Almost the End of the Transfer

Well as the subject of the email reads, its almost the end of the transfer. I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad thing at this point because it possibly means I could move and I hate packing... well that's just life isn't it. But we had a much better week than previously. 

We finally managed to get some new investigators this past week and had some awesome appointments with them... so that was quite spiritually refreshing. We were just getting so tired of our previous "friends" who literally made no effort to do anything than just open the door and have us come teach them and then not do anything after we left :P I guess I know how it feels when Mom tells me to do a chore and I don't do it... its a bit frustrating. But we are changing that!

We had a wonderful flat inspection this past week, and we had to deep clean our flat... that was really fun (as you can see that sentence is reeking with sarcasm :) ). I don't know what has happened in our flat for the past year, but I don't think anyone has cleaned behind the toilet... and when I had to do it I used a sponge and so mold cleaner with bleach to get the job done. There was just so much hair and gross stuff... ugggg... I don't know how I'm still healthy right now. Was easily the grossest job of my life. Plus I had to clean the shower drain... and you don't even want to know what the heck was down there. I pulled out this wad of gunk and hair and it smelled like Davie Jones locker! Well at least that's what I'd imagine what Spongebob was smelling in there :) Really gross job at least. I hope I never go into a cleaning business... or at least I need a pair of gloves... because I didn't have any and I had to partially touch the stuff >:( 

Well I'm glad that was all exciting. We are just planning to hit the day at Lakeside and enjoy some Costco again. Most of my district is coming again so we are just going to enjoy ourselves :) This Costco card is making me popular! :) Which is good thing I suppose. I hope you guys are taking care of yourselves. It seems like Shannon is enjoying the world of men... but I'm confused because she always considered me as a pig... so I'm confused how she could like any other guy. Well they probably look a lot better than I do, but they probably have half my IQ. Lol :) I just giving you a hard time Shannon just because its funny and your dating now... and that is really weird... soooooo.... It'll be fun to make fun of you when I get home :) So you have 11 months to prepare yourself :) 

Anyway, have a great week and I'll get back to you on whether I move or not. So stay tuned :)

Love,

Elder Bradley Smith

Trial and Error

Well the week when by pretty quickly, that was a good thing :) We had a good meeting with our Stake President and our Stake leaders this past Saturday. Pretty much our Mission President, President Jordan, got up and rebuked the leaders of our Stake for not working with the missionaries enough... well he was a bit gentler than that, but none the less the idea that he was trying to get across to the members of the ward councils here was that they were not working with the missionaries enough and not teaching with them. 

That was really the only thing that was big this week, everything else was relatively the same. Raining, tracting, raining some more... we got so soaked in Brentwood this week you wouldn't believe it. We head out to do work in the furthest part of our area and it was bright and Sunny! So we have just our short sleeve shirts on and minimum clothing because we thought the day was going to be very warm... well that was the biggest lie I told myself this week. About halfway through the day a massive rainstorm moved overhead and the heat just went out the door. So COLD... I don't get how that happened so fast but we were about two hours away from our flat and we were drenched... and we had to pretty much walk an hour back to the town center that we were working in and then get the bus back home... so that was a very uncomfortable day... 

At least that only happened once this week. We are just trying to make our area grow because it's kinda like a garden without any seeds in it... we are just going around planting the seeds and then later the other missionaries are going to harvest them... I'd prefer to be the harvester to be frank. 

Well it sounds as if everyone is doing alright back home. Make sure you get Mark's Visa as soon as possible. We just had a missionary here who got delayed by 3 months because his visa wasn't coming... New Zealand wasn't being nice to him. So get that stuff done as soon as possible, then you won't have to worry when his date rolls around and he needs to only pack his suitcase. Not too bad :) 

Well I'll keep going this week and I'll catch you all next week on my love mission here in the British Isles. 

Love,

Elder Bradley Smith

Grey Week

Well it sounds like you guys have had an exciting week, I'm glad that everyone is getting their exercise there. I don't even know if I could make it to the finish line if I tried that triathlon, probably wouldn't go to well for me. The problem I'm having is getting fit. I've actually managed to get down to 205 pounds, but I don't really look like it... if you know what I mean. I just need to get rid of the belly... but I just don't flipping run enough :P I guess that's why were are going to play sports today for P-day, get the endorphins going and what not... would help me to be happier that is. 

Ok, so the computer just decided to send the message early... so that's a cool computer :P >:P !"£$%!"£%.

Anyway what I was going to say is that it's cool to hear that Mark got his mission call. I didn't even know that you had put in his papers let alone that he got his call... I'm really well kept up to date here and all. Well, Bangkok is going to give him a piece of humble pie, so tell him to get ready because he's gonna be in for some culture shock hardcore. I thought that England wasn't going to be that bad when it comes to culture shock but South East Asia is quite a different world from the English speaking nation that we are all used to.

 Well, I'll be almost 18 months out when Mark leaves, that is gonna be kinda weird to think about. 

Well I'm glad that he's going on a mission. That's going to be a good thing for him. Just let him know its kinda like being a nun, well in a way. We just have to shun all worldly things for a period of two years. I bet the culture there is going to be really fun though, quite interesting and unique. Give him the right garments though, because i'ts probably humid there. Get him the ones that dry out quickly... or else that's really going to suck for him :P If you want any other tips, just ask me and I'll give you my opinion :)

As for how this week went here... well to be honest it was really boring. Nothing much happened, and all of our investigators have hosed us :P So we've spent a lot of time on the streets again just trying to contact people. We've offered service to people and when we come to give the service we have offered the people don't let us into there houses... it doesn't make any sense. They just give us some made up excuses as to why they don't need us to help them anymore. Blahblahblah, you can probably guess the rest. I guess I'm just a little bit tired working with a system that is not bringing the results we are looking for, so I'm evaluating the way that we do our work. 

I have to thank you for giving us an awesome P-day last Monday. My district really enjoyed going to Costco and getting pizza and having a good time. It was great :) So I guess I've bought myself a few friends (just kidding :) ). I love my district here, they are pretty much the only people that are keeping me sane at the moment. Well I'm going to enjoy myself today by kicking a football at some people's heads and I'm going to enjoy it :) I'll catch you guys next week :)

Love, 

Elder Bradley Smith 

Over the Hump

Well for some reason I thought hump week would be a little more epic than it actually turned out to be... oh well, I can't get everything I ask for. Well we are planning on going down to Costco today to enjoy a bit of anniversary madness there, compliments of awesome parents :) So that should be pretty fun. Also I got to burn one of my old shirts (lol). Its a year mark tradition were most of the missionaries will burn something on their Hump day or every six months. I stuck with they year mark tradition rather than burning my tie at six months... but I have a funny video of it now... I just think it might be two big to send via google drive because the maximum is five gig and it might possibly be more than that... its kinda big video. Anyway I have some good pictures from it :)

It has been kind of a slower week because we lost quite a few investigators because they just don't seem to meet with us so we've found it quite difficult work wise. I guess the world isn't always full of fluffy kittens :P To say the least my companion and I get a long really well so we just keep each other entertained really really well :). Makes life a lot more fun when you get a long with your companion. I guess this is teaching me how to behave with my wife... except for we can't get quite as affectionate (well this is awkward...). Just ignore that last part. 

Our ward members here love us though, which makes my life a whole lot easier.  So, I really appreciate this area a lot because I can survive the tough days through the loving and caring arms of our members here. To say the least, they are great :)

I figured out something really weird. I just remember talking to Elder Hansen about a year ago when I just got into the mission field and asking why he doesn't write so much in his emails. He told me that when I get older I would find out. I guess I've found out. I find it a little bit difficult to find things to tell you guys. You pretty much know everything that is going on here. I send the pictures, you see what I'm up to... and that's pretty much it. I mean I would show you anything else that was really cool that is going here... so I'm sorry if I don't have a ton to share with you guys. I'll just start expressing my appreciation. You guys love that :) I'll have to give you all big hugs when I get home. 

Well I'm starting the walk home. I just got to the top of the mountain now I'm on my way back... so you'd better get ready to pick me up from the airport because I'm on my way back :) What'll be interesting is when we talk in December on Christmas we'll be talking about what is going to happen in a few months down the line hmmm... that will be interesting. And then when next summer rolls around... LIFE GETS REAL. Well I don't have to worry about that yet at least. One year is still quite a long time. Anyway, I'll keep doing what I've been doing and I'll catch you next week :)

Love,

Elder Bradley Smith