DECEMBER GREETINGS

The Smoots

Sister Berry holding Lyric Michelle Smoot

Every week here is so different. Last week it was cold and rainy but this week it is warmer and cloudy. Our work each week is so unpredictable. We spend a lot of time in our car. Monday we drove an investigator around town putting in applications. Tuesday since it was cold and raining Elder Berry drove the bicycle Elders around on appointments and joined them for the discussions. That evening it was still raining so we picked up the Elders and joined them on a discussion. Wednesday morning Anthony, a recent convert who we have been fellowship called and needed a ride to the store to get his baby some diapers. We did that then had a discussion with the Elders. The appointment was at church because the investigators have several young children and they are very disruptive. The husband has set a baptismal date but the wife is undecided. Before the wife gets baptised she needs to be interviewed by the Stake President. It just so happened that President Holm was coming to Augusta Wednesday for meetings and the Elders had already set up an interview appointment with President Holm for another girl. Elder Caldwell suggested to the lady to just go ahead and have an interview with the Mission President since he is in town today and she agreed. They hung around for about thirty minutes for President Holm to arrive and while they waited with me and Elder Caldwell. Elder Berry took Elder Oliver with him and drove downtown to pick up the young girl for her baptismal interview. After the girl's interview Elder Berry and I drove her back home, then returned to church for a very special meeting with President Holm and another district. There were ten of us in all at the meeting. Wednesday evening we were to assist the Elders with a discussion but when we got to church to pick them up they told us it got cancelled. We hung around church and visited with those who were waiting in line to see the Bishop. We got to meet several people and decided we needed to visit some of them. It was getting late when we left church and there was a man who came to see the Bishop and needed a ride home so we drove him home. Thursday we drove around visiting and dropping off Friends and Ensigns. We tried to get around without the GPS but gave that up after doing a lot of unnecessary driving. Friday we visited one of the ladies we met at church Wednesday night. We got the directions mixed up and drove around before finally figuring our what we were doing wrong. Let me explain, we aren't dumb we're still learning. We had quite the visit with Lee Ann. Her six year old niece who lives next door was visiting. Lee Ann sent her home but she immediately returned and plopped down on the couch. Her little mouth ran the whole time we were there. She told us about having a broken collar bone. She said her friend pushed her to the ground and held her down and that's how her collar bone got broke. She said her momma got really mad. I said if my little girl got hurt I would get upset too. The little girl said her momma and her friends momma had a fight. I thought she meant they had words so I said I would probably fight anyone who hurt my little girl. The girl said my momma got a busted lip and the other momma had a black eye. Moral of this story: choose your words wisely.

Friday evening just as we were about to leave for an appointment the phone rang and it was the Smoots. Christian was having severe stomach pains and Lakisha was recovering from having all her wisdom teeth pulled Monday. She had a really hard time. Christian was concerned because Lakisha wasn't eating. Christian needed a ride to the emergency room and didn't want to take the car for fear he would be admitted. So off we drove stopping to pick up soup, pudding, and applesauce for Lakisha. Lowell drove Christian to the hospital and I stayed with Lakisha and kids. After running a few test Christian was released and sent home. Saturday morning we picked up Annette Jackson and drove her to church for a budget and finance meeting and then fill out a food order. On the way home Annette mentioned lots of people got food stamps and food from the church. She said if you got food stamps you shouldn't get food from church also. She said that was wrong and those people were just greedy. Saturday night was stake Christmas program. It was a beautiful program. We picked up Anthony and we were so glad he could experience such a program. Another thing that touched my heart was Patty. She would go and find her friends and bring them over and introduce them to Elder Berry and Me. She would start by saying I want to introduce you to my sister. That warmed my heart that she was proud to introduce "my sister". Thanks Patty. Sunday was another taxi day. Elder Berry didn't drive the van but he made many trips transporting members in our car. We picked up the Jacksons for church but the games started after church. The Jacksons needed to see the Bishop and they were waiting in line so Elder Berry drove me home to finish preparing dinner for the Elders. He drove back to church to pick up the Jacksons and return them home but they weren't ready so he drove another lady and her son home who lived downtown because she missed the van as she needed to see the Bishop. Elder Berry was returning to church to picked up the Jacksons when he noticed a lady walking away from church and recognized her as one of the recent converts we had visited this week. This girl is eight months pregnant. He drove to church picked up the Jacksons and returned to find the pregnant girl. They finally caught up with her, put her in the car and drove her downtown to her home then he took the Jacksons home. He and the Elders walked in the door for dinner at the same time. We had a very spiritual testimony meeting although Sister Jackson and Sister Hobbs sat behind me and talked and ate. One of the things they ate was oranges because I smelled them. I ordered some candy from kids at church and they gave it to me before church started. During the meeting Annette leaned up to me and said Sister Berry do you have candy in that bag. I told her I did but it was fast Sunday and I couldn't open it. Another inspiring thing the ward did today was have the Relief Society and Priesthood meet together for opening and showed the conference talk by Elane Dalton "Love Her Mother". We then separated and discussed what we had heard. I was pleased because the Smoots made it to church today.

Wednesday in our meeting President Holm introduced a new missionary approach with ward members to involve them in missionary work. President Holm developed this program and it has been approved by the missionary department and our mission will pilot this program.. If it is successful it will then be used throughout the church. One district in our mission has been using it and it has proven to be very successful. Next week in zone conference we will be given more detail and instructions and be sent out to use this approach. I think it is a very inspired program.

Although this letter may seem light hearted and mocking it is not meant to be so. We love the people in August, we love serving them, we love to hear their stories and visiting with them. We hope to be an instrument in the Lord's hand to bring these choice people to Christ and that they will endure to the end.

With all our love,

Elder and Sister Berry