My Last Letter!! - 7/21/15

I was thinking about just writing a few words like "See you in 3 days"
or "I'm coming home" then closing the letter there, but that's no fun
right? :) Man your letters have made me tear up and it has been very
hard getting through them. Thank you all for your love and support.
There are so many times out here that I have found strength from you
all. So many times I came to the library and saw an email that I
needed to hear to help me with my struggles. So thank you for being in
tune with the Spirit. I love you guys so much and I can't wait to see
you!!

This week has been an emotional roller coaster. It all started on
Friday. Since it was my last Friday and so on until today. I don't
like "last" anythings. It has been so hard to say goodbye to the
people I love. But the best part about it all is I just remind myself
that I have my family back home that I get to see!! i can not wait to
see you all. It is going to be great! But we did a lot of fun things
this week! I have been fed every night for the past 2 weeks! i love
it, but it has been hard to work out more than i eat haha. Sister
Becnel made me my favorite dessert. It was a chocolate Lava Cake!! It
put flemings to shame.. haha. It has been fun seeing everyone and
being able to bare my testimony. That is the goal I set for this last
week is to bare my testimony to everyone I meet. My testimony is so
simple, yet so complicated. I think you all know what I mean with
that. It has been fun taking pictures and talking about what i will be
doing. It has been amazing the strength I have received from the
Atonement this week with helping me stay focused and motivated to do
the work. I haven't been trunky.. but I have been soooooooooo
excited!!

Then on Sunday I was able to give my talk. I found out I was giving it
with our high councilor. I was sooo excited about this because our
high councilor is Brother Johnson! He is the former baptist preacher
and member of the black panthers. He is so awesome!! My talk i felt
went really well. I really prepared hard and prayed hard to have the
Spirit with me. It is funny that I spoke the very first sunday out
here and now the very last sunday out here. It was cool. Right when
sacrament meeting started I looked towards the back and a less active
member that hadn't come in a little over a year walked in and sat in
the back. I was sooo happy! I have been able to work with him a few
times. I was happy he was able to hear the talks that were given. I
feel the Spirit led me to say what I said since he came. It was
awesome!!

Yesterday we had a great day! I ran down to New Orleans and bought 24
pralines so we can enjoy them when I get back. I am also going to run
down there and get some things. Any requests?? Then last night we were
able to have dinner at our ward mission leaders house. Then since the
one less active guy came to church our mission leader invited him over
for dinner at his house as well. It was great!! We had a good lesson
and now he has a solid friend in the church,. I know he is going to be
active again. I am thankful i have been able to be apart of that in a
little way.

I said goodbye to all of our investigators that I have gotten really
close to. I took a ton of pictures. I have everyones numbers so I can
stay in touch. And that is pretty much my week! Oh and last night I
Packed!!!!! It hit me for real last night that I am going home. Then
this morning we went early and played tennis with brother Becnel.
Jacque and Jane you two better watch out... Your uncle nick is coming
back!! haha.

I know this letter is a little scattered, but if you all could get
just one thing from this letter it is that I love my mission. I know
this Gospel is true because of it. I know it. I am so excited to see
you all and be able to tell you all of the little stories that have
happened. I am thankful for you all and the love you have for me. I
miss you guys and I am ready to be home. I can't believe the 2 years
is up. I have loved it!! Well I love you all so much! and I will be
giving you all a bunch of hugs in 3 days! I love ya!

Love Elder Smith

I Got To Do My Favorite Thing In The World - Twice!! 7/6/15

Hey guys! Man I could watch those videos all day of the 4th party. It
looked like a ton of fun! I am excited to get back into the action of
our family parties again. Mom thank you for all of the videos! It is
really fun to see everyone doing so well and getting all grown up.
(Well the little kids anyway haha.) It is awesome all of our family is
doing so well. We truly are blessed that our family is so close. There
are so many people out here that don't have that. So I have been very
grateful for our family. Thanks yall for being so awesome!! It is the
best.

Mom and Dad the house is looking incredible! I am excited to see it
all done. Just think it is almost done and no more worries or
stresses. It is awesome also you guys were able to go to the Temple.
Our whole Priesthood lesson was on the temple yesterday. We heard
stories from President Monson about families in foreign countries who
have to leave there families for 4 years to just save enough money to
go, where all we have to do is sacrifice a little bit of our time to
go. We are so blessed to have so many temples right by our house. And
we don't even have to walk there. We have cars to get us there. It was
an eye opener for me of how sometimes we take the temple for granted.
It made me want to be better. So mom and dad thanks for your examples
to me of always going to the temple. You guys are incredible! I can't
wait to go with you guys next! Hey it will only be in what? 3 Weeks??
Man that sounds good! Well I am happy you all had a great week and you
all are safe. I hope Jacques back starts feeling better. I bet with
all of the tennis on tv it is making her want to work even harder.
Thanks Dave for the update on your family. I love you guys! Ry and
Keelie, Dan and Brit i love you guys! I am excited to see you in a few
weeks. The rest of the fam I love you guys too!

Alrighty for me week it was a really good week! I got to do my
favorite thing in the world a few times. We were able to do some
service. Service just makes me feel so good. It really helps me not
worry about myself. All of missionary work does, but service is the
biggest one. We helped put in a new door and Trimmed some trees in our
investigators yard. It was pretty short, but it was awesome. This week
we also were able to do a lot of member work. Just helping them and
strengthening their testimonies. We saw 5 member families this week.
The members are so strong down here. They have to be. Everywhere you
look there is something to distract you, but they are able to keep
their testimonies of the Gospel because of their faith. I truly love
the members down here.

We also saw some of our investigators. We saw G. 2 times. Once with
the Killeen family. We taught her last week the Restoration. Then this
week we did the introduction to the Book of Mormon and read the first
chapter with her. Then last night at dinner at the Killeens we taught
her the Plan of Salvation. It was a really good lesson. Also G. came
to church! She is slowly progressing and has a lot to sacrifice before
Baptism. But I am just happy we are able to be there to bring her
closer to Christ. After all that is our job. Then we saw another
investigator named P. He is a huge tennis player and i have talked
about tennis with him a lot. I told him about Jacque and Jane and how
good they are. He was very impressed and then he asked who their coach
was and I told him their Dad. He thought that was awesome! So good job
Dave, Jacs, and Jane! But with him the key to get him to progress is
getting his family involved and teaching them as well. It is really
hard because of how busy they are. I have met his family once and they
loved us! So what our plan is, is to have a family home evening with
all of them. Just a quick 15 min one. He agreed, but now we have to
find a good time for them. He is such a great guy! We have gone and
played tennis with him 2 times and he really wants to take me golfing
before I go home. I hope we can! I know P.  one day is going to find
his way into this Gospel.

Now for another investigator we have been teaching his name is J. This
guy is incredible! 3 months ago when we went over there he was a
complete alcoholic and was into some bad habits. He now has been sober
for 3 months! He just smokes now, but we are trying to help him stop.
This guy is awesome though. He has come a long way. It is cool to see
what the Atonement can do to someone. He still hasn't came to church
though.. Last week he said he was and we got him a ride and everything
and then an hour before church he called and bailed.. Agency....
Sometimes I don't like it haha. It just bothers me because I know how
much church would help him. But it's all good. Next time we go over he
wants us to teach about Jesus Christ. So it should be good!

Then we also were able to work with a few less-active members. They
were great lessons! The only problem was is they still didn't come to
church... They will come though I know it! So this week was a good
week on teaching. It is cool to look back and see how my teaching has
changed through out my mission. At first it was so robotic. Now I try
and shush up and let the Spirit do the talking.  My testimony has
grown so much, but yet it is so simple.

Mom it is pretty cool that you bore your testimony yesterday because I
bore mine too. My last fast Sunday. One of the first things I said up
there was "i might get a little emotional. I get that from my mom"
haha It was really hard though. I never thought I would say that. I
have a little bit of mixed feelings of coming home. I will miss the
people and the cool experiences, but I am ready for the next chapter.
Serving this mission was the best choice I have ever made. I love it!

Well that about wraps up this week. Mom you would be happy to know
they recruited me to give a talk my last Sunday here... So I spoke the
very first Sunday of the mission and now the very last! haha. Hey
speaking of that will you find out the topic I am going to have for my
homecoming? I would like to prepare that before I get home. Thanks!
And with all the pictures have you had Dan and Ryan look at getting
them off your computer? If not I have all of the pics and I'll just
bring them home with me in 2 weeks. If that is alright. just let me
know. Thanks for your 4th of July package! I loved it! Well family
keep up the great job! You all are awesome! I love you!

Love Elder Smith

Service Makes Me Happy! - 7/5/15

Hey guys! Man I could watch those videos all day of the 4th party. It
looked like a ton of fun! I am excited to get back into the action of
our family parties again. Mom thank you for all of the videos! It is
really fun to see everyone doing so well and getting all grown up.
(Well the little kids anyway haha.) It is awesome all of our family is
doing so well. We truly are blessed that our family is so close. There
are so many people out here that don't have that. So I have been very
grateful for our family. Thanks yall for being so awesome!! It is the
best.

Mom and Dad the house is looking incredible! I am excited to see it
all done. Just think it is almost done and no more worries or
stresses. It is awesome also you guys were able to go to the Temple.
Our whole Priesthood lesson was on the temple yesterday. We heard
stories from President Monson about families in foreign countries who
have to leave there families for 4 years to just save enough money to
go, where all we have to do is sacrifice a little bit of our time to
go. We are so blessed to have so many temples right by our house. And
we don't even have to walk there. We have cars to get us there. It was
an eye opener for me of how sometimes we take the temple for granted.
It made me want to be better. So mom and dad thanks for your examples
to me of always going to the temple. You guys are incredible! I can't
wait to go with you guys next! Hey it will only be in what? 3 Weeks??
Man that sounds good! Well I am happy you all had a great week and you
all are safe. I hope Jacques back starts feeling better. I bet with
all of the tennis on tv it is making her want to work even harder.
Thanks Dave for the update on your family. I love you guys! Ry and
Keelie, Dan and Brit i love you guys! I am excited to see you in a few
weeks. The rest of the fam I love you guys too!

Alrighty for me week it was a really good week! I got to do my
favorite thing in the world a few times. We were able to do some
service. Service just makes me feel so good. It really helps me not
worry about myself. All of missionary work does, but service is the
biggest one. We helped put in a new door and Trimmed some trees in our
investigators yard. It was pretty short, but it was awesome. This week
we also were able to do a lot of member work. Just helping them and
strengthening their testimonies. We saw 5 member families this week.
The members are so strong down here. They have to be. Everywhere you
look there is something to distract you, but they are able to keep
their testimonies of the Gospel because of their faith. I truly love
the members down here.

We also saw some of our investigators. We saw G. 2 times. Once with
the Killeen family. We taught her last week the Restoration. Then this
week we did the introduction to the Book of Mormon and read the first
chapter with her. Then last night at dinner at the Killeens we taught
her the Plan of Salvation. It was a really good lesson. Also G. came
to church! She is slowly progressing and has a lot to sacrifice before
Baptism. But I am just happy we are able to be there to bring her
closer to Christ. After all that is our job. Then we saw another
investigator named P. He is a huge tennis player and i have talked
about tennis with him a lot. I told him about Jacque and Jane and how
good they are. He was very impressed and then he asked who their coach
was and I told him their Dad. He thought that was awesome! So good job
Dave, Jacs, and Jane! But with him the key to get him to progress is
getting his family involved and teaching them as well. It is really
hard because of how busy they are. I have met his family once and they
loved us! So what our plan is, is to have a family home evening with
all of them. Just a quick 15 min one. He agreed, but now we have to
find a good time for them. He is such a great guy! We have gone and
played tennis with him 2 times and he really wants to take me golfing
before I go home. I hope we can! I know P.  one day is going to find
his way into this Gospel.

Now for another investigator we have been teaching his name is J. This
guy is incredible! 3 months ago when we went over there he was a
complete alcoholic and was into some bad habits. He now has been sober
for 3 months! He just smokes now, but we are trying to help him stop.
This guy is awesome though. He has come a long way. It is cool to see
what the Atonement can do to someone. He still hasn't came to church
though.. Last week he said he was and we got him a ride and everything
and then an hour before church he called and bailed.. Agency....
Sometimes I don't like it haha. It just bothers me because I know how
much church would help him. But it's all good. Next time we go over he
wants us to teach about Jesus Christ. So it should be good!

Then we also were able to work with a few less-active members. They
were great lessons! The only problem was is they still didn't come to
church... They will come though I know it! So this week was a good
week on teaching. It is cool to look back and see how my teaching has
changed through out my mission. At first it was so robotic. Now I try
and shush up and let the Spirit do the talking.  My testimony has
grown so much, but yet it is so simple.

Mom it is pretty cool that you bore your testimony yesterday because I
bore mine too. My last fast Sunday. One of the first things I said up
there was "i might get a little emotional. I get that from my mom"
haha It was really hard though. I never thought I would say that. I
have a little bit of mixed feelings of coming home. I will miss the
people and the cool experiences, but I am ready for the next chapter.
Serving this mission was the best choice I have ever made. I love it!

Well that about wraps up this week. Mom you would be happy to know
they recruited me to give a talk my last Sunday here... So I spoke the
very first Sunday of the mission and now the very last! haha. Hey
speaking of that will you find out the topic I am going to have for my
homecoming? I would like to prepare that before I get home. Thanks!
And with all the pictures have you had Dan and Ryan look at getting
them off your computer? If not I have all of the pics and I'll just
bring them home with me in 2 weeks. If that is alright. just let me
know. Thanks for your 4th of July package! I loved it! Well family
keep up the great job! You all are awesome! I love you!

Love Elder Smith

The Move! - 6/29/15

(Travel and Release Papers)

Hey family! How are you all doing today? Man another week is down...
Only 3 more times writing home.. Now that is pretty crazy if you ask
me! Thanks mom for the pictures of the family and of my friends. That
is just so crazy how big the girls are now and how grown up they are
looking. I am excited to see you all in a couple of weeks! It is going
to be great! I am happy to hear you were able to go to Elder Andrews
homecoming talk this week. He is such a good kid. He helped me a lot
out here. A great friend. And man I can't believe Mason is home! That
just blows my mind all my good buddies are coming home. Jake has now
been home for awhile and then next week Kiefer comes home. Then the
next week Bridger. pretty soon it is going to be me. :) I'm not too
excited if you can tell.. Only 25 more days 3 hours and a couple of
minutes haha! It is going to be great. Mom and dad I am sorry the
house project is driving you guys insane. Just keep being positive and
think of how amazing it is going to be when it is completed and done.
You are going to love it! :)

Well now a little bit about my week. This week was SO much better. My
companion and I got along a lot better. We both are making sacrifices
to make this companionship work. We are working hard and trying our
best to further the work. I want to leave this area better than I
found it and as well as the mission better. It has been hard though.
Especially while nearing the end. I know I can do it though and I
don't want any regrets. So far I don't have any and I am very blessed
for that. Have I made mistakes? Yes, but because of the Atonement I
have been able to rise above them and learn from them. The Lord has
helped me overcome so many different trials and hardships. I am so
thankful for Him and his sacrifice for me.

So this week we were able to do some service for some people. That is
the best feeling ever to me. We helped the McFaddens move some wood
and some things around the house. They just had twins so they have
their hands pretty full. Then we were able to go help out the Becnels.
Then he made us Crepes... Oh my goodness... They were the real deal
from France. It reminded me so much of yours mom! I loved it and I
can't wait to have peach crepes when I get back!

This week we had 3 meetings. 1 was church. then we had Specialized
training with President Hansen. It was really good. I learned a lot.
Then District meeting which was one of the best i've had while being
out here. We talked about sacrifices and things we would give up to
the Lord to show him our love. I picked a few things I could give up
for these last 3 weeks. I have already felt the love from the Savior
for doing so. I am very thankful. Then as you already know we moved
apartments. So all of Wednesday after district meeting we had to pack
up. So our apartment was already pretty clean because I like to keep
things clean, but man there was a ton of junk! We just threw away a
ton of stuff. Finally at 12 that night we finished. It was a deep
clean because they closed down that apartment. Then the next day in
the morning the office Elders came down in the huge mission van with a
big trailer. So we loaded everything up and took it on over to the new
place... Oh my goodness it was disgusting... Missionaries hadn't been
living there for 2 transfers and the missionaries that left, left it
pretty nasty. I mean there were dishes in the sink that had gotten all
nasty. So we just threw everything away and cleaned like crazy. Then
finally by 10 that night we got it all cleaned up and nice again. It
is an alright place. I miss our last one a little bit. That was a nice
one! Then Friday morning my day was cheered up when I heard a knock on
the door. It was FedEx delivering your package you sent. Thank you
mom. That Beef Jerky is the best thing ever! I already have ate almost
all of it. So thank you and that is my correct address. Thanks! :)

We had some really good lessons this week about the Atonement. The
Atonement covers everything. It is the center of this Gospel. Then
also with the Becnels we showed the mormon message "You Never Know".
It was such a great lesson. They honestly are the best. She made us
lasagna. then yesterday at church she came up to me with a little grin
on her face and handed me a little white paper bag. She said she made
something this morning for a customer and had some left overs. So I
opened the bag and it was Madeleines!! My favorite French Pastry. She
made my day. They are about to start up a restaurant up in Washington.
Mom and dad we have to go. They are the best ever! I don't think you
realize how talented these people are. They trained with the best.
They are having a magazine article done on them right now from France.
I truly do love them and I am excited for you guys to meet them. Also
I told them we might be going to france and italy and they have a list
of the best places to eat. Some of the places you have to book 6
months to a year in advance. We should do it! :)

We had a good week on finding new people to teach. We had 2 people
show up to church yesterday that would like to learn more. So we are
going to go over there tonight and teach them. It should be really
good. Then we had a good lesson with one of our investigators J. He is
reading the Book of Mormon.  He is going to pray about it and I hope
he will get his answer. I know he will as long as he sincerely is
wanting to know and has the real intent part meaning he will act on
the answer he receives. The promise in Moroni is so true. Anyone can
know if this Gospel is true. It might take time, but your prayer will
be answered. I know mine has and it is the best feeling in the world.

Well family I love you guys so much. Thank you for your love and
support. I know this Gospel is true. I know i am not perfect, but
because of the Atonement I can work towards perfection. It doesn't
matter who we are or where we have been, we can change because of
Jesus Christ. I love you all and can't wait to see you in 3 weeks!
Have a great week!

Love Elder Smith

Very Busy Week! - 6/23/15

Hey family how are you all doing? It sounds like it was a huge week
back home full of excitement! Happy Fathers Day Dad. And welcome to
the family little Ainsley. It is crazy there are now 10 grandchildren.
I love it haha! I am glad you all are doing great and are safe and
sound. I hope you all have another great week. I love you all so much!

This week for me was pretty interesting and very busy! First off on
Monday after we emailed I was able to go down and meet up with the
Boss's. Man that was so good to see them. I absolutely loved it! They
are some great people. And they did deliver your letters to me. Thank
you so much for the great letters and the extra spending money. That
really helped out! They had an awesome family who lives in one of my
former areas. They live up right next to Gonzales. It was fun getting
to meet them and talk to them a little bit. Then the rest of that day
was really good. I took elder Davis down to all of the fun sights. He
loved it. He is from Minnesota from the city so he felt like he was at
home. So that was a good day.

Then the rest of the week really consisted of trying to see all our
investigators. We had a good week with that. We found 2 new
investigators. They were both referrals we had received. One of the
guys names is S. We went over there this week to find him painting his
kitchen. So it was a bad time to try and talk to him so we offered to
come over and help him the following day. He said sure. He was
surprising his wife by redueing the kitchen while she was gone for a
week and he needed all the help he could get. So we went over there
and helped him out with that and it was great. He is an awesome guy!
Very friendly and very funny! We are going to try and go over this
week again and see how it goes.

Then we also were able to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I was
able to go with one of my favorite people out here. Elder Jean Louis.
He is from Haiti. His first day in the mission I was able to meet him
and we became really good friends. We have served around each other
off and on while serving out here. It was a much needed exchange and
we had a ton of fun just talking about the mission and all the cool
things that has happened. We had a great day with missionary work as
well. We found 1 new investigator and were able to see a lot of our
investigators. It was awesome!

On Friday we went over to the Becnals again. It was great as usual!
they made some amazing food and showed me a picture of baby Ainsley.
She is so cute. I bet Ryan and Keelie are so happy. But it was really
cool at the Becnals. We had a great lesson with them and we were
really able to help them out. Or the Spirit was really able to help
them out. They are the best members down here to us. It is like
walking into my home back home. They are so loving and thoughtful. I
am glad you were able to talk to her a little bit. She is from Mexico
so her accent probably made it a little harder to understand for ya
mom. She is so awesome! She has really conviced me of healthy eating.
We are going to have to try some things when I get home. It will be a
lot of fun!

So some really good news for me is that my legs aren't hurting anymore
when I run! I went and got some new shoes and have been rolling them
every night. I will finally be able to start getting on my good
routine again. We have been eating really healthy and i am just trying
to finish strong because it is boating season!! haha.

Sunday was a very spiritual day for me. I really thought about our
family and how much I love you all. I have been blessed with such a
great family. I have the 3 best brothers and the 3 best sisters and on
top of that the 2 best parents! And now the best 10 nieces and
nephews. I am so excited to see you all in a couple of weeks. But
until then I will do my best to finish what I have started.

Well this week should bring in some new excitement. I hope it will be
as good as last week! My comp and I get along pretty well. He is just
different.Well I am sorry this letter is a little shorter, but I feel
like I have wrote everything home 30 times already. It is just the
same ol stuff each week, but it is great and I love it! Well I love
you all so much! Have a great week and I will talk to you next week!
See ya!

Love Elder Smith

Saying Goodbye To My Favorite Missionaries! 6/15/15

Hey family!! Man this week has been an interesting week! That is for sure. It sounds like you all had a great week. Elder Mellor is a stud. Sounds like he did a great job. He is a good friend. Oh and Elder Hale is a great friend of mine. He was a spanish elder down here. I'll send a picture home of what he looks like and youll recognize him. He is going to be in Hawaii the same time we are in Hawaii so i told him I would look him up and go hang out with him while we are there. Then next week is Elder Andrews homecoming so you guys should try and make that if you can. Should be pretty good! 

Well this week has been pretty crazy! A ton has happened. We had transfers on Wednesday. That was a pretty tough day I won't lie! It was tough saying goodbye to all of my good friends. Even though it is only for 6 weeks haha. But the meeting was so good! there were around 25 missionaries going home. It was a crazy meeting. Then we found out who our new companions are too. My new companion is Elder Davis! He is a great kid. He has been out for 5 months. He came into the mission when I was up in Pineville. We lived in the same apartment and got along really well. We became pretty good friends too. He is from Minnesota. We have gotten along pretty good so far. He will be a good last companion for me. We work well with each other. This week it seemed like everyone we tried to set up an appointment with cancelled. It was tough to find things to do. This week is going to be much better I can just feel it! 

We did have a great lesson with one of our investigators who is 16. His name is Z. We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and the reason we have it. It was a great lesson. He realized a lot about us and learned a lot. We left him with the commitment to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. I think we are really going to be able to work with him and his brother a lot before I go home. I get along with them really well. They really like us. They are some of the kids that go to the bible study we have every Friday night. Speaking of bible study we had an awesome thing at it this week. So the guy that is the youth pastor is actually a less-active member of our church. He was baptized before Katrina, but after he just fell away. We talked to him after the bible study and were able to get to know him better and see his stance on the church. His only hang up is the Book of Mormon. He doesn't believe the people that were here in the Americas were the people in the Book of Mormon. He just believes in the Bible which is great! but now we need to help him realize the Book of Mormon is necessary. He really likes us and trusts us. I was actually able to work out with him this week too. He used to be a body builder. So I have really been able to connect with him since I am trying to get into good shape before I come home. So we will see where it goes. 

Yesterday was one of my favorite Sundays of my mission. It was Stake Conference. I have attended all of the New Orleans Stake Conferences while being out here. I've served in NOLA my whole mission pretty much haha. It was so great! I loved being able to see all of my friends and the people I have been able to work with. I even saw Wun Dan Seng there! He was in the back with his Son. I ran up to him and gave him a big hug. I was so happy to see him there. He is doing so great and is going to the temple to do baptisms this wednesday and then in October he is going through for his endowments. I told him I want to come back and go through the temple with him. I also saw my 2 best little friends from Houma! Kennedy and Ruby. They remind me of Jacque and Jaycee. They even look like them. It was so funny. They both came running up to me at the end of church and wanted to do our secret handshakes we made up. I was luck I remembered them haha. That whole day I just reflected back on my mission and how much I love these people. It has been the best mission ever! 

Hey mom I don't know if Sister Becnel texted you over a picture of me eating some incredible dessert, but they are looking at going to disneyland. I told them to text you or give you a call. They are the people that are professional Pastry Chefs. They feed us a lot. They fed us 2 times this week and it was incredible! They are great people!

Well that about sums up my week. It was tough, but yesterday made it all worth it. I am happy and excited for this last transfer. I am trying my best to finish strong. I won't lie though I am getting very excited to see you all again! I love you all so much. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Have a great week! Love you guys! 

Elder Smith

ps mom and dad are you guys going to be home this week? I am sending home a package today and I want to make sure you guys get it. I can overnight it our 2 day ship it. Just let me know. :)

pss the boss's we are meeting up with them today in New Orleans this afternoon. I'm going to take Davis down to the city. I am also going to go and get my new shoes. I wore a whole in my other running shoes haha. I love you guys!

(Elder Andrews)

(Elder Wise) 

(Elder Anderson)

(Elder Mellor)

(Elder Hale) 

Another Great Week For Elder Smith! - 6/1/15

Hey mom and dad! It sounds like your vacation to Florida was awesome!
I am glad you got some good weather. It has been raining like crazy
this week. We have had some flash flood warnings and lockdowns due to
the weather. It is getting pretty crazy! Oh and today is officially
the first day of Hurricane season for LA. But I am glad the girls did
so great in Florida. It sounds like everyone has their eyes on them
and is looking forward to the future. I know I am! Your hotel looked
amazing! I am excited to stay there one day. And man the house is
looking good! I love it! The fireplaces look soo good. You sure have
done a great job with that mom and dad. I am excited to see it all
finished. Great job on the missionary work you guys. Keep it up! You
feel so much better after doing missionary work.

Well I am going to get right to it today. I have to be out of here
pretty quick today.  We have got some fun plans! :) This week was by
far our busiest week together here in Harahan. We had some great
lessons with our investigators. And we even found a new investigator!
It has been a while for this area with finding new people to teach.
The way we found him is we went over to a former investigators house.
Romero told me that he is always drunk or high. I'm kind of used to
that now haha. But when we went over it was completely opposite! He
has been sober for a month. He started an AA group and is doing great.
He also invited over one of his friends to listen to our message. They
both have made huge changes in their lives. They want us to start
teaching them both the lessons. It was really cool because you can see
how they actually care and how they were able to pay attention. So
that was really cool!

This week we also had 4 member present lessons. The most this area has
ever had i think haha. We had a member invite us over for dinner and
they actually invited someone over for us to teach. That is the first
time that has happened while I have been in NOLA. It was a great
lesson. The only problem is that he is moving this week so we probably
wont get to teach him again. But it is okay because we were able to
plant the seed and that is all that matters. We had a lot of great
member visits this week as well. We got to know some of the different
people in the Ward. Elder Romero had one of the funniest visits ever
with the M. family.. elder Romero and I just couldn't stop laughing.
Everything we did just made us laugh. It was a great visit! Then a
member took us out to a great Mediterranean restaurant. It was soo
good! It might be a place we go when we all come back as a family. It
is a little whole in the wall place. I think Jen and Dave would love
it!

I have been loving the D&C reading challenge like all of you. It has
been so great being able to learn about the early development about
the church and how God still works the same today. I also love it
because it is starting to hit me with how close I am to the finish. It
makes me want to work harder everyday and give it my all. I am
thankful that to this point on my mission I have no regrets and now I
want to finish strong and continue to have no regrets. I love my
mission and it has been the best 2 years for me. I have grown a
testimony and learned how to love the people. I could go home right
now and be soo happy because I know with out a doubt the Book of
Mormon is true. Therefore everything else is true. It is just that
simple and easy!

I was very sad to hear Elder Perry passed away this week. He was a
great man and a great apostle. I loved his talks and I am going to go
back and start reading some of his previous talks. I am thankful we
have living Apostles today who continue the work forward. I know they
love us and will never lead us astray.

Well family I know this letter is alittle shorter than normal, but I
can't really think of anything else to say that I haven't said in the
past. Just know I am doing great! I am happy and healthy. The work is
moving forward. It is going to move forward with or without us so we
might as well be apart of it and help. I am so excited to see you all
in 52 days, but I mean who is counting?? Definatly not me... haha just
kidding. Time is marching on. Well I love you all so much! Keep up the
great work. you all are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep reading and
keep praying! I love you all!

Love Elder Smith

Adventures From New Orleans! - 5/26/15

Hey family! Happy Memorial Day! I know we don't have too many people
in our family who are in the military, but thanks to those of you who
are. We live in a great country. It is cool to look at the big picture
and see how God works. Just think the restoration couldn't have
happened any other place. It happened here because of freedom of
religion. And now today we are still able to worship how we want. It
is cool to see how God has a plan for everything.

Well mom and dad it sounds like you both are back out to another great
adventure! I am glad you and dad are able to travel and support Jacs
and Jane in their tennis. Take some pictures and send me some videos.
Tell those 2 good luck! I want to go to one of those camps one day and
watch.

The Disneyland trip looked and heard awesome! I'm excited to see the
new Electrical Parade. I used to watch that so much it is ridiculous!
:) And man that is crazy about Ryan having to go to the Hospital. I am
glad everything worked out good. That sounds painful! Next trip to
Cali we need to break the tradition of someone going to the hospital.
That isn't a good tradition haha! :) I am glad you all are safe and
sound and doing so great. I am excited to join you all in a few
months! :)

Well this week was very eventful! First off I bring good news. On
Thursday I went up to Alexandria to my doctors appointment and
everything came back negative! So that is good! They didn't see
anything out of the normal in my EEG and my MRI. The diagnosis was
vascular tension headaches. So that was some pretty good news. Then
that night I was able to go and see some of the families I grew close
with. We had dinner at the Burchs. I loved being there again! The
Mangums came over as well. I loved being back with my little homies.
(the Burchs kids) Tylan, Bralyn, and Jordan. I was pretty excited that
they remembered our secret handshakes. I love that family. Then later
on that night we met up with the Hansens from Derrider. They drove an
hour to come take us out. It was great to see them again! :) Then we
spent the night there in my old apartment. It was a nice little trip!
:) Oh so I saw Heavenly Fathers hand in my life on our drive up there
to Alexandria. We left Thursday morning and we were on time and
everything, but in my mind I thought we were 45 minutes late.. I was
stressing out so my foot got some led on it.. I was following this
truck driving inbetween Baton Rouge and New Orleans and out of the
blue a cop got out of his car and walked into the middle of the median
and pointed directly at the truck in front of us and then right at us
and told us to pull over... My heart just sunk. I thought crap I am
going to be late for sure now.. Well the cop pulled up behind the
truck and gave him a ticket. So we said a little prayer asking to help
us get through this swiftly. So after the truck got his ticket he
pulled away and the cop started driving towards us when all of a
sudden he just turned around and went back to his spot.. I didn't know
what to do.. So I sat there for another minute and then decided to
drive away. And so he let us off! :) And we made our appointment on
time with me driving the speed limit the rest of the way up there
haha. So God does answer prayers! :)

Then the rest of the week was great! We have really been focusing on
our areabook and going through old records and visiting those people.
We have had 2 return appointments so far. Then we have been tracting
and talking to as many people as we can to find new people to teach. I
know we are going to find some people. We had a cool lesson at the
Bible study we go to every friday night. It was a question and answer
thing and we were able to chime in what the churchs stance and belief
is about different questions. I am thankful for my personal study and
the holy ghost for bringing back things to my remembrance. I have
learned so much out here it is awesome. I love the scriptures!

Sunday was a good day. Elder Romero gave a talk and did a good job.
Then Brother Johnson (A baptist preacher who converted a few years
ago) got up and spoke. It was awesome! The ward is pretty cool. Elder
Romero and I get along so great! Yesterday for P-Day we went to the
tramp park and had a good time. Don't worry mom I am not doing flips
or anything like that. I am smarter than that. And when I jump on
tramps it hurts my calf's to where I can't run. Then after we went to
downtown. We just walked around the city and went and had some
beignets.. I caved and ate 3.. I was pretty mad at myself because
after we had a dinner appointment and they fed us pizza and ice
cream.. It was a bad day for eating healthy. I am so excited to be
able to control what I eat when i am home. Then this morning the
Becnals called and wanted us to come over and eat some Kouign Amann
pastries... They were the best ever! Then I ate a sugar cookie at our
interviews. I am struggling with eating healthy these past 2 days and
I am feeling it haha!

Speaking of interviews they went great! I got my new temple recommend.
I am now excited to go to the temple a bunch when I get back. Every
week. But the interview with President went really good. We had a good
chat about the area and my companion and my mission. It is crazy that
this is my last interview with him until the mission home when I go
home. It is all starting to hit me. But I am not letting it affect me.
I am doing great out here! We are trying our best to work hard. And we
are having a great time while doing it. I am happy. I am enjoying
these last 2 months. They are going to go by fast.

Well that about wraps up my week. I know the church is true! I know
the Book is Blue! And I'll see you in 2(months)!! I love you all! Have
a great safe week and enjoy the good weather in Florida mom and dad!
It is hot and humid!!

Love you all!
Elder Smith

Great Mother's Day! - 5/11/15

Hey family! Long time no talk hey? Yesterday was a much needed day. I loved being able to see you all and talk to you all. I love you guys soo much! Thanks for being the best family I could ever ask for. You all look so happy and healthy! We have got one fit family that is for sure! I love it.

Well today I am going to keep this really short and simple. I am doing great! After our phone call we had a few missionaries come over to our apartment. Elder Andrews and Hale came over for a sleep over. We had a great night. I slept like a baby! Now today we have Zone P-Day and are going to a trampoline place. It should be pretty fun! Then this week we are going to be doing a lot of finding! We need to get some new people to start teaching. I am excited and motivated. So Is my companion. Thanks for your words of wisdom to me yesterday. I will talk all of your advice and apply for these last 2 1/2 months. I am excited!

Tell Jane she is in my prayers. That sounds really tough.. Our missions are completely different. On the bright side though she is in Brazil! And she is going to learn so much! She will learn a new language and grow so much in the Gospel. Heavenly Father will never place before us a trial that we can not over come. It is a great time to learn and to put our full trust in Him. That is where the Atonement comes into play. I know she will rise out of this. She is going to start loving it! I am soo excited for her!

Well Family I know this is really short today, but I have no clue what to write haha. I love you all so much. Thanks again for everything. Thanks for all of the prayers. I know I wouldn't be this far with out all of you. Talk to you in just 7 days! Love you!

Elder Smith

I'm Getting Transferred! - 4/28/15

Hey there family! So some shocking news from Louisiana. I am getting transferred! And I didn't even see it comin. We got the call last night at 6 while we were at a baseball game. Pretty much this whole zone is getting transferred. We have about 5 go homes and then about 1 person from from each companionship getting transferred. They are shutting down a few areas due to all the missionaries going home this transfer. There are about 20 missionaries going home tomorrow.  Pretty crazy! I am really sad to leave this area because I have grown to love all of these people and all the missionaries. I am especially sad because Frances Prettyman (our investigator) is getting baptized this Saturday. She passed her interview and everything. She was very sad to hear I was getting transferred as well. We also have another investigator R. L. who came to church for the second time and is going to be getting baptized in the next 2 weeks probably. It is sad because I was here when we found them both. I met R. through tracting while on exchanges and then Frances was a member referral. It is okay though.  If for some reason I get transferred close I am going to for sure go to the Baptisms! A ton of members have been very sad about me getting transferred. Especially Sister Burch and the Sanders family. I love both of those families so much. I am going up there tonight to say goodbye to them both. But on the bright side I get to see a new area!

This week has been one of the best weeks to end this transfer. It started off by having some incredible lessons with our investigators Frances and R. Then Wednesday we went on a Split exchange Elder Brimhall and I. He went to Leesville and I went to Deridder with Elder Olsen and Elder Simmons. Elder Olsen and I started off our missions together down in NOLA and the Elder Simmons came in to my district down in Houma. I love both of these missionaries!! Then to top it off the Hansens (The awesome family that lived in Gonzales) lives up there in Derridder so we met up with them and spent most of the day with them! They took us out to dinner and it was soo good. Then after we went with the Youth to play Disc Golf. It was so much fun then after we went back to the Hansens and just talked. I truly love that family. I promised them I would come back and visit them and go golfing with Brother Hansen. It was probably the best exchange thus far.

Then we came home on Thursday to a busy day of missionary work. We found a new investigator that is Solid! I give him a month or 2 and he will be baptized. Then that night we went to Zach and Cameron Sanders high school Baseball game. It was their championship game for their Region. They have won the past 6 years in a row and they won again. They are ranked number 1 in the whole state! We have been going to their games to support them and help them decide to go on a mission. Thru it all we have gained their trust and they really like us. I am going over there tonight to tell them goodbye. I know for sure one of them is going on a mission. I just need to talk to the other one and help him a little more. I really believe I was called to this area for those 2 boys. They are like my brothers. I just hope they have been able to see that a mission is so worth it and they can have a ton of fun while doing it. They are the best examples to me of living your faith. Everyone else in that school knows exactly how they stand when it come to their morals. All my nieces and nephews do what they do. Live your religion. Don't be afraid of it and think you may not be cool if you do. These two boys are both in the Student Council, most popular, most athletic, and just the best kids. 

Then the rest of the week went on. We had a Stake service project on Saturday. All of the missionaries came down. I loved that part! It was a ton of fun. Even though it rained the whole entire day. We had a good time cleaning up a cemetery. Then Sunday we had 2 investigators come and a less-active we have really been working with for 2 transfers for her first time in awhile. It was a great Sunday full of a lot of hard work. One thing is for sure that I know without a doubt in my mind I have left this place better then when I have found it. I have for sure worked the very hardest as well. It has been the best. I just love everyone here. Then after church we went to the Whites home. They are the ones who sent you that picture. I love that family! They introduced me to Candied Jalapenos. I will have to find some and let you all taste one. I have really come to love spicy food since being here. It is great!  

Then on Monday we did some service again. We went to Goodwill and helped out there then we went to Sister Williams house and helped dig a ditch.. I almost got bit by a Water Moccasin. It was a freaky looking Snake. I still hate snakes! Then that night we went by and taught R. L. That is when he said he wants to join our church. I know it is going to happen sooner than later. After we went to Zach and Camerons first state playoff game. They destroyed! It was a ton of fun then after we went and had the interview for Frances to be baptized. It was a great night. Then today we have had volleyball and then Bro Green cooked us up some Gumbo. Best Gumbo of my mission so far. And now we are just emailing. It was a great week!

Well that about wraps up the week. I am doing great. It sounds like you all are doing great as well. Mom that is so crazy you got my trunky papers (Flight itinerary!) I am looking forward to that day. Hey we only have 1 more P-Day until mother’s day!! I am looking forward to seeing you all. I miss you all a lot and am excited to just talk. Hey I hit 21 months this past week. Pretty crazy. Don't worry I  am not trunking out, but I am for sure getting excited!! Well mom and dad be safe on your trip! The pictures look amazing! I want to go there one day. Family I love you all! Keep up the good work! Thank you for all of the prayers. You are the best! Love you!

Elder Smith

ps How did Jen do in the Boston??

pss I went in for just an MRI on Friday. I haven't found out any results yet. I don't know how long it is going to be especially because I am now getting transferred. Who knows we will see! 

Crazy Weather - 4/20/15

Hello Family! Mom and dad I am glad you both were able to make it
through this week with watching the girls! I knew you would. It does
sound like you both were very busy. Sounds like a ton of fun with the
little princesses. I love those little girls! It sounds like
everything else has been going well for you all. I am glad. Tell
everyone hello for me back home. And mom and dad you both be safe on
your adventure for the next two weeks!  Be safe and have a ton of fun!

Well this week has been a really good week! It started off tuesday
with my doctors appointment. So they did an EEG on me so it is where
they hook up a ton of wires to my head and then I had to sit still for
25 minutes in the dark while it just scanned my head. Then I met with
the doctor and told him everything. He said he would let me know in a
few days if he saw anything in the EEG, but I haven't heard anything
yet. I think I will call them today. He prescribed me some pain
medicine for when it does happen, but I haven't taken any because I
haven't had a bad pain in a little bit. So I will keep you posted.
They also want to give me a CT scan just to see if anything is in
there. I don't think they will find anything in there. It feels pretty
empty if you ask me haha. :)

Then on Wednesday we went up to Leesville to go on exchanges up there.
I brought back to our area Elder Barker. He had served here about a
year ago. He goes home in 2 weeks so there was a lot of  talking about
home in that exchange! :) it was alright though because I worked his
butt off. I love exchanges because we get so much done!! If it werent
for those exchanges we would only teach about 7-9 lessons a week where
as with exchanges we teach about 18-20. So those 2 days I am working
our butts off seeing people. It is so great. So then we ended our
exchange on Friday.

Friday we went to a baseball game to support 2 of our members. Z. and
C. They are still in high school and their team is ranked 1st in the
state right now. it reminded me so much of going to bonnevilles games.
I love it! But while we were there we were able to talk to their
family and get a lot closer to them. Some of them are alittle less
active so we are working to help them get back to church. In fact a
few of them came this sunday! So it doesn't matter where we are we can
still do missionary work. These 2 boys have been one of my main
focuses while here since they are about to choose whether or not they
are going to go on a mission or not. The older one is not sure because
he has a girlfriend, but the younger one wants to. So I figure that if
we spend time with them and show them that missions are fun and worth
it then they will want to go. I think helping someone get out on a
mission is almost as important as baptizing someone. Because if they
go they are going to touch so many lives and help so many people. So
that was a great night.

Then Saturday we did some service and saw our investigators. We have 2
progressing investigators! One is R. He is an older man I tracted into
about a month ago. He is already done with 2 Nephi. We brought our
Ward mission Leader over to his house last night for a lesson and we
committed him to come to church. He finally committed. he is a man of
his word too! Then our other investigator is a member referral named
F. We have already taught her the first 3 lessons. She attended
conference and has not made it to church yet. She is so humble and
teachable. We committed her to live the word of wisdom and she is
keeping it. She wasn't able to come to church this week due to having
to go to the ER the night before due to being extremely sick.. So next
week we are expecting them to be at church. She has a baptismal date
as well for the 2nd. We will see how it goes!

That is pretty much my week right there. It was a good week. We were
busy. We got some good work done. We did have some crazy flooding and
a lot of Tornado watches this week. It was some pretty crazy weather,
but we are safe and sound and the weather today looks great!

Well I know this letter is alittle shorter, but not much went on this
week. I am doing great! Just staying alive. I am happy and healthy
that is all that matters. My testimony is growing everyday. This week
we were able to give about 10 blessings. A lot of people called us
needing them and I am thankful for the opportunity to do that. Oh and
one for thing is there was a Baptism for a member in our ward. His
daughter was baptized. Everytime I witness a baptism I feel the
Spirit. I know it is the first big step we make to become closer to
God.

Well Family I love you! Be safe and be happy! Don't forget to pray and
read your scriptures every singe day! I love you all! :)

Love Elder Smith

Meet The Mormons! - 4/13/15

Hey family! Sounds like another great week back home! It seems like
just yesterday we were emailing and now it is here again! The house
sure is looking good. I am excited to see it. Jacs great job in your
tennis! That is so cool you were able to play on a court that the pros
play on. It wont be too long until you are always playing on those
courts! ;) Keep up the good work. Mom it sounds like you have been
travelin like crazy as usual. Tell Jason good job in his AAU
tournament. I am excited to see him play his senior year! Sounds like
Jane is doing awesome. She is in for a treat with her mission. Dad I
am glad you have been able to hang out in AZ for a week or so. You
always do such a great job on keeping those houses looking great. I am
excited to see them when I get home. Well everyone else I hope you all
are doing great! I love you all so much!

This week has been another busy week as usual. I will just give you a
brief overview of this week. Monday was P-day. Tuesday was District
meeting then after we went out and saw some people. We found a new
investigator this day. Wednesday we drove up to Natchitoches to go to
their district meeting and have an exchange. I stayed up there.
Thursday we drove home early in the morning to a Zone Conference where
President Hansen came up and taught us some things. We had to give an
instruction/ do a role play of the restoration and Book of Mormon.
Then that night we had to go on an emergency exchange with Oakdale so
I went there for the rest of that night. Friday it was a normal day of
missionary work then that night we had Meet the Mormons movie night at
the church. Saturday we had to do our weekly planning and then we went
to a baptism. Then Sunday we had church and then another meeting with
all of our missionaries in the zone with all the ward mission leaders
with our stake president down here in Alexandria at the stake center.
So we had to coordinate that whole meeting. Then that night we went
out and had a member present a lesson with an investigator. Then we
came home and did call-ins with all the district leaders and reported
to the AP's. So as you can see this week was crazy busy.. And the
weird thing is I wasn't stressed out really so that is a huge blessing
in itself. Life of a Zone Leader is pretty crazy, but very rewarding
and fun. I love the missionaries here in this zone. We have the best
zone. I hate to see them struggle.

So this week my letter is going to be a little shorter. I just want to
tell you a few little stories that happened to me this week. First one
is on Tuesday we went over to this less-actives house. She is very old
and doesn't have the best health so that is part of the reason she
doesn't come to church. Well she is a very friendly lady. When we got
there one of her sons was there who I hadn't met. So we started
talking and we found out he was an awesome guy! Well while we were
there they asked us if we were hungry. I hate saying yes, but we said
a little bit. So they were like alright we are going to order you some
pizza. So they order us 2 extra large pizzas and we drove with him to
go get them since we can't be in a house with just a single sister.
While we were there we stayed in the car and he went in to grab them.
When he came back out he was talking about a girl in there that had
just a great spirit about her and a light in her eye. She was just
super friendly and super happy. He told us we should go back after we
had the lesson with him and his mom and talk to her about the gospel.
So we finished the lesson with them. He is excited to be back close to
the church so we are going to work with him. So afterward we go back
and walk in and have no idea what to say so we just go up and start
talking to her. We told her that the guy who had come in to buy the 2
large pizzas said she had a light about her. So we ended up talking to
her and she is very interested. We got her info and invited her to the
Meet the Mormons night. It was awesome! So member missionary work
Works!!!

The next story is when I was up in Natchitoches. We were at their
apartment after District Meeting and there was a guy who randomly
walked behind their house and went down and sat on the dock. There is
a huge canal behind their place. It is way cool! So I grabbed one of
the elders that were there and said alright lets go talk to him. I
also had in my hand a golf club and some chocolate eggs. So we went
down on the dock and started talking to this guy and invited him if he
wanted to hit some of these eggs into the water from the dock. It was
way fun! He didn't want to though so instead we just went over and
started talking to him. Turns out he had been struggling a lot with
some health things and just feeling alone. We ended up teaching him
the whole restoration and he wants to learn more. He said he felt Gods
love for him because he thinks God sent us to go and talk to him at
that moment. I know that was true. See it is cool little stories like
this that I love being a missionary. Just being able to see the Lord
work through us to help his children. Is this guy ever going to come
to church and be baptized? I don't know, but the thing that matters
most is he felt Gods love. And our job as missionaries and as members
of this church is to help others come closer to Christ. That can be
something as simple as showing them a mormon message. I know it is the
small things we all do by being examples that the Lord is going to be
able to hasten his work. He works through us to answer peoples
prayers. That is why it is so important that we always always always
live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And what is that Gospel? It is having
Faith in Jesus Christ, Repenting, Going to church every single week
and renew our covenants with God through the Sacrament, Following the
Holy Ghost and enduring to the End meaning repeating the steps I have
just listed. The Gospel is so simple. I know we all can do this. And
when we do this I know we are blessed and we are promised that no
matter what comes our way we will be able to overcome it. That is
because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

If I have only been able to learn one thing on my mission thus far it
is that the Atonement is real. I know that we can be forgiven of our
sins and our mistakes. I know that our weaknesses can become strengths
through the enabling side of the Atonement. Peace is found when we use
the Atonement. No matter how far we may feel. No matter what we have
done.  All can be made right because of what our Savior Jesus Christ
has done. This gift is free to all who wants to use it. He has already
died and atoned for us. Now it is up to us to use it so my advise is
USE IT!! How do we use it? Get down on your knees and pray, then get
up on your feet and serve others. I know without a doubt in my heart
that the Atonement is real.

Well family I love you all so much! this letter was a little different
from my other ones, but I want you all to know how important this
Gospel is. We have to prepare for the eternities.

I am doing great! I am excited for this next week. I have a doctors
appointment tomorrow so I will let you know how it goes. I love you
all so much! I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is
true. I love you all again! Have a great week!

Love Elder Smith

I Loved Conference! - 3/6/15

Happy Easter Family! I hope you all had a very nice day yesterday and a great weekend with Conference. It is a great time to reflect on the Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for him and for everything he has done for all of humanity. The Atonement is the most important event that has ever happened. It is only through Him we will be able to make it back to our Heavenly Father and to be able to live with our Families forever. I loved this conference because a lot of it was about the Atonement. The thing that stood out to me is no matter how far or how lost we may be from the straight and narrow path it is never too late to change and make our way back. So I hope all of us can strike while the iron is hot and make some changes in our lives to become more in harmony with the Holy Spirit. Meaning have a change within us while we felt the impressions of the Holy Ghost. I know I have a lot of things to work on and I know it is only through the Atonement and the help of Jesus Christ to make those changes. I would encourage all of you to listen to the Council our Leaders and Gods spokesmen and women have given us this weekend. I loved Conference!!

Well it sounds like Arizona was a hit as usual for easter. I was thinking about you all so much this past weekend and how I miss you all and am so excited to see you all again! I am glad the easter egg hunt went well with no injuries or anything like that. I loved the pictures you sent me mom. Thanks for them. All of the little kids looked so cute. Tell Jacs great job on her amazing tennis match! That sounds like quite the experience. She is learning so much and now whenever she is in that same situation she will be able to think back and remember that moment and kick it in gear and continue to tear it up! Great job! :) Sounds like everyone else is doing great. Tell everyone hello for me and that I love them all so much! You all be safe this week wherever you are.

Well my week was pretty crazy just like usual. We had a big meeting in Baton Rouge for all of the leadership of the mission. The missionary Department from SLC came in to teach us some new things and there are going to be a lot of changes to the mission. As in the way we teach people and the way we plan. I love the new ideas and have tried to implement them as we are out teaching and finding. Well that meeting was from 9-4 then we had to drive back through Natchez Mississippi to start an exchange with the District Leader over there. So that was a solid 3 hour drive. It was pretty crazy on the drive up there... We were at 300 ft above sea level and our ears were poppin haha. That is the highest I have been while here in Louisiana. :) So we started exchanges thursday and they went until Saturday Morning before conference. 

While on exchanges we had a great lesson with a referral a member gave us. We implemented the new teaching method which is a brief overview of a lesson and then we let them read the rest of it when we leave. Her name was F.  Well the lesson went amazing!! We committed her to be baptized for the 25th of this month. She prayed with us at the end of the lesson and she knew that it was true. She is awesome! We have met with her 2 times and she came to the Sunday Morning Session with us. We are going to work hard with her and try and get her ready for being baptized in 3 weeks. It is crazy, but the Lord blesses us in the most mysterious ways and ways we would never expect. We have barely had enough time to be in our own area this week due to all of the planning and traveling we have had to do, yet he still blesses us and helps us keep the work going forward. I am very thankful for that. Especially because I know We can't do it alone. 

We had another lesson with a new investigator we tracted into last week. We invited a member to come along with us and it was one of the best lessons I have had. He committed to watch conference and pray to know if the church is true. We gave him a copy of the book of Mormon and then 1 day later we came back to check on him and he had already read all of the testimonies and the first 8 chapters. He is legit! So the work is going really well for us even though we only taught 9 lessons this past week. I am thankful for that! 

Then Conference was so incredible... All of the questions I brought and wrote down for conference were answered as well as a lot of questions to my prayers. The biggest questions I have been having lately is for schooling and what I want to do with my life. The answers I got were go to Weber State. I mean Elder Packer even said it in his talk! haha Then go to school and go into medicene and get my pre-med stuff done. Then on the side of that get a business degree. The impressions that came to me is I need to become a Orthopedic Surgeon and then open up my own practice so that is where the business classes will come into play. That is what I need to start studying for now and I feel that is what the Lord would have me do. Then maybe down the road if He tells me to do something different then I will do something different.

I was very thankful for all of the talks this conference and for all of my questions answered. Some of my favorite talks were Elder Eyrings about the Law of the Fast. I guess it was more so a little kick to the face saying I need to pay my fast offerings, but I really liked how he said that Revelation will come only when we do a complete fast. I loved that.

Okay so I don't know about all of you, but to me I think almost every talk had to do with the family or getting married.. I think they are all just trying to trunk out every missionary haha! :) Just kidding. I learned a lot about what I need to do when I do get married some day. Don't worry mom I will wait a little bit, but when I find the right one I am going to pop the question! ;) So with that I loved the talks elder Packer gave and sister Burton, Elder Perry, Elder Christofferson, and Elder Sitati. They all talked a lot about marriage. Then I loved the talk on hope from Elder Clayton. The airplane story he told was such a great example of the principle of hope. I always look at the Atonement as my source of Hope. 

I loved Elder Wilfor Andersens talk about the keep practicing and the indian doctor. He talked a lot about how we need to stay in tune with the Spirit. Then Elder Geral Causse was a great talk about are we taking things for granted now? And how we need to anchor our faith in the simple things of the Gospel. Then of course I loved Elder Hollands talk as well as Elder Uchtdorf. I mean what a way to end that session off right? :) But my most favorite talk from the whole conference was Elder Kevin Pearson about Enduring to the End. I guess it is something that is standing out to me right now with my mission coming to a close. I just have to keep enduring and everything will work out just the way it is supposed to. I really liked also how he said look at Lehi's dream and apply it to me. He gave us 6 things.

1. Don't forget to Pray

2. Come unto Christ and be perfected in him.

3. Press forward with Faith. 

4. Book of Mormon is the key to progress. (Everyday Everyday Everyday READ IT!)

5. Don't be distracted or deceived.

6. Stay by the tree.

If we loose the Spirit we are lost. So if we do these things we will not lose the spirit and we will stay by the tree of life which is eternal life. I loved this!

So that was my favorite talk from conference. We watched it at our Stake center and there were only us 6 missionaries there for the saturday sessions and then some members came for the Sunday session. Dad I missed going to Priesthood with you. I am excited to go to it with you this fall. We only had a few men show up. And yes mom we were able to watch all of the sessions of conference. It was Great! :) But it did make me miss you all a little bit, but that is alright. I will just think of Elder Pearsons talk he gave! 

Well Family I love you all so very much. Thanks for everything you do for me. I miss you all so much and I hope you have a great week! Keep up the great work! I love you!!

Love Elder Smith

Burned Brownies! - 3/30/15

Good Morning Family! :) It is a wonderful day today here in Louisiana.
The sun is out and shining and its pretty humid as usual. It sounds
like a nice day down there in Arizona as well. Dad have you been out
golfing yet? I almost went today again, but decided not to and instead
do a breakfast with the district. It sounds like the week was great
for all of you. Mom and dad I am glad you both were able to get out of
town for a little bit and get out of the wrecking zone. The house
looks pretty torn up. Just think.. Life is kind of like how our yard
is looking right now. All torn up and looks like it is going to be
impossible, but as we learn from the scriptures if we do the small and
simple things and day by day continue to improve and put our house
back together then it is going to end up being perfect. Just like us.
We are going to have struggles and hardships that look impossible and
instead of giving up we push forward taking it step by step and then
we will take a step back and look at the final picture and see what an
amazing creation Heavenly Father has created. That is what God does
with us! There is my analogy of the week for ya! :)

That is so crazy that Jane is now a missionary!! What is her email?
I'd like to send her a congrats email. She is going to be such a great
missionary. It sounds like her setting apart was very spiritual. She
is very lucky as well as all of the Andersen family. So many blessings
are coming their way. She is going to learn so much and enjoy it and
help so many people. And man that is crazy there are now 2
missionaries in the family! It sounds like the rest of the family is
doing great. I am happy for that! It is always a huge blessing each
week finding out how you all are doing back home. I love you all a ton
and think about you every day. Keep up the great work and keep finding
those people ready for the Gospel.

This week has been such a busy week. It consisted of 3 exchanges, Ward
conference, and a lot of lessons and finding. So to start the week off
we had an exchange with the Alexandria Elders. I took elder Castro (He
is one of my district leaders right now) to Pineville. Lets just say
that was probably one of the best exchanges I have had! We first
helped with a move. Then did some finding so tracting and contacting.
Then we went and played some baseball with some kids. Then we went to
Joe and Tori Stocks house for dinner and that is always the best
because they are awesome. I videod his golf swing and gave him some
tips. Then we had an awesome lesson with them. We are reteaching the
lessons to them since they both want to freshen up on the Gospel. I
have learned a lot of awesome object lessons that I am excited to
share with all of you when I get home for Family Home Evenings. Then
after them we went and supported 2 young men we have been working with
on helping them make the decision to go on a mission. We went to their
baseball game. It was so much fun! It reminded me so much of high
school. We are getting really close with them and I think we will be
able to help them make the decision to go on a mission. I really hope
so anyway. Well that was that day.

On Wednesday I went with Elder Davis (Castro's companion.) He is still
a greeny. It was such a fun exchange as well! They are in a biking
area so I biked and man I am so blessed to be in a car area! We really
focused on teaching more with the Spirit and asking inspired
questions. So while we were on our exchange we found out that our
investigator J. had a mini heart attack... And that he was in the
Hospital. So we went over and gave him a blessing. It was really cool
because he told us "Wow, I didn't think yall would come. I now know
you really care." We were like DUH! I love that guy and I want him to
continue to progress. But since he has had that we haven't been able
to teach him except for when we were able to drop off some brownies to
him. Then the rest of that day was fun. Karl took us out to lunch and
that is when he texted you mom. I am doing good! I haven't been able
to get into the doctor still.. They had a problem with our insurance.
They said it doesn't work outside of utah so now I am going to go to a
different doctor and just use mission medical. My Headaches or sharp
pains in my head haven't been as bad this week. I still get them every
now and again.

Alright so the funny/embarrassing story of the week is while we were
making our first batch of brownies I turned the timer on for 30
minutes like the box said, but I guess I just kind of skimmed past how
high to turn the oven on to so I think I did it a little to hot.. The
brownies when the timer came off were smoking!! It was solid black..
Man our apartment stunk so badly. I have a picture.. I'll send it home
to you. It was pretty funny!

Then Thursday Elder Brimhall and I were back together then that night
we drove all the way up to Many Louisiana (Hour and a half drive) and
started our exchange with them. I brought back Elder Sabey with me. We
spent the night in Natchitoches with Elder Smith and Barney. It was a
really good time then in the morning while driving home Elder Sabey
and I stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Man that place is good!
Then when we got home there were two big packages sitting there. Thank
you so much mom and dad for the easter package! Elder Brimhall says
thank you as well! You spoiled us! I have been snacking on all the
candy and healthy treats like crazy! I think since being here I have
gained some weight because of how much we get fed and all of the
driving and how busy we are. I am about to change that! We are
starting to run everyday again. Well anyway back to the exchange.
Elder Sabey and I absolutely killed it together! We taught 8 lessons
within 6 hours and had 7 contacts and 1 new investigator. We did all
of this before a function we had at the church at 6. So the function
was pretty crazy!! It was a wild game night. Meaning everyone bring
the most craziest food they can find. So we ate some crazy food. We
had squirrel, possum, rabbit, garfish, deer, and some weird beef
stuff. It was not that good... haha I like american food better! But
it was a lot of fun!

Then Friday we switched back and elder Brimhall and I got to work. We
met with our Relief society president and went over our whole roster
to get some names to start seeing and working with. It was great. Then
Sunday we had ward conference. Our stake president is so awesome here.
We met with him after church just us and the Sister Training leaders.
It was a good meeting. We told him some things that could help us and
he gave us some things to do to  help the zone and the stake. Then we
had a lunch appointment with an investigator and then dinner that
night with the Sanders! Some of my favorite people. This week was so
busy it was insane. It just flew by. This next week is going to be
great as well!

This week I really focused in my studies about Joseph Smith and the
first vision. I really wanted to grow my testimony more with that. As
well as humility. I felt my testimony grow with both of those topics.
I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet and that God called him to do what
he did. I know if it weren't for him we wouldn't be able to do all the
things we do in the church. I am thankful for the example he was. Well
everyone I hope you all have a great week! I love you all so much!
Keep up the good work and don't forget to read your scriptures and
pray EVERY day! Love you!

Love Elder Smith


Sent from my iPad

An Awesome New Companion! 3/23/15

Hey family! Man it sounds like a good week back home. So many exciting

things happening. I am so happy Janes farewell went soo good. I bet

she did such an amazing job. She is awesome and is going to be such a

great missionary! I am soooo pumped for her! Then that is so awesome

Jaycee has been doing such a great job with the musical and then

singing at Janes farewell. Keep up the great work Jaycee. And man I am

jealous about the tennis match between Jacs and mom and Jane and Dad.

I bet that was so much fun! Hey dad remember our tennis match we had

in Arizona against ry and dan and I kept messing up! Then at the last

second they won.. man I call a rematch!! We will win this time for

sure I am postive about that. Fun memories!

Alright mom I am so proud of you. Great job with completing your first

5K!! I didn't even know you were wanting to do one. I am happy you

went even though it was just you. And man I wish I could have been

there to help you out with your music. I will be there next year and

will run with you and dad the whole way! :) So are you wanting to do

more or go up in milage? maybe a 10K or a half? I know that is a big

jump but hey why not?? I want to do a marathon when I get home and a

triathlon. I think that would be so awesome if our whole family did a

big race together.

Well this week was a very good week! It was transfer week. Elder Gosch

got transferred to Pride Louisiana. He is happy. I now have a new

missionary named Elder Brimhall! He has been out for 17 months. He is

from Snowflake AZ. He knew Elder Willis before the mission. He played

against him in basketball. He is a very sharp kid and a very hard

worker. So something interesting about him is he spent his first 10

months in a different mission. He was serving in the Sierra Leone

mission in West Africa. Crazy huh! So when the whole Ebola outbreak

started the church evacuated his mission. It is a crazy story. He was

checked before he left the country to make sure he didn't have the

virus and then the church pulled some strings to get a plane over

there to get 150 missionaries out of the country. The crazy thing was

the country wasn't allowing any airplanes to land or take off so the

church some how got a plane for all of the missionaries and got them

out. Pretty crazy I must say! He is safe now so no worries! He is a

good kid and we get along really well. I am training him to be a ZL,

but he is already a great kid so it is easy.

(New Companion - Elder Brimhall)

Well this week consisted of a lot of planning. The first week of the

transfer is always crazy especially if you have a new missionary with

you. So we had to plan for exchanges with all of the district leaders

as well as some other missionaries we would like to work with and

provide some training. Then we had to go over all of the people we

have and the people we are working with. So that took a good 5 hours

or so between 3 days. Pretty fun!

This week we made some big progress with J. our investigator. We met

with him on Saturday and the Spirit for sure was there leading the

lesson. We went over tithing and fast offerings. He committed to live

and to do those things. Well at the end of the lesson I had a strong

prompting to bring up eternal families especially with temple

marriages. I asked J. if he wanted to be with his wife forever. He

said he would love that of course, but he never had thought of how to

do that. I used a few analogies to help teach him the principle how we

can be sealed with our families forever. It was the coolest lesson

because it helped him realize that our church is not like any other

church. He knows the Book of Mormon is true. He knows he needs to get

baptized. It is just tough because he is so involved with his church

and so is his wife. We are meeting with him later this week with his

wife to help them both come closer to God and Christ by helping them

recognize the Spirit answering their prayers. Also we have been

working with him with quitting smoking and he is now down to 3 a day

when before he was 10. We set a goal to have him quit completely by

the 31st of this month. I know he can do it especially because his

wife did it 2 years ago. She used to smoke 4 packs a day and then one

day just quit. So a lot of good progress with J.

We also found some new good investigators through tracting and

contacting. We have been working hard trying to set a good example for

this zone. We also are working with some new less active people who

are about to come back to church. It is going to be awesome! We are

working with 2 young men who are in high school to come to church.

They came this past week!! I think it is because we are just their

friends. We haven't pushed them, but by example people will change. I

know that. So that was a really positive thing that happened!

I am loving the D&C challenge! I have been reading it with the study

manual as well. It has been going really good and I have learned a

lot. So this month I am working on Humility for my Christlike

attribute this month and I have already learned so much. This week

also my testimony has grown so strong with knowing my Savior. I feel I

made a huge jump this week with coming closer to him. I think it was

through baring my testimony of him as well as studying about him and

watching the video "because of him" mormon message. If you have a

chance you all need to watch it. I know the Savior Lives. I know he

loves us. I know he knows exactly how we feel so we can have hope. I

also know that if we put our trust in God then everything will work

out. Proverbs 3:5-7. I know this Gospel is true. I know God called the

prophet Joseph Smith to restored the church upon the earth again. And

since he did restore it Christ was able to restore the Priesthood back

to the earth so we can do the ordinances necessary to make it back to

God. I know the temple is the biggest blessing on this earth. I wish I

could have been at Janes Farewell because the temple is the most

amazing thing ever. I know that if we put the temple in our path we

will be able to make it to the end. Well I love you all so much. I

hope you all have a great week! And I am looking forward to next week

already! Love ya!

Elder Smith