Elder Vic Smith, son of Eric and Karin Smith - and big brother to Mitchell, Sarah, Caroline and Martin - returned honorably on Saturday, December 19 from a successful fulltime mission in Portugal. Calling the two years he spent in Portugal, "the best and the worst experience of my life," Elder Smith elaborates. "There really is nothing more gratifying than doing the Lord’s work among His children . . . but there is probably nothing harder either!"The Church was first introduced in Portugal in the 1970's by members in the U.S. Armed Forces. In 1974, then President Spencer W. Kimball visited Portugal where he dedicated the country to the preaching of the gospel after receiving word the church would be recognized by the government. Immediately, four missionaries were transferred from Brazil to begin the work. The earliest Church meetings were held in the home of a Canadian embassy member living in Portugal.
Prophesied to become "the Church’s lighthouse in Europe," Portugal’s membership growth in the late 1980's was brisk, but slowed significantly in the 90's and overall retention of newly baptized members is difficult. Today, with two missions and slightly more than 38,000 members in 73 wards and stakes, Portugal has the highest percentage of members in any country in Europe but is the second largest population of members without a temple.
As to his future now that he is officially an RM . . . Elder Smith is looking forward to attending school in northern Utah - either the University of Utah or BYU - in the fall of 2010. In the meantime, after Christmas he will be looking for a job - in plumbing, delivery, general construction, retail or landscaping - to finance his education.
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