Let's catch up...Baptisms and pictures

So I know, and you will soon know, that my follow thru is pathetic!  So let's catch up on the adventures of Elder Smith in Arizona  (his letters aren't very long, but he always includes pictures!)  -Debbie

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)

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

Desperately seeking mail!

21 January 2013

HEY

So things have been going pretty well.  We serve in Gilbert but live across a main street so technically we live in Mesa.  but the address I gave you is the one that we live at.  That is so exciting to hear about Jake and Tanner and Mason!! I'll keep my eyes out for Tanner!  Um so yeah we cover four wards but all those ward boundaries only cover two square miles.  So the area is really small and the Mormon population is pretty high.  Like every other person we seem to talk to is LDS which makes it kind of hard to contact new people but its all good.  The only problem with all the members is they only talk to their other LDS neighbors so they don't get to know their other neighbors and then they can't refer them or anything which is kind of a bummer.  

We have this one investigator that a bishop got us that is already ready to be baptized.  His date is Feb 2.  He had a really spiritual experience where he crashed his motorcycle in the woods late at night and was stuck under it for ten hours before anyone found him.  He said he remembers this one part where he was all of a sudden really peaceful and everything was like lit up and he said he had never felt so warm and peaceful ever.  And then the guy that found him was LDS and his name was Moroni.  Moroni gave him a blessing and the doctors said that they didnt think he would ever be able to walk again and now he is walking and doing great! So we just have to teach him the lessons and everything then he will be good to go.  Its awesome.  

Well we are at a members home since the library is closed because of MLK.  If I hadn't got to email I would have been really upset. Well I guess just let me know if anything cool or exciting is happening.  

I haven't gotten any mail so tell everyone that I am not happy with them.  

THANKS :) 

Love 

Elder Smith

1st week in AZ...a little chilly

14 January 2012

Elder Wind & Elder Smith

Welllll it has been a fast and slow first week. Sometimes time flies and sometimes it seems as though I'm stuck in time.  Its weird. My trainer is Elder Wind.  He's from SLC area. He has been out for about a year now and is a great missionary and even better trainer.  I have been so blessed to have him help me and guide me in the beginning of this journey.  He's also district leader.  I am serving in the Gilbert 21 area.  I don't know where the Heidens lived but we cover four wards. Durango, Cornerstone, Bridlegate, and Cameron Ranch. All in the Gilbert Highland East Stake.  We don't really have any solid "gators" (investigators) because Elder Winds comp had to go home due to injury so he hasn't been in the area to do any finding. So that's basically what we have been doing this last week.  Talking to everyone we see and trying to set up appointments.  We have taught a few lessons but we never seem to get a return appt which is a real bum deal. Also its a bum deal because the weather has been record cold this last week.  Like last night we were riding home in 25 degrees.  Its been pretty chilly.  Luckily on of the ward mission leaders is a glove manufacturer so he hooked me up real nice like.  

Elder Kelley & Elder Smith

They call me Biggy Shawty on the block because I roll so fly on my brand new Trek 3700 which is a beaut.  Decked out with front and rear lights for saftey....AWWW YEAAAHHHHH. Lookin' Goodddd :) Its a really nice bike. 

I got "anti'd" as they call it.  I went up to this guy and started talking to him and he asked me if I had seen God.  Then it just went to a stupid conversation and I felt like I was trying to debate something with Kip.... so you know that conversation was going no where.  But the members down here are so nice.  

We get fed every night and last night we had big ol' fatty steaks and they were the bestttttttttt, and the night before I was on exchanges with Elder Dolney and some members took us out to eat. Also after Zone teaching on Tuesday a few elders and I went to Wendy's and some lady paid for all of us it was so nice of her.  But we live in an apartment with Elder Dolney and Elder Perez, they are the zone leaders.  Elder Perez is from Spain and has a funny accent.  He also just got dear john-ed on Monday and said he wants Kayla to write him so make sure she gets word of that. 

So overall its been a great week.  I love just getting out and talking to everyone.

Well I love you all and miss you!!

Love
Elder Smith

First Area- Gilbert AZ

Just arriving to the Arizona Tempe Mission

9 January 2013

We received this email and pictures from the mission office yesterday.

Dear Brother and Sister Smith,

We wanted to let you know that your wonderful son arrived safely and looks great.  Attached you will find two pictures that we thought you might enjoy having: one is your missionary, and the other one is group of missionaries he arrived with to the Arizona Tempe Mission.

His address to send his mail and packages is: 2659 E. Desert Lane, Gilbert, AZ  85234

We are so pleased to have Elder Smith serving in this wonderful mission.  If you have any questions or if there is anything we can assist you with, please feel free to contact us anytime. 

Mission Pres and his lovely wife with the 13 missionaries that arrived with Elder Smith.

Last P-Day in the MTC and some fun pics

Getting in shape for the mission field.  He's going to be riding his new bike, ALOT!!

Doing the laundry...

5 January 2012

 Heyyyy

Our pday got moved to today because we had in field orientation yesterday! it was cool and we learned a lot about working with the ward and referrals and stuff.  It was cool.  And we got taught by some of the elders and sisters from the district.  So that was kind of cool. 

We fly out Monday morning like super early. Its exciting but also nerve racking.  I'm gonna miss everyone from my district but hopefully I'll get to see some of them over the next two years.  Um this week has been very similar to the last week.  Lots of free study time and lots of class time.  I lose track of the days because they all seem the same and all mesh together.  We didn't get to host any new missionaries but we got a new district in our zone.  I haven't really talked to any of them because they are in the rooms at the other end of the hall and they are all weird. Just kiddin'!  Elder K. has been talking in his sleep alot and its really weird and scary.  That is one thing i wont miss when we head to AZ. We get to go do a temple session today so I'm excited for that.  Everyone says the Provo temple is soo sick so I'm excited. And we have our last gym time today so that's poop-E.  Gym time is like the best time of the day, right behind studying for 6 hours and classroom instruction for another 6 hours.  I never get tired of that wonderful stuff.   

Well hopefully I'll have more to say once I get down to AZ!!  Love you and miss you all!!!!

Love

Elder Smith

With his Zone Leaders.  

So cool!  He's going to need those sunglasses where he's going! I love how his ties are all hung up nicely!

The District and their wonderful teachers!