Week #10-First Week in California

Monday, October 29, 2012

Hey Mom,

 

How is everything going? What are Blake and Olivia for Halloween? How did Derek's football game go? Did they win! I hope you got my letter that said everything was good here, and i made it safely. It's been a crazy week. We have been really busy with everything. This week I placed a few book of Mormons, I led my first lesson, and I asked 2 people if they would follow the example of Jesus Christ and get baptized. I also have been doing some street contacting which is hard. This is not the same language they taught me at the MTC. I can't understand anyone. I can somewhat speak it though. Hopefully, it comes fast. My companion is really awesome. He is a tall red head and his name is Elder Neilson. We get along really well. He is the disrict leader and we also share a room with the zone leaders. I'm planning on sending pictures to Kayla this week. Our house is infested with cockroaches. Every direction you turn there is a cockroach-its crazy! My mission is the Pamona Central mission. It's pretty ghetto, at least that's what all the people say in this area. On my second full day my bike seat was stolen and my tire almost got stolen, but we caught them in the act. It's ok it only cost 15 dollars for a new seat, and when they stole it we found a new investigator. The elders are the only people in my area that you see that is white. Everyone we see is black or Latino, mainly Latino though. My area is only bike or walking so we don't have a car. I like it-it's fun being on bikes. It's been a good week. Hopefully, I get better at understanding what they are saying. Good luck with everything this week. Sorry I'm not writing a lot. I didn't have much time. I had to split an hour with my companion but next week I will have an hour.

Love,

 

Elder Ryan Smith

Week #8- General Conference

Friday, October 12, 2012

Hey Mom,

It sounds like it's been a busy week. I can't believe we lost to Firth. I couldn't sleep that night I found out that we lost and Derek hurt his shoulder. I hope it's not bad. It sounds like Firth walked away feeling lucky that they won. It seems like it wasn't our best game we have played. I bet we will beat them in State; we just can't make those stupid mistakes. What did the doctor say about Derek's shoulder; is it bad? I hope he can play this year too. I heard that Jedd wasn't playing basketball so it would be a really long season if Derek didn't get to play too. It stinks that they would do that to the team but oh well, what can you do? Make sure to tell me how Derek is doing and if they win. Hopefully, there is nothing wrong with his shoulder. It can be kind of depressing sometimes. Every day BYU plays, you can hear the fans cheering, and you just think, I am so close but so far away. I wish they let the MTC go to the games. Hopefully, over the bye Derek's team can get back into the groove of playing. I think Derek's team has a chance to win State this year. This week has been a great week, a spiritual overload. Conference was great. My favorite talk was Elder Holland's talk too. He speaks with so much power. After the last session on Sunday, we had a fireside and Chad Lewis spoke at it. Chad Lewis is a BYU football player who played 9 seasons in the NFL, and he played in the Super Bowl with the Eagles. He gave an awesome talk. Then on Tuesday we had a devotional and Elder Bednar spoke at it. It was so awesome. I was like 50 feet away from him and he gave an awesome talk. He talked about how we can make our study more effective during Conference so we can get the most from each talk. This is his plan he goes off of. 1-What is the doctrine being taught? That's the first thing he looks at. 2- Invitation-what is being invited to do? 3-Promised blessing-what are the blessings that are being taught? It's really cool how much more you get from each talk if you do that. On Wednesday our district was able to host the new missionaries coming in. It was crazy. I still remember that day very well, haha. On Thursday Elder Trauntvein was sick and stayed in the room to get better, so I got a lot of studying in my scriptures. He is feeling a lot better today which is good because even though the studying was awesome, being trapped in a room for 24 hours got kind of old. Thursday night we had an appointment to teach Anderson, and since my companion was sick, I had to go on exchange with Elder Knapp. It was weird to teach without Elder Trountvein, but we gave a good lesson, and he said he is ready for baptism. Besides that, it's just been another week at the MTC. Since next week is my last week, we have an all day meeting on Friday so my P-day has been switched to Saturday. I can't believe I only have one more week at the MTC. I'm really excited but super nervous about the Spanish. I am sure it will be fine. I'm sure what ever bike you got me will work great! I would like a black or dark blue helmet if they have those colors. Um, I am not sure on the size of helmet. Derek's helmet fit me good so see what his is. Did Blake and Olivia get their letters and rings? Good luck with this coming week. I hope every thing turns out ok with Derek's shoulder and everything.

Love Elder smith

Week #7- Sundays and More

Friday, October 5, 2012

That Sounds Awesome! That's something I really miss-being with the family on Sunday and eating popcorn. Sunday at the MTC is definitely one of my favorite days of the week still. That's when I have meetings with the branch presidency about the district, great priesthood meetings, and Sacrament, great firesides, and we always get to go on a walk around the temple which is one of my favorite things to do every week. I'm really excited for General Conference this weekend they say it's the super bowl of the MTC so we will see. Haha, they're not real investigators, they are our teachers acting as people thay taught when they were on their missions so I guess it's like teaching a real investigator but it's just our teachers. The language is getting better. I get better every day but there are still some concepts I'm trying to learn and understand better. I definitely speak broken Spanish, haha, but they understand what I'm saying still. I got a short email from Josh. That is awesome [about his mission call], I am so happy for him. I hope that Stetson still chooses to go on a mission too. Yep, you guys need to learn Spanish because as of right now all of your sons are going to be speaking Spanish. I can't believe you won with that many mistakes, that's crazy. We must be really good or the team we played must be really bad. It sounds like Derek has been having a good year. Is that 2 interceptions? That's really good. How did the game against Firth go? That's good that the smoke has finally left, they need to be conditioning. I can't believe you are tired of picking rocks, and I can't wait to see the pictures of all those rocks and the mountains. When you send those pictures will you send me a picture of Daisy too? I really want a picture of her. This week has been a great week. I can't believe I only have 2 more weeks. I'm excited and nervous. Our teaching keeps getting better every week. We are asking more questions and it's nice because we can usually answer those questions now. Everything is going good.  Good luck in this next week. I love you all so much.
I hope everything goes well.

Love Elder Smith

Week #6-Life Lessons

Friday, September 28, 2012

That's great! I am so glad that Derek got an interception. It sounds like he is playing great. I wish I could watch him. I can't believe that Kirt called him on a pass interference-that's awesome! I'm glad Kirt could call it even if Derek is his nephew. That's a sign of a great ref. It sounds like Derek's team won. I have a feeling that they are going to win State. I don't know why. I just want them to beat Firth for sure. I REMEMBER how relieved I was when homecoming week was over. It was always so nice! I'm glad Derek had a good time and a good date. I would like to see a picture of her so I can know who she is. Jason and Tayler are coaching together. I bet that's a good team. I know Tayler will make a great coach. You learn so much being on the coaching side than the playing, but they are both fun! Tell Blake he will grow into his teeth and to be nice to those people that are always so mean. I hope Blake has some nice friends. Olivia is doing good. I didn't think I would have to worry about her. I'm glad she is improving at gymnastics and reading. I wish I could hear her read. It sounds like she is learning really fast because she couldn't read when I was home. Dad is a hard worker. Whatever happens it will be ok because Dad is the hardest worker I have ever seen. He is a great example to me of hard work on my mission. Thanks Mom for everything you have done. I'm sorry I always took advantage of those nice things you would do for me. This week has been going really well. Our lessons get bettter every time we teach. The language is so much better. I am to the point where I don't need any cheats in the lesson which is really nice! I need to keep working on rolling my Rs or I'm going to sound like a gringo forever if I can't do that. We baptized one of our investigators on Saturday. His name was Enthony, and he was so much fun to teach. We recieved a new investigator named Rafael. He really wants the gospel in his life. He has friends that are members that have really influenced him. We need to always remember people are always watching us for our example and how we act. We need to be good examples always. Oh, I think I forgot to mention this, but I was appointed district leader a couple weeks ago. It is really hard, but I'm learning so much. Thank you so much. Good luck in this next week.

Love Elder Smith

Week #5-Teaching, The Spirit, and Weight Loss

Friday, September 21, 2012

Hey Mom,

I did get your Dear Elder-it was awesome! Everything has been going good here. We are staying really busy. This week we got one of are investigators to commit to baptism on September 29th. It's so exciting. Our other investigator isn't doing too hot. He said baptism isn't for him. It's amazing how you can still follow the spirit when you teach a pretend investigator. It's amazing. When he was telling us baptism wasn't for him, I had a huge feeling I needed to read Moroni 10:3-5 and bare my testimony on praying and reading the Book of Mormon to find answers. Hopefully it worked. My companion thought it was perfect and perfect timing to do that; it was not even planned. I've been making sure to wake up early and work out hard on the gym time. I have lost three pounds, and all I do is sit and eat, so I'm excited I haven't put on too much weight. Well, I don't have any more time on the computer so I will write a letter. I have to cut it short because I have to go get a hair cut. Sorry. If I can finish the rest of my time later today, I will.

Week 4: Mail, Basketball, and "The Work"

Friday, September 14, 2012

Hey,

I'm glad Derek has a good team. I knew they would be good. I can't believe the smoke, that is crazy. I guess I left perfect timing, haha. I did see Spencer a few times, and we talked for a while a few times. I gave him my e mail so hopefully he will tell me how it is in the field. I'm ok with anything on the mail. I really don't care about being the coolest missionary; I just want to be the best missionary I can be. There was a quote from our devotional this Saturday. I don't have my talk book or my journal right now so I forgot who said it and the exact quote, but I will try. He said "Heavenly Father has a plan but how much we harvest is entirely up to you." That's what I'm trying to do-harvest as much as I can and get as much work done that I can in the little time that I do have to teach. I haven't got any pitty mail. I get some mail. I got some from Kayla and Tayler, and I get a letter from Paige every week. She says you have been going to her volleyball games. That really means a lot to her. We leave the MTC on October 23 so anytime around that time. I don't care what bike, I trust dad. Everyone is doing something different so I don't know. That is awesome that Ashlie had her baby. The family is going to be way bigger when I get home. How many people are in your gymnastic class? Everything is going really good here. I have been playing a lot of basketball My game is really starting to come back to me. Yesterday, when we played in a game, I hit 7 three piointers in a row. I haven't done that for a while, it felt nice and my knee is feeling really strong. The languge is coming. I get better every day. I'm to the point where I'm not nervous when I teach now, so that's good. It's nice when you get to the point where you can understand what people are saying. It makes you feel a little more confident, but the teachers are good at taking some of that confidence away so you keep working hard. In the Preach My Gospel chapter 10 it talks about how to teach and the best ways to teach if you want to go that way in your talk. I think a lot of people don't realize some really effective ways of teaching. Another thing to mention is that we don't teach for ourselves or to give ourself a pat on the back but it's for our brothers and sisters to come to the truth. That's the main purpose. One other thing is that the spirit teaches, but we still have to put the work in or be prepared to recieve that help from the spirit. How did it go with Mrs. Gott did she come to dinner? I sent her a letter so can you see if she got it? I'm sending pictures to Kayla so can you let Paige know how she can see them if she wants to? I dont really know what she [Kayla] is doing with them. Is there a lot planned for homecoming? That was always the worst part of homecoming was the planning? Everything is going good here. It's going by so fast, I can't believe I'm already 1/3 the way through the MTC. It's exciting! I'm glad to hear everything is going good. I love you and dad so much. Thanks for everything.

Love your son,
Elder Smith

Week 3: My Companion, Etc.

Friday, September 7, 2012

*Note: The first part of Ryan's email is in response to a missionary experience my mom had during the week. Hopefully, knowing that will help fill in some of the holes. :)

That is awesome! It's a great feeling when you know you are helping people. I got 2 new investigators this week and even though they are already members, you feel the spirit, and it helps you come up with Spanish words you don't know. I hope the best for her and her trials she is going to overcome. They never said it would be easy, but it's always worth it. She will love and become closer to the Lord if she can overcome these trials. I'm realy glad you are doing missionary work. I'm sure you are a great missionary! Preach My Gospel is a very effective tool, and I learn something from it everyday. Try talking. Tell derek to read a page a night after he reads his scriptures, and it will really help him be more prepared. That's awesome that Derek won his first game. How did he play? Did he start? I'm glad you are keeping me posted on the games. The language is really coming, but then some Taiwan missionaries asked if they could bear there testomonies, and I realized I'm very lucky I'm learning Spanish. I feel bad for Tayler-that would be hard. It's nice to know that with the Lord's help you can do anything. That's why I think I am learning so fast. I've learned more in the first week I was here than I did in all 2 years of school. I probably should have listened better. I'm doing really well. I'm really enjoying the MTC. My district is awesome we all get along really well, and they are all really funny. We actually play basketball together every day or sand volleyball. We are a really close district. My companion is a lot different than me. He got a 4.2 gpa (I don't even know how that is possible), and he got like a 33 on his ACT. He is very smart (not saying I'm not smart. haha!). He has a different personality than I do and a different sense of humor than I do, but I love him. For some reason we haven't had any problems, and we get along realy well. It's kind of funny because he does not like sports. haha! He didn't even watch the Super bowl, but he does like track and cross country so the last 10 minutes of gym I'll go run with him. He is from Ohio. Umm, haha, we are the exact same height! For some reason I feel like I'm taller than a lot of people at the MTC, its awesome! We attend the temple every P-day so today will be my second time going. We go in the afternoon. The second time was a lot easier. I'm glad everything is going good, and I can't wait to here about next week. :) How bad are the fires in Salmon? Can you send me a picture of Daisy? Every time I look at that picture of you guys I feel like part of the family is missing. THANKS!!!

Lover Elder Smith