Hey there family! How is everyone doing? It sounds like a great week
back home, but way too many sicknesses and doctor appointments. Dad it
looked like you got into a fight with a bull. Hopefully it doesn't
hurt anymore and I am sorry about your broncos. My companion was very
happy though. He is a colts fan. Hey and tell Jill to get feeling
better. I had no idea she was going in for surgery. That is no fun.
And mom I will keep you in my prayers this week for all of the doctor
appointments. And my advice is just down the drink! :) Everything
else seems like it is going good though. It was cool seeing Andrew and
Jacob in the videos you sent. I can't believe how big they are
getting. Andrew is 6 ft now.. He is going to be able to beat me up if
I am not careful! :) Keep up the good work you two! I love ya and miss
ya! Then that was pretty sweet Jasons basketball game video. That's
too bad they lost though, but hey you got to know what it feels like
to be sad so you can know joy when they win the state championship!
haha. It is pretty crazy how Jane has her call and now all of my good
friends pretty much have left or are about to leave. I sure am glad we
are where we are right now. It is a good feeling! Well I hope you all
have a blessed week and get feeling better and are happy. Just
remember when life gets tough we need to take a step back and count
our blessings. Every one of them including being able to wake up every
morning and being able to partake of life. We have so much to be
thankful for so lets show it all the time and give thanks to Heavenly
Father.
Well now for my tough week. It all kind of started on Monday. First
off I lost at bowling.... Boy am I still competitive! haha and then we
went to the church afterwards and I lost at volleyball too.. That is a
great way to start off the week right? haha just kidding. So to cheer
myself up we went to chick-fil-a and got a huge shake and some fries.
It sure did make me feel a ton better. After which we went to the
Hospital to see Brother Hayes. He was not looking good at all. He had
been in the hospital for 2 months. And it just seemed like he was
heading on the downhill slope. Well it was a good visit. The next day
we had District meeting which was a really good one. Then our Office
Elders came down and helped us with some things like getting our
phones fixed. Then that night we had a great first lesson about the
Restoration with a new investigator. He is a 58 year old black man we
found while tracting. It was a cool lesson and we helped answer a lot
of his questions. Then again after we went and saw Brother Hayes at
the Hospital. Then Wednesday we saw ms R. and taught a lot about the
Prophet Joseph Smith. She now has a lot better understanding. Well in
the middle of the lesson I got a call from Brother Hayes Daughter. I
answered it and she told me he was not doing good at all and that he
was about to pass and he wanted us there. He honestly loves us
missionaries. He would almost rather us their than half of his family.
He is like an uncle to me. So we ran to the Hospital. Well it turns
out the family and brother Hayes had decided to use Hospice because of
how much he was suffering. So they gave him Morphine right when we got
their to help him go to sleep and just not wake up. It was so tough
because the family was so sad and so was I. I felt I had to be strong
though, but I wasn't doing a good job. Well they were about to move
him to a different room and when they moved him he woke up. The
doctors were confused. So Brother hayes in his new room was wide awake
and talking to everyone. He wasn't in pain though because of the
medication. So there we were with him for 3 hours talking with his
family. He is the one if you remember that loves magic tricks and he
has given me a ton of them. He asked if I would do one of them for all
of his family. So I did. It was good because it brought a little light
back to the situation. Also I gave brother Hayes one of your books dad
a few days before this and he loved it. I read it to him and it made
him smile. Which he hadn't done in a long time. The family was very
thankful and grateful. So see dad you are touching people even here in
Louisiana! :)
Then we had to leave to go to a meeting. We had Ward Coordination so
we met with our mission leader and all of us missionaries in the
Thibodaux ward. It was a good meeting and after I asked for a blessing
from some of the elders. I still am sick with this cold and it is not
improving so I asked to have a blessing to help me out. It was a
really good blessing. Then we went home for the night. The next day at
7 I received a text from Brother Hayes Daughter saying "Daddy passed
away a few minutes ago". My heart kind of dropped. One thing that
sucks about staying in areas for so long is you grow so close to the
people. They become your family. So that whole day was just tough for
me. We went to Cutoff and saw some people. That night we went to the
Kennedies house, but it almost felt like I wasn't there. It was tough.
I love brother Hayes. WE would visit him every week at least once.
When we would visit him he would tell us stories about the war he was
in and tell us about his family and his life. He would every now and
again order some food and surprise us and feed us. Well the next day
we had Zone Training meeting in New Orleans. It was good and after we
went and I showed Elder Jones around downtown New Orleans. We ate at a
new place called Dat Dogs. It is really good hot dogs! We are going
their for sure when we come back. Afterwards we went to the mall and I
had to go and do my favorite thing... Try on some sweet suits! The
suits I have out here are good missionary suits, but they are way too
big! Then after on our way home I stopped at this cowboy store and I
splurged a little bit. I have always wanted a pair of cowboy boots so
I ended up getting me a sweet pair of cowboy boots! I am going to look
like you now dad haha. I will send you a picture of them. Hey being
down here in the south I have to have a pair to complete the
experience:) haha
Alrighty so then it came to Saturday. The day of the Funeral. Brother
Hayes wanted to have the service at our church. He also wanted a 21
gun salute. That was pretty cool. And also the daughter asked me if I
would go up and say a few words because of how close we were and how
much he would always talk about me. I was honored. I ended up telling
some funny stories to help everyone be a little more happy and then I
went in and taught a little bit about the plan of Salvation. I feel
like the Spirit was there. I ended up getting a little emotional and
right when that happened I just stopped haha. mom I have your
emotions! what can I say haha. Then one of the coolest things
happened. the Daughters came up and asked if it would be okay if they
put your book See ya Later Alligator in the casket with him because of
how it made him smile. It was really cool. I told them of course and
then I ran home and grabbed a couple more copies and brought it back
to the family so they could have one to since I could tell they wanted
it. Also a lady came up to me and also asked for a copy. She was a
school teacher for 40 years and loved your book dad. So I ran back
home and grabbed another one for her. I told her it was a gift from
you, but she refused! She wanted to buy it haha. So she gave me 10
bucks for it so you have a 10 buck of profit from Louisiana haha. Well
the service went great and the burial did as well. Even though this is
such a crappy situation I think a lot of good will come from it.
Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us and who knows we now might be
able to teach his family. They love us!
Then at church we had 2 investigators there. Ms R.and R. It was a good
meeting. Then after we were asked to come and teach a members daughter
that is about to turn 8 and help her understand baptism. I did some
magic tricks to help her understand and it was fun! This week I have
learned a ton. I have really gained my testimony in the plan of
Salvation. I have also gained a strong testimony of how we all have a
plan. I have had my patience tested. This week I almost wanted to just
give up. It just seemed too hard. Too much to handle, but then I
thought to myself that is exactly what Satan wants me to do. He is
trying so hard to bring me down. But that is not possible because I
have the best supporter ever. My Older brother. Both the ones here on
earth and also my Savior. I know he is the one giving me strength to
endure. I have come so much closer with him this week. I know
everything that has happened is making me stronger and also making me
become the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. This week I have
realized that I have alot to learn, but it is okay because I have
Jesus Christ to make up for me. And as long as I am doing my part and
giving it my all he is going to help me through it. I know this email
probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense and I am just rambling on,
but at least just know one thing. That our Savior Lives. And that he
loves us. He wants the best for us and sometimes the best for us is
struggling. But we must always keep our head up and keep pushing
forward.
Mom and Dad I love you. My family and friends I love you. Keep being
you. Keep smiling and keep doing the awesome things you do. I love you
all and have a great week!
Love Elder Smith
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