Exchanges and Relationships

The last couple of weeks went on exchanges with a few other missionaries. During one of these exchanges I found myself switching places with a Mandarin speaking Elder. It's only 30 minutes away, yet an entirely different culture, people, and "feel" of the city. As we walked around and talked with people, I wasn't the most useful, but it was still lots of fun. I could pretend that I was in Taiwan with my brother Dan Smith. The weather is nothing like Taiwan, but that's okay.

On a different day, we had a lesson with a kind lady in a park. Her idea of God is very ambiguous. Some powerful force that can't be understood. That understanding makes it hard to imagine having a personal relationship with God.

Having that relationship with God is something we've focused on in much of our recent teaching. With new people we've met, we have talked about God being our loving Heavenly Father and we've asked them to pray and say whatever they want - what they are feeling, what they are struggling with, whatever questions they have - so they can feel God's love and start that individual relationship with him.

For some others, we took the opportunity with Easter this week to discuss Jesus Christ and His Atonement, especially how that Atonement can help them in their individual circumstances and struggles.

What's most important to understand is that Jesus Christ lives today. His work didn't end with the Bible, rather, His work continues in our lives, in our hearts, and in our families today.


Oh also here's a couple random pictures. Someone we gave masks to gave us home-cooked veggie egg rolls and they were soooo good.

Elder Smith

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