Last Email!!

I love you all

Ether 6:12

See you Soon!

-Elder Smith

Alma34:32

Hey every one, Life is awesome here in Belfast!

So Update on our investigators! 

We finally got in contact with Cheryl. She is awesome. She looks at the new year ahead as the time to change her life to be better. She doesn't feel as though she is ready for baptism quite yet but she is just needs to learn more and she's do fine. She enjoy what we have been teaching her. However she is has her family telling not to meet with us but she can't find any reason not too so she is going to continue! 

Clara is alright. She didn't come to church this week. don't know why but we are meeting with her tonight. She has a lot of questions but her sister Jane keep talking over her and we don't have time for her questions! 

Jane on the other hand she is just being difficult! I think she likes all the attentions that is why she is doing what she does.

That is that for investigators! 

Now me. I marvel at what a testimony can do for people. I have been reading this book about the History of the church and It amazes me that thousands upon thousands of people going threw persecution just for believing in something different! It never has made sense to me that since how the Churches back in 1820 hated each other enough to point out the other flaws but how they all can unite together to try to destroy our church! It just never made sense. Now the World has made it seem bad to be different! Even me being out on my mission. people reject us because we bring something new that is something different in their life. I don't get why they hate the book of Mormon and stick to their bible! 

So that is me everyone! I love you all and I talk to you for the last time next week! 

It's me

So, my life is awesome! Well I just choose that it is awesome and the teaching of Jesus make it all the different! 

So investigators...

Ozzy agreed to read the Book of Mormon. We litter took everything he said and pointed it to prophets and everything so the only options for him were that he read the Book of Mormon or the truth leave his house! He picked the Book of Mormon.

Clara and Jane and getting there! Clara his been praying but wouldn't tell anyone except for us missionaries! so she has planted the seed! Not it will grow! It's awesome Her sister however just like to talk about but her granny has a plan to get her to church! 

That is our investigators but now me! 

This last month for my mission is teaching me how to use the Principles of the Gospels to endure! It is hard stuff, me and my camp literally talk about Gospel topics all day he'll have a different view at looking at it and I do too but he thinks my view is completely wrong and his view is the only way. I'm trying to teach this kid that we are looking at the same thing but it's quite the processes! Really teaches me patience! 

So that is me i'm doing awesome! 

I love you all and thanks to the emails and the pictures! 

Me out! 

-Elder Smith

It my week I do what I want!

So this week we saw Ozzy and this I what I think he was thinking at the end of lesson... "ok prove the Mormons wrong then I get rid of them forever! that should be easy." The lesson was literally our church I different from every other church! So why don't you prove us wrong! It was completely unnecessary!

But life Is awesome here! For new years we watch star trek and frozen and kung fu panda 2! And played monopoly! it was fun no one won because we had to leave... poor us! :( 

Then this guy had a stroke during the middle of sacrament! he was 92 years old and before it happen my and companion were crack jokes with him 20 minutes before it happened! it was mental! 

I am finishing my mission and I am determined to finish strong! I need to, or what else would I be doing! :)

Hey I love all the pictures and thanks for the video wishing me happy birthday! 

There was no questions so maybe next week! 

Love you all! 

-Elder Smith

Okay, okay, okay,

So I got a challenge from my dad to not use any exclamation marks. So I won't hahahaha.

this week went alright it was a blast to see and talk with my family. I love them so much (exclamation marks) 

the work was tough, we couldn't meet with anyone because so We tried. 

I really don't have anything else to say. But I was told that I am bad at emailing because I don't answer questions but I don't have any questions asked this week so I have nothing else to sw but I will start improving on my email. It's never to late to start improving. 

I love you all.  you will hear more next week. byeeee.

-Elder Smith

Christmas Time is hear!

Hello everyone!

If you didn't know it's Christmas week this week! And my Birthday this week! It's awesome! People always ask me, "does it suck to have you birthday that close to Christmas?" I normally tell them no but After thinking about Really doesn't it mean that another part of my life is closer to the Savior's! THAT'S AWESOME! 

So this week was awesome! We met with Vincent!

We are just trying to get him to understand to pray for an answer to receive guidance on what to do! I think he is is not trying to understand! what a struggle!

Cheryl... Couldn't get in contact with her! 

We got a new investigator named mark! He is the man! really friendly and has great potential! 

and Ozzy! a former investigator He know that Our church is true just hasn't realized it yet! ;)

and Jane and Clara just need to pray! that is it I feel like! 

That yeah life is awesome I am excite for Christmas and Skype! 

See you soon! 

ME from Belfast

Hello every one! 

So guess what I had moves call yesterday and I'm staying the same with the same companion! It awesome! It will be fun finishing my mission with him! 

BUt we had a chance to teach a lot of people let me tell you who !

Clara and Jane! 

Clara - she is to afraid to pray because she is scared of the answer. because if it;s true she will have to change her life! she will get there! 

Jane - just denies the fact that there could be a God! she is a stubborn one! 

Cheryl

Cheryl is doing awesome! She is very humble maybe a bit too humble because she thinks all her answers she give are dumb! 

Then there is Vincent! 

He just doesn't understand why we are there! I think he thinks we are there to convert him to the Mormons! NO we don't we are there to help him find the truth! He doesn't understand that! 

But still working with less actives! We have 12 lessons this week! 

So it's great teaching! 

But that is my wee update! 

I love you all and love the Pictures! 

-Elder Smith

a WEEK FULL OF TEACHING!!

How are you all doing? 

This week we did a lot of teaching! 

We got a total of 11 lessons! It is always fun teaching!

So We have 4 investigators!

Vincent Jones - He believes that the catholic church is true and also the Book of Mormon is true! well this week we told him it can't be! I don't think he really liked it! We can't get back in contact with him! Well we tried! and we will keep trying! 

Cheryl - we taught her a bit of the restoration and she has been reading from the book of Mormon! she came to church! She really enjoys that book and church I can just see it in her! 

Then there is Clara and Jane - They are a members daughters They have a million questions! So many questions that we sat down for an hour and we didn't get the chance to say much because they asked to many questions! But the second lesson was a lot better told them that they couldn't asked questions until the end, it worked! 

We are working though with a lot of less actives and so we just keep on going! it's awesome!

life is awesome! so the work is going on! 

I love you all! 

Stay fresh! 

-Elder SMith

What a week

So I will run you threw my week! 

So last Monday we met with a Former Investigators named Vincent He is good! He believe that the Book of Mormon is true! And the Catholic church is true! So We'll teach him about baptism! ask how he was baptized!

Then on Tuesday I went to newtownabby with elder Sheppard! all their investigators dropped them and all their appointments fell threw! I felt back for them! I've been there and done that! 

Then on wednesday wee met with a less active family called the Armstrong they fed us which was nice! they also have over 100 liters of diet coke! That is a lot of Fizzy drinks! 

They were okay! then on thursday We got 2 new investigators! Both were the granddaughters of a member! they are awesome! they have 1000 and 1 questions! they are great! 

then we met with Hillair our less active resent convert! he just need to forgive people! 

But we had Cheryl show up to church and also she liked it! I hope we can meet with her this week! and find a member to come out with us! 

BUt It was a well rounded week! 

I really enjoyed it! 

Umm what time do you have church again family!? so I know when to plan to skype?

But I love you all! 

I love you pictures thanks a lot for them! KEEP SENDING ME THEM!!!

BYEE!

-Elder Smith

HELLO Everyone!!

Hello Everyone! 

So this week was pretty good! We taught Philip and then he dropped us! We stressed how it is important to understand what baptism fully is! I think we kind of stressed him out! because he sent us a text a couple days later saying how he is going back to his own church! He made a comment on how what happens if he messes up? So I think what he understood baptism to be is just going to church and being part of the club! so it kinda stinks adn kinda is a good thing! Now the ward doesn't have to worry about him joining the church then going less active because he didn't know what he was getting himself into!

Then with Cheryl, she was sick this week so we were unable to meet with her! 

We are working with some less actives 

The armstrongs! I'm not full sure what is holding them back! but I will figure out! 

Nathan, he is going threw the hard time in life and a hardship in his marriage! 

Also the Marrells! They just don't feel part of the ward! 

So a good amount of people this week! we will see how it will go this week! 

I did however get a chance to meet Elder M. Russel Ballard of the twelve! He is kind of short! I was surprised! 

It was awesome to shake his hand and to be taught from him! I just love how we can tell they are just full of knowledge and they KNOW what they are talking about! 

He talked a lot about being great teachers because you are never going to get away from missionary work! He said even if you die in the spirit world that is what you will be doing! 

He said, "since you can't get away from it, might as well be great at it! 

It was all about doing the work 10 people is all you need to talk to a day to start teaching some one! it's true! our mission had over 200 missionaries! that means each day we will talk to 2,000 people threw out the mission! that is over 730,000 people a year! that is a lot of people! considering that there are only 11 million people in the whole mission! it's awesome! 

so it was a great experience to meet elder M. Russel Ballard! 

Well I love you all! 

And I do LOVE PICTURES!

bye!

-Elder Smith

Cavehill ward

Hello from belfast! 

Leaving behind the great people in Dumbarton was hard But now I am in the happiest place in the UK! 

The Irish are awesome! 

So whitewashing (were me and my companion are both new to the area) was kind of stress full! I just lost awesome awesome investigators! and came to a place I don't know and our investigators and hard to meet with! I don't know the bus routes and I don't know the members at all! So I had no clue what I was up against! then I saw the missionary who was leaving and the first thing he said to me was... "sorry the flat in a mess. I didn't have enough time to clean it!" ARE YOU KIDDIN ME! I was stressed to the max! but i go threw it! 

Once I met the ward members and got to know the area a bit better then I felt A lot better! 

So we do have 2 investigators! 

Cheryl...

She has met with missionaries in the pass and she saw a baptism once! She has been reading a very little bit from the Book of Mormon and That is really all I know about her! We are meet with her today and So I will tell you more text week! 

Phillip... 

He is hard to get on a appointment we had 2 and both of them fell threw! but he did com to church! that was awesome! He had a date for baptism a couple days ago but sadly he didn't make it! so we are going to work with him to achieve that! it will be awesome! He is very quiet! 

but This ward is really great and I enjoyed church a lot on Sunday!

that is all I got for you! 

I love you all! 

I love the pictures! 

have a good one! 

-Elder Smith

The Craic is mighty!

Hello everyone! 

So This week was moves call and guess what..... I'M MOVING! It's super insane! I am going back over the Ireland! where the craic is mighty! Me and my companion are new to the area and it's going to be a party! I'm so excited! Then my district leader is my favorite companion! Elder Harman! It's going to be so much fun! The President told my that my new companion is kinda lazy! But hey uyou know it will be fun teaching him to work hard! 

So this week we got 5 new investigators! It was awesome! 

So starting with Linda! 

She is Kind of insane. She was found by a church headquarter referral. So she told the church that she wanted to meet with us! She wants to know what we know because we are young people with strong faith! She told us crazy stories! but during the middle of the lesson she pretended to be a person who had schizophrenia! It was the strangest thing in the world!

Linda invited her neighbor over Allen and he was listening and helping Linda understand what we were teaching! 

Then there is Mike! 

He is from Kenya and is awesome! I don't mean to stereotype but he is your typical African! You say Jesus Christ and he will let you in and love what you are talking about! We taught him the restoration and invited him to church and told him it will be 3 hours long and he said "Sunday is for church it doesn't matter how long!" Sadly he didn't make it this week! But We couldn't tell if he meant this week or next! 

Then there is Katie and Courtney! 

They are our investigator's daughters they are great! One looks clueless and the other one is very hyper! it was hard trying to teach them but we did our best! all three of them came to church and they seemed to enjoy it! 

So this week was awesome and I really enjoyed it! It will be sad to leave here but It will be fun to see my Irish friends one last time! 

I love you all and thank you all for the pictures keep them coming and I love them!

Love you,

-Elder Smith

New Investigator!! It's about time!

Hello everyone! 

So my quick news! So I wasn't very sure when I get home but I just got informed that is maybe the 3rd of February! So that seems to be more likely then not! So that is probably when I get home! :)

But now my updates! 

So we are going to talk about scott! 

Scott!!

He finally got him own place and so his is moving out of the area! He is move just down the road though to some sisters in the district! So I will be able to keep tabs on him! 

Marie! 

So Marie split up with her husband and so she is moving down to england and will continue learning about the church there! 

So now our new investigator...

David!

He is awesome! He wants to baptize his children into a church and so He wants to know which one. We found him on the street by the hand of the Lord! It was awesome! We will meet his daughters this week on Tuesday! 

But with our teaching pool emptied then we have plenty of time to find now people to teach! So We will see how it goes! We  do have some solid appointments this week! so let's see what the Lord has in-store for us! 

Be this coming up Tuesday for district meeting we are going to learn about parables and using them in missionary work! It will be awesome! 

Well I love you all and like always! I love seeing pictures of you! 

bye!

-Elder Smith

Another week down!

How are you all doing! 

This week was alright! as the day gets dark same with the people spirituality!! 

It's sad to see but hey the work must go on! 

This week was alright! I went back to one of my old areas.. Airdire! I love that place!

We did a finding activity out there to help them out! then I have about en hour left before we had to catch our train so I visited some members and one Investigator! It was a blast to see them a again It rekindle my energy! 

Wednesday was a lame day! we had an appointment set up that cancelled in the morning! we called around to 4-5 different people and no one was free! so a member came out with us and we stopped by 3-4 other people no one was in! It was a really rough night! 

Then Thursday we did finding all day! 

Same with Friday!

and saturday...

However with did meet with Scott this week and we came to the comclusion that there is three thing hold him back! 

1. slothfulness! he told us that he knew he has to use what he is learning! 

2. Pride! I hate it! but he said, "I don't need help!" 

3. He doesn't really like the members! He think the Bishop did a back ground check on him! so there you have it! 

Life is good though !

i do love you all and I REALLY love all the pictures you send me! 

-Elder Smith

it's that time again!

So it is that time that you all get to hear my updates!

So with Marie she has been in and out of hospital so she couldn't meet with her! 

Then Scott we met with and he is not changing! He may need a break with us just to gather all his thoughts together! 

But I did go on exchanges with elder Welch this week! he is such a lazy butt! so I am going to work on that this week! He's is making it super hard on his companion! 

I went on exchanges with his companion and he told me how hard it is working with him and he's been with the same guy for 6 months!  i need to help him out !

But really that is all I got we have a new finding skill we are tuning! Work goes on like usual! 

I love you all! Take care

-elder Smith

P.S. Thanks for the Pictures! 

It's been alright!

So this week has been a normal week! So update on our investigators! 

Marie!

So went back to hospital this week and So we were able to meet with her! But still is doing spiritually well just not physically! 

Scott!

Scott is complicated! We met with him and as we were teaching him he was getting drunk and ended up yelling at us! and telling us he never wanted to talk with us ever again! But he called us the next day and apologize so yeah that is Scott!

Graham

He is kind of a new investigator! We taught him the restoration, it was the best lesson I've taught! But hey it works! He said he'll have questions and he will call us soon! So hopefully we can hear from him! 

Then that is really me! 

All is well I am going on exchanges with Oban this week! We'll see how it goes! 

Will I love you all! 

Don't forget I also love pictures!

Bye,

-Elder Smith

conference

Hello everyone,

So investigator update...

Marie, our investigator, came to conference and really enjoyed it! She is progressing really well! She wants to be baptized but just is waiting for her health to get better! 

Scott, finally opened up and said that he had a lot of questions that he would want to ask Jesus! So It will great to see what questions he has! 

Now me! 

I loved Conference! the best one I paid attention to yet! 

Top two talks! 

Elder Lawrence, and how he talked about progression! I just loved that talk! It was awesome!

and President Uchtdorf's talk during priesthood was great! He talked about Daniel and his faith! 

Well that is my wee update !

I love you all! 

-Elder Smith

Howdy!

So this week just finish with moves call and I am staying another 6 weeks with my same companion! 

So not much to report! 

Marie is doing absolutely awesome! She is excited about "churchy" Stuff now! We introduced family history to her and she really likes it! So she's becoming converted! It is awesome so see! 

Scott on the other hand is tells us what he needs to do but just doesn't do it! I am going to have to pray and fast about Scott!  to see what we can do! 

We do have this referral we got from the Head quarters! she seem promising! her name is Linda! She type Jesus Christ into Google and found us and she said she wants to be save! That is awesome! Hopefully she gets better from the cold that is going around! 

But besides that we are finding and have fun! 

I love you all! 

Don't forget I love pictures!!

-Elder Smith

I got away with it!

So this week I was doing my district leader Study and I had this great revelation and what was sharing with it some people around the mission! well I came to the conclusion that I need to share that with the whole mission! So I did what has never been done before, And I sent the whole mission an Email! It was awesome but the scariest thing I have done yet on my mission! It was so fun!

I will add it in to the email if you are really interested what I sent! It's nothing bad so there for it is of God! 

But as I get further and further into my mission I become more and more outgoing and BOLD to the world! I start doing stuff I never though I would be able to do! It's awesome! I have came to the conclusion that is how the Lord wants me to be! It's me against the world! I could let the world conquer and win but I will not! It's to much fun being on top of the world! I just keep giving thanks to god who place me there! I do have my days though, where I am on bottom but through the God's grace I always come out on top! 

No to our investigators... Marie has been coming out to church again now that she is feeling better! She is progressing on and doing great! It is really fun to teach her because she asks  great question and that is how you are tell she understands what we are teaching, or at least she is trying to at least! 

Then there is Scott! He is the man and doing great! He realize that now he is falling into old habits again that he has potential to be where he once was when he started meeting with us! He is really good at teaching himself! 

But the other night we went to a born again church and that was alright I really enjoy our church much better. I just left as though nothing was accomplished by the end of church! I did no feel edify at all! But I might be able to teach some of them we will have to talk about it and ask god What we need to do! 

But hey that is me and my life is always a roller-coaster!  thanks for you Love and support! 

God Bless! 

-Elder Smith

What I sent to whole mission! 

So the other night I was talking with the missionaries in my district about the Holy Ghost Principle. It seemed like the hardest thing between all of them it that they all have a hard time identifying to the investigator that he or she is feeling the Holy Ghost! 

I read this talk titles The Unspeakable Gift of the Holy Ghost, and in the talk it points out different ways people express that they are feeling the Holy Ghost! After share my insight from the talk to the district I then realized that I really didn't help them help the investigator identify that he or she is feeling the Holy Ghost. Then the heavens were open and God enlightened my mind on how the investigator can identify the Holy Ghost.

So, I told the District that I would send them this talk so they could get a better understanding and I planned on sharing my further insight in the email. Well that is just a long way to say that is the purpose of this Email. To help the mission help their investigators identify the Holy Ghost, and it all starts with the Holy Ghost Principle. (all the red marks in the principle are my insights)

The Missing Link - The Principle of Identifying

The Holy Ghost Principle:

1. How to begin teaching:
• We have to create the environment for the Holy Ghost we do this by removing all distractions, and starting with a pray.
• As you go through the bullet points in HTBT one of the most important ones to prepare the investigator for the Spirit is "We will be guides so that you can learn the truth of our message for yourselves. It is your choice to accept and act on the message. Therefore, you should feel free to ask questions." Make sure the investigator understands his job is the understand us.
2. Messengers sent from God:
• They have to realize that we are more then young men.
3. The Mission of the Holy Ghost:
• The people in the Scotland/ Ireland mission are spiritually dead. They need a refresh course on what they learn in the Pre-Earth Life.
4. Explain HOW we can tell it's the Holy Ghost:
• They need to know what to look for or else they are shooting in the dark.
• We do they by give examples in our lives and in the lives of others. What I personally like to do is not give specific examples but give them the general Idea of it all. I love the scriptures because the way Preach My Gospel puts it, "The scriptures invite the Holy Ghost into your teaching. They teach God’s word with power."
• The way I would explain how we can tell it's the Holy Ghost is to turn to Galatians 5:22-23 and asking the investigators what is the connections between all the different type of the fruit of the Spirit. Then we help them realize that it is our feelings, the feeling of love, the feeling of Joy... Peace... ect.
5. We make the Prophecy:
• This is only possible if on is worth to do so.
• When we make the Prophecy we tell them that they will feel the Holy Ghost threw their FEELINGS.
6. We teach the lesson we prepared.
• During the lesson it is important we leave silence so investigators have "time to think about and reply to questions or to express what they are feeling." (PMG pg. 178)
• We also have to listen and observe. The great question now is what are we looking or listening for? In the talk listed above Elder Jensen points out ways people express that they are feeling the Holy Ghost. I want you to ask yourself if you have ever seen investigators do or ask any of these thing. (Alam 32:28)
1. " 'It beginneth to enlarge my soul,' evidenced in sincere seekers of truth by tears, a sigh, a nod of the head, or some other body gesture that the Holy Ghost had planted true words in their hearts.
2. " 'It beginneth to enlighten my understanding,' evidenced by comments such as 'that makes sense' or 'I have always believed that' or a question, 'Are you saying then that … ?'
3. " 'It beginneth to be delicious to me,' evidenced, for example, by investigators with comments like 'please tell me more' or 'where did you say your church is located?' or 'won’t you stay a little longer and teach us more?'—meaning they are hungry and want more."
• Now I know some of these are rarer then others but I can promise you all that I have seem seen all 3 of these examples. 
7. Helping them realize the Holy Ghost:

• We point out to the investigator that her or she is feeling the Holy Ghost. This is the hardest part because we can tell that they have the Holy Ghost but they can't. The objective of this is to have them figure out they are feeling the Holy Ghost, and we this by first asking them a question. 
• Once you see them nod their head, say that makes sense, or whatever it maybe ask them why they did it. They will come with some reason to answer your question, but then ask them how they feel. That way we whatever they did to their feelings and their response be good or some type of good feeling.
• Now that we identify that they feel good we show them that is the Holy Ghost, we do this by reading with them Moroni 10:5-7
1. 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. 

6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is. 

7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

• This way it completes the circle; it tells our investigators that they "nodded" because they felt good about it, and they felt good about it because of the Holy Ghost. Now they are open for you to ask to be baptized. If they do say "no" and they will say "no" then just fallow the council I received from President Donaldson, "Don't forget the invitation and calendar are an important part of the Holy Ghost principle. We should invite our investigators to be baptised whilst they are feeling the Holy Ghost. If they say no then we ask "as you continue to have such feelings will you follow the example of Jesus..."

Elder and Sisters, I do hope that the Principle of Identifying helps you all understand the Holy Ghost Principle better. I do hope through this more and more people will enter the waters of baptism and they mill drew closer to Christ. Elder and Sister I do know these principles came from God and God loves every single one of us. I know this is the true church and the only church to part take of the "fruit of the tree of life". and this I leave with you all in the name ofJesus Christ, amen.

So what is new?

So this week I went to Oban and it was very beautiful! I really like it there! I was with Elder Longman and h is funny stuff I don't care who you are! 

We did some farmer Finding to see if any farmers needed any help they said no but to come back in the winter! I just really want to pet a sheep that is what it really boils down too!  But It was a blast! We just made some really good stories!

Then we came back to Dumbarton! it's bee alright! We taught Marie! She has been sick  lot lately and so it's been hard to meet with her but we met with her this past week and she is awesome! She had a dream that she brought a lot of people into the church! I do feel as though Marie will bring a lot of people in! It will be exciting to see what is in store! 

My next goal it to teach her husband! That is going to be the hard part!

But the joys of missionary work! Besides that we did some finding and and more finding! 

So that really all that went on! 

take it easy! 

-Elder Smith