Football!!!

Well it's been a great week! I hope everyone is doing great and already for summer to end. This week we have had lots of progress and good experiences.

Our investigators are doing great. We have one who is brand new and she is golden. She is progressing and diligently learning about the gospel. Another who has been challenging and gets very distracted during lessons was able to focus and begin to understand what we teach. The work is speedily progressing in Holbæk and it's great!

I've seen a good progression with my Danish this week. Learning a new language has been a huge challeng for me but it is getting much better and I was able to have another good week in church. I still couldn't understand most things, but much more than usual. I was able to talk to some of the members and I actually understood them! It was great.

On Saturday we were able to go to a football game in Copenhagen with one of the  members. It was so cool! I've never been able to do something like that so it was a new experience and it was really exciting. The members here are really great and extra friendly. I love them all.

On a not so bright side I caught the sickness Elder Weese had last week and I am finally starting to feel better. That was not a happy few days but it's okay now. Elder Weese is a good companion and took care of me.

I don't have any super amazing spiritual experiences but I would like to share something about faith. This week Elder Weese and I watched the John Tanner story. It's really good and if you haven't watched it here is a link: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-139-treasure-in-heaven-the-john-tanner-story?lang=eng it's just 20 minutes and it's super good. I want to bear my testimony that faith can bring forth miracles. Faith can literally do anything. I know that each and every one of us has our own trials and tribulations. We all have hard times. It may not happen in a spectacular miracle, but I know that if we have faith and trust in the Lord, that we can overcome anything. We can do anything. Stay faithful and pray for help. I know I can do it and you can to.

I hope you all have a fantastic week and that you finish summer off with something great. Thank you for the emails, letters, love, and support. You are great examples to me and you are all in my prayers. I love you all! I don't have any pictures right now but I will try to send a few from the soccer game later.

Love Ældste Smith

Here's a picture of me being sick wrapped up in my Duna

To Dad:

Hey Dad! I've had a good week. I'm loving it here. That's awesome you got to go to the temple with Aubrey. Mornings are hard. That's so cool that you were there for Aubreys report. I hope you are there for mine. Speaking of the stake presidency, who is the new presidency? I love that scripture. And it's so true. The weather has been really good. It rains sometimes but usually it's not too hot or too cold. Our companionship is great. Elder Weese and I are good friends. The language is hard but going much better. My testimony is growing every day. Thank you for everything you do for me.

I love you.

Love Elder Smith

I read in preach my gospel that you should always try to improve your language skills throughout your life. You never know when the Lord will need you to use it later in your life. Just imagine talking to the guy at that shop in salt lake about the gospel haha. What if you were the next mission president in Vietnam? 

To Mom:

Ha yes! Iam finally your favorite because Aubrey was before she got home haha. Remember that time you liked the facebook post saying that your first child was your favorite? I haven't picked a name for my bike yet. I will have to give it a Danish name. I'm going to be very sad when I have to leave it in Denmark.

The Stokholms are really great. I'm glad you have talked to her a bit. Her husband Martin is so cool and they are so spiritually strong. They are great members.

I think my pants will be okay. I could get new ones but even the ones that would fit me are probably skinny. To be honest I don't know how some of the fat people fit into their pants.

I haven't got your first letter yet, but I can't wait to get it! Have you got my letter with candy in it yet?

That's the hardest thing about Danish. Everything is pronounced so weird. It's hard to understand. And really hard to pronounce some words like rød grød med flode.

Cooper could almost fit into those pants. Elder Weese's fit. 

Last Sunday was great and this Sunday was better! I even understood a little bit. I regret not paying attention in church at home because I miss it a lot now.

Denmark is beautiful. Start saving up now so that when I get home we can take a trip here and to the Phillipines. It would be great.

That's great with that family. and so exciting! I love the temple so much. I miss going so much.

We sadly haven't gotten to go back to the little family, but I'm praying that we can. People are usually friendly when they talk to you, but they are really good at saying Nej take! (no thanks) It is hard because I know they are all good people but culturally they like to push away anything that has to do with religion. The grocery stores are weird. They aren't super organized. Like some stuff is but a lot of it looks like it just got thrown in there randomly. I've had a hard time with food. I run out of food money quickly. I don't know what to buy that's cheaper and the food expires quickly but the biggest problem is we probably eat out to much and that is super expensive. It's hard though because sometimes we are in a town half hour away from home and it's easier that way, but I need to figure something out. If you see money withdrawn from my account it's set aside so when I find a coat I can afford it. Also some is spent on food.

We don't usually ride the train. Just if we have a meeting or something far away. We have a car so that is our main form of transportation when we leave holbæk.

I love you tons and tons and tons.

Jeg elsker dig mere. (I love you more).

Jeg håb at du har haft en sjov tid med Aubrey. (I hope you had a fun time with Aubrey.)

Tak for alt. (Thanks for everything.)

Love Elder Smith

Sorry I had no pictures. :(