COFFEE, TEA OR BAPTISM?

NOVEMBER 9, 2009

Friends and Family!

Hey! It was great to hear from you all! Mom I just got the blanket! You are so amazing!! This week was definitely harder for me! It hit me that tomorrow morning I wouldn't get to make my mom a cake. This has been working on me all week and it’s hard I don’t get to tell her Happy Birthday and I don’t get to tell her how amazing she is and how much I love her! This killed me most of the week! Then I realized that if this was on my mind I’d regret time wasted out here! It sounds cheesy and we have all heard it a thousand times but, love every day! You never get them back! I’ll never get my Mom’s past b-days back but I’ll never get this short two years back either! So please take advantage of everyday! Mom I love you so much! You are amazing and I sent you a present today! Hopefully you get it soon! But please forget me out here and take advantage of everything there! I’m trying hard to do the same thing here because this work is honestly amazing and I don’t want to miss a second! But wow, is it hard!

Yesterday I approached a lady and she was drunk she grabbed my face and said I was cute! This was hard on me! haha I don’t like drunk ladies making moves on me! hahah But it was pretty funny! Oh Payt, draw me a picture of that. haha I’m pretty sad because I haven’t got your pictures yet. And Mom, sorry for my crazy order and writing! Hopefully ur fixen it up alot!! haha

Another funny story.. We did service for the old folks home and they had us serve them coffee or tea haha! It’s fantastic helping the old folks, but I thought that it was kind of ironic!! haha Oh and we have a super nice investigator that had us come over to teach him! He asked why Satan wasn't killed by God and so we taught the whole Plan of Salvation and answered his question perfectly! Everything we said he would nod and say “yes.” After the whole 45 minute lesson, he said, “Ok, next time you answer my question!” haha He was just saying yes but everything we were saying was going right over his head! haha He can speak English pretty good but I guess he really doesn't understand it very well! haha It was sooo painful because he was answering questions and I though he was picking up everything good. Guess not! haha

Language is a hard barrier out here!! We have a member that knows over 20 different languages that translates for us and there are still people with languages that he doesn't know. haha It’s crazy! And get this. . . He knows 20 different languages but he doesn't know the one language his wife speaks! So they talk with a mixture of languages and sign language! It’s amazing!!

A man named Tim has decided to be baptized on Wednesday! He is so ready! He’s been getting taught for about 2 months and he’s already read the Book of Mormon. My comp found him last transfer and he was super “Anti” haha So my comp just said, “Read this and tell us if you want to know more.” He read it and prayed and he gets baptized Wednesday, which is Remembrance Day in Canada! It’s so exciting! Also, a black man named Emanuel has been taking the lessons for 9 months, off and on, and he has finally set a date for the 28th of this month!! The average number of baptisms in our mission is like 4 or something. Like it’s super low, but I get to be a part of 2 in my first month!! It’s so amazing, but I’m getting greedy! haha Me and my comp don’t like taking no for an answer!! Every rejection still hurts and we get a lot!! haha But I’ve been able to teach some of the best lessons!

The other day we were with a family of 6 and they only spoke Chinese and a little English. Their two children Platu, age 8 and Plaset, age 7 are way smart though and they translate for their parents! We’ve been doing a combo of teaching the Gospel and English! We sit on the floor with a Children's Book of Mormon with pictures and the Dad reads it out loud and asks questions about words and we try to describe them or act them out! haha It’s so fun! It feels like teaching preschool with Mom! haha They are so amazing!

We also taught a couple (Robert and Patricia) that are super interested and we had a powerful lesson with them last night. They are so good and I really hope it works out with them! It’s so hard to see amazing people that just aren’t interested! We have a family, the Garcias that are so good, but they just aren’t interested. It’s way hard because a lot of people here just don’t have much backbone or work ethic! We had 12 investigators that we set up rides for church and called them the night before and they said they'd be there and not one showed! We think its because it was in like the 50’s Fahrenheit. haha It’s so nice here its crazy!!

But being a missionary is so fantastic because at first people don’t want to listen to you but if you just smile and keep teaching you can watch them change! They see there is something different and I can tell that they want it! They just don’t want to do the work to get it! Oh, another thing, my comp is the district leader and a stud! haha But because he is a district leader I got to do transfers with the zone leaders! I got to go with Elder Shulte and he is amazing! We were instant best buds and we stayed up late chatting. haha I learned so much from him though! He’s an amazing teacher! Out here it is sooo fun and amazing! But when you’re eating or when you wake up it can be so hard! At nights I’m to tired to think of anything, haha but in the mornings and when I eat I think of the family! It’s so crazy how it’s a constant up and down!! It’s so good but it’s so hard! But please listen to me and love every day together! I’ve already promised myself that when I get home I’m doing everything I can for my family! It was so easy, I don’t know why I wasn't better when I had the chance!! I love you all so much and Mom, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! You are soooo amazing!! I have the best mother and family in the world!!

Oh, and Dad Canada is a lot like the USA but everything costs a ton! haha and the USA and Canada dollar are the same! So a chicken sandwich and large fry are $5 instead of $3 haha, and we only get $5 a day for everything! So, no more fast food! I get a lot of Ramen and things called Sidekicks! I don’t get candy because I don’t have money! haha So we eat straight peanut butter because its cheap! haha love you by!!

Elder Smith

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

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.

There Is No Snow in Winnipeg!

Friends and Family!
I made it to Canada! woo woo! Canadian Mission President...firm...firm, but fair! hahaha just kidding. I absolutely love my mission president! He is such a great man and super nice! He likes football and fishing, so we should get along pretty well! It was great to talk to him and then he gave me a fantastic blessing!! I love him already!  Oh, and there isn't even snow here, so it cant be as cold as everybody keeps telling me! haha It's crazy though!! I'm in CANADA! 

I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for all of you! I love and miss you all so much, but this is going to be amazing! It's so exciting and I can't wait for tomorrow to meet my comp! Hopefully that goes over well! 

If you want to send me a letter, it will take a while for me to get it, haha but here is the address:

Canada Winnipeg Mission

Elder Chandler D. Smith

845 Shaftsbury Boulevard

  Winnipeg, MB R3P 0M5    

CANADA

   

I love you so much and l look forward to hearing from you!!  Good luck with everything!! Oh and sorry I cant tell you more, I'm just supposed to tell you that I'm safe and that I love you!  So, I'm safe and I love and miss you a ton!!  Good luck and kick trash on Friday Payt!!

Elder Smith

MTC Veteran. . . Countdown to CANADA!

Elder Gelwix & Elder Smith

"Boulevard Ward Boys"

Family and Friends,
Thank you so much for all the letters and packages! Your support is awesome! I feel like the most loved missionary in the MTC! Addison and Alex, thank you for the pictures and letters also. Dad and Payt, your letters are awesome. Mom and Grandma, you top out with amazing packages.

I have so much amazing food here. Haha. This is awesome because here, we go by the law of consecration. So in this aspect of the MTC, I think I'm one of the favorites. It's extremely fun too, because I've been able to greet the new missionaries in the MTC next door to us in our dorms. I know how hard the first day is, so it's been awesome to greet two new sets of missionaries with amazing homemade food. At first, they were shocked, just like I was when I first got here when I was greeted with food and nice missionaries as well. It's awesome here because everyone is so nice and helpful. The firesides have been awesome and a ton of fun. I've learned so much. One of the coolest parts was at one of our firesides when the whole auditorium full of missionaries was singing "Armies of Helaman." It was so powerful. It's an awesome place! It's been really cool because I run into a ton of Canadian missionaries. I really think I've learned how to speak their language. Two of them came into one of the districts that we welcomed into our dorm. They're really cool. One of them reminds me of a mix of Jordan Bowman and Matt Collette. He's really cool. He's told me a ton of cool facts about Canada, and they do say 'tight' there, which I think is 'tight'. It's gotten a ton easier as I've gotten into the routine, and now I'm just ready for Canada. I HAVE MY TRAVEL PLANS!!! I have to be up Wednesday morning at three AM, and report by four. I then am driven to the Salt Lake Airport, and my plane leaves for Denver at 7:30. I should get there at 9, and then I'll leave at 10:20 for Winnipeg. I should get there at 1:30. AND GUESS WHAT, I'M ALLOWED TO CALL HOME!!! So expect a call before 7:30, and hopefully another, once I get to Denver, haha. I'm so excited to hear your voices and to be on my way to Canada.

I just wanted to let you know that I love and miss you soooooo much! I looked at my life and I can't believe how blessed I have been! I am sure that I have better family and friends than anyone here!! I have been so lucky and I regret not being more grateful for it throughout my life! You people are so amazing! I can't even express how grateful I am for you! I love you all so much! Thank you for all of the support! It's crazy because while I've been here, I've seen kids who have broken families, messed up parents, wierd friends, lost sibling, and all around horrible lives! I even met a super cool kid who is completely color blind! But they are all still out here doing the Lord's work! Its been a shocker to me because I am sooo blessed! I wouldn't want anything different about my life! You all are so amazing and you have been soo good to me! We all run into hard times but we have to remember how lucky we are!

Finally, I know even with all the blessing that we have life isn't easy! We all have trials of our own that we have to get through! Even out here in this "spiritual prison" haha and I mean that in a good way rather than in the bad way we are used to! haha But out here and everywere else there are going to be trials! I found this scripture chapter and it honestly is my fav of all time, right now! It's Ether 12!! Check out the whole chapter its amazing! Mom read through it for Family Home Evening! its good stuff! But once again, I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for all you do! You are amazing! Don't worry about me at all because I'm fantastic!! Oh and alex! Way to rock the football championship! you're the man! And payt, kick trash friday night and "pick" a couple for me! Everyone knows you're the stud of that teams so just keep rockin' it in the games! love you all!!

Chandler

MTC Address

To write to Chandler in the MTC, either go to www.dearelder.com,  Mailbox #220, or 

US Mail Address: 

MTC Mailbox #220
CAN-WIN 1028

2005N. 900 E. 

Provo, UT 84604-1793. 

He would love to hear from you!