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 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 15

(photos all from previous weeks!)

1/5/2015

Today we have a very busy pday planned, so I don't have much time to write. 

Our New Years Eve/Day celebration was nothing special as we were in the apartment the whole time, but the rest of the week was eventful. I was able to do an exchange with Anziano Carr for the first time which was a great experience. He is from Missouri and has been on his mission one transfer longer than me. We visited Paul and read Alma 32 together talking about developing the faith to keep Gods commandments. He came to church Sundaymorning after working the night shift Saturday night and into Sunday morning. I think that was the third time in five weeks he has done that too. He is probably teaching us a lot more than we are teaching him. Its gone that way a lot on my mission. 

This week the senior couple went up to Rome to get some paperwork done, and they brought back our mail from the mission office. I got a couple of letters for Christmas, and they brightened my week a ton. I know that a couple things people have sent still havent gotten here, but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who wrote something or has prayed for me or anything. I have felt the love and prayers of other people so many times on my mission that has kept me going, and it means the world to me. This week we met with a man from Nigeria who left everything to come and work here in Malta. He is working all day, renting a room in an apartment, and doesnt have any family or friends here. I asked him why he doesnt go back home, and his answer really humbled me. He said that he could go back if he wanted, but he could only make enough money to support himself, but if he came here he could save to send his nieces and nephews to school and put food on the table for his family. He said that he could not do what he was doing right now if it were not for his great love and care for his family. I could really relate to that, and it touched me. It is amazing what the love for our family can move us to do. I shared that while teaching young mens class this week in church. The lesson was titled "Why is Jesus Christ important to me?" At the end of the lesson we watched the Bible Video "My Kingdom is not of This World" and I invited the Chati and Damyan to think what the love of the Savior moved him to do for them, and what they can do in return for him and set some goals for the new year. I encourage everyone to do the same. 

Happy New Years,

Anziano Smith

Malta | week 11

Azzures Window 

Boat ride to Gozo

Regan, Chati, Anziano Rivera, and Dayman

12.8.2014

This morning we took Anziano Rivera to the airport. He went up to Rome, and tomorrow he flies home. He finished really strong here in Malta, and he will definitely be missed. We will always think of him when we walk through the skatepark from now on as we look at his final mark he left on Malta. That would be a giant Book of Mormon graffiti. No worries, graffiti is allowed in skateparks here. We will see if any fruits come from this soon. 

Last Monday morning I had a really humbling experience. We went over  to Simons home and visited with him and his wife Elena. Elena was having bad back pains, and Simon suggested that she should recieve a priesthood blessing. She was reluctant at first, but then accepted the offer. Ok, this next part may sound gross, but it taught me an important lesson. Before I went into their home, I picked a scab on my finger and it started bleeding. I washed it off really good when I first got inside, but then I had to wash it again before I put my hands on her head to give her the blessing. It was a really spiritual experience, and she began to cry after the blessing because of the Spirit that came. It was a reminder to me that the only way we can ever invite the Spirit is if our hands and our hearts are completely clean. Just like I would have never layed a bloody finger on her head, I can never act in Christs name if Im not clean. It was a great motivation to me to always stay spiritually clean so I can serve in His name. 

The second really humbling event of the week was getting to hear the story of one of our Phillipino members this week. We cannot meet her at her house because she is a single lady, so we met her in the food court of a mall near her house. She ordered us food before we got there, because she knew we wouldnt let her buy anything for us. Then she told us she invited 2 of her friends to meet with us who would be there in 30 minutes. We asked her why she was so nice to us/engaged in missionary work even though she didnt even know us well at all. She told us that when she was a teenager, her 7 year old little brother had Lukemia, and her father used all of their savings to fly him to the best hospital in the Phillippines. He had prayed that if it was possible, God would take his life instead of his sons life. Long story short, 2 days after he flew his son up, he was murdered by some drunk men, and his son ended up being one of the only Lukemia survivors of the hospital. The next week she, her other brothers, and her mom flew up to see their brother, and visit and forgive the man in prison who killed their father. She told us that her family always taught her to share her blessings with everyone, especially the missionaries. It was one of the most tender moments of my mission by far. Then we taught her friends. Great day. 

So this week we were at Maltese course, and we were reviewing the progress we have made in our time here. As I compared my progress in Italian after 3 months to my progress in Maltese after 3 months I learned an interesting lesson. I remember learning Italian was one of the most stressful things I have ever done. I felt inadequate, not smart enough, and I messed up time and time again. Maltese on the otherhand has been different. We have been studying more the like the way we studied in high school. We have memorized words, studied grammar charts and so on. I have written it down and recited it back, but I havent been trying to use it other than in the class really. It hasnt pushed me out of my comfort zone, and because of that I have barely learned any Maltese at all. I realized that the growth I have made personally on my mission has been much the same. I have grown the most when I have fallen, made mistakes, and been taken out of my comfort zone. The difference with the mission is it is teaching us how to be like Christ instead of learning a language, and we will never fully achieve that goal. It is a constant process that will take much longer than 2 years. Im so grateful for the opportunity to serve full time for two years. It is teaching to be like Christ like the MTC taught me Italian-by immersion and making mistakes. Instead of earning a grade (like school style of learning), we are growing by his grace and mercy. I know that is true because I have felt his help in so many ways each and every day. 

Presbiteru Smith

Malta | week 6

10.27.2014

This week we had the responsibility of planning, preparing, and carrying out a Halloween party at the church for about 45 people. It was a great learning experience to say the least. We spent 2 full days, buying stuff, cutting stuff out, decorating the church, and making food-a lot of stuff missionaries dont usually do. Anyways, the party finally rolled around Thursday night. It was 3 hours long, and all 4 of us were busy serving food, running games, making announcements, and trying to talk to everyone who came. It was a little overwhelming to say the least. Over the course of the night I was told what do/complained to at least 20 times. At the very end of the night an 8 year old kid came up to me and said, "Thanks for everything. that was an awesome Halloween party." If it wasnt for that, I probably would have gone crazy. But because 1 little kid said thank you, I was calm and happy we did the whole thing. Now that I have run one party, I will be sure to thank the host of every party I go to for the rest of my life. 

This week was also special because a family of 5 came to visit the island for the whole week. The husband and wife both served here as missionaries 12 years ago. They were excellent missionaries, and they baptized many people here in Malta. Unfortunately, most of them are not attending church any more. 12 years ago there were about 60 members in Malta, and now there are 30. On Sunday the sister shared her testimony of how she knows the church in Malta will grow bigger than it was 12 years ago soon. She said, the theme for the missionaries in Malta was "miracles in Malta," and one of the biggest lessons she took away from her mission was that miracles have not ceased and will never cease as long as the children of men have faith, just like Moroni taught in the Book of Mormon. It was a really sweet testimony meeting, and I felt a great desire to have more faith to be able to find and teach people here. 

Sometimes I laugh on the street or on doorsteps when we are out proseyting, because the most common rejection is, "Im not intersting ta' (Im not intersted in Maltese style English)."  This couple cracked up when we told them, because they said it was the same phrase 12 years ago. They are the same people, and they always will be. The only factor that changes is our faith to make miracles happen. They thanked us for their efforts and told us that their kids, as well as their ex-companions, and they themselves pray for the members and missionaries here in Malta each night. It was really comforting to hear that, and definitely made me want to work harder. Another good week.

Presbiteru Smith