Deja Vu???? Que locura e isso???

Ola Familia!
   Tudo Bem familia!!! Well it is just proof that everyone is losing their minds.  We got transfer news last night and I am going back to Kitchener!!!!!!!!  Elder Martinez and I are going to be companions again.  It is the exact same as two transfers ago.  I am so excited to go back and see all the old gang as well as to return to Portuguese work.  It has been harder to practice out here, however, it has been great to see all the blessings that the Lord has been preparing with all of the members and investigators here in the Newmarket Area!  
   We were truly blessed with our investigators coming to church and developing a great desire to come and make covenants with the Lord. It was truly humbling as we were able to meet with our investigator C and invite her to be baptized. We were able to set her with a date and were able to set some goals to get her prepared to meet that date. We had such a powerful lesson with her on Sunday before church. We had one of the members of the Bishopric come and teach her with us. It was so great to hear at the end of the lesson as she was testifying to us about how she has felt the spirit touch her as she has come to learn about the gospel. It is so cool!!!!! As for everything else we are doing well here in our area. It is a little sad to be leaving because it has been so much fun to serve here and I have met so many great people here. It will be great to go back into Portuguese work though.

   Other than that it has been great.  This week we were going through the Ward list and found a Brazilian family as well it was great!!! Sadly we are leaving them all behind.  But that is how it happens. 

On to some questions...

1. What was the most exciting even of your past week?

Finding the Brazilians

2. What happened this week in your ESL classes?

Not much. 

3. How are the members in your area?

Awesome.  I love the Newmarket Ward. 

4. Did you go on exchanges this past week? If yes, Who? Where?

Yes like I said Elder Shepherd and Midland.

5. How are the investigators this week?

Absolutely fantabulous. 

6. What are you planning to do for your pday?

Journal signing and a lot of Packing. 

7. Transfers? 

See above. 

8. What was church like for you on Sunday?

Exciting and Sad at the same time.  I will miss the ward a lot. 

9. Have you had much use for your non English language skills lately?

Yeah quite a bit. 

10. What are you looking forward to this week in your mission?

Exchanges and a visit from Elder Ballard. 

Loves,

Elder Smith

Erguer-se e brilhar!

Ola familia tudo bem?

Como ta indo familía? Tudo Joia com vocês?  It has been another great week here in Newmarket and it is crazy how fast time flies.  It is already week twelve here and I can't figure out where the time has gone.  This week has been super good with the amount of new investigators that we are finding and the fact that we are actually seeing our investigators come to church and preparing themselves to walk the covenant pathway and to be baptized.  It is an exciting time to be here and it has been great to see the blessings that have been pouring down from on high.  

   This week we were able to see C come to church.  She is an investigator that we met last week and invited to church but she couldn't come.  She is going through so many trials and the adversary is working with her and she suffers from a lot of physical and mental ailments.  She knows the gospel is true though and has a desire to be baptized.  She is so sweet and we are so happy to be able to help her progress forward to making covenants with the father and receiving all of the blessings He has in store for her. 

   Other than that it was just a week full of hard work and full of the spirit.  It was great.  This week we had our monthly Zone council.  This month the main instruction was on the Book of Mormon and the importance that it has in our lives and in the lives of all those that we work with and that we are able to help learn more about their relationship to their Savior Jesus Christ. I love the Book of Mormon.  I know that I wasn't the best about reading it or really appreciating it.  I know that I cannot live with out reading the book of Mormon. I know that it is true for I have read it.  I have prayed and it has been given to me to know that it is the word of God. I know that you can take any question or doubt into this book and the spirit will reveal all things unto you.  It was electrifying to be in that meeting and I am so grateful for the testimony that I have. 

On to some questions...

1. How was your week?

It was pretty great.  No complaints

2. What did you do in your ESL classes this week?

Well we didn't have as many students but this week they studied how to take public transit. 

3.. How are things with your investigators? Anyone at church this week?

Yeah C and the Investigators are doing great!!

4. What are you going to do for pday?

Bake cookies and then we are painting a deck.  It is C's Birthday so we are going to give her the cookies. 

5. What are you looking forward to this week?

We have food!!!!!!

6.Who did you do exchanges with last week, and what area did you spend the day in?

We ended up not doing them but we are going to this week.  It is with Elder Shepherd, most recently from Spanish Fork, and we will be in Midland. 

7. What new scenic gems or historic sites, or lovely restaurants have you discovered while serving in Newmarket?

Not much really.  There is just a lot of fun stuff to do at like members houses or things like that. 

8. What are you studying this week that you may like to share with us?

Well this week I finished the Book of Mormon on the topic of Faith it was great.  I was able to renew my testimony of the Book of Mormon and I am so glad for all of the blessings that I have seen it bring to my life as well as the lives of all the people that I have met out here. 

9. Back to school time is coming, what is your favorite thing about back to school time of year?  

Going back to school.  Reconnecting with friends and just the crazy things that would happen through out the school year.

10.What type of Pokemon is Flareon most likely to defeat? (Michael wants to know)  Any weaker Grass type. Flareon can do work against other mons that aren't as fast as him.  HE is also better as a physical attacker so might not be the best Idea to try and take down any bulky steel types.  

Well loves,

Elder Smith

Milagres São Reais Quando se Crer

Ola Familia Tudo Bem?

   Well it has been another great week although a little warm. It has been great up here in Newmarket and we have seen some pretty cool miracles this week. We were able to finally teach a media referral that we received over 6 months ago. She is super prepared! She asked us what she had to do to become a member of our church because that is what she wants and then she just has tons of questions about things she has read and heard on LDS.org and from all of her Mormon friends. The spirit was so strong when we were teaching her. She has some struggles that she will need to overcome but so far she is doing really well. This week we also were blessed to have an investigator at church. We haven't been able to get in contact with this investigators since we met her and delivered her Book of Mormon she requested and then on our way to Ward Council Sunday Morning she called us and asked if she could come to church. She still has a while to go to understand a lot of things but she has a sincere desire to learn and to seek truth so that is excellent.

  As for us, Elder Davis and I are doing well still doing a lot of finding and a lot of walking around but it is good. Keeps us in shape eh? It is all good though reminds me of the Toronto and Kitchener days where we walked everywhere. Other than that we are just going around talking to everyone we meet more often then not about pokemon and then trying to find people that want to talk about God and not Pokemon all in all it is a vicious cycle but we are finding those that are prepared which is great.  

As for Questions.

1. Who is currently serving in your district with you? Also what about your zone?

Our district is Elder Shepherd, Elder McDougal, Elder Davis, Myself, Sister Osman, Sister Allred, Elder Taylor, Elder Tuahivaatatonahiti, and the Fenske's.  The zone also includes; Hermanas Meyer, Rowley, and Pereira, Sisters Leishman, and Cliften, Sisters Johnson and Nabhan, Elders Bliss and Godfrey, Elders Ryan and Olson, and Sister Gilles and Stutler. 

2. How are your investigators doing this week?

Very well

3. Is your exercise program getting any easier for you or Elder Davis?

Yes now we are moving heavy things in the morning and rearranging the apartment. 

4. How is ESL going?

Pretty well we are up to 12 students enrolled in the program.

5. What are your plans for pday?

picking up chinese food.  Buying sunglasses and then going to a members house. 

6 What did you do to celebrate August Long weekend, Monday holiday yesterday? 

We walked all over the place and went to Buffalo Wild Wings. 

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

Meeting with our progressing investigators and going on exchanges. 

8. What are you currently studying?

I finished the Book of Mormon in the Book of Mormon today as I am going through studying Faith as a priniciple of power.  Lots of good things in there it is all part of a bigger study of Christlike attributes and how living the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings us closer to him. 

9. Did you have anything embarrassing or funny happen last week?

Always however I can't really remember specifics.  There are just too many,  We always have something to laugh about between my impeccable ability to lose my balance or to just be hilarious it is easy.  Also a lot of the members here are pretty funny as well. 

10. How has being a Pokemon master helped you in your mission? (You mentioned this last week, and several people asked me for more info...)

Well with the release of Pokemon Go there has been a significant increase in the amount of people outside and this has lead to an increase in the amount of people we talk to however most of them want nothing to do with God but will talk for hours about Pokemon.  

Yeah that is about it.  I wish you all good luck in life and want to testify to you that I know that Miracles are real and they happen everyday.  I have learned to appreciate even the smallest miracles for what they are.  It is not always something grandiose but it is the little things.  The way that you can brighten someone's day.  When some one calls and says hey I have a cake for you and even though you hate cake you haven't eaten all day and that cake is the only food you have and so it becomes dinner.  Our Heavenly Father Loves and cares for all of us and will always take care of you.  

Loves,

Elder Smith

The aftershocks.

Ola Familia!

   Well this week has been full of a lot of settling down from last week. This week our work settled down to a normal pace after last weeks whirlwind. This week also saw the rise and fall of the craze of Pokemon Go as it released in Canada last Sunday, and it has been all that anyone on the street has been doing.  I never thought that 14 years of training to be a Pokemon master would ever help me on my mission.  I think the Lord has been preparing me from my youth.  Other than that it has been a good week.  We were able to meet with most of the investigators we found last week again and if we couldn't it is because they were grounded or we are meeting with them this week.  

   Other than that the only real concern has been trying not to melt in the heat up here.  It has been above 30 degrees Celsius every day for the past week and we have been doing a lot of walking and putting up flyers for our English classes.  It is okay though because I went and bought a Water Bottle a few weeks ago on a prompting and now it is my best friend.  

  Well there hasn't been much else this week so I guess on to questions. 

1. How was your week?

Busy and All over the place, the Hermana's car was in the shop this week so we were ferrying them around with us sometimes.  It is good though helps you get to know someone when there are five of you all in a car together.  Now we are all pretty good friends. 

2. Do they do any pioneer stuff  at church in Canada to celebrate our crazy holiday here in Utah? 

Nope.  Didn't even mention it.  We got one Happy Pioneer Day but it was from a member visiting from East Millcreek in Salt Lake.

3. What was the funniest thing that happened to you during the week?

Listening to Elder Davis try to breath after we went running.

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

This week we have some good appointments set up as well one of the young couples is going to be feeding us because the inlaws are in town and we are excited for that one. 

5. What are you doing for exercise these days?

Running.  Elder Davis is severely out of shape.

6. What are your plans for pday?

We are hanging out with the Hermanas and playing frisbee and stuff. 

7. How are your investigators?

Doing well.  The Sq are really moving along and now the husband is trying to encourage his less active wife to go to her church as well as he is starting to gain a witness that the things that we are teaching are true. 

8. What is happening with your ESL classes?

We got two more new students this week so that is super cool. 

9. Are you keeping up your language skills?

I hope so. 

10.. What is the greatest memory or story you have from year one of your mission?

I can't choose one. I think the greatest thing about my mission so far is the ability that is there to learn and to grow.  I have felt how much the Lord loves his children and strive to live worthy to feel that love and to be the means of shining that into the lives of those we meet. 

  Well that is it 

Loves,

Elder Smith.

Editor's note: I asked for some photos, the attached three photos are what he sent.

Wedding bells and War!

Ola Familia!

  Well this week has been super interesting.  We have seen some ups and downs as  usual, however this week we have been greatly blessed by the lord.  It has strengthened my testimony immensly that as we are anxiously engaged in a good cause that the little miracles will happen and those will add up to making large differences.  

   This week just started out great with a visit to our recent converts.  There mother is in Russia right now working on some paperwork and getting some treatments done.  It was super cool though because we were able to teach not only them but also their brother who is not a member!  We are now working with the ward to get some more activities for the kids to get them out of the house and active in the day.

  In other news we also were able to go and meet our Mission President this week.  He was so cool and it was so inspiring to meet him.  I loved President Clayton and was quite shocked when he was called however, I know that President Shields is called of God.  He went through the war chapters of the book of mormon with us which are some of my favorites.  It got me so pumped and then in my interview it was so much fun to talk to him and to get his insights on how we can best work with the less active and active YSA in our unit and the blessings that he promised us for doing so. 

  As for the wedding it was happy however it is one of the weirdest experiences of my life.  It was the wedding of one of the returning members in our ward and his wife from Hamilton.  It was a very different experience than any other wedding I had been to.  Sufficeth to say that I am so thankful for the gospel and the ability we have to be sealed for time and all eternity and the spirituality that is present in even the simple things.  

   Questions.

1. What are your p day plans?
We did some shopping for our bake sale on Saturday and are going to go play pool soon.
2. How are your investigators?
Good. We found 5 new ones this week. Most in the Zone the Lord has truly been blessing us. 

3. What service did you complete this week?
We trimmed some trees and did some weeding for my Nona.
4. What's going on with your ESL assignment?
We are Kiling it we have a class of about 5 students and are working on bringing in even more of them.  
5. How is the weather? Did the a/c unit get fixed in your apartment?
Weather is in flux. had some cold days last week. 
6. What are you looking forward to this week?
We are set to meet with most of our investigators again as well as find around 5 more. 
7. Have you met the new president and his wife yet?
yes. 
8. What was the most interesting place you went this week?
Applebees
9. What is Elder Davis' favorite treat?
Chicken Fried Steak.  But he will accept butterfingers as well 
10. Have you had to speak or sing or teach anything in church lately?
Nope. 

Well thats All Folks!

Loves,

Elder Smith

A Clima Ta Doido Aqui!

 the Trees are in historic downtown Newmarket on like Queen Street I think

The bell is on Wellington in Aurora at the Go Station 

Oi familia Tudo Bem?

   Well it has been an interesting week for sure around here with transfers and lots of other just crazy experiences.  Earlier this week we were talking alot about our situation with little success and few investigators and we decide that one thing we needed to work on was the Language of Faith. it has made quite the difference as we have been seeing hearts soften out here in new market.  No major progress yet bu t it is changing.  

  In other news got a new slightly bad confirmation of how god answers prayers.  We were joking  one night about how awesome it would be if a huge spiritual meteor hit Ontario with our District leaders one night.  One of the biggest problems in most of the mission is that people are so focused on themselves and blinded by pride and complacency that they are afraid to change or even try to think about something or someone else.  Therefore we thought a spiritual meteor would be sufficient to humble the people to help them see that others exist.  So we all decided to pray about it and lo and behold this friday there were Tornadoes in Brampton and Warnings in Midland.  Moral of the story don't tempt God, tornadoes happen. 

  Other than that this week was kind of slow.  Talking to a lot of people about the gospel, them saying they aren't interested, us asking if they know anyone who is, them saying guys you are in the wrong town for this line of work.  You know the usual things.  We have found a couple of people that have some potential and we are going to work on building up to actually meeting with them.  One of my favorites this week was when we talked to Rihanna.  She was one lady that we contacted while we were working in the area of some potential investigators.  She was super nice sadly she is a witch though and said she was not interested in learning more with us. She did accept a copy of the Book of Mormon which was good however she didn't really want to mix with Christianity.  All in all a pretty interesting week. 

  Questions.

1. How was your week in New Market?

pretty slow as usual.  Started journaling again after a 5 month hiatus so I have been doing a lot of that.  Helps me find the little fun experiences from the week. 

 2. How are the ESL classes coming?

Good.  We had three new spanish students come this week it was really interesting. 

3. Still working with your 3 investigators? Did you find anyone  new?

We are trying most of them are avoiding us or we can't get in contact and we don't have any new this week. 

4. What was your most memorable experience this week?

Probably the Baptism on Saturday.  Past missionaries came back and it was really exciting. 

5. What are you looking forward to in the coming days?

We have a couple of appointments set up with some solid potential investigators we have been working on meeting with for over a transfer that are finally happening. 

6. What type of service did you participate in this past week?

We helped the bishop move that was about it though.  

7. What are some of your favorite things, people, places in the New Market area?

Mainly people.  The Newmarket ward is awesome and full of just some really quirky and awesome people. 

8. How has the weather been?

It is either death by fire or death by water it is pretty bad however we are surviving.  Went and bought a water bottle so that I can stay hydrated better. 

9. What are your pday plans?

Elder Davis needs a haircut and I need pants.  I split three pairs of mine and now I only have like one left.  I am getting them repaired by the personal seamstress of three different queens of England however I want to be better prepared should this happen again in the future.  

10. What is your favorite Pokemon?

Mega-Sableye

  Well that is all I guess. 

Loves,

Elder Smith

PS

 The old British seamstress was lecturing Elder Davis about how he is making it so that I am losing muscle and gaining fat so it is his fault.  Baptism of RK he was one of the sister's investigators.  Yeah tornadoes at least that is what we were told.  

Round 2

OI Familia!

   Well it is that time of the month again.  And we got our transfer news last night.  We are staying together but Elder davis is once again no longer a District leader.  So it seems I will be weathering another transfer in English work but apparently there are still things for us to do I Newmarket.  I look forward to the miracles that we will be seeing as we partner with the members.  It reminds me of the scripture where you see the miracles only after the trial of your faith.  Well hopefully we have had our trial and we will now see the miracles.  

    Anywho It has been a pretty normal week we found one new investigator and we moved four different families for 5 days of the week.  It is crazy the amount of service that we do here in Newmarket.  It is a lot of fun though and it is great to see all of the people's faces as we are able to help them with these things that can be so stressful at times.  It also almost always results in alot of food as well so that is pretty awesome.  

     AS for Questions. 

So on to questions...

1. Transfers any predictions or news?

Staying

2. Have you met President and Sister Shields?

No

3.What did you do for Canada Day?

Sat inside and made calls and worked on a dot map of our area because it rained all day and was very unpatriotic weather. 

4. Any big independence day plans?

We are having a Zone Barbecue and journal signing.  

5.What was your best experience this week?

We went contacting with the Bishop and it was a lot of fun.  He is such an amazing man and it was so cool to be able to work with him in meeting his neighbors and the needs of the ward.  

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

Well not much really that is what comes with rebuilding an area is we don't have a lot to look forward too. 

7. What are the plans for your ESL group, did you have graduation already?

No graduation is probably this week and then we are going to see.  I still have to meet the new teachers and have a little meeting.  

8. What are you doing to try and meet new people in your area?

What ever we can.  Usually we just try to talk to everyone that we can we have been seeing more success lately with talking about family history. 

9. How are your investigators, do you still have two of them?

Nope now we have three and none of them are talking to us.  

10. What is your favorite Independence Day tradition, food, or memory?

I always just liked that we were all together and that we would meet for a bunch of just good family bonding time.  It always reminded me that family is the most important and that we will be happy if we can just remember that.  

 Well loves,

Elder Sam Smith