30 Days in the Land

This is a much loved meeting.  The newest arrived missionaries and their trainers come into the mission home for a three day training to catch them up on the last several zone conferences.  The' re always eager to learn and much more awake than when they arrived.  President trains on "Becoming self-sufficient PMG" missionaries- Repentance, Epistles of the Lord,  finding, inspired questions, etc.

Read more here!

Rød Grød med Flode

So it has been a pretty fun and exciting week in Holbæk. On Monday we weren't actually in Holbæk. We took a trip to Copenhagen for our P day and it was tons of fun. What a cool city! After Monday we had a busy week with lots of success. On Tuesday we had a diner appointment and I had rød grød med flode for the first time, and it tasted fantastic. So the thing about rød grød med flode is that you can't say it. Look up a video or something and try and say it and you won't be able to. Danish people think it's way funny to have Americans try and say it. Anyways it was delicious.

The rest of our week consisted of a lot of work and a lot of success. We had a few lessons and are getting places with our investigators. We have officially found a progressing investigator. He is a very nice man from Poland and we hope he continues to progress.

Elder Weese and I have had tons of fun and we even put up some Christmas lights in our appartment. Something we like to do at night when we have finished our day is hygge. That's a really Danish word and it's hard to explain. Haha. We turn off the lights and turn on the Christmas lights. Then we throw on some super chill music. After that we either just sit on the couch or lay on the floor and relax. It's a pretty great activity.

A spiritual experience from this week happened at a members house. We were sharing a spiritual thought after dinner and we read from Joseph Smith History. We started at the beginning and took turns reading. Elder Weese finished by reading the first vision. As he started to read the spirit was so strong. Elder Weese choked up and others in the room started to tear up. As he read this special experience that the Prophet Joseph Smith had, the spirit let each of us feel it's truthfulness. If you have not read Joseph Smith history, try it out. Read his story and his testimony. I promise you that when you read it you will feel something.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all being examples to me and helping me more than you know. Shoutout to my grandma Howell for being my first letter in Denmark. I hope you all have a fantastic week. Love ya!

Love Ældste Smith

Hey Far!

I'm doing pretty good. Work is hard, but I'm learning lots and we are moving forward. The language is still hard but I'm getting better. I try to talk to people alot. We put sticky notes up everywhere. We SYL sometimes but that's really really hard. Tuesdays we speak all Danish. I think I understand kids better but they look at me funny when I try to talk to them. I try my best to listen and I slowly understand more. I can't wait till I can understand a lot. I will be careful with money. I didn't spend any in Copenhagen except for lunch. It was fun. Copenhagen is a beautiful city. I wrote a good spiritual experience in my big email. Elder Weese and I had a discussion on feeling promptings. I told him that over the past year I've really learned to recognize the spirit testifying truth to me and comforting me. The thing that is hard for me is recognizing promptings. I'm not sure how it feels because I know it feels different from the other two. So that is something I want to work on is recognizing when the spirit is prompting me to do something so I can act on it. I try hard to exercise. Mornings are super super hard. But I'm getting better. I hope you can help Cedar get better. She's a good horse. I wish I could here you speak. I wish I could hear your talks, you give really good ones. Yes, most of my Danish ancestry is from Hjørring, but I'm in Holbæk. Holbæk is on northern Sjælland, the smaller island. Hjørring is in northern Jutland, the big island. So maybe I'll get to go there some time. I did find one of our ancestors that was from Roskilde though which is right next to our area and where our church building is. Thanks for everything. I love you dad. You're a good example to me.

Love Elder Smith 

Hello Dear Mother!

So with the money, have no fear. They are random ammounts because I found out that my acoount is silly and has a limited amount I can use each day. So I had to withdraw money on a bunch of different days. The only bad part about that was it cost me 15 extra dollars in ATM fees. I haven't gotten a bike yet, but we plan on finding one after emailing today. I didn't find a winter coat but I'm keeping an eye out for one. So yes the address I gave you was for the mission home. Packages are supposed to go there, but you can send letters right to our appartment. I can't remember the address of our appartment so I can't send it to you right now. Shoot. I'll remember next week. I got grandma's letter on Friday or Saturday so it took less than two weeks and it had to go through the mission office. So not too bad. 

I'm glad you like my letters. I'm sorry about the way thing haha. Elder Weese says it a lot and I'm afraid it has become a habit. I have my 30 day in training on the 27th to 29th of this month so that is when I will go to the temple. I'm super excited. 

I love the places and things I see here too. This country is so beautiful. I can't wait till fall. It's going to be amazing. Is there anything you want me to send you pictures of?

I can't believe Aubrey comes home in like a week. Like, holy cow!!!! I wish I could be there to see her, but I know she understands. Give her a big hug from me and tell her how much I love her. I sent you all letters in the mail so tell me when they get there. There is one for Aubrey so hopefully she's home when it comes. 

Good job with the Book of Mormon! I'm trying to read through it now. I'm in Mosiah. My goal is to be to Alma 30 by the end of this week. I'm loving it and marking everything that mentions faith, repentance, baptism, the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. So that has been really good.

Jeg elsker dig meget.

Du er en fantastisk mor.

Stole på herren.

Elsker din familie.

Prove at siger "rød grød med flode"

Love your missionary son, Elder Smith 

Hej! Hvordan går det?

​This week has been quite the week! We were way busy with lots of splits and an awesome district activity. We don't have any new investigators yet but we've done a whole lot of knocking and have taught a lot more lessons. Elder Weese and I have done a lot this week and I've been learning a lot. I don't feel very good about Danish yet but it's coming along little by little. Learning a language is definitely not easy but it comes day by day with lots of practice and lots of messing up. Last week on Monday Elder Weese and I decided to try and find a name that we can take to the temple at the end of this month. We looked and looked and I just couldn't find a name. I emailed my mom about it in frustration then went back to looking. After a couple of minutes I came across a name. I thought "Wow! That was pretty easy!" Then I went back and looked at my email. My mom had sent one that said "Did you pray that you would find a name? I prayed that you would find one." My mom prayed that I would find a name and I did! It was an awesome prayer and family history testimony builder for me. Tuesday was a rough day. We went out in the morning to talk to people on the streets. Every person we talked to shrugged us off and ignored us, yelled at us, glared at us, or tried to argue with us. We decided that wasn't working to well so later we decided to go knocking. Every door we knocked was slammed, very vocally not interested, or very happy to tell us we didn't know what we were talking about. We went home tired, upset, and unmotivated, wondering what we could have done to make it go better. It was way hard but all I can say is that we learned from it. Maybe we need more faith that we will find someone, maybe we have to say different things. All in all I learned that some days are harder than others but we just have to work through them and be diligent. On Wednesday we went on splits with our zone leaders in Slagelse. It was way fun! We taught a lesson with them and we went out knocking and we even found a few potential investigators. I learned a lot of new things from one of the zone leaders Elder Bishop and we even taught a good doorstep lesson together. It was a way good day. We had a way awesome district activity on Thursday. Denmark is full of way old churches all over and one of the famous ones is the Roskilde Domkirke. It is huge and has all the Danish royalty buried there. It is beautiful and way cool. See the pictures attached below. On Friday we had splits with the Elders from Nykøbing and it was way fun. We were all over Holbæk and took a trip out to Ringsted to do some knocking. It is another town in our area and we were able to do a lot of work. Between the 4 of us we taught 6 doorstep lessons and found a few potential investigators. It was an awesome day and I learned a lot and got to know Elder Dibble. Nothing else super exciting happened over the weekend but we got some good work done. We played soccer with the members for the second time and I can't describe how inadequate I feel. The Danes are way good and I haven't played soccer since elementary school so we'll just say I'm still learning. Well I don't have a super awesome spiritual story this week I'm sorry. It has definitely been a spirit filled week and I've learned a lot of lessons as you can see above. I love you all tons and I'm thankful for each and every one of you. I actually got some pictures this week and a video. Elder Weese broke our keyboard so that kind of sucks, but it was a fun night. MKH Love Ældste Smith

Hello Mother! I love you!

So with the money I have to get a bike somehow. I think I'm going to have to get a new one. I found one missionary that is selling one but it's way trashy and has a lot of problems I would have to fix. I was planning on withdrawing the money as soon as I could. I'm going to be in Copenhagen for P day today so if you could put the money on while I'm there I can withdraw it and keep it somewhere safe till I buy a bike. That way I won't have money on my card. I might look for a coat while I'm in Copenhagen today because summer sales are going on and it will be like the cheapest time to buy a coat if I can find one. So it would be nice to have money on my card that I can withdraw when I get to Copenhagen today. Try and put it on as soon as you get my email and if I don't withdraw it then transfer it all out before you go to bed tonight. I will probably need at least 3500 to 4000 crowns.

Grocery shopping went a lot better this week and I still had some food left over. Another challenge with shopping here is that a lot of things (milk, bread, meat) expire really really fast. I froze half of my bread loaf this week because it expired in 4 days and we only get groceries every 7. We try to exercise but it's way hard. We've gone running and we've went to a little field near our apartment and played some soccer. That sounds like no fun at the Dentist. I hope my teeth stay good while I'm here because the Danish dentist and doctor system is trash.

I feel the same way about my letter haha it's hard to think of things that I can put that aren't just old news. I'll try to send one soon and you'll have to tell me when you get it as well. I'll have to put one for Aubrey in there. I can't believe she's coming home so soon. That is so flippin crazy. I am kind of sad I won't be there to see her but you'll have to send me a video and pictures of it. I love her so much and she's an amazing example to me. About packages, Elder Weese said that it seems to be different for packages and letters every time. My theory is that there is a day every few weeks that stuff get's shipped out and so it just depends on when you give them the package. I don't know though. We'll have to figure things out. Also packages have to go to the mission office first so they don't give them to us until zone trainings or zone conferences.

Thank you for the meal ideas! I will try some of those. I know some of those things are way hard to find here but I'll look for them. I definitely need more healthy stuff though.

Thanks so much for everything you do for me. I love you love you love you! You're the greatest mom ever!!!

Love your favorite Elder, Elder Smith 

Hey Dad What's up?!

I have had a way hard, way good week. The weather was pretty good. It rained a couple times but for the most part it's been a pretty nice temperature. I can't think of any awesome stories from this week. Just what's in my email. The language is still way hard. The hardest thing for me is church because I want to understand. I normally love church and see it as a relief, but I told Elder Weese that right now, I just hate church. It's so hard. I want to understand the talks and the jokes and the lessons. I know it will come it's just difficult now. We haven't had a super normal Pday yet. We will normally email about two hours and then go on with the rest of our day. I could email longer last week because we were doing family history for a couple hours after our normal email time. Today we're going to spend the day in Copenhagen which should be way fun. We will be with a few other missionaries today and we had some splits this week so we've done quite a bit with other missionaries. We will do some sight seeing today. To be honest just driving around Denmark is like sight seeing because the farms and churches are so cool. We exercise sometimes. Mornings are way hard. It is quiet most days but on Saturday the people downstairs like to party. I am going to try and find a bike this week. I am definnitely doing better with food and meals haha. I am healthy for the most part. All my clothes are in good condition. We talk about all kinds of stuff haha lots of good stories and spiritual talks. We have a couple similar interests but not a ton, but we get along way well. Our main goal as of now is to teach 30 lessons this transfer. We are already about halfway there. We don't have any other super awesome goals. I don't have much more time but I'm glad your doing good for the most part. I'm sorry for the things that are hard. You're all in my prayers and I know that if you keep doing the right things you will be blessed. Keep exercising and stay healthy. Have you read the BOM I sent you? I love you lot's Thanks for everything!

Love Elder Smith

A fantastic second week

So I've had a way great second week with lots of good experiences. We've been able to teach quite a few lessons but mostly just doorstep lessons. I'm learning so much from Elder Weese. He is an amazing teacher and way good at talking to people. He always looks above himself and I'm really glad that a lot of my missionary characteristics will come from what he teaches me. 

So this week we decided to get a pizza from this place near our home. It was a way good pizza with pineapple and chicken and stuff and as a plus it was way big. We decided it was so good that we got the same one the next two nights. It was a great idea until Elder Weese started to eat slower and breathe heavily. I asked him if he was okay and he told me he was eating. He looked way sick. It's okay though because we still got the third pizza the next night and Elder Weese lived. 

We also had zone conference this week and that was way fun. We learned a lot about faith and works. And how faith without works is dead and vise versa. Our work is important but we have to make sure that our works have our faith involved. If that makes any sense. Anyway, it was a way good meeting and I learned a lot.

The other day Elder Weese and I were walking down the street in Holbæk when this guy looks over to us while we were waiting at a crosswalk. He asks, "Are you Mormons?" We happily answered Yes! He then asks us "do you know who Jesus was?" we begin to share something awesome and spiritual with him but he cuts us off before we could say anything and says "Jesus was a Jew, the chosen ones, I am Christian, I am a Jew. You will never be a part of the chosen ones, you will die trying. You disgusting devils." He then spits at our feet. That was a pretty eye opening experience for me. It's not common for people to be that harsh with us or anyone, but it really made me think of what I would like to tell him. I'm glad that I have a testimony of Christ's love for us. We are God's children and he knows us individually and loves us all the same. There is no chosen children or those who are seen as better in God's eyes. I know that he cares for each of us and that he knows me and he knows my heart. Just a little bit of something that made me think and even strengthened my testimony a bit. It's important to know of our importance.

You are all very important to me and I hope you have a wonderful week! Make the most of the rest of your summer. Thank you all for everything you do for me and I love you all!

Love Ældste Smith

Hey Mor! Thank you so much for your prayers and support! 

So I think we all need to come to Denmark when I come home. It's such a great place. I'm sorry I don't have pictures this week but I will next week. I promise.

Thank you for the shopping tutorial. I think I did better today but we'll see. I didn't go hungry this week so that's good. I did run out of food. The worst part is it's hard to find stuff in these grocery stores. I'll get the hang of it though. Stuff is way expensive here and they just don't have everything the same way. It will take getting used to.

Did you get my awesome 4th of July pictures last Monday? Those members were so awesome. It was all a surprise and the food was so good. We had salmon and chicken and steak and root beer and potato salad and it was awesome!

Answers:

1. My Danish feels a bit better. I understand a little more. But for the most part I'm just learning to tolerate my inability to communicate and I try my best.

2. Not anything too crazy. We have a lot of fun together in the apartment but nothing too exciting.

3. We get along great!

4. Danes are definitely taller. Not super noticeable but they are pretty big. Like my build but a little taller? I dunno there is still a lot of variety though.

5. I feel like I've pretty much adjusted which is nice. I sleep good because I go to bed TIRED. It's pretty comfy. I am on the bottom bunk which is way nice haha.

6. The weather is usually great. It's sometimes windy and it rains a lot but the temperature is way nice. The humidity isn't super noticeable so that's good.

7. Not that I can think of. Haha

8. That being a missionary is hard! And way busy. 

9. This is the address I have for now. There's one that goes to our apartment but I don't know it so this works. 

Letters:

Borups Alle 128, 1.Tv

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

Packages:

Borups Alle 128, 1.Tv

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

10. I felt it! :)

Thanks a ton! I love you a whole lot! Have a good week!

Love Ældste Smith

To Dad:

I'm glad you had a good time in Idaho. That's way fun. I miss grandparents. And family. And partying haha. But the members in our ward did throw us an awesome party. Did you get my pictures?

Good luck with work and stuff. I hope that all works out okay.

Elder Weese and I get along way good and he is really helpful with the language. I think it's getting slowly better. We don't have any progressing investigators and we taught a lady that has been taking lessons for a few years. Our other lessons were all doorstep lessons so hopefully we get more investigators soon. The ward is way awesome. I like all of them and wish I could talk to them more. I had to introduce myself and bare my testimony in sacrament on Sunday so that was great. Haha. But we haven't had to teach or anything yet so that was okay. I think I did better for grocery shopping this week. If you have any good ideas or if mom does I'd love to hear cheap easy meals. I have been focusing on the Book of Mormon for most of my study. I've been trying to read through it and mark things that pertain to the gospel (faith, repentance, baptism, the holy ghost, and enduring to the end.) its been great. My zone conference was so good. I learned a lot. Søster Ludlow is in my zone and that's fun to see her. I can't wait to see the rest of them at our 30 day training. I actually miss them a lot and it's weird not seeing them all day. Thanks for all the advice and the example you are to me. I love you a lot.

Love Elder Smith

So I am in need of some things. I kind of need a bike. I've been trying to find a missionary that will sell me one and I might be able to but we'll see. So I need like 500-600 dollars or like 3500 to 4000 crowns. I sent that in a seperate email because it's more sad than other things. I can't think of anything else I need yet so that's good but it would be helpful to have soon. I love you lots and here is a better picture of my choir I was in. If you get my emails answer me because I might still be here at the church doing family history stuff. Love ya!

 

Happy 4th!

I hope you are all having a fantastisk 4th of July in the states right now but I happen to be halfway around the world. So Denmark happens to be extremely beautiful. It's full of cobblestone streets, brick houses with tile roofs, delicious pastries, and a whole lot of green. The food is way different but extremely good. I may have a weight problem in a few weeks... Just kidding mom. My pants still fit.

My first area is Holbæk which is in northern Sjælland. It's a driving area so we are lucky enough to have a car! My companions name is Ældste Weese and he has been a perfect trainer so far. He is way good at Danish so thats nice because I recently found out that I actually can't speak Danish. That was really exciting and fun...

The past week has been way crazy. I had my last Sunday at the MTC which was really good. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. My two companions dropped me off at the travel office at 3:30 am on Monday and us heading to Denmark were on our way to the airport. After 3 long flights and getting to talk to my family for few minutes on the phone, we arrived in Denmark at 9 am Tuesday morning. We went contacting in Copenhagen and had a Danish dinner. Then we played ping pong for a while and as soon as my head hit the pillow that night I was asleep. The next day we got to do some orientation and meet our trainers which was awesome, then we headed to our areas. Over the past few days we've jumped right into the work. A lot of training and contacting and talking to people. A few dinner appointments. It's been swell.

It's been really hard going around a country that speaks a different language. Also I found out that I don't know how to buy groceries for myself. I got ice cream, chocolate milk, and sandwich stuff, so I should be set. I haven't had the challenge of riding a bike everywhere yet so that's good. I miss my little MTC family sometimes because it's so different not being surrounded by missionaries like at the MTC, but I'm glad I'll get to see them around. Another thing that has been hard is trying to stay awake all the time. It's okay when we're doing things but when we're sitting around or driving it's really hard. Church was super hard. The man I was sitting next to said that I almost made it into the high priests quorum because my head was bobbing so much. I'm glad the Danes have a sense of humor. Church gave me more of a headache than a spiritual experience to be honest. I cannot wait for the day I can at least understand Danish because that will be a good day. Haha.

I want you all to know that we all have different challenges and trials in our lives. We all have to do different things to overcome them. One thing that is not different but is the same no matter what the trial is or no matter what the challenge is is that we need help. We need the Lord's help because he knows us individually and he knows how to help us. I know for a fact I am going to need Christ by my side constantly over the next two years. Take your individual hardships and learn from them. They can become a huge testimony builder and change you for the better. Let your weaknesses become strengths. I know that since coming on my mission my testimony has grown much stronger and that isn't because it has been easy but because it has been hard and the Lord has helped me. I know he will help you too.

I love you all and I hope you have tons and tons of fun today. Happy Birthday America! Thank you all for your support and love. Talk to you all next week!

Love, Ældste Smith

Here are some pictures from this week. My companions dropping me off to go to Denmark, the original Christus statue, a picture of me in front of an old church, and a picture out our apartment window.

​I can't believe I'm actually here in Denmark. I really love it here and everything is so great. You would all love it as well but mom comes to mind especially. So much green and rolling pastures, old buildings made from brick with red orange roofs. Old churches all over the place and cobblestone streets. It's awesome. I can't speak Danish at all so it's been pretty hard the past few days. I don't really know how to go grocery shopping so that was hard. Besides all the hard things I really love it here and I really love the people so much. How have you all been?

Hey papa. I answered your questions in other emails so I hope you gather them all up. I'm glad you're recovering okay and hope you recover quickly. I hope you have a super good fourth. Thanks for your amazing example and help to me. I love you lots.

Love, Elder Smith

Here is Elder Weese and I with some dinner. :)

 

Photos below sent from Eva Stokholm, a member there in Denmark who made a wonderful 4th of July celebration for the missionaries!

From Tyler's companion, Elder Weese:

Well I've been with my trainee, Æ, Smith, for 4 days and I can already tell these next couple of transfers are going to be pretty great:) Æ. Smith is a champ! Fresh out of Vernal, Utah ready to hit the streets preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have already had some great teaching experiences together! He has a great attitude and is ready to work and study hard. We get along way good! Holbæk, Denmark isn't going to know what hit 'em!

To Mor:

I'm sorry I forgot to talk in Danish to you on the phone. It's okay because I don't actually talk Danish... :(

I'm glad you have gotten to see me on the blog. They are good at updating it. I love Dayton's 4th of July, I hope you're having fun today for the 4th. Alright. Questions.

1. Elder Weese is super great. He's really nice and helpful. He is really good at explaining how to do things before he makes me do them. We get along super well and he taught me a lot about how to talk to people so far so that's been good.

2.My mission president and his wife are the cutest couple ever haha. I want you to meet them someday. I love them a lot. They have taught us a lot about expectations. This mission is very hard, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. In this mission we teach repentance and baptize converts. There is just a lot of work to be done.

3.The flight was super super long. I got a little sleep. I have been super tired but adjusting gradually.

4.I've told you some about Denmark. My favorite thing is the food haha just kidding I'm not sure but the food is really good. There's lots of different quirks but nothing super weird. The sinks and toilets are different. The showers are just in the bathroom not seperated. If that makes sense. The light switches are different. The stores are random. Like the stuff in them aren't super organized just in random places.

5.I'm in Holbæk, its a nice small town. I would guess its similar to most towns in Denmark. The church is really small. But normal I guess.

6.Our apartment is small and homey. I sent you some pictures of it. It's just the two of us in our whole area.

7.I've eaten lots of things. I can't remember what it's all called. I haven't really eaten anything bad yet. I'm not a huge fan of the liverpaste but I am a big fan of all the pastries.

8.The Danish is bad.

9.I Didn't really play any music at the mission home because I was so tired.

10.Best experience. We taught a muslim man yesterday on his doorstep and it was just super awesome I hope he calls us. The worst thing was church on Sunday. 

I love you lot's and thank you so much for everything. You're the best mommy ever.

Love, din søn, Ældste Smith