Full month!!!

Hey everyone!!

Well it has been a full month since i have been out in the field! Crazy huh? It was going by fast till this last week. Man this last week was sooo miserable! Me and my companion were both pretty sick. We finally went to the doctors last Wednesday i believe not sure but we were both just like we got to take care of this. We went in thinking i just had a cough and the sore throat was just because of the cough... but i ended up having strep throat so the doctor gave me an antibiotic now today I am feeling much better, probably too because i didn't have to eat really nearly as much but i did loose some weight I'm back down to 145 so ya and the cough is almost gone, we finally went out and taught last night which was good and it was a good lesson too. I will talk about that later in the Email.

Well like I said there is not much to talk about because i basically sat inside all week. But i had kind of a rough week just because i had a lot of time to think about things. I became kind of homesick and this may sound pretty lame but wanted to be home to watch Jimmer because this is the best season in any sport in my lifetime and it just has to happen when i can't see or watch anything oh well. Sounds like they are tearing it up though! But i just need to focus and in times like that just turn to the lord. But its all good! And the whole Deron Williams thing heard that was a bad situation but oh well! looks like no more playing golf with him again haha!

But man i cant wait to hear where a lot of my friends are going! Its so crazy that I remember how nervous i was to get my call and to just see them in my shoes what was it like 7 months ago WOW time flies seems like yesterday. Its crazy to think once they all leave and get out into the field i will have like 7-8 months out in the field. If anyone sees any of them tell them they need to write me, I haven't heard from anyone at all at least my guy friends. But ya it will be cool when Chase gets out here he will love it here it's awesome.

But last night we did finally get to teach a lesson we taught this guy named Nelson he is Dominican and we contacted him on the street 2 weeks ago. But when we first got there, there were a ton of people and it was pretty loud. But there was this older lady there named Mabel and she was like everyone be quiet and come in here and listen to the words of god. haha we then began to teach we were there for like an hour. I still can't butt in at any moment and throw comments, i just don't have the vocab, but i did teach the way we pray and stuff, I related it to a hamburger it is a good analogy. But it went way good the Lady was so into it and like just really got everything Nelson kind of struggled and was slow but realized and felt the message. We asked them if they would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. They both said yes. We gave the lady the date of April 10th and Nelson we don't know because he is going back to the Dominican Republic to get married which is good. But ya we will see what happens so that was a good experience.

Well that's all i have to say just remember "The Book Of Mormon is so True its Blue." haha we got all the little kids saying that here its funny.

But Love you all be good!! GO cougs!!

Elder Taylor Smart

CASI UNO MESA, Reading, week 3

Well, such a crazy last week. This whole last week i have been pretty sick and it is getting annoying. ME and Elder Burnham are both sick. And mom, i don't think you realize how much we get fed its way too much. We think that we are eating too much, that's why we are sick, because our body is trying to digest the food and not fight off the bad bacteria or something. But, it has not been fun. We are going to get some medicine and just try to sleep today so we can get back out and spread salvation.

This last week was sooo busy though! Just some of the things we had were Zone Conference, Language training, 2 exchanges and i taught the most i probably have in spanish this week. We also had a lot of people to try and go see. It's is pretty disappointing sometimes we have 3 investigators with a baptismal date and we can't get an appointment with them because of work and also, It is really tough getting investigators to church. And we also found out that the spanish elders are only baptizing like 70% of what the english elders are baptizing. There are soo many spanish elders going home in the next few months so, who knows, I could easily train Chase. That would be soo sweet. I could see myself staying here for like 2 or 3 more transfers, then moving and getting familiar with another area, then possibly train there. First off, before i do that i need a lot of work on my spanish, but we do try to keep improving my Spanish each and every day. Like now, i am able to make phone calls although it is very difficult to understand someone on the phone, i am trying to get better at it.

Well, i have the coolest story to tell you that happened this week. Wow it was so crazy i still cant believe it happened. So we were out tracking and just trying to talk to people on the streets and what not. So we were walking down this street and ran into this man who looked happy, but he said he was not a fan of missionaries, we walked with him and he was like, man I'm soo good i just got a job i start Monday i had been out of work for 5 months. Problem is he said he was going to buy beers with the little he had. So while walking Elder Burnham looked down and picked up what looked like being a 1 dollar bill, but actually it was a 100 he was like wow lucky you. Then we gave it to him, he had to sit down he was so astonished. WE kneeled down and pointed at the Book of Mormon and said you know what it's not about money, See this book here it's following the teachings in here is what is going to bring you true happiness. WOW it was amazing then he talked about how missionaries helped his grandma like this. But we walked off and then was telling everyone on the streets about us it was sooo sweet. Hopefully it softens his heart.

Well, i hope everyone is doing good! Missionary work is definitely the hardest thing i have ever done, but so worth it because i know the blessings that will come to me and to my family and to those around me. I love you all and the Book of Mormon is so true its Blue!! Just remember that! LOVE YOU

Elder Taylor Smart

Reading, Week 2

Hey how is everyone doing?! Happy Valentines day to everyone. This is a special day of love and its a good day to love all of my investigators that we are teaching, it's a great opportunity to be out here. But most of all I love all of you guys! Hope you all have a great day today! Miss you all but wouldn't be anywhere else in the world than here.

Well this week we were super successful and had good number. But numbers don't matter anyways but if it they did, we would probably be in the highest number area. I am very fortunate to start out here and learn right off the bat and be successful. Just for example we taught 32 total lessons this week 2 baptisms, and 118 contacts we worked really hard. We are very fortunate because in any other area they are lucky to get half the numbers. But like i said numbers mean absolutely nothing. We also have, i think, four or five more baptismal dates but none of them showed at church yesterday so we will have to straighten that out.

Man i get fed soooooooo much here it's WAY more than i can handle. For example, on this last Friday we ate 3 big meals in like 2 hours. We were on our way home and decided to stop by a recent converts house, Martha. So she made sooo much food we ate this cheese, eggs, salami, and tostones(which are fried bananas they love it here) its a Dominican thing. Then we had a appointment with a less active member, Ana P. This is 10 minutes after we ate she fed us rice, chicken, and Flan. Then we went to a active members house Talavera's and ate lasagna and rice. Ya i could not finish that i was so dang sick, i wanted to throw up right on the spot. It was crazy. But on average, we get fed about 2 times a day here. EWW i had rice with octopus and all this sea food in it, it was very interesting and hard to eat.

But enough of the food. I really do have like the best trainer. He is so good! I keep trying to be like him. He shows me so many things that i need to work on and to be a better teacher and a better person. The only fault he has is us waking up at 6:00, haha. By the end of the day i am dead tired and just cant wait to get into bed. But it's all good. He is a good Elder. But i love trying to help people come unto Christ. We have two more investigators that we feel they are ready to give them a baptismal date.

Well that's probably all for this week all we did was eat and teach gotta love it.

LOVE YOU ALL

One thing remember about the Book of Mormon is..."Its so true its blue"

Elder Smart

1st week in the field......

Hey how is everyone!!! It is so crazy to be here out in the field. So i am in a city called Reading, PA. You know the Reading Railroad on Monopoly YEAH!! that's here. Just a little about the city its 70% Spanish. You should see the city here its crazy houses are really packed tight they have three stories and what not. They are so cool!! Mostly the people we teach are Dominicans and Puerto Ricans. The Branch is composed of like 125 people that usually come. Right now the weather is pretty cold! there is quiet a bit of snow here, everyone like takes it like the world is going to end they cancel school its not even like bad at all. HA HA eastern people they just don't know how to drive in the snow. Ya but its a pretty big town here its crazy, its pretty sweet here, there is crime but not like the slums of Philly but i will takes pics so you can see what its like. WE live in a little apartment complex its the perfect missionary house, living room, kitchen, Room and bathroom all hardwood floors so no vacuuming.

Well my companion is Elder Burnham. He is way cool and super funny. He is from Wyoming and is going to play football at SUU after his mission as a Fullback. Ya, he is pretty redneck but its all good. HE is crazy though We usually are supposed to wake up at 6:30, but he makes us get up at 6 everyday and work out, ha ha, i usually sit around and do nothing cause i am too tired. We do have a car though, unlike the two elders that have the west side Elder Aflaro and Anderson they walk, i went with Aflaro one day and walked all day.

Well, the language is going alright. All the missionaries around here are fluent ha ha. I really have to re-learn everything. It has definitely been really hard, but i am starting to pick it up. Its just cause the Dominicans and Puerto Ricans speak different so its hard to pick up but i love the people here they are way cool, at least the members and the ones we are teaching. When we contact there are some pretty stubborn people. We need to soften their hearts. WOW the food! I have never been fed so much!! So far everyday we have been fed by members and investigators at least twice a day and they just bring on the food like crazy. The food here is great besides one night we were being fed after we helped this lady paint and wow i about threw up she gave us 4 massive tacos and with nasty meat and i had to eat all of it, so ya it was rough! This was after we ate a big meal 30 minutes before.

We do have four baptismal dates, 2 for this Saturday gene(11) Junior(12) then we have 2 next month Cirilo is the only one that is showing up. We are trying to add more and think we can. Also, yesterday we have a new member family with Martha and Hector they got baptized and she wanted us to give her kids baby blessings in sacrament, and Nathanial who is 7 wanted me so I gave him a blessing, it was crazy i had never given one before but like i felt so calm and the spirit just guided me a long it was a good experience for me for sure.

That is so crazy about Chase man i am so excited i could possibly be training him because there are 22 elders leaving in June so who knows i could easily train him. I hope so!!! Also mom ha ha still haven't gotten my sheets who knows whats going on. Ya i have just slept with a little blanket every night and sweats no pillowcase ha ha its all good! no biggy. It's really not that cold. But its all good really don't worry about it.

Well enough of me i hope everything is going good at home. I have no idea what is going on with BYU so keep me posted.

Also here is my address that you can write me at and send letters here

555 Pearl st. apt #102

Reading, PA 19602

Just mail stuff here i will be here for awhile so ya!!! LOVE ALL OF YOU!!!!

"THE BOOK OF MORMON IS SO TRUE ITS BLUE!!" -Elder Burnham

Taylor's first apartment.....

Reading, Pennsylvania (it's the little yellow thumb tack right in the middle)

Safe arrival of our missionary.....

(This is the letter we received from the Mission President after Taylor flew out)

Dear Brother Smart,

This week Sister Schaefermeyer and I have had the thrill of welcoming your son to the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission. He has arrived safely and we have enjoyed becoming acquainted with him.

Yesterday, Elder Smart was assigned his first companion and trainer, Elder Burnham. Below is their address; we invite you to please write or email Elder Smart weekly with positive, uplifting information and experiences to encourage him in his missionary efforts. Your expressions of love and interest in him will not only bless his life here in Philadelphia, but will cement relationships of trust forever. As instructed by the leaders of the Church, we ask that you not telephone or visit Elder Smart during his mission unless I have been informed in advance. He will have my permission to call on Mother’s Day and Christmas. You should feel free to contact Sister Schaefermeyer or me at any time. Email is my preference, but if the need is urgent call the Church operator in Salt Lake (801-240-1000) and they will know how to contact me.

We know the Lord will bless you as He does all who make the necessary sacrifices to allow their loved ones to serve in these great callings. If we can ever be of any service or assistance to you or your son, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for the privilege of serving with Elder Smart.

Best personal regards,

William A. Schaefermeyer

President, Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission

Schaefermeyer email rcoachman@gmail.com

Elder Taylor Shawn Smart

555 Pearl Street, Apt. 102

Reading, PA 19602