Wk 53 - Mike Mike Mike, Guess what day it is?! HUMP DAY!!!

Companion: Elder Nelson
Area: Jackson

Nephi teaching me how to rope! 

Wrastlin 

Service with the boys-
we found a stuffed chicken

Hey I won the fair!!
(Hahaha no it's the Pariseaus daughter! I was just messing!
She got all three! She killed it!) 

Found a slinky #attickhunters

Elder Nelson GI Joe and his new rc car!! It's sweet! 

Elder Nelson did Chicken Dwarfs all week

Howdy Howdy, 

Well last Wednesday the senior couple came in right after Pday we helped them move in! We had a member meal and didn't realize they lived about 25 minutes north so we ran up there and after we got there we pulled into this really creepy house with their address. Knocked and knocked but no one was home and it was weird because we just talked to them and we didn't have service to call them! So we went to ask the neighbor and she told us they moved to oak hill! which is 20 minutes south of Jackson so we called them as soon as we got service and they met us in Jackson because it was getting to late! So that was fun! haha 

Thursday we had district council! We got to drive up with the senior couple and It was very spiritual! It was a good one! Afterwords we gave the senior couple a tour of Jackson and went out to lunch! It was a party! We also brought them to a lesson that night that turned out really good! I don't know if I've ever been so lovingly bold on my mission because the guy we were working with named Jorge thinks he knows the bible because he's a preacher and his interpretations are everything. But he really wants to learn which is good! He's a great guy and I hope comes around some day. 

Friday we went and helped the senior couple put together all of their furniture and desks and what not. Had some weekly planning. After dinner we had a cool lesson over facebook then had a Branch council. Which was awesome and a lot of great ideas where brought up. On the way home it was pretty dark and there was a deer right off the road and my companion had his window down and when he saw it he started freaking out and then we had about four or so run right in front of our truck and he was flipping out the whole time and we had a great laugh out of it because he was screaming his head off!!! hahaha! I could barely drive I was laughing so hard! and yes he gave me permission to share this experience. It was a good time! Although our personalities are very different we're having a way good time!! We basically laugh all day!! It's a party!

Saturday morning it was pouring rain and all I remember from that day was visiting the Plymales farm and we ended up having to do service in our white shirts and ties because they had a poisonous tree that could kill the cows, fall from the neighbors and land on their fence and into the field! Good times. 

Sunday we had a great service! Afterwards we went to Ralph's to give him the sacrament with Elder Allison! Stopped by an investigator who told us he'd come to church but didn't show up! That night we had dinner at the Allison's and they invited a member over and it was a wonderful time!! 

I'm gonna skip to Tuesday because Monday was the best and I like best for last!! For lunch we went out to Dairy Queen and I ordered a chili dog and the first time it got dropped as I was getting my food so they made another and it had a nasty hair in it so I basically just lost my appetite!! But later when it came back we had dinner with the Pariseaus and had some dang good spaghetti!!! Then I got to help teach there son, Nephi, how to rope! He was so excited it was a good time!!  

Monday I went on exchanges with Elder Michels! It was a pretty good day! We had to mow in the morning then later for dinner we grilled some pork!! My goodness it was some tasty stuff!!! That night we had a lesson fall through that was supposed to be at the senior couples but while we were there waiting I saw a teenager out the window and the Spirit told me I needed to talk to him. So I waited about another minute still feeling that I needed to go talk to him and he turned around as if he was looking and me and checked his watch as if it was God saying "go NOW!" So I just got up and as a soon as I got out the door he went inside then Elder Michels was like no we need to be on this street and there was one other person to talk to so we walked two blocks and talked to her for about twenty minutes! It was awesome and we told her about the Allisons and she was like I'd love to meet them. So we went back and told them what happened and said they needed to stop by! Later that night they texted us and they were like, hey we just met with Pat(which is her name) and she's awesome!! We just talked to her at first and she let us in the door and we had an awesome discussion for over an hour!! Thanks for doing what you do, Elders!! What a miracle that was!! It was sweet to be a part of that! I hope the Lord will always trust me to be his first responder and the only way he will is if I'm doing the things I need to be doing!! 

Well love you guys so much!! Hope you had an will have a great week!

Love Elder Smoot!! 

Wk 52 - Muds not "Fair"

Companion: Elder Nelson
Area: Jackson

Saw Elder Kunz for the first time on the mission!
Homie from back home I used to work with! It was awesome!!

Can't believe I found a Smoot road on the way home from transfers!!!
Made an illegal u turn for this pic! Haha!

The other guys! 

Elder Porter from Springville!
On the long crazy drive to Powell 

Goats!

Fair time, mutin busting and hanging with the bulls

The pretty lake we HAD to stop for! 

It's buried!

After a long walk! 

Howdy howdy, it feels like it's been      for      ev             er since last pday! But it's only been one extra day! This last week has been one for the books that's for sure. One for the books in all kinds of ways! Well first starting after pday last Tuesday, we went and basically just visited all of the members we possibly could so Elder Blake could say peace out! Oh and we had to go to a stake mission coordination for the branch which took a lot of the night. It was good but I feel like a lot more things that needed to be said could have been discussed.

Wednesday we drove clear the heck up to Wooster, Ohio which is 3 hours and 20 minutes from here! We were supposed to find a member ride and we tried but couldn't find anyone of course because 7 hours of driving with missionaries is kind of a big hassle! I definitely can't blame them! So I drove all 7 hours leaving at 9:30 and not getting back until 6:15 basically took all day and I was POOPED at the end! So I guess nows a good time to tell ya'll about my companion Elder Nelson! Haha It's been WILD!! He is from Herrimann Utah, he's 20 and he has been out 9 months. Just came from Kirtland and feels like he's been just thrown down here! He's a "city boy raised indoors" as he tells everyone! So I'm not sure how he likes the country! It's been an adventure though, he has this nightly ritual that he calls "CHICKEN TIME" where he draws a cartoon chicken with some sort of character or theme every single night and puts it on the wall. Not gonna lie his art is very impressive. Needles to say we have complete opposite personalities and our idea of missionary work is completely foreign to each other because our two missions were merged! But some how, some way we are making it work! He's a great guy and wants to work so it'll be alright.

chicken time art!

Thursday we had district council and I wasn't sure if I was gonna be a district leader again so I didn't plan one until the morning of but it turned out really good! After, we met this sweet guy at taco bell and added him on facebook! He seemed really interested and we sent him a video and never got a response! But that's just how the work goes.

Friday I had another district leadership training meeting clear up in Powell! We had a crazy travel itinerary to get there! We drove an hour to Greenfield then another hour to Westland then about 30 minutes to osu then osu to Powell! haha We went all over the place! We left at about 6:40 and didn't get home until 4:45! That night we went out to Welston to work and realized that the county fair was out there so we went and stopped by the Pariseau family. They have some goats and bunniesin the fair! It was a good time to go see some animals and visit with them for a while! 

Saturday we ended up having to do some service for an elderly man named Ralph and we had to mow those lawns we mow every week. It was very hot!!! Then weekly planned and not much else happened after dinner. 

Sunday, we had church and only about 37 were there! it's very noticeable when a family or two goes out of town! We had  a member down from Chillicothe because he couldn't make it back to his ward on time so he came to ours! After he got invited by the Cruse family to dinner which is who we were gonna have dinner with so they were like well you can just hang out with the Elders until then! So basically we had to push lunch back and everything and go out and visit people with him! It was kinda crazy but all is well! Dinner was well worth it!

Monday, we did some service in the morning, did the usual stuff prepared for district council, then went down to Oak Hill to visit some of the people we've been trying to teach for the last while. We talked to two lady's that were pretty sweet! Carrie is pretty awesome! Me and Elder Michels found her on exchanges a while back and I've been back about 4 times now with different people every time!! haha Then we tried to get in with a former family but not sure if they'll go any where yet! Guess we'll have to see!

Tuesday we had exchanges, I was with Elder Coon and that's always a party! In the morning we went out and found two new people to teach right off the bat. It was sweet! Then stopped by the Cruse's and told Sister Cruse happy bday! After lunch and studies we headed up to interviews! Not realizing we had interviews the same day as exchanged which you aren't really supposed to do but oops! Interviews were great though! President and Sister Stratford are awesome! We basically just talked about how crazy the branch is and how we're getting a new senior couple in Jackson!! They come in today actually in about an hour or so!!! They'll be a big help for sure! We also just got to talk about the district and it was a good time!! Love those guys!! Afterwards the family at the fair wanted us to come back and watch the kids show their goats!! It was sweet! They also had a son do some muttin bustin! He's a little stud! 

Finally Pday adventure! So me and Elder Coon first thing this morning gave Elder Brumfield a call and sang him happy birthday! So if he actually reads my emails like he says he does, Happy birthday big guy! haha! But anyways then we headed out to a district activity! On our way we were on a back road and we saw this beautiful lake! So of course we had to stop and get a picture! So we did and when we were leaving on the way out we came up on a mud hole that we had to go through that was a lot bigger than we anticipated! Yes we got stuck and there was no service what so ever!! Not until we walked a couple miles down the road where we stopped every person asking if they could help or knew someone that could and we only saw like four people, a couple of them told us there was no way without a tractor and that everyone gets stuck there. We had about 6 huge dogs try to kill us at one time or another and finally we got ahold of the other elders telling them we won't be able to make it. After about another hour we had our good samaritan drive by as we flagged him down and asked for help!! He was like yeah get in I've been there done that! We ended up breaking two of his ropes so he left and came back in a half an hour with chains to pull us out and we got right out! Then he asked us for gas money and we felt bad of course since we have Jesus on our chests we had to do it so we followed him and helped him out because he helped us!! Needles to say it was an adventure!! Were safe and everything is good! Just warning don't go "mudding" with bald street tires! You will get stuck!! So it's been a great day!!

Well hope ya'll have a great week! Keep it safe, but adventurous! haha!

Love you all! 

Love Elder Smoot 

PS: I actually got permission to watch Justin's funeral. I saw Linda's post of the link and called president. We started it an hour late but I saw most of Rulon's talk! He's awesome and it was an amazing talk! Justin was such a stud! We watched it in the Cruse's computer shop and they and a customer come in during it and she just sat down and started watching it and you could totally tell she felt the spirit! It was so cool! She told us how she lost her husband a year or two before and how hard it was. We just bore testimony on top of Justin's families and she was like that's awesome! So, a seed was definitely planted! 

Wk 51 - Staying in Jackson!!!

Companion: Elder Blake
Area: Jackson

Murica cookies!

Filipino #Merica

Pop!

Service with Elder Coon

Another one!

Cow goes Moo!

Caught a fat cat fish!

trading back comps at the gas station

quick stop at the member's shop

Monday night grillin'

last District photo

Whoo! First of got transfer calls and I'm staying in Jackson! Sweet! I was really nervous I was gonna get the boot, even though I just got here, but now I'm very relieved! Thank heavens! Anyways it's been quite a crazy week!!

4th of July!!!! We had a branch breakfast that we went to all morning! It was sweet!! We had a good time! Best part was they had CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES!!! Sadly no peanut butter but I'll just bring my own next time! haha jk After we went and did service in the blazing heat!!! We spread a bunch of poop in the Plymale's hay fields!! It was dying hot but a party as always! haha That night we got invited to a member's to go to a gender reveal party!! It was sweet!! It's a girl in case you were wondering! It was a pretty good day! 

Thursday we had district council!! (district meeting is now called district council) (kinda weird but what ever) (haha) It was really good! The Spirit was so strong and I definitely learned a lot! After we had exchanges! Elder Coon, who I've served around for the last 6 months or longer came down to Jackson with me! He's such a good missionary. I love working with him!! On our way home there was a crazy crazy rain storm that literally everyone pulled over and drove down the road going 5 miles an hour because you couldn't see!  So a 35 minute drive took a little longer than usual!  When we got back to Jackson there was no rain! We did some studies and went out to the Plymale's again because his calves were getting out and he needed help fixing the fence! His better half is in Cali for a while and he's a little older than most farmers so we've been helping him out when we can. This turned out to be the craziest night/ exchange I've ever had. We went out about 4 o'clock and started going around the fence line lowering and untangling and getting things off the fence and we ended up pounding in a bunch of posts and fixing a lot more than he expected! We worked half way through our dinner hour when we were headed out. He has a top cow of the whole heard who he has a lot of plans for and is basically his prized possession and he's about 5 months old right now. But I wasn't seeing him anywhere, so I asked him where he was and he was like you know I was wondering the same thing, can we go check on him? We said yes of course and when we found him he was stuck up to his neck in deep, nasty mud and couldn't get out. So he starts stressing out and was like hey can you guys help? I know you've got to go but we have to get him out. So we again were like of course! haha! He ran over to grab his tractor, and ran over to his neighbors who is an inactive member that helps him out and got a bunch of ropes which took about an hour to get everything ready. We got our there and put the bucket about him and tried to pressure him out and after about 10 minutes he wiggles free! So we went and got stuff to put up a fence over this huge wet muddy area! haha I got to pound in more fence post! We were starving at this point because by the time we got home it was 9!! Made for a crazy night! The member goes, "well elders, that's what you call the ox in mire! haha" So, crazy exchange!

Friday finished up the exchange by going down to oak hill and found a new person who's a cop and a firemen! Pretty cool guy! Got Elder Blake back, had follow up calls the the Zone leaders. Did weekly planning. Not much happened that night! Except we got in with Todd, who's a pretty sweet member! 

Saturday we got to go to lunch at a Mexican buffet with the Maquidangs! They're so dope!  That night they invited us out to their property to share a message and watch them shoot!  Because we can't shoot but they brought a bow we got to shoot a couple of times then we headed out! They brought a member that just graduated and we've been trying to get in with because his dad doesn't agree with us but we want him to stay strong!! It was so good to be around him, he's such a stud! It made for a wonderful night! The neighbors even had huge fire works! 

Sunday, I guess the Mexican was bad because Elder Blake and I had terrible stomachs the whole day until the night! The best part was we both spoke in sacrament! I spoke on James 1:5-6! I felt like it went pretty good! I didn't realize how strong my testimony on prayer was until I gave that talk! It was awesome and I felt the Spirit a lot. 

Monday morning we did some service at the food pantry, we are trying to teach the one who runs it and others that volunteer because they have asked quite a bit of questions as we've gone there. We stopped by a members shop for a sec because they were out of town last week and we wanted to see how the trip was! It was a good visit and we got to share a spiritual thought there it was really awesome! Then grilled for dinner and got in with two investigators!! It was a good night!

Today we went and played some tennis, got transfer calls, went to a Chinese buffet, and now we're emailing! So far so good as far as today goes! Tomorrow we gotta drive about 6 hours round trip to get to transfers and back so that'll be a blast!! hahaha! I'm sad Elder Blake is leaving! He's been a good companion! But it happens! I hope I get another good one!! 

Love ya'll so much! I'm sorry I didn't even know I could write emails this long! I never thought I would to be honest. My plan was just to write about a couple paragraphs but, too late now!! haha! SOO much good things happen that I can't leave part of it out!!  Just wouldn't be fair! 

 

Have a good week! Remember to pray, it makes life so much better to be able to talk to a loving Heavenly Father!

Love Elder Smoot! 

Wk 50 - Jackson's Snapping

Companion: Elder Blake
Area: Jackson

District Activity!

Action of catching on their dock

Snapping Turtles!

Mowing...

Flash floods! Right outside our house!
We had police lights outside our house till about 10:30-
they brought in a tractor to pick up debree! 

Hey Ya'll! Times are GREAT!!! This last week was pretty darn awesome!!!! Last Thursday we had our last district meeting! It is now called district counsel! haha! But it went really well! We talked a lot about member missionary work!! After that we went and did some service for some members! We set hooks the day before on pday for Snapping turtles and then went out to help them with somethings and got to also check for Snapping turtles! The very first one we pulled weighted about 35 lbs and bit the line and snapped it! Darn turtle got away! He can't have the turtles in his pond because they'll eat all his fish that he has put in there! Then we checked the rest and caught two more smaller ones but they didn't break the line because we got a net in there! It was probably the best service I've ever done!! haha! It was a blast! That night we got to spend some time with a returning less active family at the same farm! They have 4h cows at the house we we got to talk and get to know them better! It was awesome!! 

We went back Friday Morning to the Plymales again to help them clean out their barn from all the cows! Oh how I missed scooping poop! hahaha! Got two more decent sized turtles as well! Then went to help and Wasem our housing coordinator move some big things into a senior couple's house coming to Jackson this month!!! wooho! Did some weekly planning! Had footer Friday with the Cruses and went down to Oak Hill to find some people! 

Saturday we sprinted down to Oak Hill to teach a couple lessons then zoomed back to go to the temple after that! We got to go to the temple with two of my favorite families down here! It was such a great experience! The temple never ceases to amaze me! After we had some Chinese Buffett! It was soo good!! 

Sunday was awesome! Got to teach the nurse that came to church the week before! Went to give Ralph the sacrament and she was there! We had an awesome lesson and she's starting to read the Book of Mormon and thinks it's awesome!! We ended up with 9 Investigators that week! It was pretty sweet!

Monday we went and mowed lawns for a couple hours and it was BLAZING hot! We were drenched in sweat! Pretty good day though!! 

Today we went up to Chillicothe for a district activity and played volleyball, chair soccer, signs and had a great time! Our district is pretty awesome!! 

Well HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!! One of my favorite holidays and I'm stoked! It's been so good out here leading up to the big day! haha! 

Love you all very much! The Church is so very true! It's changed so many lives and will continue to do so!! Love ya!

Love Elder Smoot