9 pounds of cookie dough

Well, it has been a good week. It might be starting to warm up (probably not), but the days have definitely been longer and the sun has been out. We had a lot of fun this week and did a lot. 

On Tuesday we went to a little town called Blokhus out by the coast to stop by some people. They have a beach so we had to take some pictures even though it was cold and windy.

On Wednesday we had a zone training and talked about how we can most effectively and spiritually share and use our testimonies and personal conversion stories.

Thursday we went out to a little town called Ulsted. It was not as nice as the beach town and smelled like poop. And the people were not very nice.

On Saturday we played soccer, which I haven't played since I was in Holbæk, and I remembered that I am not very good. It was still fun. We also had a lesson. We taught a man named Jan and his girlfriend. They were both really nice and he said he is ready for a change in his life. We are really really excited to start teaching him and actually having an investigator.

They actually came to church on Sunday and really enjoyed it. Things might be starting to pick up in our area after such a long time. 

Well I don't have much else to say but that was the week. Oh yeah!!! Earlier this week we were walking home to have dinner and we decided to eat Subway because Aalborg has one of the only ones in Denmark. We really enjoyed the cookies and were trying to decide whether to buy more or not. Then we had the idea to make a massive amount of cookie dough and eat it. So we made 9 pounds of it. Don't worry we didn't eat all of it, we still have some left, but it was definitely the most cookie dough I have ever seen in one place.

Well I thought I would just tell you all about my conversion since that is what we talked about at zone conference. Well like many others, I grew up in the church and was taught when I was young, but it didn't always mean so much to me. I never had a big experience or receive a vision that this was true, but step by step and one small experience after another, my testimony has grown tremendously. The little things I had faith in slowly became knowledge. Something I knew rather than just hoped for. That is why I am a member and why I am here on a mission.

I love you all. Have a great week and be happy!

Love, Ældste Smith

Dear Father,

I'm excited to talk to you in 2 months.

I am doing good. It has been a good week. We got to teach a lesson this week finally! Some of the other Elders in the district got a referral and he was in our area. We are going to be teaching him and he came in church yesterday. He is the first investigator we have had for like a month. His name is Jan.

Haha I guess accidentally running 10 miles is good if it's the only run you get. We played soccer on Saturday and I thought I was going to die from all the running.

I have been learning about personal financial management for sure. It is much easier when my companion is good at it and much harder when they aren't good at it. I get better at it every month though. 

I miss doing yard work with you believe it or not. I hope you miss me while you are out their every Saturday. I don't know when it is going to warm up here. It has been lighter longer though so that is a plus.

I'm glad all the animals are doing fine. I'm pretty surprised Storm is still alive too. That rabbit is a tough one. You should send me pictures of the new chickens. 

Have Cooper go long boarding with some of his friends first to see if he likes it. He does have some short lived interests. That's crazy that he is 16 in a few weeks. How tall is he now? Is he still a little guy?

Things have been up and down all the time. Missions are hard. But I am happy and I love it. Things have been good. I am still learning.

Well. Have a good week. I love you dad.

Love, Elder Smith

Dear Mother,

Well the one that showed up in church hasn't showed to anything else or answered his phone, so that's a bummer. But we found another new investigator that I told dad about and wrote about him in my big email.

I forgive you for giving me bowling skills. I am pretty average at a lot of sports. It is fun that Elder Hager and I have stuff in common. We don't play guitar at the same time. And he is way better than me. I haven't done anything publically with my music talents. I just play on a piano or something sometimes.

I'm sorry I never have anything really funny. I will do better at finding something and writing it down so I don't forget. You can have the joke that Lisa Labrum sent me.

Late one night, a burglar broke into a house that he thought was empty.  He stealthily crept through the lounge and was stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a loud voice clearly saying, 'Jesus is watching you!'

Silence returned to the house, so the burglar crept forward again.
'Jesus is watching you', the voice rang out again.

The thief stopped dead again. He was frightened out of his wits. Frantically, he looked all around. In a dark corner, he spotted a birdcage and in the cage was a parrot.

He asked the parrot, 'Was that you who said Jesus is watching me?' 
'Yes', said the parrot.

The burglar breathed a heavy sigh of relief and asked the parrot: 'What's your name?' 
'Ronald', said the bird.

'That's a stupid name for a parrot, 'sneered the burglar.' What idiot named you Ronald?' 
The parrot said, 'The same idiot who named the Rottweiler Jesus.

I'm excited to get the package. I think if you send it today then I will most likely get it at the next zone conference in like 3 weeks. I sent you guys a letter in the mail today. I hope you like it.

That sounds like a really good sacrament meeting. I love the sacrament meetings where at the end you actually feel like you got a lot out of it. I have had a few here. If I focus. It's hard with Danish sometimes.
I have probably seen the new restoration video but I don't know what is new or what is old. Have you seen either of the 2 new temple videos? They have temple information in our mission email and it said something about them. 

I'm excited to talk to you on Mother's day too. That is super weird. Time is going by waaaayyyyyy too fast.

Everything is okay. My clothes are holding up pretty well. I am going to keep an eye out for another pair of pants. I am working super hard.

Jeg elsker dig tusind gange ti!

Love, Elder Smith