To Last Forever

Hi everyone!

Elder Johnson and I have been continuing to sacrifice more and more. I have come to feel more joy the more I am willing to sacrifice and get out of my comfort zone.

Overall, we have faced more opposition the last few weeks than I have seen my whole mission. We have come to understand and learn that we are being tested. A lot of our families have decided they are not ready to be married and therefore ineligible to get baptized. It has caused me to ponder and reflect a lot on how I want my life to look. I know, without a doubt, that for those who fully accept the gospel, things work out. For those that don't, they will be unable to feel the maximum amount of joy that they could have.

We found a friend named David. He is from Venezuela but has been here for a while. He was taught in Utah by the missionaries. He expressed that he is ready to be baptized before he enters the Army in a few weeks. He is excited and ready for Saturday.

Our new convert Jonuel has been growing so much. He came to a devotional and watched President Collins say goodbye to us. The next day, the trials amounted in his life. He was kicked out of his apartment complex and was therefore homeless. We found him a motel, and when we went to help him move his clothes into the two suitcases he had, we found out he had been sleeping on the floor for eight months. No bed, little food, never uttered a word. He texted us late last night, saying, "You know, the good thing is that I have my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ."

"...the night cometh, when no man can work."

I know that when we want something to last, we treat it differently. I love my mission.
Elder Smythe





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