Elder Calvin B. Smith letter written 07/27/09

(Excerpt from eight page letter written 07/27/09)

Dear Family,

How are you doing? Thank you for the letters! I am writing this about 7 minutes after I wrote you the email. I am waiting for the other companionship to finish emailing (they have the car). My campanion and I share a ward with a companionship, 2 sets of missionaries for 1 ward. Well, its not really a ward, its more of a branch, or half branch. There were not many people in the chapel. Our area is an all biking area, which means we have no car.

Around 90's in California you say? I am sorry to say I have no sympathy for you. Lately it has been in the high 90s here with with probably 80% humidity, and I bike in it. By noon time I am completely soaked in sweat. I have to dink about 4 standard size water bottles while I am out and 2 large glasses of water during breakfast, lunch and dinner. My second day out in the field I got dehydrated. It was no fun at all. I was fine after about 3 glasses of water.

Our second day in South Carolina the president's assistant woke up all 8 of us missionaries at 5:15 am and told us to be ready to go at 6:am. The president refused to tell us what we were going to do that Tuesday the night before during "Planning time" so you could imagine how scared I was. Strange state, in a huge strange home, with an intimidating (or so I thought) mission president being woken up at 5:15 am for who knows what. We skipped breakfast and jumped into a large van. We drove for about half an hour on the highway and stopped in the middle of no where. There was no sign or marker. Just dense dark forest on either side of the highway. The forest started about 25 yards from the road and in between the road and the forest was grass, logs, branches, and bushes. The mission President was with us in the van and the assistant was driving. As I said before, the assistant pulled the van onto the shoulder of the highway. The president told everyone to get out. We, the missionaries, hopped out giving each other curious looks. The mission president climbed down from the van, shut the door and the van pulled away in a cloud of dust. So there we were. No van, 1 mission president, 8 missionaries in white shirts and ties, polish shoes, and a sister in a skirt standing in the bushes along side a highway - the forest ahead. The president picked up a stick and started tromping through the bushes towards the forest and called for us to follow.

At this point I was really scared. I thought to myself - What kind of mission president takes you for a hike on your second day with no trail in church clothes? Not to mention, it was about 6:40 am by this time. Thoughts of the show "survivor man" raced through my mind. I wondered if this was some kind of crazy missionary initiation! I was pretty scared.

We followed the president through the dense shrubbery. He smashed down spider webs in his way with his stick. (Given his height, he had to do a lot of that) We reached the edge of the forest, none of us dared to say a word. Birds called among the trees, the bugs buzzed with such intensity I could barely hear my self think. The leaves crunched under our Sunday shoes and branches snapped under foot. We trekked into the forest in silence. The president carefully picked his way though the trees, zig zagging, as if on no direct course. Once the road was out of view, and we could no longer hear it, basically completely lost - he said, "This looks like a good spot." He set his stick down and gathered us around. We stood in silence for a minute, taking in the sights and sounds of the dense forest. The president then asked if any of us had gone to the "Sacred Grove". None of us had. He recounted his experience there and said that one spring, early in the morning he had had the opportunity to go out and pray in that sacred grove. He mentioned that we were on sacred ground and that 10 years earlier President Hinckley had walked this area and had dedicated the land.

Now I understood why we were there. the president wanted us to have a sacred grove experience.

The president told us to take about 10 minutes by ourselves, spread out - but not too far, and take an opportunity to pray in the forest. I thought this was so cool once I realized what was going on. The president told us to start walking in a direction which he indicated when we were done. He then left us, walking in the direction which he indicated. I looked, but could see nothing but endless forest in all directions.

Long story short, I prayed in the forest for 10 minutes and listened to all the cool forest sounds, then took off heading in the direction the president indicated. As the trees thinned I saw a parking lot with the president standing on the curb. Behind the president loomed the South Carolina Columbia Temple! It was an awesome sight! Everything made sense then - why the president said it was sacred ground....I am so glad I was able to have that experience! It was one of the coolest things I had ever done. I know it sounds a little cheesy reading this - walk into a forest and walk out - see a temple- but you had to have been there to understand the awe. First the confusion - walking into a random forest - the peace of the dense forest and the sound of animals - then the awe of seeing the beautiful South Carolina Columbia temple. I hope I gave the experience justice on paper. It was just so amazing.

We have two progressing investigators - Wilda and Tasha. Wilda is supposed to be baptized this Saturday.

Interesting house keeping stuff - Apparently the missionary store of choice is Walmart. My companion thought it was funny that I had only set foot in one only a few times. We do all our shopping at Walmart. For 10 days I received $49.50 to cover my expenses. Plus I "inherited" some food stuff from the last missionary who was here. I eat 1/2 cup of oat meal, two medium eggs, and a small bowl of raisin bran for breakfast. I think I am going to go for a whole cup of oat meal this coming week and try cutting back on the eggs. I eat a lot more here, but I sweat a whole lot and bike about 15-20 miles a day, I would guess. For lunch I eat mostly 2 peanut butter and honey sandwiches and an apple. I had no idea honey was so expensive! I ration that stuff out like liquid gold - hahaha! For dinner I eat a variety of things - Totino frozen pizza (only $1.25), toporomen, sandwiches, burgers. I found that I had "inherited" a ton of spaghetti noodles from the previous missionary. Today I bought some spaghetti sauce, I am so excited to have spaghetti! Last week we, the missionaries, were fed 2 nights. Oh, I found some green beans in the cupboard too. I am so stoked! (excited)

I know it probably sounds like I am not eating very health, but I think I am eating well. I eat an apple every day, and I think the cholesterol from the 2 medium eggs I eat each morning is worked off when I ride the bike. (exercising is supposed to help lower cholesterol) I don't have a scale so I don't know if I am gaining or loosing weight. By pinching the skin on my stomach I think I am the same weight. If you have any easy food ideas, let me know! I talked to my companion to figure out what works, and I think I eat healthier than he does. At least I get some fruit. He eats a lot of frozen pizzas. Those are SO good! He also eats a lot of hamburgers. He found a box of 20 burger patties for $5. I think they have a ton of grease.

We have some awesome appliances! We have an old washer and dryer, oven, stove, microwave, large toaster oven (we cook the frozen small pizzas in it), and best of all....an electric skillet! That thing is so useful! We cook eggs, fried ramen, burgers, and other things.

At first I was worried about managing my own food - but I think it shouldn't be too hard now that I am stocked up on the basics - milk, bread, honey, peanut butter, ramen, eggs, apples, lats, cereal, and frozen pizza.

My companion has given me some good suggestions concerning food management. He is so awesome. He is a hard working missionary - he has a great attitude and lots of energy. I have learned a lot and hope to learn a lot more.

I am being eaten a live by mosquitos, but other than that ALL IS WELL! I am loving my mission!

Love,
Elder Calvin B. Smith

I love you all!

PS. When you are feeling the heat in California - think of me, 80% humidity 90 degrees, riding a bike. And when you turn on the A/C think about my apartment - the A/C is on about 20 out of 24 hours a day to stay at a tolerable temperature. I am just grateful for A/C - its so refreshing when we come in for lunch and dinner.

I love my mission President, he is so awesome - even though I thought he was a little intimidating at first.

I wish you all could have shared the forest prayer and temple experience with me! It was so cool!