June 25, 2018

From Sam - Blessings:

This week has been great. Especially yesterday, I'll tell you about it. 

We were walking to church with two of our investigators and about 25 minutes into the walk a bus went out if it's way to see if we needed a ride. Buses are always trying to overcharge white people. The bus conductor asked if we were going to town, I said "only if it's free" and continued walking. After a few seconds the conductor said sure and ushered us into the bus. I had to double check and triple check because this never happens, and he even gave a free bus to my companion and my two investigators. So, we got to church really early and were able to give a chapel tour.

Then, during church, Bishop Chikopa gave fire to the youth and young adults for not having a vision for life. He talked about how the time they are in limbo about life it is time wasted. Later in Elders quorum he gave fire to the Priesthood for not doing their duty in making church(Sacrament Meeting) a better spiritual experience. Me and my companion were sitting there thinking "Thank you Bishop".

As missionaries we can only do so much to help the ward where we serve. but it is the members that make the meeting a good experience.

Later in the day we were walking to our area(which is a 30 minute walk) and another bus conductor called us over and gave us a free ride. It was two free buses in one day, which never happens. Because of the free bus we got to our appointment perfectly on time. Later in the day we found a family to teach and after we finished and were setting the return appointment, the father said that he wanted to meet more frequently. Yesterday was a day Gods hand was in every part of my day. It was awesome.

One thing I learned more indepth was the importance of member missionary work. I challenge everyone to work harder in sharing the gospel to those they know. Because it's the members that make the church, not the missionaries, and if the members are not helping the new members or not sharing the gospel with those who are not "Mormons" they are failing in their duty of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

I love you all,

Elder Smith

Pictures:

-funny L/R syndrome sign 

-District pictures before Sister Orchard leaves to Trinidad (Left to right Sis.Nakale, Sis.Orchard, Sis.Moulten, Sis.Jones, Sis.Kivalu, Elder Turner, Elder Harmon, Me, Elder Hansen)

-Picture of me and Elder Harmon(Elder Harmon has been my Zone leader for 6 months. This is us on exchanges)

- A train bus that always goes through my area.

From Dad:

Thanks for the reminders to share the gospel, Sam.

I think Mom has been sending a few pictures your way. Someone asked me the other day what the experience is like in Africa helping new members stay active. Is that a big challenge in Zambia?

We had a great Sunday too. Cally Rice (Kylan's sister) and Jacob Nesom gave their home coming talks. Very spiritual and inspiring. 

If you get a chance to write Kylan, that would be great. He's trying to figure out his next steps of whether to go to work for the summer and how and whether to go back on his mission. You are a good friend to him.

Love you lots!

Couple of pics. Ben trying out for a music award playing Root beer Rag and a pic of my new primary class I'm teaching!

June 17, 2018

From Dad - Promptings:

Hi Sam,

Hope you had a great week. Our was busy, which isn't unusual. I love my family. You guys bring me so much joy and happiness. I'm grateful for each one of my children. Thank you for coming to our family, Sam. My patriarchal blessing tells me that I was privileged to choose some of those I would be most closely associated with in mortality. You were one of those. We've known each other a lot longer than you think :)  

Speaking of patriarchal blessings, Ben is going for his this week. We're excited for him. He is enjoying that school classes are out for the year and just a few exams to close it all out. It will be nice to have him around more often. He just finished reading "Shackleton" and was struck as I remember being by how good we have it as well as the resilience and nobility of the human spirit. 

Abby and Mia were able to go rock climbing this week and loved doing that again. Shout out to Tyler and Steph for starting that passion for them. 

On Saturday morning, Mom organized another Relief Society 5K run that turned into a 6K run. Your Mom is an amazing example of service to our family.

Our Garden is starting to grow along with the grass. Exciting times for us.

I've had some very defining moments this past week. Last Saturday, Mom and I headed to Viking to celebrate 30 years since my High School reunion. I was excited and nervous but in the end, I loved seeing many of my old class mates. Life has been good for some of them, harder for others, but lots of great catching up and memories that night.

Over the past few weeks, I've been really pondering how I can be a better minister vs. Home teacher to my families in the ward. It's been a subtle but important shift and I've been really struggling to know how I can best serve in this capacity. After some days of pondering and praying I had 2 experiences yesterday that reminded me in a quiet and wonderful way that he is aware of me and my families and that if I'll listen patiently, he will direct my paths.

Yesterday after helping mom with her race, I took Abby into the Stake Center to a YW activity. When I got there, Kylan was there with his Mom and sisters. Can't remember if we mentioned it, but he came home with some anxiety from his mission and is in limbo trying to figure out his next steps. I tried to encourage him but I could see he was a little depressed and not happy to be stuck there waiting for his Mom. So I said my good bye's and started driving home. As I was crossing the bridge to turn onto the Whitemud drive from the Riverbend Stake Center, a strong impression came to me that I should turn around and invite Kylan to come home and hang out with me and Ben while he waited. Of course I had a small wrestle with the spirit about the reasons why not, but then recalled my prayers to minister. So I made a U turn and went back to see him. When I asked him to come, he got up right away and came with me. We had a great talk and renewed our friendship. On the way home, I told him about our truck handle not working, and he offered to fix it. I said go for it. After lunch, he and Ben went to work and 1/2 hour later they came in and declared victory! I was amazed and grateful. Grateful in many ways. Grateful that the Lord trusted me with a small revelation, grateful I hadn't been too stubborn to listen, and grateful to have a working truck door! The Lord truly is aware of us. 

That evening, I took Abby into Leduc to a YW camp planning meeting and as I waited, I felt another prompting. Go see Sis. Raymond. Again the small wrestle then the reminder of my prayers and so I went. A 10 min conversation on the door step (remember those with the Raymonds :)), and I was able to reconnect and offer comfort for her as she is going through some family and health challenges. I'm grateful I followed the first prompting, opening the way for me to be ready for another one. 

Long story to illustrate my testimony that God is real and that he answers prayers.

Father's day has been great today! I got my favorite meal (sweet and sour meatballs), Taught a fun lesson in SS on David and Goliath, started my new Primary calling helping teach the CTR 6's and got to video call with first Josh and then Steph and Tyler in their new apartment in St. George. 

Life is good and challenging and fun. God bless you my son Sam. So grateful to be a Dad.

Love,Dad.

From Sam - Lots to Learn:

Hello all, greetings from Zambia,

This week has been really great. I have been able to have great experiences, sadly for you I can't remember all of them. The good news is that I remember some, one of which is when we were visiting with a baptismal candidate who was supposed to get baptized in January, he asked us questions about why is there suffering and why is there so much wickedness. We explained that is was because the second coming is going to happen and there will be much wickedness in the last days. He then asked what do we need to do to prepare for the second coming, we explained that we need to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He then asked what he needed to do, we said "You need to get baptized". He was quiet for a little bit then said he wanted to get baptized. My first thought was to baptize him next week and have him show his commitment by coming to church this week. Then, as I started talking the spirit took over and I instead said for him to be baptized this week. He agreed and we did the preparations and he got baptized yesterday. Me and my companion walked out of that lesson wondering what the hey just happened. God is aware of all his children. My testimony of that has increased for sure. 

After his baptism the Bishop did the closing remarks. As he got ready, so did I. Every time he does closing remarks I learn something new. This time he explained what his mission president taught him. This is what I learned:

"To succeed in life, we all need to be students of the Gospel. But what student do you want to be"

He then gave 4 examples.

1. The Straight "A" Student

-A straight "A" student is someone who goes to class ready and willing to learn with a blank notebook and takes in everything there is to offer and leaves the class with a full notebook.

2. The Keyword Student

-A Keyword student is someone who goes to class and picks out a keyword and only studies about that word

3. The Word Against Word Student

-A word against word student is someone who studies in advance and only comes to class to confirm what he already learned and to question what the teacher says.

4. The DNA. Student (Does Not Apply Student)

-A DNA student is someone who tries to learn but things just are not making sense so he gives up and stops trying. When things don't make sense at first he stops trying because he feels the things being taught "do not apply" to him.

We want to be a student of the Gospel where we take in everything even though it may not make sense at first but to keep on trying.

I love being out here in the mission field. With the spirit of being a missionary I'm super powered in my learning and my teaching. It's awesome.

I love you all,

Elder Smith

Pictures:

-A Bishop made me a homemade mini scripture case. Yay!

-I made sugar popcorn

-Erwin's miracle baptism

-The case hold both my mini-quad and my mini-hymn book 

Videos:

-Fun with kids(My favorite thing about my area)

June 11, 2018

From Mom - Prophet

Dear Elder Smith,

Well, the biggest news is that Russell M. Nelson came and had a devotional with us in Edmonton along with Ronald A. Rasband of the Twelve. I have to say that I understand these men are really just regular people striving to follow the direction of the Lord and I’m pretty sure I don’t fall into the category of putting them higher in my mind than they should be, but I have to say my respect for the role of our prophet and apostles grew, surprisingly, especially since I’m a self admitted cynic. Haha. Anyway, Abby and Ben sang in the choir and sat behind him. Pres. Nelson turned right around in his chair to listen and at one point, actually kneeling down to get the full experience.  Pretty cool. He talked to us about “keeping the covenant path.” In a following training the next morning the newest general authority seventy from Japan (I can’t remember his name) said: “Keeping the covenant path opens the floodgates of spiritual direction.” 

I so enjoyed your zone conference notes, here are my notes from this Leadership training. 

LEADERSHIP MEETING- June 9, 2018

(Ronald A. Rasband)

Pay attention to names that come into your mind in this era of ministering. What matters now are the names of individuals ... people. 

Pres. Nelson keeps as pad of paper beside his bed. Why? To record spiritual direction in the middle of the night. 

All of us have different patterns of receiving revelation. 

Good information precedes good inspiration which leads to revelation. 

“I’m just a regular guy. My dad was a truck driver. I grew up in the poor side of Salt Lake. Sometimes we ask ourselves, ‘Why me? Why now?’ But I’m here to tell you that there is a purpose. You, and only you, have things to do.”

“.... but I was born with believing blood.”

(Elder Anderson)

More water. Less sand.

Less temporal. More spiritual. 

Less external pressure. More internal pressure.

Less business structure. More Zion structure.

Less teaching lessons. More teaching people.

Less formality. More understanding.

More scriptures.

More temple.

• for personal direction. To give power to those under our care. To receive revelation. If we want or know what we should do, go to the temple to seek the Lord’s will, then go the the scriptures for revelation. 

(Newest general authority, from Japan.)

Keeping the covenant path opens up the floodgates of spiritual direction.

There was a little boy (his son) in Japan who wanted to get baptized but he felt really bad about a candy he had stolen a long time ago from a convenience store run by an old lady. He told his Dad about it and the Dad agreed to go with him but it was up to the boy to talk. The father went with the boy and could see him trembling and shaking, but he built up his courage and admitted to the woman that he has stolen a candy.

What do you think she did?

She laughed! She said, “I know boys come and steal candy but you are the first to come to me and admit it. Would you like to have some more candy?”

What do you think he said?

He said, “ No, I don’t want candy anymore.”

The desire for candy had been replaced with the desire for peace and worthiness. 

God can replace our natural desires with holier ones. 

INSPIRED MINISTERING

Ask inspired questions. Questions bring out feelings and thoughts and open the way for teaching and discussion.

Listen with your heart and spirit.

Ponder the visit

Seek and pray for direction. 

“Sometimes we say we want the water to get to the end of the row but with the ministering program we want it to rain everywhere.” -Rasband

Testimonies...

We need to develop a society that can receive the Saviour when he comes. 

We need to work towards being a Zion people. 

Days of miracles have not ceased. 

Failure happens only when moms and dads, grandpas and grandmas, all of us, stop trying. So never give up. Or, in other words, you are never a failure if you keep trying. 

I was so grateful for this direction. It was truly like a spiritual feast sitting at the feet of the Lord’s anointed leaders. My testimony was strengthened and I would say, took a little leap. It felt good. Also, scriptures Russell M. Nelson challenged us to study in our families:

Book of Mormon title page

Abraham 2:11

Ether 13

D&C 132:28

D&C 110

3 Nephi 20

D&C 101

D&C  86:8

We haven’t done it yet, but the point is to understand the importance of the gathering of Israel and our Latter-Day role in creating a Zion-like people ready to receive the Savior. Pretty powerful to hear it in person and to feel the energy of these men.  I actually (surprisingly) loved it. 

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the week:

Girls playing Life with their stuffies. I love this picture because these “pretending” days are numbered. 

Garage door is up! Whoop! Whoop!

Rainy day.

Ben, having a snack of Corn Pops, which lasted less than 24 hours after purchase. Ha!

The lilacs are blooming on almost all our 100 trees. It’s so pretty and a butterfly haven. 

Dad and I went to his 30 year Highschool reunion this past weekend. It was fun for me to see him connect with old friends and reminisce about high school days. 

Life is good, my boy. Everyone is where they should be ... Steph and Tyler moving to St. George, Utah, where Tyler will be opening an  architecture office for the company he works for and Steph will figure out her next steps in life. Josh is at BYU-I figuring out formal education and loving the process even though there are ups and downs (I feel confidant Josh will nail it.) You are loving your mission. Ben is winding up school and planning on going to the Island with Cosy at the end of June. And the rest of us are humming along at home as usual. Everyone is where they should be, moving along their life’s path at a pretty good clip as far as I can tell. 

We all love you a million times over. We’re proud of you. We pray for you. Keep a goin’. 

Love forever,

Mom

From Sam - A week of Funny and Food

This week has been great.I realized today that all my pictures are of the food I have been eating. There is basically nothing else for my pictures. I've had fun.

One thing everyone should be praying for is to be stripped of pride so that we will be humble. Just be ready to be humbled. This is something I did this week and I was humbled. I gave a presentation and it went the completely the opposite way I thought it was going to go. It hit me hard that I'm not perfect(It was really shocking) and that I have so much to work for. It just reminds me about Ether 12 verse 27, telling us that we need to turn to God and he will make us strong.

I want everyone to look up 2 Nephi chapter 32 verse 9.

This is something I have really taken to heart. For almost everything I do I pray for help and strength and guidance, and I honestly have a sincere testimony of prayer and the power it has in my life. Especially as a missionary.

I found out some more words in the local language(Nyanja) 

Zakyumanya = I'll beat you

Azungu bele = White man is here

Quapia quambili = It's so Hot

Oyopa mazungu? = Are you scared of the white man?

It's so much fun to learn a new language. I read a quote today, it said "When you speak a language a man understands, you speak to his mind. But when you speak in that mans language, you speak to the heart".

Yesterday I was able to baptize Destiny, he is someone the other sisters taught and when I did his interview I asked who he wants to baptize him, he said he wanted me. So, that's what I did. In contrast to last weeks baptism, I would rather have the font too full than not as full.

I also found out this week that one of my recent converts has been praying that me and my companion will become Apostles when we grow up. I don't know how I feel about that. I have to get though my mission first before I have any other calling.

One other thing is that I'm getting used to the Zambian heat, Yay! The sad part is that I'm not used to the Zambian cold. Because i have the Canadian blood I'm sort of immune, but 13 degrees is cold in Zambia and my body thinks it's cold as well. It sucks. I know that it is not cold, but I feel cold. I even have two blankets so that I'm not cold in the night. I'm going to die when I get home in the middle of winter. But, that's two years from now.

I love you all, pray always, and be awesome,

-Elder Smith

Pictures: 

-Poutine night

-double decker bus that I will never see again

-We found some meat that tastes just like hotdogs from home

-A donut and a coconut toy drink for 3 kwacha(30 cents)

-(Left)My companions daily water(Right)My daily water

-More poutine

Video:

My companions first taste of poutine.

June 3, 2018

From Dad - A week of work

Dear Sam,

How's my boy? I have to say how much I love the enthusiasm coming from your emails. I'm sure things aren't all roses, but you have an amazing ability to see the good in life and recognize the value of experiencing things, good and bad, to grow. I hope you never lose that.

This week has been busy. We've been prepping the lawn (I was reminded again why I quit landscaping!) and I was grateful some of those skills haven't gone away. I managed to rig up a homemade rake to pull behind the lawn tractor using a pallet, rope and stones and it worked really well until the little tractor quit on me :( We are looking forward to some grass starting to grow. Everyone has been pitching in to help. We were able to put in some garden this year. We've moved the garden over by the dugout with hopes of rigging up a pump and being able to water from the pond.

Yesterday was busy. Liz, Grandma Smith and Rachel came up to play in piano festival provincials. Rachel is in the same group as Abby and so they were able to all go together. They both played well and enjoyed the experience. Ben had a “Bro” party this week-end with Ben DeVries and Cody coming over for some long overdue D&D. Of course I had to put them to work for part of the time! 

I was able to finally get the garage door ordered and delivered and spent all day installing it. Got most of the way there and was reminded of the power of small and simple steps to accomplishing large, often intimidating tasks. With the help of instructions, YouTube and a few calls to Bro. Damon Henault (he sold me the door), I was able to work through most sticking points. Ben was there to help me with the heavy lifting and it worked out pretty good!

Wednesday I went with Ben and Abby to the youth temple baptisms. It was an amazing experience watching the Aaronic Priesthood young men take turns baptizing. They weren’t perfect, but that made it all the more real and powerful for me to see them honor their priesthood and server in the Temple of God. Daryl went for the first time to do baptisms and also got to baptize!

Mom mentioned it last week, but Ben and I went and got new suites. He looks like a missionary in his new suit and commented on how good it feels to be dressed up.

Bishop Lambert bore his testimony today and told of an experience where he came across an old desk he had had since his youth. Scratched in the drawer were words he’d tried unsuccessfully to scratch out. It was something like “I hate math. If I fail Math, I’m quitting school!”.  He laughed about it, but admitted that at the time, that’s how he really felt and he then bore testimony of the power of the Savior’s atonement that let’s us carry on when we want to quit and how his grace can pick us up when we struggle and fall. I have felt his strength and help in my life when I’ve felt low and struggling. Bringing the message of the comforting and saving power of the Savior to the Zambians will bless them and you as well.

Life is full of wonderful challenges. I’m grateful for our family and the support it provides us as we journey through the experiences of this life.  Know that we love you and that we are praying daily for you.

Love Dad

From Sam - One More Thing

One more thing. This is something that we learned at Zone Conference.

The big new thing we talked about was the contrast between the pride cycle and the gratitude cycle. First, we're all familiar with the Pride Cycle. The people are righteous, the Lord prospers them, they become prideful and forget from where their blessings come, then they fall away and are punished, and either they are destroyed or they are compelled to be righteous again. On the flip side is the Gratitude Cycle, where people have an attitude of gratitude. First they are full of gratitude, then they recognize their blessings, they humble themselves before the Lord because they acknowledge their blessings come from Him, they Sacrifice, then live consecrated lives of integrity, and then they are fully converted, where we return to the beginning of the cycle: they are full of gratitude.

We talked about each point in detail.

1. Full of Gratitude

• Grateful to be a missionary.
• Love the work.
• Grateful for everything.

2. Recognize Blessings

• Like above, grateful for everything. acknowledging how blessed we are, and taking note of the individual small things.
• Food, shelter, leaders, medical care (thanks Elder Johnson).
• Missionary companion.
• The Gospel.
• Gifts and talents that assist in the Lord's work.

Honestly I don't know why this had its own category and wasn't joined with the first (Full of Gratitude) but maybe it was used to distinguish our attitude from the act of actually acknowledging our blessings.

3. Humility

• Rely on the Lord, not yourself. Acknowledge imperfections. See Ether 12:26
• No false ideas of entitlement (i.e. some missionaries unfortunately feel they deserve something for their service and don't view it as a privilege like they should. They think the church owes them something and don't realize that the blessings of serving a mission vastly outweigh any sacrifice they ever make). See Mosiah 2:23-24
• Willing to accept corrections and submit to the Lord and His appointed servants.
• Remembering to glorify God and give Him the credit for our success, all of which is rightfully His.

4. Sacrifice

• Significant and meaningful service (not slothful)
• Leaving family and friends behind for a season for the work of God. Leaving behind all personal affairs, such as jobs, education, hobbies and interests, boyfriends/girlfriends (yes they talked about that LOL) etc.
• Our time and effort, not for any kind of payment or money (one could say the Lord pays us with blessings).

5. Consecration and Integrity

This one also ties into the previous, but while they are related there are some distinctions.

• Opportunity to serve the Lord.
• "eye single to the glory of God" -D&C 4:5 and 82:19
• Honesty and integrity - MSF is the sacred funds we receive for food and transport and similar expenses, which come from us and the tithing of others. How sad it is when dishonest missionaries violate the promises they made when they came on mission by using MSF to buy personal items and souvenirs, and in some cases, even save it for use at home or send it to their families! This is most prevalent with the missionaries who are approved to receive financial assistance to serve or get help from other members members at their home because their families were too poor, and then turn around and selfishly take the "widow's mite" for themselves.
• Forget yourself in the Lord's service.
• Obedience to mission rules (again relating to both honesty and integrity).
• Consecrating your WHOLE SOUL as an offering to the Lord. See Omni 1:26

6. Powerful Conversion

• "Mighty change of heart." -Mosiah 5:2
• Serving out of LOVE, not just out of obligation or duty.
• "Full of FIRE and TESTIMONY!"
• Worthy of the Spirit, powerful teacher/missionary.
• Willing and happy to serve with a cheerful heart.

These are the things I took away from zone conference. Sure they are tailored for a missionary, but they apply to everyone, because we are all supposed to be missionaries.

-Elder Smith

From Sam - Baptism and Confirmation

This week has been a blast. We had zone conference and learned a lot about missionary work and the area doctor did a presentation about everything that could go wrong on a mission medical wise if we were disobedient. I can tell you now that I want to be more obedient then I already was just in case. He also talked about how when he was a seminary teacher he gave the report to the bishop talking about how the students were good kids but he wouldn't recommend them for the clinic. The bishop asked why and he said that they were good, but they weren't great. This could be applied to everyone anywhere. For me I don't want to be a good missionary, I want to be a great missionary. I want to be a missionary God would be proud of. You can apply this in your own life. Whatever you are, don't be good, be great. Be someone God would be proud of.

One funny story. As me and my companion were walking a trail to get to the main road we passed three kids. As we passed I said "Muli Che" meaning "are you guys fine"(That's a rough translation) Two of the kids just said yes, but the last kid said really enthusiastically "Ndilli che, ndilli che myguy, ndilli che!" Meaning "yes i'm fine". The kids here just make me laugh all the time. Sometimes when the little kids see us "Zungu's" they start chanting "Azungu bele bele, Azungu bele bele". I'm still trying to figure out what that means. They're just excited to see white people. An even as we walk through my area the same kids always walk up and hold out their fists asking for a fist bump, some kids even say "Diago" when our fists meet. It's so great.

I love you all, If there is anything specific you want to know, let me know. Because I don't know what you want to know.

-Elder Smith

Pictures:

-Canadian picture

-Baptism for Alex

-Nshima meal with a member

-More Canada

-My Zone

-Prepping for Zone Conference

Videos:

-Playing with Kids

-Free food

From Dad 

Tell us more about the baptism!

From Sam 

Sure thing. Alex was someone I started teaching when I first got here. He then moved away for work so we couldn't contact him. But when he returned we were sort of relaxed about teaching him. We then decided to baptize him in two weeks because he was constantly coming to church. If we saw him everyday we could do it. The crappy part was we couldn't see him everyday, we saw him two or three times. But miraculously we crammed in three lessons in one and he understood well and he was baptized. I had to do the baptism three times because the water wasn't high enough, but it worked out. It was a good baptism.