Hello family,
Wow, I am so heartbroken to hear about Ethan. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad thing to say about Ethan. He was such a great kid and I really feel for his family and the Moss family. I really love that kid. Please, if you talk to his family or the Moss family, make sure they know how highly I think of him. I’ll keep them in my prayers.
AND HUNNY!!! Be careful!!!! I freaked out when I saw that picture! Man I hope you’re doing ok! Sounds like a pretty cool break story though. A zip line, eh? I Hope you’re feeling better hunny, I love you. And I hope you’re milking it too! Mom and Dad will do anything for their broken bone children, haha!
So, I wanted to say thank you to the Jones family for the package I got and as well Grandpa and Grandma and Papa and Grammy for the letters. You guys do too much. Thank you!
So this week was incredible. So many miracles. But I will start with my favorite. Remember I told you A. Crocket was getting baptized yesterday. And the younger one Kayla decided not to. She was the one that just killed me when I was there because she knew the b.o.m. was true. But I got a call on Saturday from Elder Hill and he said Kayla got interviewed as well, and was going to be baptized on Sunday! And she had asked if I could baptize her. Man, I was so excited and grateful and super humbled. So I got permission from President and made it down to Brownsville with some members from San Benito.
So when I got there Elder Hill was outside talking to a member and it didn’t look like a nice talk. When I got over I kinda got into the conversation cause I knew the member and he knew the Crockett girls. He’s kind of an apostate guy and had taken Kayla out during class and told her she wasn’t ready for baptism. And just fed her a ton of doubts and just freaked her out. And he’s an active member! So, she was super confused and sad and we found out and just tore into this guy. Then the Zone leaders tore into him. It was pretty ugly. So, we went in to see the girls and found out she had doubts about the Plan of Salvation, because she had gone to the Jehovah Witness church before. And she said "I want to learn it right now and pray about it." So like 30 minutes before her baptism, Elder Hill and Nino went in a room and taught them both. And I was dying!!! Haha I wanted to go in and teach them so bad but they weren’t my investigators anymore and so i just sat outside and waited. And they taught for like 45 minutes and the baptismal service had already started and everything. Finally, they came out.
She had received an answer in the room. AND she had the biggest smile on her face. So, we got in our whites real fast as they stalled for us. Snapped some pictures, and we got in and they were both baptized.
I wish you could have seen them after the baptism. haha They were walking to the car, spinning circles saying "I feel sooooooo goood!" Nobody can tell me that those girls weren’t ready for that because I had never seen them so happy. haha Man they are the best. Definitely a big heartache, haha but worth it! Such a great family, and one of the best days of my mission. And it was good to be there with my first born again, Elder Hill.
On Saturday I also got the news that I’ve got a new baby boy on the way, fresh from the MTC. He gets here on Wednesday. I kept thinking of your birthday letter Mom, when you said when I was born, "I don’t know how I could love another as much as the first one!" So we will see if I can. But I am super excited and humbled to get the chance to mess up another one:) haha
Things are just crazy here, but the last of my good news is that we found a great family and got them to church this week, all 7 of them. Lots of little kids, but a great family. A lot of hurdles to jump, but after the Sunday we had I feel like we are getting better and better at making it over them.
I love being a missionary and I thank my Lord everyday for the life I get to live right now. What a blessing. I love you family. Take care!
Love Elder Smith
