Things Just Got Real Baby

Well folks I'm writing to you from the mission field for the first time. In advance, sorry for the length... Saying goodbye to my best friends in Mexico City was so hard. I am going to miss them so much and am forever grateful for the impact they have had on me. 

 

My final Sunday in Mexico was so spiritual. My district of all Elders gave a musical number in sacrament meeting, and while our voices were awful, we felt the spirit so strongly. 

 

Monday and Tuesday could not have dragged on any longer. It took an eternity for the days to end and I kept wondering why everyone else got to get into the field, and I didn't. Tuesday night, I found out. We had a devotional and I had a slightly bad attitude about going. It turns out we had the opportunity to hear from a member of the 70. The talk he gave was so spiritual, I wanted to sit there and cry all night hahaha. I learned to love Christ even more, and continue to grow closer to him. He let us shake his hand after which was also special. Fun fact, he's actually speaking in  General Conference which is sweet. 

 

I woke up at 1:30 on Wednesday morning and said bye to Elder Dunn and then just decided to stay up because I had to be at the bus at 4 am for my 8 o clock flight which was dumb. 

 

BUT, finally arrived in Arkansas baby. We got to the mission home with El Presidente, and I seriously love President Collins and his wife so much. I was assigned my first area in Branson, Missouri which is so sick.

 

Not going to lie, Thursday was so long. We trained all day long but it was still a spiritual experience. Also got fed three meals. American food baby. 

 

On friday we drove in a van with the new missionaries to meet our trainers. MY TRAINER IS SO AWESOME. Seriously such a blessing. My man Elder Burns played soccer for 13 years before coming out here and is just such an absolute stud. Couldn't have been a bigger sigh of relief:)  We drove 45 minutes from that church into our area and met up with a few sets of Elders who are so fun. This place is seriously unreal. The scenery is so pretty. This is where I knew my trainer was awesome... We get free tacos at this taco truck and he'd talked about it all day, that the owner is a member but his brother hates the missionaries and hates feeding us. Well we get there and the "brother" is complaining that the old elder left and is throwing a fit about feeding us and then I apparently offended him and he started yelling at me saying he wanted to fight. My stupid trainer just stood there while I was basically shaking. THEN THEY ALL START DYING. It was our freaking ward mission leader. So stupid. 

 

Saturday we played soccer with a few people from the branch and then a few of the people we are trying to get to church. There's a massive stake 7 on 7 tournament in a few weeks and when they saw me they were so excited and kept talking about how we better not lose so that was pretty wholesome. We then had a lesson with a few of the guys we've been teaching in English class, so we played basketball for a little with them and then we taught them the Plan of Salvation. It was so spiritual. My Spanish is definitely coming along which has been so amazing to see. 

 

First Sunday out here, and of course it was fast Sunday. It was definitely tough but fasting is worth it. I got to meet everyone in the branch and they are so awesome. I bore my testimony in Spanish and while I'm sure it was horrendous they all had the biggest smiles on their faces it was wholesome. All 35 of them. Me and my companion and 5 of the 7 priesthood-holding other men then gave a musical number and the branch president conducted us like we were the tabernacle choir it was so funny. We had another lesson tonight with our basketball friends and it went well!! My Spanish is coming along SLOWLY, but surely. The Gift of Tongues is so real.

 

Also fun fact we get to drive a white Tacoma out here. It's so sick. Sorry for the length of this but seriously could talk about this place for hours. I love it here and am seeing God's blessings in my life so much. I feel so grateful for so many things! Missionary work is the best thing I could be doing in my life and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be out here. 

 

My spiritual thought is 2 Nephi 2:25: "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."

It has been on my mind a lot. This life is meant for us to be happy and to have joy. Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the way.

 

Love and miss you guys so much, 

TEXT ME! I would love to hear from you guys!

 

Elder Smythe:)

 

Trailer Park Central

My father

Sisters decorated our car..

Sunrises and sunsets are hype

All my basketball homies:(

Last night together 











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