Here's is something included in most of his letters...
"I have to go now!! tell
everyone to write me! i promise i will write anyone back that writes me!!"
28 January 2013
HEY YA'LL
This last week has been good. We are teaching this guy
D. (Motor cycle guy) and we got to go to the Mesa Temple and visitors center and watch the
Joseph Smith movie. That was way cool and the Mesa Temple was BEAUTIFUL.
D. is really progressing.. After the Joseph Smith movie D. took us out for dinner and
talked to us for like 45 minutes. It was great to talk to him and it looks like
now things will work out.
We cover this one apartment complex. And this one convert, R., reminds me a lot of Bro. Champane from Christian's mission. He is super nice and kind. He reads the scripts all the time. Haha he bore his testimony one Sunday and pretty much made everyone look like bad people. He is talking about the time change for church and his ward meet at 1 now. He says, " I love that church starts later because.....I have more time to read my scripture before church." Everyone thought he was going to say so he could sleep in!! It was so funny.
Man we have been teaching this one couple probably in their mid
20's. They say they believe in the BOM and that Joseph Smith was a
prophet but they don't want to come to church and they don't want to be
baptized. We had this prayer that was like 20 minutes of silence and I
felt the spirit pretty much about to translate me it was so strong but then
they got up and said they didn't feel anything. It was a huge bummer, but
we are doing our best.
Well this week the weather has been really weird I
guess. It rained for about the past 48 hours and everything is puddles.
It has been fun riding bikes...not. I need a rain jacket. Could you get
one like my blue NorthFace but in black and send it to me? I'm not sure what
the size is but the same size as the blue one should work :) thanks Also could
you send me the blue boomerang? that would be something fun to do on Pday
because as of now all we do if cover our hands in hand sanitizer and light ourselves on fire. I don't know if I should be telling you that but don't
worry, no one has got hurt...yet. Oh and another thing could you send me some
more socks? Not like the gold toe ones but like nike ones. They are way better.
Well thank you very much for everything and I hope you guys
can make it down to Provo and BYU wins.
Love you all very much
Elder Marshall Lee Smith
4 February 2013
Hey y'all (that is what Brookelyn would say)
Sounds like it has been an awesome week back home! Too bad
its not as good as being a missionary! Also that's so cool to here
about Hutch and his wife going to the temple! I wish I could go!! This
last week has been good. A little slow because we don't have as many
investigators as we would like but we do have some good ones.
D. is
doing alright. We are
still teaching him. He is super excited to get baptized! We were teaching
a lady named Da. but guess what...NOW WE ARE TEACHING HER WHOLE FAMILY! The
dad was really not fond of us before but last Sunday we went over there with
our Ward Mission Leader and they became like best friends and now everyone is
being taught! Da. had surgery on her back earlier this week and we got the
relief society to take her dinner for a few nights which was absolutely
awesome. Da.'s dad (G.) started crying when he was talking about how
much it meant to him and his family.
Also had this experience as we were
walking around these apts when out of no where I had this idea
that we should go visit D.'s wife(A). So we walked over there and it turned
out she was moving a bunch of stuff into her apt so we got to help. It's
amazing what can happen if you just act on promptings because those are
the thoughts brought about by the spirit.
I love this work so much and miss everyone but not enough to come home!!
Love you all and tell people to write me!!!
Love Elder Smith
11 February 2013
It has probably been one of the best weeks down here in
Gilbert. We had way more lessons than usual and i felt the spirit more
than ever. So we are working with this guy named M. He is living
with his gf and has a lot of stuff to overcome. He says he knows what we teach is true
and he wants to change but doesn't think he can. We are really working with him
and i know that with faith in Christ anything is possible.
So we have been teaching this lady Da. and now we are
teaching her whole family. Her 10 year old son is absolutely incredible.
He has been going around to the kids at his school and is telling them he is
going to be baptized! and then during our lesson he read a scripture and we
asked him what he thinks about what we are teaching and he just said a few
words and then went quiet... then he just started crying, then Da. (his mom)
started crying and it was just so incredible to see the spirit working so
strong. Da. is still reading and praying to find out if it is true but i
think she already knows it. She will have to stop smoking but it is do
able. I'm so excited for the whole family. they came to church yesterday
and loved it. they even stayed for all 3 hours.
D. (the motorcycle guy) is getting baptized on Saturday
the 16. So I'm really excited for that. he just needs to get baptized.
We also got to go to the Mesa temple Wed. morning and that
was AWESOME!!
So yeah this week has been really good. I got some
SWEET pics I'll attach.
LOVE YOU ALL
ELDER SMITH
18 February 2013
Hello World, How goes life on the outside? This week has been soo good. We had a baptism on saturday. D. got baptized. It was really cool. He had a bunch of his high school friends fly in to baptize him from Oregon and all over AZ. D. is a really good guy.
We got transfer calls last
night. Elder Wind is leaving the area and going ZL and so I'm going to
have to take over the area. This will be interesting.... I'm excited to
take over but also a little nervous.
We have another baptism this
weekend. Da.'s son B. is getting baptized. He had been sitting in
on the lessons and then told his mom he wanted to be baptized so we are making
it happen. And then Da. is going to get baptized in March. She is quitting
smoking and really likes church so i am really excited for this family. So
besides that we aren't really teaching anyone.
 |
| and he thought he'd never need to sew... |
Good thing Brennan went with Hayden and Brookelyn to Las Vegas, to make sure things stayed G rated. I
want to send a personal thanks to Brennan. Can you make sure this get to him.
Thanks.
Well we don't have that much time because we are at a members home. I
love you all and thank you so much for the package mom!! It was awesome! I LOVE
THE COCONUT.
Love
Elder Smith 4.0
(Dad was the first, Hayden was 2.0, Christian is 3.0)
Love
Elder Smith 4.0
(Dad was the first, Hayden was 2.0, Christian is 3.0)
25 February 2013
 |
| A nice member in AZ sent this to us! Elder Smith and his new Companion. |
So this is the beginning of a new transfer. Elder Wind is out
and its Elder DeGraw and I working the area. He is from Utah and has been out
like 17 months. He is a good missionary. Works hard and knows his stuff. We
don't really have the same interests except that we are both missionaries. Its
going to be a fine transfer though. I'm pretty flexible to work however so I'm
just going to focus on everything i can control.
We had another baptism this
week. B. (Da.'s son) got baptized on Saturday. It was really cool to see
his face when he came out of the water. Biggest smile i think i have ever seen.
So that was way awesome.
Last night we went and taught this young couple.
They weren't really interested in the spiritual side of church but they really
like how the church does tithing and other stuff like that. And they want to
write down our experiences on a mission and compile a bunch of stuff together.
So their visits will be really interesting.
On Saturday I was on
exchanges with a brand new greenie and we went over to D.'s house because he
wanted a blessing for his leg because it was really hurting him. He asked Elder
R. (who has only been out for 4 days) to give the blessing. It was Elder
R.' first blessing and it was absolutely amazing. I don't think i have ever
felt the spirit so strong just from a blessing. Incredible. So yeah. It was a
good week.
 |
| My good friend Joanna got a text one day w/ this picture attached. |
We are having dinner with one of the Heiden's friends tomorrow
and they are having over an 'eternal investigator' A. J. Joanna told us
to visit her. She has been taught every lesson it seems like twice and knows
the book of Mormon is true and paid tithing for a while and called herself Mormon. I hope something comes from that.
Oh and M.... Yeah him and his
girlfriend broke up and he moved out. Soooooo........... that was a bummer. I
hope he finds missionaries wherever he is and will let them in and help him.
I hope everything is going to be okay with dad's foot. And I
bet the ceiling will be a fun project. I'm glad I'm not home while you are doing
that :)
And to Hayden thanks for writing me. You don't really need to
be sorry for lack of writing because lets be honest, I never wrote you and i
wasnt in college.
The video is for Sis Kozak. I just found it on my camera
earlier this week while i was reminising <spell check) about the good ol'
MTC days
Well i love you all tons!! Let me know about everything that
is going on!
Love
Elder Smith 4.0
