Farewell Elder Opazo

Changes are happening.  Elder Wilcox is leaving and Dallon will be training again.  He will be joined by a new Latino companion and will have the opportunity to attend the temple again.  It is always a special treat to be able to go to the temple.  His letter was short this week because there is a lot to get done before changes.

"The biggest news came Saturday night when I found out that we would have changes!  I will be staying here as a District Leader and will be training another Latino companion.  This last change went by so fast.  It's hard to believe that it's already over.  Elder Opazo seems to be pretty proud of me though.  I guess I brought him great posterity. haha  I am really excited that I get to go to the temple again though.  I can't wait!  Tomorrow will be a great day because of that."

"This week we went to a 50 Years in Chile special conference directed by the Chilean Presidency.  I am excited for the Celebration.  Everyone seems to be freaking out because the stadium is small and people from all around Chile, as well as returned missionaries from the states, are all trying to go.  They're afraid that it's going to be a mad house. We get to be a part of the missionary choir and have reserved seats, thank heavens! haha  We will be singing, "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go".  I think that it will be a great experience.  I'm glad that I get to go!  We have a rehearsal on Friday and then we will have the Celebration on Saturday.  It'll be a fun week."

"Elder Opazo is going home today.  We got to see him one last time and eat Chinese together.  I can't believe that he is going home.  He wrote me a really nice letter and I will definitely miss him.  He really wants to meet you all one day.  He really loves you.  I think that you are the first family that made him feel loved.  I learned so much from him and am grateful for all that he did for me."

"We are teaching a little girl named, Ana, and she has a baptismal date for the 23rd.  I am excited for her.  My next companion will have a baptism right away."

"Divisions with Elder Gonzalez went by fast because we had a cosechon.  That's where all the missionaries work in one sector to get a lot of work done really fast.  Afterwards we tried to visit an investigator with the hermanas, but she never showed up.  The division flew by and we were never able to teach a lesson together.  Half of my district got changes, so I'll be able to get to know a lot more people.  I am sending a picture of the whole district.  They are a great group of missionaries and I love them all."

"Thanks for all that you do.  Love you and will be thinking of you!"
 
Elder Dallon Smith

Gathered for Conference

Elders Wilcox, Smith, Silva & Opazo

Maipu Zone

Dallon's district

Conference and Divisions

It is always wonderful to know that we are doing something at the exact same time as Dallon in Chile.  It made this conference a little special and we felt a connection to our son.  The messages shared blessed all our lives.  It has been a great week.

"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

Companions in the beginning.

Elder Opazo and Elder Smith

Companions in the end.

Sunset overlooking Maipu

Elder Smith and Elder Mackie

Time flies when you're having fun!

Dallon shared that he really enjoyed this week.  It was filled with a baptism, barbeque and service opportunity.  The electricity all over Chile went out for a couple hours one night and it happened at a convenient time for Dallon and his companion.  He talks about it in his letter.

"This week was a lot of fun getting ready for baptisms and working here in good old Rinconada.  It is so nice here and it is weird how these days seem to be flying by.  The baptisms went great!  They have such strong testimonies.  I feel like I just walked them to the baptismal font and hardly did anything except teach and share the gospel a bit.  It was cool to see them change with the light that the gospel brings into every life.  They were my first converts that I didn't teach from the very beginning.  It was still fun to get to know them and see just how happy they are."

"We also had a really fun ward activity.  We had a huge bbq that was an absolute blast!  It was so hot, but we all had a lot of fun together.  We played a lot of games with the ward members and investigators.  My favorite was the caballito de bronce, where there is a line of guys with another group of guys jumping onto them.  It sounds weird, I know, but it was so funny!  I love the leadership here and getting to know these people.  They are happy and fun and I am grateful that I am here."

"The other night we were walking in the gangsta part of our sector and there is a group of kids that always taunt and annoy us.  They try to rob us and get us to use swear words.  It's lame, but they can get really annoying.  Anyways, it was getting late and the kids saw us and started to walk towards us.  I was like, "Oh crap, here we go again."  Right then the lights went out and it went black, which is actually more dangerous because we shouldn't be out in the sector when there is no light.  Anyways we got away and went to Pablo's house who's mom made us a whole bunch of completos!  Then we went to an investigators home and read the 10 virgenes under candle light, which made for a really fun lesson.  I never found out why the power went out, but I guess that it was out all over Santiago.  It made for a fun night."

"We also did some service where we painted the house of a senior lady in our ward.  It was funny to see everyone's reactions seeing two white boys painting some house in the middle of the ghetto. haha  I liked it and it was cool to paint a house all by myself.  We needed a ladder and a hermano from the ward showed up with 4 long boards of plywood and a saw and, on the spot, makes us a legit ladder.  It was incredible!  It only took him 10 minutes to make it.  The members are always so willing to serve and use their talents to bless the lives of others.  I love this ward so much."

"Yesterday we had a mission work conference with all the bishoprics in the stake and President King.  Elder Wilcox and I arrived late because we had a man from our ward drive us and it didn't look too good for me as a district leader.  My district teased me about it afterwards.  Then we had to serve the sacrament to a recent convert who couldn't be at church, so we got back to the pension late and I had to call the district late and everyone was waiting on me.  Oh well, mistakes are just a part of life.  Ya just got ta make em, learn from em, and then not do em again! haha  Also, a couple girls from my last area came to my sacrament meeting and brought me a gift for my birthday.  I can't believe they are coming to see me.  It was fun to see them, but at the same time, it didn't create a good missionary image. haha  Elder Wilcox did his first confirmation which was awesome.  It was funny too because he was sweating like a crazy person. haha  I was glad that I was able to be with him.  First experiences always makes life more fun.  Elder Wilcox and I have been working better as a team.  We are trying to find more people to teach.  There are a couple that are slowly progressing, but with a sector like this, I know that we can have so many other people that can come to know their Savior.  This place is golden."

"I am so excited for conference!  It is my favorite part of the year.  Whooooo hooooo!  It is revelation time baby!  Conference always makes me feel so good and trunkie at the same time. haha  Just think, we will be doing the same thing at the exact same time.  I love that!  Oh, I also found out today that our mission has been invited to participate in the 50th anniversary celebration!!!  I am so excited!  That will be cool and I know that we are going to have a blast!  I can't wait!"

"I hope you know that I love you and am grateful for you everyday.  I pray that you will always be happy.  I hope you are still going to the temple for me.  I am happy to be here in Chile and to be serving the Lord.  There is no where else I'd rather be and I know that the Lord will take care of me.  The other day a hermana said that the Lord loves us, but not only that...as members, the Lord adores us.  I had never thought about it like that before, but it is true.  The Lord really does adore us and is grateful for every good act or kind deed that we do.  I love the quote that says, "When we are liberated from our own fears, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same."  That has helped me a lot this week.  Know I always love you."

Elder Dallon Smith

The baptism of Yoselin and Fernando

Ward games!

Maipu Zone Conference

Birthday Blessings

It was hard not to be able to talk to Dallon on his birthday.  We were pleasantly surprised that he was able to email us on Monday because of the Chilean holiday.  On receiving this letter, we are so grateful for the people who love and take care of our son.  What a priceless blessing.  The Lord truly has us all in mind.
 
"Yesterday was definitely a strange day for me.  I don't really like having birthdays, especially on the mission.  However, I had some really cool things happen that made me feel really special."

"The familia Barrueto came to my sacrament meeting just to give me a gift and sit with me during the meeting.  They cried when we first saw eachother, again when sacrament was almost over, and again when we had to say good-bye.  It was such a fun surprise and I love them so much.  I can't believe that they went out of their way to do that for me.  It was the best birthday gift ever.  The ward was wondering who they were because hermano Barrueto was hugging me the whole time. haha  I am happy that a lot of my investigators in Diagonal are still getting baptized.  One family isn't taking lessons anymore because I left.  It is sad to know and I am praying that they will come back.  I love those families so much.  My heart still aches when I think of all of them."

"We then had dinner with a family in the ward who bought me a birthday cake.  I ended up having my face smashed into it, which was fun and painful at the same time. haha  Afterwards, we just contacted all day and I was feeling a little trunkie for the first time in the mission.  I think I would have liked the 18th of September more if it wasn't my birthday.  It just seemed like everything was focused on me and I don't like that.  I like it better when I can just get lost in the work.  I'll be glad to be home for my next one.  I did receive your birthday package and cards!  It was great!  Thank you!!!  I loved it!"

"Divisions were really fun this last week.  I went with Elders Crane and Holton.  I went to their sector both times.  Elder Crane and I contacted the whole day without finding a single new investigator.  It was sad but we really did work hard.  I just got to know him better.  He is Canadian, played Rugby, and loves singing with me out on the street. haha  Elder Holton is from Sandy.  We know some of the same people.  We had a really cool experience.  We went to a members home and they were really cool and were joking around with us.  Then all of a sudden, they just broke down crying.  The man had been in an accident a year ago and had a brain anurism.  He had to relearn how to do everything.  He shared a picture that he had drawn a week after the accident that showed the pain that he was experiencing because he couldn't speak or write.  It showed a man that was being stabbed through the head and there were veins and blood everywhere.  It was freaky.  The family was in a lot of pain because the man was having flash backs of the car accident and felt like if he fell asleep, he was never going to wake up again.  He asked for a blessing and the spirit was really strong.  I was glad that I got to be there for that experience.  I love being a little part of people's lives and to know that the spirit lead us to their home when they needed it most.  I am so happy to be a missionary and be used to help bless the lives of others.  It is so amazing.  They all have such strong testimonies and it was incredible to witness their strength."

"My district is great.  It takes a lot of time to be district leader and I am constantly calling people and hardly have time to write in my journal or do anything that I want.  However, I do love talking to the elders and hermanas and helping them out.  They are having a harder time in their sectors and I've been trying to help motivate them.  The hermanas are working really hard.  They always talk to me too long though. haha  They also played a joke on me by faking they were in a fight.  I spent a good five minutes telling them to just move past it and to remember their purpose and then they just started laughing and told me it was all a joke...blah...it was lame. haha"

"On Saturday we had a stake activity for the 18th that was a blast.  Our ward was so fun and we all did dances and ate a lot of empanadas and soda.  I loved being there and met a lot of cool people.  The ward leaders are so great and I just want to get to know them better.  It was fun and I got to experience a little more of the Chilean culture with all the saints in our stake.  I am sending some pictures from it.  Do you like my Chilean tie?  The familia Retamal gave that to me in my last sector and all of the members here love it."

"I am doing well.  I am glad that my birthday is over and that I can just get back to work.  Just pray that I will have confidence in myself and in the Lord, to complete his work.  I am trying to be humble and receptive of the spirit's promptings.  I have felt a little out of it this week with divisions and all, but I am excited that I am learning a lot.  I am glad that I get to be here on the mission.  I love being here.  We should have two baptisms next Sunday, so that will be fun.  I love you all and pray for you always."

Elder Dallon Smith

The Barrueto Family

A birthday tradition

Elders Wilcox and Smith

Happy Birthday Elder Smith!!

Hump Day!

One year has already passed and we are all surprised about how quickly it went.  We are so grateful for this experience of having Dallon serving a mission in Chile.  He is happy, healthy, and safe.  What more could we ask for?  We look forward to another year of blessings for our missionary. 

"I can't believe that I have a year in the mission!  I still feel so new and yet now, I feel so old.  The good thing is that Elder Wilcox is still older than me in age, so that has helped me not feel too ancient.  It's been funny because one time when we were talking, he said, "I don't think that you were born yet." haha.  I've been teasing him about being so old the whole week, which has gotten my mind off thinking that I am on the home stretch now.  I didn't get to do much on my official hump day, but a couple days later Elders Wilcox, Britt and Rivera made me some brownies.  I did get a package from Grandma and Grandpa and it was full of M&Ms, Almond Joys and Nutella.  It was glorious!  That made my hump day fun."

"The ward has been absolutely incredible.  I still can't get over it.  We are having a lot of fun together and Elder Wilcox is a great companion too.  I feel like time is just flying by and that the weeks are actually days.  It has been really cool.  Out of the 33 contacts we had last week, I invited a family to be baptized the very first lesson and they accepted!  I was surprised that they came to church.  They are a cute grandma and grandpa.  They are very loving towards us.  I can't believe how well everything just works out here.  Right now we have four people with baptismal dates and three of them will be baptized on the 25th.  We are working hard and are having a lot of success.  The ward is starting to warm up to me.  It's always hard to change missionaries, but every missionary always gets his time to be loved.  I've just been taking it slow and enjoying every moment that I have to be here.  The leadership here is absolutely incredible.  They work so hard and I know the Lord is happy with them.  They are teaching me so much."

"We also had interviews with President this week.  I just barely had one with him last week.  My interview was actually a bit different this time.  I'm not sure if it was because I'm a leader now or because of the things that happened in Diagonal.  President just told me thanks for all that I was doing and that I was a good missionary.  He also bore his testimony about the church being true.  The rest of the interview we talked about the sector and the elders in my district.  Then on Thursday, I had leadership meeting and was able to hang out with a lot of great elders; Tialavea, Hollister, Barrett, Furiman, etc.  Not gonna lie though, I felt a little out of place being there.  It was fun but I felt a little out of it.  I was thinking why do I feel so out of place here?  I flipped open my triple and it went to Doctrine and Covenants 122, where it says to not fear the judgements of men for the Lord God will be with you forever.  It helped me to relax and feel better.  That just goes to show that I am still working on my own personal weaknesses.  I did learn a lot at that conference and it has been really fun getting to know the elders in my district.  I am going to start doing divisions this week and it should be a blast.  Another scripture that President shared was about how the Lord will be on your right and left hand and his angels will be all around you.  President said that we are the Lord's angels and that our companions are the ones that the Lord has sent around us.  I love that analogy.  The Lord's angels a lot of the time are the people right around us.  My district has Elders Mackie, Gonzales, Crane, Holton, and Hermanas Moya and Krist.  They are all really fun and I am glad that I can get to know them.  They all work really hard and I haven't had any problems.  Everything just seems to be going really well right now and I am so grateful."

"Last night was the 11th of September where all the people here freak out and riot.  There is a lot of crazy stuff that happens.  They blow up cars and rob places and it's just a mess.  I am so glad to be an American.  It has been fun to be here, but the United States is where its at..; even though the Chileans are making fun of Obama because he told the U.S. to have no fear while speaking in a bullet proof box. haha  I guess they all got a good kick out of that."

"Elder Wilcox is just a good guy.  He is really fun to be around and is really easy going.  I think I talk his ear off, but I think he is having a good time too.  We have fun everyday and are constantly teasing eachother about being from Utah or California. haha  He puts up with me even though I've been really sucking it up in sports and he's been killing it.  Today we played soccer again and I have been doing horrible!  They've been making me goalie...that's not a good sign. haha"

"Everything is great and I am loving my mission.  I don't want to think about it being half way over.  I like being here and don't want to leave it.  I love you all and am grateful for you everyday.  I love being a Smith! haha"

Elder Dallon Smith

District Leader in Rinconada

Last week started out wonderful with 5 baptismal commitments in Diagonal!  Then the news came that Dallon was having changes and would be leaving.  He was very emotional and had a difficult time preparing to leave the area that he had worked so hard in and the people whom he had grown to love.  Dallon is now a district leader in Rinconada and his new companion is Elder Wilcox from San Diego, California.

"Last Monday the ward in Diagonal threw me a really big party and it was so fun, but really sad at the same time.  It was a good last hurrah.  Things have changed so fast and, to be honest, I am a little light headed over it all.  President King transferred me to one of the best, if not thee best sector, in our whole mission.  I am in Rinconada with Elder Wilcox from San Diego, California.  The difference between this area and my last is so distinct, that I hardly feel like I am serving in the same mission.  The ward is very strong and have tons of members and a lot of people who are helping with the mission effort.  It's amazing!  I never knew wards like this existed here.  The people are so kind and everyone is happy.  They love the missionaries and there are a lot of investigators to teach.  I can't believe it.  I have also been called to be district leader responsible for six other missionaries.  It has been fun, but also something to make me humble really fast.  I am still trying to understand all my responsibilities.  They just throw you in and you just have to learn fast and do it."

"The first week is hard because everyone is missing the missionary that just left.  My good friend, Elder Furiman, served here and he was really excited that I was going to be with his greenie in this area.  Elder Wilcox is really cool.  He is 21, a beach bum, and all around stud, except for the fact that he is a huge Lakers fan. haha  He is still trying to get the hang of Spanish, but he is progressing really fast.  We are going to have a lot of fun this change.  This week we found 33 new investigators, which has broken a lot of records.  It is much easier to find people here.  Transfers were really good.  I got to see Elder Tialavea and meet a few of the members from my new ward right away.  The members here feed us so much that I've already not finished sometimes and have felt really sick.  I don't think I am going to survive all the food.  This place honestly feels too good and I don't deserve to be here.  It is so great.  They call it the Celestial ward.  I don't even know how to tell ya."

"It is a beautiful area and sometimes feels like I am in the states.  The pension is a small apartment.  Elder Wilcox and I have already received a few love letters from girls who I think have been watching us.  It's funny but also a little creepy.  We have two parts in our sector.  One really nice area that looks a lot like Daybreak and another part which is similar to Diagonal.  The other  night we were followed home by a gang of 12 year olds that were trying to rob us, so we had to run into a member's home. haha  Oh man it's funny!  This ward has cars too and will take us places.  Oh and my zone leaders are Elder Opazo and Silva! haha  I will get to be here when Elder Opazo dies.  He has asked me about you all like 50 times already.  He is really grateful for everything you did for him."

"I'm not sure if I will be able to go back to Diagonal for the baptisms or if I'll be able to go to the temple sealings.  I would really like to but the same dates that I placed with the investigators in Diagonal, I also have families here in Rinconada that are going to be baptized, so I wouldn't be able to go.  I don't know.  We will just have to hope that everything works out.  I would really love to see them be baptized and sealed."

"Anyways everything is good and it will be fun to start something new.  I am grateful for all your prayers and all that you do for me.  Can you believe I am going to have one year?!!!  That's so strange.  I love you and remember to go to the temple and to fulfill your callings to the maximum."

Elder Dallon Smith