First Week of May

HEY HEY HEY!

O'ee'bow'um?  I hope everyone's week was absolutely fantastic.  Our week in Othello, Washington has been one of the best yet!  The work is BLOWING UP! It's pretty incredible that time is flying by so rapidly as well.  It feels like just yesterday I was sitting and writing an email back home!

I have a confession to make and it involves an addiction I have.  I'm becoming addicted to MISSIONARY WORK!  As the Spanish has been progressing, I have been becoming more involved in teaching and it is an absolute blast.  Also, as I have learned more about the scriptures I notice missionary work to be not as stressful. The Book of Mormon has this amazing ability to provide energy and guidance throughout the day.  

As a greenie, I get several privileges. For example, this week my companions and I drove down to Kennewick to have a training on the Doctrine of Christ. Wow! What an amazing spiritual experience.  Our Mission President and AP's gave training's that have truly helped me come closer to Christ over this past week.  By coming closer to Christ, I can more fully feel the spirit during my day to day missionary work.  As a missionary, I have also learned the necessity of prayer in all of our lives.  When we reach out to our Father in Heaven with sincerity and true intent, we will truly receive an answer of peace.  

We have been truly blessed to witness several miracles this week.  We put another one of our investigators on date which is always a pleasure to witness.  Also, Natalio came to church this week and is coming closer to Christ.  Natalio bore his testimony yesterday in one of our lessons and I almost started crying!  He is on date to get baptized the 30th of this month and I'm praying that he can continue progressing.  

The life in our apartment has been pretty exciting as well.  This week we decided to move some furniture and make an indoor soccer field.  Our whole apartment is now converted into a soccer field besides our bedroom. Everyday when we wake up at 6:30 a.m. we have the opportunity to play some soccer for about 30 minutes.  Also, we have become fans of the card game Phase 10.  We play this right before we go to bed to temporarily get our minds off missionary work.   It's always a good time with my companions and I.  

I love you all so much and can't wait to skype you next week for Mother's Day!  It's going to be an amazing 30-40 mins.  Can you believe they're only giving me that much time to talk to my Mom! How horrible right?  However, I am grateful for any opportunity I have to see my family and actually talk to them back and forth, even if it is only in front of a computer screen.  I hope you all have a wonderful week filled with happiness. 

Les Quiero,

Elder Smith

Three Months Completed Already! What?!

Family and Friends,

How great a time it is to be serving a mission for The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I've received several emails from my friends who recently received their mission calls. The Lord is hastening the work and it is evident by the success of missionaries all around the world.  I came across an interesting verse in the Bible this week in regards to missionary work.  In Jeremiah 1:10 it reads, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down..." What a motivation this scripture has been.  I read this everyday before leaving the house to remind myself to "throw down." hehe
I've had several blessings come my way this week.  The first blessing I received was my new companion Elder Ribeiro!  We now have three people in our companionship.  Elder Ribeiro is from Brazil and is a super nice person.  Before he came on his mission, he only knew Portuguese.  However, he now speaks English, Spanish, and soon enough Mixteco.  We are both soccer fans and always talk about the World Cup coming up.  The World Cup is actually taking place in the city he lives in.  He is kind of upset he can't attend. This week we were also pleased to find 6 new investigators! Hopefully, they can continue to progress in the gospel and come to a knowledge of its truth.  Natalio (One of our investigators) is now on date for baptism:) This is the first time we've put someone on date since my mission, therefore I am ecstatic.
We had a couple of interesting experiences this past week as well.  The first occurred when I got invited to my first Mexican Birthday Party.  IT WAS AWESOME!  The Hispanic culture really knows how to have a good time.  They served us a large plate of goat which they had recently killed themselves. Nothing like a fresh meal!  Also this week, we had the opportunity to tear down an entire house for a service project.  I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life!  I was in charge of the sledgehammer, which I wasn't going to complain about.  We had about 20 people there smashing anything they could.  Even the older men were having a blast kicking down doors, breaking glass, etc.
I would like to thank all of my friends and loved ones who are always supporting me at home.  I enjoy receiving emails every week of the exciting things happening.  I wish I could be there for them, but a mission is the place for me right now!  I LOVE MY MISSION AND I LOVE YOU GUYS! I hope you have a wonderful week filled with happiness and joy:)
"Preach the gospel at all times, when necessary use words." St. Francis of Assissi.
Love always and forever,
Elder Smith