Wednesday, November 4, 2009

FANTASTIC FIRST WEEK

Kris Smith writes: Wednesday morning I was still distraught about the missing email, and I got thinking that maybe, for some reason it had been snagged in the junk mail filter. I called Cableone tech support and they helped me retrieve two emails from Chandler that he had sent nine times! I was so happy!! That's what I get for joking about Chan's two-finger typing and maybe I should improve on MY computer skills! Anyway, here you go.

Hey friends and fam!
First off, Payton, YOU ARE THE MAN!! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!
(Highland win) It was great to hear from you all! Before I start, you need to know that I'm no longer aloud to use slang. So I can't say cool, sweet, awesome, or any of those words that I use a lot. haha It's been really hard but it will be super neat when my vocabulary is completely changed! haha Well my mission president is absolutely amazing and my area is amazing! I am in the heart of Winnipeg!! So is the President, so we get to see him all the time!! And my companion is so great!! We are like the same accept he hunts more than me and he fishes with worms! But he is really good at all sports and super athletic. He works so hard! He honestly is the perfect first companion! We teach really good together and our teaching style is pretty similar, so it's perfect!! He has already taught me so much and we have a ton of fun together!! The first night here was great though because I didn't know who my comp would be and we got to go out with some random missionaries before the next day when we would meet our trainers. That night I got paired up with Elder Nef who is the only other missionary that went to Skyline High School! woo woo! It was so fantastic!! Talk about pure luck because missionaries are spread out all over Canada and I happened to get paired up with him for this first night! In one night he taught me a ton and reminded me of the good farming people of Idaho!! We had one appointment that night and me and the other Idahoan taught the Restoration and it went so good! It was just the first lesson but we got a baptismal commitment!! It was a great way to start!! Mom, you should track down his mom Sister Nef, she is in the Hillibrant's ward. Then the next day was when I got my companion/trainer, Elder Ewell, he is so amazing, like I said earlier! haha

So the first day with my companion we just went street contacting which is way fun! The average new investigators you try to get a day is two. In a couple hours we got 8! We were splitting up and getting two at a time. We had to stay in sight and sound of each other, haha It was so great! Three of them I was able to get without any help from my companion, while I was by myself and he was behind me talking to someone else! It was a blast and he kept saying that I was alot different than the other new kids that hate talking to people. haha But we've already taught a lot of lessons and we have a baptism next week! I love the people! It's funny though because we are in the craziest part of the whole mission! I've been told to off a couple times, haha, but once you say you are a representative of Jesus Christ they're usually pretty nice haha! it's funny though because I've talked to alot of drunk people! haha But their breath smells fantastic because alot of them get drunk with Listerene mouth wash! Instead of beer bottles all over there are Listerene bottles all over, hahaha!

The Bishop here is one of the most amazing men I have ever met! He does everything for the ward and I mean it, like everything! And he feeds us great food once a week! The other day he was moving this lady and he asked for our help so we came in our suits thinking it would be quick and easy! But oh my!! We were there for close to four hours and tell Dad and Art that their ward member moves don't hold a candle to what me and my companion and the Bishop went through! I'm talking a floor of cat poop, fur and who knows what! Even human poop and urine as well! This person was the biggest pack rat in the world, like wall to wall crap and then the stuff the cat is supposed to poop on spread all over the floor! I'm pretty sure there were a ton a bed bugs as well! I want to burn my suit! It looks horrible! It was so disgusting, like honestly, I wish I could describe it to you all in person! haha I'm pretty sure that that is the reason you won the Highland game or I'm gonna see 10 baptisms this week, because the blessings gotta go somewhere! hahaha But the people here are great and honestly I can't even tell you how great this Bishop is! His moving skills remind me of Dads!! I mean this bishop does work!! And so does my companion!! It is so great because I'm surrounded by extremely hardworking people!

Oh I got to go to my first Winnipeg testimony meeting. I got to pass the sacrament because they have only two priests and that's it! And then the show began!! First off the Bishop and his wife spoke and they have the most amazing testimonies ever!! Like wow!! But then it got interesting! haha Boulevard Ward also can't touch a Winnipeg fast and testimony meeting!! haha The best was an investigator that doesn't want to get baptized because she thinks she already has been by another church. haha This definately didn't slow her down from bearing an interesting testimony in OUR church! haha She talked of her own Joseph Smith experience and about some other crazy stuff for about ten minutes, haha! The President Assistant told me "the church isn't a circus for the righteous, but a hospital for the sinners" haha! I also got to work in an old folks home a couple days ago and that was fantastic! Really sad but it makes you feel good to be helping at the same time! It's been amazing so far. It's constant ups and downs! You will teach a great lesson and really feel the Spirit and then you will have a trial of some kind! I've already grown a ton and I love it here! "Anti's" have been fun because they say I'm going to hell, haha! It's been funny because the more people tell me that, the more my testimony grows! I know this church is true and I know this is were I am supposed to be! A mission is so fun, exciting, spiritual, funny, crazy, sad and amazing!

I love you all so much and I miss you a ton!! You are all amazing! Sorry for the bad writing but I have no time! Dad, thanks for the quote and don't worry about me at all!! It's great here and so fun! I couldn't have gotten a better companion!! I LOVE YOU ALL SOOO MUCH!! Payt, good luck with basketball! Rock it!

Love, Elder Smith

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

NEW ADDRESS

Mail letters to:
Elder Chandler David Smith
394 Agnes #3
Winnipeg, MB R3G 1N4
CANADA

Mail Packages to:
Canada Winnipeg Mission
Elder Chandler David Smith
845 Shaftsbury Boulevard
Winnipeg, MB R3P 0M5
CANADA

PANIC P-DAY!

Friends and Family:

Hey! You have no idea what I've been through today! I thought my time ran out and I thought you wouldn't get either of my emails! I was freaking out and I'm sure my comp wants to kill me. haha We finally found a place where I could retype it to send it to you. Oh, wow I'm so happy it went through. I love you all so much and I'm gonna send it again to make sure it made it! I hate this not knowing! Today I got all of my snow gear so don't even stress. I love you all so much and things are good! I have to hurry now and go buy food! ha ha love you bye!

Elder Smith's Mom writes:
We obviously didn't get the e-mail he sent, twice! We are sure he will work out the kinks of P-day e-mailing before next Monday. . . We hope! I'm sure he is regretting not progressing beyond "two finger typing" in high school!

The family is grateful to have had a phone call from the airport before Chandler left for Canada. He called about 6 AM last Wednesday. He sounded wonderful! He was missing life in Idaho Falls and wanted details like how Skyline could have lost the Emotion Bowl and if his Dad had been fishing. Mostly he was excited to go serve the people of Canada.