Malta | week 2

10.6.2014

So our week this week ended up being really slow. Almost all of our appointments cancelled which was disappointing. However, in retrospect it was a blessing. We were really humbled and it prepared us to have an incredible general conference this weekend.  

Sunday afternoon I was really touched. Right before we were going to start the Saturday Afternoon Session of conference, a Japanese girl in her 20s walked into the chapel. She just got here to Malta a couple of days ago and will be here for 2 weeks or so. She speaks a few words in English and obviously no Maltese, but she looked up the address to the church on lds.org and came to church to watch conference with us. She sat in the back with a really big smile on her face as we listened the apostles. 

Sometimes it is so easy to justify not keeping a commandment. When we explain the commandments to people, we simply teach that it is a way to show our faith and love for God, and that He has promised blessings in return. It would have been so easy for that girl to think, "Well, I wont understand anything, so why should I go to church?" I remember when I was at Wesleyan we had a Bible Memory Verse somewhere in Samuel that talks about how the Lord looks on the heart. It is so true. To see someone willingly come to church and not understand anything, was the best example to me of someone who keeps all the commandments with a pure heart. 

I know sometimes I have gone to church meetings, and my mind and heart have kind of been other places during the meetings and I didnt get anything out of it. Even if you dont speak the language in which the meeting is being held you can still be blessed and grow if you go with the right heart and attitude. 

Coming back full circle, Orfila and I didnt get much done this week. Not many people listend to us, but we worked with willing hearts, and we were blessed for it. Im so grateful for the message of President Monson Sunday Morning at conference. I could feel with all my heart that he is Gods prophet on the earth today, and that is knowledge that cant come from books or study. It is a gift from God. I always want to stand a little taller and be a little better after the apostles mention the missionaries/missionary work at conference because I know that they trust us. 

Have a good week,

Anziano Smith