SADNESS and so much revelation

Saying goodbye to President and Sister Clayton at their final Zone conference June 23, 2016

Beleza!  Come ta familia?
   Espero que voces sao passando bom e que Deus sempre os abençõe!  Para mim esta semana era muito triste porque nosso presedente de missião ta voltando já pra casa e pra ser uma setenta!  Ta diodo mas não tenho nada pra fazer sem acaitar e faze o que ele queria que e pra servir dilligentimente.  Também esta semana tivemos nosso confereçia de Zona onde era eu, Elder Paul, Elder Goméz, e Elder Feth e muitos dos meus outros amigos. Era Legal demais!
  Well that is probably enough Portuguese it was good to see my friends again though and a lot of things have changed down in Toronto it is about ready for my triumphant return.  It was a very sad day with president's farewell and he gave us all the advice that he wants for us to have to have a productive life.  It was sick!!!!!!!  other than that it was a lot of super good revelation of how we need to partner with the members and reach out to help our investigators have friends and to help them become welcome members of the ward.  Because that is the secret of missionary work.  It is fun for missionaries to go and to have the door slammed in your face talking to a whole bunch of people however conversion happens best when it is through the member friends we all have.  
   Other than that our week was pretty good.  Still a little slow here.  however we found an investigator!  We were dropping by a Part Member Family on Thursday and they let us right in and gave us tacos! We were able to simply teach the restoration and now we are going back this Thursday again!  It was so good to actually accomplish something again and to see something come of our hard work. 
   Some Questions now.
1. What was the funniest experience you had this past week?
Probably when Elder Davis Threw up at FHE when we had a couple of new Returning members there.
2. What are you looking forward to in the coming week?
Finding new investigators.
3. What are you doing for exercise?
Doctor mandated back stretches. 
4. How are your investigators?
Well we have two now and they are doing well.  Being a little difficult but we will find some new ones. 
5. What's going on in ESL?
we got another new student and are planning a graduation party. 
6. What are your pday plans?
we are getting a watch fixed and baking cookies.  
7. What lesson did you learn this week that you would share with us all?
Now is the time to reach upwards from your foundation that is in Christ and keep moving closer to him.  As you do this your foundation will grow and you will be able to see the promise in Helaman 5:125:12 be fulfilled.  If you build upon a foundation in Christ you can not fall.
8. Do you have a favorite place to eat out in your new area?
Menchies or maybe Quesada
9. Have you been doing much cooking? (If yes, what do you cook?)
yes, usually leftovers.  We have like three different containers of chinese food from our chinese members.
10. Who is your favorite SUPER Villian? (From Michael)
Joker.
  Well just want to end with a part from my letter to President Clayton.  He asked us to give him a state of our mission address.  
"Well it is sad to see this day come to pass however I am glad for the opportunity that I have had to know you and sister Clayton and the examples you have been and the counsel you have given. I just wanted to say thank you. I remember my first day I came out and I was just ready to serve and I was so excited to meet everyone and to show my love to the world. It was definitely not what I expected at all once I got out here. Missionary work was much harder than I thought it would be and I often found myself discouraged and frustrated as I was not used to having to work hard for anything. However through your love and the wonderful companions, and most importantly the atoning sacrifice of our Saviour I have changed. My battle is still real and It is a constant fight against inside and out. I would not say that anything has changed on the outside, missions are hard, people are resistant to change, talking with everyone is still a little awkward, however I have changed. Like the people of Alma in Mosiah chapter 24:15. I am not perfect and my mission is not easy but I am much better equipped to deal with the loads and challenges that come our way. It really works like you said way back in the beginning of my mission. As we lose ourself the lord will find us. And president I have never enjoyed being lost more."

Loves,

Elder Smith

I'm Melting!!!!!!

Oi Familia beleza?

   Well it turns out that Michael is a psychic.  All he would ever say about my mission is that I was going to burn to death in a third floor apartment and it is coming to pass in front of my very eyes.  For the first time on my mission I am on the Third floor and little known fact Ontario is blazing hot during the summer and super humid.  Who would have thunk eh?  Anywho, we are going to buy some popsicles and stuff today to try and survive the very warm weather we have been having.  Other than that the week was pretty slow.  It would seem to me that the life back home is full of many more fast paced changes and drastic moves, (now that I am gone we decide to get a pool)  But that is okay.  This week we were able to watch one of the YSA Reps open their mission call, we went to the ward picnic out on a horse farm which was awesome, and we also were able to crash the Bishop's pool party which is super interesting.  FYI Pool parties are a lot less fun as a missionary than they are back at home.  The whole no swimming rule is one that doesn't really bother you until it becomes a temptation and then it is a nightmare.  

Anyways, that was about it for this week.  Other than that it was just working with a few less active members and doing a lot of service.

  So Time for Questions.

1 What was your most awesome adventure this week?

Probably the Ward Barbecue.  We had about 7 or 8 potential investigators there and we met our New Convert's son who was super cool.  

2. What did you see this week that you wouldn't expect to see in Bountiful, Utah?

Well there is not a lot to see here in New Market.  There was a super cool old car show the other day.

3. Where do you do your laundry?

on the main floor of our apartment building. 

4. What are you doing for your ESL calling this week?

Blitzing flyers and trying to get more students. 

5. What was your biggest success this past week?

I don't really know nothing much has been going as planned as of late.  Maybe the Barbecue.  

6. What goals have you set for the new week?

Lots of them.  Mainly finding people and getting investigators to progress. 

7. What are your pday plans?

We have dinner with a member of the bishopric and we are trying to do some grocery shopping as well today.  I am buying socks.  And Elder Davis is getting his watch fixed.  

8. How is the Canadian weather treating you?

Terrible.

9. How is C progressing? Any new investigators?

We haven't been able to meet with her and no new investigators.  

10. What was your favorite YTU elective?

Shakespeare electives.  I did two different ones and they were great.  That or Improv.  

Anywho I gues that is all for this week thanks for the love and support!

Loves,

Elder Smith.

Elder Smith and Elder Davis emailing home from the Family history center.

Elder Davis

BRRR!

Elder Smith, Elder Davis, Elder Taylor, Sister Leishman, Sister Clifton, Sister Paxman, Sister Roehner

Elder Nathan Davis

Ferrari 1 of 4 spotted this week in the mission.

Ferrari 2 of 4 spotted this week in the mission.

Oi familia!

   Well Canada has done it.  It has some how made even summer cold.  Today I am even wearing a jacket because it is just overcast and windy and kind of cold out side.  It managed to drop to about 13 C on Wednesday and in classic Ontario style it was back up to 29 C on Thursday.  It hasn't only been the weather that has been crazy the Aurora Sisters are also getting another new companion.  This is the 3rd Emergency transfer in our district so far this transfer and this one results in the Portuguese north area being closed for at least the next three weeks until transfers.  We have been having a lot of Missionaries getting sick and injured in the mission lately it seems.  It is sad to see people that you get to know and that become your friends have to leave however we are always glad for the wonderful healing power of the Atonement that allows us to overcome all of the challenges that we face in this life.  Other than that it has been a pretty rough week. All of our investigators either told us they don't want to meet anymore or they disappeared off the face of the earth so that is just peachy. We are working a lot on finding now however no one really wants to talk to us.  It is taking a lot of faith and working with the members and hopefully we will get things to turn around this week.  

   Well on to questions

 1. How was your week? Are you settling into your new area?

Well it was a pretty slow week.  It was pretty hard with what was going on but I am not getting down.  It just means that we need to work even harder.

2. What do you like most about Elder Davis?

He has so much desire and he is so good at just wanting to help.  He also has just a natural and simple discipleship that leads to great leadership. 

3. What are you doing to help get your ESL program up and running?

We are blitzing and asking people to invite their friends and family.  Also trying to get the hermanas to invite the spanish members. 

4. Are you working with any promising investigators?

We have one investigator right now.  Her name is C.  She is actually really solid and we are excited working with her.  

5. How are the members in your new area?

Really good.  We are working really hard to try and find new ways to work with them to help them fulfill their responsibilities and to build a better relationship.

6. How do you go about finding new people to teach?

We usually just plan our day around different people and work in their areas.  We talk to about fifteen people in an area before we leave and also try to do different things to work with referrals. 

7. What are your plans for pday?

We are going to the first counselor in the Bishopric's house for some relaxation and bond building and some shopping Elder Davis needs new shirts.  

8. What are you looking forward to this week?

Dinners!!!!!!

9. How is your spanish?

Muy bien porque?

10. What is your favorite song from NEWSIES?

OOH that is a hard one.  I am the king of new york but my favorite is probably open the gates and seize the day. or maybe Santa Fe

Loves

Elder Smith

I can do HARD THINGS!

Goodbye to Kitchener Portuguese... 

Barrie Zone Conference with President Clayton and his wife

Any guesses?

Elder Nathan Davis

Elder Nathan Davis and Elder Sam Smith at the Family History Center sending emails home

The back of Elder Davis

Oi Familia Beleza?

   It has been a wonderful week full of you guessed it hard things usually in the form of hard manual labor,(ie edging someone's yard by hand or using a pick ax to weed a garden that hasn't been touched in over a year) or trying new things (such as fried eggs and cheese cake)  however it has been wonderful.  We were blessed to see President Clayton as he once again appeared out of no where for our zone council in Barrie, (roughly 2 hours or more away from Brampton where he lives), as well as we had a wonderful opportunity to go on exchanges with the zone leaders!  I learned so much and the lord has helped strengthen my testimony even more that this is his work.  I am so greatful for all the opportunities that he gives us to help his children even if it is like our week this week where we spent 5 of the 6 days doing service for other people we were still able to find a way to find and teach new people.  

 One of the most spiritual experiences of my mission was as we were all together singing "I Believe in Christ" at Zone Council this week. The spirit was so strong and bore testimony to me that, " I believe in Christ; he is my King! With all my heart to him I'll sing."  It was so powerful and I was able to feel as my testimony became solidified that I know that Christ lives and is our redeemer.  I am so grateful for the wonderful musical family,(shout out to Grandma Smith) and friends that I have that have taught me to really appreciate music and the power it has to convey the spirit.  

  Now for what all of you will actually want to read Questions

Questions...

1. How was your week? What was the highlight?

Definitely Thursday which was Zone Council and Exchanges

2. Any new investigators this week?

One however he bombed our follow up appointment so we have to try and track him down.  

3. How is the ESL Building Manager, making a plan to implement in the new area?  Yeah we are working on Blitzing and also finding ways to get the members involved in inviting there friends to come or even some of the members who don't speak very good english.

4. Does Elder Davis speak a second language?

No.

5. What are you looking forward to this coming week?

So Much Dinner!!!!

6. What are your plans for pday?

We are going shopping then we are going to go play Billiards and have dinner with the Bishop.

7. What is your new area famous for? Any tourist attractions or museums or such?

Nothing really there isn't much to do here as much as far as entertainment it is mainly a commuter town and other than that you just go to the lakes or out to nature. Also the church does a nativity which new market is kind of known for.

8. What do you like best about your new companion?

That he has a quiet and gentle leadership and spirituallity.  

9. What do you like best about your new area?

The members and how green everything is.

10. Did you remember to take photos this week? We would all love to see you and your new digs, etc.

a few I should take more.  

Well loves and shout out to the Grads, and the Missionaries!

Have a great week

Love,

Elder Sam Smith

Here we go into the great blue yonder.

Ola Familia Tudo bom?

   Well it has been another wonderful week here in the Canada Toronto Mission full of new faces, new places, and new Languages.  It was a little strange to come up north but I have been loving it so far.  We are at the very farthest north part of Toronto which basically means some of the same streets and then nothing else is the same.  I am completely lost but it is still super fun and the people here are really good.  Our bishop is an emeritus Area Seventy and the ward is pretty missionary minded however just not quite to acting on it.  It is going to be great though I can feel the winds of change blowing and things are really going to pick up here.  I can feel it.  Any ways the area is beautiful and the members are great too.  My companion is really swell as well.  He is from Salem, Utah and is a techie.  Mainly did lights and light design.  Long story short things are doing great here.  I am once again building manager of a struggling ESL, however, at least I have once again escaped the opportunity to be the District Leader.  After some drama that resulted in a few emergency exchanges because of medical conditions Elder Davis was called about 12 hours before our district meeting as the District Leader and has been doing great at it.  Anyways that is about it for now So lets do Questions.

Questions...

1. How is the new area? 

Very different then what I am used too.  New Market is a very rich area and most of the people just tracting or on the street are not very receptive.  Luckily, there are some great members here and from referrals we get some great work done. 

2. Where do you email from each week?

The family History center at the church. 

3. How is Elder Davis? Tell us about him.

good.  He answered in a confused voice so I don't think he was expecting the question.  See above for a better description. 

4. What is your apartment like?

small but bearable.  It is a little bit bigger than the last one but really not as nice.  What can I say I was spoiled.

5. What ward(s) do you attend?

The Newmarket Ward

6. How are the members? Do they feed you much?

amazing.  Last week not so much because things just haven't worked out but usually every day.  We also do service and get a lot of free food.  

7. How are your investigators?

Good I haven't met some of them but the others are pretty interesting and we are working to meet with them more.  

8. How hard have you looked for Portuguese speakers? (Betting you are missing hearing that language every day)

Not at all.  I found the old bishop of the Christie ward from Sao Paulo this week he lives in the stake and I got to talk to him other than that I am usually speaking spanish. 

9.Are you still allowed language study time during the week so you can stay up on your skills?

Yes.  

10. What are you looking forward to this week?

Exchanges I am going on exchanges this week with one of the zone leaders that just washed into the area and so we are going to be so lost it is going to be fabulous.  

Well the church is true and that is that.  

Loves,

Elder Smith

Thanks to Rod Destro and his family for sending me these photos of Elder Sam Smith and Elder Martinez.

Kitchener members took such great care of Elder Smith.

IT is the End of the World as we Know it!!!!

Ola tudo bem familia?

    Beleza?   I have some pretty crazy things to talk about so we are going through this one day at a time hold on and get ready for a wild ride.  

  Monday.  After emailing all of you it was really nice we went and we ate dinner and then we went and taught our recent convert Asdrubal.  Afterwards it started raining and we ended up biking through a vertical lake.  I have never been more drenched in my life.  For all you that were there when I fell in the river trying to push the boat in.  I was wetter and probably yelled oh crap all the way across Cambridge as we were riding in like hurricane like rain storm.  It was awesome.  

  Tuesday

   We had apartment inspection and despite four ours of cleaning we failed apartment inspection again.  They made a comment about the sink that made elder Martinez kind of mad.  He spent over an hour scrubbing the kitchen sink and they still were not impressed.  We walked all the way around Kitchener for like 3 hours trying to find this persons house after district meeting.  Miracle of the day is that we ended up getting a call from Elder Erickson that we were getting a car againon Wednesday.  It was pretty great and other than that the only other interesting thing was when we ate Geleia de mocoto which is interesting.  The English elders tried it later and were severely disgusted.  

  Wednesday

Got our car and had dinner with the Da Silva's also we had an impromptu ESL meeting where once again I was made Building manager.  

  Thursday we had last minute exchanges which means I was given five minutes notice that instead of staying in my area I was going to K2 for the night.  It was good though we had a fun time with me and Elder McBride going all over kitchener.  Four appointments and a dinner in two hours.  Challenge completed.

  Friday

This is where things get interesting and devastating.  Because of Victoria Day on Monday we received Transfer calls last night.  So after 6 weeks and meeting and befriending some of the coolest Brazilian members that i know I am getting transferred to New Market South.  Because the Assistants found out that there are two sisters that speak Portuguese they have decided that i am now obsolete and are sending me into English work and Elder Paul to go be a french Zone leader.  So as of Tuesday I am no longer a Portuguese missionary.  As you can all imagine I was devastated.  However it has to be for a reason so I guess I have to go find out why.  

   Well I guess it is time for questions.  

1. How are you and Elder Martinez doing this week?

Sad because we are getting separated.

2. What was the most interesting thing you discovered while on bikes this week?

How wet you can possibly get.

3. Do you think either of you will be transferred on Tuesday?

Sadly yes. 

4. How are your investigators doing?

Awesome.  One of them just accepted a baptismal date and we are helping another one to come back to church.   

5. What are your pday plans?

Journal signing and haircuts.  

6. What was your most awesome experience this week?

Probably when we were at a baptism and all the brazilian members complained to president about my transfer.  that was like fifteen minutes ago.

7. What are you looking foward to for the coming week?

no idea what to expect. 

8. Where do you email from usually?

the Family history center in cambridge.

9. Have you and Elder Martinez done much singing?

yeah usually in the car or for studies.  

10. IF you had to pick which tie is your favorite right now? Why?

My Mint green striped one.  It is matching with Elder Madrigal and looks cool.

 Well that is it I think for today 

Loves,

Elder Smith

Tour de Cambridge here we come!

Oi tudo bem, todos

   Well it has been an interesting week to say the least full of fun new adventures like trying to catch a bus that is rarer than most legendary pokemon, crossing a river and finding so many random trails that it is crazy.  However this week might as well be noted as the week post car accident and as such we had to find other modes of transit.  They did the evaluation and it is going to be expensive so it is confirmed I am never driving again on my mission.  That leads to the quest for new modes of transportation.  This resulted in us spending 84 dollars, (got reimbursed don't worry) and stuck at a community college in the middle of no where instead of home on Tuesday night.  We ended up just staying at the K2 Elders apartment again.  After that we finally got to Cambridge on Wednesday and after exactly one day of walking everywhere we ended up having the member that was fixing our crap bikes buy us new ones!  YAYYYYY!   So now we are biking everywhere it is fun!  Also my legs have never been more sore.  We still are having a really good time we met with a new investigator this week and also were blessed to have stake conference which is always super revelatory.  Had dinner appointments almost every day and so we didn't have to cook and have all of this week pretty much taken care of as well.  It has all in all been a slower week but that is because we are not moving as fast and got lost a little.  Anywho it has been great.  

   Side note look over the May ensign it is awesome

Back to Questions.

1. Did you hear any more from SL about your accident?

no have to call them today.  Been trying to mail a letter to brampton since thursday they won't pick it up though. 

2. Is your car back? Or are you  still staying in Kitchener?

no we are just busing and biking everywhere.  Members also give us rides.

3. What are your pday plans?

we cleaned all day.  We have take two on apartment inspection tomorrow with the old german couple.  

4. How are things progressing with S?  We have been praying for him.

He is going well not going to be baptized still not there yet but we are working with him

5. How the ESL classes, are you getting that all up and running yet?

nope we can't really get there anymore

6. What are you looking forward to this week?

No idea it is all pretty great this week.

7. What have you learned this week in your mission?

The importance of studying the words of the living prophets and the difference that it makes in our lives. 

8. Have you found any new investigators this week?

we found one last week and we are fasting for the district all to find a family this week. 

9. How has your weather been in Cambridge/Kitchener/Waterloo?

great except yesterday.  Yesterday it was snowing. 

10. Have you been cooking much?

no usually we either eat out or have a meal appointment.  

   Well this has been lovely but I am going to have to wrap it up there.  I love you all and will see you again next week.

Loves,

Elder Smith