Hola Familia,

      How is everyone doing? It sounds like everything is going good at home and everyone is one piece.  This week at the MTC was a good one.  It’s going by so fast and I am way happy that it’s going fast.  The food here is probably the worst thing that I have ever tasted.  I am to the point where I just want my Mexican food and an ice cold Diet Coke.  Last night was probably the worst food night here.  They had cod nuggets and all this gross crap.  I went for two bowls of cereal, Fruit Loops, which were amazing, some vending machine food at the apartments, and your candy.  So ya I am going to be happy when I get some Mexican food in front of me with some green chiles.  Every night the elders in my district talk about how excited we are for the food in New Mexico.  The 4th of July here was alright.  We had class till about 7 and then we had a devotional that night.  The devotional was good.  This one guy talked and it was a good, short talk about the Lord and patriotism.  After they surprised us with 17 Miracles, which is the closest thing to a real movie I am ever going to see in 2 years.  It was a good show and I enjoyed it for the 3rd or 4th time I have seen it.  After they told us that we got to stay up past our bedtime and watch the fireworks.  They were cool but you couldn't really see them so the Elders in my District watched them for a little bit and then went to bed.  The next day was good but I was tried.  I have never thought in my life that 10:30 would be late for me.  If I am not in bed by then everything feels way too late and the next day sucks because you’re tried.  So I guess that missionary schedule is starting to change me.  

Also this week the crazy Spanish teacher who touches your leg and gets way excited over Spanish came into our class again.  When our teacher, Hermano Green, came in to teach us that day he said we have that guy coming in again to observe my teaching so act good.  I immediately busted out laughing because that teacher just cracks me up.  Everyone in the District asks me to do my impersonation of the guy because supposedly I can do it really well.  Everyone laughs afterwards, but my impression really is not even that good.  But that teacher came in and I was trying so hard not to laugh the whole time cuz he just makes me laugh.  The class went good and he didn't talk much so I was happy.  But then at the end he whipped out his iPad and was like, “Elder Smith, can you pronounce this word for me?”  I have a hard time pronouncing “esperanza,” which means “hope” in Spanish.  He wrote it on the whiteboard app that he has on his iPad and the whole class immediately started laughing because he wrote the word that he was trying to get me to say the time before and it was just funny.  I think he was wondering why the heck the class was laughing.  It was just a funny thing but he left and the day went on.  

Another day this week our new teacher didn’t show up and that was bad.  We had 4 hours of personal study so that sucked.  The next day we had a sub and she reminded me of Mrs. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus.  She was definitely a treat and I think she hated me because I am the kid who likes to laugh and make it fun for everyone.  I am pretty sure she thought I should not be out in the mission field because I don’t take this work seriously, but I do, and I like to have fun with it.  Just like you told me before I walked away - work hard but have fun.  That’s my motto everyday - work hard but have fun.  After she cracked the whip she said she would be back tomorrow but she didn’t show up and that was a Christmas miracle.  I thought she looked like Mrs. Fizzle on the Magic School Bus because she showed up to class in a jungle dress, and I was
going to say, "Wait - are we going on a bus to the jungle this week to learn Spanish?" But I told myself I couldn’t say that or she would flip even more.  

Our new teacher showed up and he is a way cool dude.  I like him a lot.  He shows us he cares about us and we are all in the same boat to learn the gospel and Spanish.  He came in on the first and gave us Elders big hugs and gave handshakes to the Hermanas. This week we as a district were teaching an investigator as a whole district, and the teacher said “pause” and asked our thoughts on how it was going.  I piped in and said I think it sucks and we should not be jumping into the lesson that soon.  I continued on my rant and said we hardly know this guy in front of us, and I felt impressed to say that I feel like there is something bothering him in his life and we need to find that out.  One of the Hermanas who we don’t like very much flipped out and started saying this and that, and Elder Rodriguez came in and jumped into the deep water I just got myself into.  He said that as a ward missionary he came to find out that you can ask those questions and you need to ask them to find out what going on in the person’s life and how to teach them.  I absolutely love Elder Rodriguez.  He is one of the coolest guys I have met along with Elder Hurren.  Me and Elder Rodriguez talk forever at night and he is a stud.  She then just shut up and didn’t say anything.  Afterwards I felt like we should apologize, and Elder Hurren, our new district leader, came up with the idea that we would just have a share your thoughts time at the end of the night.  So during that we said “sorry” and she started crying, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad.  

I am a Host missionary this week so maybe I’ll pick up Michael D at the curb.  That’s going to be a fun time at the curb, and I am just going to grab the Elder and just say, "Come on Elder, an adventure is waiting you and you'll see them again shortly!"   

During the week I also had a cool experience that I want to share with you guys.  I have been praying really hard to be able to understand the scriptures.  During personal study time I was reading, and all of a sudden they made sense, and I love reading them now.  There are so many good stories.  I was reading in Alma where Ammon is cutting the dudes arms off and converting the King.  I was reading in Alma 18:34, and I loved were Ammon said this, "I am a man; and a man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true."  So I love that scripture, and I highlighted it in different color cuz it stuck out so much to me.  I think how we are called by the Holy Spirit to a calling or as a missionary, and we need to teach people what is just and true.  So I can’t wait to teach people in New Mexico and teach them what is just and true.  I also want to say one more thing before I have to finish because I am about to go overtime.  That’s funny Mom that you were teaching in our Sunday school class about Satan this week.  I was reading Joseph Smith’s testimony in the first part of the Book of Mormon.  He said that Moroni told him in one of his visits with him that Satan is going to try to stop this work to the fullest extent of his power.  We watched the Joseph Smith movie on Sunday, and it testified to me that Satan tried to do that, and all the mobs and evil people were Satan trying his hardest to stop it.

That’s about it for me.  I also get my flight plan this week so I’ll let you know my flight information when I get it. Oh I am sending pictures too.  Love you guys.  Tell my friends hello and the girls too.  Tell them I am doing good and miss them every day.  That was nice of Tessa
to invite you to the movie with her and the girls.  She is awesome.  I miss you guys and love you tons.  Give the Beary a scratch for me! Keep it steezy in Holladay for me! Love you!!!

With Love,
-Elder Smith