September 26, 2022

From Ben - Tips on Fighting Dragons

Some of the Knights of the Ice Castle have made their journey yonder, to fight the dragons in other lands. 

To save the townsmen who need their protection. 

Elder McNabb, my fellow swordsmen, now to Brampton, to join Elder Blum, my prior brother in arms. 

And Elder Ellingson, to his original homeland,  Lethbridge, shedding his coat of arms to unite again with his family, and maybe find a princess of a royal character, to which an even greater adventure then dragons and dungeons could ever produce will he embark upon.

Summoned from the feifdom just south, a new brother I have been encouraged to fight alongside. Elder Surdu 

I'm going to miss Elder McNabb. He is again, one of the most reliable people I've ever served with. It was so great to hear that he is going to serve as the Zone Leader with Elder Blum. I'm excited for both of them and to see what they will accomplish. 

Elder Surdu might just be the most hilarious person I've ever come across. He deems himself introverted, but has an energy and humor that is always making others smile genuinely, and sincerely laugh. 

Both him and I are 5'6", and he's got red hair. 

He's also got really good leadership instincts. 

During our weekly/transfer planning for our area, and the Zone, he brought up some ideas about goals, our vision, and the missionaries that I'd never thought of before. 

We had a two hour conversation that really helped me better understand how to be an effective zone leader, and how to better love and lift the missionaries we are striving to love. 

Quick tip when it comes to fighting dragons. 

It is a must to work in tandem and unity with a fellow knight. 

Without two to support, surely one would perish. 

However, even if unified, without specific endowments from heaven, no amount of knights, despite skill, experience or equipment, can withstand the heat of a dragons breath. 

And when it comes to the conquering the Great Dragon, we must actually fight alongside the King Himself, for He is the one who grants the light and power to rise and conquer. 

On Thursday, we had a sit down conversation with a Pentacostal Pastor.

Or to make it more realistic, with Joshua. 

This is the same Pastor that last week taught his young adult group about evangelizing, to which we were able to sit in on. 

This week we invited him on a church tour and offered an explanation of our doctrines. 

He happily accepted. 

The amount of respect I hold for this guy is amazing. He is intelligent, humble, and really is seeking to follow Christ. 

We had an in depth conversation about priesthood authority, apostasy and prophets, Joseph Smith and the Restoration, and why we were sometimes considered a cult. 

It was really productive and he agreed to read some of the Book of Mormon. 

These kinds of conversations are those that actually change souls. 

On Wednesday, I recieve the Birthday care-package. 

Thanks, fam 

My heart was filled with joy as I opened a re-used chicken breast box, to find Swiss Cake Rolls (be still my soul), Cadbury Mini-Eggs, socks (what a needed gift ) some shampoo (also unexpectedly appreciated), a Liahona of the last general conference (to read it in physical, instead of digital form. Amazing)

And last but not least, a book. 

All Things New, by Teryll and Fiona Givens, for P-day and after 9:00 reading. 

This book I commend to any and all who hear their own voice in their heads, reading my email. 

Read it. 

There are many misconceptions and incorrect paradigms that surround the doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Many paradigms and misunderstandings that diffuse the Latter Day Saint culture that shouldn't exist.

This book is pretty good at breaking it down and suggesting a perspective that is needed. 

One of the reasons it struck me is because this idea of false ideas, false perceptions, and incorrect understandings doesn't just affect the culture of the church. 

It affects the culture of the mission. If affects how I think of life. An apostasy of missionary culture, or an apostasy of an individual.

If a missionary doesn't understand what it means that Christ serves with him/her, they lose power and peace. 

If a missionary believes that an area is dead, they have been deceived. 

If a missionary believes that a mission is just a milestone for life, instead of an opportunity to serve, they will get less out of their experience.

The tricky thing for me, is these false perspectives are SUPER sneaky. 

It takes time for me to recognize when I've fallen into one of these lesser mindsets, and usually I realize it after I feel unfulfilled or un-caring of things I should care about. 

Back to my favorite quote of all time.

"For if the spark of Divinity animates every man and women, it is too often obscured by the daily monotonous grind of economic and emotional survival, buried beneath fear, and doubts, and life's teeming distractions or simple inertia" 

Obscured divinity. Through a "daily monotonous grind" 

Not on our watch, eh? 

Not with our adventures. Not with our souls. Not with our families or futures. 

Not on our watch. 

It's wild to be 21

It's even wilder that you're 50, Mom. 

Happy Birthday too! 

Talking about slaying dragons, wielding swords, and saving kingdoms is cool and all. 

But it pales to obscurity in comparison to how cool it is to have you as my mom. 

Love you!!! 

(And I also love each of you too)

- Elder Smith

1) The almost completed white board from Elder Surdu and I's leadership planning. 

2) Went to Church to play basketball in the morning. 

The wind has encouraged me to get a hair cut. 

3-5) Helped our neighbors rake some of their gravel lawn and do some landscaping. 

6) Decompressing during a dinner hour. Elder Conrad is legendary.

7) Ahmed, a Muslim man who has a heart of gold who we talked with a couple times. 

8) The Zone call in which we set goals and played a gnarly game of charades.

  

9) Is not this picture of President Nelson the coolest thing you've ever seen? It's so epic