May 22, 2017 Email

Well everyone, this has been quite a week.

First off, a very happy birthday to my best friend and brother (drum roll)..................................ELDER GREG LORASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Happy 20th birthday bro!!!!!!  Love ya man!!!!!!

So now the week.  So we started off pretty well, I found a huge 36 pack of REAL Mountain Dew in my area and it's amazing!!!!!  I so bought it haha!!!!!!  So on Tuesday it rained in the morning and I found myself and my companion Koetting running around and throwing water on each other, it was very enjoyable haha!!!!  We met a man named Felix who was interested in the fact that there are so many churches, but that the gospel of Christ is just one.  So we are hopefully going to continue to see him and help him get more acquainted with the gospel.  We went to Ablekuma and we saw a few people there.  We saw Azuma and we prepared him all week to come on Sunday early so he can be there to receive the Gift of the Holy  Ghost.  We are also going to teach his grandma so we will have fun with that.  Brother Francis is amazing and he is so ready to be baptized, only problem is that we have to teach him everything before haha!!!  So for him, we will prepare him for baptism soon and he will be all set this next transfer for it.

Wednesday we had our last district meeting in Anyaa involving all the missionaries there.  We were told to share what we have learned in this last transfer and one thing that I have learned was that we need to help not just our investigators, but everyone to recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  We had a lot of fun because the Zone leaders came as well.  We went and saw some few people after that.  One of them was that we saw Robert Brown again!!!  Chai he's amazing and he's just a great member.  He even came to church this last Sunday and it was great because he is super busy with work, but he doesn't stop reading the Book of Mormon, it is just amazing!!!!

I hit 18 months on mission and it is in fact my TC's golden month haha!!!!!  I say that cuz we started our missions on the 18th of November and we are in the 18th month on the 18th day of the month so it is our Golden Month haha!!!!  So we went to a part of our area that we haven't been to in a long time.  We saw some members and we got fed so that was nice.  When we were coming back we got a free taxi ride from a girl named Kira. . CHAI!!!!!  It was like over 40 cedis for her to take us, but she paid for us and we gave her a Book of Mormon so that was super cool.  I called some of my TC people, but for those who will receive this, I don't have your number and I have no idea where you guys are at haha!!!!!

On Friday I got my Mountain Dew and it is AMAAAAAAAAAAZZZZIIIINNNNNGGGG!!!!!!  So yeah, Koetting got a haircut and we went to eat food at a member's house.  We got fed jolloff and it was nice.  We sat down with Ivy after like days of not seeing her!!!!  So we might try to teach her again, but we'll see how it goes.  We went to Ablekuma and we saw Azuma.  We taught him with his aunt so that was cool.  We then went and saw Francis. . .still he is just so prepared for the gospel and he loves the doctrine of the Word of Wisdom**, because he's seen a lot of blessings and a lot of downsides to not following this commandment.  We left and came back.

Saturday we saw Mercy and she had some concerns about the temple that we helped her resolve.  We went and saw Belinda, a new girl we are teaching.  As we finished and started coming back, there was a huge rain storm that hit, luckily we got some cover.  We took cover in a shop and that is where we met Mary.  We gave her a pamphlet and she wants us to come back to see her so we'll do that one for sure.  We then got transfer news.  So, one area is being shut down, the missionaries in the other area of our district are staying.  Seninde is getting a new companion, Antwi is leaving, Koetting is leaving for home and well. . . ..I'M TRAINING!!!!!!!!  My first time to train in a little over 18 months. . .chai!!!!  I'll go and retrieve him tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes.

Sunday we took so many pictures and yeah.  We went and saw Jacob and just talked for a while.  Koetting is leaving and Jacob will leave on the 20th of next month.  We came back and Koetting and I burned some stuff so that was cool haha!!!

Now this morning Koetting left and I got some stuff done.  It's definitely hard with him leaving. . .he was an amazing companion and he really helped me to get out of some missionary slumps that I was having when I was in my last area.  I'm so grateful to have had him as my companion. . .I'm gonna miss him.  So now today I'm with Antwi and Seninde and I will go to the mission home tomorrow to pick up my new companion.  We'll see how it goes!!!!!

Thank you all so much for your love and support, I hope you all are doing AMAZING and that you all are keeping out of trouble haha!!!!!!  Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!

From,
Elder Stockton Smith

**The Word of Wisdom is a law of health revealed by the Lord for the physical and spiritual benefit of His children. On February 27, 1833, as recorded in section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord revealed which foods are good for us to eat and which substances are not good for the human body. He also promised health, protection, knowledge, and wisdom to those who obey the Word of Wisdom.

In the Word of Wisdom, the Lord revealed that the following substances are harmful:

Alcoholic drinks (see D&C 89:5-7).

Tobacco (see D&C 89:8).

Tea and coffee (see D&C 89:9; latter-day prophets have taught that the term “hot drinks,” as written in this verse, refers to tea and coffee).

When people purposefully take anything harmful into their bodies, they are not living in harmony with the Word of Wisdom. Illegal drugs can especially destroy those who use them. The abuse of prescription drugs is also destructive spiritually and physically.

The Lord also declared in the Word of Wisdom that the following foods are good:

Vegetables and fruits, which should be used “with prudence and thanksgiving” (see D&C 89:10-11).

The flesh “of beasts and of the fowls of the air,” which is “to be used sparingly” (see D&C 89:12-13).

Grains such as wheat, rice, and oats, which are “the staff of life” (see D&C 89:14-17).

To those who keep the Word of Wisdom, the Lord promised:

“All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

“And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

“And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

“And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them” (D&C 89:18-21).

The best course is to completely avoid the substances that the Lord prohibits in the Word of Wisdom. Those who have engaged in addictive behaviors can stop and become free from addiction. Through personal effort, strength from the Lord, help from family members and friends, and guidance from Church leaders, anyone can overcome addiction.