Letters Home: Lots of typing

Hi Mom,

I hope that you have a good time at the family reunion! Let everyone know that I miss them and am grateful for their support! We have the greatest family.

This week was heavy on the office work side of things. I have no clue how many hours I spend sitting in front of a computer but wow, I am getting much better at typing, haha. I actually have calluses forming on some of my fingertips. Did not know that typing could do that.

Working in our area is hard when we spend lots of time in the office. It´s kinda like what I imagine crank starting a model-T in winter is like. You just have to work and work and work and pray that it'll start up. There was a day last week when I was really tired. I was thinking about the offices and couldn't quite get focused on talking to people about the gospel. At night I threw a mini-pity party and said, "poor Elder Smith. You have such a hard life and are always in the offices. No one listens to you on the street. You're just an OK missionary." The next morning I got up and realized that I had fallen into the thinking about me trap, again. And it didn't help anything, again. (go figure) I studied faith in Jesus Christ in my personal study and was humbled as I was remembered that I need to rely on Christ's strength and not my own. It's hard to always remember Christ but as I try to do so, I feel much more hope. That is a great blessing.

To answer your question from last week (more up days or down days?) I would say that there are many more up days in my mission life. There are challenges every day but I have hope in the knowledge that I am helping build God's kingdom.

I love you and hope that you have a great time at the family reunion!

Love,

Elder Smith