"I had a lot of fun on the mission this week. Last Sunday, we were invited to eat at the International Ward Bishop's house. His wife was so nice and so impressed by Elder Cutler and I that she invited us to be special guests at her seminary class. We talked to the kids about our experiences as missionaries and at the end they said they wanted to serve missions as well. It was really cool to see their interest in doing missionary work. Then we had the Christmas Zone Conference with President and Sister Senior. You probably already saw the video of us singing. We were also able to eat at a buffet. We had so much sushi and shashimi that you would be jealous. I was stuffed full! Then we had the devotional and I was able to sit up front. I was looking at everyone and they were looking at me and then I made a face and made them all laugh. It is funny being a Zone Leader. We got a Christmas CD from the Seniors and it is fun to listen to. It is the only Christmas music that we can listen to."
"This week I have laughed more than normal. During the Book of Mormon class this week, there was one Brother who made a really funny face at Elder Cutler. I saw it and about laughed myself to death. I had to leave the room because I was making everyone else laugh too and they couldn't read. I still laugh when I think of that look. haha The other Elders here are such funny guys too and they make me laugh a lot. We had a Ward Christmas activity where the Bishop was sharing the funniest jokes ever. It was an amazing party, especially for the investigators to come participate in. They got to feel true happiness without having to be drunk to do it. It really helped our investigators to see what the gospel is all about."
"I have a Christmas experience to share with you. About 3 weeks ago, there was a homeless man who came to church. Apparently the Sisters had invited him, but they didn't recognize him. He was different and we had no way to contact him, so we felt that he was a lost cause. I'm sad to say that no one really wanted to teach him. As the week went on, we would run into this same man and would talk to him and ask about his family. He hasn't seen his family in years. He is very poor and lives at the Buddhist temple. We invited him to come to church whenever he wanted. We thought he wouldn't show, and surely enough, he came. This time he was shaven too. Then we had Zone Conference and President Senior talked about Matthew 25:30-41. It talks about, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." The President asked for everyone, in their own way, to try to find someone to help as the scripture describes; hungered and fed thee, thirsty and gave thee drink, a stranger and took thee in, naked and clothed thee, and sick or in prison, and visited thee. He asked us to find a way to serve God by serving someone like that. The next day, we were walking to the church late at night and we ran into this poor man again. We greeted him and noticed that he looked better then before. I shook his hand and he looked at me and asked why I shook his hand? He said that he never washes his hands and that he was dirty. I told him that it is something Americans do. haha It then hit me that because of the class system in Thailand, he probably never gets any interaction with anyone and no one ever touches him. We then taught him about prayer and how it could help him to stop smoking. Then he bowed his head and said a prayer. When he said, "Dear Heavenly Father...," Elder Cutler and I looked at each other. Afterwards when we were walking away, I asked Elder Cutler, "Did you feel it?", and he said yes! We both felt super bad for not reintroducing this child of God to his father sooner. The moment he said, "Dear Heavenly Father", we both received an overwhelming power of love come over us and him. It changed me and Elder Cutler. We both knew that we had to help this man, no matter what his needs be. We began by showing him how to communication with his father. Then we made a plan. He came to the Christmas activity (stranger and took thee in), he ate with us (hungered and fed thee, thirsty and gave thee drink), we gave him pants and a white shirt and tie (naked and clothed thee), and we took away his cigarettes and marijuana and brought him to church (sick or in prison, and visited thee). We call him our Christmas baby. haha It was really amazing to see that man smile and wearing a white shirt and tie. I want to give you all the same commitment. Find someone this year who is in need and help them out like in Alma 25. However big or small, it doesn't matter, but do it from your heart. This will be a great Christmas season for sure! I love you all so much!"
Elder Jacob Smith
