November 21, 2022

From Ben - Children of a King. Kinda Cool Not Gonna Lie

Abby and Mia, the title goes out to you 

("Kinda cool, not gonna lie")

One of the great joys of my missionary experience currently, is being able to spend it with Elder Theseus Surdu. 

This Elder possesses the gift of humor like nothing I've ever seen before.

He just exists, and for a reason beyond your comprehension, you just start smiling. 

His patience is a blessing as well. He humors long  tangents of thought I take him on and just listens, allowing my thoughts to spill out and organize themselves as they leave the abstract world of my mind.

It's a blessing to learn from his leadership and personality. 

Of the adventure partners to pick from, he's top tier. 

This week was was almost nothing but adventure. 

Monday night, we get a call from President Stacey. 

"Elders, the missionaries in Timmins have been stuck in the house for really long (one of them was really sick). Will you two go and spend a day or two with them? Let Elder Willard be able to get out of the house and do some work?" 

"Can do, President" 

So, on Tuesday night, Elder Surdu and I took our journey to the great and blessed land of Timmins. 

This missionary area has blessed my life in so many ways. 

I've learned pivotal lessons there. 

Since my time in Sudbury, I have been able to go back to Timmins three times after having served there a year ago. 

The "tender mercies of the Lord" are real. 

The first day there, I stayed inside with Elder Coppel, who was sick, while Elder Surdu went with Elder Willard. 

With some extra time on my hands, I read the Book of Mormon. 

And golly son of a gun, that book is good. 

In just reading the first three chapters of the book, it felt like I became a new person again. 

I'm Laman and Lemual so often. Oh man. 

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In just one example, after traveling three days back to Jeruselam, they are presented with the task of obtaining the brass plates from Laban. 

They cast their lots and Laman is chosen as the one to go and seek for them. 

After getting cast out and nearly killed, he comes back to his brothers and that's it 

The plates are forever with Laban, the chances and odds of getting them are literally impossible.

Besides, Laman had already done his part. He'd exercised faith enough to come back, risk his life, and though unsuccessful, he had truly put in effort. 

Time to go back to father Lehi. 

Lemuel feels the same way. 

But then Nephi, the youngest, says have greater faith. Try again. 

He wasn't there when Laban's servants were chasing him with swords, how dare he suggest another effort? 

They already exercised faith, and nothing happened. 

The Lord did not deliver them. 

However, after some persuasion and long-suffering, Nephi convinces them to try buying the plates. 

They offer Laban EVERYTHING. 

Laman's inheritance after his father's death. 

All the gold and silver and precious things accumulated through a life of honest effort and sincere labor. 

Laman may even have contributed to the amount of wealth, following after his father's profession. 

What happens? 

Stolen. 

After presenting a deal more generous then anything Laban's ever recieved, he steals it and tries to kill the son's of that lunatic visionary prophet, Lehi. 

Laman, having left his inheritance to follow after his crazy dad, leaving behind a career, friends, the beautiful girls of Jerusalem, fun times, and a future, now having lost it all. 

Alll gone. And He's hiding in a cave. 

All because he heeded the words of a young, silly, brother. 

Fury. Anger. Hopelessness. 

All because of Nephi. 

There's a stick, there's the culprit. 

After a couple swings a different energy enters the room. 

Light. Radiant light. 

The ground shakes and a person appears. Clothed in blazing white. 

"WHY DO YE SMITE YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER WITH A ROD? 

Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? 

Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands"

Then the light ceases and the person disappears. 

What an amazing experience. 

But. Where was the instruction on what to do? 

Why didn't the angel give us a flaming sword? 

Sure it has been commanded, sure it was amazing, but it it not still an impossibility? 

We are four. Laban has 50. 

Impossible.

We've done everything we could. We exercised faith. 

Impossible. 

But then Nephi, with faith that never fades, succeeds. 

Oh man, I feel Laman, I can see where he comes from, and, tragically, with ease. 

But isn't it also so exhausting to read a faithless account? 

It just saps our energy. 

To have faith is almost bizarre.

Everything Lehi and his family did was crazy. Utterly, and absolutely crazy. 

Unless viewed from the eye of faith. 

Why was Nephi so dilligent regardless?

Because he found out for himself. 

He found out through the Spirit. 

We must find out for ourselves through the Spirit. 

For the Lord will ask us to do things that seem utterly absurd. 

Unless we see as He does. 

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Then the next day in Timmins I got to spend working with the Elder Willard.

It was so crazy. 

We helped a family move a giant fridge through a door way too small for a fridge, all while outside. 

My toes were numb pretty quick, but there was a silent agreement between Elder Willard and I that this task would be done with optimism. Though sorely tempted, not a word of complaint was uttered between either of us.

The people to whom we were serving were shocked that we stayed with them through the cold for the whole two hours and someone eventually asked Elder Willard. 

"Who are you guys?" 

To which he taught the entire Plan of Salvation. 

Not bad. Not bad. 

It was a joy to be back, and got to play a game of Sequence with Mémère again. Paradise. 

We found some holes in our leadership again, and had to upgrade our communication game with eachother. 

We're trying to more effectively use our champion District Leaders, and have them be far more involved in the changing of the Zone's culture. 

On top of that, establishing a vision of the Gospel of Christ, and building a burning desire and wish to bring people to the waters of baptism. 

A lot of our thoughts are just that, thoughts, and translating it into direct action is the step we often neglect. 

So this next week will hold many of those efforts. 

I am doing well. 

I stand all amazed that I am surrounded by children of God, and almost none of them know that. 

That they are heirs to divine royalty. 

In quite moments, when I really try to understand what that means, it fills me with wonder and excitement. 

If you got to hang out with the sons and daughters of a King all the time, how would you feel? 

If you knew you were with a prince who didn't understand his birthright, how would you treat him? How would you help him? 

That's our great privilege always, if we choose to see it. 

And on days when I am dilligent, and God is less of an idea, and more real as my Father in Heaven, and my Savior less of a story and actually alive, my reality takes on the most vibrant colors. 

Life, light, truth. 

Oh man, it makes me happy. 

Love you each 

Thanks for being alive. Thanks for choosing to be here on this earth. 

- Elder Smith

I'm not sure these numbers line up with the pictures, but oh well. 

1) Elder Conrad about to yam on my head and end my mini-hoop career. 

2) Elder Surdu getting massive in the winter coat

3) Sequence with the beloved Mèmére and the Timmins Elders

4) Elder Surdu epically building a desk for a member in black and white

5) Member Gisele. Bless her. 

6) Wacky Wings in Timmins. Amen. 

7)  Selfie with the greatest French women. 

8) For a zone call, we were re-enacting Joseph fleeing Potipher's wife. I was the wife. 

From Mom - Propped Up

Dear Ben,

My new calling is teaching Sunday School to the 12/13 year olds. I’ll add it to the list of things making-me-stretch. (It seems 2022 is my stretch year.) Their attention span is about as minimal as my patience so I’m not sure it’s a good combo … BUT, I love the Gospel, so when I study the subject matter and inwardly sigh at the challenge of the group, somehow ideas start to flow and inspiration steps in. So far, I’ve managed to have engaging lessons that interest them (usually after a battle of wills to get them focused). Hopefully, my love for the class will expand as far as my love for doctrine. 

Today, my teaching partner, Annelle Lawrence, was giving the lesson and I was on crowd control. The class was having none of it despite best efforts UNTIL Annelle mentions that when she was in Grade 4 her teacher would make them hold dictionaries with outstretched arms as a form of punishment. Little Spencer Day wanted to try it which commenced the Battle of the Bibles. (Weston Kruk is also in that class, and Braydon Bonnell. Do you see what I’m up against? Good kids, but that age though.)

Anyway, the longest time was 2 min 30 secs, a tie between Sophie Day and Braydon Bonnell. (Yeah, girl power!)  We talked about how the books aren’t that heavy to begin with but as the seconds tick by they get heavier and heavier and heavier. Kind of like life sometimes. Then just when they were ready to give up, Annelle would hold up their arms with two fingers, making the task manageable. Kind of like the Saviour when we ask for help. Then the question … How do we connect with the Saviour in a way that we feel his support and guiding influence? 

Best impromptu object lesson ever! (Including but not limited to … consensual torture. )

And in the meantime, Mia and Dad were ripping it up across the curtain from us in a Family History class. We could hear their class having a great time while our class was willingly participating in suffering. Haha. You’ll have to ask Mia how her lesson went on our phone call. Abby and Dad were singing her praises afterwards. 

And speaking about suffering, I’m still wading through the muck of low iron, low hemoglobin, low oxygenation, shaky limbs, light-headedness, ice-cube feet, brain-fog and nil energy … AKA anemia. But I think I’m starting to see some good improvement. On Monday morning, I laid in bed dreading the day (and week) but after a quick prayer, got up and faced it. I know from life experience that if I just do the next needful thing, I get through the day and always receive some kind of help that swings me onward. I went to work (and didn’t miss any work), I went to school (and didn’t miss any school, like I thought I might) and even had a bonus lunch with Sam (my favourite thing).

I was anticipating a heavy week but I think heaven was propping me up because it turned out spectacular. I’m not out of the anemia woods yet but I have a loving and patient husband, beautifully supportive children and a belief/knowledge of God and His love for all of His children and that makes life so much brighter. (Plus iron pills and an old-lady pill organizer that will help me to never forget my supplements again.)

Abby and Mia are starting theatre crunch time this week so send some extra energy their way. Madison is getting back tonight after spending a precious week in Mexico with her grandmother, who is not expected to live much longer from cancer. (I think Josh picks her up at the airport at midnight.) Sam is bravely marching onward through the slog of school while Steph just told me tonight that she sold a couple of photos to Siobhan’s poetry project (which is awesome but adds some pressure). All of these things can be prayed for by you and me and each other. I truly believe in the power of prayer and it’s influence of “propping up.” Unseen help is a real thing when life starts to feel heavy. And I hope you feel my prayers for you, my missionary son. 

Talk soon!

Love forever,

Mom