November 12, 2012 and PICTURES!!!!‏

Me (Candace) and Sister Worthington

11/12/12


Hello all you wonderful people!

I am extremely sorry for the weird and lame letter last week. I will attempt to have a much more entertaining, uplifting, and informational letter this week :)

I'm excited for the new youth program. We haven't been able to learn about it yet.

Second time I've written this letter. Computers stopped working at our complex :(

On Monday, we picked up a Coke for a less active member that we were on our way to teach. When we got to the register, the cashier said to me, "You're going to give me that book, right?" I sputtered out yes and then started to explain what he was about. He told me he already knew what it was about, had a testimony of it, and was in Kenya when the church was brought there in the 70's. It turns out he didn't know where a church was, but he has been baptized, so we set him up with the Elders in his area. Andrew is excited to go back to church :)

We have a Brother/Elder in Paper Mill Ward who has the same knee condition as me. He taught me how to properly do some exercises to build up the muscles in my knee, because that is how you get the pain
to stop I guess. He is really looking out for us. I think he is a psychiatrist or doctor or chiroprator, or all of the above actually wouldn't surpise me. :)

We had Zone conference this week. It was so cool! We combined two zones and so had over 40 Elders there, and then me and Sister Worthington :) It was kind of funny. Elder Gibbons, our area seventy, spoke to us about how missionary work is realated to the Abrahamic Covenant. It was an amazing talk that I need to go over again so I'll understand. :) President Wolfert told us how the lowered ages is affecting our mission. First of all, by this time next year, our mission will have 80-100 more missionaries than we do now, and lots of them will be sisters. This is where he turned to me from the pulpit and said, "Sister Smith, are you ready to train?" PANIC ATTACK MOMENT!!!! I haven't been out a full transfer! But I'm working on it. There is a good chance that I will train as soon as I am done with 12 weeks, so in January. He also told us that  everyone will be on bikes! I'm so excited to be on bikes, but a little scared for the pain. My knee is not being nice! Thanks for all the prayers by the way. I've really felt them!

Because my knee has been hurting so bad lately, I had another Priesthood blessing this week. I almost couldn't drive to get there. This helped with an idea Sister Worthington got by inspiration. We are using my knee to help the ward get more blessings! We basically told the ward that we were sorry that we haven't been involving them more and that we wanted to use this to bring our efforts closer together, like when the Soviets and the US worked together to free a couple trapped whales in 1987 during election time. We are asking for rides and team ups for every single day and sometimes several times a day. I can't wait to see the miracles that this will bring :)

We had a movie night this week with Linnette, Marilyn and her kids and friends (Erica and Candace!). We watched Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration at the church with snacks. The Spirit was so strong! The
kids and friends were asking for clarification and asking about what we believed. It was cool, especially when Marilyn, a convert that was baptized in September, answered most of the questions. It was so cool.

My knee was a blessing right after I got that blessing! We were out contacting (talking to literally everyone we see and tracting doors if we feel drawn to them) and we had to walk up this huge sloped driveway to get to some workers. This guy, Kurt was only going to take a second to talk to us, but then he noticed that I had my crutch and was having trouble on the hill. He said he would listed to whatever we had to say. He accepted a Book of Mormon and we also gave him our number, a mormon.org card, and where and when church is. It was awesome.

Movie Night! sooo cool!

Linnette's Baptism

-- Tell a funny experience.

Telling everyone I'm the lame companion...and waiting for them to get it :)

Probably actually Kurt. That was cool.

-- Tell about your investigators.

We don't have a lot right now. We are in finding mode, which is hard because I can't go for long on hills.

Hollee is doing good. She is trying to quit smoking and hasn't really been taught full lessons yet. We have to teach her at the church, so we don't get to see her alot :(

McKenzie is simply amazing. She came to church for the second time this week. :) She is doing great and only needs to finish being taught the commandments and talk to her mom. Then she'll be baptized!

--What is one thing that helped your testimony grow when you were growing up?

Learning to pray and know things for myself. I remember kneeling down when I was almost 8 and asking if the Book of Mormon was true. That is why I was always able to bear my testimony and feel like coming to
church. I knew for myself and I knew that if I ever had any questions, I could always ask God in prayer and He could answer me in many different ways.

Also reading the scriptures, but now I'm breaking the rule of only one thing that helped my testimony :)

I love you all so much! I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's church on earth. I know that we can come closer to God by going to church, reading our scriptures and praying to Him. I know that the Priesthood is truly the power of God given to man to act in his name, and that worthy men who hold it can make a huge change in the lives of others, simply by being good examples and willing to help when there is any need. I know that the Power of Kindness opens the hardest of hearts and truly brings us closer to Christ. Never forget that you bear Christ's name as a disciple and that you have the knowledge to change people's eternities. I love you all. Be safe. "Be of good cheer and do not fear".

Love you!

Sister Candace M Smith Christ

View of the Atlanta Temple from our Single's Ward Building