Hey there family! It sounds like you had a great week down in California and also with the house project! That is really good. Hey when you guys were in Disneyland and you ate at the Cajun place what did you guys get? Did you get any Crawfish or Catfish? Some Gumbo maybe or Jambalaya? I am excited to try different places back home to see the difference and see if they compare at all to the real deal of Louisiana cookin!
Man that is sad about little Jacques foot. I hope that she isn't too bummed out that she wasn't able to play this past weekend. It is smart though to get her foot all the way better. And hey everything happens for a reason so try and find the positive in the whole situation. :) Everything else seems like it is going well back home. The pickle ball action looks fun! You better play it a lot because the snow is coming! :)
Speaking of crazy weather. So yesterday for P-Day we went to New Orleans to a big mall that has the Apple Store in it. I really wanted to see the new iPhones. And also I was helping the member who’s laptop had been broken by the missionaries to get it replaced for a good deal.. Well that was a lot of fun and the new phones look so sweet! The 6 Plus is too big for me though. I liked the 6. Technology is getting so crazy! But anyway when we came back the weather started to change and look pretty bad. It looked as if a tornado was about to hit. The skies were really black and dark. Then we were getting texts from the Mission Office and our Zone leaders saying we were going to get some bad weather and to be extra careful. So we made it back and did some grocery shopping. Then finally we made it to the Library, but right when I logged on and started reading the emails we had 4 different texts come in from our President to our zone leaders saying we were now on lockdown because of the weather. Then they told us all to return to our apartments and stay in for the remainder of the night. I was bummed because I wanted to talk to you guys yesterday, but oh well. The weather ended up getting really bad. It was raining like crazy and there were some floods. With this rain if you were to walk outside for just 1 second you would be drenched from head to toe just like if you were to jump into a pool. It was a lot of fun! So that was pretty much our night. Pretty exciting!
Well this week was a pretty slow week for us. We did a lot of finding and not so much teaching, but that is alright because you have to find the people first before you can teach them right? :) So we did a lot of store contacting and some tracting. We received a few referrals as well so that is always a good thing. Since it was a slower week we really had a lot of time to spend with our progressing investigator W. Which is a really good thing. So last week we taught him the Law of Tithing and before I was very nervous about what his thoughts would be. I was thinking that it could make or break him. So we begin teaching and at first he didn't know what tithing meant so we told him it is 10% of what we make and give it back to God. And he said Oh yeah! I remember this and I know all about it. He said that it all made total sense and that he would do it! We were so pumped! The only thing he said is his wife is not going to like it at all. So we are hoping and praying that her heart will soften. Since that lesson went so well and fast we were able to teach him 5 other principles. Then our next lesson we taught him about the Law of Chastity and he was like "that is easy! I am married." So no worries there. Then we were able to go over the baptismal questions and he did really well. So tonight I am going on exchanges with our Zone leaders to go over to his house and give him his interview. Normally I would do the interview as being District Leader, but since I am the one teaching him he has to be interviewed by someone else. Which is a good thing. So that is tonight at 7:15. If he passes then we will get all of the information and make the arrangements for his baptism! I am so excited! All of the hard work and the long bike rides to get to his place are starting to pay off haha. But I also have to remember that everyone has their agency so if something does happen or if he feels as if he is not ready then that is okay. I really feel like he is ready though. He really has changed and has really tried to keep the word of wisdom and stop drinking coffee and tea. He has already given up beer and smoking. He also decided he wanted to fast this past Sunday for strength. He is really nervous that once he is baptized that all of his family will turn against him. He knows that is going to happen, but he said that it is just Satan trying to bring him down. So keep him in your prayers and I hope that everything goes through and he is able to be baptized! So that will be something that y’all can look forward to next Monday! :)
Something else that was pretty cool this week was we had another 8 year old baptism. His name is Adam and it is Melodie Blacks son. The reason it was cool is because we were the ones teaching him and getting him ready for baptism. Then he asked if I would be a witness for his baptism. That was really cool and I really enjoyed doing that and partaking in a sacred ordinance. Also W. D. S. came with his son both to church and then to the baptism afterwards. He loved it and it really made him excited for next Saturday. Also his son S. is loving church. He has a lot of little friends. During the baptism all the little kids came up and sang while they were changing and he ran up with them to sing. It was funny because he had no idea what the words were so he just stood there. He is my little best friend! He always sits by me in sacrament and we play tic tack toe and different games to keep him a little more entertained since it is hard for a 5 year old to sit quietly for that long. He also loves the magic tricks! It is fun do magic tricks to all of the little kids because they try so hard to figure it out and then at the end I teach them all and they then go home and do it to their parents and friends. Now they all are coming to church with different tricks that they have and are so happy to show them to me. It is fun!
Elder Puefua is doing great! We are getting along so well. We have really started to kick up our exercises in the morning. We get up 30 minutes early to start. He has lost a lot of weight and I am maintaining. We both just feel so much better!
So for my whole mission at the beginning of each month when we get paid I take out 20 bucks just to save. Sometimes more and sometimes less. But I have saved around $700 also from the money people send me. So with that I decided to take some of it out and go buy myself something nice. So I went and bought a Garmin Running Watch. It is a Forerunner 10. It tracks how far I run and my pace. It is soo nice! I love it! I have used it every day. It was $120 so pretty spendy, but I really will use it. And I tried something else with it. I turned it on while riding my bike just to see if it would tell us how far we bike and it does! So now I will have an accurate distance so I can tell you how far we bike! My guess is 20-30 miles a day or so. So hopefully I can come home in really good shape because Jen and Dave are going to help train me for a triathlon and marathon! I am excited! :)
Well I want you all to know that every one of you are in my prayers. I miss you guys so much and love you very much!! I am doing great down here! The work is going pretty well right now. I am excited and am really enjoying it. I am excited for tomorrow because we are going to be able to watch Meet the Mormons at our Zone Conference with the mission president! I think our mission got a copy of it. I hear it is soo good! That is a great missionary tool so hopefully all of you guys can invite some friends to go! :) Well everyone have a great week! Be safe and good luck mom and dad with the house! I'll keep that in my prayers too! :) I love you all so much!!!
Elder Smith
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