Our most special gift was a Skype call from Dallon on Christmas day! It was great to see his face and hear his voice. He called from a member's computer and we were able to meet the family and talk to his companion, Elder Izelo. Dallon looked healthy and happy and completely content serving as a missionary. He said that he doesn't think about home much, but he thinks about the family daily. Chile has become his home and that is how it should be. He has grown and matured so much and we are all so very proud of him. The best part was that his p-day was the very next day and we were able to hear from him again!
"We had the baptism and it went really well. It was basically a ward baptism. It was cool that Elder Izelo was able to do the baptism. I think it made him really happy."
"My favorite part of Christmas this year was hearing about the families from my past sectors and having some of them visit me. I also loved receiving their Christmas cards."
"The mission Christmas activity was fun. I was in the video of the mission a lot of times. It was cool. Elder Gomez came and found me and took me aside to just thank and thank me. He said he was really grateful for me and just wanted to hang with me. He kept talking about how I had taught him so much and that he never realized how much I put up with him. haha His other companions have not been as patient, I guess. All of my "greenies" and I usually got along pretty well, however, we really become the best of friends after they stop being my companion. It's hard to explain. It's like they don't know how other companions are, so they look at all your flaws and think that the next person will be so much better. They usually don't find that because no one is perfect and everyone has flaws. My favorite missionary friends are the ones that are just funny and confident, like Elder Tognetti. When he introduces himself, he says, "Hello, I am Elder Tognetti and I'm a nerd." He knows who he is and likes himself. I've made a lot of really great friends and it is always fun getting together."
"I feel really comfortable with the language now. It's interesting. I have a strong gringo accent but I understand everything and can communicate really well. The members say that I have 98% perfect spanish. I love being able to talk because I get to know everyone so much better. I am so glad that I have been able to reach the level that I am at, but I want to keep progressing and one day be completely fluent, like it says in my patriarchal blessing."
"It was a good Christmas for Elders Gonzales and Sauceda. We bought Elder Gonzales a camera and I am sure he is so happy. I know that he will never forget that. It makes me feel good inside. I love my district so much. He is companions with Elder Birch in Barrancas right now! He says that Guillermo and Norka never stop talking about me and have a picture of me on their wall. He also told me that their pension got robbed! The person that did it was was one of their investigators. He took everything of Elder Birch's because Elder Gonzales didn't have very much. Elder Birch lost more than $1000 worth of stuff all the way down to his sheets! It is crazy because that sector is so peaceful. I am counting my blessings that it didn't happen to me."
"Today for p-day we had a really fun activity with water balloons. We played all the games that we use to play as a family. I bet you will like these pictures. We had a lot of fun. One pic is of the primary program. They did The Nutcracker! haha It was cool. This week will probably fly by with people feeding us too much food. We also have two more kids that we are teaching, Fabian and Jose. They will be our next baptisms and I am hoping that we can get back to work."
"I miss you all so much. It's weird to think that I'll be with you soon. It feels like I've been gone for so long and yet for so little. I hope you know how much I love you. I truly am happy and enjoying all of the opportunities to know these wonderful people. I am loving this time in my mission. Everything has been going really great. Anyways I love you and I'll keep you always close in my heart. Thanks for everything. Have a great week and a feliz ano nuevo."
Elder Dallon Smith
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| Elder Izelo, Diego and Elder Smith |
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| Diego's baptism on Christmas |
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| Leontina's family visits Elder Smith |
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| District waterballoon p-day |
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| Elder Smith looks confident...POP! |
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| Watch out! |
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| Elder Smith on the attack! |
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| The Nutcracker primary program |
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| Feliz Navidad from Elders Smith and Izelo |
