Malta | week 14

12/29/2014

I could not have asked for a better Christmas this year. We spent time mostly with the Hancocks (new senior couple here) and also several of our members. On Christmas Eve night we went over to the O'Keeffes home and watched Ephraim's Rescue and ate a wonderful dinner. It was the 4 of us missionaries, Brother and Sister O'Keeffe, and Mina a member from Egypt who is in Malta for about 2 months for work. It was really cool because the movie (about the pioneers) started of in Preston, England which is where the O'Keeffe's are from, so it was really special for them to learn more about the history of the church in their city. Regardless of where you are from though, that movie is incredible. It certainly made me want to be a better missionary. It also made me want to stop complaining about any challenge I face, cause they faced so many greater ones. 

On Christmas Day, we spent most of our time with the Hancocks making food, watching movies, and then skyping home. There is seriously nothing better than talking with the family. After I talked with my family, I thought of the lady in Ephraims Rescue who crossed a river with her son on her shoulders and the river was deeper than she was tall, and when she got to the other side she testified that a miracle had happened. It made me think that being away from my family for this long is something I couldnt do anywhere else but the mission.  That in and of itself is one of the miracles of missionary service. 

We were also able to watch the First Presidency Christmas devotional with Chati and visit the Allen family for a meal. One of the highlights of the week was visiting Mater Dei (a big hospital near our house) on Sunday after church. We have visited a really nice lady named Maria 2 or 3 times since I have been here who is a long-time friend of the missionaries. About 10 days ago her mother had a heart-attack, and we visited her in the hospital Sundayafternoon. Maria has visited her every afternoon from 12 to 4, and her sister every evening from 4 to 8. It is one of the greatest expressions of love I have seen. They were both really busy during the holiday season with family and friends but they have taken 4 hours out of each day to be with their mom even though she is in good care. We read Mosiah 4:26 with her which is about ministering to the sick and afflicted "according to their wants," and that is exactly what they were doing. 

Malta is a really special place to me, and I will never forget this Christmas...or the one last year in Caserta. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here with my awesome companions, members of the church, and all of the others I have come to know here. Hope everyone else had a good Christmas and will have a good New Years!

Presbiteru Smith