Uma Semana excelente...

Family and Friends, 

Well, this week has been quite an awesome week. We were able to baptize Mauro and we are going after some other baptisms that will happen this week. When Carlos Henrique comes back after the Holidays, we will baptize him as well. All the missionaries in this zone are super excited and energized to work. Surely we will see many miracles here. I decided that I wanted to pray more for the people with a potential to be baptized, so I grabbed all the names of the people in every area with potential to be baptized, and then I made a list and passed the list to every missionary in the zone so that all 22 missionaries would be praying for these people. A lot of unexpected people were baptized this Sunday and a lot more will be because of the prayers of these missionaries. Everybody is excited to work together with our faith.

Mom, you wanted to know what city I'm in now. Im living in Ribeirão das Neves. It’s another city different than Justinopolis and Venda Nova, but I am the Zone leader here. Its a big Zone, the biggest in the mission. There are three corners of three cities in our zone. My companion is an American and he is from Utah. 

Tomorrow we will be going to BH to have our Leadership Council with the President. We always learn something really important when we go to those. 

I love this work, and I love being a missionary! I will be super sad to leave this mission. I often think about that painting I have in my room; the one of the little kid with an adult suit on.  I feel like I’m finally fulfilling my lifelong dream. I will make sure that that painting continues in my son’s rooms, and forever will continue.

I love you all and I can’t wait to see you guys!

God Speed

P.S. How was Taylor’s home-coming talk? Does he seem different? Were there Krispy Kreme’s at the party?

Elder Smidt X

The week I was translated to the Heavens...

Family and Friends,

This week was soooo awesome that.... I can’t express how awesome it was. But to explain what has happened, I got transferred! I'm back to the Bible Belt of Minas Gerais, where there are various churches in just one little road. I am in the same city as I was in when I started my mission; in Venda Nova and Justinopolis. I have already seen some old familiar faces but I have forgotten how intense religion is here. I became soft in Sete Lagoas. The People here are brutal and stubborn with religion, but I love it here! The hills again, the dirt roads, the extremely poor houses, and the Baptisms!!!

We are working super hard, and we have one baptism firm this week, and another one that will be baptized if he doesn't have to travel this weekend. But if he stays he'll be getting baptized as well. I'm stoked! I have a new fire in me. My companion is Elder Jacob, and he was called to be a Zone leader recently. He has 1 year and 2 months on the mission, and we are both in charge of the biggest and ‘most baptizing’ zone in the mission. What a privilege to be working here again. We also had a "Mission Tour" with a member of the Seventy, Elder Mazzagardi. It was super spiritual and energizing. We learned a lot about faith and desire.

Congratulations Bryan and Melissa!!! I'm super proud of you guys! I hope all works out just fine you your new little family. Happy Birthday KJ!!! May all your wishes come true and I hope that you become sooo rich that you buy us both Jet Packs. I could really use one right now. Happy Future birthday to my oldest, (but not in looks) sister, HEIDI!!! Woo hoo, congrats on reaching the big 3-0!!  And also happy Birthday to Brianna! I can’t wait to see all of you guys again. It will be super awesome. Chique de mais!!!

"Whether you think that you can or you can't, you're right."

                        -Henry Ford

God Speed-

Elder Smidt X

Fiesta Julina...

Família! 

We finally were able to baptize someone this transfer but it was not expected. Neither Vera or Valdineia were baptized, but there was a lady returning to church for a couple Sundays now, and I thought that her son was already baptized. But it turns out he was never baptized, so we got him in the water. He is actually a super smart kid, one of the smartest kids I've ever met. His name is Christian and we started teaching him the Plan of Salvation for our second lesson, and before we even explained the Pre-mortal life, he explained everything for us! Then he asked permission if he could read something to us that he liked a lot. We said, "uh, sure" and he went to his room, got the "Proclamation to the Family" and starting reading little bits of it and sharing with us how he really wanted his family to be together forever. And this was all coming from a kid that only went to church a few times and is only 10 years old! He already knows more than what the majority of the people know. He is really cool. He also read and memorized all the pamphlets about the commandments and said he will do everything he can to return to Heavenly Father in the Celestial Kingdom. He used to be a big trouble maker. His parents are now divorced and that is why he went to church. In the past his dad wouldn't let him be involved in any kind of religion, he was a bully in school, cussed at his parents, stole stuff from them, and was just mean to everybody. The first Sunday that he went to church, his mom and Grandma said that they saw a huge difference in him. Then after we started teaching him, his mom and Grandma said that he completely changed, and he said that in school he is nicer to everyone and has even shared what he has learned with some of his friends at school.

Vera still wants to be baptized and is firm in joining the church. The only problem that she has is that she said she wants to learn more before being baptized. She said she hasn't learned anything yet and I almost just exploded. The ‘natural man’ in me felt like screaming, "Are you kidding me! We've been passing by here every day and you have the gall to say you haven't learned anything!?!" But I didn't, I just stayed calm. I'm learning patience. She is pretty old and she forgets things easily, but she loves the church and said she will be baptized soon. She just wants to take it easy.

This week there was a huge party at the chapel. In Brazil there are two months of red neck partying. During June and July they have parties with plaid shirts, cowboy hats, over-alls, cotton candy, popcorn, bull riding. and so on. Our ward held a party this last Friday and it was really cool. I went on the mechanical bull once.... Shhh.

As for transfers….I wont know if I’m going or staying until tuesday night....

Elder Smidt X

My companion's last week, one more last week for me.

Hello!! 

Today was a good day. We went and played soccer at the church. I was the worst one. Everyone was Brazilian, but at least I’m learning right? I forgot sunscreen and now I feel burned. But I found M&M's and snickers today, more pricey, but they are soooo good! 

We have two firm baptisms this week. Ana decided that she didn’t want to be baptized, and Henrique, well, it'll take him a while to get up the courage to go to church. But we have Vera and Valdineia that we are going to baptize this week. They both accepted firm, went to church, heard the testimony meeting, and liked everything. They are really special. Please help them by praying for them. They are really excited with the gospel. Tonight we will be having our family night in that neighborhood that we started doing there with the investigators, and it will be good. 

I am happy to hear that all is set and ready to go. Sorry this week’s letter will be short, but we have to teach a person today! Its our stinking P-Day!! But she needs it, so its all goodJ

God Speed-

Elder Smidt X

Happy Birthday!

Well Happy Birthday Dad! Tiffers! and the Good Ole United Staters!!!

I am really bummed that I won’t be able to eat a big old Brat with you guys while blowing stuff up and shooting Roman Candles at each other.... hehe, good times. But you will be in my thoughts this Fourth.

I can’t believe everyone is getting so old! Its weird how nothing seems to change all that much when you’re home, but two years away from home, everything seems completely different.

This week, I’m hoping that Ana Cristina will decide to be baptized. She still needs a testimony, please pray for her. I know it makes a difference. Today I will take my companion to the famous caves here and I’ll take some cool pictures for you.

I fell behind on my reading (I really hope you guys have stuck to my challenge) but now I’m getting into the Awesome part in Alma; the wars. Once it gets to that part in the book, its hard to put it down. I love it. I’m sure I’ll finish the book in just a little bit of time now.

I don’t have much to write about this week, but I was really happy to see that all responded about the release date and that everything is working as planned. I cannot wait!

Love and miss you guys!!

God Speed!

P.S. In the cave pictures, it was completely dark. Couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face; only when we took pictures it lit everything up to see.

Elder Smidt X