Sam's Mission To Zambia Blog: July 2019

Monday, July 29, 2019

July 29, 2019

From Sam - Learning, Living, Loving

Hello Everyone,

This week was full of lots of things. I learned a lot about Humility. I learned that you may want to be humble and act humble but you're never really humble until you're really humble. I am forever grateful for repentance and yesterday I really enjoyed taking the sacrament. I have been put in a situation where I was able to take a step back and look at the big picture and now i'm ready for action.

This past week I was able to attend an MLC(Missionary Leadership Council) and spend some time with my mission president, his wife and lots of other missionaries that I love. One of the focuses in the MLC was the Book of Mormon. In battle there is a standard bearer to carry the banner in the front of the battle and when the one holding the banner gets shot or is unable to carry it anymore then another person goes forward to carry it so that the flag is always moving forward. We talked about how the Book of Mormon is the standard that we bear as we teach the restored gospel. We were challenged to take a new copy of the Book of Mormon and highlight verses that pertain to Missionary work and verses that pertain to the Savior. I have just been able to read up to 1 Nephi 14 and I'm amazed at how many verses contain both of those topics. I also extend that invitation to all of you. Take a new copy of the Book of Mormon and highlight those verses that pertain to Missionary Work and of the Savior.

My mission is amazing, I'm learning so much. Not just because of what I'm learning but because of what I'm living. Yesterday I had the opportunity to be thrown under the bus and got to teach Young Mens class. I looked at the topic in the book and it was Acts 16 -21 about preaching the gospel. So instead of trying to teach about preaching the gospel with the book and no time to prepare I just closed the book and taught about all that I wish I knew about preaching the gospel when I was home. We had a discussion about Matthew 28:19-20 and then I did a role-play where one of the young men had to answer a question about why we don't drink coffee or tea. He also was thrown under the bus and had no idea how to defend his beliefs. I used that example for how sometimes we live the gospel but we really don't know why. We talked about the Word of Wisdom and we helped them to understand the why then I challenged them to make a better effort to study and understand why they live the gospel. It was fun. I shared some ideas and some other things I wish I knew about the gospel and sharing it with others when I was home.

This week was great and next week will be better.

I love you all,

-Elder Smith

Pictures:

-Brownies

-At the stadium waiting for a member

-Inspiration

-Me studying the old preach my gospel and the new preach my gospel side by side

-Cooking and Eating chips

-MLC Pictures(One of them has only my forehead in it.

-Me and my MTC mates

-Elder Ofisa's birthday

-Elder Okolo pretending to feed Fatima cake

-Me waiting for my Chitenge jacket

-Eating dinner at Memory's and Rosemary's. Joseph also joined us.

-Elder Okolo helping to change the time on the clock in the meeting house

Video's:

The Rest of the PIctures:

-Sports on Monday(Today)

-Me and my companion with a Chelsea Jersey

From Dad - Winding up our Vacation

Dear Sam.

I’m writing this from Vancouver island. We have had an amazing and adventurous week!!

Since we talked to you last in Joshua Tree national park, we spent the rest of Monday touring around Joshua’s mission followed by a hunt through crazy LA hills to find the Hollywood sign ( check mark off of Abby’s bucket list).

Tuesday and Wednesday we walked and walked around Disneyland and California adventure till our feet almost gave out. The weather was hot and we enjoyed lots of different rides. The number of rides combined with the wait times resulted in only being able to repeat a few rides like hyperspace mountain, splash mountain, and the Incredicoaster. Great shows especially the fireworks and light shows.

After that was mainly driving and camping.

We saw some cool big redwoods and managed to pop a tire at the top of a crazy mountain campground that we had to wind up to on a one lane switchback road. Once again I was reminded that I can not control everything and that prayer and persistence can combine for our good. We were able to get to a tire shop and replace our bent rim with probably the only rim left in Northern California. I’m thankful for Tender mercies.

After getting on the road again we hit another tamer campground in Oregon. We pulled out the horse shoes Tyler sent home with us and played at some pits they had set up there.

Here’s the kids seeing who can do the most tricep exercises.

Next day we headed for the Ferry to take us to Vancouver island and Kurri’s place. We stopped at the ocean along the way.

Love Dad.

Monday, July 22, 2019

July 22, 2019

From Dad - On Vacation

Hi Sam. Not sure if we’ll be able to chat today. We’re in Joshua tree national park with no cell reception. We’re sleeping in our new Costco tent and loving it. So warm here. We pulled in at 9 pm and it was still 48 deg C.

We set up our tent in the dark as the sun goes down sooner here than in Canada. It was fun to work together.

Yesterday we attended church in St. George. We enjoyed the talks on the temple and the kids made memories by getting to meet new youth in SS class. Ben said he cracked up the whole time listening to the surfer lingo all the priests used. Bra, check out the Canadian dude! Mia’s class kept asking here Canadian questions like “do you speak French?” Or “ how many times a day do you eat maple syrup?”

We enjoyed a really fun stay at Steph and Tyler’s after a long drive. We went to grandma smiths first and left coco there. Their flight got delayed in Chicago so we didn’t see them, but they were enjoying the pageants in Nauvoo and the Hill Cumorah.

Next day we traveled to Logan Utah and enjoyed a nice stay overnight at Mel’s. We had a nice campfire and good conversation as we got to know their family.

Next morning, Ben and I joined Mel and Adam (15) for early morning basketball. First game was ok but 4 games later we were dying, barely able to get up and down the floor. Felt good till a day later!!

We so much enjoyed our time with little Bowie.

Here’s a few pics.

It was a nice surprise to be able to see you this morning from the middle of nowhere!! It looks like your having a great time with good people around you!

I’m grateful you are confident enough and willing to trust in the spirit when your called in at the last minute to talk and bear witness of the truth.

Here’s a scripture to ponder. I spent a while discussing it with Mel. The power of taking complete responsibility for our lives and circumstances while still acknowledging the Lord and his power in our lives leads to amazing blessings both spiritual and temporal.

D&C 78:

18. And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

We love you Sam. So proud of you. Make it a great week.

Love,

Dad

From Sam - Popping out of the snow, like daisies!

Hello everyone,

This week I'll tell you more about my week instead of what I learned. Lots of things happened this week . The biggest thing was all the people we have been able to find, both for the new people and for those who are less actives and members. Miracles have happened in the process of working with members. I don't know how or exactly why but we've been able to find less actives in our regular door knocking or in just being in the right place at the right time. That's why the title of this email is what it is. If you know the reference let me know.

In the many people we found this week, two of them are Mofatt and Susan. They are both Seventh Day Adventists but are both very open to learning about the gospel. I asked them one lesson "How did you come to know that the Bible is the word of God?" The response he gave was focused on how he grew up with it so that's the major reason he believes it. It made me so grateful that my parents emphasized on how I needed to get my own testimony through prayer and the Spirit. The things I believe are what I believe because the one to convince me of them are God. No one can convince me otherwise except him.

One thing Mofatt warned me and Elder Okolo was that he's going to be hard on us with questions and concerns. He said he won't believe because we say so. I couldn't be more happy to hear that because I would have it no other way. We're seeing them with a returned missionary named Musonda on Tuesday. I'm excited for what comes of it.

In other news, Yesterday just a minute before sacrament meeting I was asked by my ward mission leader to fill in to give a talk for someone who didn't show up. I was the first to speak so I didn't have enough time to really make a solid talk. The thing that made it harder was I wasn't given a topic, I was free to talk on anything I wanted. I was so grateful that I have studied the scriptures a lot and done other major topics of study. I focused my talk on spiritual treasures/truth. I'm so grateful for the spirit because I had no idea on what I was going to say. I just had two or three scriptures ready and while I talked more came into my head. Afterwards I was thanked for my talk by a lot of people. I knew I was guided by the spirit because it is the spirit that carries what I say to others hearts. Little did everyone know that I only had 5 minutes to prepare a 7 minute talk. In my talk I said "The difference between feeding our spirits and nourishing our souls is feeding our spirits is learning the gospel and nourishing our souls is living the gospel." I was pretty amazed at how much I learned from myself.

I love you all, I love this gospel,

-Elder Smith

Pictures(For two weeks)

-Dog painting