April 9, 2017 - Changes

From Dad:

Hi Josh,

This week finds us part of a different Stake! Today we attended a regional conference where they re-organized the stake boundaries in Edmonton and created a new Stake in Sherwood park. No new wards were created so the new Stake formed by take a few wards from each other Stake. Part of the results are that we are now part of the Edmonton Riverbend Stake! when I told Mom (she stayed home with the girls and the Francis little girls) she said she didn't like change very much. Though change is often difficult, it often is the ingredient for growth.

This evening we had a lively and discussion with the family about our families values. Here is our first draft. Let us know what you think and anything you would add.

Smith Family Value Statements

1. We value our relationship with God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.
1. We value and believe he has a plan for us collectively, as a family and individually
2. We value and believe that we can receive inspiration and revelation through his spririt and we endeavor to act on its first promptings even when it is a sacrifice.
3. We excercise faith in the Savoir and accept their will for us as a family
2. We value giving and recieving Service
1. We love how it feels to serve others and the perspective it brings to our own concerns.
2. We appreciate, accept and our gracious to those who serve us.
3. We value the Gospel of Jesus Christ and commit our time, talents and all the Lord has blessed us with to building his Kingdom. We are all in.
1. We serve joyfully in and magnify our callings and assignments in the Church
2. We sustain our Church leaders.
3. We keep the commandments to the very best of our ability and repent quickly and fully when we fall short.
4. We value our potential as children of God and our ability to progress to become like him.
1. We value and apply ourselves to the pursuit of knowledge and continual learning through education and experiences.
2. We constantly strive to apply the principle of repentance to help us progress and to obtain the grace and forgiveness of the Savoir.
5. We value being part of a family.
1. We love to be with our own immediate family and make time for each other.
2. We love and seek to gather with and maintain our relationship with our extended family (Grandparents, Aunts/Uncles, Cousins, Nephews and Neices)
6. We value the principal of Self Reliance in the areas of Spiritual Financial, Social, Mental and Physical Health.
1. We value having the means and finances necessary to have sufficient for our needs and enough and to spare to enjoy life and be of service and help to others.
2. We value the choices that open up to us because we are self-reliant.
3. We value the principal of Tithing and trust in its promised blessings
7. We value and love to have fun.
1. We enjoy laughter and games with family and friends.
2. We enjoy wholesome recreation and entertainment with family and friends.
3. We take time to go on vacations together as a family regularly
8. We value healthy and positive relationships with others outside our family
1. We value good friendships and are learning to find joy in sharing the gospel with those around us.
2. We respect others agency and value that the Savoir’s atonement was for them as well as us.

Over the past couple of weeks we've all gone to see the Doctor just to get to know a new doctor in Calmar and Mom and I have felt the need to get a checkup for a while. He is pretty easy going and we got our blood work done and so far everyone seems pretty healthy.

BTW, did you get a chance to fill out all the paperwork for your license? I think it is really important for you to get your license so that there is nothing holding you back from serving wherever the Lord needs you.

We loved watching conference in our new home and will be pondering the conference messages for a while.

One thing that really struck me in this regional conference was a talk by Elder Jörg Klebingat. He gave some powerful advice about voluntarily sanctification and I've attached his conference talk of 2014 here which had many of the same themes. His 2nd piece of advice about taking responsibility for our physical well being is a needed step for me!

Hope you have a great week!

Love Dad.

From Josh:

I have five more transfers left which is about 7 1/2 to 8 months left, it may seem like a long time but you who go on missions will soon find out that it flies by, It seems like yesterday I was hugging you all and getting on the plane to be a missionary, and now I am one of the older ones on the mission. I love the feeling of the spirit and the realization I have come to that I am nothing and must trust completely on the spirit, recently I studied chapter 7 in Preach my Gospel replacing the thought of a different language with the language of the Spirit and how I can learn to better understand what it is telling me to do. I love the feeling when the spirit speaks through me and when I have the courage to speak up. 

As it is a new transfer we anxiously waited in our apartment for our district leaders to call and nearly pounced on the phone when we got it, putting in on speaker phone we eagerly asked where we were going, listening intently for the response, we bother guessed that Elder Nelson would get the call that he was going, then the words came,
"You will both be staying"... at first we thought he was pulling our leg, Elder Nelson has been here for six months already and we have been together for three, but it is set, I will be in Tarzana for another transfer with my companion. It will be fun! and we are pretty excited. 

I love the family Values, I don't have anything to change about it, I like how it is influenced by the recent general conference and council of the prophet, if you could I would love a printed version to put on my wall to remember that I am from such an amazing family.

This week we have been really trying to share the Easter initiative which is really amazing about learning Principles of peace, though a lot of our area is jewish, which has makes it hard to share a video of Christ, as well as it being Passover this week it can get a little sensitive when it comes to knocking on doors of Jewish homes but so far we have been able to talk about the meaning of Passover and how it applies to what we believe as Christians. I love how the restored gospel can apply to so many things, and feel the spirit so strong when we share it. 

Story of the week.

We went over to this members home who has a crazy family, and they invited their friends from another ward that had a crazy family as well so everything was crazier then ever especially since we had waffles for dinner, they also happened to invite their jewish friend as well and throughout the craziness she asked us what we do, to which we responded we go around sharing messages about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we do this through any means such as knocking on doors, talking with people on the street, and giving service. She then asked what we do when we get in a door way, what do we teach, so we were able to share with her the entire message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and through all the screaming of Kids, and talk of the adults there was a small square of calm where the spirit was felt as we shared our message. I love when members invite their non member friends over for dinner when we are there, because of in every case I have seen their friends will ask questions that lead to a gospel centered conversation, even though this lady was jewish I know that she was able to feel the spirit. It was a great experience and I love being a missionary. 

I love you all, I am glad Mom is safe and hope you are all safe and well.

Josh