Being Transferred!

Hello Everyone!

My time in Poquoson is at an end. I am being transferred to Great Bridge, VA. It's going to be an adjustment for me for several reasons but I'm excited. There are going to be new opportunities for growth. My new companion is Elder Marcus (several middle names) Pelham from England! I love this guy. I know him from other areas that I've been and we're good friends. Oh, and we also have a third companion. His name is Elder Carlson. I don't know him because he's from the Raleigh Mission. Exciting times are coming. This week has been hectic and awesome. We have two people getting baptized this week so we've been doing a lot of prep work. It's been great though. It's always enjoyable to get someone ready to make that covenant with Heavenly Father.
I hope everyone is doing great and are doing their missionary work! We can't do it without you!

Much love,

Elder Smith

Miracles DO HAPPEN!

Hello Everyone:

Miracles DO happen. This past week was SO GOOD! I just finished reading Elder Kenny Johnston's email about the miracles he has been privileged to be a part of. I can testify alongside with him that miracles are very real. With his miracle I would like to share one of my own that occurred this last Friday night. I preface this by stating that this was one of the most POWERFUL lessons I have ever been a part of. 

This Friday I went on an exchange with an Elder Larsen in his area. He is one amazing man and a fantastic missionary. We had a lot of funny things happen during this exchange. Anyway, that evening there was an appointment set up to meet with a Don and Sister Ruth King from Utah. Sister King had traveled over here from Utah last year on a strong impression that she had received. The shuttle that had picked her up from the airport had no other passengers on it so she sat in the front seat with the driver and struck up a conversation with him. The driver's name was Don. Their conversation quickly turned to the subject of religion. When they arrived at her destination the bus driver said, "We need to continue this conversation!" So, they swapped information and parted ways. Over the next year, Don was made the subject of Sister King's prayers. This Sister prayed for this random stranger for a YEAR, before she felt the need to travel back. Upon arriving at the airport she jumps onto a shuttle and, lo and behold, there is Don. There had been no communication between these two and she "just happened" to get onto the same exact shuttle with the same exact driver a year later. That is no coincidence. Sister King felt the need to introduce Don to the missionaries and he agreed. Now, Friday evening is the first time for Elder Larsen and I to meet these two people. We met them in the Institute building on the campus of the School of William and Mary in Williamsburg. Before the lesson began, a knock comes to the door and an LDS couple, whom none of us know, enter the room stating that they had come for a lesson. Sister King hadn't called them and neither had we (none of us knew them). So, with six of us in a circle we learn about Don's story. I will briefly summarize what he shared:
He is a remarried man who has had a lifetime of terrible experiences with many religions and denominations. He has seen the hypocrisy of ministers and preachers, the lies and double-mindedness of church-goers of many faiths, and has nearly lost all faith in God Himself. He was very aware of the Bible's fallacies and the many manipulations by evil men that caused such fallacies. Our meeting with him began with what we thought were attacks and jabs at us but it soon became apparent that he was asking very serious questions and wanted answers. I can't relate all that was said and done in that lesson but one thing I will tell you: the Spirit of the Lord directed EVERY thought and word that Elder Larsen and I had. That man had a VERY real testimony of the Apostasy and was on the brink of despair. The message of the Restoration of the Gospel and CHURCH of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Smith sparked a flame of hope and faith in that man's soul. I SAW IT! When I read to him the questions that Joseph Smith asked in his search for truth, Don said, with much earnest, "Where is that?" "Where can I read that?" I witnessed that man's countenance change as we shared with him what we call the First Vision. I felt impressed to ask the members who joined us to share their testimonies. Those moments built on the message Elder Larsen and I shared and testified to. He committed, TRULY committed, to read and pray. He committed to be baptized. He is actually committed to read the entire Triple Combo in 2 weeks.
My words cannot describe that most beautiful and sacred moment. I say again that that was one of the most powerful, spiritual experiences I have been a part of. I dare say that it was the most powerful. 

Elder Johnston is right: miracles happen. 

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done”
- Joseph Smith, the Prophet.

Be worthy and ready and anxious at all times to be the instrument the Lord needs.

This work is true. I testify of it and I lie not.

Elder Smith

 

"Just doing my job"

NO COMMENT...smile

 Sleeping? or Praying? 

smile

Sent 29 July 2013

Hello Everyone!

I feel like it's been a long time since I last made a blog post! Life in Poquoson is good. Being on a bike is fantastic! The work here is doing very well. I mentioned all that in my last letter huh? I don't know where to begin. There has been so much that has happened. So far I have not been hit by any passing vehicle (although, I have had a couple VERY close calls (sorry to mention that Mom)). We have several investigators that we're currently working with and all are so very different. It's amazing to see how some people are wired. The differences in people's backgrounds, interests, personalities, etc, really show the need for the Spirit to be involved in people's conversion. There is only so much that we can see with our temporal vision and that makes it all the more important not to jump to conclusions with people. What we see is not always what is going on. The past few months I've been really striving to do all I can to learn to recognize the Spirit's promptings and to make sure I don't do anything to lose that most precious Gift.

 

Here in Poquoson there are a lot of families that have been here since it was settled. A lot of people's roots go back far here. With that, a lot of people aren't always anxious to change because a couple young strangers dressed up in white shirts and ties are knocking on their door. The Lord is hastening His work. I know that's a phrase being tossed around a lot but it's very true. The simple fact that there is more and MORE emphasis on MEMBER-missionary work shows that. Let me share with you some of the doctrine:
In my studies this morning I studied in the book of Jacob. We all know about Jacob 5 where he quotes the prophet Zenos in his allegory of the tame and wild olive trees. There's a lot of confusing twists and turns in there if we're not careful but one thing is very clear, and the Lord clearly states it in verse 41. "What could I have done more for my vineyard?" or rather, "What could I have done more for my children on earth?" If you look at the footnotes it directs us to 2 Nephi 26:24. What does that verse say? What does it refer to? The Lord states VERY clearly that after the Atonement WHAT MORE CAN HE DO? He makes that same expression is verses 46, 47 and 49. The Atonement is the most supreme expressions of love and commitment that far surpasses all understanding.

 

Moving on, the Lord then expresses to His servant the need for a final harvest before "the season and the end" (v. 77). So, what does He do? He arounds up all the servants that will heed His call and it is recorded, and this is where I would like to focus, "and they were few" (v. 70). Ok, the full-time missionary force of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is around 70,000. That's very few compared to the population of this planet. However, in these verses the "servants" are not referring to full-time LDS missionaries as is commonly thought! Why do I make that statement? Turn to 1 Nephi 14:12, "...the church of the Lamb of God, and it's numbers were few." So, who are these "servants" that so diligently heed the call of the Lord of the vineyard as recorded in Jacob 5? They are the members of the Church. The time has come for all who call themselves a Latter-day Saint to arise to the call of the Prophet, the Servant of the Lord of the Vineyard who is rounding up his fellow servants, and join the Lord in the last and great, member-missionary harvest of souls.
Read verses 72-73 and 75 and see what the result was. In this world of "wild branches" and "evil fruit" we need to arise and work so we may see the "natural fruit" spring forth once again. The vineyard will soon be burned and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ will commence. Let us do our duty as MEMBERS and spread forth this message.
There is no greater work to perform.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Smith