Last week...

Hey Fam,

So we are down to the last week of the transfer and the last week of my comps mission. Next Wednesday it’s Adios to him. Kinda sucks, It was an awesome transfer. I really loved working with him here. I don’t know if I will go or not. I’m kinda torn. Usually any missionary would be leaving after so much time in an area, but since my companion is going, I don’t know if the President will take me out of the area because two new missionaries to the area would be completely lost. But we'll see.

Hey, can you guys do me a huuuuuge favor? I really thought about it well, it wasn’t a spontaneous idea. I was thinking maybe you guys could really do a good search for me to see if it would be possible to get a job for me in the World Cup. All of the Brazilians are saying that they are still in need of a bunch of translators, and the world cup starts just a little bit after my Mexico Trip would end. That would be perfect to come back and start making some money instantly, and it would also give me a chance to see Brazil again. Elder Cox said he is going to do it. I think it would be sweet and a once in a lifetime opportunity. I really want to. I feel really good with the language. Lots of people tell me that I’m already speaking perfectly and I don’t feel any kind of difficulty with the language anymore. 

Unfortunately, we had a lot of potential this week with investigators, but when the weekend came around, they all just disappeared. It was really frustrating. Now we feel like we are at ground zero again. We will see.

I go in next week to get my ultra sound done and some other tests as well, (ask Dad) hope it goes well. 

This past week we had interviews with the president. I always love those. He really shows that he cares for you the way that he talks and makes you feel really important. He told me that our work together has been something that he is so grateful for and he will never forget my efforts to help him. And that guy is big…its always fun to give him a big bear hug! He reminds me a lot of you Dad, you would be a perfect Mission President.

I hope all goes well with you guys! I love you and miss you!

Elder Smidt X

My birthday...

Hello World!

So I actually had a really cool birthday this week. Well the day of my birthday wasn’t that cool, except for the part where my companion put some matches sticking out of a day old slice of pizza, then lit them for me to blow them out. That was pretty cool. And then a Member that is preparing to go on a mission brought me a huge chocolate cake to eat at night. He is from a different ward, but we let him come on a lot of divisions with us to help prepare him for a mission. But then yesterday, 5 people from my first ward in Venda Nova (my very first area on my mission) came all the way to see me to wish me a Happy Birthday and brought some presents. I couldn’t believe that they remembered my birthday, or how they found me! It was like a 4 hour drive just to visit me at church. But it was way cool to see them and really thoughtful. It made my day, one of the best Birthdays!

This week I’ve been getting some exames done so I didn’t have a lot of time to teach, but we were still blessed with 5 investigators at the church with two of them progressing to be baptized. Edisilma and Nicanor, they are both married and have two kids, they are pretty well off with money, and they know that this stuff is true. They just have a fear of leaving behind all of their traditions and junk, but they will get baptized!

I hope you have fun on your trip to the Caribbean, I’m pretty jealous.

I love you all!

Elder Smidt X

Miracles in our area...

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you so much for all of the Birthday wishes, and Happy Mother’s day to the best mom on planet earth!  I still haven’t gotten the box from Coley and Heidi that I'm hearing all about, but I can’t wait. Thank you Britt for the letter letting me in on all the information about what is going on and your trip. That was really fun to read. Thank you Nana and Pops Smidt for sending me a card and for the Birthday money. It means so much to me. 

So, even though my companion is going home and we talk about some things that he will be doing when he gets home, and we talk about how much cooler the Holy Land is than Brazil, we are still working REALLY hard. We don’t let that influence our work at all, and we are seeing results. Remember when I said that the attendance of our ward was like at 20? Well, it got up to 86 this last Sunday, it’s really been boosting. We have a few Baptisms coming up too if they will just keep the commandments. Please pray for Hebert that he can get out of his depression and understand the importance of the gospel and please pray for Yony that she can focus on keeping the law of chastity and get married.

I was so glad to talk to you guys yesterday. Sorry that the connection was so bad. I have decided that good phones don’t exist here.

Love you and miss you all!!!!

Elder Smidt X

PS.  Keep this pic mom, its on another missionary's camera. Elder Winsel took it. The four of us in the picture are all from the same group in the MTC.

Mais Churrasco, mais amor

Family, friends, and loved ones,

This week I'm still feeling a little weaker, like I just can’t quite get that same amount of energy that I used to have before I got Dengue, so what did I do? I went to another Rodízio (type of Tucano's BBQ grill restraunte) to give me the strength I needed. With endless amounts of meat, mmmmm, it was just what I needed. 

I've also started running with my new companion, which I actually am very happy about. He’s one of the only companions that I have had that likes to exercise in the morning. Every one of my other companions said that we walk enough during the day that there was no need to exercise....whatever.

It’s good to finally be able to joke around again and get a good laugh in. Really makes the difference when you’re walking forever in the hot sun.

Thank you so much Tiff, Coley, Britt, Heidi, J-Baum, Shawn, Nana and Pops Smidt and Ball, Troy, Katie, Mom, Dad, Bryan, Tim, John, Cody, Lori, Scott, Tawni, Brianna, the Karrens and anybody else that I'm forgetting right now that wrote a scripture to me for my scripture book. That was such a cool idea. That is something that I will definitely cherish forever! I didn't know that was for my birthday until I already opened it and saw the cover, but it was so interesting looking that I didn't want to wait a second more. Very cool, thank you everybody!!

Here are some pics from today and of a pizza that we made in our house.

I love you and miss you all!! Happy mother’s day Mom! I will send a letter home with my testimony for you.J

Elder Smidt X