THE CANADIAN "AWKWARD ROOM"

Friends and fam!

Wow! Another week gone by already! It’s crazy how fast they go! First off, it looks like it was a great party for Kegan! What did he do to his arm and what was Madeline doing there? haha Payt, stay healthy! I’m so excited for 2 a days to be here! It’s unreal that it is that time of year! Did they start early this year? You and Kaasa tear it up and give the news papers something to talk about! But stay humble! Mom, you are amazing! Thank you so much for those scriptures! I hope they didn’t cost a ton! And thank you sooo much for the pictures! I definitely got a shot of trunkiness! Man, you guys look good on that boat! Dad, you need to tighten up the seat! It looked a little saggy! You’re looking great however! You pulled of the hat nicely! Thank you so much for the great up date every week! I love and miss you all so much! You are the greatest!

So this week was pretty crazy! It was zone conference week! It was nice because I didn’t have to prepare district meeting, but I spent half the week in Winnipeg with meetings and exchanges. I got to exchange with the Portage Elders. I went with Elder Green from Australia and it was a great exchange!! They have a man from Sudan that was a brother to the Obeng family, but he has a big language barrier so they haven’t been teaching him because they struggle with him understanding. I said I wanted to meet him on the exchange and so we went and taught him and it was the best!! I SOOOOO miss teaching people who are learning English! They are so humble and patient and it is so fun teaching so simply! The lesson went great and they are going to start teaching him more and he said he would start coming to church! It was great! It got me pretty Agnes trunky!!

Zone conference was great! Interviews went really well too and President talked to me a lot about stuff to try with stupid missionaries! It was a great week! Chris went teaching with us this week too!!! He did sooo great! I love him to death! haha He also gave us his white shirt to wash and it was nasty! haha We scrubbed it down in the shower and then washed it with our clothes. It is so amazing that Chris comes from such a rough background, but he has such a strong testimony and he has grown so much! He is such a champ!! The branch loves him too and Tyler has become good friends with him! It’s great and Chris and Karl are doing great! We are teaching Matt Lefort a lot now and he is doing really good! His brother and grandma have kinda backed off, but Matt is doing really good! He even bore his testimony this week! haha Due to what all Mormons seem to do at testimony meeting, he asked us, "So do we just go and tell people what’s going on in our life?" haha We said, “No, we talk about our testimony of Jesus Christ.” He got up and did a mix of the two! But it was great! Man, it’s so funny to get a missionary/investigator view of the church! We are a peculiar people! But it went great and it was good that he bore his testimony because we were way short on numbers because half the branch went on a temple trip to Regina! The Elders quorum president had to preside! I think if a couple more people would have been gone, I would have been in charge! I don’t know how I will be able to function when I’m not in a branch anymore though! I love this branch! They are all so great and I have learned so much! The members and missionaries here have to carry such a large load! I’ve taught the Gospel Principles class almost every week and this week we combined and taught the Gospel Doctrine class. I’ve had a lot of great teaching experiences! We speak like once a month in the branch and I’ve even taught priesthood before too! It’s going be weird to go to church when there aren’t a 1000 things to do!

Things are going great though! Still working with Lauren, Ben, Kimberly and some new people, things are good! The district is doing well but one companionship is really struggling (probably because they are disobedient!) But I have an exchange with them this week so hopefully all goes well!

I had a funny tracting story for you this week though! So we have like 2 or 3 appointments a day that usually go through and the rest of the time we are usually tracting. So we get a lot of tracting in! But in Canada they have little middle rooms that then go to the front door, so it feels like you are walking into people’s house already when you ring their door bell! It’s really weird, but its good for winter and mosquitos! So anyways, we are in a trailer park out in the boonies and they all have these, we call ‘um (awkward rooms) haha Now some people get mad when you don’t come into the awkward room and some people get mad when you do. So it’s always a little sketchy, but eventually you stop caring and just walk in. Well, we walk into this one and we ring and then look around. Turns out there is like a couch and TV and table, it was an addition to the trailer, so the doorbell was still there and we were in this guy’s new living room! haha And it was to late to get out because he was at the door, which I don’t know why it was there, but he went crazy! f-bomb this and f-bomb that! haha He was a very big man too! haha

But I’m outa time I love ya! Have a great week! You’re the best!

Love Elder Smith!!

ANOTHER HOT ONE IN SELKIRK

Friends and Fam!

Hey! Sounds like you had a great week!! Thank you so much for the catchup! It’s great, but man it’s gonna be weird when I realize that you guys are still living a life too! haha I kind of forget that new stuff is happening there too! Payton, please stay healthy! Don’t overdo at the camp!! Wait and mess up the kids at the game! Your favorite line should be, “I’m a gamer!” haha Everyone knows you’ve worked hard, so just stay healthy and be a (former player’s name omitted) at practice! haha Also, great pick for the dance she’s cute! I’m glad your dating around! You’re a champ!! Put on more weight so I can wear your clothes when I get home! You are looking good!! I want your shoes! Man I miss you Payt! I love ya a ton! The Jeep is looking good! You’re a champ!

Mom, Dad, Alex and Addison, I miss you a ton! Mom thank you so much for the pics! They were great and they cracked me up! And my birthday is still a ways away! But I was wondering if you could send me some cd’s. There is a great one called Nearer. It should be at LDS bookstore. It is so good! It’s church hymns sung a little different. I think you all will really like it! Also, if you could send all of the EFY cd’s 2006-2010. I like having good music for all of the driving we do. Also, the jump drive is on the way! It’s got like 600 pictures on it and a couple videos! Enjoy! That’s all I wanted but I was also hoping you could get Karl a set of scriptures. I love that kid a ton and I want give him one before I go. I know they are spendy, but I really want to give it to him! His full name is Karl Harry Helbig, if you could get them engraved. I don’t care which one you get but if you could do that it would be great!! You’d probably have to send it pretty soon because transfers are coming up again! Also, let me know if you can get one for Chris, too. He isn’t priority, but I just have gotten really close with Karl.

This week was kind of frustrating, but good! No district meeting because it’s Zone Conference week! Kimberly didn’t come to church and she has kinda been giving us the cold shoulder, so we don’t know what to do! We will give her a couple day break and see what happens! Ben is doing good and still working for his date in September, but he has some issues with tithing. But he’s been taught everything and he still wants to work for his date! He’s great! Chris didn’t make it to church because of work this week! Since his baptism he has been up and down and it’s been pretty hard, but he’s a champ! I feel like I’m never in my area anymore! There are so many meetings and exchanges, which gets hard when Winnipeg is 30 minutes away! Elder Platt has been great at picking up the slack though! I bet he goes senior next transfer and all he will know is me and Selkirk!

I got to go on exchange with Elder Leonard, who is my Zone Leader now and it was so great! He has a heart of gold, and no home to go back too! haha His parents are now serving in St. George as the Mission Presidents and his brother leaves on his mission soon, crazy! The exchange was so great and get this, Emanuel moved into their area, so we got to teach him! aaahhhhhh! It was the greatest! I love that man soooooo much!! It was the best and it felt like good old times in Agnes! Emanuel is a solid member with such a strong testimony! After seeing him. . . just that was worth giving up two years!! It was the best!! Elder Ewell’s brother also leaves soon, so he will end up not seeing him for like 40 months, insane!

My district is good, but I’m sooooo sick of stupid missionaries! One companionship went to a Priesthood meeting that they weren’t supposed to and had a sleepover with other missionaries and then they got caught, which I don’t get because there’s no way you don’t get caught! ahhh! Their stupid! But I had to deal with that! That’s fun, especially when both of them have been out over a year!

We are teaching some other good people but one of them is crazy. He has a heart of gold and his name is Lauren. He’s way good but he says some crazy stuff! He came to church and liked it, but he really is a little crazy! Any advise on how to handle slightly crazy people? I love him and he set a baptismal date, and he is keeping commitments, but he says some crazy stuff!! Fill me in if anyone has ideas.

We are teaching some other good people, but I’ll fill you in on them another time. I’m out of time but I love you all a ton!! Grandpa and Grandma, thank you so much for your letters! You are the best! Grandpa, thanks a ton for your letter and the history you sent! It was great!! Grandma and Grandpa I sent you a package and I hope it got there! Let me know if you can. I love all of you guys sooo much! I have the greatest family ever! Everybody stay safe and healthy! AND KEEP PAYTON HEALTHY! Less time with the ladies and more time stretching! haha Alex, I wanna hear from you! Let me know if you are playing football and what your plans are for the fall!! Addi, I need a gymnastics update! Love you guys!

Love, Elder Smith!!

HAVE OFFICIALLY KNOCKED EVERY DOOR IN SELKIRK!

Friends and Family!

Hey! Thank you so much for your great emails! Sorry I’m emailing so late in the week! Things have been crazy and this is the first time I’ve had a chance to email! Just remember that no news is good news! Addison, you are such a beautiful girl! You look so old and I’m really nervous for when you grow into those cute teeth! haha Payton, you are a punk! Hopefully you are having a blast at Lake Powell!! Be safe and smart! Football is coming up! By the way when do 2 a days start? Mom, before I forget to tell you, that is so neat that you got the package from Akon! I knew you’d like it! Just so you know that wasn’t the greatest lesson or talk on the video. But after she recorded that baptism talk they started making the announcement at baptisms that no video cameras are allowed. Funny stuff! Also, I was gonna tell you not to be offended that the clothes she sent you were huge. They wear all of there clothes super baggy. So just be offended that she thought you were taller! hahaha Also, the kid from Rigby did make it. His name is Ben Skinner. I don’t know who’s training him though. There was also a kid from Idaho Falls too but i didn’t meet either of them!

As for other updates, this week was good, but we had to drop one of our baptismal dates, but we set another one. And EVERYONE bailed for church this Sunday which was super frustrating but Lauren (the new baptismal date we set) made it. Kimberly wasn’t ready and she just can’t quit smoking. It’s so hard! Ben was doing good but we taught him tithing and he has really thrown on the brakes. He hasn’t been to church in a couple weeks and he hasn’t had time to meet with us. We are meeting with him tonight though, so hopefully that goes well! Karl and Chris are doing great! So that’s good news! Karl has even let us teach some of his friends in his house! Matthew Leforte is doing well and so hopefully things with his date in September workout!

So, I have officially knocked every door in Selkirk! Some even 2 or 3 times! haha If you look on the Selkirk map, every street that it shows I have tracted every door. haha It’s kind of insane. We have found so many great people! But now I don’t know what to do. It’s hard to have faith to go knock them over again! We have been tracting in other towns and on the outskirts but we have limited kilometers, so it makes it interesting! Any ideas?

District meeting went great this week! And I stayed up for the whole meeting! haha We talked about and practiced extending a baptismal commitment in the first lesson. I love doing it, but most missionaries have never done it. Elder Green, in my district, has been out 6 months and he has never extended a baptismal commitment. PERIOD! Which is crazy, but I committed everyone to try it and, get this! That night Elder Green and Elder Morris did it in a first lesson with someone and they accepted! They called me and they were so excited! It was really neat!!

I also went on an exchange with Elder Brown yesterday. It went well, but he has been out 18 months, so it’s really hard to find a way to help him because he has been out double what I have. Any ideas? It was a good exchange and he worked hard but there were things I wanted to tell him but didn’t just because I didn’t know how to go about it. It’s so hard to help people without coming off as self righteous or cocky! But it went well. If you do have any advise, let me know.

Family, I love you all so much! sorry my email is all over again, but I gotta go! love ya a ton and best of luck with the week! Love Elder Smith!

PASSING OUT AT DISTRICT MEETING

Friends and Family!

Family, you are the best! Man I love and miss you! Thank you soooo much for the great emails and pictures! Oh man, you are friends with Yo Murphy!? Technically, you’re famous! hahah I’m so glad that you guys are having so much fun! It sounds like the camp was great and the concert was a blast!! Dad, was that a pink shirt!? Are your legs shaved too? Just kidding, you are looking sooooo good! You all look so great! Man, I love and miss you!! Payt, it sounds like you tore up the camp! Stay healthy and don’t work hard in 2-a days, when they get here! YOU ARE A GAMER!!! I loved the jumping picture and you and your buddies matching cleats made me smile! Looking good!!

Mom, who did you pick as your counselors?? And thanks for the update on Cody Cook! I miss him! Hopefully he emails me!! Dad it’s super humid here and it has been raining a lot! I like the rain but it means mosquitos! I have been so eaten that I am immune! The bites don’t even itch anymore! Thank you so much for all the pictures! I miss my dog! And Payton, she might love and listen to you, but she will always respect me the most!

So this week was pretty insane!! I am so tired and stressed. I have learned to cope with stuff so much better, it’s great! I’m doing all that I can to help the district but man it’s a lot of work! I have call-in’s or stuff to do every night during personal time so I don’t get time for anything but missionary work, all day! It’s kinda crazy! I know why missionaries get home and go crazy with sitting still! I have some disobedient missionaries in my district and it is so frustrating!! I don’t get why kids come on missions when they just waste their time and the Lord’s time! It’s so confusing! And it’s hard to know how to handle it because if I’m just bold and upfront they don’t change, but they also hate their district leader! I am learning so much, but it can be pretty frustrating! Weeks are so crazy too because I still have to keep the area going but I have exchanges to do and more meetings. I have to drive to Winnipeg 2 or 3 times a week! It’s so different but a lot of fun! It’s hard because there is so much that I want to help people with, but it’s hard to know the best way to go about it! I also have been spending most of my personal studies on district meeting.

This last district meeting went well but get this! I drove down in the morning and I didn’t get to eat or drink much before because I was preparing. So I got there and taught district meeting. President Paulson was there and the meeting went well, but get this! At the end things were rapping up and I started to feel light headed. I had been standing the whole time and I think I left my legs locked. haha The meeting was pretty much over and President had some things he wanted to say so I was standing there and I was like, “Oh man, I hope he hurries up because I’m really light headed! I unlocked my legs and started moving and trying to slow down my breathing, but it got worse! hahaha I just kept saying, “Aahh, I’ll be fine.” But I’m grabbing the podium and doing everything I can to stay up! Elder Platt (he’s a good son!) saw that I was shaking and not looking so good so he ran up and grabbed me! I was almost out! I stumbled to a chair and sat down and I could see straight again. I felt sooooooo stupid though!! I’ve never had that happen before and it made me so mad! I should have just sat down when I felt a little dizzy but I thought I could just tough it out! Now that I think about it, it’s pretty funny, but not really the way I wanted my first district meeting to end! I’m definitely eating breakfast next week and keeping my legs unlocked!President Paulson is the best though! He reminds me of a mix of a friend an Apostle and a football coach! He made sure I was okay and then he just joked about it! I felt dumb, but it all worked out. I won’t ever make fun of Payt for passing out at church or in the hospital again!

But then I went on exchange with Elder Morris. He came out with me and now he’s in my district! We were laughing because the thought of us getting dropped of in the middle of Winnipeg together 9 months ago is insane! He has grown a ton and it was a great exchange!! Elder Platt has really picked up the slack when I’m gone on exchanges! He is a great missionary!! It’s crazy how much he has grown since he’s been out! He’s been out over 3 months now and for the exchange he was in Selkirk with Elder Green who has been out six months. Elder Green is a great kid, but he has had troubles staying motivated. It was great for him to go with Elder Platt because Elder Platt is a little fireball! He’s nearly comparable to the kid from “The Best Two Years” haha It was Elder Platt’s first real time not being with me on the exchange, and he did great!! It’s so neat to see how fast he has grown!

The area is doing good! Karl has been helping us teach and he is great! Chris is doing good, but hopefully he will start to help us too! The branch is doing good and all of our other investigators are doing good! Kimberly and Ben are both still coming along, slowly but surely! They are still coming to church, but they both are struggling to live all of the commandments! It’s so hard because they know its right, but change is hard!! Things are going great though! Don’t stress about me almost passing out because I’m fine! I wasn’t gonna tell you, but it is a pretty funny story. Just don’t stress!! If you stress, I can’t tell you other funny stories! I love and miss you all so much! You all look so great!!

Please keep being safe and smart!! Payt, please get me some info on your weight and lifts! Keep me updated and get used to writing me more because once 2-a days start, I need ALL of the details! I know they’re a ways away, but man I’m excited to hear how you tear it up this year!!

I love you guys all so much, have a great week!! Don’t stress if my emailing is unpredictable, I will try and shoot for Tuesday or Wednesday, but things are crazy with everything!! I love you all a ton!

Love Elder Smith

Oh and tell Preston congrats! He’s a champ! Tell him and his fam I love and miss them!!

CHRIS GOT BAPTIZED & I'M STAYING IN SELKIRK!

Friends and Family,

Hey! Thank you so much for the great emails and pictures!! It is so weird that the 4th of July has come and gone! Canada Day (Canadian equivalent) was so weird. For one, it made me homesick! It was sooooo hot and humid!! I sweat like crazy! We did service a lot of the day and a lot of street contacting, but man it was weird! I was putting in my papers a year ago, this next week! It’s just so unreal because everything feels like a big crazy dream! After working all day on Canada Day, we were in bed and the fireworks started going off! They didn’t hold a candle to the Melaluca show! haha But they were super lame, but just enough of an annoyance to keep us up! It’s funny how holidays can pull out a bit of homesickness. But it’s crazy how it is nothing like I thought it would be! It’s also so weird when I think that a year ago I was down at the river at the fireworks with a girl and family! haha Man life is crazy!!

Dad, congrats on the pizza oven! I can’t wait to try one! It sounds like you once again threw the best 4th of July party in town!

So this week was good, even though we had crazy holiday stuff going on! Chris got baptized on Saturday and it went great! Tyler Archambow, a great member that is only 17, really has helped to fellowship Chris and he ended up baptizing him! It was so great for both of them! President Paulson came up for the baptism and he gave us our transfer calls a day early, at the baptism! Me and Elder Platt are staying, again! He said that we are too good of a combo to split up! haha We are now considered ‘common law’ in Canada! ha ha ha just kidding. But it’s crazy! It’ll be four and a half months with him! All he knows about missionary work is Elder Smith and Selkirk! I’ve also been asked to be the new district leader of our district. I’m super excited, but hopefully it all goes well. Everyone in my district has been out longer than me or just as long, except for Elder Platt and Elder Green! I’m pretty excited about it but hopefully I do a good job. Now I have to teach district meetings every week and I get to do exchanges with everyone in my district and the zone leaders. It’s crazy because we are clear out in Selkirk, so they are going to have to give us a ton of kilometers! I will have served in Selkirk for six months, after this transfer! It’s crazy!!

Elder Willardson got transfered and now he is serving with Elder Ewell as the Winnipeg South Zone Leaders, but get this! Elder Leonard is the new Zone Leader in our zone! So I will get to work with him again and I’m so excited! There are 3 districts in the north zone.

So Karl got the Priesthood and he will get a calling this next week! Chris talked to President Anderson and they are working on a calling for him too! It was a hard, stressful week though because after Chris's baptism he had some issues that I’ll tell you about some other time. It was pretty stressful, but hopefully everything will work itself out.

We had a couple new people to church this week so that is good. Missions are so crazy because you start to care about people more and more and it makes things so much harder and more stressful! I’ve definitely faced my hardest trials on my mission, but I have learned so much and I am so grateful for the experiences I have had! I honestly never thought that I would see so much on my mission! It’s so crazy because I have met people that are in such a deep hole that it looks impossible for them to get out. It’s amazing because when you start to care about these people you can start to feel the way that they do and it is so overwhelming. It has given me so much more appreciation for the Savior and the Atonement! Any trials I have faced before seem like nothing compared to some of the things that people face. I had a great testimony before my mission, that the gospel could help people, but it has grown so much! Through the Atonement and living the gospel we really can find comfort and we can get out of these big holes that we dig for ourselves.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so great! I am so grateful that I have it in my life!! I love all of you so much and I am so grateful for all that you do for me! Keep up the great work and keep me updated! I love you all so much! Have a great week! Love every day and be safe!!!

Love Elder Smith

KARL GETS BAPTIZED!

Friends and Fam!

Hey! It’s been a great, crazy week!! I’m losing my mind! haha First off, thanks so much for the great emails! Dad, I hope after all that work, it makes good pizzas! And family, if it doesn’t make good pizzas, I hope you are ready to eat a lot of bad pizzas! Dad, it looks great and I’m super sad I didn’t get to help! Don’t do anymore projects for the next year and a half so I can help! Mom, congrats on your new calling! You are going to do such an amazing job!! That’s sooo great!! Payton, it sounds like you are having a blast of a summer! haha Live it up because pretty soon you don’t get to wear shorts for a long time!! haha Luckily you don’t sweat as much as I do! It’s been rainy a lot here though so I’ve been blessed, but there have still been some hot days! It is so good to get your emails! You guys are the greatest!! Thanks for the update on Kody Morgan!! It sounded like him for sure! He’s a great kid!

Alright, so this last week was insane!!! Selkirk has just blown up!! We are teaching sooo many people that its super stressful to keep track of everything!! A lot of them are single woman, so we have to bring members to the appointments. We are working the members to death! On average every week we have 7-10 appointments that we take members with us too. Some members are going out with us 2 or 3 times a week and we are using like every member in the branch! It’s so hard because if we can’t find a member to help, we can’t teach them, so we go finding and we find more people that we need members to help us teach! It’s sooo good, but so frustrating at the same time! We have set a couple new dates with people and things are going so good!! On top of it all, this Saturday we had a move to help with in the morning, the font to fill, Chris's interview and then Karl’s baptism! It was crazy! And our Branch Mission Leader has been out of town, so I had to put together everything for both of the baptisms. The branch is going crazy because they haven’t seen a baptism in awhile! The move went great and we taught a couple lessons and then Chris passed his interview, the font got filled and we even had some investigators to the baptism! It couldn’t have gone any better than it did! We have been so blessed!!!! Karl loved it and it was so great! His Catholic parents came too, so that was great!!

The Baronins are the best! They met Karl once and they made the trip down to see his baptism, after they had already helped with two moves and another baptism!! They are amazing and get this! They told me that Pious and the Obeing family all went to the temple in Regina and did baptisms!! How amazing is that!!!! AAAAHHHH! Missions are the best!!!

I felt way weird at the baptism when President Anderson spoke though! He was supposed to be inviting Karl into the branch, but instead he broke down about how I was an answer to his prayers. He said that when he taught with me, he felt like he was on his mission again. He said a ton of other great compliments and I just sat there feeling all awkward, haha It was neat but not really the time or place for it. He is such a great man though! I love him so much!! I love this branch so much too! They are so amazing!! It was funny because Bishop Baronins came to me after and said, “See I told you you’d love Selkirk.” He definitely has a sweet spot for Selkirk!! President Paulson came up and said, “Elder Smith, how do you feel about Selkirk now?” I said how much I loved it and he said, “Elder Smith, that’s what you said about Waverly Ward and thats what you will say about everywhere that you serve.” He is so right! There are so many amazing people everywhere! I don’t want to leave anymore areas though because it is so hard!! When I see the Baronins, I get so Agnes trunky! Agnes and Selkirk are definitely the greatest areas in the whole mission!!!

After the baptism things have been super crazy! Chris gets baptized at 4 on Saturday and he will be confirmed on the 4th of July! woo woo! Karl was interviewed by President Anderson, and he will get the Priesthood on the 4th too! Best 4th ever! haha Which is good because all the older missionaries say the 4th is the worst because nothing happens!! haha Luckily good things will be happening here!! I’m super stressed though because we still have to throw together a baptism! It’ll go great, I’m sure though!

Chris is such an amazing kid and he has such a good heart!!!! Life is going great!! Missions are funny because a lot of bad stuff happens, but when you look back, all you remember is the good! And the bad, if it has a funny story too it! haha I love this area and this mission so much!! It’s so great! And it is so insane because it’s also transfer calls already on Saturday!! It honestly seems like last week that I got the call I was staying! I’ve been in Selkirk 4.5 months! It’s so crazy!! I’m hoping for one more, but we will see what happens!

I love and miss you all sooo much! Stay safe and smart and have a great summer!! Payton, have a blast but don’t do anything too stupid!! hahaha I love you all sooo much!! Talk to ya next week!!

Love Elder Smith

JUST LEAVE ME IN SELKATRAZ FOREVER!

Ben, Elder Platte, Elder Smith (clad in Ben's jackets)

Family Home Evening at President Anderson's with Kimberly and kids

Friends and Fam!

Payton, I am die-ing laughing in the library right now! haha You crack me up kid! haha Keep tearing life up!! Man I miss you!! Your puke story made me laugh so hard!! Dad you are the best! I’m still bitter that i didn’t get to call you! Thanks a ton for your email! You are the best with taking something I love and turning it into a gospel thought! Your the greatest!! Mom, thanks for the Akon update!! Hopefully she is doing good, I think I’m gonna write her this week!! Thanks a ton for all of the pictures in the email and in the letter! All the boys in the picture at Uncle Kellan’s are looking good!! The picture of Josh looked great too! He looks different! It’s so neat to see the change of a mission! I see Madeline still looks good too! haha You will have to tell the whole Olsen family I say hello!

So golfing was crazy! Just Elder Platt and I went last P-day and I am horrible! I woofed so many times! I would just play Elder Platt’s ball because I was too embarrassed to go get mine or I didn’t know where it was! It was weird becaus I felt so out of place!! It was just awkward because I didn’t feel like a missionary! I felt like a guy at a girl’s sleepover! I don’t know if it was because we were in full pros (shirt and ties) hahaha or if it was because we weren’t doing missionary work or the combo. It was fun and all but I won’t do it again.

So this week has been crazy! First off, I HATE mosquitos SOOOOOOO MUCH!!! They are so thick you can’t believe it! They say once you get bit so much, the bites start to not even show! Lucky for me my skin is tough and the bites don’t bug me but Elder Platt swells up like a balloon! He has huge bites everywhere. And ya, we have been spraying a ton of stuff but they find the one place you miss and they find ways in your clothes! Elder Platt got 2 on his head this week and he really looked like a Mormon with horns! I’ve decided that Manitoba is like Texas except with bad things! If you have cold, we’ve got colder. If you have hot humidity, we’ve got more! If you have flooding, ours is higher. If you have mosquitoes, ours will carry you away and tear you apart! hahah Canada is the best! But honestly it is! Mosquitoes or not, I am loving it sooo much!!

Karl had his interview this week and he passed with flying colors! We were hoping he would ask one of the members to baptize him but he asked me to baptize him and Elder Platt to confirm him! I’m super excited, but I feel bad too because we have done a ton to get him friends in the church! He loves a ton of the members, but he still chose us. We told him he should pick someone that he can stay in contact with his whole life and he said, “That’s why we have email and telephones!” hahaha It’s way good, but I’d prefer one of the members were doing it. I’m so excited, but it’s weird because I feel a little bad that he asked me. It’ll go great though and I’ll definitely never forget it! He is such a great kid!!! I love him to death! It’ll be at 7 PM this Saturday!! And get this! Chris as been coming to church and living all the commandments, so he will be at Karl’s baptism and when it is over he will have his interview! I’m so excited for him! He has such a great heart!! This branch is just on fire!! They haven’t seen a baptism in over a year and there will be 2 on back to back weekends! We also set 2 more dates this week, so there will be 4 more dates coming up after Karl and Chris!! It’s sooo great!! Kimberly is coming along good too! We had FHE at President Anderson’s house yesterday with Kimberly’s family! It was insane because both of their kids are crazy!! haha It was so insane but so much fun!

Ben also made it to church and he loves it and the branch is really making good friends with him! Velma is still working with us, but she hasn’t set a date yet! Dylan Leforte set a date this week and so did a lady named Wendy (she is new, we just found her this week and set a date with her the first appointment).

This area is the best!! Hopefuly they keep me in Selkatraz forever! haha Tonight we are doing a mini fireside at the Holme’s house with Chris, Karl and maybe Ben! It should be a ton of fun! The members here are so amazing! They do so much for us! It is so neat to watch members go from being surprised to see people at church, to expecting it and then when we do get people there, they just eat them up! It is so great and so fun to watch!! It is so amazing how many people I have learned to love and care about! I honestly never thought that I would be able to meet so many people that I would care so much about!! Missions are the best!! I feel soooo bad for ever being down about this area!! I have been so blessed!

I will get you pics of Karl’s baptism and send them next week. I love you all so much and I’m so grateful for all that you do!! Be safe and smart and I’ll talk to you next week! Have a great week!

Love Elder Smith