A Butter Statue of Jesus #20 Inbox

August 02, 2021

و!

So, picture this, I'm doing the dishes, Elder Hunt is doing something else, he's not in the room. I'm COMPLETELY zoned out, just going through the motions, when about 15 minutes later Elder Hunt walks out and says "oh fetch!" and starts yelling at me to turn off the water. I look down, and I am STANDING in a complete puddle of water that stretched out and had flooded our entire kitchen. I was LITERALLY standing in it and did not realize whatsoever. We cleaned it all up, but basically I was standing in the kitchen that I flooded for 15 minutes and never noticed. Don't zone out, kiddos.

This section is long but VERY worth the read:

So, this awesome family in our ward named the Reis' who are moving out. Brother Reis is 49% Hawaiian, so they're moving to the big island! You need to be at least 50% to get free land over there tho, so it's kinda really unfortunate he's only 1% away but oh well. He's the coolest guy ever, but lemme tell you about the testimony he bore yesterday. Brother Reis had a very bad stroke a few years ago. His right side doesn't really work, so he limps everywhere and can't use his right arm at all. He can't really speak either, but when he does, it's awesome. He's so funny and happy and loving. He's Hawaiian, so exactly what you'd expect coolest dude ever! Anyways, he starts very slowly walking up the isle, and every person he stops and claps on the shoulder, gives a shakka, , and keeps going. He's a man of very little words, due to the stroke, but he gets up at the pulpit, and after shaking everyones hand up there, he starts to bear his testimony. He didn't say a single word for about 3 minutes, just stood there. and smiled and looked around at all of us. And I started to tear up. I felt the spirit so strongly, even though this man didn't say a single word. He then spoke, just a little bit. Here were his words: "God. God. Pray. (as he looked and pointed up) God. I love you. (as he pointed at someone) I love you. (as he gestured to all of us) But, Hawaii gooooooooood. Miracle. (he said pointing at all of us) Miracle. (as he pointed to himself.) Amen."

And then he walked down and shook hands with everyone again. That was the best and most powerful testimony I have ever heard. A testimony doesn't have to be big. Doesn't have to be big, or elaborate, or eloquently spoken. The Lord delights in small and simple things. And this was the simplest, yet most amazing testimony I have ever heard.

This email is extremely long already, so I'll say a little bit about how the week went. Had transfers, that was fun. Played a prank that went a little off the rails so the prankees also got a massive care package that night. Don't be stupid boys and girls. Met some dogs named Abby and Sanchos, made an awesome Gnocchi dish, had our last district council that I made a bunch of cookies for, did a LOT of very hot and sweaty service, and yeah. saw a giant apple growing off of the smallest tree branch ever. "by small and simple means", right? Y'all can do anything, never forget that!!

I love you all so so so so so much!

- Elder Smitty :)

Pictures!

1. You just lost a nerf war to some 12 year olds

2. Apparently Sister Bealer didn't like the picture of her I said I put in my last email, so here's a better one

3. Sum more nerds

4. The giant apple!

5. Butter

6. The Flood (not halo tho unfortunately)

7. The new and improved Elder Smith!! (He's really cute )

8. Frog collage (frogllage)

9. We got hot wheels cars for the district