Malta | week 22

2.23.2015

About 3 weeks ago we put out flyers for an english course here at the church, and this week we had a lot of people come. There were a total of 15 Italians, and 3 Chinese people who spoke Italian. It has been my first time teaching English in about a year since we didnt have a course in Rome 5 either. It was a lot of fun, but the only bad part was me speaking Italian again. After 5 months of no Italian, my language abilities have taken a serious hit. If I ended up getting transferred back to Italy, its going to take some serious humility and work to start speaking well again. 

One of the other highlights of our week was visiting one of our members named McKyle. I have met with him for dinner 5 or 6 times since I have been in Malta, and every time he blows my mind with history or news about some current event. Last week I asked him how he gained so much knowledge about history and how he knows everything that is happening all the time. He told me that he lived in 8 different countries the first 20 years of his life, and every single time he could attend a free history class or seminar he went. That inspired me to study history for the first time my life. He then talked about the situation of the world and how you need to know and understand history to win wars. That night I was thinking about what he said about history books compared to the scriptures. It was literally the same principle. If we want to know how to be happy and win spiritual battles, we have to read the words of the prophets from past times. This week my personal study in the Book of Mormon was a lot better when I looked at it and thought about it from that perspective. 

One example was on Saturday morning Elder Rasband and I were going to knock some doors, and I wasnt really feeling it...at all. The 5th door we knocked was this super awesome old lady named Bella who talked with us for a while. A few minutes later she broke down into tears because she misses her husband who died a few years ago. We taught her about the plan of salvation and explained how she could be reunited with her husband forever. I was really grateful that the Lord led us to someone who needed to hear our words and was kind cause I really needed it. It brought to my mind a scripture I read that morning in Mosiah 24: 14 which says, "I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." 

Anziano Smith

Malta | week 21

Valentine's Day picture! Regan didn't send any pictures home this week, so we are grateful to have these pictures from the mission president's blog!  http://romeitalymission.blogspot.com/

2.16.2015

This week Elder Rasband and I were able to meet with 2 of our members outside of church for the first time and get to know them a little better. Both of their examples had a profound impact on me. The first is a man from India, who is here to work for a couple months. He met he missionaries about 8 years ago in Malta and got baptized shortly after. After he was baptized he went back to India to be with his wife and kids. The closest church was 200km away, but he still went once a month every month because that is how often he could afford to go. He has come back to work here in Malta for few months several times over the years and everyone here loves him. He also brought one of his friends from work to church this week. He is unreal. 

Next we got a text from one of our members from Egypt saying that he was in a car wreck and 4 of his fingers were severely damaged, so he asked for a blessing. After visiting with him for a while he told us about some of the challenges of being a member of the church in Egypt and his dream to help build the church there. 

After meeting with both of them this week, I remembered something President Waddoups taught at Zone Conference this week. He said, "When a doctor heals someone, it is a miracle to me, but it is normal for the doctor. He does it everyday." Then he related how God is a God of miracles when we have faith in His Son and His Gospel. These miracles are so incredible to us, but they are normal to God because that is how he works eveyday. I thought of the truthfulness of that analogy as I was able to meet with these 2 men and learn more about their life stories and how the restored gospel has changed everything for them. 

It seems like every 6 weeks at zone conference I get exactly the message that I need to hear to make me a better missionary. The night before the conference there were 22 of us anziani in one apartment with 13 matresses. Even though I only slept 2 hours max, I was full of energy all day. It is impossible to not to be when you see everyone else who is carrying the same load of work in their respective cities throughout Sicily. Hope everyone has a good week!

Anziano Smith

Malta | week 20

2.9.2015

This week was not as eventful as some others since Elder Rasband and I both got sick. On Monday we bought some frozen turkey cordon blue and made the mistake of assuming they were pre-cooked as they come in America. After heating them up for 45 seconds in the mircrowave Elder Rasband ate a few bites, but fortunately I decided to refrain. Elder Rasband suffered a minor case of salmonila for the next 3 days or so, and I happened to get a cold at the same time. It made me realize that I have been fortunate to not get sick very much on my mission cause it certainly is not fun. 

We still were able to do some good work later in the week though. Our Philipinno member Marjorie gave us another referral this week. She is probably the best member missionary I have met my whole mission. This her 5th or 6th friend she has referred to us. She asked us to meet her and her friend at Burger King. Elder Rasband and I werent so sure where it was, so we asked the bus driver, and he said that he would let us know when we got close. As we got close, he yelled "Burger King is the next stop!" The bus was full, and we were the only two Americans and we stood up immediately, and everyone started to laugh. It was pretty funny. It was great getting to know Marjorie's friend and teach her about the Restoration and the Book of Momon. Marjorie met her when she lived in Cyprus and gave her a Book of Mormon, and she has already been reading it. Now she moved here, and wants to learn more about it. Hopefully we will be able to continue meeting with her. 

In other news, Damyan was called as Young Men's President last week and set apart yesterday. I had no idea that was possible considering that he is 17 years old, and was baptized 4 months ago.  He was invited to and attended PEC and Ward Council the other day and seemed to enjoy it. He is already planning the first young mens activity as paint balling, but what he doesnt know is that Elder Rasband is in the military. He is going to get lit up if it happens. On a more serious note, he is progressing a lot spiritually. Next week he agreed to teach the lesson for priesthood, and he is quickly becoming a leader. 

Tonight we are headed up to Catania for Zone Conference. I am really excited because their are a lot of awesome leaders who will be training us in the Catania Zone, and I will be able to learn a bunch from them. Have a good week!

Elder Smith

Malta | week 19

2.2.2015

This past week has been an absolute blast. Getting to know and working with Anziano Rasband has been such a blessing. I have noticed on my mission that the harder I work and the more concentrated I am on my purpose, I naturally have more fun and develop better relationships with those I am serving and serving with. This has definitely been the case in the past 2 weeks. 

Growing up I never really appreciated or understood how incredible the people are in the military. Lets just say after two weeks of story time by Anziano Rasband at night before bed, some people in our house may have decided to change future career options. Legit. He was only active duty for about 1 year, but he has supplied us with multiple stories every night of which are some of  the most intense and funny stories I have ever heard. Aside from being funny or extremely legit, Anziano Rasband is one of the best missionaries I have ever met, both before and during his mission. He has an unwavering desire to do what is right no matter what his circumstances are, and it is truly inspiring. Aside from inspiring me to be better, he has really motivated all of our members to be better missionaries as well. We asked 5 different members last week for referrals, and they all agreed to pray and seek opportunities to share the gospel with their friends. 

One principle that is definitely true in missionary work is that the greater potential there is for joy and happiness the potential for sorrow is equally as great. On Sunday we had a tough day. A lot of unfortunate things all happened at once, and I was really down. That night we were writing in our journals, and I asked Anziano Rasband how much he has written in his journal on his mission. He said, "Well, I havent missed a day my whole mission, but I do have two different journals. This one is called the large plates on which I write about a page every day about the wars and contentions of my mission like today. This one the other hand is called the small plates on which I write more spiritual things. I havent touched those in about two transfers." His sense of humor brightened my day so much. Im not sure how much time we will have in Malta, but I want to give it my absolute all because I know it may not be long. In the missionary call letter the First Presidency promised all the missionaries that more joy than they have ever experienced lays ahead of us as we give ourselves to the Lord in serving his children. I am a witness of the truthfulness of that promise. I have never done harder work or a work that is more satisfying than this. Have a good week!

Anziano Smith

Malta | week 18

1.26.2015

This past week has been so full of incredible blessings. We had a farewell dinner at the O'Keeffe's home for Anziano Orfila who left for Taranto on Wednesday. It was really nice; Damyan came with us, and it was a really special night. Sometimes coming to a new city can be hard at first, but when you leave it feels like you were only there for two weeks, and all the sacrifices you made were totally worth it. I know Anziano Orfila worked super hard, and was really blessed for his service in Malta. He knocked on Damyans door 5 weeks before I got here and baptized him my first week here. We had a great dinner altogether and afterwards Sister O'Keeffe said, "I never thought we would have found another grandson in Malta." 

On Thursday I got my new companion Anziano Rasband. We have only been together for 4 days, but we are already brothers. I have learned just a little bit about his life before the mission, and I was shocked. After he graduated high school in Maryland, he went to BYU for one year, and then did 1 year of active duty in the Navy. He he studying flight engineering and has some big dreams. I have no doubt in my mind he can achieve them too. 

We have been so blessed working together the past 4 days, and I know it is because of the Spirit that Anziano Rasband brought with him. Nothing is a coincidence in missionary work. For example, President De Carlo talked with one of his coworkers from Bosnia this week about the church, and he texted us his phone number. We gave him a call and he came to church Sunday for our Branch Conference. It was a wonderful meeting, and I know he really enjoyed it. Both President and Sister Waddoups gave excellent talks that I took a lot away from. One story President Waddoups shared really touched me. He began doing his family history as a 17 year old kid and never found a name. He searched on his mission too, since it was close to where his ancestors were from and never found a name. In college he took a famiy history class and never found a name. He went to Switzerland where his ancestors were from and he couldnt translate what he found, and the churches with the information he needed were closed. So he left a note outside the church family history center with with 2 euro and a return address asking for a response if someone could help him. A couple months later, a member in Switzerland sent him 104 names ready to take to the temple. He said, "I never was able to do it on my own, but the Lord helped me find someone who could help me." It was such a profound lesson that I will never forget. 

We also had a quite awkward experience this week as well. We recieved a referral from a guy in Balzan. We knocked on the door and an old man walked out and was pretty rude to us and just told us to go away. As he said that he shut the door and left the house. Once he was out of site, I told Anziano Rasband we should try again because maybe his son was the one who made the request on the internet. We knocked on the door again, and a woman answered the door. She said the name was her son's and she would go get him. I was feeling so inspired and excited. Turns out his friend requested us to go to his house as a prank on him, but he invited us in for a drink anyway. 2 minutes later his dad walked  back in the house from buying bread, and I thought we were dead. It was so awkward. I realized I just need to stop trying to be the hero all the time. 

Sunday night we planned for the week, and we set some lofty goals. I looked at Anziano Rasband and said, "We can do it man." Then he said, "Us and the Spirit." That is probably the most important lesson I have learned on my mission. I cant do anything without the Spirit. It is a gift every member of the church has. It was similar to the lesson that President Waddoups taught in Branch Conference. I couldnt be luckier to have better leaders or companions. Have a good week!

Anziano Smith

Malta | week 17

1.19.2015

So the first couple days of this week were awesome. Monday was Anziano Orfilas birthday, and his friend Jonathan from Rome came down for a 3 day vacation to Malta. His vacation consisted of pday with us, district meeting with us, teaching with us, and sleeping. It was like we were in a three some together, and I learned a ton from him. He got baptized when he was 24 years old and left to serve a mission in Milan when he was 26. It was so great to get to know him, learn about his conversion story, some of his mission stories, and have him teach with us. At the end of one of our meetings he said, "Its always a priviledge to be with the missionaries. They are my best friends wherever I go." I will seriously never forget that. 

Also, this week was transfer calls, and I found out that I will be staying here in Malta, and I will also be getting a new companion this week. His name is Anziano Rasband, and Im really looking forward to meeting him this Thursday. We will also be having a Branch Conference this Sunday with President and Sister Waddoups. Should be a great upcoming week. 

Sorry for the super short email. I have very limited time again this week.

Presbiteru Smith