Declaration from Southend

Well its not unusual for me to rushing around like crazy down here. We just had a wedding and a baptism that took nearly the whole weekend to pull off. Man, these sisters here are just baptizing people like crazy. But remember, if you have read Helaman anytime recently there was a good statement in there that I would like to compare to the missionaries here.  It says "Now, Lehi was not one WIT behind his brother Nephi". Now, just remember that. The Elders namely Smith and Berenguer are not one wit behind the sisters here. We have three more people on date, so we are preparing for an end of the transfer baptism bash! Going to be epic.

Well I was asked to give a description of my area, mostly for my mother's sake, but I'll proceed to give an account of my endeavours here and the details of the land round about. South End is located in a prime real estate location on of the first east coasts in Britain, accept maybe up in Gorleston... or Dover... but that's not the point. We've got the sea surrounding most of the area so we often can make trips down to the riverside of the River Thames. This is for Elder Hansen, if he can remember the first time I pronounced the river "THAMES" it is closer pronounced "Temms". Very British I know. We still all wonder why the use words like "Rubbish" and "Posh" and "Mate". For instance I would say, "How are you Mate". I replace the word "DUDE" which is an American term for "MATE". English grammar lessons are the best aren't they.

Wel,l just for information sake, I get to email in the brand new Southend Library which was finished about six months ago. Really nice place, and the computers don't suck to bad... well all public computers suck to some degree... but for a public place its not to bad. Our flat is literally about a 6 minute walk to the coast so its nice and close. For my previous companions Elder Hansen or Affleck and the rest of you reading this... Southend has a different flat now. It's a lot newer and closer to the town center. So I'm not living in that beat up old flat in Westcliff anymore. I still remember my first workover with Elder Purdy when he had me walk like three hours with him back to the flat because we missed the last bus that day... my days... Yeah, all those months ago.

Well, I'm doing pretty good spiritually for anybody who'd like to know. I'm surviving the storms of missionary work and we've had really good success in this area. Just need to keep it up. Don't want things getting boring here now do we. Well, I love you all. There is a good reason that I put all of you on the list to receive this email. ITs because I love you :) There I said it. Take that as you will :) Just remember me in your prayers so that England can have a new ward when I'm done with this place :)

Love, 

Elder Bradley Smith

Sunny Day in the Neighbourhood

I had an interesting experience a few days ago. Member of Southend ward came out teaching with us during a immense storm, well at least I thought it was a big storm. He said to me "its funny how the mission presidents I have met call Southend, Windy Southend, but I don't really think that its windy here. Usually its really nice." Biggest lie of his life. The wind has been non stop here for the entire week. I do love Southend's landscape and all, but wow, I've been blown day in and day out.

Actually he was right about one thing, when its not stormy, its really lovely here :) Absolutely gorgeous. I wish it was more like yesterday when it was just blue skies the entire day. THat needs to happen more often.

Well as for me, everything is going pretty well. I've pretty much gotten settled in here. I'm learning the ward, the people, the culture, who to avoid... and where I can get great cheap food. If Elder Hansen is reading this, I went around to the place where I was "Kebabtized" back when we came here for a p day about 18 months ago. For those of you who do not know what a "kebab" is, its pretty much the greasiest piece of food you will ever eat. I think its an Arab thing but there are kebab joints around here more than McDonalds. I'd say about twice or three times as many. Funny enough, I hate McDonalds in the states, but here McDonald's is really Posh, or expensive. So we avoid eating anywhere that is inherently American. It just costs a fortune for a tiny hamburger that is not even the size that it should be. Same with Burger King. Big Rip OFFS >_<

Well enough ranting. I enjoy the amount of people we teaching, and drop in one week. We managed to pick up around 10 people to teach this week and we lost about 8 of them after the first or second lesson. It led to us racking up around 30 lessons again this week, but most of the people we will probably not see again :P That's just life ain't it. SO... back to building a teaching pool again. We still have two people set for Baptisms in about a two weeks, so that's good. Pretty much the Elder here previous, one of my good friends Elder Vogel from Germany... love those Germans :), has done a great job rounding up about 7 baptisms last transfer and I'm just baptizing the leftovers! So now the ward is putting a lot of pressure on us to do about the same. Southend is estimating for about 60 new members this year... about sixty times for than any other ward's goals I've seen. So yeah, time to put out. Good and do work. Dun worry, I got this.

Well its been a fun week, I've got some awesome windswept hair photo's I'll upload eventually. Its been a lot of fun so far in this area. Crazy its almost been two weeks I've been here now. I feel like I got here yesterday. Well love you all. Have a great week and stay alive people.

Love, 

Elder Bradley Smith

South End on Sea, Baby!

The picture above is my success face 

when I got called to South End :)

So I just received my moves call last night at half past eleven at night... flippin took them forever to call us. I really just hate waiting around for our zone leaders to put us all on a stupid conference call so everyone can hear where you are going, so they can just make tons of noise through the phone... It's like hanging out with a bunch of kindergartners :P Anyway, I've been transferred to the garden spot of our mission, beloved "South End on Sea!"

I'm so stoked. What was so funny is what I've been saying for the past few days. As missionaries we obviously like to ask each other where we would like to go in the mission on the next transfer, and you can guess what I said. I told Elder Evans, my current companion, that I would like to go die in South End on Sea, but I don't think that is very likely to happen due to the fact that I've already served twice in that Zone and I have six months left... but low and behold, Elder Smith is moving to South End :) So DOPE!!!

So yeah, I'm uber excited to go to one of the best areas in the mission. My new companion is going to be my third Brazilian... but to be honest I have no idea how to pronounce his name :P It's K. I have already been with 2 Brazilians... how hard can a third one be? Well, if this next transfer is difficult I'll eat my words... but, I don't think it will be because my attitude is Awesome :) I'm kinda just happy I made it to the last quater of my mission and I get to go to the best area... I kinda can't get over this... :) :) :)

Take a deep breathe, ok Mother, I do not know my current address for my flat, but once I know I'll get that to you. I also took a ton of pictures the past few transfers so I'll put like three on this email and the rest you'll have to go to my blog to see :) My Mission Blog. Checks it out, manz.

Well it has been fun. I love you all and I hope you have a great week... because I need to go pack now :P Best part right?

Love, 

Elder Bradley Smith