Wow, I cannot believe that it has been three months since I have written our family blog! So much has happened.
The most exciting news: Gen was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, February 26th. Her big brother Alex performed the ordinance. Ryan gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and Grant, via mail, completed the talk on baptism. Our home teacher, Brother Perry, and Brother Scheuers were witnesses. Her Daddy confirmed her and gave a blessing. Grandpa & Grandma Smith, Annie, Nick & Uncle Doug & Aunt Heather all came to watch. We had a wonderful day. So proud of Genevieve and her decisions!
More great news....Alex is now a permit-bearing driver (that's right folks...another Smith on the road). Although he hasn't yet "topped" Grant's story of the bush jumping out into the street, thus busting off our passenger mirror. Nor has he tailgated another car and hit it (sorry Matt.....your secret is no longer "secret"). He is doing pretty well!
Alex also placed 4th at Districts for wrestling. He had a really great season...and is doing better and better every year. He is looking forward to spending the summer attending camps. It has been presented that he go on a "tour" with a coach from our region that attends camps all over the U.S. Kind of a road trip for wrestlers. He takes a van and about 12 wrestlers. Not sure if he will get an "official" invite to this...but he's sure hoping! He will not work at a scout camp again this summer. He has asked that he be able to work on some of his athletic goals and we've given in! His work experience has been such a GREAT thing for him though. Hard work really teaches kids great lessons in this life. We can see that he has grown leaps & bounds due to his work experience. We are very thankful he was given those opportunities. We also have him signed up for a BYU football camp. I was a little surprised he wanted to attend that one - but he stated that it will get him in even better shape for wrestling. Ok then....off we will go on a road trip in June to Provo!
Ryan placed 2nd at districts and we are off to the Jr. High State wrestling competition in Woodburn this weekend. This little guy has worked so hard for this! He too is pumped to attend every wrestling camp he can go to this spring & summer! Since he was the only Heppner wrestler to qualify for state and the season is over, I have been driving him to Boardman every day so that he can practice with the Riverside team. His arch rival (but good friend) A.J. Rockwell is practicing with him every day. A.J. is the only person Ryan could not pin/beat this season! A.J. placed first at 75 lbs for Riverside. We wish him luck...his family has been a lot of fun & support (thanks Richard & family!). Ryan is also signed up for the BYU football camp this summer. He LOVES going to BYU. He has a huge smile on his face the whole time he's there!
I just got off the phone with Matt a few minutes ago. He's working away hard at OSU. He has finals all next week and is feeling a little pressure. He wanted to call to let me know that he might not make it to Ryan's districts (sighhhhh). He is planning on spending his Spring Break "relaxing and hanging out with everyone". Think I can possibly drag him away from Kayla for a little trip somewhere? Probably not likely...he's smitten! She is a great young lady, so I have no complaints. Makes your heart happy when your kids are happy. We still might go to the sand dunes at the beach and get some crazy driving time in (one of his favorite things to do!).
Greg now lives in Salem but is driving a lot these days. We took on a new contract...so he's one busy guy! He has been placed on some very good committees. He appreciates and loves the opportunity to serve others through his work.
All for now.....I will leave you with a message from our favorite Elder.
Dear Mom,
What a week. 2 people were baptized and confirmed. I also am being transferred. I will let you know where my new area is next week. (I find out on Tuesday.)
Sounds like you guys had a pretty crazy weekend! Can't believe all that happened. Alex driving, Ryan off to state, Gen being Gen. Wow. Sounds like life there is going super fast. You guys work too much! Slow things down every now and then. There is a great general conference talk by Pres. Uchtdorf about slowing things down and doing the most important things. It’s in the Oct. 2010 Liahona. It was in one of the Saturday sessions. Something I have learned in missionary work is that sometimes the most effective use of your time is to just sit down and take 5 minutes to eat an ice cream cone! It's important to be happy!
Well things here are crazy. I was transferred and I have spent the last 2 days doing everything possible to not bawl my eyes out. During the testimony meeting, I bore my testimony (I do every month) and was almost crying. I told the people how much I loved them and how much this branch meant to me. Then I visited all the people who I baptized while I was here. It was a hard weekend. This area has been the best area I have ever had. I never wanted to leave.
The best part was this last Sunday was a gift straight from the Lord. It was amazing. When I arrived, there were 60 people in sacrament meeting, This Sunday: 90 people, 7 investigators & 3 baptisms in 2 weeks. What a great blessing I had here! I know I didn't do anything amazing or special to change the area. The Lord does all his own work; he just invites us along for the ride. I have never felt more blessed then I have in this area. For the first time in my whole mission, I feel as though I really made a difference somewhere…….that I really left an area better then I found it. I have never been this happy and this sad at the same time. Happy to have been a part of it all. Sad that it’s over. But like Dr. Seuss says, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
I am sure the next area will be a good one, but it will be hard to be as good as Itapeva was.
Well that’s what is up with me. Hope all is well. Love you.
Elder Smith
The most exciting news: Gen was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, February 26th. Her big brother Alex performed the ordinance. Ryan gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and Grant, via mail, completed the talk on baptism. Our home teacher, Brother Perry, and Brother Scheuers were witnesses. Her Daddy confirmed her and gave a blessing. Grandpa & Grandma Smith, Annie, Nick & Uncle Doug & Aunt Heather all came to watch. We had a wonderful day. So proud of Genevieve and her decisions!
More great news....Alex is now a permit-bearing driver (that's right folks...another Smith on the road). Although he hasn't yet "topped" Grant's story of the bush jumping out into the street, thus busting off our passenger mirror. Nor has he tailgated another car and hit it (sorry Matt.....your secret is no longer "secret"). He is doing pretty well!
Alex also placed 4th at Districts for wrestling. He had a really great season...and is doing better and better every year. He is looking forward to spending the summer attending camps. It has been presented that he go on a "tour" with a coach from our region that attends camps all over the U.S. Kind of a road trip for wrestlers. He takes a van and about 12 wrestlers. Not sure if he will get an "official" invite to this...but he's sure hoping! He will not work at a scout camp again this summer. He has asked that he be able to work on some of his athletic goals and we've given in! His work experience has been such a GREAT thing for him though. Hard work really teaches kids great lessons in this life. We can see that he has grown leaps & bounds due to his work experience. We are very thankful he was given those opportunities. We also have him signed up for a BYU football camp. I was a little surprised he wanted to attend that one - but he stated that it will get him in even better shape for wrestling. Ok then....off we will go on a road trip in June to Provo!
Ryan placed 2nd at districts and we are off to the Jr. High State wrestling competition in Woodburn this weekend. This little guy has worked so hard for this! He too is pumped to attend every wrestling camp he can go to this spring & summer! Since he was the only Heppner wrestler to qualify for state and the season is over, I have been driving him to Boardman every day so that he can practice with the Riverside team. His arch rival (but good friend) A.J. Rockwell is practicing with him every day. A.J. is the only person Ryan could not pin/beat this season! A.J. placed first at 75 lbs for Riverside. We wish him luck...his family has been a lot of fun & support (thanks Richard & family!). Ryan is also signed up for the BYU football camp this summer. He LOVES going to BYU. He has a huge smile on his face the whole time he's there!
I just got off the phone with Matt a few minutes ago. He's working away hard at OSU. He has finals all next week and is feeling a little pressure. He wanted to call to let me know that he might not make it to Ryan's districts (sighhhhh). He is planning on spending his Spring Break "relaxing and hanging out with everyone". Think I can possibly drag him away from Kayla for a little trip somewhere? Probably not likely...he's smitten! She is a great young lady, so I have no complaints. Makes your heart happy when your kids are happy. We still might go to the sand dunes at the beach and get some crazy driving time in (one of his favorite things to do!).
Greg now lives in Salem but is driving a lot these days. We took on a new contract...so he's one busy guy! He has been placed on some very good committees. He appreciates and loves the opportunity to serve others through his work.
All for now.....I will leave you with a message from our favorite Elder.
Dear Mom,
What a week. 2 people were baptized and confirmed. I also am being transferred. I will let you know where my new area is next week. (I find out on Tuesday.)
Sounds like you guys had a pretty crazy weekend! Can't believe all that happened. Alex driving, Ryan off to state, Gen being Gen. Wow. Sounds like life there is going super fast. You guys work too much! Slow things down every now and then. There is a great general conference talk by Pres. Uchtdorf about slowing things down and doing the most important things. It’s in the Oct. 2010 Liahona. It was in one of the Saturday sessions. Something I have learned in missionary work is that sometimes the most effective use of your time is to just sit down and take 5 minutes to eat an ice cream cone! It's important to be happy!
Well things here are crazy. I was transferred and I have spent the last 2 days doing everything possible to not bawl my eyes out. During the testimony meeting, I bore my testimony (I do every month) and was almost crying. I told the people how much I loved them and how much this branch meant to me. Then I visited all the people who I baptized while I was here. It was a hard weekend. This area has been the best area I have ever had. I never wanted to leave.
The best part was this last Sunday was a gift straight from the Lord. It was amazing. When I arrived, there were 60 people in sacrament meeting, This Sunday: 90 people, 7 investigators & 3 baptisms in 2 weeks. What a great blessing I had here! I know I didn't do anything amazing or special to change the area. The Lord does all his own work; he just invites us along for the ride. I have never felt more blessed then I have in this area. For the first time in my whole mission, I feel as though I really made a difference somewhere…….that I really left an area better then I found it. I have never been this happy and this sad at the same time. Happy to have been a part of it all. Sad that it’s over. But like Dr. Seuss says, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
I am sure the next area will be a good one, but it will be hard to be as good as Itapeva was.
Well that’s what is up with me. Hope all is well. Love you.
Elder Smith
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