I can’t wait to go to the airport with my badge over my heart and be a representative of the Lord!

Hola mi mamacita (:

It is soo good to hear from you and I am so happy that the wedding was spectacular! They both look so happy in all of their pictures and it’s really cool to think that they will be together forever (: I am soooo stoked for the both of them! I really wish I could have been there, but I know that the Lord really needs me here. When I heard that Mom was sick the thought of fasting immediately came to my mind! So, the next day, Elder Quiroz and I fasted, and I’m so glad Dad gave her a blessing too! I am so happy that, because of all our faith, Mom was able to get better so she could have a good time at the wedding! Hearing of the wedding just makes me so happy! It seems like it was a fairytale or something! How awesome. I am full of joy! I was praying for all of you the whole entire day! I was so happy that the weather was at least sunny!

Congratulations to my big brother Jordan and his new wife Emily! Wearing the wedding tie because I'm an honorary groomsman!

Oh yeah, I know that Jordan was going to surprise Emily for the honeymoon, but what were the final plans for it? Where are they going? (They went to Costa Rica!)

So far, we haven’t really heard anything about our visas.  A sister that is going to Lima North, who is in another district, got her visa yesterday. She is leaving on Monday! I am so happy for her! We heard that we will be reassigned either tonight or tomorrow! I hope I go somewhere on the east coast but we shall see! You should expect a 5-minute call from me tomorrow to tell you where I’m going! I am actually very excited! It's really neat to understand that Heavenly Father needs me in many parts of the world. I hope I get to leave before Mother’s day so that I can talk to you all! I really want to talk to you but maybe the Lord needs to test my patience just a little more! Haha, but we shall see!

This past week was one crazy week! Spanish has really overwhelmed me! We have learned all kinds of grammar and we have been reviewing everything. It’s going crazy! I really started to doubt myself and I became very discouraged! I even felt that my Spanish got worse! Sometimes I just feel alone and sometimes I just need some family time, you know? My teacher (Hermano Wald) told me that he thinks my heart and one of my feet are here but that the other foot is still at home. I found that to be true.

Sunday, I realized that my faith was draining away. So, during personal study, I studied faith. It really helped me to realize that in order to have faith I have to act upon it. I prayed to Heavenly Father to help me get lost in the work. These past few days, Elder Quiroz and I have worked our hardest! We are using all of the time we have to study and focus! Even though Spanish is still way hard, it is easier to remember that the Lord will help me when I work hard and have faith!  My faith has really increased and I plan to keep on working hard my whole entire life so that the Lord can bless me! I hope that going into the field will just kick my butt, that way I can work even harder!  Heavenly Father will bless me and He will help me with anything. I need to remember that He is with me, every step of the way. By working hard, this has gotten easier and it has helped me to bring my other foot here so that I can get lost in the work!

I like to relate this mission experience to golf. I have to rely on myself and my talents. Some holes (days) will be hard. Some rounds (weeks) will be hard. But the next hole or the next round might just be the best round I have ever played. If I just keep working and practicing I will become better and it will be a lot more fun. I know that practice makes perfect.  If I just work hard I can do anything because the Lord will bless me.

Being here at the MTC has helped me grow so much! I know that I wasn't meant to go to the Peru MTC. I was meant to come here and to meet the people in my district. They have been such a blessing to me and we have all made very good friendships with each other! Also, my teachers are so amazing, they cheer for us all day long, and I feel the spirit all the time here! I have really learned a lot about myself! Being on my own has really helped me because I have learned to just rely on the Lord and push myself! Thinking that I will be in the field next week really blows my mind! I am just so excited to share my testimony with real investigators that I have never met! I can’t wait to see lives changed because of this church!

(A funny experience)

So last night, our district decided to play a little prank with another district in our zone! We set the alarm clock for 3:30am and then duck taped it shut! Haha, then we put it under the desk in the districts room! So, this morning they told us that they couldn’t find the clock and one of them thought that it was 6:30 so he got ready for the day, haha, but he couldn’t get the duck tape off for like 10 minutes. It was so hilarious! Hahaha, they were all very good sports about it. It’s nice to have a laugh here and there (:

I had a cool experience when I went up to the temple this morning. As we were walking up an old man asked us where we are from and where we are going. I said I’m from Lehi and he asked if I knew Officer Neer. My eyes lit up and I said, “yes, I love him so much, he is such a stud”! It just so happens that the old man is Officer Neer's father! Crazy right? It was just so cool for me! (Officer Neer was one of Jake’s golf coaches)

This week has been an eye opener for me. It’s weird to think that I have already been gone for more than a Month! Don’t worry about me, the Lord is with me. I feel so happy and humbled to be a missionary! I can’t wait to go to the airport with my badge over my heart and be a representative of the Lord to people that have never heard of our church! I can’t wait to teach my first lesson in Spanish! I am nervous, but I will be okay.

Braiden left to the field on Monday! Crazy! Time is flying here! It’s about my turn to leave!

Mom I love you so much and I am very thankful for you! I hope you know that! I pray for you all day every day and I hope this past Month has been special! I always think of our family and Christ pulling me up the hill when I am down! That is what has helped me so far and it will help me throughout my life!  One other thing I do is I always read my patriarchal blessing.  It’s so amazing and it makes me so happy. It says that I will excel on my mission and that I will see many lives changed and brought unto the gospel. I need to remember that. It's truly amazing how Christ went through everything for us...for me...He wants us to be happy. This church is true. Thanks for raising me in the church.  Thanks for being parents that I can always count on. If I didn’t have parents like you in my life I don’t know what I would be doing right now. You have guided me to this spot and for that I am forever grateful.

Dad, I’m doing a lot better today and I appreciate you. You have always reached out to help me and you've always brought me up and put me on your back. I remember a time when we went swimming when I was little, I think it was at a hotel or something, but you put me on your back and we dove under the water as I held onto you and you helped me swim through the deep parts so that I could have fun. Maybe you don’t remember it because it’s probably not that big of a deal. But I remember it very well, and it’s so amazing to think about. It's just like right now, you are helping me by putting me on your back and helping me through the deep parts. I really loved the story you sent about that missionary who was the worst Spanish speaker in his mission but he was the highest in baptisms! I know that learning Spanish will take time and I just need to remember that! Thanks Dad. Thanks again for everything and thanks for being my best friend through life.

Tell everyone that I love them! Mom I will talk to you soon! I can’t wait to hear your sweet voice! Tell Allison I love her too and I am very thankful for her! Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for supporting me!

Te Quiero Mucho. Dios te ama tambien.

I will talk to you soon!!! Just be ready!

Elder Smith