Feliz Pascoa and a Joyeuses paques!

Oi Familia Tudo Bem!

   It has been a wonderful week here in the big city. Elder Nelson and I have had so many fun adventures and I am so excited to see what this week will bring. This past week has been such a blessing as I have studied the last week of the Savior's life.  It contains some of his greatest miracles and some of his most amazing teachings and I would highly recommend it as a topic of study for anyone at this time of year.  It puts everything in perspective.  It has also set a tone to a wonderful week. 

    This week we had the opportunity to go on exchanges twice with the Spanish elders and the Toronto East Elders.  It was an amazing time.  First I went on Exchanges with Elder McDevitt he is from Utah and he has been out for around 10 months. He is a great elder and works really hard.  Then two days later I was with the Davis County Crew.  I went on exchanges with Elder Dixon and Elder Burton from Centerville and Bountiful respectfully.  It was such a fun exchange and we talked to so many interesting people.  One lady was an ex-Jehovah's Witness that holds a Bible Study Class for Women off the Street and another was a Biker with a ferret.  I got to hold the ferret and then later in the week we found him on the street playing a guitar and he sang a song about me.  I just love Toronto!  it was all super fun this week and it ended up with a wonderful holiday.  We made cookies and delivered them all to the members and just shared our testimony and love for the Easter Holiday.  (We also had a sick Easter egg hunt that Elder Nelson and I set up for District Meeting so don't worry.) 

   The only other cool thing is that yesterday was Elder Nelson's Birthday!  It was super fun, we went and ate at the 360 Restaurant at the top of the CN Tower and it is the coolest thing ever.  Really expensive but it is the only way to go to the CN Tower.  It is 56 dollars for a two course meal at a five star restaurant and as well as a free ticket to the top of the CN tower which is normally 36 dollars.  So it was really only about 20 dollars extra and it was probably some of the best food that I have ever had in my life.  It was great and after we were able to hang out with some other Elders and generally just enjoy a wonderful P-day.

Well that is it so on to some questions....

1. What did you do for Easter?

We went to church and then had dinner with the Haddocks and the Pereiras.

2. Did you dye any eggs this year?

nope we baked cookies

3. What did you do this week for service?

the usual service at the food depository. 

4. How are your ESL classes going?

slowing down we are working on it and putting up more flyers. 

5. What was the highlight of the past week?

Easter and then probably Elder Nelson's Birthday. 

6. What are you looking forward to next week?

Well we have transfers.. 

7. How are your investigators? Did you have any at church for Easter?

None came to church and it is just the usual problem of meeting with our investigators.  We are working on it though. 

8. How are the ward members?

Amazing as usual.

9.What are your pday plans?

see above for today we are on our way to a lunch appointment and then to plan an activity for the Portuguese group and then we are going to service and ESL. 

10.What are you focusing on this week as a goal?

This week making solid appointments with everyone.  Especially investigators but also Less actives and others. 

Well love you all!

Loves,

Elder Smith

Spring has Sprung

Oi Familia Tudo Bem!

    Well it is beautiful today. We are experiencing temperatures around 21 degrees Celsius and it is just beautiful to see the bright blue sky after the long drudge of Winter.  It is perfect weather for Easter coming up this Sunday!  I am so excited.  I think that there is some definite symbolism to be seen in the time of Easter as it takes place at the same time as we are able to leave the cold and overcast days of winter behind us, (except in Utah it seems sorry about that...).  However it is great up here.  I have been preparing for Easter by studying about the life of Christ from the Book of Mormon and Jesus the Christ.  It has been an amazing experience as we enter in to the holy week and we get to take a closer look at the last week of our saviors life. 

    In a more worldly note it has been a great week.  Elder Nelson and I are working on opening our mouths more and talking to everyone and it has been fun.  We have met so many cool people as we have been contacting on the buses and subways.  Turns out like always that there are just a million Brazilians moving to Toronto and all of them want to learn about the gospel.  We have problems getting set appointments it is still great and we are working on it.  We also had the opportunity this week to have interviews with President Shields and that was fun.  He is a great man and he truly cares about all of you.  He prayed for you while we were there and it was so heartfelt and I could feel the love he has for you all.  Other than that he is just as confused about what is going to happen in this up coming transfer as we do.  He asked us both what our transfer predictions were sooo we will see what happens.  Elder Nelson and I are both pretty convinced that we are going to get split up this transfer though.  It has been a great run and we are going to have a lot of fun these next two weeks to make it one to remember. 

   That is about all for this week though so I guess on to some questions...

1. What was the best thing that happened to you this week?

Well that is a good question we had some fun times with Interviews and Zone Council and stuff like that other than that the week was about the same.  Probably the coolest thing though was we went out for Sushi on Saturday with the other missionaries from English class.  One of our students is the sushi chef at this place and he made us a whole bunch of stuff that wasn't on the menu and some new dishes he had been practicing just for us.  He and I are pretty good friends and so he made me a whole bunch of sushi without any fish in it and it was some of the best things I have ever eaten ever.  I will never go to another sushi restaurant again I think.  

2. What challenge did you face and how did you approach it? 

Well we have been having some hard times meeting with most of our investigators more than once.  It isn't to bad since we keep finding new people to meet with us however that is our new focus.  So we are going to be a little more direct. 

3. What are your plans for Easter? Did your Easter treats arrive?

We are going to the Haddocks for dinner and no on the treats. 

4. How are your investigators?

Doing well trying to get them to church. 

5. What is happening in your ESL classes?

Well we had ditch day on Saturday no one came...

6. What are you looking forward to this week?

We have dinner every night and we are going to actually meet our investigators if it is the last thing that I do.  Our members are helping out!

7. What is your favorite thing about Easter? Favorite scripture?

Favorite thing about easter.  Easy answer The gift of the atonement in our lives and the resurrection.  honestly though I am a big fan of a good easter egg hunt. 

8. What are your pday plans?

We are going to Toronto Island today and we are thinking about riding bikes there.  

9. What was your favorite place to go this week?

We went out to scarborough this week that was cool.  Sushi probably wins though. 

10. What is your favorite dish at Easter dinner?

We have ham at easter right???? I will go with that I don't remember really anymore.

Well Loves family,

Elder Smith

Sometimes He calms the Sailor not the Storm

Oi Familia Tudo Bem!

    If I were to describe this week in a word I think I would say Tempestuous.  It has been a roller coaster of ups and downs spiritual and emotional highs and lows.  I will say that I am so grateful though for the lessons that I have been able to learn this week and for the opportunity that I have had to have my testimony strengthened in my Savior and his plan for us.  This week started off pretty rough between my own reactions to events that are happening here, ( there is a Hermana from Brazil and she decided that we needed her help so now she is doing Portuguese/Spanish zebra work) and the unfortunate news on Tuesday of Uncle Steve's passing let us just say that I wasn't in the ideal state for waking up early Wednesday morning for the 45 minute drive to Brampton for Zone Conference.  It prepared me though for the Spiritual outpouring and growth that I needed.  

   I can testify that the Lord knows each and everyone of us.  He has provided a perfect plan of Salvation by which we may all return to live with him as was beautifully taught to me this week.  It was our blessing to be able to go to the temple and to have General Conference this weekend and more than ever I felt as if the speakers were talking directly to me.  I had such a marvelous experience as the General Authorities spoke about the comforting power of the Holy Ghost in our lives and the peace that it can bring us no matter what we are passing through.  I wish to add my testimony to those that we were blessed to hear this weekend from the General Authorities.  Christ Lives, I know because I have felt him there and I can see his hand in my life.  I know that we must have opposition in all things for it is only in passing through sorrow that we can know joy.  And that all our losses will be made up.  That as bad as is our pain and sorrow equal will be the joy and peace that comes into our lives as we allow the Holy Ghost to be there.   

Questions.

1. What was your favorite part of General Conference?

I really liked Elder Clayton's talk but i was also touched by Yoon Hwan Choi and the talks on the Holy Ghost. 

2. What was the highlight of your week?

Probably Conference

3. How are your ESL students?

Awesome we have a couple new ones as well. 

4. What did you do with your investigators this week?

We met with a new one and he came to church and then we had dinner and watched conference with another one. 

5. Did you have any meals with members? What message did you share with them?

We had many meal appointments this week and we shared the message of the Prince of Peace video that was released last week in preparation for Easter.  I would recommend watching it. #PrinceofPeace

6. What are your pday plans?

I need to buy some hair gel other than that who knows. 

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

We have Interviews with President Shields that should be fun. 

8. What is your favorite part of being back in the city?

There are so many people and the buses, and the weird smells, and the subways and that no one speaks English and the members.  It is all my favorite. 

9. Who is in your district this time around?

Elder Kenneth Gomez, Elder Jaymon McDevitt, Sister Lauren Noelle Carolyn Dolton, Sister Aline Alves Pereira, Elder Hayden Nelson, Elder Samuel Smith, Elder Noah Davis, Elder Cameron Olson, Elder Sander Burton, Elder Maurai Charles Kaikaha Tetauru

10. Did you venture out into other parts of the mission this week?

We drove to Brampton twice this week at o dark 30.  I am still tired. 

Well Loves to all and I hope that you have a better week this week!

Loves,

Elder Smith

Wet and Wild Weekend.

oh that is Elder Gomez and Elder Olson and we are holding limited edition Power Ranger Donuts from the Krispy Kreme.  we found them wandering through China Town and now we are power rangers.

Oi Familia Tudo Bem!

   Well it has been an awesome week here in Toronto.  Elder Nelson and I were able to meet with a few more of the people that the last elders had been working with and man they were cool.  It was nice to come back into this area and really see it thriving.  We have also been blessed in our efforts by meeting with the family that walked into English class last week and with being fed multiple times this week.  The best part of it all though we got to go to Two baptisms this week.  

   On Saturday the Spanish Elders had a baptism here in Toronto with there investigator, now member, Jesus!  It was a super cool experience and even President Shields was in attendance. The bishop gave an interesting welcome to the ward where he talked about how the new member was going to be a great leader in the world because he was named after the greatest of all leaders.  Then later in the service they talked about how Jesus would be blessed in his progression in the gospel.  Elder Nelson and I just thought that it was all pretty funny.

   On Sunday Elder Nelson and I had the opportunity to drive back to Kitchener one last time for the Baptism of our investigator Jose Luis.  He is a super cool guy from Mozambique and it was such a special experience.  I was blessed to be the one that he asked to perform the ordinance and It was an honor.  The spirit that was felt was so strong and although it was awkward because he slipped and almost knocked himself unconscious twice he was baptized and he was so happy. It was a wonderful day and one that I will never forget. 

Well onto Questions...

1. How was your week?

It was pretty good I would say.  

2. What was the most unexpected thing that happened this week?

Probably the baptism.  When Jose slipped and I had to catch him so he didn't hit his head.  That was not how we expected it to go.  

3. Did you find any new treasures in your travels? (Did you stay mostly downtown or did you venture out at all this week?)

We drove to Kitchener and brampton and we went out to scarborough but mainly just in the downtown area. 

4. How are you ESL students?

awesome we had about 15 this week. 

5. What are your pday plans?

get a haircut then just hang out with the other elders.. 

6. Have you been back to the food pantry for service? Are the same women that used to feed you still there?

Yes every tuesday or saturday and they still give us food.  They have a missionary board now that they hang up pictures of all the missionaries on that come.

7. How are your investigators?

The ones we have met are good.  We still haven't met most of them though.  

8. What are your plans for watching conference? 

Probably just at the chapel but if we can or need to to help investigators go we will watch it at their houses.

9. What are you doing to integrate the members into your service?

We are working a lot with the members because they are working with their friends and having us go and teach them. 

10. What are some of the changes you have noticed in your area since you left a year ago? Similarities?

Some new faces but the same places.  

Well that is all folks,

Loves,

Elder Smith