Beating Discouragement: We had to cancel Jazmin's baptism again due to health complications. She had two seizures on Sunday! I can't wait for them to figure out how to get back to normal, daily seizures is nothing to laugh at. We stop by regularly to check in on her and have run a few errands for her once in a while. It's one of the few things that really eats at my motivation sometimes, feeling helpless. I'm working on it though, I'm determined as ever each day to find some way we CAN help others, and there's always plenty that we get to do. I guess it just takes trust in God to know that, even though we can't solve everyone's problems, He'll take care of what we can't do and give us the strength, ability, and opportunities to help others more than we possibly could on our own. Jazmin is a miracle, she doesn't let anything get her discouraged. If she can always see the positive in everything, so can I. Matt is the "New Black": Speaking of seeing the positive in everything (in a much less extreme situation), we found out last night that my trainer, Elder Black, is going to be transferred to a new area on Wednesday to train a new missionary! We're gonna miss him here in Fort Walton! He's such a jokester and makes friends with everyone. I'm sure gonna miss him; but on top of missing his company, I'm going to miss him translating Sacrament meetings (which I've only done pieces of a few times thus far). My new companion sure won't be doing it, because now that I just finished my own 12 weeks training, I'm going to be training a new missionary, too! (AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!) Elder BLACK-beardI don't know if I've introduced brother Golden before. He is a riot! He and Sister Golden are a retired couple living here in Fort Walton Beach who help us out all the time, are super nice, and completely hilarious! He just decided one day years back that he wanted to learn how to build boats and so he taught himself and long-story short, he has 7 "mini" boats in his backyard that can all carry people and are registered with the State and everything. In all of this, one of those boats is in his front yard and ready for Halloween!!! We got to check it out when we went over to help him transplant a bush to his daughter's house. | I'm going to be extra devoted these next couple transfers because I'll need all the heavenly help I can get. AAAAAHHHH! I've been here 3 months and I'm training!!!!! I honestly NEVER get stressed. My motto is either there's a solution or there's not. If there is, don't stress, just do it. If there's not, there's nothing you can do, so don't stress. I honestly discovered for the first time that I have some nervous ticks that just never really surfaced before...last night they surfaced. Now that the initial shock is over, I'm alright, but this is going to be an interesting transfer without Elder Black! I'm actually not super worried about the Spanish though, It's only the people with really thick accents that I really struggle to understand sometimes now and I know enough that I can talk about most anything as long as the conversation doesn't get super detailed like about specific car parts or medical terminology or anything too detailed vocab-wise. It'll be really fun, but just if you're going to pray for me, these next few months would be a good time to do it! :) Haha. All in all, life is good, we're always meeting new people to teach and having lots of progress with those we already teach as they change their lives and come to know Christ more! This Week's Challenge: Now the nitty-gritty: Halloween is coming up and I want everyone to come up with a personal plan this week on some way that you will be able to GIVE this year instead of just thinking about what you'll GET. Be CrEaTiVe! Have fun with your "tricks" or whatever it may be! Just plan now so your ideas can become a reality, a great memory, and a fun experience for all involved! Love you all tons! Glad to report that you can still write me at the same address for the next six weeks at 110 Classic Court Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548! Love and prayers! Elder Smith Captain Matt SparrowThe gophers there have been rewired and now with a remote inside they can be started up at a moments notice singing and dancing to "I'm Alright" by Caddyshack! SO hilarious! He loves bragging about how earlier this last week the sister missionaries came by and saw them, then while trying to turn them on got the daylights scared out of them when he hit the trigger inside! Apparently Sister Miller and Robinson jumped 3 ft in the air then ran all the way to the street before stopping to figure out what happened!!! Hahaha! Here's me aboard as well! |
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AuthorI am Elder Mathew Ross Smith serving a spanish speaking mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Florida, Tallahassee Mission! Archives
January 2016
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