November 8, 2021
From Ben - "To Reach the Unreachable Star"
Zone Conference is always special. However, for all the missionaries serving in Northern Ontario, it's a special kind of special.
It's a eight hour drive to Brampton total, but they don't want us to drive it in a single go.
So me and Elder Hartman instead drove six and a half hours on Wednesday to Barrie, slept the night, then drove the next one and a half to Brampton in the morning to get there on time.
Oh Nelly. It was a wild drive.
We listened to our gospel music, heard the crisp and articulate David A. Bednar deliver his Character of Christ address, snuck a few apostate naps in, and ate too much Tim Hortons.
The climax of the drive was when we decided to try to freestyle rap the first three lessons, tapping out every point, and beat-boxing for one another as we went along.
Abby and Mia, I'm rusty. You guys still have the best lyrics and beat-boxing in the family, unchallenged.
Me and Elder Hartman are unfortunately complete amateurs still. We only got a couple good bars in the whole attempt.
It was a blast though, and we've decided to actually try to get better at Gospel free-style and have done a couple role-plays hoping to improve our abilities.
Wish us luck, it'll take a miracle for us to get good.
Zone Conference was exceptional and spiritual.
During the conference while missionaries shared their testimonies, President and Sister Ensign gave their training, and I was trying to pay attention, I realized what a crazy situation I was in.
I was surrounded by people my age, boys, girls, men, women, Sisters and Elders, who had all decided to sacrifice 18-24 months of their lives to try and share the joy of the Gospel, the power of Christ.
The thought came "what the heck Elder Smith, why haven't you been paying attention to the people around you? These are amongst the most extraordinary souls you'll ever be surrounded by! Most of them are inexperienced and insecure like yourself, but they have chosen to try to make a difference despite their uncertainty, and they are changing lives!"
I don't know, it was interesting, after that thought crossed my mind I started looking at the missionaries around me with a different light, and felt really grateful. (I've sometimes got into the habit of measuring and, in other ways, competing with other missionaries. But not in the productive way of doing those things. So to have the paradigm shift that I did have was a really cool and needed thing)
It was one of those cool moments where the spirit "enlightened" the mind. Always cool to experience.
Oh man! A cool moment happened during our goal setting at the beginning of the week too! This was before the Zone Conference.
On Tuesday morning we were trying to set the goal of how many new people we were going to find in the week.
We had to take into account that we were driving six hours on Wednesday, had Zone Conference on Thursday, were driving six hours back home on Friday, and we had to tally our numbers on Sunday.
So, we had the day of Tuesday, the morning of Wednesday, the second half of Friday, Saturday and some of Sunday to achieve the goal we were going to set.
So, in total about three and a half days.
Elder Hartman wanted to find ten.
And for reference. The standard of excellence to find new people in the CTM for a regular, non-zone conference week is three.
My first thought was "Hmm, our goals have to be realistic and attainable, and we've never hit ten before...so..."
I let Elder Hartman know my thought and his response was "Elder Smith, I don't lower my standard (10) and I know that if we have faith, we can accomplish our goals"
I objected again, trying to explain that it wasn't a realistic goal, and got a bit annoyed when he stood resolute.
So, I tried to humble myself a little, and tried to see what Elder Hartman was seeing.
And in almost the exact moment I tried to get my mindset on board, I got unexpectedly excited.
I started thinking:
"What if we DID find ten people in a week where it is seemingly impossible?
Wouldn't that be so cool?
What would it take for us to do it?
What difference would I have to make in my attitude, behavior and effort?
What sacrifices would I have to make?
Would it take more prayer? More unity as a companionship?
Is this where faith enters the picture?
Would I have to lose myself? Push past boredom, exhaustion, apathy, and frustration?"
Then finally I thought
"Heck. I think it CAN be done"
So we set it as our goal.
We only found five.
But the miracle of the experience was the shift of mindset.
President Nelson recently asked
"What would you do if you had more faith? Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith.
It was the first time I actually experienced that prophetic invitation and promise.
It was also a cool experience to see the shift in the way the problem was viewed. As soon as I thought of the possibility of success, my mind started asking itself what it would actually take.
We view and approach challenges differently when we choose to succeed.
Yoda says "do or do not, there is not try" and I think there is more wisdom in that saying then I gave it credit for.
There's just too much to write and not enough time! AAAAHAHH!!
Wendy, who is one date, finally came to in-person church. She has been hopping on the Zoom link for the past month so it was an answer to our prayers that she was able to make it out.
It's a really interesting experience to try to care more about others than oneself. I never even realized how much I viewed others in the perspective of how they were going to bless my life and help me be happier instead of how I can empower and bless theirs.
It is a freeing feeling to love and be more concerned about others than oneself (I'm still working on it, but I've definitely seen the difference it makes)
- Our ward is cool and interesting. It has a unique set of members. Some of which are quite intelligent and versed in their own particular opinions of the vaccine.
- One of the 5 people we found, Alex, brought us out to Mario's, a local restaurant and bought us expensive spaghetti
- Gisele, our French Grandma is one of the best trash-talkers I've ever met (Sequence gets heated sometimes. She straight up smacks our hands when we block her, and on one special occasion, she swiped half the chips off the board when Elder Hartman removed one of her blue ones)
Love you guys :) thanks for humoring me and my long emails.
- Elder Smith
1) Us helping Gisele our french grandmother get some heavy water from No-Frills
2) Elder Hartman exposing me during one of our apostate naps (the Smith curse remains)
3) Our view while during our sleepover in Barrie
4) Getting some Shawarma Poutine (I played myself and ordered the "hot" option. I overestimated my abilities dramatically)
5) Us leaving just before our big road trip. I accidentally took this in portrait mode.
6) Us during our way back. Needed to stretch the Good O'l legs.
7) Getting a picture with a goose mural in our best fashion statements.
Dear Ben,
I’m writing this from Josh’s car traveling home from a whirlwind weekend in southern Alberta for Lindys wedding.
It was a wonderful affair. We arrived Friday night around 9:30 pm in 2 cars. Josh, Sam and the girls rode in Joshua’s fancy ride and Mom and I enjoyed a drive together with Coco. We went straight to Cardston to help set up the hall. It is an older brick building on the corner of main-street kitty corner to the A&W.
We decorated the upstairs as the rest is under construction. It used to be a pawn shop and before that a bowling lane and pool hall. I learned this after talking to Jeff’s Mom Colleen. She flew in from Vancouver island for the occasion.
After a late night decorating we crashed at G&G Smiths. The next day, Saturday we slept in as Lindy and Sam’s sealing wasn’t until 1 pm. I loved being in the temple again. It was a wonderful occasion to watch them join hands on the alter and be sealed for time and eternity. It reminded me of Steph and Tyler’s wedding and we rejoiced with Liz and Jeff and Sam’s family.
That afternoon we enjoyed a catered meal in the brick building followed by fun reception. Sam sang Lindy the song “Don’t you worry” by Oh Wonder. It was very romantic as was their first dance. She’s come a long way from the frightened Lindy Jeff and Liz dropped off a couple of years ago.
Best part of the reception for me was the ode to the bride from uncle Jeff. It was of course funny and touching. Made me shed a tear to see and feel the love Jeff has for his kids.
Another late night cleaning up but we could tell Lindy and Sam are head over heals in love and we wish them the best!
I’ve enjoyed going to the Glenwood ward even though Mia is convinced we only go to Glenwood ward on fast Sunday’s. It was pretty standard testimony meeting until a fiery convert got up. Her name is Sarah and she grew up in terrible circumstances. She joined the church 2 years ago and she was a firecracker. Bee articulate but also very dynamic and loud she called out the ward for not singing “I stand all amazed” with more passion and conviction. It made me ponder how amazing the Savior is both because of what he did and more importantly what he can now do by allowing me to repent because he paid for my sins and granting peace through forgiveness.
We rounded out the visit with Sunday dinner at the Bectell’s. It was great to see extended family from both the Torrie and Smith side. Mike, Angie’s husband brought Samantha, Rheanna and Isaiah out for the reception. That was classy of him.
We stayed late to help clean everything up. I was grateful for strong boys to help. I’m grateful for family.
Love you lots, Ben.
Dad.
Comments
Post a Comment