Elder Smith in South Carolina

  Congratulations!  You have been accepted into what you thought was my extended email list but is actually secretly the VIP elite platinum medallion section of the Elder Smith Fan Club which you were also accepted into even though you never applied. So buckle those seat belts cause its gonna be a fun ride. So I met a witch this week. She's a great super nice lady. She isn't currently a witch but she was before she converted to Christianity. She's been meeting with missionaries for a little while and hasn't really been progressing, but we had a wonderful conversation with her at the park about how God gave us choices and how we can use our agency to live up to our unlimited potential. She recently got married to a man I've only met once, but he seems very kind. She also has a daughter that is very nice. The daughter isn't her biological daughter she is the biological daughter of her friend that is in jail.  I got to witness one of the greatest Young Single Adult...

  Hey everyone! So yeah this week as you can probably guess has been crazy. That's kinda how missionary work works. This week was Zone Conference and that was amazing!  My mission President is a very inspired man. We are focusing mission wide on using the Alma and Amulek technique to help part member families. In the story of Alma and Amulek, Alma goes to the city of Ammonihah and is rejected. Alma had recently given up the judgement seat and the people of Ammonihah literally said you aren't the chief judge of us so we don't have to listen to you. I know it's like teaching 7 year olds. Alma is thrown out of the city and he starts to go home but on his way the same angel that struck him down when he was young and rebellious appears to him and says (excuse the Elder Smith translation) "Bro you need to go back to the city cause there are still people there that need you, but when you go back enter from the other side of the city and use a different approach. Oh by the...

  Hey everyone! This week has been insane! I've met so many people and I've gotten 3 member meals which in and of itself is crazy. I said in my last email that I met a guy named Jaylin after following a prompting to knock on a door that he happened to be walking past. We taught him the restoration this week and we felt the spirit so strongly! We asked him to pray if the things we taught him were true then asked him if he would be baptized if he discovered that these things were true. HE SAID YES!!! His baptism date was August 21 but he just barely moved it to August 17! I was so insanely excited for Jaylin! He's a total stud and he's definitely one of the top 2 basketball players I've ever played against.  That was not the only miracle I saw this week. As Elder McArthur and I were driving around he had a bing (prompting) to go knock on some doors. We met James and Tina. They were so nice to us. Tina just left her church and is a seeker of truth. We haven't met w...

  Hey everyone! I have only been out a week but holy cow a ton has happened. I got to South Carolina on Wednesday and stayed at the mission home with President Monson and the other new missionaries. Thursday I was given my assignment and my companion. I was assigned to..... wait for it..... hold your breath..... just kidding don't do that.... Augusta Georgia!!! My companion's name is Elder McArthur and he's an absolute stud spiritually and in any sport you can think of. The first thing we did was go visit a friend. He's a super great guy that just had double knee surgery. He was probably sleeping cause of his medication so he couldn't answer the door. Before we left I felt impressed to knock on a door across the street. No one answered the door but as we stood there we heard the sound of a basketball being dribbled. We turned and saw a man coming home from working out. His name is Jaylin and he plays ball for a junior college. He grew up playing basketball with the ...

Hey everyone! This week was amazing! My district got to roleplay investigators outside of class so that each companionship could teach much lessons while the MTC is short on helpers. I got to play the role of Shaq'uiel Anetetokoumpo (yes I picked the name). He's a friend that wants to know about eternal families so that he can marry his girlfriend and be with her forever. He's a really great guy and a phenomenal ball player. Half my district left Monday morning leaving only 6 of us at the MTC. It was definitely a different experience without them. Today our numbers have been reduce to only 4 Elders as the last pair of Sisters left early this morning. I can't say for certain but I'm pretty sure I'm starting to understand how Ether felt watching the Jaredites all slowly disappear. Ok maybe that's not the best analogy but it could we worse. We talked a lot about the Priesthood this week which served to remind that I need to have the Spirit with me when I'm ...