April 14, 2025

Bonjour à tous,

Here are a couple of awesome (and slightly embarrassing) experiences from this week.

I went on an exchange with a Chinese speaking elder. He told me that "Wa Fung Pila" meant "my name is". So, at the start of a Chinese class at the institute building, I confidently announced, "Wa Fung Pila," only to realize it actually means "I farted." So, I accidentally told the whole class I farted.

On a brighter note, we had an incredible lesson with our friend Melissa, who is truly amazing! She has two children, and after an awesome discussion, we set her baptism date for the 27th! What's super cool is that Melissa is a highly skilled judo fighter, competing and winning at the international level.

Also, this Saturday, we're going to the temple with Zeinab, and we’re all really looking forward to it. She received her temple recommend yesterday at church and is genuinely super excited. Zeinab also made the most incredible food called belani—a kind of pancake with a delicious filling.

On a spiritual note, this time of year is a good time to think about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Preach My Gospel says: "Jesus Christ is central to God’s plan. Before coming to earth, we knew that we could not return to God’s presence on our own. Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ, His firstborn Son, to make it possible for us to return to Him and have eternal life. Jesus willingly accepted. He agreed to come to earth and redeem us through His atoning sacrifice. His Atonement and Resurrection would enable God’s purposes for us to be fulfilled."

In 2 Nephi 9 in the Book of Mormon, there are some great scriptures of Lehi explaining about God's plan for us. This Easter, think about how Jesus Christ's Atonement has blessed your life!

Peace out,
Elder Smith