Week 11: Bridgeton, NJ

Hey everyone how is everything going? Sorry for the delay but we had the chance to go to Philly yesterday so we went! It was way good wegot to go and see a few sites and what not! It was 6 of us and 2Mexicans walking down the streets of Philly. We went to love park andwent to the Rocky stairs and walked around. Met up with Elder Lindsleyfor a minute and stuff. Then we went to Gooie Looies and ate some waygood cheese steaks it was way good! then we went to the stadiums andjust cause we are cool i guess we got to go inside the stadiums andlook at them it was cool! Well there is nothing to say just cause ididn't have time to write yesterday! all is good here in Bridgeton,besides its hot and we still have to wear our jackets its no thefunnest thing! But love you all have a good old week! take care have agood week and here are some pics for you guys!

Week 10: Bridgeton, New Jersey

Hey everyone! How is everything going there in Utah or wherever you might be? I heard it snowed.  Lucky you guys.  Really we got nothing here and the weather has been off and on here. i think that's what got me sick this last week, man i was sick as a dog but it wasn't stopping me from doing the Lords work.  i knew he would bless me for my effort and he sure did! We had a great week this last week.  I was so grateful! So we have this 18 year old girl that we are teaching that has been hard to set a baptismal date with and she knows that it is all true just, but is scared to be baptized i guess.  But we committed her and she accepted a date this week for the first of April.  I was excited! Then we have a older guy named Rosendo that has a date for the 25th of this month he comes to church every week and knows that this church is true and loves the book of Mormon.  He is progressing slowly but surely and also the other date is hard to get to church but he is slowly getting there. We had a great lesson with him this week that really helped him see the importance of reading the book of Mormon so the next step is getting him to church.  But also we were struggling till Friday and that's when i felt the worst and then things just took of we got 8 new investigators and 10 member presents just in 3 days which that doesn't happen here and we had people that are just ready like w met like a family that we are trying to teach that have a lot of potential that i am really excited for! Also we had a great family night last night with some active members the Pedrazas coolest and nicest people ever they feed us almost everyday they really are strong members but we just felt the spirit way strong in that house. Especially after the lesson we had earlier yesterday. So here is what happened we set up an appointment with this lady that asked us to come over so we did then we were just chilled for a little bit talking it was kinda weird then all of a sudden in walks 5 seventh day of Venice people, and i was like uh oh here we go! and we started the lesson and it went alright for like 5 minutes then they started to attack! And my companion didn't really understand anything so i was taking all the hit and they were trying to whip out all of these scriptures and it was bad, i just told them i have received an answer from god.   There was no point for us to be there, so i grabbed my backpack and walked out of the house and i went to shake their hands and they wouldn't.   I was disappointed but just walked out.  Really, it sounded good but you can tell from the way the people treated me that's not gods work! I don't know, that was just an experience i had yesterday! Well all is good we are having a good time.  I love this work.   Everyone be safe have a good day and god speed! A scripture that really hit me this week was D&C 35:13 i really love it look it up and you'll know what I'm talking about being a missionary! WEll, love you all be safe have fun! 


Peace
 Elder Smart

Week 9: Bridgton, New Jersey

Everything is going good here.  This weekend was really crazy and soooo good! So one of the Elders in our district had to get his appendix taken out so the other side of Bridgeton one of them went with another elder so 3 of us covered 2 areas on foot it was a lot of work but it was way good we had some good lessons. Then we had a wedding we had to be to with a recent convert getting married also the other elders had a baptism so we went to it! We are super good friends with her she is amazing and is going to be an amazing member! I am so excited for her! It was cool cause her boyfriend is a member and is getting ready to go on a mission it was a cool experience for him. We actually surprised her and sang one of her favorite songs at the baptism it was sooo good! Not gonna lit my voice is getting good haha! She cried we also had 5 investigators there at the baptism it was soo good for them to see it! i hope we can baptize them this transfer or while i am here at least! I have gained a huge love and respect for the people her i will defend my illegal Mexicans haha! Its been really fun! i love it Thanks for all you do i don't have anything specific that i need! All is good! maybe just some drink mixes haha well thanks mom! have a good week i wont be sending a big email this week if you could just send part of this to people! we gotta run home from here haha! We went and ate at that Butch guy's house this morning and did laundry and what not! and we might go bowling later on today with the girl that got baptized yesterday!Te amo! cuidate!


Elder Smart

Week 8: Bridgetone, New Jersy

Well didn't have time today but want to send you all a pic!

Week 7: Bridgeton, New Jersey

Hey everyone! how was the week? what did you guys do? well things were a little slow here but it was good! We had some fun! There is not much to talk about lately i promise these next two transfers i will talk a little more cause we are going to work our butts off! Well I AM TRAINING again ha ha crazy i guess president has a lot of trust in me which is crazy with the way our area is going. But ya there is only one Spanish elder coming in and he is the one who wants me to train him i am pretty stoked. Just cause we talked to a return missionary in our branch for like 2 hours yesterday he went to Mexico and had a ton of success! It was cool he gave us so many suggestions one thing i am going to do is just build up our teaching pool! We really don't have a lot of people to teach and what not! but i am going to work really hard with my new missionary coming in its going to be awesome! 


Well my attitude has kinda changed i was just real down on myself but i just accepted my faults and realized i can change and i am going to do work this transfer and BAPTIZE!! its exciting we got permission to start on the re construction of the bank the church bought that we are making into a chapel! it will be done in 60 days it will really help out the work here. 


 Well also everyone is getting sick here! and it actually snowed here and has been cold its been really fun to walk in ha ha but luckily i haven't caught it! so good news there! Well, I wish everyone a happy valentines and i love you all your all such a big influence in my life and your all my valentine this year since i cant have really one till next year ha ha! well love you all be safe have a good week!

Week 6: Bridgeton, New Jersey

Hey everyone! how is everything going? Well i guess i heard the Giants won the super bowl cool cool, really don't care about the NFL but maybe there is a Coug on the team! well its crazy that this transfer is already almost over! 


 WEll to talk about the week not going to lie its been way rough and has kinda sucked! But there is nothing we can do about it but keep trying to work hard and find new people to teach and find those that are prepared! But just like yesterday so we were teaching a girl named blanca her boyfriend is a less active and she is 20 and has 2 kids but she really had a desire to change and really wanted to be baptised we just had to get her to church and also to get them married. But yesterday the boyfriend Javier came to church and she didn't so we asked where she was but he told us that she wouldn't be with us for awhile. They separated and she went to Pennsylvania we don't know what happened but i don't think she has plans to return anytime soon. She was our only baptismal date that we had. Cause our other one like 2 weeks ago told us that he cant continue cause his wife wouldn't let him. So its been super frustrating we don't have a ton of people to teach and no one really has time. We have walked so much trying to talk to as many people as possible and pass by formers and potentials and just nothing! But there is nothing we can do about it. And its just kinda frustrating getting this far into my mission and really haven't had a baptism yet! It constantly makes me re-evaluate and try to change think of new ways and things i can do better at and i don't know its disappointing but i gotta keep my head up and work as hard as i can and the Lord will prepare a way! also one of the old ladies in our ward got taken to the hospital during church and she has like 1% chance of living its pretty sad she was the sweetest lady! 


 But all is good! i still love my mission i am changing as a person maybe that's what God wants i guess. But i know i will baptise someone cause it says in my patriarchal blessing. But all is good thanks for all the love and support you show me everyday i can definitely feel your prayers. I love you all be safe and have a good week. Elder Smart

Week 5: Bridgeton, New Jersey

Whats good! Well this week was pretty darn good! it was hard but good we really haven't had the best weeks lately teaching a lot but i feel we are having good meaningful lessons! WE had a cool experience this week we had set up a return appointment with a former investigator that was being taught like 2 years ago, has been taught like everything. So we went back and when we first got there he just went off like why he didn't continue meeting with is and said like he figured out he needed to do everything on his own and all this stuff. He went into the other room to help kid for a minute and me and Elder Rogers just looked at each other like what the heck are we going to teach where should we take this. We just sat and listened and prayed in our hears. I don't remember what we said but something changed and he just stated smiling when we talked about Prophets and what not. I just got so happy its something you cant describe and he wanted to learn the right way to pray and wanted a Book of Mormon to read it was way cool. We have another appointment tomorrow i hope he has read and prayed but it was a really cool experience. Like really the most spirit guided lesson i have had on my mission. And it was in a time when i needed it cause i was getting frustrated and just started missing people the Lord definitely has his ways! Then i broke my record with people at church this last week we ended up having 7 people at church it was way tight! i was so happy and we got Blanca she is 20 and has two kids and her boyfriend is a less active and she has a strong desire to baptized we are going to work hard with her, we are playing soccer with them tonight. But man it was a good weekend especially after just having things go through my head and ya you know I'm talking about but i love this work, its so worth it and i have the best people supporting me like my parents and Ellie and everyone of my friends and family i love you all! be safe have a good week! Book of Mormon is so true its blue!

Week 4: Brigeton, NJ

Hey everyone! all is good here. Don't have much to say today just this week was a little slower but we had some great lessons and had 3 people come to church! I was able to have an interview with President this week it was super good! He really is the coolest nicest guy, i am glad i am not a burden for him. This week we also received snow finally but now its all gone cause the rain wiped it put, but it has been freezing here, we have been trying to keep warm its not easy ha ha. We also went to a Pentecostal church last night it was nuts! they were yelling in their prayers, playing loud music shouting ha ha made me realize yup their was an apostasy because this is so far away from what Christ would have established. I am so thankful we have the restored truth on the earth it really does bless lives there is not a single thing more important than this work! Its truly amazing. My goal is really tor endure to the end i never will go inactive there is no way! My goal is the temple there is no other thing that really is so important to take my future wife there to be have our family sealed together forever. But right now i gotta try to invite all the people i can to come and receive these same blessings and get them to the temple! Love you all your amazing thanks for all the love and support! 


Elder Smart

Week 3: Bridgeton, New Jersey

Hey everyone!! How was the week? everything is good here its been cold
and not fun to walk in but its been all good.

I actually had a zone conference i went to Tuesday and Wednesday it was super good i learned a ton and it kinda gave me some more motivation to just go out there and work! i am trying to just trust in the lord and lead us wherever we need to go here.


We also had some crazy experiences this last week! Well first off i got kissed on the cheek by this old drunk lady that doesn't have any teeth! She is the mom of one of our investigators, we got out of the house as soon as possible haha. Then also last night one of the locals that we see started yelling and swearing and freaking out at us! some of the things that came out of that mouth were horrible! he was drunk too! Also some drunk guys started crying in front of us and he wouldn't let us leave. We went to a seventh day of dentist church we got starred and bad looks the entire time. ha ha just to many to name off
but it has been good. I love the mission everything is going good. We are seeing a lot of success here and we are moving little by little! but i hope to get a baptism in this area. We have some way cool members. We get free food at a restaurant its awesome. Well oh ya its pretty tiring too ha ha but worth it i fell asleep in a lesson 2 nights ago we had walked around all day and found nothing and i just was out my companion laughing woke me up i felt bad. But i love it nothing better! love you all miss you a ton! be safe have fun and do what's right!






Peace
Elder Smart

Finally more pics from the field!!

Here is little birthday party they had for him..