Resilience

This week FLEW by which is always a good thing. It had some awesome ups and some very low lows. If you don't read any of this, read the spiritual thought:)

Last Monday we went tracting with Brayan (our branch mission leader) and it was so fun. He rapped for us all night long which was pretty sick. It was snowing and he kept acting like it was Star Wars he is like 6 years old. Funniest dude. 

On Tuesday we saw so much rejection at doors and honestly, I love it. It fuels me. We got hard core bashed. It was in Spanish too which doesn't ever happen. He was asking us the most outrageous questions. People are funny. We ate at Brayan's with his family and taught them a cool lesson which involved fire and next thing you know Elder Burns accidentally lit both his hands fully on fire it was so dang funny watching it. 

On Thursday we drove up to Springfield for exchanges and I got to go with my man Elder Piña which was easily one of my favorite days of the mission. He was hyping me up about my Spanish and just everything which felt pretty good cause it's so easy to get discouraged and compare. 

We had Zone Conference on Friday and I got to see my man Elder T Boyle which is always sweet. Our President taught us how to be connected to Christ which is something I'm obviously still working on every day all day. 

Here's where the "lows" come in...

On saturday we played soccer with the branch and investigators again and we taught our friend Brian right after. He loved it and is so excited to be baptized. After we ate some lunch at a member's food truck and the members are so awesome (you'll see down below)

Sunday morning we had Brian with us at church and because of "sickness" and the World Cup so many people weren't there including our President and First Counselor. So 2 crazy white people ran the show in sacrament meeting and all 16 of us laughed the whole time it was so funny. He opened it up to a testimony meeting, an hour and 5 minutes after we started. We were planning to teach Brian the last lesson and plan his baptism with him, but he shared some pretty sad stuff. His mom's an inactive member but a member nonetheless, and his dad is a Catholic but he never goes or talks about the church. Brian was baptized as a baby. He finally told his dad what he wanted to do, and his dad told him no. He knows that it's the truth and he wants to be baptized so bad, he just doesn't want to disappoint his dad. His dad said he can still meet and talk to us and come to church, but no baptism. We had like a 40 minute testimony meeting with him instead of the lesson, so if any of you have advice for what we should do please hit me up. 

My spiritual thought for the week is in Mosiah 24: 12-16:

     "12...but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.
       13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage."

Being resilient, faithful, and true to the faith that have, will carry us through. Life wasn't supposed to be easy. God gives us trials to help us and test us. That's the point of this life. Be resilient, pray ALWAYS, and trust in God in all that you do:) Remember that Jesus Christ walked alone, so that we don't have to. 

I love and miss you guys! Go listen to an Elder Holland talk this week, and hug your parents and dog for me too  

Be resilient like Michigan;) Ohio week. 

Elder Smythe















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