IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY MISSION, SO FAR!

Hello family! 

Man I’ve been so excited to tell you all about this week! So, really fast I wanted to say I loved the pictures of the cabin trip and to see that Bart is in the pond! Please do me a favor and make sure you take Blake too! She lives for that pond. And Chan, sounds like you’re doing super well. Keep it up and I love you! And that’s soo crazy that Taylor Stosich gets home sooo soon. Man, I hate how this goes soo fast.

So, the weekly update for this week: This was the most up and down week I have had my whole mission! So here’s how it goes. Me and Elder Hill found a ton of people this week. The Lord just put them in our path, wherever we went. We had Saul and his 2 sisters (the fruit stand people). And the Crocket girls (rappers from Orange County, TX) and their friend and then like 5 others. And so they were all progressing super well. Received spiritual confirmations and all and we thought they were all set for church. So long story short, Saul’s Mom straight up tells us she forbids her kids to go to church and we were not happy. So we had a Spanish throw-down in the fruit stand (spiritually speaking) and she felt the Spirit so strong and was like crying. But she still forbid them to go and so we lost those 3 and were super sad about it. Then the Crockets don’t show up when they said they were on their way. So we find out their Mom (a member) and their Dad took them to some random other church with a choir and band (which they love) and the kids all fell in love with it...so they said. So they all dropped us. Even the mom! And we didn’t understand because they had received spiritual confirmations..So they were gone as well.... And NOBODY showed up at church.

So we were just like wiped out from the day. But finally at 5:00 PM we got to the church and got dressed in white for Andrea’s baptism. I have never been so proud of someone. She was so sweet and nervous and excited.  And the Spanish branch of Casa Linda was so sweet. They filled that room, packed. They all tried so hard to do their talks and songs and everything super simply, so she could understand it. They even had their kids write their talks out in English and tried their best to read it for her. They all just love her so much and she was so happy to be the center of all the love and attention. I dont think she’s ever felt that before. So finally we got into the water and she didn’t even hesitate. She had the biggest smile on her face and it was even bigger when she came out.  She just did so great. I was so proud! And when I came out after getting dressed she signed something to me. And it was a sign we always practiced that meant "clean". It was the highlight of my mission so far.

So last night we finally finished planning, and I couldn’t handle another up or down. I was just spiritually wiped. We got ready for bed and heard our phone ring. It was a text from the younger Crocket girl who we had told to pray about the Book of Mormon if she really wanted to know what to do.  We didn’t know what to expect........ the text said, "I know the Book of Mormon is true. I want to get baptized :)" We don’t know what to think or what the parents will say. But all we know is that the Lord really touched her heart. And he can work miracles.  And we are really excited and nervous to see what happens there.

Every night I thank my Heavenly Father for this time he has given me. I’ve been so blessed to be around these people, and I wouldn’t take it back for ANYTHING. Not a single thing! I love you all so much. Thank you for everything you do and I pray that you all have a wonderful week. Pray for the Crocket family please, that all their hearts may be softened. And please take care. LOVE YOU!

Elder Smith

IT'S A BOY!

On Tuesday, July 10th, I welcomed my first son into the mission. He came in at about 6'5" and 220 lbs. of PURE STUD! Elder Hill is from Salt Lake and played tight end at BYU and put aside a full ride scholarship to come on his mission. He makes me look like a shrimp, but I couldn’t have asked for a better companion. We had the most amazing week and saw so many miracles. We are ALOT alike and are always on the same page. The only thing I can’t figure out is President Trayner says he can only put one guapo, "handsome" in each companionship. But I don’t know about this companionship haha! It’s close!  Just kidding!

So before I tell you about more of our week, I wanted to tell you that the hot tub project looks like its going great! And Alex I loved your email, buddy. And I can’t believe you let Mom beat you at an arm wrestle!!!!!!! Haha But I still love you! And Mom I did get the backpack, thank you sooo much! But I haven’t got the shirts yet.  And I wanted to tell Logan that I am sooooo proud of him! What a great kid! He is going to be an amazing missionary.

So, where to even start! From the minute Elder Hill got here, we got right to work and he is a hard worker! And his Spanish is pretty good for a greeny, so we didn’t really get slowed down at all. The work here actually sped up! We found like crazy and saw so many miracles. The Lord blessed us sooo much. From the first lesson Elder Hill won over Andrea and she did super well this week. So she had her interview yesterday and passed with flying colors! Man what a relief. I was in the interview with our ZL and her and we used the white board and everything and I was sooo, soo proud of her. I was like emotional because she has come sooo far and is sooo ready!! So she will be baptized next Sunday.

As well, there is a part member family we are working with that has 2 girls who are 15 and 17 that aren’t members and neither is the Dad, and the brother is inactive. But the Mom is active and we finally set baptismal dates with the girls and got them to church! The coolest part is the brother and the girls are like professional rappers and music makers and they are making a rap about us haha! We will see how that goes!

As well, we are teaching a kid who works in a fruit stand out in the middle of nowhere and it has been the coolest thing. We sit on fruit boxes and contact everyone who comes to buy fruit from him! haha It works out pretty nicely!

But we just saw so many amazing things this week and I am so stoked for these next two transfers.

The whole training thing is so good for me. I learn more than Elder Hill does, I’m pretty sure! haha. But he is super good and always wants advice and is just doing super well right now. He has a very strong testimony because he is a convert. He has a brother, 2 years older and a sister, 2 years younger and when he was 12 they were baptized. His Dad isn’t a member, but is super supportive. And he has been active ever since. Such a great example to me. I know we are going to see miracles here and I am so excited.

But other than that, there is not much to say! I love you all so much and I will send pictures soon! If you could send that memory card back, I’ll switch ya! Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Until next week,

Love Elder Smith

ANOTHER WEEK DOWN IN BROWN-TOWN!

Hello family! 

Such great emails and pictures this week! I loved to see everyone in the pictures and that the fun still goes on without me and Chan! So glad to see the Grandmas and as well the Rammell family! And the pizza looks delicious! I laughed when I read the email about the “Showdown at Sundown” and before I read the results I knew Caroline would win. She always wins! Rain or shine, pregnant or not. But I’m glad that Hailey beat Sean haha!! So great to hear about the fourth and that all was well. Our fourth got pooped on a little bit because we got called in early and had to study from 7 till 930. But we still had fun studying!! But I’m glad all is well and that your still, keeping on!

So this week was kind of a harder week for us here. Andrea had her interview and did perfectly. But our District Leader felt that she just didn’t really understand the Atonement well enough. I was completely behind his decision and so we moved her date back and went back to work with her. She really is the most darling girl and has changed my mission. She has taught me patience, and how to teach simply and powerfully. President told us that teaching a deaf 9 year old is the equivalent of teaching a 6 year old. So it definitely has been a test. I love teaching her and I know she will be baptized soon. Just keep praying for her.

A funny story about the lesson we did to help her understand baptism; I took my bed sheets and wrote baptism in big letters and we hung it up like it was the water. We then took a whole stack of sticky notes and filled out each one with a sin (9 year old appropriate). Then we stuck them all over her sister. (Well we let them stick them, haha!) Then we "baptized” Alejandra behind the baptism blanket to get rid of the sin sticky notes. Haha! It was super ridiculous and extreme but she finally understood it and it got her super excited!  Maybe not the most solid idea Elder Smith has had, but she finally got it! But we will get even more creative this week so we can keep her interest and get her to pass that interview.

We had a tough week finding, but another great week at church. And it won’t help to have a couple of crazy days these next 2 or 3 days when we get my “new boy” settled in. But I know we will find and baptize and I’m soo excited to be here in Villa Nueva and I could spend the rest of my mission here!

So to finish my email I was talking to Elder Jackson about the way my mission has changed me and about the 'passions' I have gained on my mission.

1. Mexican Food

2. Soccer

3. Pineapple

All things that I have come to love haha. But the greatest passion I have received on my mission is for the Book of Mormon. I know that Joseph’s words are true when he said that a man could come closer to God by reading it, than by any other book. I know with all my heart, that it is true. I can feel it with every page I read and every time I testify of it. I love the Book of Mormon and it is where I have found my testimony and my relationship with my Heavenly Father. And I know without it, we would be nothing. I would invite all of you to search for a passion of the Book of Mormon. Read it every day. Pray about it. Think about it. Apply it to you. Enjoy it. Its so true :)

I love you all and I pray you have a great week. You are all so great and I’m proud and grateful for all of you. Take care and have a wonderful week!

Love Elder Smith

HURRICANE SEASON IN BROWNSVILLE

Hello family! 

You all sound soo good and I’m so glad that you guys got to go visit Chan, Mom and Dad. Looks like a lot of fun. I hope you didn’t get too burnt, you all look super red, haha. Down here my skin has gotten super used to it and I never burn and never get any tanner. Just stays the same. It seems like but we have had some pretty hot days. But I’m so glad you had a fun week together and it was so good to see those pictures. I hope everyone gets home safe and I hope you all can get prepped for the 4th! Not a better day than the 4th of July! Chan, I hope you are doing all right and don’t feel too bad about missing the fourth! Keep working hard! And Alex and Addi, I hope you’re doing well. I’ve got a letter on the way for Alex!

So this week was a super crazy week. It’s hurricane season here, hence all the charges on my card to buy my emergency kit. So this last week we have had the most insane storms. Throughout Brownsville there are Rasacas, which are like big winding rivers/canals that are super, super pretty, and they have like gators and big turtles and all sorts of cool stuff in them! But the last 2 days we have had insane rain. Like inches and inches of rain and all the Rasacas and streets flooded and most people couldn’t come to church because their whole street was under about a foot of water. We were working on Saturday and it was just coming down for like 5 hours, nonstop and we were just soaking wet and running all over the place through big puddles and stuff. It kinda slowed us down, but not much. We had a wonderful week this week, and saw soooo many miracles.

We started working with a part member family. Joe and Anna Laura aren’t married and Joe is a member, but has been in really bad stuff. His Dad is the Elders Quorum Pres. in Casa Linda and they are all praying that Joe can straighten out. But we started teaching them and Joe is so ready to be back to church and Ana Laura is so ready to be baptized. We had them both to church as well as their little girl Mia. They are such a great family and have plans to move out so Laura can get baptized and they are going to live the law of chastity for about a month until they can afford the marriage license. I love this family sooo much. 

As well, Andrea’s interview got moved to Tuesday and so PLEASE KEEP HER IN YOUR PRAYERS. She has been such a miracle and when she passes she will be baptized next Sunday!!!!  Also we have been working with Aurora still and her daughters lost interest but one of the daughter’s husband came back and kinda pulled things back together and the WHOLE family was at church! Like 6 people, and so we are working again to set some dates, but he is super golden and we are praying that things fall into place with them. And on top of all of that, two of the members we’ve been working with brought people to church and they are great as well! We don’t know what to do with all these people haha! The Lord really blessed us with miracles this week.

So to finish up the week, I got a text this week from President and he confirmed that I will be training this next transfer. I am SUPER excited!!! I hope my new greeny is ready to roll because we’ve got a plate full here! So pray that I can get an “Elder Calhoun”!! But I can’t even believe the blessings that I have received here and the many miracles I’ve seen. I am soooo grateful to be here in Brownsville. It is THE BEST! And the people here are just tooo good. And I love ‘em to death. 

I Love all of you so much and I pray you have a great week. Take care and enjoy your 4th. I will be at the Casa Linda building with the branch to celebrate. And they said that we can speak because we are the only "Real Americans" in the branch, haha, so they say. But take care. I love you all and I’ll talk to you soon.

Until next week, Love

Elder Smith

HELLO BEAUTIFUL FAMILY

HELLO! 

Man, your emails were so great this week! Sounds like a lot of crazy stuff going on up there. I’m so glad everyone is doing so well. I’m glad Addi and Alex’s games are going well! Addi’s got a good looking stance. She’s been watching big Al! She’s got the perfect role model! And I was sooo glad to know that the projects are still rolling. Mom supervising and cleaning up the mess, Grandpa working hard and lightening the mood. And Dad....the brains, braun, and attitude that sticks it all together! Haha I love all you guys soo much and I hope you are all enjoying yourself! Chan...don’t overwork yourself boy! Have a little fun!! And keep up the good work! Man, and all those pictures were so great! Tell all my friends hi and that I love and miss them. And tell the Ydes I miss them too! And the Rammells that I got their letter and I LOVED it! And tell the Grandparents hi and that I hope and pray Grandma is ok! I’m sure she is already back to work! It takes more than that to put her down! Oh, and tell JC congrats and I’m sooo proud of him that he made it to the temple. And Mom, that backpack is perfect! If you could order it and send it to the mission home, that would be great!!!!!

So, first off, this week was pretty crazy! After a baptism you want to keep things going. Something I’ve learned after Brother Mercado’s baptism. And so things are really looking up! We are still teaching Andrea everyday to get her ready for the 8th. We have had to do some adjusting, but she is progressing really well. Alejandra reads and prays with her every night. And she draws out what’s happening in the Book of Mormon with her and they are just doing so awesome!  We are learning some pretty good sign language along the way and are having to get creative, but it’s paying off!

So the miracle this week is with an investigator we have named Rocio. Such a sweet girl, about 26 years old and has a little girl (6) and a husband that works out of state. So Rocio didn’t want to accept a baptismal date because she didn’t want to do it without her husband being here. And he only comes like once or twice a year and so she just wasn’t really sure if it was gonna happen. So we just straight up told her, if you show your faith and set a goal, Heavenly Father will bring your husband home and soften his heart. So we set a goal for the 8th of July. We set that gaol last Friday, and we got a text last night from Rocio, her husband had just shown up, out of nowhere.  So she got her answer and now we just have to get her through. We are going to meet her husband tonight and see what happens, but I hope you will all keep her and him in your prayers. We just love Rocio!

So other than that, things are just great! We have a lot of people with dates for July and we are just working away with them! So many prepared people here we don’t even know what to do with them.

Other than that, there isn’t much to say. We are so busy, that we barely have time to think about anything else. Sometimes I want to think "trunky" just so time will stop going fast haha! The more I fall in love with these people and the more I value my time with them, the faster it goes. I hate it. I just love being here. I hate when people ask me how long I’ve been out because every time the number gets a month bigger. I wish I could always just say, 2 months. Still just a baby haha.

But I feel so at home with these people, just like it was all part of the plan and it’s right where I’m supposed to be. I love every single day, even the hard ones. Everyday I learn and grow so much and being part of the Lord’s work is all I could ask for. 

Family I love you all so much and I pray that all is well and that everyone is happy. Tell all the family that I love and miss them all. Take care this week family. (:  Love you much!

Elder Smith

LIZABETH & ALEJANDRA GET BAPTIZED!

Dad, Happy late Fathers Day!  Thank you for your emails and Dad I hope you had a wonderful Fathers Day. It was a pretty tough day too, thinking about Dad. In English Branch they had the normal Father’s Day program. The Primary kids sang the dad songs and I thought about you all day. I have been thinking about the last line in the Father’s Day song they sang where it says "I’m so glad that he’s my dad" and Dad, I’m so so glad that you’re MY DAD! And I love you a bunch! And even though I couldn’t be there, you know how much I was thinking of you!

  

So, there was so much going on this week to get the Hernandez’s prepared for baptism. So ill start at the beginning of the week! So you know last Sunday, Lizbeth passed her interview and Alejandra had just got back from Girl’s Camp. But Alejandra still hadn’t received an answer and didn’t really know why she really wanted to be baptized. She knew it was good, but just hadn’t received that answer. We worked all week with her with visual lessons and videos and just everything, but she wasn’t receiving her answer. So we were just praying and praying that she could get it before her interview, Thursday night. So Wednesday night, we go over for the last lesson and talk about the Spirit. We wrote out on the white board the feelings from our Heavenly Father and the ones from Satan. We talked about how if we do what God wants us to do we feel those good feelings, but if we aren’t, we will get the bad ones. So we came to the end of the lesson and knew she had to pray. She is kinda shy when it comes to praying so we brought some prayer candy to coax her. So finally she knelt down and offered up a prayer, in the words of a 15 year old girl. As she said “Amen” we waited for a few seconds for her to look for those feelings. She finally raised her head and. . . . nothing. She said she didn’t really feel anything. And so I asked, “How did you feel before the prayer”” She said, "Well nervous." And we said, “Who is that from?” “Well...probably Satan." And then I asked, “What did you feel as you waited after the prayer?” And she said, "I felt like I had no worries." And then she looked at us and then at the ‘Board of Feelings’ and instantly tears came, she got a big smile on her face and said, “That’s my answer, huh?” I said, “YES IT IS!!!!!!” haha.

So, needless to say, Alejandra passed her baptismal interview with flying colors. Lizbeth and Alejandra were baptized and confirmed yesterday by me and Elder Jackson and I have never seen such bright and happy and "clean" smiling faces. They were just glowing! We had nearly the whole branch there and it was just the most amazing day I could have asked for. A pretty good Fathers Day for our Father in Heaven, I’d say.

Things are going so well here in the Casa Linda Branch and I feel so at home here. There isn’t a lick of English spoken, but that’s ok because they know how to party, and they know how to love our new converts, and I have no doubts that this family will be active forever.  And I love them so dang much!

As far as Aurora, we are still teaching her in the hospital, but probably won’t make her date. But we can’t stop teaching someone that wants it so bad. I just love her too. she is the sweetest old lady. But we think she may be ok and get out someday in the future. Well keep praying.

So family, that’s all for this week. Thank you soo soo much for your prayers and support. I am so blessed to be here in Brownsville and I love every minute off it. I am "head over heels" for the people here, HAHA! Especially the newest and purest family in Brownsville Texas. I love you all and pray you have a wonderful week. Take care and until next week,

Love, 

Elder Smith

WORKING WITH THE HERNANDEZ FAMILY

So....What a week is sounds like there in I.F. Sounds like a good way to kick off the summer with a bunch of chores and new projects. Just don’t work yourselves too hard! Especially the kids. Take them to Lava or something haha! Dad I’m super excited to see your new project and I better get some update pictures every week! I’m starting to notice a trend of all my deepest desires coming true after I leave..(the new dog, the hot tub....Just don’t buy a Jeep haha, that would be the last straw!!!HAHA) But I’m glad all is well and especially with Chan. What a stud!

So I have had a pretty great week here. But I’ll start with the beginning haha because ever since I got here I have had a really bad cough. And I couldn’t get rid of it so finally I had to swing in to the doctor and apparently had "mild bronchitis." Whatever that is? haha So I got some medicine but still it’s not really going away, but I have been coughing all week. It’s super annoying especially in really spiritual, important lessons or in contacts. I’m just like hacking up a lung! And all the Moms in the branch are getting mad at me because I won’t do anything to get rid of it, but I have been trying! But I’m feeling fine now, but this week has just been so packed full!

So first off, the Hernandez family, Lizbeth (mom) Alejandra (16) Andrea(9) Alejandro(7) And Amanda (4), are all doing soooo well! Alejandra went to girls camp this week, so that was pretty stressful making sure she got off and felt comfortable and all was well! SHE LOVED IT! And Lizbeth PASSED her interview and will be baptized next Sunday!!!!!! And we are working with Alejandra every night this week to get her ready for her interview on Thursday so she can be baptized with her mom! Man, they are my favorite, you would LOVE them!  They have changed so much just since I’ve been here and have been so patient with me and Elder Jackson. But we are really close with them and they are definitely a family we were supposed to be with. So it’s crunch time this week to get them through!!!

Things are looking so good in our area and we have so many people we are working with and others coming up on there dates but the other family we were working with is hitting some little speed bumps and are kinda having some doubts. But they will be ok! Especially the mom (Aurora) who is really old and very, very sick. She wants to be baptized soo bad, but is just super sick, like almost on her last weeks and she won’t go to the hospital, so we are teaching her as fast as we can and trying to see what we can do for her because she just tells us that she knows she’s gonna go and she knows that baptism is what the Lord wants her to do before she goes back to see Him. We are really worried about her but she is the sweetest old lady and I really hope that she will be able to get better and be able to be baptized. She just cries the whole time we are there and is so sick and so sad and just wants to do what her Heavenly Father wants from her. I hope you will all keep her in your prayers because she really needs them. But what comfort it gives to know that no matter what happens she will accept the gospel someday soon, and that all will be ok. The Lord will make it all up in the end.

Being a missionary I have really seen the way the gospel effects people. The blessings it brings and really the comfort and happiness. But even more, I’ve seen the emptiness of those that don’t have it and really just how many of our brothers and sisters come into this world and leave it without ever having that empty spot filled. Without ever knowing. And just the pain of really not ever finding what brings us true joy. And I can’t wait to see the gospel fill the empty spaces of these people. And really to change their nature, and put a smile on their face. I know that only through the gospel of Jesus Christ and through his church, can we ever fill that whole. And I know with all my heart that, that is the very reason I’m here. I LOVE being a missionary and being able to see these people change their lives.. I LOVE these people and I know that I was supposed to be here at this time with these people. I love you all and pray that you have an awesome week.

Take care and until next week, 

Love

Elder Smith