I heard Missionaries are allowed to email anyone now. Has the mission rule changed to give you more time? Do you email your mission president each week also?
Share with us the funniest thing that has happened to you on your mission. What makes you feel happiest?
What is your greatest challenge and how do you work on either overcoming that challenge or accepting it?
How is your toenail doing?
What advice would you give to Jason Mackay about preparing for Brazil? Is there something that you would tell him to make sure he brings? Kristin Mackay asked me about what to take and also questions about shoes and all the walking you do there. One thing she wanted to know is what you carry around with you in your backpack all day? I assume its just your scriptures, Preach my Gospel and a water bottle, but I actually realized I have no idea what you carry. Would you have rather had a cross over shoulder bag? Or do you like a backpack?
I only have one hour to write people and read emails during my time in the internet café. And I also have to read an email from the President, Sister Fortunato, and the Secretaries.
Funniest thing that happened to me on the mission so far was when I went to the Jungle with some other elders, and we started swinging on a vine over a little drop off. When the third missionary tried it, the vine snapped, and he totally back slammed into the ground. It was so funny to me, but it wasn’t for him. Later that day when we were going back into the city, we were walking kinda fast. I saw something interesting on the other side of the road and pointed it out, and as he was looking, he walked square into a street sign, and again back slammed into the ground. He hit it with such force, that it made a huge sound and everyone within the block heard and looked and started laughing. As bad as I felt for him because his face started turning purple because of how hard he hit it, I couldn’t stop laughing. It was a moment where I literally was crying and couldn’t breathe.
What makes me feel happiest is when I see someone come out of the baptismal waters a changed person.
My greatest challenge right now is not baptizing. It has been the longest period of my mission without a baptism. What I am doing to overcome it is….everything. I have never tried harder to be a better missionary than now, but I feel that maybe that is why I was called here, to learn in this manner. But I don’t think that there is a chance anymore to be Assistant. I never wanted to be Assistant because of the title or the popularity. I just wanted to be assistant because of how much you get to work with the president and learn from him.
My toenail is returning to be worse, but I will see what happens. I am worried that it will interfere with my triathlon training when I get home, because I cannot run with this ingrown toenail. I have to walk on my heel.
Preparing for Brazil- Advice for Jason Mackay…. Bring Hush Puppies, no other shoe is more comfortable or more durable. All other shoes are more beautiful, but you will learn that being a missionary in Brazil, you get ugly, there is no other way around it. And bring plenty of sunscreen and Old Spice, because there is no Old Spice here, and sunscreen is like 40 reais or 20 dollars for a little bottle. The missionaries here walk at least 10 miles every day. What I carry around with me is my Bible, 2 books of Mormon, Pamphlets about the restoration, and hand sanitizer. I am actually looking to buy a Cross Over the shoulder bag/fanny pack, but nice condition and one that is cool looking. The reason is because with a backpack, your back gets soooo sweaty during the day. Sometimes you get home with rashes. I bought a cheap bag of exactly what I was looking for, for about 7 dollars (15 reais) and I like it a lot; only bad thing is that it’s ripping after one week. I want to buy a nice one, maybe Oakley that will last forever, and then I want to take it to someone to stitch in the name of the mission with a Brazilian flag with "Elder Smidt” below. The trick is to find one with cool green and black or gray. Jason doesn’t need to know that, but that’s my plan; its what I’ll be looking for.
Elder Smidt X
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