Elder Braedon Smith Hermosillo, México Mission: February 2018

February 26, 2018

Week 7: First Week in the Field

Wow wow wow wow wow wow so much has happened! This has been one of the craziest weeks of my life. I have done so much and there is so much to tell. My first day in Obregon was LONG. I didnt sleep at all on the airplane on the way here and I was so tired. That same day, I had my first real lesson with an investigator. Her name is Brenda. Brenda is an amazing person. She is divorced, has one son, and is going to be baptized in April. She talks SUPER fast and so the first lesson with her I couldnt understand anything she said. She is awesome. Sometimes I forget that she is an investigator because she literally seems like a member of our ward. I am really excited for her baptism and I love her so much. Our Area is called Libertad. I am not going to lie, when I first got here I was hit so hard in the cara (face) with culture shock. Our casa (house) is very interesting. I was really struggling the first night but thank you for all the prayers it has helped alot. One of the craziest things that happened this week was this food I had called capirotada. I am not going to lie, I would rather have a nice bowl of basura (trash) than eat that again. It was a milagro (miracle) I could get one bite in. I got up one time to spit it out into the bano (bathroom) because I couldn't take it. The Hermana (sister) that made it is named Belen and she is so nice but it was terrible. Pero (but), she is like my abuela mexicana (Mexican Grandma) here in Obregon. We visit her house almost every day. Also, me and my companion needed haircuts so we went to a barber downtown and got some KILLER cholo haircuts. In the barber shop they were blasting cholo music and I was laughing and thinking to myself "this is so amazing and weird at the same time." Ok one food really good here in Obregon are the hot dogs. THEY ARE KILLER: We have a stand right in front of our house and so its perfect. Probably my favorite cosa (thing) that happened this week was when I gave my first Book of Mormon away. It was an older dude and I was so nervous. After I was done reading a scripture, I just had an impulse to reach in my bag and give it to him. When I got it out of my bag I thought to myself WELL THERES NO TURNING BACK NOW! So I gave a little bit of context of the book of mormon and then just gave it to him. After, me and my companion celebrated in la calle (street). As far as our investigators go, they are all killer. I love them so much. I want them to have the same blessings I have seen in my life for themselves. I know Heavenly Father loves them so much. Anyways, this week has been a ride but a good learning experience. Here are some fotos as well.

Giddy up

Elder Smith

Our street and mi perro

Also our street

"Welcome to our home"

KILLER hot dog I had

Mis niños

"Cholos para siempre"

La cocina

Mi cama

Our backyard

Our washing machine

Cholos

February 19, 2018 Ciudad Obregón (Libertad)

Week 6: Hola toda Las Personas

Hola! Things are going ok here! Just got to my area and I made it safely. This past week a lot of things have happened. During these past couple days, some CRAZY stuff has happened. First of all, there was an earthquake in Mexico City when we were there which was scary but we are safe. It was supposed to be a 7.7 but actaully we didnt feel anything which was a major blessing. Also, my companion broke his pinkey while playing volleyball and we had to go to the hospital get surgery. One of the doctors of the CCM drove us to the hospital and then DROPPED US OFF ALONE! It was crazy. No one spoke ingles (english) so, it was really interesting. Anyways, my companion got mystery mexican surgery and we spent the next couple days in the hospital by ourselves. I asked the doctor how long the operation was going to take and he said about an hour. So, when he went to the surgery at 9:30, I waited in the hospital room until he was finished. 10:30 came around and he hadn't come back yet so I waited a little longer. HE CAME BACK AT 12:30 IN THE MORNING: Pretty crazy. Entonces (then) , when the doctors rolled him back into the room, I was half awake on the couch next to him. After they left he said "Hey....Elder Smith..................................They chopped my hand off!" After that I said "Go to bed you doofus" and then we laughed for about a minute straight. What an experience. Other than that, this morning, I left for the airport at 1 in the morning. Now I am in Obregón and new experiences are to come!

Love you all

Giddy up

Elder Smith

The missionaries that arrived in Obregón from the CCM! Feb 19, 2018

Meeting my trainer, Elder Sosa. He's from Honduras!

Me and Elder Sosa with Presidente and Herman Myers

February 7, 2018

Week 5: Semana 5

Hola mi Familia!

What is up my good people. We are here again and it has been another week. How crazy it is that time flies this fast. In couple days, I will be flying to Obregon and out into the field and I am TRIPPING OUT. I know it will be great there because Heavenly Father and Christ will be with me every step of the way. This week has been great and overwhelming. We have had a ton of meetings about taking off into the field and my mente feels like its going to explode. It is going to be so awesome though! This week has been good but I can definitely tell that everyone is ready to take off. For example, my companion and I are BEST friends with our teacher Hermano Celis. When we were doing a fake lesson about la palabra de sabiduria (word of wisdom) we all started dying laughing because my teacher broke character as our investigadore "Cesar." Unfortunately, it wasnt the best lesson but we could all tell we are ready to not teach fake lessons anymore. Also, my companion was talking in his sleep AGAIN last night! This time it was in ingles. He was saying stuff like "Hey can you take care of this lesson tomorrow.........(silence).........OKAY." I was DYING. Also this week we have had some awesome devotionals about our futuro investigadores (Future Investigators) and it has been pretty cool. In general, it has been good week so far. To conclude this weekly update, I just want to bear mi testimonio sobre El Libro de Mormon. (Bear my testimony about the Book of Mormon) A couple of days ago I was having a rough time. I was down on myself about español and the mission in general. I was reading in Alma and all this sudden the verses I was reading seemed so specific to me. I was praying to God to help me and the verses I read sounded like a direct letter from God to me. It was EXACTLY what I needed. It wasnt kinda about me or said some things that I could apply to me life, but I mean it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear and was super specific to me. Anyways, my point is Heavenly Fathers answers prayers through thoughts in our minds, feelings in our hearts, AND through the scriptures. I guess I never really thought of that. All in all, I just want to bear mi testimonio on El Libro de Mormon porque it is La palabra de Dios (Bear my testimony on the Book of Mormon because it is the word of God) and it can be exactly what we need. Remember, life is an open book test because we have all the answers in El Libro de Mormon. (The Book of Mormon)

Giddy Up,

Elder Smith

Distrito 10D (notice how me and my companion have our "If we smile we wont look flippin cool" faces on

A super rare photo of the Celestial Kindgom (date unknown)

"Life could be a dream." Once again my camera decided to do some cool/weird effect as soon as someone else takes a picture. Elder Ortiz (one of my friends) is halfway blocking me.

Some rad statue that I needed a picture by before I left

Part 2 feat. my Companion

January 31, 2018

Week 4: What up my good people

Hola todas las personas del mundo!

Its Elder Smith reporting to you live from the CCM. Many of you have probably thought I have died long ago in the wilderness but you are wrong, I still alive. Holy crap mi cabeza flippin hurts! Every week at the CCM is great but maaaannnnnn I am glad to not be held prisoner soon. We went to the temple today and I literally forgot that we have a world outside the CCM. I was like ¿¿¿¿¿¿QUEEEEEEEE????? ESTOYYYY LIBREEEE. Entonces, I was pretty happy to get out of Fort Knox and into the city. El Templo was good as always but especially today. I decided to listen to the whole session in español (without headphones) which was so cool and muy loco. It was an amazing opportunity to listen entirely in a different language. Mi mente hurt so bad after though. Im in that weird stage where I cant remember what language I speak. I am losing ingles pero at the same time I dont know enough español so I end up speaking some bizarre version of spanglish. This week was pretty good.One crazy thing that happened was last night. I couldnt sleep for some reason and all of this sudden my companion STARTED SPEAKING SPANISH OUT LOUD IN HIS SLEEP. I dont know what he was talking about but apparently he wanted to have a conversation at 12:13 in the morning jajaja. Another awesome thing that happened this week was we taught a member about prayer in TRC (when we get to teach real investigators or members). He was KILLIN IN. He was seriously teaching us. At the end of the lesson he asked us are you guys mormons? Confused, we said yea? He said "No the mormon church doesnt exist". Obviously, me and my companion were so confused. He said "We are LDS not mormons! Always Remember." That Abuelo was seriously un hefe. That was a lesson for me that day. Also, the most fun day we had this week was when me and my companion played volleyball with latinos. IT WAS SO FUN. Whenever I went for the ball I yelled FRIJOLES (beans in spanish) and everyone was dying laughing. The Mexican people are seriously amazing. At times it gets hard on the mission but I know this is the only place I want to be. If I were home, I would just be wanting to be here. The mission is great and intense. Sometimes I wonder "Can I really do this?" but I remember how much I want to be here and how I will never have this opportunity again. All in all, a mission is a great blessing. Thanks everyone for your support. Sorry for the shorter email but it was just kind of a normal week. UNTIL NEXT WEEK FOLKKKSSS GIDDY UP.

Elder Smith

"Hidrata tu cuerpo, hidrata tu mente"

The last family home evening

Elder Liberado practicing yoga

Last night to hang out with our latinos before they went into the field

Week 3 CCM

Week 3: WHAT IS UP MY GOOD PEOPLE...

HOLLLLLLAAAAAAAA!

How is everyone? Its officially P day and its time to email again. These last couple days have been crazy and awesome (shocker). Breaking news, its actually freezing in Ciudad Mexico which is extrano (stange). It is warmer today but the last couple days have been 50 degrees or so which is loco. My favorite thing that happened this week was TRC. TRC is when you get to teach real investigadores, less active, and active members of the church. Me and my companion teach a bunch of ¨lessons¨ where our teacher pretends to be a stanger but this was so much different. We taught an older man that is a member and a young lady that also is a member. The spirit was soooo strong and it was an amazing experience. During the lesson. I was prompted to share Alma chapter 37 verse 6 (by small and simple things) but I couldnt remember the reference at the time. I was super frustrated but I decided to trust in the lord and grabbed my escrituras. When I opened them, I opened to the exact escritura. I was amazed and I was able to use it in the lesson. Dios provides a way siempre (always). A hard thing that happened this week is a bunch of people from our distrito transfered to a latino distrito to learn español faster. I have grown so close to the members of my distrito so it was hard to see them go. One of them was Elder Saunders, one of my companions in my trio. This was really hard but I know it will be awesome with Elder Urmston. Entonces, I am in a duo companionship ahorra pero its ok. I have changed companionships so many times jajaja. Before he changed distritos, he was really confused if he should stay or go. I was able to give him a blessing which was an amazing experience and the espiritu was so strong. I could feel God´s love for him. It was pretty amazing. Another thing that happened this week that was amazing is Elder Librado (picture below) gave an incredible testimonio to me, Elder Saunders, and Elder Urmston. Elder Librado is a latino in our casa and seriously one of my best friends. He always comes and hangs out in our apartment after each long day jajaja. Entonces, one night, he came in and told us how much he loved us and loved this gospel and how lucky we are to serve. His testimonio was like 10 minutes long and so powerful even though I only understood like 25% of it. He will always be a life long friend to me. Today, we went to the templo which was so awesome. I love Mayan art and architecture (ok Im flippin obsessed with it) and so the templo was seriously so cool. It was built in 1983 and is all Mayan inspired. The endowment and celestial room were so unique and beautiful! It was seriously one of the coolest temples Ive ever seen. The entire session was in español which was so cool. Despues, we went to la tienda (the store/ giftshop) by the temple and I got the most foul/rad shirt ever (picture below). Entonces, esta semana was killer! Thanks everyone for the support!

Provecho y Giddy up

Elder Smith