Sam's Mission To Zambia Blog: July 30, 2018

From Dad - Family Week

Dear Sam,

How's my favorite African son? Do you have air conditioning in your apartment? This week has been fairly mild, but a couple of days have been closer to 30 and I just don't do very well when I'm feeling hot. Harder to move about and get things done. But not really complaining as it is nice to have summer fully here and enjoying being able to get outside and work on the yard and house.

This week has been fun having lots of family here. Josh came home Monday, Steph came in Wednesday and Kurri, Benson and Cody were her till Tuesday. Monday, Campbell came in with his girlfriend and joined the crew for a trip to the waterpark. It was fun to visit with him. It has been fun to have a full house again. Having Stephanie and Joshua home has been so wonderful and I've felt a strong sense of gratitude for you, our wonderful children. You are truly a blessing in our lives. We're thankful to Tyler for sharing Stephanie with us for a few days.

A couple of days ago, I experienced an interesting mixture of high and low. I may have mentioned previously that we ordered and received our side garage "man" door recently. I have a weird relationship with construction. I enjoy it in small doses and I love how it feels to build something and manifest something that wasn't there before into reality but I also have a strange mixture of dread and anticipation in approaching a construction or mechanical project I haven't done before. So while I was excited to start putting in the door, I has procrastinating a bit while I wrestled with this project. As with other types of similar projects, I had to kind of inch my way into it. I would do things like clearing out the area one day, measuring and marking the frame the next day etc. On Monday, Joshua showed up just as I was finishing my last call of the day and offered to help with anything I needed. So I told him about the door and together we started to tackle it. We were able to make great progress and get it framed up.

Over the next few days, step by step, we were able to get it completed and on Thursday, I did the final touches with Ben helping to screw in the final screws and put the deadbolt in.

Just as we were finishing that off, Josh walked out and let me know that the van had broken down just past the Calmar turnoff. Wow I thought, how interesting to feel so good about accomplishing something, then be hit by some other issue that brings up stress and worry. So that afternoon and evening, Steph and I went to investigate and discovered that the serpentine belt had broken. We were able to move the van to the Brett Young parking lot and then drive to Leduc to get a new belt.

That evening, after watching some YouTube videos and sucking up my courage, Josh and I went to tackle the job ourselves. When we got to the van and tried to fit a wrench into the tensioner pulley to get the belt off, we realized that the wrench didn't fit. Luckily I had done some research and knew that there was a special tool I could use and so we drove to Canadian Tire to get it. What a difference the right tool can make! Slipping the tool on and removing the belt and replacing it took under 15 minutes. I think I'll save that idea for a future talk analogy!

So all in all, we ended the day with two victories. It is the hard things and the trials in life that ultimately bring meaning and purpose and joy to our lives. The plan of salvation teaches us this and I'm thankful for the support of family and the Lord as we face the trials together.

This week in SS, I taught 1 Kings 17-19 about the story of Elijah and the miraculous use of the priesthood he exercised in the promises to the Widow of Zarephath that her oil and meal would not fail during the famine and the contest with the priests. It was interesting to learn that after all these miraculous manifestations, Elijah still had to flee for his life and became discouraged and depressed and wanted to die (1 Kings 19:4). Chapter 19 taught me some interesting lessons on the counsel and method by which the Lord helped him overcome this discouragement. I think the Lord is the ultimate psychologist!

v. 11,12 - Counsel to listen for and receive comfort and revelation from the Holy Ghost

v. 15-16 - Counsel to get to work and build the Kingdom by accepting a calling from the Lord

c. 18 - Counsel and reminder of other faithful who can provide strength and support to us.

The other night, Mia, our guardian of gaming for family unity pulled us all in to play a fun game of Apples to Apples. We all had a fun laugh when it was Stephanie's turn and she drew the green card "Magical" and proceed to recieve cards seemingly tailored to her.

Key Card: Magical

Family Cards turned over in order

Taking Pictures
Shooting a Video
My Mom
My Imagination
Narnia (She chose this one)

Mom and Steph are training for a marathon in St. George in November so we've seen an increase in physical activity in our house from P90X to Yoga to Plank competitions and running.

Friday night I got a call from Bro. Purnell inviting me and the boys over to shoot some Skeet with shotguns. We found out that Ben is a natural and we enjoyed doing manly things. Safety, Safety, Safety and Muzzle direction were the rules and I immediately broke it as I carried a shotgun over to the first spot and passed a loaded shotgun under my own chin as I transferred hands. Thankfully it was a safe and fun activity in the end.

Saturday was a yard day and we got the mower fixed up, mowed all the grass (which is coming along nicely by the way) and the garden weeded. Josh and Ben uncovered a large rock by the garden and we planted a tree in its spot.

Hope you have a great week, son. We love you lots!

Love,

Dad.

From Sam

This week has been an experience. Though I never know what to put in this email. So I'm sorry if it's not good enough.

This week has been pretty normal. Not a lot of crazy things. One thing is as we were walking and knocking on gates, there were a few kids with bucket lids and I asked for one. Then I started to play Frisbee with them. The video is at the end of the email. I was so much fun. It reminded me about the times when Me, Josh and Ben would play Frisbee in the yard and try to throw further and further away. I think I enjoyed it to much. It was a good reminder of home.

The elections were happening this week for the mayor. And while we went to go the office we got stuck in one spot for 30 - 45 because the mayor and the president of Lusaka were driving around, they stopped all traffic on the roads they were using so they wouldn't get stuck in traffic. So instead of them, we got stuck.

I know I told you before but member meals are the best thing in the world as a missionary. Yesterday we went to a members house and while we visited I shared with one of the sisters my favorite things about the Book of Mormon. She has only read up to Alma and I shared with her a bunch of stories from the war chapters and I got really excited because I love talking about the Book of Mormon and she got excited because she saw that the Book of Mormon has good stories and is not just a book to read but a story to read and doctrines and principle to learn. They then fed us with baked goods and pineapple drinks. It was amazing.

The next best thing that happened this week is our investigator Maxwell was Baptized. It has been a great time to watch as the gospel changed his life. I love the power of the Atonement and how it does have the power to change people.

One quote that stuck out to me today: "It's more important to have Character than to be a Character" This is what Liber Youth Retreat taught me in which I am so so grateful for it. It's something that we teach all the time. Salvation is not where you go, it's who you become.

I love you all.

-Elder Smith

Pictures:

-I found a pine tree