People CAN change...

23-05-12

Dear family,

Thank you for all the letters. I just received a bunch of letters from mission ties, some dating back to the 29 of April. I don't know why it takes so long sometimes for mission ties when other times I receive mail fairly fast. Thank you for my Line of Authority and the patriarchal blessing. Also the sweet picture of batman. Thank you Heidi, Nana and Pops, Coley, and Britt for the Birthday cards and the pictures. I can NOT believe how long Russell's hair is. In the picture where he is sitting with pops, his sideburns make him look like Joe Dirt. Thank you Jason for the comic. It was really good; a laugher for sure. Also, yes, Brazil is cool. I can’t believe I forgot this in my last email, but happy birthday to Lucy! Thank you Tiffany for your letter. I sent a letter to your family a few days ago, not thinking about you guys moving. I hope you get it before you officially move. Also, I cannot WAIT to see the Avengers. I was so excited when I first found out about it but also sad knowing that it would come out during my mission... Batman too. Shucks. Thank you for the emails too. I will include some pictures of our house, the yard, and our bathroom and study area for you. Maybe later I will try to find a cool plant to take a picture of. Our neighbor’s yard is filled with banana trees and right now there are a good couple of bunches of delicious looking bananas hanging over onto our side of the property. I want so bad to take them. By the way, I'm still waiting on those tapes, and did you ever send back my tape with President Holland’s address? I would really like that as well as the Conference talks.

Anyways, the Investigator I talked about earlier was baptized this past Sunday. His name is Ataidi (Ah-tah-Ee-gee) and he is an older man and had a little bit of fear of the water. I had to do a "Double Dunk" because the first time he kicked his legs up. But he is so animated and excited about the work; so willing to grow. One of the coolest things to view during the mission is seeing people’s lives change, and it’s always for the better and it’s always purely through faith and hope for what’s to come. After his baptism, his daughter who is in her thirties and lives with him, was robbed coming back from the Grocery store. She asked Ataidi for more money to buy more groceries, but firmly he said that he would not allow his money to be spent on the Sabbath day. He would not allow his daughter to make someone else work on the Lords day. Hearing that made me so happy, because just a week earlier he was buying his groceries on Sunday.

I also had an interview with the President today and I spent about 4 and a half hours of my p-day today on a bus. Looks like I won’t be able to get in my weekly nap today. During the interview I was filled with the Spirit. I left with a song in my heart. He was much happier this time, maybe since he only has a little over a month left he is trying to be nicer. But it was a great experience and now I will be sad to see him leave.

During the Bus ride home, I realized something. When I feel the spirit, I can speak the language without error. But in other situations, I will often struggle to speak my mind or understand others. Don't get me wrong, I have grown so much and can speak the language, but I just don't feel fluent. During the bus ride, I became a little frustrated wondering why I wasn't fluent yet like many other missionaries are at my stage. "Why can’t I speak the way I do during lessons all the time? Why is my ability to speak not like what I would like it to be?" Then I came to the conclusion that I should be grateful for what I know, but more importantly, I should be grateful for that help that I receive from the spirit when it is really needed. I now know that if it were not for the spirit, I would struggle during the lessons too. How grateful I am now for that help that I have received. Also, I feel that the Lord has his own time for everything. One of the hardest things to learn in life can be one of the greatest blessings in our lives; Patience.

I am so grateful for this mission and everything it teaches me every day, and I am also grateful for the Infinite Love of the Lord.

I love you all and my wishes go out to Elder Smidt IX. God Speed!

Elder Smidt X