hey everybody sorry we didnt hook up yesterday and probly not today heres  a pic of my first son (hes in my Zone) and my second grandson and I think I even have a great grandson man am i getting old haha Jk Ive got three grandsons now Elder Matos is training a Chileno. so speaking of things other than my missionary posterity, This week was good we found some great people to teach and They went to Church!! haha thinking this week Ive realized that I need to work more on my spirituality Im pretty good at speaking portugues and explaining the lessons but I would teach with more power if I had the spirit with me testifying of the truth so My goals are to work on this some more and better my relationship with the Lord. :) this week we were talking to a 16 year old girl whos pregnant and Is a recent-convert she was telling us about how she and her boyfriend and her had been arguing and upon asking we discovered that this guy has 3 almost 4 children with 3 diferent girls and 1 got her house from him 1 doesnt like him but wants the house that they live in and the recent-convert just wants him to leave the house but his mom doesnt want to lose the house. and I got to wondering about this guy and why he had done what he did and I thought If I was a girl and I found out that the guy who got me pregnant had done this I would be Super Mad and Sad. so I asked How she felt when she found out and she said that she already knew!!!! and it was Like something normal to her! That made me sad but It sure shows how we are blessed when we keep the commandments from one little act that looked fun he and she are In Problems up to there heads and those arent even counting the spiritual wounds that were left so for everbody there, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS and be careful dating for the younger ones if you do this you WILL BE HAPPY! well thats my letter for this week Love you all have a good week

ELder J. SMith 

By the way Ill be goin to the temple tomorrow and we had district meeting yesterday so thats why Im writing today

Elder Smith with one of his "Sons" and a "Grandson".

8-19-2013

Hey hey hey Hows it goin everybody this week was pretty good and I had another interesting missionary experience. We were riding in the volkswagon van that takes us from our area to the other area and while we were crammed in the back we managed to meet 2 guys from an other church. as we talked on of them started to preach to us in that way that we could feel the power of God haha anyways the other was calm and cool and one night we were heading to the church and we met the mini preacher (cuz hes like 17) and we invited him to take a look inside the chapel. and he hesitated but said ok so we showed him the church and he marveled at its size and beauty ( things that most brazillian churches dont have)and it was all good until he decieded to preach some more to us haha so while he was tellking us in his preacher voice how good our church was the Bishop arrived at our side and gave the mini preacher a strange look and a little bit intimidating and I thought that aint a nice way to treat a visitor but I almost laughed cuz I was enjoying the preaching He was giving anyway when he left the bishop came up to us and asked Do you know who that is? and we gave the boys name but the bishop explained that this boy had robbed one of the girls of the church about 1 month earlier and Boy that made me mad haha Id seen this guy in a suit looking like one of the most devoted people of his church and now I had seen his other side and it made me feel bad.. but ya interesting exerience Im glad that we are part of the true Church and I know its true Love you guys have a good week Im about out of time so TchAU!!!

Ty ironing his shirt with a pot.

Elder Smith and Elder Reed from Oregon (Was on a Split that Day)

8-12-2013

Hey everybody Im here with some more time so I hope I can make up for what I didnt write last week and send some pics too. This week was good Im loving the area and my comp. Like you said Its alot of dirt roads and hills But its good. Im just wishing I had my Shoe shine kit haha But Its coming maybe It'll get here this week. haha Heres a pic of me and my comp and also of Recife from a steep hill. haha This week flew by seems like yesterday I was writing my letter and running out of time haha Not much new has happend just a lot of teaching haha and I got Kissed by a drunk guy. haha but luckily it was on the cheek haha I got a story for you guys that gave me a kick (probably cuz it involves a car) haha so The story is about Knowledge and Wisdom) Knowledge was riding in his new honda civic after his graduation from law school and was passing through a rural city when his tire blew he quickly stopped the car and removed the flat tire and called for a repairman when the repairman came Knowledge put the lugnuts in his pocket so that he wouldnt lose them when they got to the repairshop Knowledge took the lugnuts out of his pocket because they were bothering him and set them on the table when the repairman left knowledge at his car and left Knowledge remembered the lugnuts and became desperate when he remembered that he had left the lugnuts in the repair shop that was now closed and started to cry.. wisdom(an elderly cowboy) asked the lad why he was crying and Knowledge explained about his horrible night and his problem Wisdom started to laugh and that made knowledge angry. but knowledge was soon on his way after wisdom took one lugnut of each tire and put them in place of the missing lugs haha well Times Up Love you guys and Tell Kobe to Be Careful and to stop at stop signs... Thcau 

Elder J. Smith

Elder Smith and Elder Quinteros in their apartment. Gotta love those big BLUE eyes!!!

This is Recife from atop a hill in Ty's new area. Still pretty close to the big city!

Very Short Note from Elder Smith

Hey everybody im sorry this letter is goin to be really short but At least I can say that Im HAPPY Im loving the area and my comp its more into the country and Its more peaceful. THis week we worked alot didnt have baptism but were working on that Heres a pic of me and my comp Im really sorry bout the letter but Im running out of time Ive got two Minutes but Just know that Im doing really good and Loving the mission Tchau tchau Everybody Ill try and send a Missionties to make up for this letter my pic didnt make it :(

On the Road again!

Hey everybodY!!! NOBODY WENT TOO CHURCH SUNDAY! :( we tried our hardest and nothhing but hey Ive got some news I was transferred so Ive got new problems too look into haha  I will be moving to a place called Ponte dos cavalhos. This week we found a second scorpion in our house and my companion went a little crazy haha. I also managed to break my watch bands on the watch I bought so with a little bit of Tyson tweaks I got something figured out haha. Sunday I heard a story in church that I like alot. You see there was one day an argument in the carpenters shop all the tools were arguing and decided that they would split up The tools talked about the hammer first complaining that he made alot of noise and sometimes put dents in the wood but in his defense the hammer pointed out the screw said that he took along time to get the job done and that he just kept going in circles. the screw said in his defense that the sand paper was rough on everybody and sandpaper got mad and said that the ruler was the worst cuz he judged everyone by his own standards. and while they were arguing the carpenter entered in... The carpenter took all the tools and made a beautiful chair and when he finished he left the workshop when he had locked the doors the tools started to talk again but this time they didnt complain they started with the hammer this time recognizing the strengths seeing that the hammer was strong and that he always got the job done the screw brought things together and held them tight the sand paper was rough but he always helped polich things up and the ruler always was exact in the measurements that he gave.. We are all like these tools we all have our weaknesses but when we are used and united in the mighty work of the Master we all do our part in doing a marvelous work. I liked this story (maybe because its about tools) but I decided to share it with you. so Ya Looks like your all doing well there and I thought you wouldnt have a cow with me here on the mission but thats cool. I love you guys looks like your not on with me but I Love you all Tchau!!!!

Ty packing up with a favorite picture of his! :^)   

7-22-2013

Hey Everybody sadly another week has past with nobody at church we tried hard we Called some people went even to ones house but still nothin new.. But Im feeling my faith growing maybe not faith that somebody will go to church but more faith overrall in the Lord. Im trusting more in him that he knows what hes doing. I know the Lord is Helping me maybe hes not putting the people i need to teach in the doors that I knock but Hes teaching me and Awarding me with the spirit of Humility. Im not lost in a dark unhappiness but its a little rough. Haha this week my companion got a blister and so we put moleskin on it and my companion had a brilliant Idea of making a moustache out of the moleskin and then I had the great idea of using shoe polish to color the Hair haha heres a pic of the results. other than this not much is new. This week flew by.. I dont really remember much of what I done I know I knocked plenty of doors haha But I know the Church is true and that Theres more to life than just this time on earth. And for this I owe it to the Lord to try and help these other peoples in this area. Love you all have a good week and I hope my letter is better next week.

Elder J. Smith

Elder Smith and Elder Rios trying out their "Moleskin Mustaches". Ha Ha 

7-16-2013

Hey Everybody Sadly I have to report that its been another Empty sunday.... This week we had Our interviews with the Mission President and I was kinda worried that he would burn me because of the Low numbers we are having and we did talk about the numbers but My President Is a Man of God he asked me How I was And I explained My concerns But he told me That I needed to trust in myself more and that he knew That I am a good person he told me I need to have more faith and told me that He knew I could achieve what I needed too. and I Left that meeting stronger and ready to work and so we worked on that day and then friday and then saturday and sunday and nobody went to Church and my companion was pretty tired of working and and discouraged cuz noone went to Church and that night I dragged him around pretty much to knock some doors before we went home, and Today I got a call from my Zone Leaders. and they asked me in a serious way what were doing wrong and I got pretty mad.... I know there trying to help and Everything but I finally start to put my heart into it to believe that something will change and they call me to tell me Im doing it wrong.... I guess I just need to breath and relax. Just another test of patience I guess. Its strange to think that The mission is the oppostie of what I thought I thought I would miss my family alot and have alot of hard times in the Beginning of the mission but Instead the Difficulties just get bigger and harder everyday it seems but I keep growing too so thanks for all the support I love you guys and Im learning a ton!!! Heres a Pic of our zone at the temple for you guys.
Tchau, Elder J. Smith