-Elder ThisDefintelyIsANewArea

Yep I was transferred back to Charlottesville with Elder Schellenberg(my MTC companion) to a different apartment than the 1st one that I lived in last year when I was in Charlottesville.
So I am not in any leadership position anymore, but President Smith is trying to figure out some kind of plan for the Mandarin work rather than kind of confusingly go about it. So Elder Schellenberg and I are only teaching Chinese people, and if we find and English person we refer them over. We cover the entire stake which includes Harrisonburg my last area and we have to balance between here and there with our investigators and things. The other two Chinese elders are in Richmond doing the same thing. We are trying to establish some kind of plan for the new Mandarin speaking Elders that are coming into the mission in June(which there will be at least two)
So right now that plan is to find out how many Chinese investigators there are to see how much work is possible, then to figure out how to attract them, and then our desired outcome of all is whether we want to work towards a centralized branch, or lots of different groups, or what. So it is pretty interesting, but I feel it is a good thing as well. We will see where it goes. We have a district meeting with the Elders in Richmond every week over Skype, and are having some meetings with President because as we go he feels like things will become more clear what to do.
Well, I hope you are enjoying the journals whether you understand it all or not.
Hope the questions were answered.
Elder Smith

April 4, 2017

Well I must say that my work out went well. Was able to jump rope out on the deck which was really nice in the morning sun. Then studies were really good as well. I recorded some things in my gray journal, then read about the miracle of Christ's death. Which is quite awe inspiring.

Then we did language study and I read from chapter 5 in Preach My Gospel, as well as 1 Nephi 10 which was good. After that we ate some lunch, then went to the clubhouse at the Zone Leaders and did our maps to continue to figure out how many Chinese people there are. We figured out, if you speak into the iPad instead of typing it works lots, lots better. That went well. We were able to do lots more names. The Zone Leaders(Elder Victor/Elder Richardson) joined us to do some things. After....well a long while until 4:00 we went over to Lu JieMei, she first gave us some food.. Which was chicken, rice, soup, salad, and sausage, and corn too. It all looked pretty cool. She made it herself because her husband was busy. It was all pretty good, the chicken I thought was good, expect the Chinese way is to cook it with all the bones and things...so that makes it kind of hard...and we had chopsticks for the salad...which is I guess what they do....it was a new experience. Then...something really new, I grabbed a piece of chicken, put it on my plate then realized...it was the head. Chopped off at the neck. All cooked and everything. So...I touched it a lot with my chopsticks to try and get some kind of meat from it without looking too disgusted...but all I really got was part of the eye....kind of stabbed it, then something came out..so I ate it..it wasn't super good...then I just kind of put it in the bone pile....yeah that was different.

After that we helped her with her English, which is pretty good. She knows a lot of words, pronunciation isn't super good, and she doesn't really know how to use them all, but still pretty good. So that was good. Then we drove up to YangLiJIng's....but then realized she was on vacation for Spring Break. So we contacted Chinese potentials in the Forest Lakes area which was good...no one was really home though, so that wasn't too good, expect for one high school student. We went to the bathroom, laughed at the odds of the lottery, fixed up the area book and contacted some former. Then Elder Schellenberg smoked me at our three games of horse on our mini-hoop.

Then....one of the former investigators Max texted back! We will see how that goes.

-Elder ThisDefintelyIsANewArea

P-Day Hike

St Patty Days Dinner
Elder Dickamore and Elder Smith

Harrisonburg Zone

A full pday of activities

Well we had quite the planned Preparation day which was good. First we started by de-cluttering. Which was good, then we took some stuff to the church ,that was the church's, and also to the dumpster. Following that we emailed there for a bit...I forgot to email my journals...which doesn't usually happen. However getting emailing done in the morning felt pretty good. Then we went looking for shoes that Elder Dickamore could buy....we checked a good amount of stores. To no avail. There were some good ones, but nothing worth the money. However, there was something cool, we were walking into Belk...when a worker at Zales waves over to us with some enthusiasm. We go over find out that she had been searching for Mormon missionaries, that her and her boyfriend are looking for a church. Her name is Jess, she is nice and we exchanged phone numbers...that was pretty cool. Funny part, her friend behind the desk or something we couldn't see her said "I have plenty of churches you could go to" which I thought was interesting, but it was cool to see that. Great blessing.

After going shopping, we were hungry and cook-out was nearby and so Elder Dickamore gave me the choice so we went there, and there was a light blue Subaru with a Tiwi box which got us excited to see the Spanish Elders...but it was actually the 4 first ward sisters. Which wasn't as exciting. We got our food, had the Big Double burger this time...for some reason was really, really good. As was the shake, the hush puppies and chicken wrap was about average.

Then we went to the church to meet the Spanish Elders, then we went on a hike. We went to the same place up Hone Quarry(fortunately we drove) and we were going to go to the end of the hike instead of the short part. We started going and it was real fun. We kept going past the first part which was still a cool lookout. Then we kept going, more time passed, kept going...(fun fact Then time passed, we kept going thinking that we were real close...but we weren't. Then time ran out, I ran wishful thinking the end would be just around the corner...it wasn't. So that was kind of disappointing to not make it to the end of a hike...probably the first time that has happened in my life. However, it was still a really enjoyable time. Then we went to FHE with Joan, and it went well. Unfortuately Tao wasn't able to come. It went well.

-Elder FirstHikingFailure

Looking over the beautiful Virginia

Richmond Virginia Mission Leadership Council --President and Sister Smith
Elder Smith back row 3rd from the left

Elder Smith and Elder Dickamore with
XuBo and wife ZiRou new converts.

Elder Smith is doing well

While yes it has been awhile since writing you all. I am well, and
hope all of you are doing the same.

Some background to the following story that I want to share is that we
were on the campus of James Madison University here in Harrisonburg
Virginia, we were talking with a member about missionary work and how
she is currently preparing to service a mission. As we talked I looked
over to see a man walking towards us, face down, headphones in and
felt impressed to talk with him. As he approached he would have ran
into my companion, and so to avoid a stumble I called out to him
before the collision. We stared talking about who we are, who and what
we represent, and we invited him to church. We then explained why
church is a great blessing in our lives. He said he would come, then
continued to where he was going. His name is Tao, and has been to
church once(in Alabama with some friends).

The next Sunday(5 days later) he called at around 8:00 and apologized
for not coming to church. This is an uncommon experience for
missionaries that talk to many people a day and invite them to church.
He then committed to come to church the following Sunday.

That Tuesday we were able to meet with him and teach him about God and
the role of church. After our lesson he committed to pray that night.
The following day he let us know that he had prayed, and would
continue to pray every day.

The following Sunday he did come to church to worship with us, and he
let us know he is doing well. He is quite the person. It fills my
heart with gratitude to be here in Virginia helping him come unto
Christ.

Some of you also probably saw the face to face with Elder Holland and
President Eyring. I hope you did, I downloaded it on my iPad and was
listening to it as I got ready this morning They truly are prophets
and apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you remember President
Eyring and Elder Holland talking about prayer, and when we pray. it is
very similar to approaching the throne of God. As well approach our
prayers with this attitude, not with our agenda in mind, but God's
agenda, my prayers and your prayers will change from something regular
and good, to deeply profound spiritual experiences with the divine. I
have a testimony of that, and for you it can be the same.

Love,

Elder Smith

photo from Harrisonburg

Brother and Sister Tunk Senior couple in Harrisonburg.
Father and step mom of our neighbor Kristen Barrus.

Elder Smith and Elder Dickamore at meeting with ward seniors.
 Kristen Barrus sent me  the pictures.

Learning to fulfill our potential as a Child of God

Elder Smith did not transfer at all his first year, but this
next year has had many transfers. He is now in Harrisonburg, VA.
He is a zone leader with Elder Dickamore and they cover the YSA ward of James Madison University.
His area also goes into Franklin, West Virginia. He is very busy in this area and even finds
some Chinese people to talk to.

Thursday March 2, 2017
Seeing that I really want to focus on the more spiritually uplifting things, I will write about that first. During personal study I was reading Jesus The Christ, about the crucifixion and how the others mocked Him. They said words similar to the temptations of the devil before Christ begins His ministry, to deny Himself not as Jesus of Nazareth, but as the Christ, the promised Messiah and Savior of the world. As I wrote this, when Christ says "If any man shall come after me, let him deny himself of all ungodliness" which I think relates.a lot to the temporal 'you' and fulfill our potential as a Child of God. The personal study I felt was really good, I even recorded it in my Jesus The Christ study journal. As I read, it becomes more and more to me who He is. It really is amazing. After being able to study, we went to institute to learn more great truths about the Temple. It was really wonderful, you just feel really good. We also had Coordination so Studies were actually pushed back a bit, but Brother Hebdon seems like a really good guy and wants to help the missionaries. After that we met Madison by walking her to her dorm, and that was good to meet the members. Then we weekly planned a bit before heading off to dinner with Rebecca and Sean at Francesco's in Bridgewater. Following that we went to see Sophie and Joan, and help Joan with her speech. Which she wanted to know how to site us as her sources. It was kinda brief, but we left somewhat soon after. We did talk a bit about Repentance and forgiveness because someone in their dorm offended them, but they thought they were fine, so we worked through things. Then we headed out, but they also wanted to hypnotize us for some reason....they didn't. So we headed out, Sophie is less sick too which is good. Then as we were closing in prayer, Sean and Rebecca yelled to us which was kind of funny to hear/see them again.
-Elder LifeIsOldInBridgewater&ALittleWeird

Sunday March 5, 2017

Well, we drove out to West Virginia today. Felt like I was on some kind of special mission. Pretty chilly too.  The ward was welcoming, and was surprised to see us, as well the people we saw eating in a car to go to church...was the Ward Mission Leader not some random person. Brother Simmons, had a pretty curly tuft of hair in the front.The Sacrament was a spiritual profound experience.
We were thanked for us being in the ward a few couple times during testimony meeting.
Shook a man’s hand who is 100 years old!!!! Woodrow Hartman......wow.
Went on the look out for Apartments. Dinner at the Hartman's, reminiscent of Porter Sunday dinner...or a Mormon Duck Dynasty.
Head home, tired, Conference calls and other calls.
Good night
-Elder SayGoodbyeToWild&WonderfulWestVirginia