Teach Repentance, Baptize Converts

Ola Familia!

     COMO VÃO?  This week has been nothing short of amazing if not miraculous.  It has been full of the most potential and the most disappointment of any week yet on my mission but I wouldn't have had it any other way.  We were blessed to have set up about 10 lessons over the past two days and about half were going to be with a member friend present sadly all of them fell through for one reason or another.  However, we were blessed that the lessons and activities that we had this week were absolutely amazing and some of the most faith promoting experiences I have had.  We were blessed to have the first international missionary training broadcast with some of the greatest talks and Instructions I have seen that have truly blessed us here in our work.  As well as the fulfillment of promises as we had a member call us this week who hasn't been coming to church. She called us and made us promise to take her son to the temple as soon as possible because she remembers how much the church has helped her in her life and wants the same for her son.  We were also blessed this week with an opportunity for skills and Interviews with President and Sister Clayton which is always super cool.  All in all this week was pretty much awesome.  

   Questions

1. How was this week in the mission field?
    Awesome (see above)
2. Who was the favorite person you visited or talked with this week and why?
    The Fs family because they are super prepared and from some Snowball church that I have never heard of.  They love us though so that is super nice.   
3. What was your best teaching moment this week?
    The Fs family 
4. How was skills and interviews? What is that and what did you do for that event?
    Awesome, played jeopardy and had my interview during the only instruction.  Also we talked about the missionary broadcast.  
5. What did you learn this week that helped you the most?
    To Keep Christ's name always on your lips and to have faith.
6. What are your pday plans for today?
    Following Elder Madrigal.  I told him that today he will face his fear and be our navigator using the marvelous TTC to help us get around.  
7. What are you doing for your ESL classes now a days?
    Counting and substitute teaching.
8. How are your investigators? Did you go back and visit with any of the ones you hadn't seen from last transfer?
     We are trying but we haven't visited them for a reason. 
9. How are the members in your ward doing?
     Pretty good,  The R family hasn't been coming a lot recently because of her pregnancy but we are still working with them.  
10. Did you do anything to mark your six months day? or was it just another day for you?

     I went and did missionary work which was pretty cool.  

   That is about it so...

Loves,

Elder Smith

Stepbrothers, Stomping Boots, and Mom's Spaghetti

Oi tudo Bem!

    So this title literally only will make sense to myself and Elder Madrigal but I promise you it is hilarious and we are both laughing super hard right now.  This transfer has started off with a bang and we are loving it.  Elder Madrigal and I pretty much just picked up where we left off in our companionship and it is about as close to serving with your twin brother as you can get without serving with your twin brother.  We have had a pretty rough week as far as missionary work goes just like I was having with Elder Gomez however I am having so much fun with Elder Madrigal and the stress is pretty much gone.  I am loving it.  We have some pretty crazy goals, a plethora of inside jokes and though this transfer is probably going to be super hard I don't think we are ever going to stop smiling!  That is about it for this week though.  Transfers were crazy and I only almost got into like 5 car accidents driving there in the biggest snowstorm we have had yet.  pretty much all of the snow was gone by yesterday though in time for it to snow again today.  

     Anywho! Question time. 

1. Do you have new district or zone leaders, or any new responsibilities in your area? 

We have a new zone leader named Elder Akre who is pretty cool other than that it is all the same in leadership. I am finally free of responsibility.  I am not building manager and I am not training now I just get to work with Elder madrigal and go get it done.

2. Do you get to see any of your friends from previous transfers this time around back in your area?

Many of them didn't leave and those that have no we still don't get to see them all that often maybe at conferences. 

3. How is Elder Madrigal? 

Elder Madrigal is the best.  He is super excited to work and we have a blast doing everything. 

4. What do you and Elder Madrigal have in common?

Nothing much really however we get along super great and we are able to have some super great conversations. 

5. How are you ESL students? 

 I think they are good all I do is count people now.

6. How are your investigators?

 still not meeting with us regularly but we are working on that.

7. Are you currently working with any ward members with temple goals like the family from earlier this month?

not yet.

8. How has your health been?

Fine

9. What are you looking forward to in the coming week?

Skills and Interviews.

10. What are your plans for today?

Shopping

That is all really for this week.  Loves!

Abraco,

Elder Smith

The day that Everything Changed

OI Tudo Bem Familia!

     Well we got transfer calls last night and I was right.  Everything changed.  Elder Gomez and I are getting separated and he is going to go to Portuguese South to be companions with Elder Paul and Elder Madrigal is coming to join me in the North.  Elder Martinez is heading out to Kitchener to join Elder Jesus.  That is only the Portuguese Elders The news is that 90% of the mission changed this transfer and very few people were safe from what went down.  Other than that our week this week was pretty much just full of member appointments.  Our investigators were not able to meet with us this week very much but we were blessed to be able to find a few more anyways.  As well as having some great meal appointments and opportunities to connect with the ward members in this great area.  I am sure that more great things will continue to happen in the following transfer and I am so Excited to be serving with Elder Madrigal Again.  He is an awesome Elder and is super fun to work with.  Sad news is they are taking our car away and giving it to the sisters but that is okay.  It was good while it lasted and we can always work to get it back.  

 As for Questions.

1. What are your pday plans?

Packing and then we are going to probably do some shopping and journal signing for those that are leaving the zone which should be fun.

2. From Michael: What do you do for fun?

 I read the scriptures or I listen to hymns.  I also usually just talk to my companion if I need to have fun.  We really just get most of our joy from being missionaries.

3. How big is your area now that it has been divided North and South? 

We don't have areas in our mission although I really wish that I did.  Instead we just go everywhere and usually end up visiting many of the same people or other aggravating things like that.

4. How are your ESL classes? Did you get a few more people now that the holidays are over?

Yeah we have started getting a few more people now but not as much.  We will see what changes will come as we move into the next transfer.  

5. How are your investigators? 

Few in number and really busy.

6. Do you work with the members often?

We visit members often and teach them doctrinal messages and that is about it.  They don't really connect that to helping the missionaries or being good member missionaries yet but we are working on it.

7. How was the temple visit you were prepping ward members for last week?

apparently it was really nice we were the Portuguese elders that didn't get to go everyone else did so I heard it was good.

8. What was your favorite experience this past week?

The reception after their sealing.  The spirit was super strong and you could see the family literally glowing it was so special.

9. What can we pray for this week to support you?

I don't know?

10. Have you tried any candy specific to Canada? Anything that we should all know about? If not candy any other food?

Not really I don't eat a lot of candy unless you guys send it to me.  We don't have money for that. 

    That is about everything.  I will see you all next week!

Loves,

Elder Smith

Winter is Coming!!!

Christmas 2015

Christmas 2015

New Year's Eve Sleep Over

Oi, tudo Bem Familia,

Well today it is officially cold here in Toronto.  Today we are experiencing a high of 11 below zero Celicius which is pretty cold.  I am kind of wishing that I had a little bit more when it comes to warm clothes because today I am wearing pretty much everything I own.  Really only my face is what feels cold though and that I can't really do much about because of the lack of things that could actually cover the Area in between my eyes.  I am happy though and I am excited for this week.  We had an awesome week and came super close to hitting Standards of Excellence.  Which I guess is a great segue into explaining what the standards of excellence are.  So out in the mission field we do all of our super cool missionary work and then on top of that we are also like part time statisticians.  We count every single thing that we do that hits a Key Indicator ( basically tracks the progress of the people we are teaching and how well our area is doing so that some person who understands it all back at church headquarters can do all the big number crunching.)  Anywho, Standards is what the president wants for every single companionship in the mission to do in every single week and for us it is find 2 new investigators, 2 investigators come to church, 1 new returning member and one returning member at church.  And yesterday we had three of our investigators at church it was awesome!!!!  I was so happy and I loved that some many people were willing to come to church and to progress.  Other than that this week was pretty dull.  We had to be inside on the 31st at 6 but at least we got to have a sleep over with our good friends the Chinese elders, Elder Tam and Elder Hudak .  I love those guys they are super cool.  Other than that it was just a lot of tracting this week and our ESL classes which is always fun.  

 Now for questions.

Questions

1. How's the winter weather treating you?

Well It is really cold but it so far has been a very mild winter.

2. How is Elder Gomez? Are you two getting along pretty well?

Elder Gomez is doing well.  We are still having some troubles getting along as companions however we are getting a lot better and most of our problems are resolving themselves now. 

3. How are your feet? Do you have proper footwear for the weather?

 I am still wearing the same set of dress shoes that I was when I left home for the MTC and they are still doing pretty great for me.  Hasn't been a lot of snow and my feet are only a little cold.

4. Are you expecting any changes this transfer?

Yeah I don't know what is going to happen but I am expecting some changes to come around this transfer not sure exactly what though.

5. How are your investigators doing this week?

Our investigators are doing awesome all 3 that we now have.  All of our other ones have stopped talking to us which is a little annoying. 

6. How about your ESL classes, are they back on a regular schedule now that the holidays are over?

ESL never stopped for the Holidays the only thing is that we haven't been having a lot of people showing up recently.  We are trying to work on that though.

7. Do you have many dinner appointments set for this week? 

We actually do however it depends on what you mean by many... We have at least 3 though which will be nice.  

8.Where do you do your laundry?

Dollar Laundromat on the Corner of Dufferin and Rogers.

9. From Michael- Who is your favorite person to visit? Tell us little bit about them. 

 My favorite person to visit is probably Irmao Andre de Olivera.  He always makes food and it is always a party at his house.

10. From Dad- Did you see any fireworks on New Year's Eve?No in our apartment we can not see the fireworks.

11. Any New Year's resolutions? 

Still no New years resolutions I am actually really bad at those just like I was at home.  So yeah....

That is about everything for this week.  I hope that you all have a good week.

Loves, 

Elder Sam Smith