Monday, February 7, 2011

Crikey Mate!!!

I officially have a son! but I call him my JOEY (like the baby kangaroo) I have received Elder Bennallack has my bleu (greeny) and again another foreigner. I abosolutely love him!! We have already had some great laughs and some really good missionary moments. I loved seeing his face as we walked through PĂ©rigueux, he kept saying " We...Are....In....France.!!!!" I kept saying " Yes.....we....are. Elder". I can't wait to show these places to you, it had kind of worn off on me that I am not at home and I that I am in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Elder Bennallack's eyes were about the size of some oranges for the first couple of days and they are more like golfballs right now. He is from Adelaide and has 2 brothers and 2 sisters, he has already taught me a good amount of australian phrases that I have adopted. He has red hair and he looks like a rugbyman, he doesn't play rugby though, he plays australian football, apparently it is different. Who knew?
He has a great desire to serve the lord and I don't want to put a cap on his faith and his energy, so I can tell you that I have been working the hardest of my mission this week. He speaks french fairly well and he is learning more and more by the day. It is really a blast to be him, full of faith and full of energy. Because he doesn't know mission life quite yet and I am the one that can speak I am kind of like the wheels and the steering wheel and he is the gas and the motor. We are doing great and we are going to see miracles together.
On Thursday I had the wonderful chance of doing another baptismal interview, again a very edifing experience. I interviewed a mother of 2 children. She met the church through some members in Brive and she has gained a very powerful testimony, very quickly. She was ready and the spirit was so strong during our discussion, I am very grateful for the chance I had to be with her. Her baptism was in PĂ©rigueux because there isn't a font in Brive. We attended because we had an ami that came, her name is Slyvie and she is great. She felt the spirit and told me that she would like to be baptised!!! It was a very powerful moment. We taught her about baptism and about the holy ghost today, and she is starting to feel less strong about her baptism, but she is determined to pray and find out if she needs to be baptised! I am confident that the lord will bless her and help her to come unto her savior by being baptised. she is great and I am so glad that we get to teach her
This week was a little bit all over the place, with the trip to Toulouse and staying over at Presidents house while we waited for our bleus, but over all it was a great week and I feel as it has been a turning point in my mission.
well have a great week back in the states and know that I LOVE YOU ALL
Elder Smith
ps a funny story about my bleu
His 3rd day, one of our recent converts asked him to him a blessing, he didn't understand so he looked at me and said "what?" I smiled and told him that the member wanted him to give him a blessing, the smile left Elder Bennallacks face and he got out his White Bible, his first french blessing. We have the blessing and he did really really well but the very last phrase did make me smirk a little, this is the translated version of what he said " The spirit is very important and will bless you and guide you in your life, he is the Jelly"

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