Dear Sam,
We are still not quite at spring yet! We got another good snow storm this week and the girls are loving the extended ski season. They are getting pretty good and even considering the black diamond run!
This week I took a trip to Detroit Michigan to meet with one of our customers, General Motors, who use our software to manufacture cars. There is lots of talk about moving to electric and autonomous vehicles. It is always a little intimidating to meet with such a high profile customer, but it is also good to get direct feedback on how our software can improve and meet their needs.
Ben is off for Spring break and is looking forward to some sleep in time, though he has lots of piano commitments to keep him busy. He was hired to play piano for a drama group presentation that is 57 pages of music long! He also is preparing 6+ pieces for festival. Sometimes I think he needs to learn to say no to some things, but he is young and optimistic!
Josh is doing well and dating lots. He is only about a month away from heading down to BYU Idaho and looking forward to it I think. He's considering a trip to Utah for General Conference but also with the extra motivation of meeting up with a girl he met on his mission. Ben is considering a road trip with him. Need to git the silver car a new strut assembly before he goes, though, so we'll see how it all comes together.
Josh and I went and helped Brother Frank move to his condo. He has to sell his house to deal with some financial challenges stemming from health challenges. It felt good to serve, though my muscles felt it after.
Mom is doing great as Primary president, though not enjoying the extra meetings so much. We are planning a date to go to the optometrist to get our eyes checked. Your parents are getting older, Sammy!
I enjoyed teaching SS again this week and love the symbolism in the story of Joseph.
This was a picture that resonated with me as I thought about the reunion of Joseph and his brothers:
I don't have any pics this week. Maybe before the days out, I'll take a video to send and upload to your shared folder.
Have a great week and remember we pray for you daily.
Love,
Dad.
From Sam - Last week of Training:
I'm on my last week of training. After this week i'll be a regular missionary.
This past week has been so hot. I burned my nose so hard this week. I don't know if I'll never not have a burnt nose for my whole mission. I'm constantly thinking about what it will be like not to sweat and worry about where the sun is hitting my body. I had one day this week where It rained super hard out of nowhere and I had to walk through it with the only an umbrella for protection. My upper half stayed dry, but my lower half got soaked. That happened on Saturday and my shoes are still drying out. I was recently talking with my companion about how my mind is still trying to comprehend that i'm in Africa. I told him that there's not a lot of difference in home and here. Just the streets, the houses, the people, the vehicles, the wildlife and the weather, pretty much everything is different here, My mind just won't let me comprehend it all.
Yesterday was pretty cool. I was able to walk to church with an investigator who is struggling to come to church. I thought the walk was going to be 2 hours, but it only to 1 hour. It was a cool walk. I always bus to church, so it was cool to take a more direct walking route than what the bus took. I've said before the that English here is sometimes hard to understand, it varies from almost perfect to awkward what the heck are you saying. It's so much fun though, every once in a while when I'm talking to my companion or other Americans I can hear the accent I use when I'm teaching people who don't have the best English. I'm always wondering what kind of accent I will have when I come home.
I always think to myself that happiness is a state of mind, not a destination. So even though It's been +28-30C and I'm sweating up a storm, I always try to be happy and be positive. One funny thing is when we went to see a new investigator(who wasn't home) around 10 kids were watching us because we're white. So I started to move my head around and move just my torso(Showing them my dance moves) They all were dumb founded, some even tried to copy me. It was really funny to see their reaction and even funnier when they tried to copy me.
The mission life is awesome, I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for me. I just have to be willing to do whatever it is he asks me to do. In theory I can do it, but I have to focus on what I will actually do when I have to do it in reality. I'm reading Jesus The Christ(If you haven't read it before, I strongly suggest that you do so) and I'm learning so much about Jesus' mortal ministry. It explains everything in such a way where it makes perfect sense. I relate a testimony to a fire. As a missionary it is my purpose to help other light their fire(testimony) on the restored gospel. It is then their duty to keep it going by feeding it materials that won't burn away in mere seconds. Feeding it something that will last for a while like reading the scriptures, going to church, always praying and keeping the commandments. But if we stop feeding our fire, no matter how big it is, it can burn out. We have to always be feeding our fire no matter what. We also have to beware of things that will douse our fire(sin) but as long as we do our best to feed our fire. It won't go out.
The church is a place of true happiness. Nothing but the truth can give that kind of happiness.
Elder Smith
Pictures:
1. A Pineapple Tree
2. A Goblin King in the road
3. A Storm only 250 Meters away
4. Me Enjoying Zambian Ice-Cream
5. A Beautiful African Sunset
6. Me and my companion helping an investigator with math.
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