This week's email was a lot of Dallon being reflective. It appears that things have settled into a routine and not much is new to share. He says the weeks fly by and before he even realizes, it is p-day again.
"Hey, can you believe that I have officially been in the MTC for as long as Dad was! Not going to lie, but I am a little envious to think that he got to leave for his mission about now. Well, this week has been really fun and eventful but it still consists of the same roller coaster emotions that you go through. The good news is we got through our first TRC lesson in Spanish. It was really cool. I don't think our Spanish is all that great but the investigators got the jist of what we were talking about. We taught a family from Argentina, so that was cool. We have some good times here even though it is one of the most stressful environments that I have ever been in. Spanish does get on my nerves almost every day. I always just have to remember that I can only speak what the Lord would have me say and if I do my best, that is all he asks of me."
Dallon shares a visit with a counselor from his Branch Presidency.
"Elder Peterson and I had a meeting with Brother Hollister this week. He told us a lot of cool things like how we both have stood out as leaders and that among every group the leaders are always evident. He said that Elder Peterson had some good leadership qualities, but then focused on me and said that the branch presidency had noticed my good attitude and happy countenance. They said that I lit up the room and promised that I would do amazing things on my mission. I was so grateful for what Brother Hollister told me. I feel that it was an answer to my prayer this week."
He gives us an update on other missionaries.
"This week we had a few districts leave and our roommates moved out to Mexico. They were a hoot! You'll see them in my videos I'm going to send home. I also see Elder Matt Ross everyday at choir practice. It is definitely the highlight of my day! Just he and I hanging out like the good old choir days. He leaves in two weeks and Elder Nate Monson left or is leaving today I think. Elder Jake Roper still comes by to visit sometimes. He's been fun to have around. I think we all just like having familiar people around us. I hardly see Elder Mark Hanni or Dillon Hill, but I'm trying to get a hold of them to get their testimonies before they leave!"
"I have met so many amazing people here at the MTC. I am close to all the Elders in my district and have already had a couple sister missionaries ask for my address. So... if you get any mail for me at home be sure to tell me! ha ha I also have met an Elder here that is going to the same mission as Elder Ben Brockbank (Baton Rouge, Louisiana). I was glad to be able to talk to him for awhile. Both these Elders are truly remarkable people and there is so much I wish I could learn from them. There are many awesome people here. It pushes me to want to be better every day. I'm thankful for that."
We asked what his p-days were like?
"Thanks for the socks! I don't know why but I just started running low. I am also fine with wearing church clothes every day. It doesn't bother me a bit. I am always comfortable and I never have to decide what to wear. ha ha It's the best! P-days are definitely the most stressful! We are running around doing a thousand different things and it feels like there is never enough time, especially since p-day ends at 6:00pm. It is not my favorite day. I will send you a copy of my schedule so you can see how absolutely packed it is! We never have to decide what to do because every minute is planned out. Today I have to get a haircut because it's required to be in the conference choir. I might look crazy but at least I'll be there! I am really excited! Being a part of this choir is such a blessing. I hope you are able to see me. I don't know exactly where I will be, but I'll definitely be looking up at the middle of the balcony!"
Dallon's final comment.
"All in all, everything is fine! I think about you often and about the love that Heavenly Father has for all of us. We are so lucky to have the life that we do. I have had it reaffirmed to me over and over. I am so proud of everyone! Love you all and have a great week!"
Con mucho amor, Elder Dallon Smith
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
MTC Week 2
Yeah! Dallon is still alive and thriving. This week was especially long for our family because Dallon had his birthday on Saturday. There is no mail or deliveries on Saturday. We had to send everything to him by Friday and just hope that he had good friends in the MTC to help make Saturday a special day. Another interesting fact is that Dallon's birthday is on Sept. 18th, which is also Chili's Independence Day. He is going to have great birthday celebrations the next two years! Anyways, he writes about his birthday in this letter.
"Hey guys! I can't believe a week has already passed by since I last wrote you! The days are so long but the weeks seem to go by pretty fast! My birthday was the best! I had a ton of fun and I LOVED all the presents I received! Especially the camera. I've already made some videos that I am going to send home but probably not until next week. I did give Elder Peterson his present and he loved it. He plays with it all the time. It was an awesome birthday! Thanks for making it so fun! Everyone at the MTC was talking about my Nothin' Bundt Cake because it came in a huge celaphane wrap thing with balloons and stuff. ha ha You should have seen everyone's faces while I was carrying it back to my room! It was awesome!"
He then shared some great news!!
"I made it into the choir that is going to be singing at Priesthood session of General Conference! For awhile there everyone told my district that we filled out the wrong form, but it turned out that we filled out the right one! So you'll have to look for me. I am so excited! Music is what I miss the most. The President of the MTC won't let us listen to any music. Sundays are a little better when I can go to sacrament meeting and sing. We also get to watch church movies on Sundays and we were able to watch "The Testament". I told myself that I wasn't going to cry like the other missionaries that write home and tell how much they cried...ha ha, but that movie did a number on me...sniff."
There was additions to his district group.
"We received one more elder and hermana into my district this week. The elder is Elder Mace and everyone thinks we are twins! We definitely do have a lot of similarities, but I am definitely better looking! ha ha It's been fun to have new people in the district. My Spanish is really starting to come along. I didn't think I could learn this fast! Although it is still a huge frustration in my life, I still know I am being blessed through this trial. Elder Peterson and I taught our first real lesson in full Spanish yesterday. It was sooooo hard! I thought I was going to die with stress! ha ha Somehow we were able to get through it. I think we are doing really well for our first time teaching in Spanish. I'm grateful that I can feel the spirit everyday because without it I probably would be coming home right now!"
He shares what life is like at the MTC.
"The MTC is like a different world. The whole time they are pushing you to be your best and to get lost in the work. I think it's awesome but sometimes it does start to feel like we are in an alternate reality. It is really funny because every night we have a bell that tells us to go to sleep at 10:30 and the other night a sister missionary bolted out of her room screaming, "This place is a prison!" ha ha The next day our branch president commented on it and said, "This place isn't a prison, it is worse because you don't get visitors!" ha ha It was really funny! Anyways all is well here at the MTC. Not a lot happens in my life because it consists of studying squashed all day in a small room with fourteen other missionaries. We have a good time together and I'm starting to get to know everyone really well. How could you not get close when you have one elder's head asleep on your shoulder and another elder with his legs under your desk?! ha ha It really is cramped in our room, but I sure am learning a lot."
A fun thing happened at the temple.
"Oh the coolest thing happened today! I went to the Provo Temple and guess who I ran in to? Michael Wood! Crazy right? I just barely read about Mom talking to him and then I ran in to him the next day! It was way cool to see him."
Dallon ends with this testimony.
"I'm grateful for this church and all of the blessings that it gives me. I know that I am here because Heavenly Father wants me to be here. I am so grateful for this opportunity. I know that through Heavenly Father we will be able to live as a family forever. I know that I am a Smith and we are tough. We can do anything that we set our minds to. Keep striving to do your best. You are always in my prayers. I love you all so much!"
Con Mucho Amor, Elder Dallon Smith
"Hey guys! I can't believe a week has already passed by since I last wrote you! The days are so long but the weeks seem to go by pretty fast! My birthday was the best! I had a ton of fun and I LOVED all the presents I received! Especially the camera. I've already made some videos that I am going to send home but probably not until next week. I did give Elder Peterson his present and he loved it. He plays with it all the time. It was an awesome birthday! Thanks for making it so fun! Everyone at the MTC was talking about my Nothin' Bundt Cake because it came in a huge celaphane wrap thing with balloons and stuff. ha ha You should have seen everyone's faces while I was carrying it back to my room! It was awesome!"
He then shared some great news!!
"I made it into the choir that is going to be singing at Priesthood session of General Conference! For awhile there everyone told my district that we filled out the wrong form, but it turned out that we filled out the right one! So you'll have to look for me. I am so excited! Music is what I miss the most. The President of the MTC won't let us listen to any music. Sundays are a little better when I can go to sacrament meeting and sing. We also get to watch church movies on Sundays and we were able to watch "The Testament". I told myself that I wasn't going to cry like the other missionaries that write home and tell how much they cried...ha ha, but that movie did a number on me...sniff."
There was additions to his district group.
"We received one more elder and hermana into my district this week. The elder is Elder Mace and everyone thinks we are twins! We definitely do have a lot of similarities, but I am definitely better looking! ha ha It's been fun to have new people in the district. My Spanish is really starting to come along. I didn't think I could learn this fast! Although it is still a huge frustration in my life, I still know I am being blessed through this trial. Elder Peterson and I taught our first real lesson in full Spanish yesterday. It was sooooo hard! I thought I was going to die with stress! ha ha Somehow we were able to get through it. I think we are doing really well for our first time teaching in Spanish. I'm grateful that I can feel the spirit everyday because without it I probably would be coming home right now!"
He shares what life is like at the MTC.
"The MTC is like a different world. The whole time they are pushing you to be your best and to get lost in the work. I think it's awesome but sometimes it does start to feel like we are in an alternate reality. It is really funny because every night we have a bell that tells us to go to sleep at 10:30 and the other night a sister missionary bolted out of her room screaming, "This place is a prison!" ha ha The next day our branch president commented on it and said, "This place isn't a prison, it is worse because you don't get visitors!" ha ha It was really funny! Anyways all is well here at the MTC. Not a lot happens in my life because it consists of studying squashed all day in a small room with fourteen other missionaries. We have a good time together and I'm starting to get to know everyone really well. How could you not get close when you have one elder's head asleep on your shoulder and another elder with his legs under your desk?! ha ha It really is cramped in our room, but I sure am learning a lot."
A fun thing happened at the temple.
"Oh the coolest thing happened today! I went to the Provo Temple and guess who I ran in to? Michael Wood! Crazy right? I just barely read about Mom talking to him and then I ran in to him the next day! It was way cool to see him."
Dallon ends with this testimony.
"I'm grateful for this church and all of the blessings that it gives me. I know that I am here because Heavenly Father wants me to be here. I am so grateful for this opportunity. I know that through Heavenly Father we will be able to live as a family forever. I know that I am a Smith and we are tough. We can do anything that we set our minds to. Keep striving to do your best. You are always in my prayers. I love you all so much!"
Con Mucho Amor, Elder Dallon Smith
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
MTC Week 1
We were absolutely thrilled to finally receive Dallon's first email today. We can tell that he has already grown so much. He says he loves the MTC and began telling us that he wasn't able to receive any mail for a while due to his being reassigned from beginning to intermediate Spanish class. A sister from the MTC called our home the day before Dallon left and gave him a Spanish language test over the phone. It sounds like they group the Spanish speaking missionaries according to their fluency with the language. It changed his room assignment, district, companion, and mailbox number. It took awhile to get it all figured out and so he wasn't receiving the mail that was sent to his old mailbox. He tells us a little about his experience with the language.
"My Spanish has truly improved so much in the last six days. The Lord has blessed me so much with speaking Spanish and helping me to be the best missionary I can be. This first week was really hard and we have already had two missionaries in my district leave for home. I was glad that I came for the right reasons and that I can truly do anything that the Lord would have me do. I already feel like I have learned so much! I have seen the gift of tongues working in my life this week. It's nice to know that with the Lord all things are possible."
He talked about his companion and district group.
"As you know my my companion's name is Elder Peterson. He is a really nice guy and we get along great. We're not best friends or anything but we never fight and can put up with eachother. He is always serious and I am happy and social, but he has an awesome testimony and can speak the language better than I can. He's been helping me out. I absolutely love my district. I have made so many friends. The elders in my district are Elders Carter, Hill, Jalatty, Mortensen, Birch, Cummock, and Hermanas Aquino, Lockwood, and Coleman. We all have a blast when we are together. Out of all the elders, only Elder Birch, Cummock and I are going to the Santiago West Mission. Lots are going stateside Spanish speaking. And of course, most of them have taken Spanish for five or six years. I can hardly believe I am in their class but I know that I'm going to learn this language really fast and be able to communicate just as well or better than them. There was a point when I had to decide whether I was going to do the hard thing and just stay in my intermediate Spanish class or give in and try to get into the beginning class. I prayed a lot and I'm glad that I chose to do the hard thing. I'm glad that I was able to get through my trial of faith and just stay committed, but it's going to be a long road ahead."
In our letters we asked him to tell us a little about his surroundings.
I have seen everyone! I see them all the time actually and talk to them a lot! Oh and just to clarify, Elder Ashby isn't in my room, he just comes and visits me. It was so nice to have him just come over and talk. He is the best but he left for Argentina yesterday. Elder Ross also leaves his residence hall to come visit, along with one of my good friends from high school, Elder Phil Lecheminant. I also talk a lot to Elder Jake Roper because he studies Spanish in the same building as me. Tell LuAnn I gave Dillon a huge hug for her and Mark's mom that Mark looks really good and super healthy. Anyways all in all, it has been a huge blessing in my life to have brothers with me here."
"Of course I don't have the bottom bunk... I have the top, ha ha, but it's because I actually wanted the top bunk because it has a shelf and right when you walk in the door, you don't walk onto the bed. That's been nice and thank heavens we do have private showers! ha ha The food here is also pretty good. I feel like I eat better here then I do at home! It's nice to have a whole bunch of options to eat. We always sit as a district. It's been fun to have such a united district."
We wanted to know if he ever got homesick?
"I love receiving all of your letters. They are nice to have when I'm about to go to bed. The only time I get homesick is when I read your letters. Elder Peterson thinks that I am really popular! But I truly love hearing about what's going on at home and I'm grateful for all of your support. I know that this is where I am suppose to be. It is such a comforting feeling. I know that this church is true and that if we are obedient and harken to what the Lord wants, we will be able to achieve the impossible. I am so grateful that I have the family I do and has prepared me so well for this experience. Thank you so much. I love you."
He shared this in closing.
I had a couple interviews with my branch president and 1st counselor and they gave me some of the best encouragement and support that I could have asked for. I have also been complimented many times for having a great positive attitude, beautiful smile (ha ha), and having a light in my eyes. It's nice to hear those type of things. Oh and I had to get a flu shot which sucked!
Alright well my times almost up but I just want you to know that I love you so much and that you are always in my prayers. Know that I am happy and that everything is going to work out.
Love you all! Hasta Luego! Elder Dallon Smith
"My Spanish has truly improved so much in the last six days. The Lord has blessed me so much with speaking Spanish and helping me to be the best missionary I can be. This first week was really hard and we have already had two missionaries in my district leave for home. I was glad that I came for the right reasons and that I can truly do anything that the Lord would have me do. I already feel like I have learned so much! I have seen the gift of tongues working in my life this week. It's nice to know that with the Lord all things are possible."
He talked about his companion and district group.
"As you know my my companion's name is Elder Peterson. He is a really nice guy and we get along great. We're not best friends or anything but we never fight and can put up with eachother. He is always serious and I am happy and social, but he has an awesome testimony and can speak the language better than I can. He's been helping me out. I absolutely love my district. I have made so many friends. The elders in my district are Elders Carter, Hill, Jalatty, Mortensen, Birch, Cummock, and Hermanas Aquino, Lockwood, and Coleman. We all have a blast when we are together. Out of all the elders, only Elder Birch, Cummock and I are going to the Santiago West Mission. Lots are going stateside Spanish speaking. And of course, most of them have taken Spanish for five or six years. I can hardly believe I am in their class but I know that I'm going to learn this language really fast and be able to communicate just as well or better than them. There was a point when I had to decide whether I was going to do the hard thing and just stay in my intermediate Spanish class or give in and try to get into the beginning class. I prayed a lot and I'm glad that I chose to do the hard thing. I'm glad that I was able to get through my trial of faith and just stay committed, but it's going to be a long road ahead."
In our letters we asked him to tell us a little about his surroundings.
I have seen everyone! I see them all the time actually and talk to them a lot! Oh and just to clarify, Elder Ashby isn't in my room, he just comes and visits me. It was so nice to have him just come over and talk. He is the best but he left for Argentina yesterday. Elder Ross also leaves his residence hall to come visit, along with one of my good friends from high school, Elder Phil Lecheminant. I also talk a lot to Elder Jake Roper because he studies Spanish in the same building as me. Tell LuAnn I gave Dillon a huge hug for her and Mark's mom that Mark looks really good and super healthy. Anyways all in all, it has been a huge blessing in my life to have brothers with me here."
"Of course I don't have the bottom bunk... I have the top, ha ha, but it's because I actually wanted the top bunk because it has a shelf and right when you walk in the door, you don't walk onto the bed. That's been nice and thank heavens we do have private showers! ha ha The food here is also pretty good. I feel like I eat better here then I do at home! It's nice to have a whole bunch of options to eat. We always sit as a district. It's been fun to have such a united district."
We wanted to know if he ever got homesick?
"I love receiving all of your letters. They are nice to have when I'm about to go to bed. The only time I get homesick is when I read your letters. Elder Peterson thinks that I am really popular! But I truly love hearing about what's going on at home and I'm grateful for all of your support. I know that this is where I am suppose to be. It is such a comforting feeling. I know that this church is true and that if we are obedient and harken to what the Lord wants, we will be able to achieve the impossible. I am so grateful that I have the family I do and has prepared me so well for this experience. Thank you so much. I love you."
He shared this in closing.
I had a couple interviews with my branch president and 1st counselor and they gave me some of the best encouragement and support that I could have asked for. I have also been complimented many times for having a great positive attitude, beautiful smile (ha ha), and having a light in my eyes. It's nice to hear those type of things. Oh and I had to get a flu shot which sucked!
Alright well my times almost up but I just want you to know that I love you so much and that you are always in my prayers. Know that I am happy and that everything is going to work out.
Love you all! Hasta Luego! Elder Dallon Smith
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Finally the 1st letter!
After what seemed like eternity, we received the 1st letter from Dallon at the MTC. It was short and sweet and left us wanting more. We dropped him off on Wednesday afternoon and his letter was written Thursday evening.
His companion is Elder Peterson from Spanish Fork, Utah. He says that he sometimes sounds like Cousin Ryan. He tells us, "Elder Peterson was just called to be District Leader tonight! We get along just fine and he's going to be an awesome leader."
He wrote that he was put into the intermediate Spanish class and that he is overwhelmed. He says, "It's been hard to adjust. I hardly have time to think! The days have such a huge range of emotions. Today we learned how to pray in Spanish."
He shares that he has seen everyone. He wrote, "I've seen Matt, Dillon, Mark, Nate, and Bryce Ashby is in my room visiting right now! It's been awesome!
He quickly tells us his P-days are Tuesdays and that he is out of time. He asks, "Keep me in your prayers and love you all!"
Dallon doesn't seem homesick one bit and I guess that is good news. :) Tuesdays can't come soon enough!
His companion is Elder Peterson from Spanish Fork, Utah. He says that he sometimes sounds like Cousin Ryan. He tells us, "Elder Peterson was just called to be District Leader tonight! We get along just fine and he's going to be an awesome leader."
He wrote that he was put into the intermediate Spanish class and that he is overwhelmed. He says, "It's been hard to adjust. I hardly have time to think! The days have such a huge range of emotions. Today we learned how to pray in Spanish."
He shares that he has seen everyone. He wrote, "I've seen Matt, Dillon, Mark, Nate, and Bryce Ashby is in my room visiting right now! It's been awesome!
He quickly tells us his P-days are Tuesdays and that he is out of time. He asks, "Keep me in your prayers and love you all!"
Dallon doesn't seem homesick one bit and I guess that is good news. :) Tuesdays can't come soon enough!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)