Another awesome week

Sorry the letter is a little late. We were visiting family in Cedar City and helping grandma get her garden space set up for "Square Foot Gardening," a system developed by Mel Bartholomew in case any of you are interested. She bought the book off the internet. It looks to be pretty interesting. Not sure yet if we are going to try it. Have not gardened much in my life. If my husband thinks it is worthwhile, I guess I will learn all I can about it and fast, since that time will soon be upon us. . . well, maybe sooner for those who don't live at 6,600 feet. We have snow AGAIN and it is still trying to snow! Grrr!

Well, Dear Familie,

This week has been another awesome week. I wish I had more to say about transfers, but nothing happened at all to me or anyone in our district, and the entire zone only received one new Elder! So, Elder White and I are still together here in Saarbrücken for another transfer. I really like Elder White. He has been a very amazing Elder and even though we struggle learning the language together, somehow the Lord has provided a way that we are able to communicate with those we meet on the streets. Okay, it isn´t that bad, but we are really trying to learn the language together, and with two young missionaries it has its challenges. But it is fun!

Well, we tried to get a lot of people to conference, but a lot of people were busy and fell out. But, old faithful... Schwester Schmitt, attended as many as she could, even if it was the Saturday Morning session! She loved it, and afterwards said, "Well, I really like how much more unified your church is than a lot of other religions around the world. I also feel that I have a better understanding of the book (Das Buch Mormon) now, and its importance." Amazing coming out of her mouth seeing how just a short time ago she said "The door is always open, but I don´t want to do anything with your church." Amazing the influence of the gospel on someones life in a relatively short period of time. The Lord truly does work in remarkable ways. I have also noticed how much happier she has been too. During conference, she sat with the ward members, and most of them are ones that she knows from Family Home Evening. So, progress is being made. It will take her time, time to chop away those years of religious tradition that she has been a part of as she embraces the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is no different than that which Christ himself established many years ago.

Another story to go along with that, occurred just yesterday. Elder White and I were first planning out our day and we had nothing. It was just one of those, "well, I guess we have eight hours of finding people on the streets and doors days... Alright Elder, lets go!!!" Well, we were off and decided to go start our day on the huge park along the Saar River. We just kept walking and talked to as many people as possible, which wasn´t very many at all. Just as we were about to abandon our plans and go somewhere where more people might be, we walked by this man on a park bench who cried out "Oh the Saints of the Last Days!" I was actually pretty freaked out, first of all because it was pretty loud and I wasn´t paying that much attention to him and it was just out of the blue, and second, I thought he was just another person who wanted to say some wonderful comment about our religion. All were false! He was a pretty rugged man, so it would have been easy to judge his appearance as well. But, we went up to him, and started to talk. His name we came to find out was Stefan Nolte. And, as we started to talk to him, he was actually very normal, and very aware. He said the comment at the beginning because he said, "Oh, I can´t think that the world as it is now can last for more than another 20-30 years!" We just started to talk about the second coming, the signs of the times (just coming from General Conference just a day before) and then talked about the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith, how that is a sign to us, and a comfort to us in these days. At the same time, Stefan said, "Well, look at the things that happen that occur naturally. For example, the earthquake that just happened in Italy, and how many thousands of Italians are without a home! Look at the decline in moral standards among the world, and especially the German teens! Look at the love of money rather than the things that really matter in life!" And then, the next comment hit me hard as he said, "Look how many people are completely ignorant of anything or anyone around them! These are all signs of the times to me." I looked at this man and he blew me away. A man, who at first had such a rugged appearance, has now turned into one of the most humble and alert men I have ever meet! Then, right in the middle of our conversation, he asked who we really were, he asked if we were Mormon. We said yes, when he replied, as he pulled out a cigarette, "you don´t smoke, drink, or eat meat do you?" We told him, well, we eat a little meat, but not too much, but told him it was true, when he looked up and said, "I think that is great. I really hate this habit, and I have pretty much given up drinking as well." But, he acknowledged that they were all bad habits to get into. We then pulled out the Book of Mormon, and handed a copy to him, explaining what it was, why it is important, and how we can come to know of its truthfulness. He asked how similar it was to the Bible, and I told him, well, the Bible is a record of the Jews in Israel, and the Book of Mormon is a record of the people in South America. If God is God, and I know that he is and that he loves his children the same wherever they are, than the Book of Mormon is similar to the Bible in that it testifies of the same God, and the same Jesus Christ. The only difference are the promises to the American people and to the Jews. Jesus Christ is the same. We then gave him his copy. He refused it saying as he looked at it, "I can not take your book! It is too nice of a copy!" But for some reason, Elder White and I kept insisting when he finally said "Well, then I guess this is a sign to me that I need to read it. I know that I wouldn´t read the book the same if I went to buy it personally, but because it is a gift from you to me, I must read it, perhaps this is the direction that God wants me to go in my life." Well, we pretty much left him after that, but agreed to meet him in the park on Thursday with another lesson. This man was so prepared and so open. I will never judge a book by its cover again. He was music to a missionary´s ears! But the Lord prepared us that day, and he prepared this man to be there at the exact same time. I am really excited to meet with him again!

Well, conference was amazing and the spirit incredible. I honestly think that has been the most memorable conference to me so far. Mainly because I am far away from home, the world itself is falling around me, and yet, amid all of these circumstances I am the happiest I have ever been. Conference did have this bittersweet feeling. First quote I liked was from the priesthood session from Elder Packer, and because of it, I am grateful to have learned this from great parents in advance:"The day of easy living and entertainment is over, we are now entering into an era of hard work." Sure maybe I have had a great life, with all of the necessities of life around me, but, because of good parents, I have learned the meaning of hard work. Nothing new to me. Then, the story that hit me the most, was the story of the young wife in Germany, who lost her entire family, and dug their graves with a spoon until her baby died and she did it with her hands. The city that she ended up in is only 60 miles from here and in our mission. It really felt personal. (I LOVED that story and thought of my missionary in that same country and wondered how it would affect him. I actually got tears in my eyes while listening to it.) I talked to Schwester Schröder, a member in our ward who lived through WWII, and asked her what she felt about that session and the story. She looked at me, and at the floor and said, "Elder Smiss, there was much, much worse." This is from a woman who has shared several WWII stories with me, and I do have them written down as the examples of her faith are absolutely extraordinary. One such example was when she was a young mother here in Saarland. She had some pretty young children. She also plays the Harmonica. And that is the background to this story and as I call it, The story of the Harmonica. Sch. Schröder said she would take this beloved Harmonica with her everywhere she went. At one point in WWII, the air raids occurred regularly, and as she said "when the air raid sirens went off, you had to stop what you were doing and run to the nearest bunker in the nearest hill. Well, she was running and took her children with her. Just as they were getting to the bunker, they heard the low roar of bombers over head and the explosions that soon followed. People panicked. They rushed into the bunker. Everyone had fear, but Sch. Schröder pulled out her Harmonica and started to play "Größer Gott Wir Loben Dich." It is in the German version of our Hymn book today, and a favorite of mine. She said, she started to play on this beloved Harmonica, and soon a few started to sing, and then, all 1000 people in the bunker were singing as bombs were exploding just above their heads. She told me that she hates fear, and she felt like she wanted to help cheer these fear stricken people by singing praises to their God. This was before she became a member of the church. Now, she plays the hymns with this same Harmonica as we sing along!

I am always humbled by the faith and the strength of those around me here. They build me up in times of personal trial and sorrow. It makes me very grateful for what I have! A Loving Heavenly Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, and a loving family. All of these things are things that I was again reminded of as I watched conference.

Oh yeah, well, Elder Renlund is now in the first Quorum of the Seventy, in case you didn´t know. I don´t know what Warren Tate has to do with anything though, maybe he was called to replace Elder Renlund. Interesting.

Anyway, hope you all have a great time in Cedar City and a good rest of the break!

With Love,
Your Son/Brother
Elder Smith