Hello!
Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving! Mine was great! We ended up only having 2 dinners on Thanksgiving. (but in the last 7 days I think we've had 6 Thanksgiving dinners) We ate at the Youngs and at the Lights, and they were both really good. Nothing new or specific to Cleveland that you need to add: I think Thanksgiving is pretty much the same across the US.
Also, our ward played Turkey-Bowl football in the morning as well. That was really fun, especially being in a student ward with a lot of young guys, plus 3 sets of missionaries (us, parma, and the Spaniards). The next day I was probably the most sore I've been since I stopped swimming, though. I'm only 19! That's not supposed to happen to me!
Glad to hear that righteousness prevailed over evil once more. Too bad neither teams were very impressive, though.
So...Randy fell of the roof, got amnesia, and then climbed back up? That's no good. Too bad about Sis. Clawson also, but I'm glad everybody is OK in the end.
I can't wait to try mystery flavored jerky! What are the other two flavors?
Per your questions: I typed Diane's letter at the library. I thought the other elders were done emailing and waiting for me so I got up to leave, but then I realized that two of them were still on the computers so I went back and typed up a letter while I waited.
I do not have a CD player. I am allowed to have a CD player. No headphones, no radio. We can only listen to music that is in the hymnbook or the primary songbook, or that was at one time in the hymnbook, or "This Is The Christ", or "Beautiful Savior", and I think one other song. I have heard that around Christmas time the rules are relaxed and you can listen to Christ-centered Christmas music as well, but we have not received any guidelines about that yet.
Unfortunately, Tim and Barbara (his mom) were not able to come to church yesterday-it was Barbara's birthday and they had plans with family I think. However, we are really excited because they have both been reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. Not too much new there, although we did teach and commit them to live the Word of Wisdom. We are hoping to take them to Kirtland pretty soon also.
I don't have any amazing stories right now really. No, nevermind, I guess I do. So we taught Tanika (I think I have been misspelling her name Tenika) yesterday night. Last time we taught her we had been talking about why bad things happen and we have trials. She was pretty bitter and couldn't understand why God would let her lose a baby a couple years ago. So Elder Pickett and I had been praying that her heart would be softened and she would be able to understand why she had had that trial, or at least have the faith to accept it. So yesterday we taught her about hope using Romans 5:3-5. It went really well, and she said how interesting it was that we talked about that and her pastor at her church had talked about the same thing earlier that day. I think it really helped her resolve that concern....I think my prayers might have just been answered through a baptist pastor.
We have found a couple new people who are pretty cool, but we haven't run across Mike yet. Still looking. I haven't seen LeBron in person yet, but I think I sent home the picture of the huge "we are all witnesses" poster on the side of that downtown building. I am glad to hear that Shaq has my back. I guess the Lord going before me and His angels on my right and on my left can always use some reinforcements, right? I'll bet most angels aren't as tall as Shaq!
Unfortunately I can't check on the blog. The only sites we can visit are myldsmail.net, mormon.org, and lds.org.
Yeah, everyone here is happily baffled how mild the weather has been. I'm not complaining either. I haven't seen that many lights, but Saturday was "Winterfest" at public square (downtown). I guess that is when they turn on all the lights and stuff. Unfortunately, we were just there to catch a bus, so we couldn't stay and watch the lights.
well, I have to go before this computer kicks me off.
Love,
Elder Smith.
The mission home .
