This week Dallon shared how grateful he is for the people in Rinconada. He loves his mission and the people who have been put in his path. He continues to grow and develop and says that he is still learning so much. This has been a special area for him and the thought of leaving it soon has been constant on his mind.
"It was fun to read your letter today. I was thinking a lot about you all too. I think it's because of the cd you sent that has a song called, "Bless My Son", and it reminds me that I have a family at home that is routing for me. It gives me a lot of energy to go out and work and make every moment count. I feel like the Lord has taken good care of me and I have been really grateful for him. I can feel that my attitude of gratitude is growing and it has helped me to look at the mission from a different point of view. I have been learning a lot."
"I have also been so grateful for the friends that I have gained in this ward. I feel so at home here. I can seriously see myself living in this ward when I am older. The people are so kind and I can feel their love for me. We share a strong friendship. The ward loves joking with me. They do it in their classes and in their sacrament talks. haha I guess I am easy to make fun of, but it is a fun relationship. I have really learned how to open up and let people know that I love them. I have been able to gain a lot of people's confidences. I was reading a conference talk and there was a quote that I really liked. It said that more than normal our prayers are answered through other people. I have felt that a lot recently. I had a cool experience yesterday in church. There is a recent convert who is 22 years old. He is so cool. Anyways, I was sitting in priesthood and I had been laughing my head off because some of the members were joking around with me. In the middle of class, this friend turns around and just smiled at me, so I smiled back. Then he pulled out a note and wrote some stuff down. He has been studying English and knows a lot. He handed the note to me and had written down just an answer. I don't have any idea why he wrote what he did, but somehow just by looking at me in that one moment he knew. He wrote, "Elder Smith, sometimes life is hard, but you just have to stay quiet because everything's gonna be alright. You're really nice and I'll always remember you." Then he threw in some inside jokes that were really funny. I wondered how he knew what was going on within me? I felt that the Lord used him to answer my prayers. He is just about ready to go on a mission. I really feel that the Lord has picked him to do some incredible things. I love people like that. It was really cool."
"Right now we have three investigators with baptismal dates. They are all doing really well. I think it's funny that I have been teaching a lot of young kids here in Rinconada. Teaching kids is so fun! I would like to someday be able to help a family come into the gospel. We have had a couple problems this week. One family got in a huge fight and I was able to help by just listening and giving some advice. I think all my years of talking to mom has paid off! haha I guess that in the end, everybody has problems and all they really need is the opportunity to have someone that will listen to them. Which makes me think of Bishops. Our Bishop is an absolute stud. His level of service is exceptional and I hope that I will be able to serve in the church like he does. He sacrifices so much and a lot of the time all he is doing is just listening. But those moments of listening changes lives and can be a big factor in whether people will reach eternal life or not. Being a Bishop must be stressful, Dad. I was thinking how weird it will be when I report home and you are the Bishop now. Bishops have to put their own feelings aside and not be partial. That would be hard. I know that Dad is perfect for that, unless... you are fighting against your Mom and then Dad may seem a bit partial! haha jk"
"All our investigators have come from referrals, but we also have some that we have found. We are contacting every day and have found a lot of cool people. It's hard to get people to understand what exactly we are doing on a door contact, but it's those special miracles that eventually lead to converts. Everyone is on vacation. They have like full month vacations here and everyone goes to the coast. All our numbers are falling because everyone is gone. Everyone knows that I'm leaving, so they are planning around their vacations to take some pictures together. haha I love this ward a lot."
"One embarrassing moment I had was when I was with the familia Boza. We made pizza for the family and ate with them. While we were talking, one of the kids asked me what "beat down" meant? I decided to show him by punching my hand with my fist three times. However, on the third time, my nose accidentally got in the way and I gave myself a bloody nose! hahahaha Oh man, it was so funny and we could not stop laughing. I can't believe I did that! It was so stupid, but we got a good laugh out of it. Now the whole ward knows and have been teasing me unrelentlessly."
"I am grateful for the many blessings that the Lord provides every day. Things are fine here and I'm actually glad that I'm here rather than home right now. It is hot and I am getting really dark. haha We have a lot of people taking good care of us. I'm doing just great and I can feel your prayers. I hope that you are all well and that you are staying close to the Lord. Find time to read the scriptures every day. It is important that we do this. Also, keep praying as a family. I have seen a lot of blessings come from that. The Lord loves us so much and we are so lucky to be a part of such a wonderful and complete gospel. Have a great week!"
Elder Dallon Smith