said I'll call you right back.. Our Zone Leaders were calling him. So it was seriously the longest wait of my life.. I just wanted to know so badly!! President Wall loves to build up the suspense! Then our phone rang again and I answered and Elder S. asked if he could talk to Elder W.. So I gave him the phone and Elder S. told him that he was getting transferred... So I am loosing Elder W... And I am staying here in Algiers.. I am going to miss him, But I am soooo happy I am staying here. I really love it here!! Then we went and gave the blessing and went back to go to bed.. Then this morning I got a call from President, but of course I was at the other guys apartment doing my laundry so I ran over and called him back, but guess what... He didn't answer.. Then the phone rang and I answered and it was President. He then went on to ask how I was doing and all that jazz.. Then he asked me a question.. He asked if I would be willing to be a trainer!! So I said yes!! haha so I will be training this transfer here in Algiers. I am really excited. It is going to be a great experience! So tomorrow we go up to Transfer meeting in Baton Rouge and I will find out my new companion then. This transfer is going to be huge!! Elder W. and A. are leaving.. And Elder O. and then they are double transfering out the Westbank Spanish Elders. So 5 people are getting transferred.. Pretty crazy. I am super excited though to start something new.
I will let y'all know next week who my new companion is.

So this week was one of the busiest weeks I have ever had out here.. Guess how man service hours we had. 41!!! We painted sis M. porch and started on her neighbors house of scrapping the paint off and re-painting it. It has been such a good missionary project. Her neighbor is asking so many good questions about the church and we have been able to give her a Book of Mormon and also her brother in law. And with sister M. I was able to give her a really good lesson yesterday. I really felt like the Holy Ghost was there. I talked about faith and shared a couple of scriptures from both the Bible and the Book of Mormon and asked some spirit lead questions. I found out a lot more about her and what exactly she wants. The conclusion I came to is she never really had a strong testimony of the church, but of the people. She really loved the social part of it. So I committed her to pray and ask Heavenly Father if what we talked about yesterday was true and to know if this is what she needs to do. She said she would so I will check with her on Thursday. I have a lot of Faith with her. I think she is going to come back, it is just a matter of time. She pulled me aside yesterday and told me how her neighbor just loves me and how I am her favorite then sister M. said "mine too" haha. I just love her. We are going to have to come down and visit her when I get home! I will send some pictures when I am done with this letter.

This week was so spiritual. We had a member of the 70 come and speak with us. His name was Elder Perkins.. I could fill the spirit so strongly when he spoke. He talked a lot about faith. He also talked about how member missionary work is critical. He gave some really cool examples how the twelve Apostles talk about the gospel. They are so loving when they do it. They honestly talk to everyone. That is what we need to do. We can't be afraid. Talk to people at the groceries store, your waiters. Everyone! You don't want someone to come up to you in the after life and say hey why didn't you say something when you knew? I may not have accepted it, but I also might have. That has been my mind set lately. I am trying to share the Gospel to Everyone! I love it and I have seen so many blessings from it. Then we also had stake confrence on Saturday and Sunday. It was so good. President Wall spoke and he gave a great talk. I am lucky to have such a good mission President. Then on Sunday night I was able to do something really cool. I was able to go to a Catholic church with about 40 missionaries and sing for their program for Martin Luther King. It was really cool because they had over 10 different religions there to speak. It was cool to hear what they say. All of there religions have similarities to ours, and we can use that to talk to other people about the Gospel. We are not here to take down someones religion, but only build upon it.

Well that has been my week mostly. A lot of service and a lot of teaching. I am really happy though that I am staying here. I feel like I am not through here yet. I believe I can help Sister M. out even more. I called her last night and told her the news and she was so happy I was staying haha. It was cool.

My testimony has been strengthened so much this week on the power of prayer, faith, and the pure love of Christ. It has never been more clear to me on how true this Gospel is. I love it! Thanks for standing by me at all times mom and dad. You guys are the best example. Mom Happy birthday again! I am glad you liked your present! haha Well tell everyone hello from me and that I love them! You all are the best!! have a great week and keep on smilin! Love ya!!

Elder Smith!

PS. That is great about my shoes! I'm glad the mystery of the she's is solved! Let Andrew have them! I am glad they are helping him out so much!
PS. I'm excited for the pineapples!