Friday, December 7, 2012

I KNOW IT'S TRUE. . .AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE!


I’ve got a ton too tell you all today haha! So we will see how fast I can type. First off, I LOVE YOU ALL! I loved your emails and appreciated the pictures and stories. Especially about Alex. Man that kid... What a stud!  And Chan and Kenzie... YOU’RE BOTH STUDS:). My plan has come together perfectly haha!! So Mom, I did get my memory card back and I’ll send you the other one for Christmas. As well, I just got your Hawaii package and it was great! THANK YOU sooo much.

I’m glad to hear that you are all ready for Christmas. Last night we got invited to go to the stake president’s house to watch the devotional and it was amazing. Amazing the things you can learn when you actually listen to those, right? :)  I thought a lot of Dad when President Eyring spoke about the barometer that didn't work. That’s nothing compared to the incidents that we've had haha!!! But our apartment looks pretty festive as well! Too bad we don’t spend much time there haha! We have been soooo busy! We were down in Mcallen on Thursday and Friday for a ZL conference, then a big mission tour with the whole mission and a General Authority from the 70 came. It was super super good. I got to see everyone and hear what’s been going on with all of my families!  On Tuesday and Wednesday I was in a small town called Alice on an exchange and it was super good. I got to work with a super great elder who is really new and he whipped me into shape. I always learn the most from the young missionaries. But it was a pretty crazy week and we didn't have a ton of time to work, but with the time we did have, we found some great people and had some awesome lessons. On the exchange we found a super prepared family and they spoke puro espanol! It was the biggest blessing I received here haha! I LOVE teaching in Spanish.

So the cool story for this week...
Linda was confirmed on Sunday and it was super spiritual. She was in tears, like always haha she is a super spiritual lady. But she went and sat down and testimony meeting starts...next thing I know Linda's up at the pulpit... She gave probably the most powerful testimony I have heard on my mission. She spoke of how she was lost and praying for help, and the Elders randomly knocked on her door, while she was praying. She shared her whole conversion and then said, "And that is why I am here. And so I’m here today to testify that God is our loving father. That Jesus Christ is MY Savior, and that Joseph Smith was his chosen prophet to guide this church. AND I KNOW THAT IT’S TRUE."

I looked at Elder Porter and we both had tears running down our cheeks.  IT rocked my world... and THAT is why I’M here.

There is just WAY too many blessing that come from the gospel. I know I was never too good at math, but counting them almost seems just impossible. I Love this... I love every minute and I love you all too:) 

I hope you have an awesome week and I will talk to you soon!

CON MUCHO AMOR!

Elder Smith