TESTIMONY OF FASTING AND PRAYER - THE CANTU FAMILY

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!

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!

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.

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!

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 ;)

I love the mish! And I love you guys! Thanks for all you do! Be safe and smart and don’t get too trunky!

Love Elder Smith

DRIVING LIKE RICKY BOBBY!

Hey Everyone,

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!

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!!!

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!

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!

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!

 Love Elder Smith

BROTHER RODRIGUEZ'S MIRACLE BAPTISM IN THE RIO GRANDE

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!

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!

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:)

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!

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!

I love you all so much and hope you have an awesome week!! Take care!!

Love Elder Smith

BAPTISM IN THE RIO GRANDE

FEELING LIKE IT'S THE LAST 5 MINUTES OF A BASKETBALL GAME.

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! 

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Elder Smith

MISSION-WIDE LEADERSHIP TRAINING....FREESTYLE!

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 :) )

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.

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!

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!! 

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.

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!

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!

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!

Love you all!

Love Elder Smith

Making the "W" for THE WATERS OF MORMON!

MY CORBATAS!

Bowling with the Maluendas!

Emmanuel accepted the invitation to "Come Play!" The rest is history.

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!" Give her a bacon treat for me.  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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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! 

Much Amor,

Elder Smith

EMMANUEL. . . .THE MEXICAN VERSION OF ME!

What a great family I have! Thank you for much for your great emails. Man I LOVED the pictures! I LOVE the Clark/Toone reunion so much. What a fun group! That picture of Uncle Paul and Aunt Nene was perfect. Perfect examples of living their lives to the fullest faithful to the Gospel. Thank you Dad for your great email. I’ve been thinking alot about our "First Fathers" and what great stock I come from. I’m pretty lucky. I’m glad the kids are doing well and don’t worry Chan, I’ll have an email for you too.

So it’s been a GREAT week here in the Waters. With transfers being over we have had ALOT more time to work in our area. We have been working alot this week with Emmanuel who is getting baptized on Sunday. Wow guys he is so great, one of the most special people I have taught on my mission. I always tell him he's a Mexican version of me haha! He has made so many great changes in his life. Giving up smoking cold turkey without even being asked. He just noticed how unclean he felt after being around us and going to church and he just gave it up. He is a ton of fun to be around. He actually is going to the YSA dance tonight in Edinburg. He's basically a Mormon. As well, we made plans this week for his friend Victor who wants to be baptized on the 11 of August and Emmanuel wants to baptize him after he gets the priesthood. Such cool kids. It’s fun to hang out with guys our own age that we would totally hang out with outside the mission. You will love him. Unfortunately, he doesn't speak much English, but we will teach him before you get here haha!

So besides that, we also have been working with this family of 4 that was being taught 2 months ago but had to move out of our area. They are back and doing great. They will be baptized the beginning of August and have just been eaten up by the Spanish Ward. I LOVE IT! It’s amazing when the work happens the way it’s meant to. I knows that’s what President Monson sees in the future of the church. It truly is a miracle. Puro member referrals, teaching in members homes, inviting to YSA activities, greeting, loving, and everything in between. What a miracle.

As well, on Thursday we had an exchange and Elder Hill came to work with me in my area. Man I love that kid. He has become such a great missionary. We had a great time and a super good day.

We also got to spend an evening with the Maluendas for an FHE and they are so great. I love their whole family. They really want you all to come and visit so we will talk about the details later. But I don’t think you will be able to come until that Wednesday because we have transfers and I will have to help the Elders run it one more time that Tuesday. But if we did like Wed- Friday and got back that Saturday that might work. It’s still a ways away but I donno if you have to buy plane tickets early just let me know!

Then yesterday we took a road trip to Port Isabel. The place I visited like a year ago that has the pirate boardwalk. It was a lot of fun! I’ll try to send some pictures but it seems weird that that was over a year ago that I visited. It’s really nice to see and smell the ocean though. I love it!

Besides that, everything is going just great! Elder Munsey only has a few weeks left which is crazy. He will be my first companion that I “kill” (send home). It’s gonna be weird. I feel like I’m learning a ton from Pte. Maluenda. He always takes us aside and teaches us and I feel like I’ve grown a lot because of it. He really is super inspired and SUPER fun to be around. I’m really grateful for him and his family! Well, besides that there’s not much else to tell!

I love you all so much and I love the mission. It truly does mean everything to me. I can’t even describe how much it means to me. Every day is just a blessing. Thank you so much for all you do and I pray you are all well and know how much I love you!

Be safe!

Love, Elder Smith