RIPPING OFF BUMPERS & KARATE KICKING DOGS

Hello family!! 

Man what great emails you all sent! I’m so glad you all had fun this week with your trips. Looks like all the cousins had fun at Lagoon! I’m glad you got to ride the Wicked! That was my favorite! And Dad, those pictures you sent were amazing. I’m so glad you had a fun and safe time. I always laugh at those “del fuego” jokes haha! But I loved the pictures from the reunion and of Aunt Nene. Man I love her!  As well, I hoped you enjoyed the concert. Elder Hill shares my love for country music, so we were both pretty excited for you! And Mom, I’m sorry I dropped a lot of money on my card. I ordered a new English triple from Deseret! Love you! And I love hearing about that investigator there!! Keep helping with her!!!

So what a week..... I have so many crazy things to tell you, but I’ll start with Tuesday. We took a rode trip up to McAllen for first comp training, which is for the trainers and new missionaries. There I got to see Elder Stevens and Elder Breshears and Elder Barrionuevo and all my buds from Laredo. It was awesome. It was a good way to start off the week, but it put us a little behind and we had a lot of work to do. Man we worked hard this week. And it doesn’t help that we wake up super early to work out then play tennis! haha But we were just worn out. Things were going really well and we found a lot of new people.  And a new family of 4 that we set BD’s with! So on Thursday we have our second lesson with them and we are on our way down Rben M. Torres, which is a pretty busy street. We go through a green light and there is a stop up in traffic so we stop and right when we come to a stop we just get drilled from behind. We didn’t know what happened, so we ended up getting out and seeing that a big Expedition with a lawn mower trailer had ran full speed into a little Ranger truck, which then hit us! Luckily no one was hurt, but our little Ford Fusion got destroyed! haha. So Mom, no worries, we are just FINE! So we ended up getting the police there and got it all figured out. So we were pretty shaken up from that and we missed our lesson!! AH! It was the worst! We got the car a little fixed up and tore off the bumper so it was drivable. Elder Rios, the car guy, said we have to drive it until tomorrow when we I go back to McAllen for training and we can switch it out haha.

So anyways, we were pretty shaken up from that and so we drive out to Olmito, which is a little town where the fruit stand is. We get out to walk down the street to our appointment and we walk past this house and all the sudden hear dogs going nuts and we turn around and they come darting out of this driveway and they were BIG! Like 2 really big Hound dogs! They were going nuts and came right at us. I didn’t know what to say, haha so i just yelled "HEY!" and when the one came at me I gave him the Karate Kid and gave him a super strong right foot to the nose. It was a good kick, haha I could have kicked a 40 yarder with that. Colter would have been proud. So after I kicked it, they backed off and we slowly walked backwards to our appointment. By the time we got there, we were just like shaking and so worn out. We couldn’t believe how much stuff had been thrown at us that day haha! But we made it home alive and slept very well haha!!

So we ended the week yesterday with 2 of those 4 new BD’s coming to church and loving it. They felt so welcome and made such good friends. The young man whose name is Victor was a little uncomfortable at first but after a whole day of pats on the back and people welcoming him he finally just relaxed. They left very happy and we are excited to get back over there this week to help them start progressing.

But the one thing that Victor kept asking during testimony meeting was, "why do they keep saying ‘the one true church’? I heard you Elders say that the other day too?"  And we hadn’t taught the Restoration or anything about that because we only had had one lesson. We had only touched on it a little. But I began to listen as every testimony ended with "I know this church is true." I tried to explain it to him and beat around the bush, but he just didn’t understand. So I began to think really hard about that bold claim. THE TRUE CHURCH and I eventually came to the conclusion that...it’s that simple... and we shouldn’t be afraid to say it without the sugar coating.

We should never be afraid of the bold claim that this is Christ’s church, and that we know it. And that’s why we are here and that’s what makes us.  And I know for a fact that this is IT!  And we are so blessed to be a part of it. We have seen so many miracles and so many blessing because of it. And everyone of those strengthens my testimony that this is HIS work, and how lucky are we to be apart of it.

I love all of you so much and a thank you all for your great emails and letter. You’re the best. Take care this week and enjoy these last days of summer!!

Until next week, 

Love,

Elder Smith

OBRA MISIONAL

OK family that’s messed up! Haha! Elder Hill was making fun of me for freaking out about that Jeep. Haha All my companions know I’m a freak about them because I pick out every one that we pass. And everyday we pass about 6 car lots haha! 

Man, your emails were soo good! Sounds like Dad is busy, as always, and Mom is holding things together. Chandler is killing it in California and the kids are just living it up. I know that Dad has mowed an enumerable amount of lawns with us and has never ever complained. But Dad you need to know that I remember everyone of those lawns you helped with, and we all know how hard you work just to be able to come home and help us with everything that we’ve got going on. You really are the best! And Mom, I loved your story about going to the class with the missionaries. Please keep going with them. It really does make the biggest difference when members are just easy to get ahold of and always willing. (Like I know you guys are). So I wanted to say thank you for the package Mom and I’m loving having new shirts. THANKS! Tell Stuart Happy Birthday and that I love him! As well, tell the Rammells and grandparents hi! I Love them all and hope they are all well!!

Man, Mom and Dad you were right when you said, “the more you’ve got going on and harder you’re working, the faster time goes.” But that stinks as a missionary, because you want to work hard but the time just disappears when you do. This week went by so fast I can’t even believe it. Haha I feel like Elder Hill evens us out because he still feels like the weeks are years. But he is doing super great! We get along all the time and are always laughing and having fun together, but he is a super focused missionary too and we have the most spiritual lessons. Things have been great. It’s super funny being with him because sometimes I feel that people let us in just because they are intimidated, haha. And he nearly takes out every ceiling fan when we walk in. But we are both hoping we are here in Villa Nueva for a long time.

We have had a couple struggles this week with parents. The Crocket’s dad has made the decision for the family that they will not come to our church. It’s tough for the family, but at the same time they don’t question what he says, ever because he’s a pretty "persuasive" guy with them. Which makes us feel bad that they are kinda afraid of him. So basically we started fresh this week as far as people to teach, but we had a great week. Found a lot of great new people and had our branch movie night and Obra Misional activity that we have planed for the last month. That got a lot of things going and it has been great. Sometimes it’s hard to go through times like this without having many to teach but I’ve found that as long as you’re obedient and show the Lord you’re not gonna slow down, he begins to put them where they need to be so we can find them.  And it definitely helps to have such a great branch and we have got a lot of work going with them as well!

So yesterday Andrea received the Holy Ghost and it was so sweet.  Pretty sure she was waiting to see a ghost or something crazy because that was one of the harder things to teach her haha! But she made it out alright and there were no ghost sightings.  Brother Castillo of the bishopric confirmed her and I sat in a chair across from her because she was kinda nervous. haha But she did great and had that big smile on her face. That family is so dang special to me! They are just so sweet and I wish I could be here when little Alejandro gets baptized in January, but chances are I probably won’t. But they are doing super great!

So other than that, not much happened this week. Things are just so crazy busy and sometimes it’s hard to remember what happened the week before, but I want you all to know that I love you and I’m grateful for all your emails. Sorry mine is so short! But today Alex gets a special shout out because I haven’t heard from him in a few weeks! But I love you Alex and hope your doing well! You’re my boy and although I meet many Alejandro’s out here, you’re THE  "one and only" ALEJANDRO! And I’m gonna get some letters going today for all of you. But I hope all is well and you have a great and safe weeks. Have fun on your trips and vacations and love everyday! Love you! 

Until next week,

Love Elder Smith!

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