12-30-2013

Well this week BLEW BY! but I guess thats what happens when Between Emails I get to skype with you Guys between Emails. As for the call I didnt get in Trouble But ya Things are moving quick! in a few days Ill enter into the 3 more months club. thats CRAZY this transfer is going by really fast but its really good. Me and Elder Larsen got the most lessons taught this week I guess though we didnt even teach that much. But things are just going good Its like my senior year in High school! Its been great this transfer me and my comp have had a ton of great and precious experiences that I hope to keep for the rest of my life. Yesterday we talked with Bishop and It was great he talked a bit about his mission and I marveled at how much harder it was Transfers were basically just a paper you got with an address and you had to go and you didnt have contact with the mission and Pretty much the missions back in the day Required that you be a man. but I guess nowadays the only thing thats gonna make you be a man Is yourself! Thats probly my Goal for 2014 Is to live in a way that I can become a man become fearless in proclaim the gospel. I want to become what the lord  wants me too be. heres my excited christmas picture and also a Picture of my zone. for 2014 I need to take more pictures and write more in my journal Elder Larsen is a good journal writer hes already finished at least two journals and I aint even finished the one I started haha but I Can Always change and do better. But ya Thanks for all your guys love and support I hope you all have a Great new year and that we all can follow the voice of Papa in becoming better this next year than we were this year. Its crazy to think that This year was all on the mission. but  I love you all have a great week! 
Elder Smith

Santa Clause came!!!

12-23-13

Hey Everybody, Lets just start by saying THAT WAS A FAST THREE WEEKS!!!! I cant believe that half the transfer is already gone...... Me And Elder Larsen Are TEARING IT UP!! He´s a GREAT companion. He even worked with me to Clean the House! Our leaders our pretty happy with our work were still missing baptism but We might have one this week This week was good It flew by! Im having a great time with Elder Larsen we have worked alot he never complains when we work though he Acknowledges my unskillful planning haha. He doesnt like to do contacts but he isnt scared to talk! Im Just loving it up here! If IM lucky president will leave me here with larsen for another transfer but If Im realistic Ill be leaving this transfer. Its funny  that things are going as they are cuz usually the Missionary work starts to wind down at the end of the year and Im just starting to get things going haha I really dont know what to say other than Im Happy. The Lord Is blessing us alot here and Im loving it I started the 40 days and 40 nights of the new testament and Its going real well im  loving the chance I have to read about the saviors ministry and His teachings I like the 40 days and 40 nights cuz it goes at a quick pace but It gives me plenty of time to think and ponder on what I read. I know this church is true I know that it is Gods restored church here on the Earth and Im Am VERY THANKFUL for the chance I have to be apart of it! Christmas well lets just say if it wasnt for the christmas call it would pass by Un noticed haha cuz Ive been thinking about the Lord during the whole year and there isnt any sign of cold weather like there is at home plus the work were doing helps alot to keep my mind off home.  Im Glad you´re all happy In my letter Ill add a pic of me and some people I taught the Man Is less active and the Lady a nonmember we caught them sunday packing everything up so that they can go to Minas Geras ( Thats where Elder M Ribeiro is from) Looks like they will pass some good time down there maybe Ill never see him again but it was good to know him.  I love this work and I love all you guys Have a great week and a MERRY CHRISTMAS I guess Ill see you on Wednesday

Elder J. Smith

Elder Smith and Elder Larsen

Elder Larsen and his Christmas tree

12-16-2013

Well Its been Another Really Hot week here in Recife but Its been a great week. This week we had Zone Conference and It was Great!!! It was really fun and we heard some great talks! Also this week me and my comp worked HARD! It was great Sunday night after saying a Prayer I stayed kneeled  and put my chest on the chair and stayed there for about 10 minutes haha it was way comfortable!  haha but when your that tired anything is haha Im back sleeping in the Hammock Its just Too hot to sleep on the bed haha sleepin in the hammock without anything covering me and the fan on full blast I still get a little hot haha so  I dont need the extra Insulation from the matress. This week was a good week Im glad IM here with Elder Larsen theres something about him that just makes me work!!! One day I talked to alot of people and he didnt talk to anyone but I Talked with all the people cuz Of Elder Larsen I dont know why I guess he just wants too work!!! So this christmas season I think me and Larsen are gonna work haha Its gonna be great!! At Zone conference our President sang a Hymn in latin that was cool. But there was a part at the end of the conference where President and Sister Lanius stopped got  close and told us how much they loved us and cared about us. I really felt their Love and I Know that they care about me. My President Is strict... sometimes he seems heartless... He Requires 100 percent obedience... My President Is the BEST! I love my President and I know he loves me. These weeks we have been working with the Bishop Here and Im having all kinds of great experiences. Im learning lots about how the ward works and what it takes to keep it in good shape. Im learning about how to work with the Bishop. One thing I saw Is that Bishop does alot more than he needs too one saturday I helped him set up chairs in the church and I decided that I never want to be a burden for my Bishop that I want to make his life easier. The Mission Is great Im learning lots of things Its crazy now  people are starting to  say ´´1 year and 8 months your getting close to going home`` and I dont know whether Im happy with that or sad. Being honest Im happy :) but something always says Dang..... Its going by fast.....  but ya I know the church is True I Know this is the Work  of God I know  that this Church and the principles It teaches will always bring Our Happiness. to finish up Ill end with a Quote from my mission President thats written on the Back of my Nametag ´´This Is our challenge and Duty ,but, also with all certainty this is our great Joy``

Love you all hope you have a great week sorry I dont got pics to send I ll try and take more. ill send you these ones so you cant say I dont send you nothing Ones a pic of A lizard that came into our house it was funny to see him trying to get a grip on our tile floor haha 
Love, Elder J. Smith

The Elders had a visitor!

12-9-2013

Hey family thanks for the Letters I really enjoyed them! My birthday went by well sadly my Investigators didnt go to church..... But We worked on my birthday :) so I was happy haha Its not everybirthday you can be a missionary haha so now Im 21 do you know what I can do when Im 21?.... NOT DRINKING!!!! thats for sure haha now I can buy guns haha. but ya 1 year older and 3 years wiser haha I love the growth that we get on the mission. I dont like the stress that causes it but If it makes me better It should be a good Thing haha. Ill never regret my choice to serve a mission and recomend it to all young men. Ive grown soo much and Ive become so much better My mind was opened to more possibilites and too all kinds of truth. This week Was good I like Elder Larsen hes great!! Its funny to see how someone thats 24 seems younger than you haha but hes great and hes ready to work If he spoke Portuegues a little more he could train me. Haha Im glad President put me with A ´´younger´´ Missionary cuz it helps me focus more I really like working with Larsen. Hes great I thought that after Ribeiro went away it would be rough getting another comp but I got another good one so Im Happy. This week we talked with the bishop he helped us a lot and help us make a plan to Baptize on December 22 so were gonna have to be running faster than Santas Elves to get this work done! Here in Brazil Christmas isnt to big but its still a big holiday so ya I hope by Christmas Ill be able to find someone who has skype and some good internet!!!! im not gonna lie this call is gonna be a trunky one haha. I love this Work and This Church and now when I study and work I try and learn not how to be a great missionary that will baptize millions but to be a great Member of the Church that will help Edify Gods Kingdom.. I love you all hope you have a great week by the way heres a picture of me Putting the star on the tree haha. 

Elder J. Smith

Elder Smith and his Zone at the Temple.

Elder Smith putting the Star on The Christmas tree.

Tyson showing us that it is starting to feel just a little like Christmas! 

New Companion, Same Area

Hey Everybody I Know Im late this week but Im here with good News bad news also I guess... Today Ill be going to the temple what a great Birthday Present I love the temple the Bad news Is my good friend Elder M. Ribeiro got transferred Heres a pic of the Pizza Night before transfers.. I thought it would be me to go away but Ended up Being my comp. But I was happy with the Companion I got Looks Like the President Is trusting me cuz hes new and his first comp was a slacker so he put Him with me I hope I can help him Learn lots of stuff, I wanna return the favor that Stadnicki and Celestino did for me I was in about the same situation that hes in. I always wondered If presidente would trust me as much as he trusted Elder Celestino and Stadnicki to retrain me haha. So Im excited for this transfer Im gonna work alot!!! haha I started my Goal to get fit again the Goal is 100 dips 100 situps and 100 pushups everyday haha first day i got 55 pushups 100 situps and 25 dips yesterday I did 100 dips 100 crunches and 25 pushups haha so Im a little sore haha but when I get home Ill have a VERY WHITE beach body haha thats IF i continue with my goal haha. so Ya Im super excited this week I had a nice experience.sunday we were expecting 3 people to go to church and I prayed with alot of Faith that morning that The Lord would help the people who would follow him go to Church and I believed with all my heart that he would do this.....    And Nobody out of these three went to church..... But A man and His less active wife went to Church I never had met him before and he seemed like a great guy and as I talked to him I knew that The lord had Answered my prayer. We still havent had a chance to teach him but tomorrow we will visit him so Im excited. One Thing I learned with Elder Ribeiro Is that I have little Faith Elder Ribeiro has the Gift of faith when something happened something simple he always said what A miracle! and I was always the first to doubt haha but I know that sometimes the lord helpe me and I dont even recognize his had in the work I know this is the true Church I know that The Lord is helping us in our callings Thanks for all the love and support and Prayers I love you all and Hope you have a good week 

Elder J.Smith

Elder Smith and his new Companion Elder Larsen from Utah

11-25-2013

Well Its been a rough week last week they started a party that lasted up till last night and they had an Electric  train wich I learned is a semi truck trailer of Speakers and they put a block away from our house haha so my poor companion who doesnt have a ´´sleep like a rock`` switch has been tired not too mention he had a tooth ache and the blackout that made us go home early. But Im here and Im healthy so why should I complain. Ive decided That I just wasnt made to baptize haha I try and try and I dont succeed but then again I guess Im looking at it all wrong I am only a messenger Its the spirit that is going to touch the peoples hearts and show them where to go.  But If anything Im being taught many things. I guess the Lord doesnt let me baptize alot because If he did I wouldn keep asking myself ´´´What Am I doing?`` and ´´How can I get better?`` cuz if i stop asking these questions Ill never get better than I am haha That may just be the key to it all Just getting better each day. Im thankful to be here  Ive stopped having the occasional nightmare of teaching People and now I have sweet dreams of finding people who are looking for the Truth. so something is getting better also looks like we have a new rule that Investigators under 15 years old have to go to church steadily for three months before being baptized It makes me happy to see that :) Shows that the Church really wants strong members. Also shows that the second coming is getting closer. but I guess everything shows that :) well I love you all and hope your days are filled with joy and happiness. Have a good week and we will talk next week.

Elder J. Smith

11-18-2013 Tyson writes a Hymn

 This week was good we met some great people and I was so excited for
them to go to Church. But when sunday came We were at church and
nothing... nobody came and I was kinda sad and I kept thinking about
how maybe I could have helped them to be there and about all my
weaknesses and I was kinda bummed. and I was taking the sacrament I
thought about what the sacrament meant to me and I decided I´d write a
hymn, so I took out my daily planner and I wrote this . I havent given
it a title and Im gonna have to give it music but I Wanted to share it
with you guys.

What a horrid man I am
Who sins repents and sins again
Perfect like Christ I could never be
My fathers kingdom never to see

Jesus Christ Paid the price for sin
So I can change who Ive been
If with him my sins I lay
I can become perfect one day

As I partake from this tray
I see not bread but a chance to change
and this water given In love
Is my chance to live above

This is my chance to change I know
So forward with faith and hope Ill go
And try my best to be more like thee
Until I find myself here again next week

I Wrote this and I tought it expressed my feelings well on the
atonement. I had and still have a difficulty in understand how the
atonement works. But one thing I do know is that I am not perfect and
that the atonement is my chance to become a better person and not face
the consequences of my past actions. I hope that I can become a better
person than I am now and I know that this is possible only through the
atonement. Thats why its so Important that we do whats right cuz the
atonement will not erase our desires and thoughts just erase our past
errors if we let him. Im thankful to be a part of the true church I
know its true and That it brings us happiness when we live it
correctly :) Love you all
Elder J. Smith