Week 4, Christmas in the MTC

Merry Christmas! How is everyone doing? I missed everyone this Christmas and hope you had a good one! thanks for all the love and support you show me each day, and your prayers i can feel them blessing my life so i just want to say thanks.Christmas was so good here, everyone here was way happy and it was way fun! Christmas day started out where we went and watched a talent show for two and a half hours man people really have talent here its was awesome, then we went and had Christmas dinner then had the opportunity to hear from Elder Russell M. Nelson and his wife they both gave way good talks.The spirit was way strong when they spoke it was so cool to be in the presence of a man called by God. Wow that man is very intelligent man he is a very smart man, he went way deep into the doctrine it was crazy to all think about everything he said and put it into perspective. There is no doubt that this church is true it all makes sense, and the spirit i have felt here is indescribable its so sweet. This week i have felt like my Spanish is improving a lot its so cool how i can understand so much now, its just trying to think about what they said then answer and talk back to them in Spanish. Me and my companions only have this last week of teaching the lessons in English in whats called the TRC after this week its all Spanish. Cant wait haha. I am having so much fun here we try to have fun when it is right, we always sing around here its so sweet! Oh ya also we had the privilege this morning to go and clean the Provo temple for 3 hours today it was a good experience, to go and clean the lords house for him. It was crazy how detailed we were we cleaned out lockers we used lots of toothpicks and quetips its pretty nuts. But all around a good opportunity. Well hopefully has a good week be safe and stay out of trouble. yo se que la iglesia es verdad, y jose smith fue un profeta. yo se que Thomas S. Monson es a viveinto profeta hoy, y jose smith tradouce el libro de mormon. Yo se que el libro de mormon es verdadero y la palabra de dios. Amen. Well i ran out of time so sorry about the short testimony. LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!!!

So how bout them cougs, i heard the future looks bright that's a good thing, one of our district presidents gives me updates on everything each week, and also my dad sends me updates gotta love it. I can see the cougs on the rise and the Utes on the fall. We have two Ute fans in our zone and all of our district presidency are all byu fans so these talk about it its sweet. Also my basketball skills are on the rise got to get prepared to play with the homies in the ghetto of Philly.

Week 3, MTC

What up? how are you? hope everything is going good. The MTC is treating me well! The spirit here just cant get any better, I cant wait for this week to have the Christmas firesides and what not. Its going to be soooo good, we probably will have some first presidency well hopefully. It is so different here though, its hard to realize that it is Christmas time. Finally we started to receive snow here, i was getting sick of all the rain for the holidays i wanted to see the snow so it can somewhat be like normal Christmas. Also thanks for the packages you have sent they have been awesome. And all the love you have shown to me. I love doing the lords work we only have two more weeks teaching the lessons in English, then after that nothing but Spanish ahhh its crazy, the language is so difficult but i know the lord will bless me and will eventually be given the gift of tongues. I am so bummed that my companion is heading down to Guatemala on Wednesday, I think a big reason is i have to wake up at 5. I will be so tired that night. I get worn out every day but its good. This week i have improved a lot on my Spanish, which is good but still got so much to work on. We have became a master at teaching the first lesson from PMG. We also got a new district this week and also lost one this morning. On Saturday night we all got in a little room as a zone and sang haster ver( which is god be with you till we meet again. We sang it super loud it was such a cool experience, cant wait till we get to sing that when we leave, which sings like forever away! We sang this week in sacrament it was pretty good my voice is getting good we sing soooo much. But it makes me nervous cause the sacrament talks are assigned randomly and we have to give them in Spanish i get nervous every time i gotta improve before i get up there.Also i see Antonio Melendez every hour, Ben Siepert is here now. And Tannon Pederson left this week he got reassigned to Tempe Arizona till his visa comes. He told me to take his place in singing Disney tunes so i might some Alladin and Lion King songs so we can take his spot and sing them

Also pops this is to you Elder Hanson the one that is from billings Montana is way good friends with Joel Stott he wrote him this week telling him, they play basketball together every Thursday. What a small world this is its so nuts.

For both families Also some Christmas ideas lets seee... Some more nike elite socks for sure we ball everyday so they get stinky. And any color works. Also definately more ties i get sick of wearing the same ones, Specifically some from men's warehouse and they are the skinnier ties not way skinny but also not fat sooo ya. Maybe 20 dollars so i can buy these scripture cases. But ya that's all i can think of. and keep Ellie close please! Well love you guys talk to you soon

Oh and Fyi packages have to be here on the 22nd after that i cant get them till after the holidays just a little heads up'

Week 2, MTC

Well how are you? The MTC is going good, this has been a definite tester. Last time you heard from me i had different companions. Elder Atkins one of our elders in our district went home sadly, he had to take care of some things it was a tough sad day. So i got the privilege to now be Elder Pierces companion he is a straight up G. I love the elder he is so funny and he is a good missionary he works hard and he is helping me with my Spanish. I only have him for another week and a half because he is taking off to the Guatemala MTC then i will be going back to my tri companionship with Elder Herrin, and Hanson. This week i had some struggles though and got down on my self but its crazy what the lord does. So there was one day where we went and talked spanish to some experienced Elders and wow i had no idea what to day and felt like an idiot cause Elder pierce is good. So i got down on myself a little bit. But like an hour later Elder Warner (coolest elder for sure in our zone love the elder.) and Elder Vaughn who is also way cool. Also Nielson they just randomly asked how i was doing and like helped me out and gave me good advice and helped me teach and learn in spanish. They were awesome. I guarantee the lord knows what we are going through and will help us in any situation, I know that he knew mine and lifted me up. I am getting sick of the food here i have gained 7 pounds its crazy we eat like all day it feels like. But i am so happy to be here during this time of the year we are going to have some way cool speakers, we have had some good talks already. Gym though is way fun its some competitive basketball all the time its fun stuff. I see so many of my high school buddies here i see them like everyday, tannon (every meal) siepert, craig, austinn betterage, there's so many. But i love putting on my name tag every morning its awesome, being able to represent Christ and this church and to share the names of apostles and prophet with ELDER. Gotta love it. its so funny here i have been a super neat freak i always have to have everything organized, so i can study effectively and good. It has got rough though realizing i got 7 weeks left and I'm sick of the food and hard staying in this 5 acre radius but its way nice we get to go to the temple. But oh well it will be good i will definitely need all 9 to learn the language for sure. We teach a lot and we teach a lot about the first vision and the restoration, WOW what an amazing thing i feel the spirit every time, I know he saw what he said he saw its amazing. If you guys want i need some pictures of people so whoever wants send me some! I hope everyone is doing good! This gospel is the only way to go, it really brings true happiness, i thought golf, cell phone, sports, and everything brought happiness, but i have realized and found out for myself that this gospel blesses lives and brings true happiness.

Try sending this to everyone you can mom and pops! thanks so much love you guys so much thanks for all you guys do, i took everything for granted while i was at home but i realize how much you guys did for me, You guys are amazing love you so much, Thanks for all you do and your great love. I gotta get off my 30 minutes is up bye love you talk to you soon!! thanks for the packages i have so much candy!!

Elder Smart

Week 1, MTC

Hello! well just sitting waiting for laundry. Here's what has happened. well the first day was way rough leaving you guys then the day seemed to drag on forever! but luckily i have to good companions. My companions are Elder Herrin and Elder Hanson(he is skyler smith). We were able to also meet our teacher Hermano welch and Hermano Wood. They are both great teachers. Also we met our district and zone. We have the funniest Elder in our district Elder Pierce he always has a smile on his face and is a fun Elder to be around! our zone leaders are great elder Tuck and elder Cristner. Its so weird calling everyone Elder its a hard habit to get into. Also i have felt the spirit so strong here we have so many good speakers here. They got us to work fast here there is no messing around within the first 24 hours we already had to pray and bear our testimonies in spanish. I think its coming around, its easier to learnt it when you are constantly studying 14 hours a day! I love it though. the food is great, pretty sure i have easily gained like five pounds. We always look forward to eating here and getting out of the class room. My body now finally is starting to get used to not sleeping so much. But there is nothing better than studying the lords work! Everyone is so friendly here and i love it. I think yesterday was easily the longest i have ever fasted we fasted all day till 5:20 it was santa cena (holy dinner). I have been feeling homesick after yesterdays devotional when we watched the first presidency Christmas devotional. They talked about Christmas with family and just all that stuff it was pretty tough thinking about Christmas away from home. But after we watched the Joseph Smith movie, WOW soooo good i think all of us were crying. It was great it made me realize wow he went through so much and being here is nothing. this is the most amazing thing i could be doing and why i was here. I am s glad to be called elder only us and the leaders of the church are called that what a blessing to be in the same category! Also gym here so fun best time of the day, our heads usually hurt and its so good to just play some basketball me and Elder Hanson don't loose! its way fun. But i love you guys I'm praying for you all! Always turn to the lord in time of need just like Joesph did in James 1:5.

Love, Elder Smart

Mom Please forward this to anyone and everyone all my Friends and all the fam love you thanks!! Also can you get me some stamps and all the watch!! keep sending the treats we love them thanks!!

First Letter

(this is the little form letter they let them fill out after the first couple of days there, until they get to write on their first P-day)

My Companion's name is: Elder Hanson, Elder Herrin

My Companion is from: Billings, Montana, St.George

My address is: 2005 North 900 East, Provo, Ut. 84604

My Mail Box # is: 116

My Preparation Day is on Mondays (the only day I can write/email)

Quick Note to Family:

I love you guys and will miss you much, but what an amazing place this. Here it's spiritual boot camp 24/7. I love it. My companions are way cool. It is so hard calling everyone here elder. Today started no more English prayers. They don't mess around here. We already learned how to pray and bear testimony in Spanish. The spirit is so strong here and I love it so much. Everyone says just make it to Sunday, then it goes by like a breeze. I look forward to feeling the spirit and learning the Spanish Language. I love the gospel and know without a doubt that this is the word of god. Love you all so much. Can't wait to hear from you soon. Love you stay strong.

Elder Smart

Dec. 1st...... Leave for MTC