Well howzit guys!?
This week can best be described as a roller coaster!! Some great highs and some extremely low lows! haha so I’ll start with the good news first:)
I finally got my Christmas package!!!! All I have to say is that I love Christmas in the end of February!!!! haha really though, it was just what I needed! It gave me the perfect boost in my mood:) I got it from the ZL (Zone Leader) at Zone meeting on Friday along with another package and took it home but we had an appointment so I couldn’t open it till Friday night. But when I opened it and saw all the amazing presents and stuff, I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing!! And yes my family, I did put on Raffi's Christmas Album and listened to the whole CD as I went thru the package:) Elder Matos didn’t even mind either! In fact, he thanks you for his stocking!! We’ve had too much fun eating the candy and stuff as we study haha. I love those ties from Grandpa Richards and decided I’m going to wear one of his ties every Sunday! I loved the testimonies and wonderful Christmas cards from the ward, seminary, and the family:) I think most especially I loved the photo album. I had to show and explain about every person and situation in the photos to my comp and I’m sure he was just as excited as I was... (PSYCH!! haha I still showed him though and he had no choice;) ) I want to say a big thank you to all those who contributed to that present:) it was the boost I needed to get me ready for what would happen Saturday...
Yep, Saturday is the low of all lows so far, but since I’m serving in Jozi I guess it had to happen sooner than later. Elder Matos and I were walking and taking pictures from this hill near where we were tracting. (The pictures of the valley and the panoramic photo is the infamous hill). All of the sudden, this guy walked by and we said hi and moved on without walking... well this guy wasn’t too nice because he robbed Elder Matos and I... he took our phone, my watch and my camera.... luckily he was nice enough to give me my memory card with my pictures, our SIM card and he gave us our car keys back after we told him we were pastors... haha pretty crazy ne? Oh well! So I apologize there will be a lack of pictures until I get a new camera -____- at least we're safe and still have our car right!? It was at that moment that I was too grateful for the Lord's watchful care over his servants and I just hope and pray and would ask that you back home will pray for our safety. Please also pray for this man who robbed us. How sad is it that he was in a situation where he thought the only escape to buy food was to steal... I hope he will find the missionaries one day in a little different setting than he found us.
That was our week though! haha We have 5 people on baptism date and we're set for 3 solid baptisms in march!!! Elder Matos and I are too excited!!
Oh here is another funny story from a couple weeks ago. Dad, I’m sorry but this one mostly fall upon us haha. So we were tracting right? And we went into this one guy’s house, Prophet Enoch (I know right?). Now Prophet Enoch has 299 churches! And he is writing a book! I think he has gotta be true!..... haha The thing is, we introduced the Book Of Mormon but his daughter had to translate for us (they are from DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) so he only speaks a little English and my little French just wasn’t cutting it). The language barrier got so frustrating though that he said to me" your father speaks French, why don’t you speak French!? Your father should have taught you and now since he didn’t and you can’t preach the Word effectively you and your family are doomed"........well..... hahahahaha sorry family! But I guess when you’re doomed by a prophet of 299 churches, it’s gotta be legit.... hahaha ohhhhh Johannesburg :P
I love and pray for you all! Please keep us in your prayers:)
Tha’s ‘bout it!
Love, Elder David Spencer "Tony" Smith
