Monday, February 25, 2013

Mission is Being Split

 
 
 
Hello everyone!

This is the letter my mission president sent out to all the missionaries over here. It tells of the new mission split and what will be going on. This is an exciting time to be a missionary. I'm honored to have the opportunity to be a full representative of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. I love this work and I love the Book of Mormon. I hope all is well with all ya'll. Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Smith
--------------------
 
Dear Elders and Sisters:
As you know, on or about July 1, 2013 the mission will be divided.

The following stakes will be a part of the Virginia, Richmond Mission (VRM):
Chesterfield, Midlothian, Richmond, Waynesboro and two additional stakes will be added from the Washington DC South mission, they are: Fredericksburg and Woodbridge, both North of us and border our mission boundaries.

The Following stakes will be a part of the new Virginia, Chesapeake Mission (VCM): Chesapeake, Newport News, Virginia Beach and two additional stakes will be added from the North Carolina, Raleigh mission, they are: Goldsboro (just west of Chesapeake) and Kinston (which is the rest of the Outer Banks to the south). The new mission home and office will be located in the Chesapeake stake boundaries.

The incoming mission president and his wife for the VRM are: E. Bradley and Mari-Lynn Wilson (President and Sister Wilson). They will begin their service on or about July 1, 2013. They live in Plymouth, Minnesota and he just retired as the Chief Administrative Officer at Grant Thornton which is a large accounting firm. He also teaches a graduate accounting class at BYU. The Wilson's have six children and both have served in numerous leadership positions for the church. I have spoken with them and love them already, they are upbeat and very sweet. Sister Wilson served as a stake Young Women's camp director and ward chorister, for you elders, that means she is fun and loving. I will send more information as we get it..

The incoming President and his wife for the VCM are Alan J. and Mary Kay Baker (President and Sister Baker) and are from Loveland, Colorado. They too have had numerous leadership responsibilities in the church and he is a Technology guru. I will have the opportunity to speak with them this week and will provide additional information as I receive it.

The transfer in June will determine which mission you will be assigned to. I do not know which mission you will be assigned to at this time and I don't plan to pray about it until May...:-)

58 new missions were created because of the surge of incoming missionaries. We have been working on this almost since President Monson's announcement last general conference. The total count is now at 405 missions worldwide. What a great time to be in the mission field! Thank you for all you do to move this work forward, the Lord is hastening His work and we are privileged to participate.
Love,

President Perry

Monday, February 11, 2013

The "New Generation" Have Arrived...

 Elder Smith and Elder Brian

"New Generation" -  Elder Brian


Hello, hello Everybody,

Well, my new "greenie" is here and he's awesome. What makes him awesome? He's 18! The Lord is allowing me to corrupt...err...train another one of His servants and I've been privileged to work with one of the New Generation. It's been a neat experience and he really likes the experiences he's had so far. 


His name is Wyatt Brian and he's from Rexburg, Idaho (born and raised). Seeing that he was born and raised there I was excited to see his adjustment to the new life and culture of the east coast...well...he got a good taste of what it was like to be an LDS missionary in the South. He wanted to see what it was like to go tracting so we picked a nice road and start knocking doors. Well, the second door we come to...*SIGH*...happened to be a member of a local church here that is well known for it's Anti-Mormon feelings. They devote one Sunday a month to preaching against the Church actually. So, for about 10 minutes or so my new companion got to witness an LDS missionary and a LDS hater "discuss" the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. Of all things to happen on the FIRST NIGHT we ran into a Basher. Truly that doesn't happen too often out here so it was crazy the odds of running into that the first day. Well, on the bright side he's been broken in. But he has a strong desire to serve the Lord and I'm happy to work alongside him.

We need missionaries who are prepared spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally because this is HARD work. If you plan on coming out on a mission with lightness and frivolity then expect to go home in vain. You'll be wasting two years. Come out DEDICATED. Come out with a TESTIMONY. Come out CONVERTED. You don't have to know everything but you have to DESIRE to try. The Lord needs hardworking servants because time is short. The Lord needs a converted people to greet him when He arrives. Let's not disappoint Him and put to waste the great Atonement He has given us. "Stand a little taller, be a little better, look to God and live." Great words from President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Love,
Elder Smith

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Krispie Kreme - Chipotle - and Saving Souls



Hello Everybody!

This was a great week!!! "What was so great?" you may ask? I was able
to go to a Krispie Kreme donut store AND a Chipotle all in the SAME
DAY! I mean, come on! What can get better than that? Ok...saving souls
definitely tops that BUT it was AMAZING! I haven't had a Chipotle
burrito OR a Krispie Kreme donut straight off the rack in YEARS!
Ohhh....sweet bliss.Yeah, that's definitely not helping with the
weight BUT I totally consider that a tender mercy of the Lord. Plus, I
went with an investigator so we were staying productive! :)

We got our transfer calls last night and my companion is gone. This
was his first area so it'll be a good growing experience for him to
leave. We had a fun time together but I know he'll do great! My new
companion? Well, I have never met him because he doesn't arrive in the
mission until Wednesday. Yep...I'm training again. This is going to be
the first wave of 18 year old Elders to hit the mission so I may have
a chance to train one of the first of the "New Generation". I'm
excited yet apprehensive at the same time. When it comes to new
missionaries you never know what kind a trainer will get. But of
course my trainer had to deal with me so this may be karma.

Well, that's the news update for this week. I hope ya'll are staying
safe and working hard and enjoying God's wonderful creations around
you. As the psalmist proclaims, "The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork."

God bless you all!

Love,
Elder Smith