Shock The World

Hey everyone! We got transfer calls last night and I shocked the entire mission and somehow will be staying in Branson for another 6 weeks. I certainly have mixed feelings about it but hopefully we can continue to have people progress towards baptism. We also had 5 people come to church:) Anyways two of my favorite moments in my life happened this week..

When I first got to Branson I was teaching a guy named Alex. He wasn't really progressing, so we passed him off to the Sisters. A few weeks later, he was put on date for baptism. Last Wednesday, he called me and said he had a question for me. When he asked me to be the person to baptize him, I have never felt so loved, yet inadequate at the same time. This was the biggest decision he has had to make, and he wanted me to be the one to perform it with him. Helping him prepare for it the next few days, and then eventually getting into the water with him is something I will never forget. Being able to baptize Alex, and feel the immense love that Heavenly Father had for him, and for every one of us, is so special to me. He received the Holy Ghost on Sunday morning and then bore the sweetest testimony to the branch. We shared a few moments before and after the baptism, and he told me how he originally started coming to church because of the friends he had, but immediately fell in love with the way the Book of Mormon made him feel. Moments I will never forget. 

One of our members lives with 7+ other guys. He is the only member in his house, and he does all he can to get his friends to church every week. Every time we go over, someone is new. We have taught the Restoration at least 5 times. He brought one of his new friends to the baptism, and then he said he would like us to go over and teach the people that he's living with. After we finished the lesson, I had a complete epiphany. I think that the person Roberto is, completely captures the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Roberto certainly isn't perfect. He struggles with many, many things. But he tries. He gets up every morning and does his best to read, make it to church, and share the happiness that he has with the others around him. The example that he is for me is one I look up to a lot.

Elder Holland says that the gospel "will help us even when we struggle, no, ESPECIALLY, while we struggle." 

I love my mission. I can not believe that I am about to hit 6 months. I wouldn't change it for the world.

Love you,
Elder Smythe






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