Nothing like a wonderful letter from my missionary to make my day brighter. It is so nice to hear his positive attitude every week. This was a very nice letter to receive. I hope the work gets better for him as the daylight hours increase.
Well, glad to know that things are working out back at home. It really does sound like you are all going to be very busy this next year with bees, honey, oats, chickens, maybe a pig?, and hopefully a garden! GOOD LUCK! Mom, just remember to water the garden or it will die! O well, it is just like our lives, we´ve got to water our lives with the gospel, or else we´ll die! That is a truth I am starting to notice more and more. Anyway, both Elder White and I witnessed a pretty large miracle this week, and it has to do with Schwester Schmitt. Funny Mom that you would ask about her.
Well, it started with last Sunday. I think I told you about last Sunday, but I´ll tell you again. Schwester (Sister) Schmitt is 84 years old. She has a daughter and a son. Her husband passed away about 15 years ago, and her only son has cancer. Both her son and daughter are too old to have children, and because of other complications, don´t have any children. So, she doesn´t know what it is like to have grandchildren, and she most likely never will. That is the family side of the story. Now, on the spiritual side, she was born and raised Catholic, but because of certain practices, left the catholic church, and became a member of a protestant geminde, or ward in Hannover during World War II. She loved it, but in the end, found some faults with their doctrine as well. A few years later, she came in contact with the Jehovah´s Witnesses. She has been lambasted with doctrine from all sides and is literally confused on which doctrine is true and which is false. Well, now you have the story of her religious side.
When I first meet her, she was pretty bitter, and a little contentious, but who could blame her with her background! Well, she warmed up to Elder Taylor and I after I had been around her for two months, and started to come to church every 4 or 5 weeks or so. Well, we found a secret to getting her to church. We call her right before she goes to bed on Saturday night, and remind her to come to church and let her know that we will take the bus with her all the way there. She only lives up the street from us, so we take the same bus. Well, last Sunday, we invited her and she said that she would come. Sure enough, she was there. We go through all the meetings and then meet up again for Sacrament Meeting, and low and behold, it is all about the Family! It was a very powerful and spiritual meeting, and I know that she felt something. At the end, she asked me, "Why is your church so focused on the Family?" Now, we had tried to explain to her several times before, but she didn´t really have the desire to know, or just didn´t want to hear. Well, we set up an appointment to meet with her last Thursday, and we talked about the family, and hope. We also brought a part of Elder Uchtdorf´s talk from last conference on hope and the family. As we read about his experiences, she opened up about hers and how she too searched for hope during the World War. She had some amazing stories about how they went into the basement of their housing complex and it was destroyed by the air raids, and how many of her neighbors died in the war, and how they all praised the Lord for the mercies that he bestowed upon them during this crisis. She said it was truly saddening to see so many killed, but they were eternally greatful for their lives and narrowly escaping death themselves.
We then talked about the family, and what my family means to me, and how I can find peace and joy in my family when we are obedient to the laws and commandments that God has given us. Well, we then asked her if she would come to the Wards Family Home Evening on Monday. We told her that most everyone there is her age, good members of the ward, warm, friendly and they are like one big family. She said she would love to come. We did invite her to church as well, but she also has a lot of pain, and it comes and goes, so she wasn´t quite sure what to think. She told us she would try.
Well, Monday came around, so yesterday, and she came!!! Elder White and I had the theme, which was the Holy Ghost. We introduced the topic, and then asked questions. It immediately turned into a round-table discussion and everyone was directing their thoughts and answers to Schwester Schmitt. One of the ward members that I admire, Sch. Schröeder, turned to Sch. Schmitt and gave her testimony on the Holy Ghost, the Book of Mormon, and Jesus Christ. We all bore our testimonies. I could feel that Sch. Schmitt felt something! It was an amazing evening, and everyone treated her as if she had always been a part of the group. Now all of the older women know her. She also laughed a lot, something that was rare for her when I first meet her! She was laughing pretty hard by the end of the meeting and left on a pretty high note. She told us that she loved it! I honestly feel that this is the beginning of greater things for her. It proves to me that the gospel is truly for everyone, young and old. You are never too old to have the gospel in your life! If an 84 year old woman can try, so can anyone else!
None of this came about though until we just came to the conclusion that she needed to get to meet people and feel like she was truly part of a family, seeing that she has none. She is truly amazing, and when I asked her about church this last week, she told me that she would now try to come every other week, mainly because of the pain and the sitting time, but that is more often than she has been going, about once every month to month and a half!
William and Charity are also progressing. We just need to get them excited about church and see how we can help them resolve the concerns that they have.
We have also had many other cool experiences as we have meet with people on the street and talked to them. Life is truly difficult for most people at this time, but the gospel is always a means that we can find peace and comfort in todays chaotic world. I am always grateful for what the Lord has given me, and love to give what I know to a people in desperate need of it!
Well, probably better move on with the QUESTIONS!:
Well, Monday came around, so yesterday, and she came!!! Elder White and I had the theme, which was the Holy Ghost. We introduced the topic, and then asked questions. It immediately turned into a round-table discussion and everyone was directing their thoughts and answers to Schwester Schmitt. One of the ward members that I admire, Sch. Schröeder, turned to Sch. Schmitt and gave her testimony on the Holy Ghost, the Book of Mormon, and Jesus Christ. We all bore our testimonies. I could feel that Sch. Schmitt felt something! It was an amazing evening, and everyone treated her as if she had always been a part of the group. Now all of the older women know her. She also laughed a lot, something that was rare for her when I first meet her! She was laughing pretty hard by the end of the meeting and left on a pretty high note. She told us that she loved it! I honestly feel that this is the beginning of greater things for her. It proves to me that the gospel is truly for everyone, young and old. You are never too old to have the gospel in your life! If an 84 year old woman can try, so can anyone else!
None of this came about though until we just came to the conclusion that she needed to get to meet people and feel like she was truly part of a family, seeing that she has none. She is truly amazing, and when I asked her about church this last week, she told me that she would now try to come every other week, mainly because of the pain and the sitting time, but that is more often than she has been going, about once every month to month and a half!
William and Charity are also progressing. We just need to get them excited about church and see how we can help them resolve the concerns that they have.
We have also had many other cool experiences as we have meet with people on the street and talked to them. Life is truly difficult for most people at this time, but the gospel is always a means that we can find peace and comfort in todays chaotic world. I am always grateful for what the Lord has given me, and love to give what I know to a people in desperate need of it!
Well, probably better move on with the QUESTIONS!:
Q. How often do the Niesen's go with you to see William and Charity?
A. Well, Bruder Niesen comes whenever we ask him, or feel that he is needed. He is there most of the time, but there are times when it is better for us to meet with them than for Bru. Niesen and us. He probably comes about once every two weeks or so, depending on his schedule.
Q. How are your clothes and shoes holding up? Need anything yet?
A. Well, my clothes are doing okay, but I thought that you were all going to write me letters! I only get the ward newsletter in the mail! Thats it! (WOW! Nothing like guilt to make me feel better. In all honesty, I have been thinking about writing him a letter and sending it through the post. I guess I better get that done. I loved letters on my mission and the nice thing about letters is that a missionary can receive and read them whenever they come and not have to wait until p-day to read them!) Well, okay, you don´t have to, but maybe if you start writing, I´ll write you back. Emails are fun, but letters are even better. I mean that with the best attitude too!!! Oh, and thank Sister Stevens for me, she sends the ward newsletter every month, so I do see a little bit of what is going on with the ward, and who is out on missions. Guess Coby Sorenson is in the MTC now. That is cool!
Oh, Holly, how was the trip?! Sounds like it was fun! You need to tell me about it. And Erik, that is cool you are doing battle of the bands. Who is in your band? What are you doing? And Tanner, whats up! Sounds like school is a blast and you are doing all sorts of fun things!
Have a fantabulous week!
Love,
Your Son, Brother,
Elder Smith
Oh, Holly, how was the trip?! Sounds like it was fun! You need to tell me about it. And Erik, that is cool you are doing battle of the bands. Who is in your band? What are you doing? And Tanner, whats up! Sounds like school is a blast and you are doing all sorts of fun things!
Have a fantabulous week!
Love,
Your Son, Brother,
Elder Smith
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