Hace Colour!!

Well hey everyone,

How is everyone doing? I heard it is raining like crazy in Utah! Man its the opposite here. It is starting to get very hot and, No it is not fun to react in! Its been in the upper 90's and we have had to walk a little more lately because we don't have very many miles that we can drive. But tomorrow is the start of the new month so we get to start our miles over again. But on Sunday we got stranded in a trailer park for 4 hours which was like 20 minutes from our house without our car. We tracted in that heat for 4 hours I was dying luckily we had a member who lived there who gave up water, but we couldn't go in because there was no male in the house. So that's a tough rule but we have to follow. But ya it was killer it was like almost a 100 degrees. I kind of just lost it it was a really frustrating situation.

Well the next time that i will be writing you guys will be with a new companion. I am kind of nervous to see who I get. Just cause i want someone really good and chill because I am taking over this huge area and it could be tough at times. But we will see what happens. I am sure it will work out and be fine. Elder Spear has been a good companion, he is a great missionary and works really hard. He did sprain his ankle pretty bad yesterday, playing basketball. But he is doing all good now. He said he wants to meet you guys when he gets home so just be aware. Well hmmm I just don't know what to write about.

Well we did have like the most spiritual lesson ever this week!!! So i think I have told all of you about our investigator named Jacob the husband of one of our members. So we went in and we just talked about the Restoration and he really kind of got it. But the problem is his dad is like a minister in another church but he just doesn't want to deviate from that way. But we watched the Joseph Smith Movie he was like crying and after he said the prayer and just like begged to know the truth it was so awesome. We just need to get him to church he didn't come this last week. But him and his wife are reading and praying together that home is just growing sooo much. Its good to be out here I am growing sooo much and becoming a much better person its so crazy how much you learn out here.

But My Spanish is improving a lot. The thing that is really helping is talking a lot to the members and just having fun with them because then you say what they say and expand your vocabulary. That is something that is really working well for me. I love speaking Spanish though its so cool to communicate with someone in their own language. I never thought i would get to this point and actually speak to people.

Well Love you all,

Elder Smart

Happy Holiday!!!

We are still here.....

Hey Everyone!!!

How is everyone doing this week? How did last week go? I hope all is well. There is good news that we are still here and the world hasn't ended. haha That was something huge around here and so many people kept asking us, we just laughed. Was it big there to in Utah?

Well this week for sure had its ups and downs. It has been pretty hard this transfer I just haven't had as much fun and missionary work should always be fun. But its all good, I was able to go on an exchange which I for sure needed with Elder Gallego. It was fun and I learned a lot from him. Ha ha... the nice thing was being able to talk to him about the girlfriend situation it's finally nice to know someone that knows how I feel and what not, and how we want it all to work out. But we got time ha ha.. so ya. But really he taught me how to be a better missionary for sure. He told me I needed to have more fun, and also to be more straight up with my companion, so i have definitely started to do that.

But this weekends was hard on me I just got really down on myself with just something, and just really wasn't myself, but I decided to fast on Saturday. That helped out so much for me and trust me I have spent a lot of time on my knees this weekend. I really have a true testimony now about prayer. To be honest, I was horrible with praying before the mission and just felt like going through the motions when I did take time to say one. But I have been so comforted and strengthened through the power of prayer.

I have seen it happen in our investigators lives too, now that i have converted myself to the power of prayer I can truly testify to them how important it is. It is usually the first commitment we try to leave with them because the first need to get an answer if what we are saying is true. I have a cool story about that. So a few weeks back I told you about the investigator Jacob who is the 'Husband" of one of our less actives Araseli. So we taught him this week and they have been praying together. He todl us that he has seen a major change in himself. Their relationship has grown sooo much and I am able to actually feel the spirit in that home. They are now going to get married too!! They realized that they are living in a big sin not being married and having kids. So they are planning to do that so that is so awesome. Man I can't wait to see what happens with that family. I love that family they are so awesome.

Well I love you all. Oh by the way, I like shaved my head its pretty darn short but so dang nice. People have asked if I was ever in the Army or anything, so i guess it makes me look tougher so that's good!! Ha ha, well ya, I will be sending pictures home next week and i am trying to put a few more on my Facebook for you guys to see. Well I love you all!! Stay strong keep going with prayer because it will keep you away from all the temptations there are.

Elder Smart

Elder Smart on Facebook

(A note from his Mom: They are now allowing the Elder's to have a Facebook account to keep in touch with investigator's. Since he hasn't sent us any photo's home since the MTC, I am posting the ones he has put up on his FB. Hey, it's something, right?)

Week 3, Newark, Deleware

Hey how is everyone doing this week? This week was a little bit better than the last, that's for sure. I just had a little case of Homesickness, no biggie, the week before. But all is well now. It just crazy being out here, I am super lucky to be out here and to have my family and me receiving many blessings. I love my family i just want to let you all know that there are such a blessing in my life and the chance that i have to have them support me during these two years and to just grow into a better person.

So something that has been really hard this transfer is getting members out with us we really have had like not much success which has been frustrating, especially since last transfer they had 9 baptisms here in the branch between the two companionship's. The key is the members here and getting referrals and member support and that has been lacking. We had a good chat with the Branch President and is getting the whole ward to work with us now and we have people start coming out with us. That is a big part since we have like a limited amount of miles and it is impossible to stay in the limit without members. But things are starting to change we have been upfront with the ward and things are really starting to get better. I really can see the importance of working with members now and the many benefits and success come from working with the members. No wonder it is in Preach my Gospel.

Well just love all of you guys. I know a mission is super important and also being able to say that i am a worthy priesthood holder. I have had two great examples of how to do that with my Dads. They have been great examples for me and even though at times i didn't exactly listen they now are making a huge impact in my life and I can see the man that i want to develop into. And the only way is through a mission. There are so many lessons that i am learning out here. First off is hard work man I feel tired 24/7 that is coming from hard work though. Also how to budget my money with a short amount of money supply i got to budget it well. There are just so many that i am learning i cannot list them all. But i love this gospel and it truly does change lives. Always follow the spirit that has been a big one. It is very hard at times but we had to listen to that still small voice and act on the prompting he gives us. I love you all!!

Elder Smart

Google Earth images of Taylor's Newark, Delaware apartment

Mother's day CASI! Week 2, Newark, Delaware

Hey how is everyone doing this week? I just got news that Bin Laden was killed, finally! That's crazy, the world is crazy! All is good here in Delaware, besides the allergies, man they are no fun especially when your eyes get all red and swollen ha ha. I had a guy make a comment about that yesterday when we were in the "ghetto" part of this town and there were all these black guys chillin outside and we went up to this guy and introduced ourselves. He was like "man why are your eyes so red? aawwwhh man you have been smokin' Marijuana huh? Ha ha, I was like nahh it's just allergies. I wouldn't do that. Look at my name tag and who I represent. Ha ha, it was funny. So ya, I hope all of you are doing well! I don't have much to say other than Happy Mothers day next week. I am excited I get to call home and talk to my family it will be weird talking to them but I am super excited to hear what they have to say.

So this week was just like a kickback kind of week. Well not really,actually we still worked our rear ends off!! I don't think you guys know what being spiritually and physically tired is. It hit me this week. I was so tired at nights! But the kickback part was just kinda learning the area and the people who are here. So he ran most of the show this week but we had some awesome lessons. It's going to be a good transfer. We are shooting for 5 baptisms this transfer and believe that we can do it! But this area is so big compared to the last one. We are allowed to drive 1300 miles throughout the month. Last month we ran out like a week early its going to be hard to manage. That's how big the area is. It covers like 3 English areas. It's big.

So, I want to tell you about this lesson we taught this week. It is this less active lady named Aroseli. The only reason she is inactive is because she works Sundays. So when we got there, she told us that she was applying for a different job so she can go to church on Sundays. Then we began to teach her. We talked about her husband who has been really against the missionaries and has never ever listened while they were there. His name is Jacob. So we were talking to her for a little while and talking about praying for her husband. He will make little steps and accept us one day. All of a sudden out of no where he comes in and sat down. We immediately began to start talking to him about charity and some other things and the importance of prayer, especially as a family. So after we had finished the lesson we asked him who he would like to say the prayer since he was a the man of the house. He DID IT!! It was amazing for his little girls and the wife to see. After he finished I looked at the wife and she was crying it was so amazing we just smiled she was so happy and it was just a great experience. We get to go back and teach him on Thursday. The spirit is so real man it was definitely there I loved it.

I love all of you and am thankful for the examples you have given me in my life. I am so happy I am on a mission and serving the lord! The Book of Mormon is so true it's Blue always remember that!

Love

Elder Smart