Hello Family and Friends

Hello family and friends. It has been a good week in Nykøbing. We have been extra busy and we will be even busier this week.

We had a lot of lessons with new people this week. A lot of them cancelled or burned us, but we had one with a cool new investigator named Signe. She is really positive and she brought her boyfriend to the lesson. He is interested as well!

For some reason when we are out knocking we keep running into drunk people. One of them let us come in and told us about his life. He said he was once a part of the Navy Seals. He has a couple of mormon friends, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. He also kissed Angelina Jolie. He showed us his disk drive from 1973 (a dvd player from the early 2000s) and we met his dog who kills something everytime he lets it outside. He was an interesting man.

On Saturday we were able to travel to Copenhagen to do baptisms for the dead in the temple with one of the new converts in our branch. She slept in so she didn't end up coming, but there were still a few other members from the branch so we got to go into the temple and do baptisms. It was great to be in the temple after such a long time. It has been over a year. 

That is about everything exciting for the week. Most of the Germans have gone home from vacation but there were still a few left and one gave a talk. The Swedish temple president also talked in church and there was an American family visiting. It is a fun branch.

Well that is all for the week. We have been focusing a lot on the Spirit as a companionship. The more you rely on the Spirit, the more you realize how much you need the Spirit. It is so important to be worthy of the Spirit and seek after his guidance in our lives. The Holy Ghost will tell us all things which we should do, but we have been taught to ask, seek, knock so that we can receive the spiritual blessings we so desperately need.

I love you all. Have a great week and enjoy the last few weeks of summer. 

Love, Elder Smith


To Mom:

Wow! You made it! I'm glad it was a good trip. Did you take any pictures?

I love all the lakes in the mountains they are so pretty. How did you do that without crying? I guess you were prepared for a little more than a nice easy hike this time.

I'm glad you all made it okay. I'm glad Grandpa still does stuff for fun even at his age. I'm sure he is happy he has kept himself healthy so he can do those things. I wish I could have seen you fall haha, but I am glad you didn't get hurt. Sorry about the tent. It is a backpacking tent so I don't think they put luxury space in the plan ;)

We just listen to motab or some Christian songs in Danish, but that's all we have in the car right now. I have a lot of other stuff on my flash drive.

I don't think anyone understands the talks completely, but lot's of Danes know a little German. They also have had translation most of the time.

I got a harmonica for my gift. I have a little glass turtle thing we found in a store. We just did it for something fun to add to our district activity.

I love you lots mom. I guess I can share my title of favorite son with Cooper. We both know Aubrey is your real favorite. You even said it that one time. Tell Cooper to do that thing I sent him in his email last week.

Have a good week! I looooooooovvvvvveeeeeee you!

Love, Elder Smith

Hey dad!

It was a good week. The weather has been okay just a bit rainy. It's okay though, because we have a car. Nothing amazing, it is just pretty to drive out in the country and the fields. There isn't anything too specific the area is known for. It has a place called møns klint. It is some chalk cliffs on one of the islands. I will have to go visit it sometime.

I hope you can find a good person to hire. 

I hope your run goes well. I am excited to hear about it. I have decided to start 9 months to sexy. Most missionaries do something they call 6 months to sexy, and eat really well and exercise really hard for the last 6 months of the mission. I was thinking and if I did that I would have to eat super healthy for Christmas and the holidays. That's not happening! So I decided to work really hard now for 3 months then slow down a bit for the holidays then start back again for the last 3 months of my mission.

That is crazy that Calvin gave his farewell. It doesn't seem like all of these people are that old. Has anyone else gotten their mission call yet?

I have a funny Danish story for you this week. The danish word for food is mad. It probably sounds different than you are reading it but that is okay. A lot of the older generation cuts off the d and just say ma' instead. Elder Peel and I say it all the time for fun. And I guess it got stuck in my head so when we were at an eating appointment I said ma' instead of mad. Everyone laughed. 

I love you dad. Have a really good week.

Love, Elder Smith

Work

Well I'm sorry if my emails haven't been super exciting lately. I guess we are just doing all the normal thing and it doesn't change so much, but don't worry we stay busy. 

On Monday we had dinner with some members in the branch. Their son is serving in my home stake. Pretty crazy.

We had zone conference on Tuesday in Copenhagen. It was really good. We talked about alot of good things and it got me pumped to do missionary work.

On Thursday we went on splits with the Elders from Slagelse. I was with Elder Iversen. He is fairly new and he is an awesome missionary. 

We did a lot of finding this week and we found a few new people to teach so things are going well in that way. We have a lot of people to work with.

We had another talk in German this week in sacrament meeting. They didn't translate this time so that was fun. It felt like the beginning of my mission again haha.

We had a fun day today and went to the beach for a district activity. We played volleyball and had Christmas so we gave eachother secret santa gifts. It was a lot of fun.

Well we have been trying to focus on the Savior alot this transfer. It is crazy to think that we can do nothing without the Savior. We cannot improve or learn without his enabling atonement. I am so grateful for him and his sacrifice. I am so happy he conquered death so that we may have eternal life. 

I love you all. I hope you have a great week. Stay happy!

Love, Elder Smith

Hey Mom!

That is a pretty good time. Good job! Haha I guess the pioneers didn't have much of an amazing breakfast either. We watched Ephraims rescue yesterday I didn't even realize it was pioneer today, but we celebrated anyway!

It sounds like grandma has been pretty excited to help me by the letters she sends me. She is pretty awesome. I need to send her a letter.

I'm glad I make you happy. You are the best mom ever. And you make me happy too. You have taught me so much and I couldn't be a missionary without you.

I'm excited for your backpacking trip. Take some good pictures! :) You are a tough girl so it is okay to be the only one.

I am happy I'm not biking anymore. We drive a car so I get air conditioning and music.

The appartment is just old. Not so cool old. But it isn't too bad. At least it is big.

A collegium is student housing for college and stuff. So there are a lot of young people to talk to.

I just finished the continuous atonement this week. I read believeing Christ before I read that one. They are both really good books.

I love you lots and lots and lots. Have a great week!

Love, Elder Smith

Hey dad,

It is okay to have a boring life sometimes. I'm glad you finished your semester. It will be good to have a writing class. I've never really been a fan though. I feel like with math there is a right or wrong answer, but with writing, someone else decides whether your answer was right or not.

Keep running. I think Elder Peel and I might start running a little bit. I'm excited to hear how your half marathon goes.

I'm sure people got something out of your talk. That sounds like a really good one. I like how you use stories and experiences in your talks. That's what the apostles do!

This week has been good. We had interviews with the mission President. That was good. He is a good guy and I learn a lot from him. Things are good. I love being a missionary.

Sorry my letters are never as good or long as I want. I always seem to be running out of time. And it hurts my head to email. I will try to send some letters soon. They are much better.

I love you lots. Thanks for being my dad. Have a good week.

Love, Elder Smith

We Only Need to Take His Hand

Well hey there everyone! It has been a good week. It has been weird getting used to a new area but I really like it here in Nykøbing.

The area is really beautiful with lots of nature. I am in a branch and it is super small. There are only like 15 people that come, But, there are a lot of Germans in Nykøbing on vacation so the branch size has tripled. There was a guy who gave a talk in German on Sunday. It is different for sure haha.

Elder Peel is an awesome companion and we are doing some really solid work. It is going to be such a good transfer. We have been busy this week meeting with people and talking to people. One day we found a collegium to knock and found three new investigators. There is a recent convert here named Erik and his daughter Ena decided to get baptized as well. We set a date for August 5th.

I can't remember everything that happened this week, but it has been good. I was reading a book this week called "The Continuous Atonement" and it was talking about Matthew 14:29-31. Then later on it was talking about how we can't expect ourselves to be perfect right now. It said how we may not be able to do it perfectly right now, but at least we get out of the boat and try. When we are baptized or act in faith in anyway we are taking one step more towards Christ and if/when we fall he will be right at our side to pick us up, we only need to take his hand. So act in faith take another step towards Christ and don't be afraid of falling.

I love you all. Have a really really really great week!

Love, Elder Smith

To Mom:

That's awesome! Haha I'm glad you didn't die either. It looks so pretty. Did everything work how it was supposed to?

Hah that's funny that Cooper sometimes speaks with a British accent. At least he is happy. When I was in Aalborg and we had a 4 man apartment we got stuck speaking with a British accent for a couple days. It was bad...

I talked to Elder Johansens dad yesterday. I introduced myself in sacrament and said I was from Vernal. He told me his son was serving there. That is so crazy he is in our ward. I met him at the beginning of my mission when I was in training. We are eating with his family tonight. It's so crazy.

That does sound like a cool trail. I like good views.

I hope the pants last me awhile too. They should because I don't have to bike anymore :) All the pants here are European fit. I don't mind though because they are a little stretchy so they are much more comfortable than the ones I brought from home. 

I'm glad you have good friends to do yoga with. Are you going to do yoga for swim team again?

I love going to the temple. I really miss it. It has been a year since I have been in the temple. I'm glad you are friends with Toni. I can't believe it has been 8 years.

I will get to go see Anja's baptism and Daniel's hopefully :)

Elder Peel is awesome he is from Paradise, Utah. He is a really good missionary. We don't have tons in common. We get along really well though. The apartment is really big, but also pretty old. It is the first one I have to climb on a lot of stairs to get to :( it is on the 3rd floor.

Haha I like gospel principles class a lot. Are there a lot of members that go to that class or is it mostly new members and investigators?

I like your pictures haha. Thanks for those. I love you lots and lots. Thanks for being the best mother nogensinde.

 Love, Elder Smith

Dear dad,

I am doing good this week. We have had a really productive week and it has been a lot of fun. It is so crazy how Elder Johansen is there. I remember meeting him in the beginning of my mission. We are eating with his family tonight. 

Things are going good for the mission. We have been focusing  a lot on finding this last transfer, but it will probably be something new this transfer. Anja is still doing great as far as I know. Jan dropped the missionaries a while ago :(

I'm glad you all got to go backpacking. I hope you get at least one other chance to go this summer.

I am excited to hear how your half marathon goes. Is mom going to run it with you? I guess it is better that it is in the mountains than running a half marathon on the road. 

I'm glad you are sticking with your school I think it will be good. You should think of ways to teach your employees to be good. Haha. Discipline them. Has Cooper been doing much with scouting recently? It sounds like he wasn't up at High Uintah this year. He needs to just get his project done so he doesn't have to go crazy to get it done right before his 18th birthday.

I wish I could help you with all the various projects. I will try to be good at helping when I get home.

I will try to share more things that I learn. I really have been learning a lot. I am getting along well with Elder Peel. He has older sisters that go to USU so it is possible that she was his sister haha.

I'm sorry I don't have much more time, but thanks for being my dad. I love you lots. Have a good week.

Elder Smith

Nykøbing Falster

Well my new area is Nykøbing Falster. A little town in southern Denmark on an island called Falster. It is a pretty place and is going to be an awesome area. 

My companion is Elder Pihl from Paradise, Utah. We have been out for around the same amount of time. I think it will be a good transfer.

We were really busy with closing Seden this week, and meeting with our investigators for the last time. They were sad to hear we were leaving. We met with one of them, Daniel, yesterday, and he is going to prepare to be baptized on the 26th of August, his birthday! It was awesome.

We had a big 4th of July party on Tuesday. One of the members puts it together every year and it was really really fun. We played baseball and had a big barbeque. It was a blast.

Other than all that the rest of the week was cleaning out our appartment and packing. I got to share my testimony on Sunday for the last time in Odense 1st ward. It has been a great ward and a great area.

Well I don't have much else to say for the week. I was thinking on the 4th of July and thought how it is important to remember why America is such an important place. That it is the only place that the restoration could have happened. What a great country. I sure do miss it, but Denmark is pretty good too. 

Well have a good week and I will tell you more about the area and everything next week!

Elder Smith

There were 3 out of 4 of us leaving Odense. It was a crazy morning.

Hey Mom!

Your son loves and misses you too. 

The 4th of July was a blast. We played baseball and we had some fun relay races. Then, we had a barbeque with all possible meats and s'mores and jello.

I have never heard of the battleships trail. What makes it so cool?

I got the pants money. I found two pairs of pants so now I have a backup pair :)

That is really sad about the chickens. I bet the 4 that are left are a little sad all their friends are gone.

I love being a missionary! I hate when it feels like time is going to fast.

Good luck with your goal. I hope I can go to the temple sometime. It has been about a year. :( 

I love you mom. I'm sorry my email is short and lame. Have a good week!

Love, Elder Smith

New Address:

Østerbrogade 33 2.tv.

4800 Nykøbing

Hey dad!

It was pretty sad leaving Seden. Things were going so well there and it may be the hardest I have worked on my mission. We met with quite a few of the investigators this week to transfer them over to the other elders. I heard that Elder Weese got to go to the Stokholms again. We had a super awesome 4th of July as well. Sound like you also had a lot of fun.

Did you plan on practicing with the trailrunner guy? That sounds cool. Another half marathon haha. You are turning crazy. It reminds me of that one studio c video about running. If you haven't seen it ask Cooper about it or something.

I'm glad you all got to go visit aubrey. That is sad about the chickens. That's so annoying. I hope you catch the culprits. Are you going to find new chickens?

How is school going? Are you enjoying work? What about your calling?
 

I love you lots. Thanks for being my father. Have a good week.

Love, Elder Smith

Island Hopping

Well it has been quite the week. Elder Hamp and I have been working hard to finish out this transfer well.

On Monday we had a fun Pday. A member in the other ward here on Fyn had all the missionaries take the train down to Svenborg, a town on the south coast of the island. Then he took us all to this little beach and we waited for the tide to get as low as it would, then we waded through the water and walked to another island. He called it island hopping. It was probably as close as I will get to swimming on my mission. Haha.

On Tuesday we had a lesson with our new investigator Rikke. She doesn't really believe in God, but she was really interested in what we believe in and said we can come again.

So there is this guy named Daniel who is the grandson of a member in the ward and he isn't a member. We have gotten to know him well because he comes to church almost every week and comes to the young single adult activities. He has never said yes to letting us (the missionaries) come and teach him official, but he wants to be baptized. We talked to him again this week and he said he wants to start taking the lessons! That was awesome!

We have been pretty busy with service. We helped two families move this week and we have a couple service projects lined up for this week as well.

We had a lesson with Anja and we talked to her about prophets and the priesthood. We gave her a priesthood blessing to help her with her smoking addiction. She is trying really hard!

Other than that we have just been knocking and finding people like crazy. We have been working really hard to find new investigators this transfer and it is paying off... But, we found out yesterday night that Seden is going to be closing for a bit, because there aren't enough missionaries coming to the mission. Elder Hamp and I are really sad. This means we are using this week, transitioning all of our investigators over to the other elders and cleaning our apartment out completely. I guess the work we did won't go to waste, but it is sad to see the area shut down after everything.

Well that's all I can think of for the week. It has been a good one! I will let you all know next week where I am going.

Stay happy. I have learned on my mission that being happy makes all the difference. And that it is a choice. Put a smile on and think of the things that make you happy. If you can't think of any, then go find some reasons to be happy :)

Well I love you all. Hope you have a great week and enjoy July! Happy 4th! (tomorrow).

Love, Elder Smith

Us island hopping

Hey Mom! I cannot believe I have been in Denmark for a year. It's crazy!

We went island hopping haha. It's not very Danish but it was fun. This week we are having a big 4th of July party. Very Danish.

I love gospel principles class! That's the one we go to haha. I hope you get to teach it again.

I'm glad your new calling isn't too much for you ;)

I'm sorry all my stuff get's worn out. My black shoes are slightly falling apart a little bit, but they are still wearable, the brown ones are fine. I'm still good on shirts and other stuff though.

I wish I could send you some chocolate before tomorrow. I'm sorry I haven't sent you all anything for a while. I will try to get a letter in the mail soon. I have been slacking. ;) I am doing okay at eating good. I lost a little bit of weight, but it definitely isn't showing. I've lost around 15 pounds but my chubby belly looks exactly the same. Ugh.

My companion is great, so is the ward. But the area is shutting down and we are both moving so that is a big bummer. We are pretty sad.

My Danish is much better than when I first got here. It is still impossible to sound like a Dane but I can say pretty much whatever I need to.

I love you lots and lots and lots. Thanks for being my mom.

Love, Elder Smith

Hey dad!

Time is going by waaayyyyyy too fast. It was a good week. My favorite thing this week was when our investigator Anja asked us about what a chapter in the BOM meant. It was in first Nephi, but an Isaiah chapter. We read a bit with her and explained what we could. She is pregnant and after we talked about it she said hmm. Isaiah could be a nice name for a boy. She is awesome.

I can't believe you have ran 50 miles this month. That is gross. 

I think you should keep going with your classes. But I can't see how busy you are. I guess you'll do what you need to. :) Make sure you pray about it. What kinds of classes would you take if you did the BYU-I online classes?

I will gladly do the projects for you when I get home. I'm pretty sure I am still in debt to you and keep costing money because my pants keep ripping.

I definitely don't miss cleaning the chicken coop. Gross. Maybe you should just find a couple of goats to eat up the weeds. :)

I love you too dad. Thanks for being a good father. I miss you. 

Love, Elder Smith