Yummmm, Muffins

October 15, 2012 Monday

Dear Family,

I can't believe It’s another P-day already. Time seems to go so fast, yet, the days go by so slow. I think that’s a sign of working hard, or being lazy... or a combination. I'm just kidding... I'm not lazy, especially with Elder Hansen around. This past week has been rain about every single day. I thought I would love the rain since there is never any in Utah, but it starts to get annoying when you have to go out and street contact... but nobody is on the street because of the rain... that makes things rather difficult.

 I'll talk about our flat some more. Apparently the missionaries before us have never cleaned behind the fridge and washing machine... thus it look like Mordor back behind them... so we spent this morning cleaning and washing out those areas and man they reeked! We did another deep clean on our flat, trying to get everything nice and clean... but the only problem is that the leaking from the flat above was supposed to be fixed... but something is still leaking up there and our wall is growing mold like acne! It’s absolutely disgusting! I'll show you some pics... and so we need to get the flat agency in here to clean up this mess and the ceiling and everything! We might have to move flats if it gets any worse.

But besides me complaining about our flat, we had some enjoyable lessons with investigators. We met with a woman named Caroline who has been investigating the church for about 10 years... but won't be baptized because she can't go 30 days without smoking... so it’s kinda frustrating. The first thing I did when I met with her was challenged her to baptism and we had about a 2 and a half hour lesson with her. The Bishop came with us and shared a powerful testimony with her, so I think if we can follow up with her every day and encourage her to pray about giving up smoking that we can make a change in her life. Her daughter was also there. She is 13 and very smart... but she is very shy as well, so she doesn't like coming to church because she doesn't know the people. I shared some scriptures with her and I told her I'd bring my Book of Mormon picture book for her and show her what some of the prophets and people might have looked like from the Book of Mormon. She was very interested in that, so on our return appointment this week that is what I plan to share with her. Also, this week we met with one of my favorite investigators named Graham. He is married to Marianne, who is a member, but he has his own beliefs about God and doesn't want to be forced to do anything with the church... but he is my favorite person I have met. He has so many stories about being a soldier and he loves to share his life experiences with us. He's about 70 to 80 years old and he just has a fantastic personality. He's one of those people you talk about after your mission... so I'll have to share some of his stories with you later. Graham is very touchy about church though and likes us, the Elders, because we don't push him around to do stuff. We are just slowly working with him to get him to come to church with his wife and such. Either way, I love this guy.

I'll try to answer a few of the questions you guys asked me in previous emails. So mom, you asked about the mini-quad. Just keep it on back order because I'll be in this area for probably six months... that’s just how our mission works, so I don't believe I'll be going anywhere for a while. I'm glad to hear that you've already started knitting some warm gloves for me... I'm so excited for those, Mum. I'd also love a Costco card because we can walk to Costco in about a half hour from our flat and some things we'd love to get there would be like pancake mix, and those delicious muffins, etc. So if you want to send me a Costco card that would be awesome. Also, Mother, I just read your letter about ten minutes ago and I laughed because you were talking about how we need to stay on the lord's side of the line. It’s funny because we had about the same lesson in our priesthood lesson yesterday. That’s quite funny :) We were being taught from the teachings of Heber J. Grant and that was the lesson that we had was staying on the Lord's side of the line.

So, I got my Visa card at the Hyde park chapel just a few days ago when we went in for a training meeting. It looks like my original card and doesn't have a chip, so does it still work? I'll have to try it out today. Did you guys happen to send me another Visa Card with a chip? I'm not sure exactly what’s going on with all the credit card business. The Master Card I have is the only card that works here but I don't have a PIN number for it, thus I can't get cash off of it. Not very many stores here take side cards, and mine don't have the chip and pin. I did manage to check my bank account and I was pleased to see a nice wad of cash on my card. So, I believe that Mum got my last check from the Mckenzies right? I just wanted to make sure that I had gotten that check.

I think I covered everything. If you want to mail me anything just send it to the Mission Home or if you Amazon it just send it straight to my flat. I love you guys so much and I'm having a wonderful week. I'll share some cool pictures and drawings I've done with the small amount of free time that I have :)

 If you guys want more personal letters to each of you just send me a email or a letter and I'll respond back to it. I type faster than I had write... but I have more time for handwriting letters than emailing... so either way is practical to get a hold of me. I love all the pictures and I'm jealous I can't go to Big Springs or Cascade anymore. I'm glad to have been able to go that last time before my mission. That meant a lot to me. If there is anything I need I might send an email during the week when we do the progress report or something. All right... I think that is everything. I'll be writing hand written letters later today.  So, don't forget about me Pleaze :).

TTFN, Love your Elder Brother and Son,

Elder Bradley Smith

Trying to Take Over the World:)

First Package--Hard Drive for Photo Storage

October 9, 2012 Tuesday

Hello again Family,

It has been another long and exciting week in England where all it does is rain and be cold... but that’s OK. I've had the best privilege of enjoying General Conference this weekend. Mom, you asked how we watched it, and I will tell you; so, we started watching the Saturday Morning session about at 5 in the afternoon. That was the only session we actually watched live. Because missionaries have to be in their flats by nine we could not watch the later session or Priesthood session until Sunday Morning. We watched three sessions of Conference on Sunday including the Priesthood session, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning. We have to wait two weeks where in our sacrament meetings they will show the last session of Conference.

We had to travel to the only stake center in the area which is Romford. Man, travel is so dang expensive. This past week we have had to take trains to everywhere we go and it really stacks up. So, General Conference probably cost us about 25 pounds or 40 dollars just for travel. And that was only just Conference, not even all the other places we went during the week. We couldn't catch a train to Upminster where we would then go back to Grays the first night of Conference, so we had to take a double bus, which was a lot of fun, back to Lakeside and then walked 5 miles back to the flat... all at eleven at night... Plus, we had the Southend Elders with us because they could not catch a train back either... So, Elder Badger and Elder Purddy crashed at our flat for that night and stole all my blankets and stuff. What an interesting weekend.

You guys obviously heard how they changed the age limit for serving missions. I was so stoked to hear that Mark could actually serve his mission right out of high school, but I got your letter and I agree that a semester of college would be better for him before he comes out here. I've been having a lot of fun out here and I haven't forgotten all the support I get from home... I love you guys so much. I might send some snail mail letters but postage is outrageous here... so I'll see if I can get some stamps or something. I'm sending some pics home of our flat so you can see what the place I live in is like. I also got my Hard Drive already... so sweet. Thanks so much Dad. That got here in like two days. So yes, I do have it.

We just met some really cool people today while OYMing, Open Your Mouth, basically just talking to people, and found a woman who had just lost her partner, kinda like a husband but not legally married... kinda weird for me but normal for England, and she was distressed about why her church couldn't answer her questions. Oh Man!, did we help her out. We answered all her questions, plus some, and we got to know her pretty well. She had a daughter, I believe... not sure if they are related, but they live together, and she came and started talking to us. We gave both of them a Book of Mormon and asked if we could meet them again. We really did talk for a long time, and my letter can't really fit in all the details, but these people really did feel the Spirit. The girl was about twenty and she was sort of flirting with us. She actually respected us a lot because we don't act like the other twenty year olds out here. She basically said she'd love to marry us because we have such high standards... but that would be kinda awkward... Anyways it’s kind of nice to know that people respect us because we aren't low lifes, drug addicted, nubcakes like the Chavs that live out here. A Chav is kind of like a punk in our society, but they talk super funny like "What up Brov" and "A'low it Man" and funny stuff like that. Their accent just cracks me up because they sound like utter retards, even the regular English people think they are dumb.

Anyways I've been working on getting these recipes mom has given me and actually cooking them. I've learned a lot of different dishes and one of these days I'm going to send back some of the recipes that I have gotten from the members out here. Oh I'm so excited, On Friday I get to meet with Bro. Jones and again try the “Jones Challenge”. Basically Bro Jones just gives us so much food that we can't eat it all... but I'm going to prove him wrong this time!!! Lol, it’s all fun out here. Don't worry about me too much, but the cold is coming in so Mittens and Gloves and Scarves would be great if you could send them to me. The best thing ever, would be to make me some gloves out of Ludwig’s fur and I'll take a picture of me wearing them in Town Center or something. I'll take pictures of the stuff you send me just so you know it gets to me.

I hope you guys will write more letters this next week, I love looking forward to writing back to you guys. I wish you best of luck back at school and hope that everything is going OK. I hope I covered everything this week, so I hope to hear from you soon. Of course I'll send more pictures. I love seeing them go up on the blog. Mom, I love the blog keep it up. I wrote you guys on Tuesday today because we had a zone p-day yesterday so I had no time to write yesterday. I love getting pictures from you guys, I love my puppy dog, Hazel. She is so pretty. Dad I love getting letters from you, but I haven't really had time to write you personally... Sorry about that! Hopefully, everything is good. Just let me know if you want anything... souveanier wise... I can't spell either... blehhh... but yeah. Hope to hear from you soon.

Your Son, and Brother

Elder Bradley J. Smith

"What are we doing today, Elder Smith?""The same thing we do every day. Trying to take over the World!!!!, Elder."

Very large spider

Highly Useful Umbrella

Posing with Elder Hansen and Highly Useful Umbrella

Elder Smith Gets the Bigger Bed, Hummmm.

Awesome Photo Display on Bedroom Wall

Study Area

Lovely Kitchen for Iron Chef Brad

First Package Rec'd on Mission

Hard Drive

Pet Fly

TTFN = Ta Ta for Now

October 1, 2012 Monday

Dear Family,

I know you guys have been busy, but I appreciate the time you take to write to me. There is nothing I look forward to more than P Days because I get to read all the mail :) I hope you guys have received my letter by now... if not... just let me know. I'm picking up some stamps from the post office today so I can send more letters home.

So to answer some of mother’s questions... The Taska bag I have is kinda big and bulky just for walking around talking to people in town center, so I'd like a smaller bag that I can fit just a few things in like a mini quad and a Book of Mormon or two, so I can hand them out to people who are interested. The bag he has is tall and narrow so it fits quite a bit of stuff, with taking up so much room. Don't get me wrong, I love the Taska bag for making visits to members and holding groceries and stuff.

The flat we are in is pretty Ghetto. The flat above us was leaking down into ours so I'll send you a picture of the honeycomb water droplets on the ceiling that were dripping down through. The flat above us got evicted because the guys were dealing drugs or something up above us... so pretty sketchy.

Yeah for the most part things are ok. I've been down to the river a few times and taken pictures with Elder Hansen and me looking into the sunset and stuff.  It’s pretty gorgeous along the Thames River here, but it’s also the docking port for England so quite industrial at the same time. I've been getting to know the area pretty well, we cover from Chadwell to Chafford Hundred so quite a few miles, and I've walked all of them. I've lost about 3 pounds on average since I've been here... so not bad eh?

Thames near Grays

We had our first District meeting last Friday and I got to meet the other Elders of our District. My district leader is Elder Badger and his comp. Elder Purrdy and the two zone leaders are in my district as well Elder Grove and Elder White. All these guys are awesome and I've had the pleasure of meeting them. Things have kind of been none stop around here. We always have somewhere to go somewhere to be and constantly walking... but that’s ok, I need the exercise.

Elder Hansen

 I've been teaching several investigators that are very... interesting. They believe everything we tell them yet... don't want to get baptized because they believe the Holy Spirit hasn't told them yet and they don't seem to understand the concept of authority... So we'll keep trying but they are some stubborn cookies out here... funny thing is they don't know what a cookie is out here :).

We met with a brand new investigator from Purfleet. His name is Alan and he was a referral from Basildon just up the road. He knows a recent convert friend of ours and has seen the changes that have come into his life, so Alan wants those same changes for himself. He's struggled with smoking pot and drugs for much of his teenage years and he is only 17... so kinda young to get into that kind of stuff... but he's eager to learn and to change himself, so we'll get to meet with him again this Wednesday.

I've been getting to know the members here, and boy are they solid. The members in England are so different than the ones in Utah because they have much stronger testimonies and they see the change the church has brought into their lives. I love hearing their conversion stories and how much they had to give up just to live in harmony with our standards. We have dinners with most of the ward about every other night, and I love to tell them about Utah and our family, but I love to hear their stories as well. When I get back I can share all of them... but I've heard so many I can't recall all of them through this email.

I love seeing the pictures you guys send. Everything is changing in Utah, like the leaves and the landscape, but here in England everything is still green... but it’s cold... damp cold. The winters here are worse than in Utah because the dampness. It clings to you and freezes you to the bone. I'm not terribly excited so I'll pick up some nice warm wool gloves like the ones Elder Hansen has. I really love that you guys still think of me and send stuff to me. I really need the support because a mission is hard and having a loving supporting family makes my life here a lot easier.

I love seeing Hazel and how she's doing, she's still my cute puppy dog over there and I show off her picture to the Elders around here. I hope you guys are making good use of my computer and iPad. It seems like you guys probably use it more than I do, and I'm glad that they didn't go to waste :) I miss my computer and stuff, but I'm so busy here, that even if I did have it I really would not have time to use it... surprisingly enough. My iPad would be a different story... I could find plenty of uses for it... but none the less I am obedient. It’s not like scout camp where you can sneak your electronics there lol :)

Audi R8

Anyways, I've had a nice week and I love all the recipes you sent for us. I really love them, and I'm going to try to use all of them. I'll send you multiple emails with the pictures I'm going to send. Also... if you had time... could you send me portable hard drive, like 500 GB maybe? I want to store my photos on them so I can erase them on the camera cards... because I take a lot of pictures :) I hope you guys see me in one of those traffic cameras or something that Dad was talking about. Feel free to send me physical letters as well as emails I love both. And... about the garments thing mom was talking about... I could use some Thermals maybe about 3 pair would be good because it gets cold over.... >_<

So I hope you guys are going to have a good week, and send me that credit card whenever you can... that would be great. Oh... and I realized a few days ago, and mom you’re not gonna like this, but my social security card was hiding behind one of my credit cards in my wallet >_<. So I put it in a safe place, and I don't want to lose it but I thought you guys should know. I'm having a great time out here with Elder Hansen and I'll let you guys know if I need anything. I'm grateful to have you guys looking out for me. I believe next week I'll include a section in this email to my friends and to some of the Elders that have left the MTC so I'll get you the addresses I want you to send that section of the email to them. I'll check my blog and see what it looks like :).

TTFN, Ta Ta for Now

Your Older Brother and Son,

Elder Bradley Smith