Well... Im here super Early for you Guys but we were planning On going to catch crabs With Lula but It started raining a ton so I doubt well be able to go... But This week has been a great week. We had a Baptism saturday night we completed a family that was less active and that moved back into our ward. They are a great family I was happy to see them enter into the ward here. but... I still got work to do there. Their great aunt lives with them she likes the church and accepted to be baptized but she Likes coffee... a little too much. so Me and Elder Spencer will try  and work with her. Other than that the great Lessons that me and Larsen have taught and the great People we have met are INUMEROUS Im just Loving the work right now. When I pleaded to the Lord to give me a good Companion to finish up the Lord answered my Prayers by sending me Elder Spencer Hes a great guy and His brother is serving in The Farmington New Mexico Mission... so Im gonna have to hunt him down :) haha Other than this I can Just say IM happy to be here and to be serving In the Mission
Love you All I hope you all have a good week 

Elder J. Smith 

Elder Smith and Elder Spencer

2-17-2014

Well  I think Im becoming An Independant man Cuz this week Ive done just about all that youve told me to do with my comp I started by telling President In my Email to him about the Member situation. And Tuesday we had companion exchange (I think thats how you Say it) thursday we had Interviews with President and Friday I express my thoughts in a heart to heart conversation. My Interview was pretty sweet president asked me how I was and I told him I was good he asked me if I was Leaving this transfer and I told Him No. I still got some more time to do what I need to! and he told me good Elder Dont get trunky haha after he asked about my comp I told Him I can learn from him but he is pretty rude with People and he said Thats Why I talked about Unity with the Members (and I already had known thats why haha) and then he says ´´alright Elder you can tell your comp its his turn`` ha ha it probly took like two minutes haha  He also Hinted (Im not to sure) that I might stay Here :) and I sure hope I do :) anyways so that was cool. On Friday My companion and I were at the house of some less actives that have a son whos 10 and My companion kept saying ´´your baptism will be this sunday´´ and that made me kinda stressed cuz His family has to be reactivated for him to be baptized, and so Afterward I told him ``were not going to baptize him sunday´´ and he said ``Have faith`` and I told him faith doesnt justify breaking rules and we got to arguing so when we got home I had just had it and I asked Him why dont you like me and he says he likes me but I think hes lieing anyways he says to work things out you need to argue... and That hit me as a half truth and later on while writing Deid it hit me that The true saying should be To work things out you need to Communicate. I guess that thats my weakness Im a little more outgoing than Dad I talk to People but If I think for some reason that someone dont like me or they just keep dropping the conversation like they dont want to talk. Anyways lets just say were on even ground but Im just wanting this week to pass fast. This week I had a Pday Project and Hooked my leather bag up with new straps. Anyways Im doing good here looks like the Lord is blessing me alot here :) Love you all and have a good week.

Elder J. SMith

2-3-14

Hey Everybody This week was ok. We had a baptism so it was good. These twins have wanted to be baptized since 8 yrs old and their parents, one less active and the other non member didnt want them to be baptized. but After hearing about how mean and heartless they were I went there and the mom was like Your here to mark the twins baptism right and I was like ya I guess so and we marked a date and had the baptism without problems so It was pretty good. but on the other side of  things Im trying hard to have a good relationship with my companion on sunday I decided on asking the more experienced guys that served missions about how to deal with and make better bad companionships so Im gonna use these Ideas to make goals. The good thing is we work alot! I Hope that I can make things get better I dont really like to be stressed all the time haha so ya love you all have a good week 

Elder J. Smith

1-27-2014

well Hey everybody today marks 70 days.... thats crazy I dont like to think to much on that haha but anyway yesterday I was able to see how I have changed on the Mission. Our gospel principles teacher called us and said he wouldnt be able to teach sunday so I decided I wouuld give the class so I got it all ready and sunday comes and we walk into the meeting with bishop and he asks me do you have a talk ready? and I said no but put me down haha and so I wrote my talk quickly... haha so the class went well I was happy that i was able too teach without rambling too much and able to fill the time that was needed haha and my talk went well also I talked about commandments and the mission and talked about my shoes it went well and in the end I had the stake young mens president to ask me to write my talk down for him so it was cool I was very happy with myself I hope that I can continue to grow this way so I can be a good help to any ward that i go to. Love you all and have a good week I dnt know if I sent this pic to you guys already but Ill send it haha Love yu all thanks for everything tchau!

Elder J. Smith

1-20-2014

Well this week has been a good week that Ended with a Baptism! My new companion is a good guy and a great worker The Baptism was Gleyson hes a great kid he was kinda nervous about the baptism but when he got there on saturday he was Really excited and happy and Its been probly one of the Best Baptisms on the mission cuz I wasnt so nervous like I usually am and I could see the happiness on his face. also my shoes are done.. the sole was coming undone and I kicked a rock (by accident) and It broke haha also I wrote a song about my shoes haha IM sure you guys will like it and Youll like it even more when I can sing it with my twelve string.... :) sorry my letter is short I got a sore throat and Im pretty worn out from this week haha so ya Love you all have a good week
Elder J. Smith

Elder Smith with his new Companion Elder Souza and their friend Gleyson.

A new chapter begins.

Well this week was  long or maybe just seems like that cuz alot of stuff happened. We went to recife and took a ton of pics and on the way back we got my package we had lots of fun with our guns haha and then it was work work work the rest of the week :) I was Very surprised to see That Elder Larsen got transferred. and Im not gonna lie I actually had one of my bags packed haha. But things change... haha I think the whole ward was shocked about the change. Yesterday was good Sergio went to church for the first time and He LOVED IT!!! I was happy to see that :) he said it was different than any other church hes visited, so.... Im gonna work hard to get him baptized this transfer... This sunday I had an interesting experience I was feeling kinda down after Lunch cuz I felt Like I didnt get done that week as much as I could have and I was thinking on what scripture I would use as a message and I remembered ether 12 that says that god gives us our weaknesses so we can be humble and if we humble ourslves to the Lord he will make the weak things strong and I think that this lesson was more for me than for the family because In this Light I saw this scripture in a whole other way that brought light and comfort into my soul :) Love you all have a great week I know the church is true ! 

Elder J. Smith

Elder Smith trying out a new way to spread the Gospel!

Elder Smith and Elder Larsen enjoying their late arriving Christmas Presents!

2014, Here we come!

 haha so anyway This week was Good We have a baptism marked for saturday I just need to talk to Bishop to make sure its a go and get his grandmas Autograph (signiture) Looks like you guys arent on yet but I am here pretty early. As our Hopefully not last Pday together were going to Recife to take some pics and have some fun :) so we had to get an early start I sure like talking to you guess but we want to have plenty of time to get to Recife and get back :) so Ya New Year is here and  Ive got some good goals for 2014 Its crazy to think only a 4th of 2014 will be on the Mission. Last Night we talked with Sergio, Hes such a great guy but the way he looks I would have been scared to talk to him but Hes a great person I just hope  that  he goes to Church next week cuz he didnt this week. This week we will baptize Gleison hes a good young man. Hes 15 and hes calm and Kinda Shy but Hes a Good Person. You have probly seen Pics of me with Jarcilene and Rafael on Facebook  Jarcilene is an investigator and Rafael Is a Less active member to baptize her we just need to Marry them... well Gleison is her Nephew so thats How we got to teaching him. so Anyways IM Just Loving it here Ive been learning and Growing alot I know Im not Perfect and Actually Im far from it but I find happiness In doing whats right. Im in John now In my new testament in 40 days challenge and I LOVE IT the way john writes Christs teachings and acts I seem to get a glance of the greatness of his character and the teachings of the Gospel and Its just Awesome to see and read. I love this gospel an Im glad Im where Im at I hope that in the end of my mission I have done all that I wanted to do. Well I love you all thanks for the love prayers and support it has helped alot :) 

 Elder J. Smith