What a great family I have! Thank you for much for your great emails. Man I LOVED the pictures! I LOVE the Clark/Toone reunion so much. What a fun group! That picture of Uncle Paul and Aunt Nene was perfect. Perfect examples of living their lives to the fullest faithful to the Gospel. Thank you Dad for your great email. I’ve been thinking alot about our "First Fathers" and what great stock I come from. I’m pretty lucky. I’m glad the kids are doing well and don’t worry Chan, I’ll have an email for you too.
So it’s been a GREAT week here in the Waters. With transfers being over we have had ALOT more time to work in our area. We have been working alot this week with Emmanuel who is getting baptized on Sunday. Wow guys he is so great, one of the most special people I have taught on my mission. I always tell him he's a Mexican version of me haha! He has made so many great changes in his life. Giving up smoking cold turkey without even being asked. He just noticed how unclean he felt after being around us and going to church and he just gave it up. He is a ton of fun to be around. He actually is going to the YSA dance tonight in Edinburg. He's basically a Mormon. As well, we made plans this week for his friend Victor who wants to be baptized on the 11 of August and Emmanuel wants to baptize him after he gets the priesthood. Such cool kids. It’s fun to hang out with guys our own age that we would totally hang out with outside the mission. You will love him. Unfortunately, he doesn't speak much English, but we will teach him before you get here haha!
So besides that, we also have been working with this family of 4 that was being taught 2 months ago but had to move out of our area. They are back and doing great. They will be baptized the beginning of August and have just been eaten up by the Spanish Ward. I LOVE IT! It’s amazing when the work happens the way it’s meant to. I knows that’s what President Monson sees in the future of the church. It truly is a miracle. Puro member referrals, teaching in members homes, inviting to YSA activities, greeting, loving, and everything in between. What a miracle.
As well, on Thursday we had an exchange and Elder Hill came to work with me in my area. Man I love that kid. He has become such a great missionary. We had a great time and a super good day.
We also got to spend an evening with the Maluendas for an FHE and they are so great. I love their whole family. They really want you all to come and visit so we will talk about the details later. But I don’t think you will be able to come until that Wednesday because we have transfers and I will have to help the Elders run it one more time that Tuesday. But if we did like Wed- Friday and got back that Saturday that might work. It’s still a ways away but I donno if you have to buy plane tickets early just let me know!
Then yesterday we took a road trip to Port Isabel. The place I visited like a year ago that has the pirate boardwalk. It was a lot of fun! I’ll try to send some pictures but it seems weird that that was over a year ago that I visited. It’s really nice to see and smell the ocean though. I love it!
Besides that, everything is going just great! Elder Munsey only has a few weeks left which is crazy. He will be my first companion that I “kill” (send home). It’s gonna be weird. I feel like I’m learning a ton from Pte. Maluenda. He always takes us aside and teaches us and I feel like I’ve grown a lot because of it. He really is super inspired and SUPER fun to be around. I’m really grateful for him and his family! Well, besides that there’s not much else to tell!
I love you all so much and I love the mission. It truly does mean everything to me. I can’t even describe how much it means to me. Every day is just a blessing. Thank you so much for all you do and I pray you are all well and know how much I love you!
Be safe!
Love, Elder Smith
