Hello Everyone,
This last week has been really interesting. Conference was amazing and Transfers are this week. We weren't able to meet with many of the people that we are trying to teach because of craziness. We were able to meet with a couple that we are teaching and had a really good lesson. They are worried about being kicked out of their room because they need to pay for the room on Monday but he doesn't get paid at his new job until Wednesday, hopefully that works out next week. We went on exchanges this week and both of us had some cool experiences. While Elder Parry was here and I was with the other Zone leader in his area, he was able to meet with a less active that we have been not able to meet in a forever. She and her friend were talking about needing a blessing and they happened to come by looking for her. It was a really cool experience that he had and she has set a goal to find a job that will let her come to church in 30 days or not have a job in 30 days. It's amazing how the Lord will put us all in the right spot at the right moment if he can trust us to do his will.
Conference is amazing. It's been so different watching conference as a missionary. I get so many different things out of it. Also I seem to stay awake for more of the sessions than when I was home :P. Probably the most impactful talk that I remember was Elder Hollands talk. As I listened to the story at the beginning I was seeing the parallels that the story made to our relationship to the atonement and the savior. We watched conference with 3 different familes and 2 sessions at the church. That was different, but cool. I can't wait for them to come out in print in the Next months Ensign. I hope that you guys were able to receive revelation as you watched. So much fun.
Transfers are this week and Elder Parry is leaving. He is becoming a Zone Leader in a town called Fountain to the east and south of Colorado Springs. I'm staying for another transfer in Crystal Valley. Sometimes I feel like I'm starting to just become a fixture in the ward. If I leave next transfer I will have spent a full third of my mission in this ward. But the funny thing is, I'm not really disappointed. The people here are really cool and over the last 2 weeks we have been able to get a few new investigators and have been able to meet and set up appointments with almost all of the less active families that we have been trying to meet with over the last 6 months. Things are starting to look up. The only thing that I'm a little wary about is that my new companion is Elder Madsen. He is being dropped from Assistant to the President to the District Leader here. He has been AP for 6 months so it was his time to go, and I'm wondering what the next 6 weeks are going to be like. I have faith that there is a reason for him coming here but I'm just worried that we might butt heads a little because as Dad can affirm, I don't do very well with authority figures telling me what to do. I don't think that that will happen I'm just afraid that it will turn into AP Madsen as my companion and not Elder Madsen as my companion. But it will be a good learning experience regardless. :)
We just moved into a new place. A lady in the ward has a house on her property that she rents as 2 apartments on the upstairs and downstairs. I'll try and get you guys some pictures of the place after we haev gotten everything where it needs to go. It's really nice to have a place to ourselves after the Thomas' but I'm noticing the small things that I took for granted, like dish soap and washcloths. But it's going to be great. Looking forward to learning how to live in an apartment.
I'm loving my mission so far. Being able to share the gospel with people and seeing them change the way that they are doing things has been a really great blessing. A small thing that I have noticed with the people that we are teaching currently is that every time that we have come over their motel rooms are cleaner than the time before. I don't know if it's just the fact that they know people are coming over so they don't want to be embarrassed but it's really nice to come into better and better living environments each time we are over. I love you guys and hope that things are going great. I'm praying for you guys as miss you.
Lots of Love,
Elder Garrett Darren Smith
This last week has been really interesting. Conference was amazing and Transfers are this week. We weren't able to meet with many of the people that we are trying to teach because of craziness. We were able to meet with a couple that we are teaching and had a really good lesson. They are worried about being kicked out of their room because they need to pay for the room on Monday but he doesn't get paid at his new job until Wednesday, hopefully that works out next week. We went on exchanges this week and both of us had some cool experiences. While Elder Parry was here and I was with the other Zone leader in his area, he was able to meet with a less active that we have been not able to meet in a forever. She and her friend were talking about needing a blessing and they happened to come by looking for her. It was a really cool experience that he had and she has set a goal to find a job that will let her come to church in 30 days or not have a job in 30 days. It's amazing how the Lord will put us all in the right spot at the right moment if he can trust us to do his will.
Conference is amazing. It's been so different watching conference as a missionary. I get so many different things out of it. Also I seem to stay awake for more of the sessions than when I was home :P. Probably the most impactful talk that I remember was Elder Hollands talk. As I listened to the story at the beginning I was seeing the parallels that the story made to our relationship to the atonement and the savior. We watched conference with 3 different familes and 2 sessions at the church. That was different, but cool. I can't wait for them to come out in print in the Next months Ensign. I hope that you guys were able to receive revelation as you watched. So much fun.
Transfers are this week and Elder Parry is leaving. He is becoming a Zone Leader in a town called Fountain to the east and south of Colorado Springs. I'm staying for another transfer in Crystal Valley. Sometimes I feel like I'm starting to just become a fixture in the ward. If I leave next transfer I will have spent a full third of my mission in this ward. But the funny thing is, I'm not really disappointed. The people here are really cool and over the last 2 weeks we have been able to get a few new investigators and have been able to meet and set up appointments with almost all of the less active families that we have been trying to meet with over the last 6 months. Things are starting to look up. The only thing that I'm a little wary about is that my new companion is Elder Madsen. He is being dropped from Assistant to the President to the District Leader here. He has been AP for 6 months so it was his time to go, and I'm wondering what the next 6 weeks are going to be like. I have faith that there is a reason for him coming here but I'm just worried that we might butt heads a little because as Dad can affirm, I don't do very well with authority figures telling me what to do. I don't think that that will happen I'm just afraid that it will turn into AP Madsen as my companion and not Elder Madsen as my companion. But it will be a good learning experience regardless. :)
We just moved into a new place. A lady in the ward has a house on her property that she rents as 2 apartments on the upstairs and downstairs. I'll try and get you guys some pictures of the place after we haev gotten everything where it needs to go. It's really nice to have a place to ourselves after the Thomas' but I'm noticing the small things that I took for granted, like dish soap and washcloths. But it's going to be great. Looking forward to learning how to live in an apartment.
I'm loving my mission so far. Being able to share the gospel with people and seeing them change the way that they are doing things has been a really great blessing. A small thing that I have noticed with the people that we are teaching currently is that every time that we have come over their motel rooms are cleaner than the time before. I don't know if it's just the fact that they know people are coming over so they don't want to be embarrassed but it's really nice to come into better and better living environments each time we are over. I love you guys and hope that things are going great. I'm praying for you guys as miss you.
Lots of Love,
Elder Garrett Darren Smith