A Time to Grow

Dallon still hasn't received the package we sent, so he doesn't have a camera.  Luckily, he was able to get some pictures from Elder Balling to send to us.  It is great to see him again and it doesn't look like the area has done too much damage.  Dallon was in good spirits and told us that he received our letters which brightened his week.

"You are going to love me today!  Pictures!  Whoo hoo!  I didn't get my package last week, but I am hoping for the best this week.  This was a better week actually, and for that reason I am happy. "

"Last night we had a conference with President King and all of the missionaries from our Stake, as well as, our Bishoprics and Mission Leaders.  It was really fun and we all learned a lot.  Our stake had everyone come and it was cool being there.  Afterwards, Pres. King took me and Elder Balling home because he had to talk to Elder B about his wrist.  It looks like he is going to have surgery for sure, but the question is when.  We are really working hard and it is starting to show in our successes.  Anyways, the president gave me a chocolate chip cookie and I forgot how heavenly they were!  Nine months without homemade cookies make you realize just how awesome they are. "

""Sunday was a really crazy day.  Francisco came to church without his family and was like,  "I don't know if they are coming ."  Then I was asked to bless the sacrament.  It was my first time doing it in Spanish.  Fun, but I was sad that Estrealla and Alexander didn't come.  We had to cancel their baptismal interview.  They eventually came to the last hour of church and told us that they still have a desire, but do not feel totally prepared.  We moved their baptismal date back two weeks and hopefully will be able to fortify their testimonies before then.  The thing that makes me most happy is that I can see that they are slowly starting to change their lives.  It is my favorite thing in the entire world.  It is cool to watch the light enter their eyes.  Then after church, I was talking with two investigators and my companion disappeared!  I became a little nervous, but luckily I found him talking alone to Francisco.  Francisco was venting about some of his problems.  I have to tell him the hard truth sometimes and he really doesn't like that.  I think we still have some work to do with them, but I'm thinking they will be ready by next week.  Then, the Bishop taught a combined lesson and went off about how all we have to do is believe in Christ and we will go to heaven.  The members all went crazy and it turned into a big debate/argument.  I can't believe what is happening here.  The Bishop said that we don't need the Book of Mormon to be saved!!  What??  I never knew such apostacy could exist within the church.  Anyways, that was an experience that I won't forget and we talked to Pres. King about it. "

"On Friday, I had divisions with Elder Steinagle.  He is so cool!  He is super young, even though he is about to go home soon.  His parents are mission presidents in Ukraine and he lived there a year before his mission.  It was fun to hang out with him and we taught a lot of really good lessons.  It reminded me about how things work when both companions are in complete unity.  Elder B and I are getting better.  We both teach, but our styles are so different that it can be hard to mesh sometimes.  He is very math and I am very English.  That's what he says anyways, but our lessons are becoming more powerful. "

"This week we had a lot of little kids throw rocks at us.  It sucked!  Luckily, I am a little faster and quicker than Elder B, so he ends up getting hit more than I do.  It's kind of funny because I am like,  " run!!  "  ha ha  Elder B kind of walks and tries to dodge or catch the rocks.  The kids here are intense.  Ten year olds are already hardened and there are pregnant girls younger than 15.  This sector is really rough!   The city is different from the coast in that the people are different.  It is harder to enter a home because a lot of people already know who we are and have heard crazy stories about us.  The members seem to be more willing to work and make a difference.  It's not as laid back as the coast.  More people are home during the day which makes it easier to find investigators.  The dogs aren't as bad, but the sector is super ghetto and we have to be more careful. "

"I don't really eat a lot.  I don't know what's wrong with me, but I'm just not hungry at night anymore.  I think I have adjusted to the schedule.  All the Elders think I'm weird because I always have a lot of food, but just don't eat it.  I have really liked Cinnamon Life cereal though, so I eat a lot of that.  Today the pension is going to make sushi!  I hope we don't get sick! ha ha  I guess Elder Oyarzun knows how to make it.  My pension is fun.  I do have to have my own clean space or else I would go insane!  Elder Balling and I are actually getting along alright.  I think we are use to each other now. "

"President King told me in an email that this would be a time for me to grow.  It's true.  The Lord needs to teach me a lot, because I am far from perfect.  However, I do know that he is accepting my efforts and encouraging me to push myself farther.  Truly, it is only by the love of my Heavenly Father that brings me the deep comfort that I need sometimes.  He answers me through others and sometimes just by a feeling.  The good thing is I can usually see when he answers my prayers and that helps to strengthen my testimony. "

Well, I gotta go.  We couldn't play soccer today because of Elder B's wrist.  I am sad because I am really going to miss Elder DeLong.  He is a good friend.  Enjoy the pics and I will talk to ya next week!  "

Elder Dallon Smith

Elder Smith sitting on top of the world!

Elders Balling and Smith

 Elders Smart and Smith's missionary swagger

Homemade cookies are from heaven!

Tender Moments

This is an emotional time for the Chile Santiago West Mission.  A beloved Elder passed away this weekend and the whole mission is trying to cope with the loss.  He was a missionary from Dallon's group at the MTC.  We ask that you keep his family in your hearts and prayers during this very difficult time.  Due to its recent occurrence, we edited Dallon's comments in respect for the family's privacy.

"This morning we went to Santa Lucia and I took a couple pictures for you.  The problem is that they were taken with Elder Smart and Balling's cameras.  I'll send them as soon as I can get them ."

"We received the news about Elder **  passing away.  I still can't believe it and I'm in shock.  He was in my group in the mission.  He has the same time as me.  He was a district leader at the MTC and we worked together.  I also talked to him at the last conference during Easter.  He sat right across from me.  He is the oldest in his family and has three sisters and one brother, like me.  I don't know what to think.  It is a sad time and President King wrote a letter asking us to pray for his family and to remember that he is continuing the work on the other side of the veil.  When stuff like this happens, it pulls you out of the every day and makes you refocus on what's really important ."

"Elder Balling didn't get to have surgery last week because President King needed to get permission from Utah and go through a whole process.  I guess we might be doing it this week.  He has a tiny fracture in one of the smallest bones of his wrist, so they have to operate and put a screw in the bone to help it heal correctly.  Hopefully, it will go by fast and I won't end up sleeping in the hallway of the hospital this week ."

"I gave a lesson about the Holy Ghost for district meeting.  I talked a lot about Elders Bednar and Uchtdorf's talks from the last conference and how the Holy Ghost has such a huge role in the conversion of our investigators.  The Holy Ghost is the most important thing that we have in this life.  It is with his help that we can attain eternal life and keep holding to the iron rod."

"We had a mission work activity of making brownies for all of the less actives and recent converts.  It was really fun and the ward made me top chef. ha ha  I was in charge of all the brownies.  Luckily, Elder DeLong gave me a really good recipe that turned out great!  We had a lot of success and had a lot of fun doing it.  At the end of the activity, the ward gave us a plate of brownies and and a note that said they loved us and that we were the coolest missionaries ever!  When we got back to the pension, the other Elders asked about what the note said, so I told them it said that they love us mucho, mucho, mucho, mucho, mucho...ha ha  It became kind of a joke and when they had a cookie activity, they left a plate of cookies on our desk with a note that said, "We love you mucho, mucho, mucho, mucho...", like a bajillion times. ha ha  It was funny.  Also for a Priesthood activity, we played ping pong and that was a blast!  I need to better my pinging skills though because I think I have too much pong, if you know what I mean! ha ha  The ward is training me.  They really like ping pong ."

"We had a noche de hogar for the barrio that turned out great.  Estrealla and her family all came and they came to church too.  I am so excited for them.  The topic of the noche de hogar was perfect and talked about afflictions and how the gospel helps us through them.  The family is really starting to change and that is my favorite part about missionary work.  I hope we just keep on seeing change!  A woman who has been investigating the church and is basically active, except for the fact that she is living with a man, came up to us and said that she is no longer living with him and that she wants to be baptized in three weeks.  How cool is that?!  So now we have three baptisms scheduled for June 5th.  I am hoping that her mom will also move out of her boyfriend's house and also be baptized the following month.  I feel like the Lord is preparing people and I am here to just see it happen ."

"I gave the mission leader's family all blessings this week.  They asked me to do the blessing, so that was kind of cool.  I also think the Bishop is beginning to warm up to us.  The other day, I got him to sing Abba with me! ha ha  It was soooo funny!  I haven't started piano lessons yet, but it is still in the works.  We are teaching English classes that are getting bigger and bigger and it's cool to see that the kids are actually learning and progressing from what we teach them!  Exciting!  Anyways, that is what is going on with me.  I love you all so much and am thankful for you every day.  I know that you are always close ."

Elder Dallon Smith

Push Forward with Faith

This was a difficult week for Dallon.  He and Elder Balling worked hard and were able to meet their mission goals.  They are working in a tough area where discouragement is always lurking around the corner.  Dallon is trying to keep his spirits up and stay positive.

"This week was full of wooorrrk!  Every day we were out contacting and walking.  We met almost all of our missionary goals and I know that the Lord helped me a lot.  It is starting to get cold here, so we have been giving a lot of blessings of health.  The nights are starting sooner, which makes it harder to be outside in our scary sector.  We are suppose to do 77 contacts every week and have at least 8 new investigators.  Last night we were way past 77 at 84 contacts, and we only had 5 investigators.  I was determined to get our goal.  We just kept knocking.  Elder Balling was just about ready to give up right when someone let us in.  Out of nowhere, we got 3 new investigators and met our goal!  Cool right?  It was definitely an answer to a prayer.  Afterwards, we went to a members home and they gave us ecco and french fries.  It was delicious!"

"Today we have been at the hospital all day.  Elder Balling's wrist has been bugging him.  It already feels like it has been a long day.  If you think that getting medical attention in the states is hard, try doing it in Spanish with a whole new system similar to the DMV.  It is not fun.  However, I do really like the hospital here.  It is super nice and I wouldn't mind working here in the future. ha ha  Just a little note to myself.  Anyways, we have to go back tomorrow and I am already not looking forward to it."

"This Sunday, we were asked to give talks in Sacrament meeting.  For some reason, they assigned me as the concluding speaker.  I wasn't expecting that.  Elder Balling spoke on the 10 things you find in happy people along with scripture references.  I spoke about love and charity.  I was really hard on the ward.  The spirit was telling me to invite the members to have more love within the ward.  I told them not to judge one another and that we never can progress if we are constantly criticizing.  It was really to the point and at the end I said that I didn't mean to be so blunt.  I was afraid the ward wasn't going to like me very much.  When the meeting ended, I was surprised that a lot of people told me thanks.  In other lessons throughout the day, they talked a lot about the things that I had shared.  I know the Lord wanted me to say what I did, but it was still hard being the meaner of the two missionaries.  This next week I will have to give a lesson for district meeting.  I've been assigned to speak about following the promptings of the spirit.  I hope that I'll do well."

"I am really close to the zone leaders, Elders DeLong and Hollister.  Elder DeLong is going home this change and that makes me sad.  He is a great friend and stud missionary.  Do you remember Hermano Hollister from the MTC?  Elder Hollister is his nephew and I guess they were talking a lot about me on Skype last week.  They are really cool.  I find relief every week by going to zone meeting and hanging with DeLong, Hollister and Smart.  Although the week was a little rough, the Lord continues to bless me a lot.  He sent people to accept us and help us meet almost every one of our goals.  He blessed me with more patience and gave me good rest.  I was able to say things in Spanish and felt the spirit a lot.  I know the Lord is walking beside me and for that reason I'm not sad or afraid.  I know that everything is going to work out in the Lord's time.  Thanks for your love and support.  I know that I can feel your prayers for me.  Rest assured that I will continue to "push forward with faith".  I love you.

Elder Dallon Smith 

A Mother's Day Skype

We were able to talk to Dallon via Skype for a whole hour on Mother's Day.  It was the best part of the day.  He looked happy and healthy.  In his sector there aren't a lot of good computers, so he called us from a member's store.  He is still getting familiar with a new area and companion, and is busy finding investigators to teach.  He tells us that it has been quite a change for him. 

"It was so fun to see you all!  I always have so much more animo after seeing you and remembering all the blessings that I have in my life.  Last night after we talked we were walking out in the night without good direction.  All of a sudden, Elder Balling said that maybe we should just contact these apartments.  We went up to one but it was locked, so we went to the next and strangely the gate wasn't closed all the way and we were able to enter.  We knocked on the first door and a woman answered and let us in.  She told us that she was a member 6 years ago but inactive because of problems with people.  She said that she had felt the desire to return recently.  We told her about how we were strangely led to her door and she said it was an answer to a prayer.  I thought that was pretty cool."

"Leaving my last pension was sad.  Elder Tialavea hid a present in my bag that I didn't know about until I got here.  It was a tie that said, "I love ya bro".  He is such a stud and I miss the fun times.  He is now training a Poly from the states and I know they're going to have fun together.  My pension now is really big and all on one floor.  Everything is cold because the sun never touches it.  We all sleep in one room together.  It is good unless we stay up talking too long.  It is fun living with two other Elders and I think it is a blessing for the situation that I am in now."

"The members are all really cool.  Now that I can speak the language, it is a lot easier to get to know them faster.  The mission leader's family is named Barrueto.  They have always been the missionary favorite home and I find us spending a little too much time there.  Hermano Barrueto is really cool and helps a ton with the mission work.  He fulfills his calling to the max and always leaves with us and sacrifices a lot to be with us.  We see his family almost every day.  My favorite family is the Aroyos.  They are firm in the faith and love the gospel.  They just do their calling and don't get too involved in gossip.  There is also a family called Soto.  They haven't really seemed to like the missionaries, but they seem to really like me.  I was confident in my testimony and told the ward that if they are not going to be at church, then we are going to be in their houses.  I also said that even though Elder Balling and I are super skinny, we actually have big hearts.  They all got a kick out of that.  I feel like we are gaining more and more trust with the families."

"The two baptisms that we have are a really interesting family.  The father was a member and we are reactivating him.  The mom really wants to be baptized, but every time we go to teach her, she breast feeds her 2 year old.  It's sorta awkward. ha ha  She really has a good heart and intentions though.  Their son is 12 and is so smart and knows a lot about religions.  They all came to church yesterday, so I am really hoping they will stay strong and be baptized on the 29th.  We'll do all we can to help them out."

"Anyways I think that's about it.  I hope you had a great Mother's Day, Mom!  All the Chileans came up to me after we talked and asked about my family.  They were all too shy to say hello.  They gave us drinks afterwards and were a little surprised and touched by my tears.  I felt embarrassed.  I'm not afraid to feel things deeply, but it sucks being a baby in public. ha ha  Elder Balling made fun of me.  Sometimes I wonder if I just love you all too much.  Have a great week.  You're in my heart and prayers.

Elder Dallon Smith

Changes to Diagonal Ochagavia!

We were so anxious to hear about where Dallon ended up this change.  He has been there a week already and had lots to tell us.  His spirits are good and his new area is definitely interesting, but it makes his Mom a little nervous for him.  We are all so excited to be able to see and talk to him on Sunday for Mother's Day.  The church has approved Skype for all missions.  What a wonderful time to be a missionary! 

"I feel like so much has happened and can't believe that it's only been a week.  I guess changes make you feel like that.  Despididos in Barrancas was really sad.  I was surprised about how much I meant to people and really how much they meant to me.  I didn't expect to cry, but when I was with Guillermo and Norka, I just felt such gratitude that the Lord let me be a part of their journey.  It was such a weird feeling that I have never felt before.  I gave them the temple calendar and Ensign and they were really happy.  They told me that they will do all that they can to be sealed in the temple.  I pray that they will endure to the end and find true happiness.  Anyways, they fed us dinner and gave me a hot water pouch thing.  This one is electric and you don't have to change the water.  I love it!  They knew that I was always freezing and told me that every time I used it, I had to remember my Chilean Momma.  When I said goodbye, they just started crying.  I knew that Norka would, but when Guillermo did, it was really intense.  I hate doing despididos.  We visited five other families as well and I will always remember that I have their support and that I made a difference in Barrancas."

"Ok, so now onto changes.  I got to see Elder Opazo and it was fun to talk with him about everything that had happened in the sector.  Elder Tialavea is training another Polynesian. ha ha  They are going to have so much fun!  Elder T was really sad when I was packing and told me thanks and things and gave me a tie.  I'm really going to miss that guy.  I am in Diagonal Ochagavia.  I was hanging out with Elder Hale at changes and he totally predicted where I was going and who my companion would be.  I am in gangster town!  It is freaky legit!  It is a huge drug trading neighborhood and I live in the most gangster area.  My companion is Elder Balling from Centerville, Utah.  He has a year and a half in the mission.  He is a genuine good person with a big heart and has a strong desire to work.  He makes me laugh and I love that he is such a humble person.  I respect him for his character.  I will do all I can to support him and to gain the support of the ward.  I can already tell the ward likes me.  I came in with a lot of confidence and have just been focusing on being positive and doing the best I can.  I don't really know why I am here yet, but I know that the Lord has a plan for me.  The ward also is in love with the fact that I can play the piano.  They are going to have me teach piano lessons, as well as, accompany a hymn for Mother's Day.  They are so excited and I am happy that my ability to play will help us gain more trust from the ward.  This change might be a bit hard.  We have been walking all over and I can hardly believe how big this sector is.  I know that I will develop more love, patience and humility this change.  I know the Lord is walking with me and I need to just do my best and take it one day at a time."

"One funny thing that happened was on my second day here.  My sector had a black out.  We actually don't live in the sector, but live in another sector with another companionship, Elder McDougal and Elder Oyarzun.  I have met them before and we are all good friends.  Anyways, this black out freaked Elder Balling and he turned to me and became all stealth mode. ha ha  He says, "Shut up, walk fast, don't make a noise or bring attention to us, and only speak in Spanish."  It was intense and we were like running toward our pension.  It was really dramatic and maybe a bit overboard, but it still freaked me out! ha ha  One day we saw a fifteen year old kid beat up some drunk guy.  The drunk fell on the street and Elder Balling was rushing over to save him, but I stopped him because I didn't want us to get in the middle of it.  We have also seen a lot of problems with people on drugs.  It makes me a little nervous sometimes.  It is a super poor part of Santiago.  At times I don't really feel safe, especially since we are two gringos with green and blue eyes walking together.  It's just a whole new experience, but I know that everything's going to be just fine."

"My zone is so fun!  I am with Elders DeLong and Smart again!  This is going to be a fun change.  Elder Smart is one of my closest friends and he is a stud legit.  He is from Idaho and is really down to earth.  He is always really nice and makes me laugh.  He is a good example too.  Some of the Elders in my zone are: Hollister, Steinagle, Nilson, Champion, Bateman, Oyarzun, McDougal, Gomez, Mackie, and a few others."

"Now about Mother's Day!!  I'll get to see you all again!  Well hopefully, because this part of Santiago doesn't have the best internet places.  I'll do my best to find a Skype computer.  Our luck is looking pretty grim right now, but we will prevail! ha ha  I think that I will be calling Sunday at 7:00pm...so like 4:00pm your time.  I hope that you will all be there!  The only problem is Elder Balling's family might not be home, so we might have to call on Monday.  Just be prepared.  I'm excited to hear your voices and see your faces again!"

"It is also getting really cold here and I am freeeezzzzing!  I really need some warm stuff.  Well, that is about it.  My comp and I are doing just fine and I know the Lord will be with us.  We are being obedient and I know that we will be able to complete the work that we need to do here.  I hope that you will remember us in your prayers and be happy.  I love you so much and will talk to you soon!

Elder Dallon Smith