October 3, 2021

From Mom - Best Laid Schemes:

In 1785, a Scottish poet named Robert Burns wrote a lengthy piece entitled “To A Mouse: On Turning up Her Nest With the Plow.” I studied this poem in an English class 30 years ago and it’s settled comfortably in my brain as a masterpiece. It might be because he writes in the country vernacular for the poor people of Scotland (I can barely understand it). It might be because it’s meant to be read out loud in a strong Scottish brogue; but I think I love it most for this one stanza …

The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men

Gang aft agley,

An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,

For promis’d joy!

Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!

The present only toucheth thee:

“Gang aft agley” means “often goes awry.”

He compares the lives of humans and mice and thinks that mice are better off because they only worry about the present, whereas we worry about the future. And it’s true we humans create expectations in our minds which we struggle to accept when they don’t turn out quite as we imagined it to be.

Take the long list I made for myself as an example. On Monday morning, I was all excited to get-stuff-done, but Monday was busy (I was helping Hayley in the morning, then in Leduc until 5), same on Tuesday except I was helping Wendy. (I really, really, really adore easing the burdens of others and encouraging, lifting and sharing love, if I can.)

Same on Wednesday, but I had time in the evening to start on my list … except I somehow pulled a groin muscle during the day. I’ve always wondered what that felt like. Turns out, a person with a pulled groin muscle can’t do much of anything … not even cough. So, I got two things done on my list this week (out of 12); things that required me to not move. And now that I know what it feels like, I hope that particular muscle never gets pulled ever again.

My “best laid scheme … gang aft agley.”

But we did beets, and that counts.

(And I’m feeling better now despite a full two days on the couch and hobbling for two more days after that.)

Dad, on the other hand, is winning at life. His plans are working out.

Check out the basketball pad!!!

Hopefully these best laid plans will fulfill all his sports dreams.

Abby is taking time to capture as many beautiful photos as she can during this gorgeous fall season. One day after school, the lighting was perfect and she went to the old abandoned house out back with camera in hand. She got the photos, but picked up a sweater full of burrs.

She does what she needs to in order to get stuff done.

And THEN there are those times when life just hands you a giant surprise that is completely unexpected. Like Mia, getting the lead role in the Highschool play as a Grade 10 that isn’t even actually enrolled in the school . She will tell you all the details in your call home, I’m sure.

So … it’s been a week. I think the best part of being a human is the ability we have to choose joy. It’s really not in human nature to instinctively choose joy, but we can intentionally decide how to take things and look on the bright side or at least see growth.

And that brings me to Conference. I have to admit … knowing you were watching at the same time as us made it that much better. Afterwards we compared notes and it turns out we all got something different out of it. I love how Conference gives me time twice a year for introspection and to fine-tune my life. I’m in love with the idea that our Heavenly Father accepts and loves us perfectly as we are right now but with the expectation that we will progress, improve and grow and become better version of ourselves constantly.

Love. It.

So it’s okay if things don’t quite turn out the way we plan. Life is for learning and loving and growing. All of it. And I’m suspicious that at the end of all things, we will be so pleasantly surprised to understand that it worked out even better than we could’ve imagined. The point is to keep trying.

I’m glad I’m not a Mouse.

Love you forever,

Mom

From Ben - That man is a Prophet of God

Expecting the unexpected unfortunately still doesn't prepare you for the unexpected, because as soon as you know what to expect, it's no longer unexpected.

This week was absolutely unexpected.

Tuesday night, we're shooting the breeze. Then, a call.

It's the Assistants. We know one of us three is in for it, because one doesn't just get a call from the Assistants. The sausage gets laid.

I get called to re-open Timmins, the furthest north area in the entire mission. I'm leaving on Friday.

So that caught me off guard a bit, to have a mid-transfer transfer. I was and am pretty excited.

We had an epic skate-park experience on Thursday.

We were street contacting like missionaries do, and we saw these two scooterers (not sure if that's the right word, but all good) grinding some rails in the outdoor skate-park. We started up a conversation and before I knew it, these teenagers were showing me how to scooter on their scooters (for the record, I'm pretty sure it goes against missionary standards, to scooter at a skatepark, but the opportunity was too good to pass up)

After attempting a couple tricks to which my guardian angel prevented me from rolling my ankles, we got to the topic of the Gospel.

Long story short. Two more friends joined the first two, we gave out two Book of Mormons, gave everyone a pass along card, and gave a spiritual thought on Ether 12:27, and got a picture with them. The Spirit definitely showed us how it was done.

We left the conversation feeling on top of the world.

The next day we drove to the Elder's Hotel and I got to meet my new companion.

His name is Elder Hartman.

This guy is simply a legend. He is super bold, LOVES fly fishing, says "gnarly" with confidence, is super happy that Canadians do in fact say "eh", chugs chocolate Milk, and has a powerful belief in Jesus Christ.

I'm going to learn a lot from him.

We drove four hours to the "Ice Castle" a four man missionary apartment, stayed the night, and drove the next four hours the next morning to make it to "The Lodge" the name of the Timmins apartment.

It's basically a house, it's so great. They made the Timmins apartment so awesome because we are three hours away from the nearest missionary companionship. Turns out this town has a bear problem as well. Hopefully we get to see a couple while here.

I've also been having this really cool conversation with a Christian that is born again (he made sure that I knew he wasn't a Born-Again Christian)

He used to be a member of The Church and I'm pretty sure he's trying to convert me away from it.

It has been such a stellar conversation!! We've been able to talk about the classic Grace Vs. Works discussion, the question of "how you know that you know" or, how to determine if something is the actual truth, whether prophets and temples were completely done away in Christ, or we still need them today, and the veracity of the Book of Mormon in comparison to the Bible. It's been a lot of fun and I've learned a lot from it, but we'll probably never change each other's minds. I'm hoping that it'll end with us more informed than we were before, and on better terms than when we actually started. (Sometimes I still can't believe that I'm a missionary, it's so surreal)

Then last but definitely not least. General Conference.

Holy driftin' Moses. It was so good.

President Nelson's talk about the power of temple covenants . Unreal. The Spirit was like "remember, that is God Omnipotent's spokesman, you should probably listen up" I had chills the whole talk.

I super loved the talk by Camille Johnson as well. Who compared life to that of a story, and asked us what narrative we would like to tell about our own lives.

To let God be the author. It was so good.

Do I want my life narrative to be one where the protagonist (me) has the attributes of heroism, courage, faith, hope, an unconquerable spirit?

Or one of timidity, fear, and who doesn't take the leap of faith? One who never embarks on his journey to change himself and slay the dragon? Is my story one where I am one of the people in the arena? Marred with dust and sweat and blood? Or one of the cold and timid souls who knows neither victory nor defeat?

Life is so EPIC. It's literally the forces of darkness vs. that of light and truth.

We can walk with God if we so choose. We can have the powers of Godliness on our side, if we so choose.

I honestly believe that one of the adversaries' tactics is to make us believe that life is not exciting, not a great adventure, not an Epic tale. Because it surely is, if we let it be.

I loved the talk, it really made me think.

Love you all! Keep on keepin' on!

- Elder Smith

1) An unexpected reunion with Elder Bullock.