"Hello!" haha I thought I'd start out the same way that President Monson did. Conference weekend was so fun and went by so fast. Actually this whole change has just been flying by. I loved conference. It always makes me feel closer to you. I loved all the messages and can never remember thinking that conference was too short, and yet this time, I did! I didn't want it to end because I received so many answers and revelation to use and apply. I always leave conference feeling motivated and realizing that each one of us has a limitless potential that the Lord wants to help us achieve. It is really cool. I loved a lot of the talks, but mostly the ones that talked about missions! haha I also liked President Uchtdorf's talk on Saturday. It was exactly what I wanted and needed to hear. We matter to God and we will not be forgotten. Our best is all that is required and that is good enough. I love how conference reminds me of things I already knew but had forgotten. I love being on a mission and it makes me sad to think I only have one conference left as a missionary. You can truly feel the strength of the prayers given for missionaries and it makes you feel like you are part of the most worth while thing in the entire world. I love my calling and the fact that I am serving the Lord."
"In between sessions, Elder Wilcox and I went and did some contacts in one of our district's sectors. We ended up finding a really cool family. We felt the spirit so strong and were able to find some great people to help out the other Elders in that sector. Everyone makes fun of Elder Wilcox and I because we seem to get new contacts easily. I don't know if it's how we look or that we have the spirit, either way, it's working! haha A lot of people ask if we are brothers. I don't think we look much alike, but regardless, it's been fun being two gringos out here in Chile. Elder Wilcox is a great missionary and I am sure that he will do great things in the mission and in his life. He is really cool and has a lot of talents. I think that things come easily to him and he is very blessed."
"The highlight of my week was divisions with Elder Opazo! haha We had such a good time together and I was once again reminded of how lucky I was to have him train me. He is still such a good friend and I can hardly wait for him to live in Utah. He said he would go to my homecoming, so he better be there. I can't believe he is going home next week. Originally, Elder Silva wanted to go on divisions with me, but I knew it would be the last time that I would be able to be with Elder Opazo, so I got to go with him. We went to his sector and he introduced me to a lot of people as his son on the mission. We had a blast and at one point, we didn't have an appointment, so he took me up to a cool hill overlooking Maipu. Then that night we talked with the other two elders in the pension until like 1:00 in the morning. I am so grateful for the testimony of Elder Opazo and for the decisions that he made to come on a mission. He will always be someone that I look up to. It makes me emotional to think how blessed I am to know him. I helped him tell his story, since I have heard it so many times and we really were like brothers. I also found out that his step dad died recently. After everyone was asleep, Elder Opazo looked down at me from the bunkbed and told me goodnight. Then like 10 seconds after, he said, "I love you Elder Smith". That just hit me. It was so sincere and made me reflect on the friendship that I had gained. I am so grateful for that gift. In the morning, Elder Opazo made us sing one of my special songs in Spanish that I sing with people that I am leaving. haha He knows me so well and remembers everything from my favorite scriptures to my birthday. Sometimes when he is sharing, he will say, "This is one of Elder Smith's favorite scriptures." Anyways at the end, I said a prayer for Elder Opazo and we both were able to thank eachother and be grateful for the time we had to know eachother. It was a really cool experience."
"I also went on divisions with Elder Mackie from California. He is such a stud and I love that kid. He is one of the most humble, responsible, and all around good person that I know. He is very kind and I learned a lot from him. He is a twin and has always had a brother to have his back. We spent the day together and had a lot of fun teaching in his sector. He is a great missionary. It has been hard for him to speak Spanish, but his heart and character are inspiring. I would love to be his companion in the future. We would kill it together! haha It was also fun because Elder Tialavea had served in that sector for 7 months and I met some of the people that he had told me about while we were companions. Tomorrow I have division with Elder Gonzalez."
"Now to answer your question about how has my opinion changed about a mission? I know that I am suppose to be here and that this is the Lord's work. It is not a responsibility to be here anymore, but has become a love and a passion that I have. I don't want to think about going home because I know that I will miss the overflow of the spirit and the Lord's love that I feel every day. The mission gives me the opportunity to serve and a position on the right hand of God. It helps me to see my disabilities, but to find ways to work towards getting over them. I do miss being alone sometimes to just think and of course I miss talking with my family, but I really like that I don't have enough time to dwell on things I lack. Every lesson is a new opportunity to try and grow closer to the spirit and to the children of the Lord. I thought that I would be the best missionary that everyone would love, but have found out that I am still just Dallon Smith, with the same personality and same challenges that I have always had. Sometimes on the mission, you can get unfocused or let your hands hang down, but I feel like the Lord doesn't let you feel that way long. I am grateful for that. It comes through constant study of the Book of Mormon. It is important that we let the spirit answer us through that channel in order to comfort an agitated soul. I have come to find that my soul can be easily agitated and yet the scriptures always give me the peace that I need. The Lord continues to take care of me and the work is moving on. There are only a few things with no eternal significance that I let bother me every once in awhile, but I am learning that it is a part of life."
"It has been a fun couple of days. I am hoping that we can find the people that are prepared for the gospel. If you can please pray that the spirit will guide us to them and that we will be able to follow the promptings that he gives us, then that would be great! Have a great week and know that I will be thinking of you. I love you very much."
Elder Dallon Smith
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| Companions in the beginning. |
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| Elder Opazo and Elder Smith |
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| Companions in the end. |
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| Sunset overlooking Maipu |
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| Elder Smith and Elder Mackie |