Hello from the previously warm and sunny city of Toledo, OH!!!!!
I say previously because today looks like Dad's and Elder Marini's descriptions of SeattleI'm doing great, though.
My companion's name is Elder Steven Wells, and he's from Billings, Montana. He's been out for 5 days now and he's already a great teacher and missionary. He was in the MTC for 11 weeks because he was waiting for a visa to the Argentina Bahia Blanca mission, but he got sent here to the OCM to serve until it comes through.
I definitely know that the Lord answers prayers because every time I pray for a good companion, I get one. (I always pray for good companions, of course). I don't know if I fully appreciate having good companions because I've never really had a bad one, but I'm just fine with that.
It's a lot of fun to be able to use my Spanish more extensively. We've got some dinner appointments with native spanish-speaking members just so we can practice Spanish. (mostly so he can practice Spanish, actually) He took Spanish 3 years in High School and 3 months at the MTC so he's pretty good at it. He knows a lot of gospel terms that I don't and I help him with grammar and non-gospel words as much as I can.
Investigators: We found a couple new investigators this week who are pretty exciting, and a couple old ones are still investigating. You can pray specifically for Mike - he's a single dad, he's pretty ghetto, but he recognizes that we've been a good influence in his life and that his 2 little girls need to grow up learning about Christ. He got anti'ed by a pastor and has trouble believing in the Book of Mormon, but he said he'll pray about it. Please pray specifically for him to be able to recognize the Spirit's answer. Also please pray for Denee (duh-NAY) to receive a witness from the holy ghost that the Book of Mormon is true and for her mom's heart to be soft and for her to be interested in the Gospel.
Have you heard anything lately about how Chris's or Nate's missions are going? How long have they been out now?
I was really excited when President Sorensen told me I'd be serving with somebody going to Argentina - I was hoping it would be the Resistencia mission.
Way to go on the home teaching, guys! How are family prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance going?
Yes, we are 100 % biking. There is public transportation in Toledo, but it's not extensive enough to really be of use to us and the mission doesn't give us bus passes.
I talked to Elder Pickett at transfer meeting and Tim might be getting baptized soon. I guess he hasn't smoked in weeks. That's pretty exciting.
Sorry for the dearth of letters everybody - I'm working on it, but there's just no time as a missionary. I'll do better this week. Don't anybody go quoting Alma 60 on me!
Love,
Elder Matthew Smith
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