July 13, 2016

Hello!

Changes were pretty laid back and easy.  It helps that I know the routine with this much time in the office, and it also helps that the Browns are super laid back and humble and they don't really have expectations of anything yet because they don't really know how things are supposed to work.  The Browns actually remind me a lot of you and dad.  They´re just as laid back, loving, and nice and President is as meek and humble and loving as dad.  It´s awesome.   It´s been a great experience so far to see them and get to know them.

I really love the Browns.  At the dinner today it was supposed to start at five and at the Hilton the reservation was from 5-8 PM and we can´t go over without substantial extra charges.  And the bus got a flat tire that was bringing the missionaries to the dinner and it arrived 45 minutes late.  I waited in there with the Browns, the APs, and the Browns´ three youngest kids and they were calm and fine.  They didn´t get mad or stressed or anything, just waited patiently for the bus to arrive. The kids are also really fun, they have a lot of energy.  They were running around and got put in time out, each in a separate corner.  It's interesting to see American discipline of children, because it's not the same here.  So we got to plan, coordinate, and execute this dinner at the Hilton and when the missionaries arrive we just have to leave.  That´s one down side of being a secretary.  Making the cool stuff happen but not usually getting to participate and then later having to go and clean up after.  I didn´t get changes and I´m not training anyone else to be the finance secretary so I´m here at least another two changes.  This one, and then the next one I'll probably train someone to be finance secretary.  So I'll have spent about 9 months in the office by the time I leave and I'll already have 14 months.

Interesting thing that you probably won't like:  Today I found a bunch of bed bug colonies in my sheets.  Basically there are these tick things that come out during the night to suck my blood and then go hide during the day.  When you squish them a ton of blood explodes out of them.   Tonight I´ll change my sheets out and tomorrow I´ll spray some permethrin.  

Also, you might not be proud of me on this one either but...  Last week from Monday through Saturday I ate McDonalds five of the six days.  And I feel great!!  But the last two days I ate Subway to make up for it.  

We don´t really have any new investigators except for some teenage girls that came to church with us.  We´ll see if they´re positive or if they just wanted to go to church because I'm such a hunk ;)

We haven´t been getting as much proselyting time as we would like lately because of office stuff.  Answering your question about baptisms:  the mission leader leads the baptisms, usually missionaries talk on the Holy Ghost or baptism and direct the music and pray during the services and the mission leader asks a member to baptize.  I´ve only baptized once in San Judas and that was with Maria Del Carmen.  

Love You!!!

Elder Smith

PS Myles and all of the rest of you look pretty dang cute in those photos.  It was weird though, because I didn't see Bo in those photos either.  I'm starting to think he's dead or something.  :) Jk I know you sent pics of him last week or the week before.  Does Myles recognize you, dad, Delaney, Rich, and Peyton as special people that aren't strangers?  Poor guy isn't going to know me.  Do you show him pics of me?  Do you show pics of me to Bo?  Poor Little Bo.  He must still be so distraught without me.

Coco's baptism

Hanging (working) in the office

 

Lovely bed bug

Dinner set up at the Hilton for departing missionaries.