tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29869209055301218312024-03-19T06:09:27.379-07:00Elder Payton Clark SmithMissionary Adventures in the Texas Mcallen MissionKris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-78544541814570760902013-11-25T22:04:00.000-08:002014-01-07T22:07:09.150-08:00WONDERFUL WEEK IN THE TMM!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcoming committee at the Salt Lake Airport</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcomed by the Grandparents first!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I.V. Fluids and Phenergan, courtesy of Nae and Aunt Jen! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family prayer at Payton's bedside</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama gets first hug!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corpus Christi</td></tr>
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<br />Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-46645262877380844902013-11-17T12:57:00.001-08:002013-11-17T12:57:13.340-08:00THIS HAS MEANT EVERYTHING TO ME!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well family this is it...I just finished with my last training and am just getting ready to go out for my last lessons of the mission. This is my last night of teaching because after this is pure transfer madness. Today Elder Stott got his new companion Elder Nino de Guzman. He’s a really good friend and I’m really excited that there’s a great elder taking my place. He will do a great job. It’s getting real now.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks for all your emails. I love your emails. You all have been so great and I’m so grateful for such an awesome family.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As for your questions...</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">1. YES! Bring church cloths... I’ve got something special planned for yall :) Be prepared!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">2. And yes, I’ll watch for the packages. We’ll be around the office here so I’ll keep my eyes peeled.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">3. And yes, you can just be here at the office at 10. We may not get back from dropping the elders off at the airport until a little after 10, but you can come to the office and meet the senior couples. Just don’t listen to anything they say;) Jk! They’re great! We’ll be pulling up as soon as we finish at the airport...unless I decide to flee to Mexico haha!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It truly is a weird feeling. I’ve never put so much into anything in my life, and I’ve never had anything mean so much to me. I though it was scary leaving home for the mission, but this is crazy. I have no clue what to expect and it’s a scary thing leaving this new home and not knowing when I’ll be back. McAllen has stolen my heart for sure.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m excited to see you all though. Kinda nervous, but excited. :) I know that you are all excited too and I hope you enjoy your trip and I know you will feel very welcome here in Mcallen. It’s the best! I think you will feel something special:)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But that’s it for today. I’ve got one last big miracle to share, but I’m gonna wait till you all get here:) Travel safe.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But, I better wrap it up...</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So family, as I write these last few words to you, I hope that you can control the tears...Mom..I know you’re crying right now.. Dont cry:) Next Saturday I promise that I’ll tell you all a story in place of an email!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I owe you all so much. Thank you. This has meant EVERYTHING to me. Thank you for allowing me to be here. Thank you for supporting me. I have ALWAYS felt your prayers. Thank you for your love. I think you’re gonna be surprised at just how big of miracles your prayers have brought.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I love being a missionary:)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Elder Payton Smith</span></div>
Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-55012963405011548292013-11-09T19:30:00.000-08:002013-11-12T19:54:16.514-08:00YA'LL ARE TRUNKY!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You guys crack me up! Everyone has been asking me if my Momma has gone crazy yet being this close to picking me up. I think it’s ok for you all to go a little crazy:) Today I was very grateful for all of your emails and the pictures! Especially from Keg and Taylor Walker! Thanks guys!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But I’m excited to see you all. I was wondering if you could come say hi and spend a week here and then leave me? Think that would work? Just an idea:) I feel like the closer it gets, the more attached to my mission I become. It’s been so good this past week, we have been so busy that I haven't even had time to think about it. This week we had a mission wide leadership training and it was AWESOME!! It definitely kept our hands full!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I know a lot of missionaries fear and avoid the end, but I’m excited! I think if you have done everything you could, you should be able to go home happy and fulfilled and able to hit the next stage of life just as hard as you hit the mission. It’s gonna be the test of EVERYTHING that I learned on my mission. I say, “Bring it on!” It doesn't however make leaving any easier. It will break my heart to leave this place. But I've come to learn that it’s not always about what Elder Smith wants. It took 21 years to learn that;) I have seen the importance of working up until the last minute. There’s no getting around it, I think you definitely see your true colors in the last few weeks. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But, I actually wanted to share one of the most special experiences of my mission with you all today. It starts back in Laredo when one of my district leaders invited me to set a mission baptismal goal; the number of people I wanted to find, teach, and baptize on my mission. He then told me, “It’s not about the number, but it’s about being accountable to the Lord and showing him how many people you want to bring unto Christ.” Of course I wanted to bring thousands unto my Savior! That’s why I came! So I set a goal that was rather high. I prayed to my Father in Heaven pleading with him to guide me to that many specific people that I could love with all my heart and bring them to the knowledge of the Gospel. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first few months was rough. We didn't find or baptize hardly anyone. I was rather discouraged and quickly put that goal and commitment with the Lord out of my mind. But, as I went through my mission, the success started to come. I began to find people that stole my heart. I loved them SO MUCH! And every time we found them and were able to baptize them I felt the love of my Heavenly Father letting me know that they were some of the ones that he had promised me. Some of the ones that were waiting. That feeling fired me up a lot. I quickly repented of forgetting that commitment I had made with Him and promised I would do EVERYTHING in my power to reach that goal, that I wouldn't miss a single soul that He had prepared for me. There was a lot of ground to make up, but He definitely began to bless me. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The months passed and I came closer and closer, until this last month. I was ONE short of my goal and ALL of our baptisms had dropped. I felt an uncomfortable weight on my shoulders, feeling that I hadn't given everything or maybe I had missed one of His children along the way. I spent many nights crying unto Him, asking for forgiveness and praying for a miracle. With 3 weeks left......nothing. Too short of time to find someone and get all the way through the teaching process. It seemed almost hopeless. I couldn't help but feel that if I went home one short, I would feel like it wasn't quite finished. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Then 6 days ago we decided to give it to the Lord. Elder Stott and I started a special fast for that one person who would finish my mission. We fasted that day and nothing came until the last 5 minutes of our fast. As we stood in line to buy some fruit to break our fast the phone rang, it was Bishop Vargas. "Elder, I just wanted to call and tell you that a new family moved into your area 10 minutes ago and they need some help moving in. Could you come?" ABSOLUTELY! "Oh and just so you know, the mom isn't a member yet."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My heart filled with hope! This was gonna be it!!! We got in the car and flew over to their house to meet the Medina family. The sweetest, most humble family ever. Within 20 minutes we had set a baptismal date for the 24th, one day after I leave. So grateful for the answered fast, but still sad about the goal I set with the Lord, I continued to pray, harder and HARDER. I guess you could say it was selfish of me, but it meant SO MUCH!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I have a testimony that God answered prayers. I have seen it so many times. I know how much He loves us and that He won’t EVER let us down. I really needed a miracle and even though it was a selfish thing, He knew how much I wanted it. Never doubt that he listens.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The second lesson we had a FHE with the bishop and discovered that Sister Medina knew nearly everything and had been to church before in Mexico! In the last 5 minutes, the bishop invited her to be baptized on Sunday - TOMORROW! I must have looked ridiculous cus tears were streaming down my face. She agreed to this Sunday, and she is completely ready! Finding her, teaching her, and getting to the baptism in less than 2 weeks! It was a miracle!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I Love my Heavenly Father so much. He has changed me completely. I never deserved such an incredible mission, but He gave it to me anyway. I feel SO indebted to Him but know that He's expecting a lot of me for the rest of my life. He expects a lot of us:) I know that after the baptism of Sister Medina, I will feel that love just as I always have. That love that He has for these people, His children. It’s more contagious that any feeling that you could ever feel.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I love you all so much and hope you all know that I KNOW that He lives, loves us, and always hears us.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I look forward to seeing you all soon.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love, Elder Payton Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-29151684485212418122013-11-03T18:53:00.000-08:002013-11-03T18:53:04.682-08:00I WANT TO FINISH WITH WOBBLY LEGS, FALLING INTO THE FINISH LINE<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thank you for all your emails. You all are so great! I have the best family ever:) I’ve been thinking about you and just how grateful I am. Never missed a week of emailing me. Pretty faithful I’d say:) Thank you for that! I feel very blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Coming into this last month I’m just so grateful for the mission God has allowed me to serve and for this time I have still to serve. It is SO precious to me. I’ve thought alot about how you can tell someone served a good mission. I know there are alot of missionaries that would say that the titles of District or Zone Leaders or even Assistant are what make you a good missionary. I have realized that that’s not gonna get me anywhere in Idaho or in life haha! I’m grateful for these opportunities I've had to serve with MY Presidents and for all they have taught me and I know that the things I have learned and the experiences I have had are what have made me. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">President Maluenda taught me a big lesson. He said that you can tell how successful someone’s mission was by the person they are when they go home. How they apply the things they learned, how they treat everyone, how they talk, how they carry themselves. Different scene, different actors, but the principles NEVER change. And then he kinda shocked me when he said,</span><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Elder Smith, everything you have done in these past few years doesn't mean a thing if you go home the same person you were before." I think I've been stressing about the last little changes I want to make in myself before the end, hoping I am changed enough. I truly am so grateful for the Atonement of my Savior and the way it can enter into someones life and change and mold them, scrape of the rough edges, take away the hard feelings, wash away the guilt, and then build you back into something you never could have been without His help.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sometimes I feel like I’m not deserving of the INCREDIBLE mission that God has given me. It is the best! But I think the thing I wanted to share most today was my gratitude for you all preparing me for my mission, for my whole life. I wish I could express how much that means to me, and how much this place means to me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For Alex, I’m sooo proud of you. You HAVE to be SO excited for your mission! It is 10000000X better than football or anything else you could ever do! I’m so proud of the football player you are, and the student, and the brother!! I’ll be so proud when we have another Elder Smith out in the field. In this family we serve missions! That’s for you too Addi, we have some amazing sister missionaries here. You will be great.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I feel like I’m getting to that last stretch of the 400x. Remember when I would always bust past Chan in my Skyline speed suit leatart;) The way your legs get kinda wobbly from the long race, but you just run harder and harder. I wanna finish, falling into the finish line! I’m grateful for you all. From sitting in the stands at ever football game and track meet and every basketball game, and now the mission. . . The most faithful fans. It has always made me wanna run harder:)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This is the greatest</span><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">thing I've ever done. The funnest, the craziest, the scariest, the most magical, spiritual, lovable, memorable, exciting thing I HAVE EVER DONE! I’m pretty determined to finish that way. We are teaching a bunch of families. Unfortunately, they all are looking to get baptized the week after I leave, but the important thing is that they get baptized. We’ll see what miracles God has up his sleeve.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But for my most faithful fans, I love you all so much. Thank you for everything:)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I will see you soon!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-91674293665719658712013-10-28T13:01:00.003-07:002013-10-28T13:01:51.867-07:00VARGAS FAMILY GETS BAPTIZED! <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hows it going family! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You’re emails are getting shorter every week;) Haha just kidding, they are great I love you all! Thank you so much for the pictures as well they were great! Alex looks like a stud in those football pictures! It’s good to see and hear from the guys as well.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Things have been really good here. Just normal as ever. It doesn’t feel any different and I love every day. I’m so grateful for every opportunity we have to teach, and to serve, and to speak Spanish! You gotta look for a Spanish ward for me up there in I.F. It’s all too good:)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This last Sunday was incredible. After a crazy lesson Saturday, we got the Vargas’ all ready for their baptisms on Sunday. It was amazing! The member that found them (selling pesticides) baptized the dad Mario. I baptized the mom Lorena and Elder Stott baptized Mario Jr. We had Valeria and Cata Maluenda come to perform a special musical number. I donno if I told you, but they are crazy talented with music and it was amazing. It was a very special baptismal service and the whole family was sooo happy. Minus Lori Jane, who was a little sad because she has to wait till December to get baptized. Luckily her dad will be able to baptize her. They are such a fun family and I’m so proud of them. They will be confirmed tomorrow! The picture below is of them!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So besides that all has been well. We’ve got 3 really busy weeks coming up and we are just preparing and planning so we can hit it hard! Starting next week we have some BIG meetings and then a 3 day leadership training after that. It’s gonna be crazy, but I’m excited! I’m gonna go out big! It’s great to be with Elder Stott he has definitely helped me a lot this last transfer and has been a great assistant. He’s gonna do great when I leave and I’m really proud of him. We are gonna go get lunch with him and Elder Hill and a bunch of my really good friends that are here close by in The Valley, so you can meet some of them. A lot of really great missionaries, and great examples.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This week was actually Elder Stott’s birthday so we took him out to lunch. That was the cause for the money I spent, sorry! But we got to go to Pte’s and it was a lot of fun. I LOVE the Maluendas. They are great. They have a big dinner planned for yall!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides that all is well. I’m happy and healthy. I feel just the same as I did my first 3 weeks in the mission. Just with a little bit more knowledge and a bad back from these crappy mattresses. HAHa jk! But I am loving everyday. We’ve still got a lot of people to find and baptize! Sorry for the short email, but I hope you all know how much I love you! You’re all so great and are the most faithful writers. I wish I could explain every single detail, but I think that’s just how the mission is, really personal and unique for each person. But I’m glad you all will get a little taste of it in a few weeks!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">P.S. Tell Chan not to die! Go big or go home!</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-35522493521432838072013-10-19T12:42:00.000-07:002013-10-28T12:42:39.290-07:00"I FEEL LIKE THE SUN GOES DOWN SO FAST EVERYDAY"<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You all are so great! Thanks for your emails! It was great to hear from you all! I can’t believe Colt is home. Man he looks great I’m so excited to see him. He served a great mission. Please tell him I say hello. I really, REALLY hope he goes to Rexburg. But if not we will still be hanging out. I love that kid. His family looks good too. As well, I’m happy I got the same tracks as Chandler. That’ll be good. As for the trip, I’ll see what we can come up with. You could probably stay in the same hotel the Trayner’s did the night before they went home. It’s just in downtown McAllen but it was really nice. Kind of a cool spot too. I talked to bishop and he wants to set up an FHE with the whole Spanish Ward for you all so everyone can meet you. Practice your Spanish haha! A lot of them will be able to communicate in English. . . . kind of. We’ll see. They are great, I love our Spanish Ward. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But once again thank you so much for the emails. Alex looks like a beast! I’m so proud of him. He’s an amazing football player and will be an even more amazing missionary. How’s Addi doing? Hope you’re doing ok hun! And I cant believe that little Rose Rammell is 18! I’m sure she’s the most popular girl at Skyline. Tell the Rammells I say hello! As well all the grandparents and Jay. Love you all! We were laughing at the big cone on Chan’s freind’s head. Poor guy. Did his date mind?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This week was amazing! It has been so crazy getting the Vargas family ready for baptism! A lot of ups and downs with the family but finally we got things all figured out and good to go! They are such a special family, I truly love them so much! It’s been crazy cus we are teaching them but they live outside of our area and have been going to another ward. It’s been a bit hard to get the right member support because we don’t know the members too well, because we don’t go to that ward. But everyone has done so well in friend shipping and getting behind this family. They are gonna be AMAZING members! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">They are really excited to meet you and I know you will love them. Their 2 kids, Mario and Lauri Jane want to meet Alex and Addi! They will love them! This week has been super great though. I feel like every week the mission gets better and better and I enjoy it more and more. It really is the best time of my life. I just get super happy especially on Sundays to see all of our converts and the great progress they are making! Active and happy :) The Cantu family is doing great as well and the rest of the family is coming up from Mexico so we are gonna try to work some magic with them this evening! I’m so proud of them, they are already making plans for the temple, as is the Vargas family.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides that all is well. We have been working hard staying busy every day and it stinks cus I feel like the sun goes down so fast everyday but we are seeing some great miracles. Besides that there’s not much to say. It’s started to get a bit colder here and we are wearing sweaters today. I hate the cold! I’ve been spoiled with sunny days for the past 22 months. The Lord knew that this was where he needed to send me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But family I love you all so much I’m gonna send some pictures right now. I don’t think you have seen these yet but I hope you enjoy them! I love you all so much and I pray that you are all safe and happy. Love you alot!</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-30185420036755670912013-10-12T22:04:00.000-07:002013-10-13T22:04:52.525-07:00"IN ALL OF BROWNSVILLE THE ONE PERSON WE STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAS JUAN!"<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hey how’s it going! So good to hear from most of you;) Haha I love you all so much and I loved your emails. Sounds like not much has changed back in I.F. It kinda scares me because I know that I have changed and I WON’T go back to the old me! I remember Chan worrying about that and I thought he was just being a girl haha. But I’m so happy that you are all doing well. I loved that picture of the grandparents at Alex’s game. Four of the most faithful fans I’ve ever met. Even when they couldn't even see well enough to enjoy the game, they never missed. I’m so grateful for them! Tell them I love all of them so much!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Glad to hear that y'all are getting everything ready for winter. I can hardly believe summer has already passed. It is still hot as can be down here and I feel like it’s not going away. However, we did feel our first semi-cool breeze a few days ago. There was just one though haha....It was nice.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So these passed 2 weeks have been nuts. We have been all over the place. It’s been a miracle that we even have people to work with but I wanted to tell you about this super special family called the Vargas family. I believe I told you about them a few weeks ago. We received a referral from a young man from Utah that is down here to sell security systems. He ran into this family and got their info and went over with us a few days later. The family was INCREDIBLE. All so ready. There’s the Dad (Mario), Mom (Lorena), Mario Jr (12) and Lauri Jane (7). A COMPLETE FAMILY! They all accepted baptismal dates and have been solid ever since. They came to church the first Sunday and loved it. Last week they watched every session of conference and took notes! It’s super funny, Mario has a notebook just chuck full of notes, questions, and experiences. He is a great father. They even bought me a late birthday cake because they found out that they missed my birthday haha! Their family has seen so many great changes. Hopefully, I haven't already shared this, but a few days after our lesson on prayer, Mario Jr. got his shoes stolen at school and he remembered that we told him he could pray for ANYTHING. He knelt down on the locker room floor and offered a little prayer. A few minutes later, someone brought back his stolen shoes:) After he shared that in our lesson, his father teared up and admitted, "I know this is what God wants for my family..I can’t deny it." They will be baptized on the 20th of October and Mario already has plans to send BOTH of his children on missions. I really do love them.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides that we have been busy busy with Pte. Maluenda. We have done A LOT of exchanges with our Zone Leaders because there are some new ones and that have kept us really busy. I though I would share one more experience from our Brownsville exchange that we had 2 days ago.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The night before the exchange we got to the apartment super late because we went to rescue the ZL’s out on this country road because they had gotten a flat. The next morning we had to plan, because of our crazy night and we took about 30 minutes to plan up a great day. I was with Elder Welker. I opened up the book of formers and said a prayer to maybe pull one out that would get baptized. I told Elder Welker that the one I pulled would get baptized in November and I bet him an ice cream on it. I pulled one out of a Part Member family, the Galvan family. A family of 9!! Juan Galvan was the father’s name who is not a member. I was super excited but then realized that the elders hadn't put an address or a phone number because the family was moving. There was no way in heck that we could find this family. But, it seemed weird because I felt so good about it. So we filled in the rest of the plans and took off.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was a little bit tough that morning because they had just opened a new area and so we kept getting lost. We were out in the middle of NOWHERE, absolutely lost and we drove past this old gas station and up ahead about 200 yards I saw a man walking. I had a SUPER strong impression to talk to him. He looked rough, but I pulled over and yelled at him (In a nice voice) :)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Como estan Elderes!" He replied, with a huge smile on his face.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">People NEVER call us Elders!!! I asked for his name. “I’m Juan Galvan.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I couldn't believe it. We jumped out of the car and right there on the side of the road had a 5 minute lesson. The night before brother Galvan had prayed for help. It was answered the very next day. We invited him to be baptized and he happily accepted. We went back that night and set baptismal dates with about half of his family. I was so grateful for that impression. IN ALL OF BROWNSVILLE THE ONE PERSON WE STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAS JUAN!! Pretty cool experience.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I love being a missionary. . .I wish it never had to end.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks for everything family, I love you so much! Have a great day!!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Elder Smith</span></div>
Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-52007778058091031742013-10-09T20:57:00.003-07:002013-10-09T20:57:51.597-07:00LAST TRANSFER - NO TIME TO WASTE!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dear family, </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m sorry for not emailing this week, it has been so crazy with transfers. We just sent off another group and are back to work, we’re headed to Brownsville for an exchange. My last transfer just started and it’s game time! No time to waste! I will write you all a great email this Saturday, I promise!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I love you all so much and hope to hear from you all really soon!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hope you enjoyed conference!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love, </span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-46855732072759963252013-09-28T13:04:00.000-07:002013-10-02T13:05:06.344-07:00BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Ok. Thank you everyone SO much for everything! Thank you grandparents for the birthday letters, they were so great! You always give way too much! I love you guys! And Sister Hart, Marivi’s mom got the card to the bishop and he got it to me on my birthday! It was great! Thank you for the package as well, family! It was great, it came right on time!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I loved the emails! Sorry to hear that we lost the Emotion Bowl. I’m still healing from our losses. But I’m glad to see that all the boys are all back together (Kegan, Stevan, Garrett). I love those guys. It will be good to see them all again. Stay out of trouble!!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So we had a great week here. Starting with Sunday we had Stake Conference and got a bunch of super great new people to church and they loved it. That night the Thompson (He is a counselor in the Stake Presidency) family invited us over for dinner like they do every Sunday. . They are so great! Sister Thompson felt she needed to do something big for my birthday, so they made my favorite dinner and my favorite mango salsa. Man they are great.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That Monday morning we decided to play basketball early before studies because we canceled our pday because of the incoming missionary. When we got there, there were a bunch of missionaries and they had brought party hats and the little blowy things and a bunch of treats for after the game, for my birthday. It was super funny and I was really grateful for them.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That morning we spent driving around to police departments getting finger prints and everything signed to send a Sister Missionary down to Argentina and got back just in time to go to lunch with brother Traynor. What a boss! I really love that guy. He bought us a super expensive meal of buffalo chicken pizza and made a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting (Mom’s recipe), that was great! He had candles and the whole 9 yards. I’m really grateful for him.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After that we found out that the new elders arrival had been canceled and so President Maluenda commanded us to go play soccer with all the missionaries haha! We were obedient:) We had a great time and finished the night at the Maluenda’s for some planning. Well, I thought it was planning, but when I got there the whole family was there with a great cake and chileano hot dogs. It was the most amazing birthday ever. They tried so hard to make it really special and I was really grateful. Then we got on the computer to do the BYUI endorsement and couldn't find it and President was like, “Call your Mom and ask!" I said, “Can’t Sister Maluenda just text her?” “NO CALL!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Haha, so I did! He was so happy that I got to talk to you! And it was sooo good to hear Addi’s voice! I wanted to talk more but couldn't. You guys are great!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We finished out the week finding a super great family of 4 that are looking really promising for October and we have a pm (part member) girl that will be getting baptized tomorrow! The lord has been blessing us a ton! And here we are today just about to go help Sister Tovar. our recent convert, move apartments! Wish us luck!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides that, all is well! It’s starting to turn bitter sweet! Haha I’m just super happy with everything and love being here. I love my wards. I love the members, my area, the missionaries, the Maluenda’s. All is so great. And I really love the Lord.. He's the greatest. He definitely knew what he was doing when he called me here. It was definitely meant to be my mission!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks for everything and tell everyone I say hello!</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-65701912604732725662013-09-23T20:46:00.000-07:002013-09-24T20:47:22.841-07:00ELDER SMITH'S 21ST BIRTHDAY!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">So, it is done and I'm returning with my report. We just finished with lunch at BJ's, the place they had chosen (coincidentally one of my favorite places too). They make excellent pizza at BJ's with a lot of specialty ingredients and we had a go at recreating "The Payton". It wasn't quite the same thing as the one he makes at your home, but I think it was close enough to at least remind him. We had a fun time going over where he's served so far, what he's up to now that he's in the office, etc. You really have a great son. From the way he talked, I could easily see that he loves what he's doing and that he "gets" what missionary work/leadership is about. We finished it off with the cake, which seemed to be a happy surprise for him. Thanks for letting me be a part of a fun mission memory for your family. I think things like this are great. </span><br />
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-77790996833008051772013-09-21T20:17:00.000-07:002013-09-24T20:42:59.569-07:00ORLANDO AND STACY GET BAPTIZED!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So we had an AWESOME week! But first off, thank you all so much for your emails! You’re all the best! Glad everyone is doing well. Alex, you need to get that shoulder better buddy!! Go get ‘em this week! Sounds like everyone is doing well! Tell all the grandparents I say hello! I received a letter from Gpa and Gma Smith! Thank you so much! And I sent that email for Sister Hart. Please read it to her! Glad to see the pic of all the Westside boys again (Garrett, Kegan, & Stevan). I hope Keg puts on more weight! I loved hearing and seeing from everyone!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So where do I start? The baptism on Sunday was incredible! I got to baptize Orlando and Elder Stott baptized Stacy! They are SO sweet! Man, I love them to death! They are all excited to meet you! It was a very special service and we made it interesting because there was only like 2 1/2 ft of water. We got LOW!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Monday was so much fun! It was our first time having P-day with all the other missionaries! Pte Maluenda changed our P-day so we could hang with the other missionaries and spend more time around them! We will still email on Saturdays though. So Sunday night I had a dream about playing mud soccer, so Monday morning I woke up and we called all the zone leaders in the valley and told them to meet at 2 for mud soccer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t raining, so in our prayer leaving our house, I prayed that God could make it rain. When we got to the field it began to pour! It was incredible! 95 degress and beautiful rain! All my buds were there! Best P-day ever! Afterwards we went to a place called Free Birds so Elder Hill could try to eat the 5 1/2 lbs burrito. Let’s just say he painted the walls with 5 lbs of pure Mexican paint. Haha He lost it all!!! Pretty bad.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So on Tuesday we had a Zone Conference here in McAllen and after we went and found a new sweet part member family which was a referral from bishop. It was a real blessing because we have only had a few hours in our area because of conferences. Wednesday we got a good full day of work and as well went to the Maluendas to celebrate the Chilean Independence Day. We ate delicious Empinadas. I love them!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That night we took off for Corpus and arrived at like 1 in the morning. We had conference that next morning and it went really well. I hate giving my “dying testimony” because I’m not dead yet! Not even close! That night we went to dinner before going home! Fuddruckers - tough on the pocketbook.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yesterday and today we are just working away and finding peeps to baptize in October. Pray for us!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m excited for Monday. We were going to have a huge birthday party because there are a lot of birthdays next week, but we just found out we have a surprise Elder coming in, so we will be busy with him all day. But Brother Traynor (OUR Brother Traynor’s brother) Thats confusing.. He is taking us all to lunch so it’ll be good!!! (Me Elders Stott, Hill , and Grant) What better way to spend my birthday than with a new missionary:) It’ll be fun!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides that, all is well!! I’m excited for what’s to come this week and know that we are gonna find some new families to baptize! I LOVE BAPTIZING! And I love all my converts so much!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks for all you do family! Remember how much I love you!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-24351152674919103802013-09-14T18:15:00.000-07:002013-09-15T18:15:23.545-07:00MY LAST ROUND OF ZONE CONFERENCES and GREAT UPDATES FROM SAN BENITO<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hey guys! Man another week come and gone! This week has been ridiculous haha! It was good to start the weekend with some great emails from you all! You’re the best! Y'all are starting to speak trunky. Stay with me family, you can make it! Let’s just say, it really set in this week giving my dying testimony at Zone Conferences. It was the worst. Because these are the last Zone Conferences until December. It felt like a waste because I don’t feel like I’m “dying” so it was just a normal testimony. But I have to give it 5 times, once at each Zone Conference. The good news is, it doesn't ever set in so I’m doing great! We are still baptizing!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was happy to hear everything went so well with Marivi and her family. I’m glad her Mom still loves me. We were pretty close, but our last lesson was kind of a throw down, and I wasn't sure how she felt about me. Sometimes it’s tough to be firm with people you love, but sometimes its necessary. Glad all went well, thank you so much!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This week has been pretty wild. We spent as much time as we could with O. and S. Cantu getting them ready for their interviews, which are today and their baptisms tomorrow! Unfortunately, we had almost no time in our area, not in Mcallen. Monday was our only day of proselyting and then Tuesday we headed to Laredo for Zone Conference. It was super funny because we almost ran out of gas and I got pulled over but I put on the puppy dog face and he let me of. I put on my Nacho Libre voice and told him that “this is the Lord's car”. He bought it:) It was strange being in Laredo. I gave a testimony there about 20 months ago as a new missionary and then this week I gave my last one. Kinda bitter sweet. Conference went really well though. We got back pretty late and the next morning we woke up really early to head to Harlingen for Zone Conference. It was a GREAT day and it was really special for me. I talked to the Sisters who served in part of my old area in San Benito....They told me the family that I found and taught that couldn’t get baptized (Minerva and Ramiro) are finally getting baptized. They got everything figured out for their marriage and wedding. It was the best news I’ve heard almost my whole mission. They asked if I could come down for the baptism but Orlando and Stacey get baptized at the same time Sunday. I donno what I’m gonna do, but it'll work out. The other cool thing is a guy I taught there that got baptized 2 weeks after I left, has received the Melchizedek Priesthood and is gonna baptize them all. SO COOL! The other cool news was another family we found in Brownsville got baptized last Sunday. Super cool stuff!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So after that, we booked it back and had an awesome lesson with the Cantu family. They are soo amazing! I know I always say this, but literally, they are the most prepared family I have ever taught. SO PREPARED! They are in Mosiah and read as a family every night. They are super excited about baptism. When I asked Stacey if she was ready for her interview, she said "I’m just nervous because sometimes I forget Nephi’s 3 brothers’ name. "Don’t worry Stacey, they won’t ask you that.” haha! They are great. I really love them! I am willing to bet that in 2 years Orlando will be an Elders Quorum President. He's a boss.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Then late that night we left to go to Rio Grande City for an exchange. We got called half way through the exchange on Thursday and had to go pick a missionary up and drive him to Laredo, then take another to the airport in Laredo Friday morning. I was SO sick of the car at this point haha! But we made it alright. We got to play some Laredo volleyball early Friday morning after about 4 hours of sleep and then got him to the airport and got on the road back to McAllen. It was our P-day so we spent half of it driving and the other half napping haha! Then last night we went to a fiesta to celebrate Mexico's Independence! It was boss!! Man, we had a ton of fun. We had a bunch of investigators there! Santi (Santiago), Orlando and Stacey’s son was the star of the Primary’s dance and they loved it. I was so proud! It was great to see the Aguas family perform too and Emmanuel got up and danced haha! Brother Rodrigues was there with the priesthood putting everything together. ALL boss members! I was so proud and we laughed and sang and had a great time with the ward. I really love it here:)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So today we are running all over with the interviews, a training, and lessons, and it’s good to be back home. I’m not looking forward to next week’s Zone Conferences a ton, but we are ready to go. We will hit up Corpus next week and then be here in McAllen for the other. IT’LL BE GREAT!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s good to stay busy, but sometimes I wanna slow down to just enjoy the mission. Unfortunately, the only way you can really enjoy it, is if you’re running around crazy teaching, chasing people down, yelling at them, and baptizing. Unfortunately that’s what makes the time go faster. But I do love every moment. The mission is the greatest thing that has every happened to me. I realized that this is very much home for me now:) </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But, we are gonna hit it hard next week once again! Finish this week with 2 amazing baptisms and keep them coming! There’s too many prepared people and not enough time! I love you all so much and I pray that you are all safe!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I LOVE YOU! So much!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Elder Smith</span></div>
Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-50427305759128692242013-09-07T09:07:00.000-07:002013-09-11T09:14:22.674-07:00TESTIMONY OF FASTING AND PRAYER - THE CANTU FAMILY<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So good to hear from all of you! You all look great in the pictures! Especially Alex, what a stallion. I’m so proud of him! And you all looked good on your first day of school! Los guapos! Hope your loving school! It’s good to see Chan back! I feel like the only time I get pictures of him is when he wants to show off the pretty girl that he's dating. You'll have to fill me in boss! Thank you all for your emails and everything you do! I love you all a bunch! Tell the grandparents I say hello and that I love them! Jay as well and all the friends and family!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So this past week was nuts! So I’m gonna start with my testimony of fasting! I have never experienced such an obvious answer to prayers and fasting as I did this week. We had been working with a few families and all had fallen off. Elder Stott had gotten here and we decided to do a special fast so God would provide us with a prepared family that would get baptized in September. It was the last week to find for September so the pressure was on. We fasted that day and worked super hard and . . . nothing. That night we came back here to the office to finish up somethings and Elder Hill was here with his comp Elder Grant. They are the ZL’s in Hidalgo and they ran over to us super excited. They told us they had been teaching a family that moved into our area and they had already been to church and been taught like half the lessons. They handed them over and we have had some of the most amazing lessons with them. The cool thing is it is the son of a member and I had been working with that member (the mom) when I first got to this area, so we could baptize her son when he got here from Mexico! Well, he got here and they are gonna be baptized on the 15! They literally are one of the most prepared families I have ever taught. It’s the Cantu family! Please pray for them!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, on Wednesday we had MLC and it was super good! Man I feel like my mind just gets blown by Pres Maluenda. Every time he takes us aside and teaches us, I feel so blessed. It’s funny, but he always talks about being great fathers and husbands, more than great missionaries. He has made a HUGE difference in my life, I can’t even explain it.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yesterday we went up to Robstown with Pte. to do a special zone conference. It was REALLY good. I got to see some members too and I saw Sabrina! She's doing great, and so are all my other converts! I love that place!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I really have been reminiscing a lot on my mission and all the great people I have met and miracles I’ve seen. It’s amazing how big a part of me it all is. It really has changed my vision. I know exactly what God expects of me now :) Thanks for giving me up ;)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I love the mish! And I love you guys! Thanks for all you do! Be safe and smart and don’t get too trunky!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-72167862664686775722013-08-31T08:51:00.000-07:002013-09-11T08:52:23.065-07:00DRIVING LIKE RICKY BOBBY!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hey Everyone,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How’s it goin?? Thank you so much for all of your emails and pictures! I’m so happy to hear that Alex's game went so well! Alex your a beast! I’m also so glad that Chan gets to come home! Drive safe!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Good to see that you’ve been out on the river to do some fishing! A lot of good memories out on the drift boat! You guys are the great! I love you!!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, this week has gone by so fast I don’t even know what happened! Looking back at it, I can’t really remember what we did! Sunday was super good, we had a bunch of confirmations! Monday we received 17 new missionaries which was super crazy! We picked them up around noon-ish and brought them to the capilla for their orientation! It was a fun night with the Maluendas and we ended up heading back to the airport later that night because we had a 2nd group come in. It was a wild day and we didn’t get to bed until really late. Tuesday was transfers and just like always the craziest day ever. I lost my voice from yelling so much and right at 10:30 me and Elder Stott got in the big transfer van and took off for Corpus! It was super fun to go back up to Corpus and I got to see a couple members! We picked everyone up and got them back down to McAllen by 7ish and then got over to dinner with President! It was sad sending so many good friends home! Elder Sanchez was in that group and it was hard to see him go, but he was excited! We were almost late for the flight and had to drive like Ricky Bobby, but it all buffed out!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yesterday we got to tour Brownsville with Pte and Sister Maluenda and it was super fun! We made our way down early in the morning to check out some areas and got to go out to lunch. It was so good to spend more time talking with Pte and Sister Maluenda. They are sooo fun and love our American sarcasm. Sister Maluenda has been picking up on it little by little. They truly are so great!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I feel so bad that I don’t have much more to tell you all but I hope you know how much I love you! I pray for all of you! Be safe!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Love Elder Smith</span></div>
Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-76923448198748618322013-08-24T17:35:00.000-07:002013-08-25T17:39:02.368-07:00BROTHER RODRIGUEZ'S MIRACLE BAPTISM IN THE RIO GRANDE<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">First off, I want to talk to Alex! Man your a boss!!! I can’t believe how yoked you are getting man. You look as strong as an ox! I’m so proud of you and what you’re doing right now! This is gonna bless you for the rest of your life, the decision you are making to not only play, but to be the best! It’s good to have that drive! President Maluenda always talks about developing our talents and he always makes me and my comp sing in front of everyone, (even though we are horrible) and know that God gives us all talents and you have many!! I know that football and leadership is one of them so keep playing hard and being a leader and good example in all you do! So many times I reflect on football and it helps me with struggles I see during my mission! I love you buddy and am so proud! Keep me updated!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So thank you all so much for the emails and pictures! I’m excited for you to go see the Trayners and all my buddies that have gone home! Say hello to all of them for me, especially the Trayners. I miss them alot! Today was weird sending home Elder Munsey and Stevens. Both great missionaries! We put them on the plane this morning. The good news is my new comp is a boss! His name is Elder Stott from Washington state! He was trained by Elder Munsey so we had a father son reunion last night in the Maluenda home. It was a lot of fun!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This last week has been loco!! I sent you the story of brother Rodriguez’s miracle baptism and as well we had another miracle baptism on Thursday night. Someone Elder Munsey had taught at the beginning of his mission and we found him again about 2 weeks ago and he had been so prepared. He had been praying the night before asking for help and the next day we found him! Pretty cool story! Elder Munsey got to baptize him right before he left! I’ll send pictures! After the baptism we performed a special musical number with the Maluenda girls. They are incredible with music. Good enough to make us sound not half bad:)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So that’s pretty much a summary of the week. I am so excited about my new comp and this coming transfer. It’s gonna be crazy, but we are stoked!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I wanted to say thank you for the license extension Mom, and I’ll call Sister Maluenda and tell her to watch for it! You’re the best mom!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I love you all so much and hope you have an awesome week!! Take care!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BAPTISM IN THE RIO GRANDE</td></tr>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-42817240543568163502013-08-17T16:47:00.000-07:002013-08-25T16:55:16.928-07:00FEELING LIKE IT'S THE LAST 5 MINUTES OF A BASKETBALL GAME.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hey guys! Good to hear from you! Well, most of you:) I forgive the rest of you, so no worries! Thanks for your emails and pictures! I can’t believe Steve got home already! Crazy how fast time goes! Just a quick update mom, Marivi is a girl from the Spanish Ward that had called you! She is a great member of the church but asked if I knew someone that could help her just get from IF to Rexburg. Actually, we are teaching her mom right now who isn’t a member and it’s the first time she has accepted missionaries. It’s been going really well. But thank you for helping! I know it will mean a lot to her and her mom especially! Let me know how it goes! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I hope you all are enjoying the ‘Bin! Take the dogs swimming in the pond once for me! Oh and Mom, I did get the letter from you. Thank you so much! I loved the cleat chunk in it! It meant more than money! As well, I got a sweet letter from Papa and Grammy! Thank you so much! Tell all the grandparents hello for me and give them a big hug! Also Jay and Uncle Paul and Aunt Nene!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So this week has been crazy! Elder Munsey is on his way out and it feels super weird! He is the first companion that I have ever killed! And next week I will get my "Assassin" (The missionary that will kill me, send me home! I’ve got that feeling that you get when you enter the last 5 minutes of a basketball game! I know there’s still so much to do!!! I’m excited for what’s in store!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We have been packed with trainings this passed week! We trained all the new missionaries and their trainers, the ones that came in last transfer. And then we trained the STL’s (Sister Training Leaders). You might ask, “What is the biggest headache for us as assistants?” The answer....STL’s. Haha But it was great! I’m learning a lot that’s for sure! Good life skills!</span></div>
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Besides that, all has been well! Emmanuel is doing great! So are all our other converts! All still coming to church! All on fire! Getting the Priesthood, Patriarchal Blessings, and making plans for their first temple trip! Couldn’t be more happy with how things are going!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Yesterday we got to go spend the night in Brownsville in a new house that the mission just bought! It’s a great big house and there are 4 elders that live there and it was really good! We went and gave it the inspection and then had a great time with the BV zone. We spent some time with Elder Stevens too. Can’t believe this is it for him! I feel like we were just together as 2 jovencitos running around Laredo! But he’s doing great and it was great to be back down in Brownsville!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Well, that’s about it, sorry for the short, lame email! We have been doing alot of busy work! But I hope you know how much I love you and I’ll be excited to email you next week about my new comp and transfers and all that! Mucho love!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Elder Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-1629196215535204192013-08-10T19:36:00.000-07:002013-08-11T19:48:05.888-07:00MISSION-WIDE LEADERSHIP TRAINING....FREESTYLE!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What's goin’ on familia!? Man you guys are the best! I loved your emails and the pictures! I feel like Grandpa gets a new shiner every month! Makes him look tough though! MAN, first off I can’t believe how old everyone is getting! Rose looks super old! And JT is on a mission! And Greyden leaves right when I get home! That’s nuts man! Tell him that I’ll just pick up with his girl friends where he leaves off haha! Jk! Man I feel like everyone is getting big though! Alex looks like a giant and Addi looks like a teenager already! Except for you Mom and Dad! You still look like superjovenes! (look it up :) )</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I am so sorry to hear about Mariana Stewart. She is such a sweet lady. I’ll pray for Danny. They are both so great.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Boy, do I have a lot to tell you! First off, we baptized an awesome family on Sunday, the Guevara family! We pushed their date up cus they were super ready! It was an amazing service and we had a bunch of the ward there! We actually did it in the LaVista Chapel (mission office) because our building (The Dove Chapel) is closed down right now for a big plumbing project! It was awesome. I always wanted to baptize in the LaVista Chapel! I got to baptize the 2 girls Leslie and Diana and Elder Munsey baptized the mom (Juani). A REALLY special family! As well Emmanuel got confirmed and got up and bore an awesome testimony during sacrament! He is on fire, big time! He’s actually at South Padre Island with the YSA this weekend haha! We are teaching his neighbor, who will be baptized the beginning of September! Emmanuel is a boss!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So this week was so crazy! President Maluenda does everything he can to help us grow and teach us leadership and prepare us for life. That’s his big focus. Prepare his missionaries to be great leaders now and in the future. I’m really grateful for the time he takes with Elder Munsey and me to teach us. We spend alot of time in his office being taught and as well, alot of time with his family, being taught about how to be better fathers. It’s kinda trunky stuff sometimes, but I feel like I’ve grown SO MUCH! He really is so inspired and I really love him alot! And we have a ton of fun with him!! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So back to the crazy week! We had our mission-wide 3 day leadership training with 80 leaders of the mission; all the DL’s ZL’s STL’s (sister training leaders) and trainers. And he put us on the spot ALOT! Haha it was super cool cus he pretty much let us run it and change the agenda as we felt inspired and it was amazing to me, to see how the meeting changed as we listened to the missionaries and what their zones and districts needed. It ended up being an awesome training and it strengthened my testimony alot of how the Spirit guides you if you leave enough space for change and kind of do it President Maluenda style which is FREESTYLE, as we say. Freestyle, with much preparation before hand. He has taught me so much about how to study the scriptures and use them in EVERY situations. And he has taught us a ton of Spanish! A bunch of Elders gave me crap at the training because they say I’m starting to talk like a Chileano. Thats ok with me! haha! As well it was cool because I got to work Wednesday night with Elder Sanchez. I love that kid so much. It makes me sad that he, Elder Stevens, and Elder Munsey are all going home in 3 weeks. I’ll miss them alot, but they are all really great friends.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But I can’t wait for you to meet the Maluendas. They really are incredible! Yesterday we went out to our favorite sandwich place, Jason’s Deli, to eat with them and we had a blast! They always give Elder Munsey a hard time because he only has 2 and a half weeks left. But the big chisme of the mission is who my next comp will be! I’m excited to find out! I’ll know in about a week!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So today we went bowling with the Maluendas and it was a blast. I always love being with their family. I attached a picture of it! Afterwards we went to my favorite food place, PERIOD! Taco Pelenqui. It’s heavenly. They are a lot of fun!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So besides that, all is well! I’ve grown a lot in the past 4 months and I’m excited for the growth still to come. The mission really is the best thing that has ever happened to me! I’m SOOOO excited for Greyden to go. I LOVE my mission sooooo much! Especially the Texas Mcallen Mission! Because it’s mine and unique to me. And the best mission in the world!</span></div>
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MY CORBATAS!</div>
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Bowling with the Maluendas!</div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-83286315155929496622013-08-03T15:00:00.000-07:002013-08-11T19:14:26.390-07:00Emmanuel accepted the invitation to "Come Play!" The rest is history.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Holy Smokes! This week went by super fast! We have been all over the place haha! I LOVED your emails and your pictures! Glad to hear that the parties march on there in river city! I saw the picture of Blake taking the water right off the tip of the hose and it made me laugh. I don’t know who is more entertained by that...her or Dad? She’s a cutie though, I love her. Sister Maluenda saw the picture of her this morning and just kept saying "Que Hermosa perra!" <i>Give her a bacon treat for me</i>. Man I AM SOOO EXCITED THAT ALEX IS PLAYING FOOTBALL! So many times on my mission I realized how much football helped me prepare for these experiences out here. I miss it a lot, it really is some of the best memories of my life! Keep up the work big dog! And don’t repeat anything that Berg says, unless it’s good stuff about us;) Ya never know what might come outta that guys mouth!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I have to tell you about our baptism Sunday. One of THE MOST special baptisms my whole mission. I wish you all could have experienced it! Emmanuel was so ready and had made so many changes that he could hardly wait to get in the water! He picked a young man from the YSA to baptize him, so I’ll tell you his whole story!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One day the YSA was playing soccer out on a field in our area and a young man named David, a recent convert of 1 year, saw Emmanuel walking along side the field and he yelled out to him and invited him to “come play!” He did. Emmanuel later told us that he never felt the way he did during that soccer game. They invited him to institute the next day and he went. Then a young lady named Karina in our area invited him over for a lesson with us the very next day. In the first lesson he was a bit skeptical but he had REALLY GOOD questions. He wouldn’t quite accept a BD, but we invited him to church that Sunday. He came and LOVED it. He then stayed afterwards for our baptism and right after the baptism we went and set a BD with him. He was on cloud 9 and feeling the Spirit super strong. After that he was solid as a rock. We became really great friends as we continued to teach him and he came to church activities, parties, and all the YSA activities. The YSA LOVES HIM!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So we continued to teach him up until his baptism and the service was amazing. The Chapel was full! In the picture I sent, that is part of the YSA that was there to support him! We sang his favorite hymn, "Brightly beams our Fathers Mercy". The baptism was perfect and after wards Emannuel got up to say some words. As you can see in the picture he’s a pretty confident, good looking, tough guy. But he got up and just started crying and said, "Never in my life have I felt so loved like you all make me feel. I feel like this is where I’ve always belonged." He bore a powerful testimony of the church and of the Savior and everyone was super emotional. After that EVERYONE went up and just swarmed him. He was so happy.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So now the rest is history! He’s doing AMAZING and we are all best of buds. He has already invited all his friends to be taught and we’ve already set like 3 BD’s with his friends and neighbors. On Monday night we had a BBQ at his apartment with the whole YSA and it was great. There were a ton of non members there and Emmanuel just worked it for us haha! He was great! I’m so proud of him!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides that, all has been just great! We had a week full of trainings, great meals with the Maluendas, (definitely a perk of being and assitant haha) and finding a bunch of great new people. The Lord just blesses us so much! I don’t ever want it to end!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides that all is more than well. I tell Elder Munsey, “I’m not trunky at all.....but I’m so excited for my family to come and see how amazing my life is down here. You are going to LOVE it and love all of my family here. Thank you for everything you do! You all are the best! Take care and be safe! </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Much Amor,</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-11262266295662541152013-07-27T16:45:00.000-07:002013-07-28T16:46:35.233-07:00EMMANUEL. . . .THE MEXICAN VERSION OF ME!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">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!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love, Elder Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-1377991736278506062013-07-20T20:44:00.000-07:002013-07-22T20:48:39.066-07:00100 MISSIONARIES IN THE LaVISTA CHAPLE FOR TRANSFERS! <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hey guys!!! Ok confession time....I bought a gym membership. I have just gotten super skinny on my mish AND Elder Munsey wants to lose weight, so we have been going every morning at 5:30. Hope that’s ok. And. . . . .The Maluenda’s sound like they would really like our families to come down. If we did do it, I would probably like to come for probably 2 or 3 days like we did with Chan. What are your thoughts?? Knowing that Mexico isn’t happening definitely opens things up</span>:)<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I loved all of your emails and it sounds like everyone is doing well! Man! I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT GREYDEN GOT HIS CALL! The mission is the best thing that will ever happen to him. Tell him I’m proud of him!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Congratulations to Addi on her wins and advancements in softball and dance! That’s how we do it! Thanks to Chan for his email as well! And tell Alex he’s still my favorite! haha!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sounds like you haven’t given the pizza oven much of a break in the past few weeks! I’m glad your using it up, just don’t burn her out though!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So this week has been nuts! Baptism on Sunday! AWESOME! Then we welcomed in 22 new missionaries on Monday. That was a handful. We had a great dinner at the Maluenda’s that night and got them all a place to stay. We have 6 extra beds in our house so we stuffed about 8 in there in beds and blow up mattresses. I remember so clearly my first day.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tuesday was transfers and it was insane. Usually Pte. Trayner was out there helping Elder Munsey and I but this time it was all us. 100 missionaries at the La Vista Chapel and it felt like a football game. I loved it!! We were yelling and running around going nuts haha, but we got everyone in their places and good to go. The truck going to Laredo looked like the Grinch’s sleigh on Christmas Eve, but they made it up alright haha!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m proud this transfer we made my son, Elder Hill, a ZL and he is living close by. Should be fun.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wednesday we sent home 14 missionaries. Almost all of whom were good friends of mine. That was hard to see them go, but always good to spend one last night with them. A lot of GREAT missionaries.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Since then we have been busting it trying to catch up on work in our own area and the Lord has really blessed us. We found a new family and have still been working with Emmanual. I LOVE Emmanuel. He is a boss. He’s a young man who lives on his own. He’s about 25 years old and very mature. He’s been on his own since he was about 14. He’s a super hard worker, very smart, super good looking/smooth kid, and loves to dink around! He’s a blast! He was a member referral and at first was a little skeptical but is doing amazing now. His date is for next Sunday (28th).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Super cool story, he has smoked since he was 14 and has tried and tried to stop but never could. So we taught him the Word of Wisdom and just pointed out how smoking makes him feel and then how he feels when he’s at church or with us and he made the connection of how much happier he feels when he doesn’t smoke. So he just quit! He’s going on 4 days now! PLEASE pray for him! He is super special to us! HAHA He wants to come up to Utah in November to find a blonde Mormon to marry he says haha! To bad he doesn’t speak English! He’s a really good friend.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So besides all that, everything is so good. I LOVE the valley. I love the mission. I as well wanted to give a shout out to the whole Clark/Toone crew. I hope you are all doing well and hope you all know how much I love you! And I hope John and Ryan are behaving haha! I’m so grateful to come from such an amazing family! Please be safe!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, that’s it for this week! I know it was short, but we’ve gotta get on the road! Take care family! I will talk to you soon!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Much amor,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Elder Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-69455043791232824932013-07-13T21:30:00.000-07:002013-07-14T21:32:38.388-07:00I LOVE MY LIFE!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks for all your great emails I really appreciate you all! I loved the pictures as well and was so happy to hear about Addi’s dance competition. Good job hunny!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks Dad for your email and the council! The students in your ward sure are lucky to have such a boss bishop! I would give anything to have a Bishop Smith down here haha!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I know I say this every week, but this week topped the charts for being the craziest week of my life haha! Like always, I’ll give you the weekly breakdown and try to throw in some stories as well!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Starting last Sunday things got pretty crazy! We had an awesome Sunday with a bunch of new people at church! We actually got to take part in a baby blessing too! Our investigator’s baby! It was a cool experience and we have been working with the grandpa who is just coming back to activity and he got to participate in the blessing it was great! Sarah (the mom of the baby) is super excited for her baptism next Sunday and the ward just loves her! It’s been great cus we haven't been around much at all this week but the ward has been over there all week helping us keep contact! And it will be our first English baptism here! It’s great!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So we finished up Sunday eating dinner at the Thompsons! He's the 2nd councilor in the stake presidency. (I just tell you that cus they are like one of my FAVORITE families down here). There are just like you two, Mom and Dad!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So Monday the madness started! We had meetings all morning and then got a few hours to work before we went to the Maluenda’s for dinner! They invited us over with their family to test the food that we are gonna have for the going away missionaries this Tuesday. Then we finished with a few more lessons. Elder Munsey and I almost never teach together because we’re always on splits haha! But it was a great night to meet with everyone before we left town. Tuesday from 8 am till 7 p.m. we had mini zone conferences to take President Maluenda around to get to know the missionaries. Then we went out to China Buffet to talk about transfers. I know it sounds like we just eat all the time, but they are like business meetings, haha, so it’s not complete play time! Even though it feels like it with the Maluenda kids!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So Wednesday we had a training and me and Elder Munsey had to split up. I trained the new District Leaders and he went to train the new trainers that have been called this next transfer. That got over really late and we had about an hour to go visit this family we have been working with. They are super great. (The Segoviano Family). Then that night at about 9 we split for Laredo! We got there about midnight and got a little shut eye. That morning we had conference and I got to see my beloved son Elder Hill and some of my other buds. Conferences ended and we went to see some people before we headed out for Robstown that afternoon.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This was the best part of the week. We went and visited the Ysassi family. Man they are doing amazing! Still so active and strong, despite Margie's sickness they have been doing amazing. Natalie got baptized and they all have been reading and praying and fulfilling their callings so well. I love that family and it was such a treat to see them. Then we went and visited Sabrina and then the Abrego Family. They all are doing awesome. It is so fulfilling to see your recent converts. Especially when they are still active and just SO HAPPY! I love them. That night we stayed with the ZL’s and I had to sleep on the floor because some other elders came and they forgot their air beds haha! But it was still fun!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next day we had conference in Sinton Zone then we went over to Corpus in the afternoon for our last conference! THANK GOODNESS! We FINALLY finished up and celebrated by going to the Bay to eat some Whataburger (Corpus Christi Original). It was great! Then we headed home late last night!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I know it sounds like we hardly do any missionary work... But the Lord has blessed us so much. We've been able to teach people over the phone and have the members go over and we have ALOT of great people we are working with. We will have a baptism this Sunday and then we are looking really good to baptize the last week of this month as well! I”m so grateful that God has blessed us so much with these great people!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I’m scared to start seeing all my buds go home and with all these things to do, I feel like the time is going even faster. Pray for it to slow down please. Thank you all so much for all you do. I really love you all and am grateful for your love! As well I want you all to know how much I love my life right now. Being a missionary is 2nd best. . . The only thing that’s better than that is being one in the TMM. :)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I love you all! Have a great week!</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-70494677421831809982013-07-06T21:06:00.000-07:002013-07-14T21:32:58.479-07:00NOT LIKE ANY 4TH OF JULY I'VE EVER HAD!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hey everyone how’s it going? Sounds like everyone’s pretty busy up there haha! Glad to hear everyone enjoyed the 4th of July! Looks like a day of fun, fireworks, and pretty blonde girls. Atta boy Chan. As you probably noticed, I treated myself to Johnny Carinos, in memory of Mom! You’re welcome mom. haha! We ended up being there for about 2 hours, haha. We found this guy sitting next to us and taught him for about an hour. He was a lonely guy down from San Antonio and had nothing to do that night. And the waitress listened too haha! Not like any 4th of July I’ve every had!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I, as well, wanted to tell everyone hello, from grandparents, to friends, to Jay, to ward members, and everyone else! HI! Thanks family for the great pictures and your emails. You are the best! We don’t have a whole lot of time to email, but I’ll see how much I can do!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So this week was just super crazy. haha..I can’t believe that the Maluendas have already been here for a whole week! I really love their family! We started off the week well bringing the Maluendas to our baptism! We baptized this cute little girl named C. Uresti. We reactivated her family and it was a really special baptism. President Maluenda was super down because he's all about reactivation and we love to baptize so it worked out:) So good to have another great family back in the ward! They were definitely missed. So after that we had some refreshments with everyone there and then went to the Maluendas for a late night planning session. Then Monday morning, once again, we got up early to go to the mission home to teach him some stuff. They are SUPER fun to be around. Especially Hermana Maluenda. She is puro Spanish and is the sweetest lady ever! She's always so happy when we come over. It’s interesting running the ecclesiastical side of things with them because first off they don’t speak English. And second, they love to give us ALOT of responsibility. So it definitely has been a big change for us and we are a lot more busy.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So Monday afternoon we had a missionary go haywire and Elder Stevens and his comp had to drive the missionary up and then we had to deal with ‘said’ missionary who had about lost his mind. Unfortunately it was a medication malfunction and it was pretty ugly. Luckily it all buffed out. That night we went to eat with a member and to teach a referral (Emanuel) she had for us . It’s a super cool kid that we had brought to church last Sunday and came to the baptism too. He is about 24 and straight from Mexico. He's a super tight kid, but he accepted a BD and has been doing great.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Then Tuesday we had an office meeting and in the evening went and found a super cool family of 3 and set BD’s with them. I’ll keep you updated on their progress.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wednesday we had Mission Leadership Council which took most the day.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thursday we had Zone Conferences from 8 in the morning to 7 at night. Friday the same but in Brownsville and it was the craziest day ever. We were in the middle of giving a training and some people ran into the chapel calling for help. We ran out to see what had happen and this lady had walked into the foyer from outside. She was in hospital clothes and she was all bloody and shaking and was bawling and super jumpy. She was begging for water so we got her water and me, Elder Munsey, Elder Stevens and Hermana Maluenda sent all the missionaries back into the chapel. We got her water and some food but she was so scared and couldn't stop crying so we calmed her down and gave her a blessing. After that she stopped crying and began to explain that she was at a shelter and they took her clothes and beat her and kicked her out on the street. We got her some attention and got her cleaned up and found a friend of hers that lived in town and got her a place to stay. Then we made some calls about the shelter. It was a super wild day. Afterwards we went out to Chick-fil-a with the whole zone to try to end on a good note haha!! It was super funny! I’ll try to send a picture. But besides that everything is great!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We don’t have a baptism this Sunday, unfortunately, but the 14th we have a part member girl named Sarah. She's about 25 years old and we've been helping her parents come back to church.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I actually wanted to share that story with you all to finish up. Hopefully I didn't already tell it. But I was on exchanges with Elder Martinez (a zone leader up in Robstown) and our plans fell through so we decided to pray and after the prayer we felt inspired to go by this less active’s home. We went by and just said, "Listen brother, we need your help. God told us to come by and we know you have someone that’s ready for us." He looked around and said, "Don’t tell my wife I told you, but her daughter lives a few blocks away and I think she might be ready, my wife doesn't think so." So we went...knocked..she answered....within 5 minutes she was crying and told us that 2 days earlier she prayed to God for the first time in years and asked him to send help. And He sent it!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I LOVE member work! It’s the best! I love you all and hope you have a great week! Be safe!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love - Elder Smith</span></div>
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<br />Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-11957681081807792162013-06-28T15:03:00.000-07:002013-06-30T15:33:15.055-07:00WELCOME PRESIDENT MALUENDA AND FAMILY<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">6/28/13</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hi Mom and Dad and family :)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wow what a day. We just stopped at the office and I wanted to tell you I love you and that I will email tomorrow if we can find time. President Maluenda is incredible!! I felt something really special about him and his wife. He has 4 beautiful kids with him and 2 others who didn't come. I love them already... and they don’t speak much English, especially Hermana Maluenda. You will LOVE them. Tonight we went out with the Trayners (Pres. Hna. and Zach) for a bitter sweet dinner. I will miss them so much. We will take them to the airport in the morning and then will go over to the mission home to teach President Maluenda about the mission program. It’s so crazy but I love it. And I got SO excited to hear that Colt got called as an AP. What a boss! I’m so proud of him. I emailed him just barely, but tell his family I love them! I’ll email tomorrow but take care and tty soon!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">6/29/13</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Oh man I’ve got so much to tell you all! First off, thanks again for the pictures and emails and everything! You guys are the best. These past few days have been super crazy! I dunno where to start but I’ll start with the baptism last Sunday!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It was a really great service and it really touched me. The parents of the Aguas family were so excited for the baptisms of their little girls and are so happy to be back in the church. Its been about 8 years but now they are bound and determined to get to the temple. It was sad because at the service the dad got up and started to cry and just said how bad he felt for not being worthy enough to baptize his daughters and then he promised everyone that one day he would be a worthy priesthood holder. They are a really special family. As well the young man Matthew who has pretty much been adopted by their family was super excited for baptism. The parents only speak Spanish and him English but they love him. And we found out his uncle is a stake president up in Michigan. He was sure happy to hear about the baptism. Now we are working on getting his family. But it was great. He asked me to baptize him and I pulled an Alma and pretty much went completely under myself haha but it was great! The Trayners and the whole office staff were there and it was a good way to send the Trayners out.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It was kinda hard because we had a family of 2 that fell off and another one that was getting baptized this Sunday that moved back to Monterrey suddenly. It was hard but luckily we still have another baptism this Sunday to welcome the Maluendas!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So this week was crazy with the last zone conferences! Then we had a first companionship training! We got to see a bunch of our buds that are training and then we went out to lunch with the Trayners. Then Friday came... It was nuts!!! We got everything ready to pick the Maluendas up at the airport at 12:30. We rushed over with the Trayners and got there just in time for them to walk out. Pte. Maluenda is like 6 3! Super tall! He's got a super sweet wife and a beautiful family. He has a 16 year old daughter (she's like 6 feet tall), a 15 year old daughter, an 11 year old son, and an 8 year old daughter. They are super great. We got their bags loaded up and took them back to the mission office for a luncheon with the senior office missionaries. It was great. We then took them to the mission home to show them around.The kids were going crazy and picked their rooms and then hit the sack pretty hard haha. They were so tired. We left them and the Trayners to talk a little about their responsibilities and me and Elder Munsey went out to work for a bit. We then went to help the Trayners with their bags and got them checked into the hotel. It was weird, President Trayner didn’t have his tag on and sister Trayner called him Steve!! But we went and got them checked into their hotel and then President said, "Ok Elders, whatcha got goin on tonight?" It was about 8 and we said "Nothing set." He said, "Ok! lets go to dinner, ONE LAST TIME!” We got some Chinese food and when we finished we gave President Maluenda a call. We only speak Spanish with him, haha. He is excited, but a bit nervous. We made plans to meet with him Saturday and then got to bed. This morning we got to the hotel at 10ish to take the Trayners to the airport. They were nervous but excited, joking the whole way there, just like President does. We got them checked in, said our sad goodbyes and put them on the plane. It felt so weird. . . . and lonely, to be honest.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Afterwards we came to the office and got down to business with President Maluenda. He is super inspired. He definitely set some strong expectations of us. I know he will push us to be a lot better, and we gave him the run down. It’s scary to be the only ones that know whats going on, but he is picking it up really fast. He will be just what this mission needs. We love him. So here we are writing our emails really fast before we go out to work. PDays a thing of the past. . .at least for this week haha!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I love you all! Wish us luck!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Love Elder Smith</span></div>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-18996317254972337712013-06-22T23:07:00.000-07:002013-06-24T23:07:11.631-07:00CRAZY WEEK and MAX GETS BAPTIZED!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Man! Sorry to put off emailing you till Saturday again. We have been booked every single day. I’m starting to realize that Pdays are probably gonna continue to disappear until it’s non existent.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This week has been super wild. But, before I get into that I just wanted to tell you all how much I love you! Thank you for the great emails and funny stories. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But thank you for all the updates and details. I’m glad life is going on and all is well! I’ve been thinking about Chan a lot I hope he's ok! Keep up the good work buddy!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So where to start....probably Sunday is a good place! It was great! we were able to get everything prepared for Max’s baptism! He did awesome! He asked me to baptize him which was great. It was good to get back in the water. Even though he's a big kid. He reminds me alot of Alex cus he's only 10 but super strong and he always gives me bear hugs and picks me up off the ground haha! He's super funny, but super special to us! The baptism was very touching for his mom and she is so grateful for this second chance to be reactivated in the gospel. She will definitely stick around.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So then Monday rolls around and we had a crazy day in the office. Mondays are always our biggest office days. We get there usually about 9 or 10 and have devotional with President and Hna Trayner and the rest of the office staff (Sr. missionaries). They are all <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">great! I’ve come really close to a lot of them, unfortunately most will go home before I do. But we spend time in the office and got out late to work. Tuesday was our last full work day for the next 2 weeks and we got a lot done. Found some great new people to hit our 24! Then at about 9 that night we started the 2 1/2 hour drive up to Robstown where we stayed the night so we could be in Corpus the following day for conference. I loved being in Robstown again. And I’m so excited cus 2 more of the members of the Abrego family are getting baptized, as well as Natalie and another guy me and Elder Rodriguez found. SUPER cool. And the Abregos, Sabrina, Ysassis and everyone are all active and doing great!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So the next day we had a great conference and trained to 2 zones about baptizing complete families. Then that evening we went out to Olive Garden and then on the way home the Cavasos (my favorite members in Robstown) and Sabring took us out to ice cream! Haha we got back to Mcallen after midnight...Needless to say we were really tired. Thursday we had an exchange with the Harlingen zone leaders, some of my really good buds! Then TODAY we went to Brownsville for another conference. SUPER CRAZY! Pres and Sis Trayner are giving their die-ing testimonies and it was weird because Elder Stevens gave his too, because he goes home before the next conferences. I’m feeling a little older now.....</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But ALL is well! We will have 4 baptism this week, which will be great! Everyone is coming to the Aguas families baptism! The whole office staff and President, so it will be great! They’re so stoked and have a big dinner prepared afterwards! Once again I’ll be baptizing the biggest kid, Matthew, who is like 5'11" and 260 lbs. Wish me luck. HAHA!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But man I am just so happy to be here. I know that all these blessings and miracles we have seen come from our Heavenly Father. He's so great. He really cares, and I’m grateful for him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But that’s a wrap up of my week. Next week we have conferences and trainings everyday until Pres. Maluenda comes on Friday. ¡HIJOLE! We are pretty nervous, to be honest. But, like Chan always says "It'll all buff out!"..... I hope.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I love you all!</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Take Care! Elder Smith</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S. Mom, the Trayner’s homecoming won’t be until August 25th. That’s all we know so far. It’s been put off because of all the departing missionaries in their ward.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max's Baptism</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late night in Corpus</td></tr>
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Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986920905530121831.post-39872386453176252472013-06-16T06:22:00.000-07:002013-06-18T06:22:26.761-07:00A FATHERS DAY TRIBUTE<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I think out of everyone, MY Father is the one that deserves a shout out! He has done more for me than I could ever repay, or even keep track of.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I can’t remember a single time when he hasn’t been there, and not only there, but involved. From every sports event, to scout camp, to foolish purchase, to bad date, to bad idea, from every scheme, to bad desision, to business, and beyond, he has ALWAYS been there. . . . Constant and caring.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I don’t know many Dad’s that will rush home from work in there nice ‘court suit’ to pick up a bucket of dirty, water logged baseballs and take their boy out to practice his baseball swing, in near 100 degree weather. That’s a dad! :)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now that I think about it, he did alot of crazy things in that nice ‘court suit’ of his. I remember one time my lawn costomer came out and saw that my dad had stopped and come to help me mow his lawn, in his suit :) Mr. Harlan told me, “I’m gonna take a picture of this! It’s not everyday you get such a big time lawyer to mow your lawn!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My Dad taught me evrything! He taugh me how to work, how to have fun, how to be a man, how to treat my Mother, how to play ball, how to love the Gospel, how to serve, how to love God.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I think it’s safe to say that the missionary and person I am today is a direct result of being the son of Curtis Smith.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Happy Fathers Day DAD!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love Elder Smith </span></div>
Kris Smith (Elder Smith's Mom)http://www.blogger.com/profile/08408539185464346827noreply@blogger.com