The letter for the week. I deleted about 3 or 4 questions I asked. They were only for my information as a mother and a little too private to share here. Please keep Jaren in your prayers. Thanks
This week has been okay, of course not the easiest, but not the worst either. I am very grateful still for the opportunity that I have to serve here in this country and to be with these people. They are wonderful! I did hear some news from the Zone Leaders about Thomas Gulla. He actually cleans the Outreach Center every week, and they saw him and talked to him. They then told me this at Zone Conference and I then went to the couple that serves there and asked how he was doing. They said that he is doing well, but as of right now isn´t coming to church because of the cold and flu season. He can´t catch a cold, because even a cold could kill him, so he does his best to come to church as often as he can.
So that was really cool to hear about him, hopefully I might have the opportunity to say hello to him sometime! I can´t really think of anything that interesting to tell you, but I am doing a really cool morning study lately, and I have learned a lot from it. I have put together this time line for the Book of Mormon, for every year that is recorded in the book, with both the history of the Nephites and the Lamanites next to each other. I record all the battles, who passed the plates down to who, significant prophecies and many many things. I have learned many things from it. Like I said, it isn´t my main study, while it has gone on bit by bit through the months when I don´t have things going on for other people, which seems to be more often as of late. But I have learned that every single time that a battle occurs in the Book of Mormon, or that the government was completely overthrown, or contentions arise, it is always started by the Nephites who then go and rouse the Lamanites to war against their own people from whom they came. And to look at all the problems they faced especially leading up to the time of Christ, reminds me a lot of the way our world is now. Then the thought came to me, I have often thought that the Second Coming was close, but most likely not in my lifetime. In the last 70 years leading up to the time that Christ appeared unto them, the Nephites and Lamanites had contiuous cycles of battles and peace that lasted about 5-10 years, and it continued to get shorter until the entire government was overthrown, divided into tirbes and kingdoms, and then Christ comes. It took only 70 years or so for the people to be so enslaved in wickedness that they ignored signs after they had believed them at first. I think we still have a long way to go. People say that the world needs to be much worse than it is, but even our Prophets say that the days today are much worse than the time of Sodom and Gamorah. Christ will come when he comes. The time is fixed regardless. No man knoweth. But, the signs will precede, and many of them have already been fulfilled, and a few are still underway and only a couple need to begin. But it was very interesting to see the similarity between the time of the Nephites and Lamanites to our days. History tends to repeat itself several times over. The only thing that combats that problem is simply by following the commandments of God. That brings freedom, happiness, and the success of nations, and peace.
Anyway, I took the time also to answer the questions that you asked me.
Q. When are transfers? What do you think will happen at transfers?
A. Well, I think that I am not going to be with Elder Melum at the next transfer cycle because President asked me if I could handle another cycle with him again to which I said yes. I have been with him for two now, and I have never had a companion for more than two cycles. But that is just what I think personally. I have interviews with President this week, and transfer calls are next weekend.
Q. How often do you write letters to President Ninow?
A. I write to President once a week by email.
Q. Are you able to write what you need to in the emails to him?
A. For the most part, but it is still difficult because he is always next to me.
Q. How long has your companion been out?
A. He has been in Germany for 8 months now, and overall for just over 10.
Thanks for your Love and concern, I pray for your health and safety everyday!
With Love,
Ihre Sohn und Bruder im Arbeit
Elder Smith
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