Elder Brad Smith Across the Pond: Snow Envy

First Mission Haircut

Dear Family,

It has been another long and tiring week. Sometimes I wonder if this mission is going to last forever... nah, it’s fun stuff. This week we met some Portuguese families with Bishop Terra, our Portuguese speaking bishop, and helped us teach them... it was more like Bishop talking for an hour and a half and us just listening to a foreign language conversation... but you could definitely feel the spirit there. Raul, like from phantom of the opera, is an interesting man trying to make amends in his hard life. I was expelled from home at age 8 and has been in a life of crime and jail for the past thirty five years. He now is out of jail and wanting to make a difference because he is tired of living like scum, according to him. He has really humbled himself and has found a member of the church that is going to be his wife soon, we are helping arrange their marriage... But he is a really interesting person... Plus he has HIV... so that kind of scared me, but I didn't let it show. Either way he's going to get baptized after his marriage so things are moving along smoothly with him.

Our other investigators are like dead fish. They are not progressing and they don't seem to want to keep their commitments or come to church... So we've been trying very hard these past few weeks to find some more investigators because our investigator pool is like five people. So we've been street contacting to tracting and trying various methods of getting people to talk to us. So nothing really new has happened around here except things getting colder and people coming outside less.

We went to Costco today! I was so stoked as we went around the store. Ok, first thing mom. You have to mail me my Costco card. According to the people at Costco, they cannot issue an American Costco card. Apparently the American Costco's are different from the English ones. So every time I go there I have to get a temporary slip to go in and it is kind of a pain... but I can get in with my Costco number and I.D. but you have to send me the card, then I can use any Costco here. My first purchases in Costco were, guess what... muffins and pancake mix. Totally carb intolerant materials I know. Actually I have been eating very well, and I'm starting to get much more fit. I'm so pleased :) But yeah, good things happening there. Thanks for setting me up with that stuff.

I'm jealous of all the snow... I saw those pictures and got all trunky... not really but I do miss the snow. I'll send you more pictures of our week and hope you enjoy them. I heard about the Elections and to be honest I don't think anything has really changed with Obama so I haven't really cared. Like Dad says, I respect the office of the president. Besides as missionaries we aren't supposed to talk politics... but we do anyways amongst ourselves lol.

We've been having great dinner appointments so I love the members out here, they take good care of us and make sure we don't go hungry ever :) Besides that I'm looking forward to those gloves, mother :) I saw all those pictures of Ludwig in the snow and I laughed so hard. That was great to see that little fur monster in the snow, you can't even see him. We are managing to stay warm over here, but I don't mind anything you can send me, the more the better. I don't know what you guys are going to do about Christmas, but I'll let you know if I want anything and you can just put money on my card or something and that would work a lot better than you sending me a box, but if you guys want to send a box don't let me stop you:)

Elder Hansen and I get along very well, so don't worry about roommate problems or anything. He's almost impossible to get mad so that’s very nice, cause I know I drive you guys crazy at home. I also appreciate the pictures a lot mom, thanks for sending them to me. The days are starting to go by faster, so I look forward to sending you guys more pictures of our adventures. The Adventures of Elder Smith continue this next coming P-Day!!!!

Lol, I love you guys and I hope to talk to you soon. You guys sent me 30 emails literally so it took me awhile to get through them... thus I can't write as long. So I'll have to catch you next week. And also, I love you so much mom. I know you are going to read this in like five minutes so I give my thoughts to you. I miss being away from home, but I'm learning so much. Don't worry too much, you guys have raised me well. I'm proud to be part of our Family.

Love your son and brother,

Elder Bradley J. Smith

What are we going to do today Elder Smith?

The same thing we do every day. Try to take over the World!

Our Motivational Quote