Letter to Costanza Family

Dear Costanza Family,

Thank you for the beautiful picture of the rainbow you drew me.

Thanks for sharing my letter with mom and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Carl Anderson was an Amazing tour guide. He knew just about everything about Kirtland and obviously enjoyed sharing it with us. He asked if any of us had ancestors who had lived in Kirtland, and some of the other missionaries names off some names. He knew something about Every One of them! He and the Community of Christ tour guide obviously both had strong testimonies about the manifestations at the temple, and I will never forget singing "The Spirit of God" in the same room where angels, prophets, and the Saviour had all stood. The Spirit was so strong there! I have talked to some people who said they didn't feel the spirit when they visited the temple, so maybe the tours the Community of Christ tour guides usually give are not very inviting of the Spirit, but ours was amazing. The School of the Prophets was even better. After we left, Elder Farmer (He came out with me and was in my MTC district. He is a spiritual giant and has an amazing testimony of the atonement.) and I were talking about how amazing the Spirit was and how being there in the School of the Prophets felt just like being in a temple. I can see why we are encouraged to take investigators to Kirtland.

Year, there are some pretty rough areas here. We usually take our bikes everywhere, though. We have locks and everything. Interestingly, Elder Marini says that "Jesus people" like us are pretty well respected in the projects. From what I've seen so far, he seems to be pretty much right. With some exceptions.

Every transfer cycle is 6 weeks. Since I am a "Greenie" I will probably be with Elder Marini for 1 or 2 transfers. He and I are the only missionaries in our apartment.

How was your Labor Day? You probably read about "zoned out" on the blog. We also ate dinner at a less active member's house that day. His wife is a really good cook. She made barbecue ribs. Have fun at Swiss Days. I am SOOOO Jealous.

Again, thank you for your prayers! I wish I had prayed as often as I do now before I came on my mission. I can definitely see that as I try to "Counsel with the Lord in all (my) doings" like it says in Alma 37:3-37, He makes good on His promise to "Direct (me) for good".

Lots of Love,
Elder Smith

P.S. I am getting much better at speaking black. If you "axed me" "What time is it, dawg?" I would totally understand now. Other, more complex phrases, are still hard though.