Wk 7 - Standards of excellence

Companion: Elder Woodworth
Area: Marble Cliff 2

Game night in Ohio! It was lit up!

Funny pic

Someone's Pic in the ward.

Pretty solid week and hard work is definitely paying off.  In our mission our mission president, President Stratford has what he calls weekly standards of excellence. He made a promise for miracles and blessings if we do all we can to meet these goals. First goal is at least 5 new investigators per week, then the next goal is to have two investigators on date to be baptized, and to always have 2 investigators at church. And a monthly goal of 1 baptism per month. He promised us that if we meet the first three weekly goals we would have 1 baptism per month. We have been working very hard to meet those. We went from last week only meeting one goal by getting 6 new investigators, which was hard because we worked very hard. But we decided to keep working hard. 

On Monday after pday we went and visited an investigator but they didn't answer so we went contacting. We got one new investigator that night. 

Then Tuesday we had exchanges and those went extremely well! I got to work with Elder Winn for the day, we got 3 new investigators before 4.  We then had the opportunity to go to the hospital and give a member's nonmember relative who had been in a coma,  a blessing. She called us from out of state and explained what was going on, so we met her relative who was in a coma, his mom, and his girlfriend and sister, all of which were non members, at the hospital. He was still unconscious and had just barley been taken out of the special bed. His lungs were very full of fluid. I had the opportunity to give the blessing and it was amazing to see how strongly the blessing is from the spirit. It's incredible! After they were very grateful and all teared up and said it was amazing. It was pretty awesome. We then had dinner with a member and ate some raw meatloaf which came back to haunt us later that night. Haha but after dinner we had a lesson with Jaimie and her son ended up joining and they both committed to being baptized September 30th! Pretty amazing!

 Wednesday we had district meeting studies and talked with people. Then we got to help someone move that had to be out that night. We helped them for the rest of the night. And then I got the best email saying that my nephew Swayde had been born! That was awesome! He's a pretty cute Lil guy! 

Thursday I don't remember if we got any new investigators but Brother Messer brought us some White Castle. Which apparently is known to also destroy you. He warned us but I also found that out for myself a little later that night.

White Castle

Friday- the night we got stranded in the ghetto. We have bro Burchetand pick us up for dinner and take us to Jaimie after, we were supposed to meet with her and another ward member that never showed up. But we ended up having her husband who was kinda against us at first join us and start to open up. It's amazing to see the change in people, he even is helping Jaimie to quit smoking! He's a pretty awesome guy! Hopefully he'll open up more someday. But after the lesson we soon realized that we didn't have a ride home and it was 8:15. We were an hour or so walk away from home stranded in the ghetto. Haha we started walking to a bus stop then realized elder Woodworth didn't have cash and all I had was a 20. So we went to the thrift shop on the way to a bus and they wouldn't trade it straight up so we had to buy something. So it was way cold and I had a short sleeve on so I bought myself a sweater! Haha kept me warm. And we got our two bucks that we needed. We ran to the bus and we were a couple minutes late. The next one came in 30 minutes. So we were like there's no way we'll be home on time. Then a bus came flying around the corner behind schedule and saved the day we got on.Then a guy got on and started yelling at the bus driver because the bus before missed him and then another guy started yelling at him for being ungrateful then they almost got in a fight. It was pretty crazy but nothing good happened. But we ended up making it right on time. The Lord definitely blesses missionaries.

His dirty back because he doesn't have fenders

Saturday-God definitely puts people in your path. We walked with this guy for half a mile maybe for him to tell us he wasn't interested. But we then turned around to come back and we saw a couple named Nicky and James who we kinda knew before but they never wanted to hear it. We ended up inviting them to church and they said they would so we found them a ride. We then went back to our apartment to grab our bikes and it started to rain. We went to meet with a new investigator who was drunk when we met her but we were supposed to meet Saturday. But she was tired and said to come back. I guess be careful with drunk investigators. We were soaked from the rain. It was pretty fun though! We ended up riding clear from one side of our area to brother burchetts on the opposite end and back. We were absolutely soaked and a little muddy. Mostly elder Woodworth was muddy tho! But that was a good day! .We did some good work.

Anthony!

Sunday came and it was the highlight of the week. We went to pick up Anthony, he wasn't there so we walked to Nicky's place. They weren't there. So we kinda lost hope then we got a call from an unknown number and it was Anthony! Telling us he was late but he was there! So got picked up by bro Grimes and went and got Anthony and gave Nicky another call and a guy answered saying she was getting ready for church! The guy ended up being a guy named Ricky who told us no on Tuesday. He came with her and they were picked up by another member! And Jaimie also got picked up! It was so cool! An amazing feeling! We got 4 investigators to church! They loved it! Ricky and Nicky looked like they got punched in the face by the spirit after haha it was pretty awesome! Anthony wants to join. Jaimie is even more excited! It was pretty awesome! 

Greatful that we met all of our goals this week and I hope Jaimie stays strong and stays on date for this month! I'm so excited for her and her son! 

Love this gospel! The church is true! 

Love you guys so much and hope you have a good week!

VIDEOS

Wk 6 - Week full of learning experiences

Companion: Elder Woodworth
Area: Marble Cliff 2

 I just cut my hair..... I didn't realize how short an 8 was.
I cut it myself I got his help on the back but his hair looks way good!
 Haha and yeah its way Short haha!

Church next to us was leaning

Brother Grimes and his car. Our ride to church.

We ate well with bro Burchetand 

 Alleys just hanging out on Sunday. Little kids saw us taking pics in this alley and were like mom look at those church people! Haha so we left! 

Solid week, thank goodness time is starting to pick up! Haha it's been real good though, I have definitely learned more in this short period of time than I have in a really long time! It's truly amazing! 

This week Monday we had our mission activity and ate dinner with President and sister Stratford! They're amazing! 

Tuesdays we do the normal morning studies and what not then we get the amazing opportunity to go serve at a place called Saint Vincent. We get to go and help distribute clothing to those who are in need. The people we get to work with are awesome! And the people that come in are usually pretty awesome too! But lots of good opportunities to talk to people about what we do! And it's cool to help people and see smiles come on their kids faces and their own! I look forward to it always. Then contacted and went to appointments the rest of the day. 

Wednesday mornings we have district meeting! It's so cool to see and hear others experiences and insights and try to apply them in your mission. It's a good opportunity! Then it was pretty normal after that.

 Oh Thursday we get to serve again usually but they weren't open this week so we had a lot of opportunity to find people! Haha and then the weekend came. Pretty much everything fell through Friday and then Saturday we only got to meet with one guy named Art. We had to drop him after wards, we had five appointments none of them happened, that's very discouraging one after another and that morning was very hard, we had our investigator Beth call us and tell us something happened and she couldn't get baptized  this Saturday. She wouldn't tell us what but it was hard to hear, then she didn't want to come to church or really take lessons anymore. That was very hard! But honestly the Lord blessed us because for some reason we didn't even get down. We some how kept getting back up and trying harder and harder and we were blessed!

When elder Woodworth first got to this area he got a referral for this lady. They couldn't get a hold of her! Kept trying then they got it again, still couldn't get a hold of her so when I got here he decided that we needed to go to her house after the 3rd time getting her referral! So we rode all the way to the edge of our area to her house and knocked on the door, this lady answers and we asked if the lady that asked for a book of Mormon was there, she told us no and that she had just moved in. we then explained why we were there. We began to teach her the first lesson. She told us she knew it was true because she grew up in the r lds church but went away and now they have a different name, she then studied jws and knew it wasn't right. She's struggled with depression for a long time and went through very hard times and she smokes. She has 3 kids and a husband, but she's been taking lessons for 2 weeks now and we ended up taking her to another baptism Saturday. She loved it and felt the spirit. She told us she was gonna get baptized as soon as she quits smoking. She was gonna pray about a date and continue to read the scriptures. I'm so excited to see her change and grow in God's kingdom on this earth. She told us that we came at the perfect time when she needed it the most and she's so grateful for it. So even when things go down hill or not as planned just get up, keep walking and the Lord will bless you! 

Hope everyone had a good week and is ready for another good one! 

Love you guys so much. Tanner and Chelsea hurry up! I need to see some pictures of my nephew! Haha 

anyways I love being on the Lord's time and it's amazing to see how many people appreciate us that aren't Mormon just appreciate who we represent! 

Love you guys! 

Love Elder Smoot! 

ps. And question apparently someone sent me a package but they sent it to the mission home so I can't get it till the 8th of September at zone conference. You know who it would be? 

We usually get fed about 3 to 4 times a week but sometimes it's nice to stay at home! 

Elder Woodworth silly guy.

 His cute ear thingy.

Wk 5 - One month down!

Companion: Elder Woodworth
Area: Marble Cliff 2

 Stratford is taking me and my comp to dinner! Idk what we did wrong but he just randomly asked us and that never happens! Hahaha I guess we'll find out! Jk I know we haven't done anything wrong so we'll see! 

just ate dinner with President and sister Stratford! Amazing people!
 And the mission activity was awesome! Played spike ball soccer volleyball and took first in a relay race with my district. Oh and they had eclipse glasses for everyone it was so cool! 

Well sorry- I'll do better at Taking pics next week! I promise haha

 Crepes for breakfast Sunday cause we were out of everything! 

we had crepes and potatoes for lunch hahaha 

Well another good week! Monday last week we finished with pday and went to visit an investigating family, then contacted on our bikes. Tuesday was such a good day! I truly experienced that exact obedience brings miracles! This week was full of them!

 On Tuesday we met a man named Charles. He was walking with his Daughter and he looked like a thug. Shorts pulled down, shirt around his neck, hat sideways, smoking and all that and when we talked to him, he was the sweetest man I've ever met! His daughter was three and he had so much love for her we set up a time to teach and were able to give him a Book of Mormon and committed him to baptism. We'll see how it turns out though. It was so awesome! 

We met with him the next day actually and we had a less active member that loves to feed us. Haha he's a big man and he's hilarious, he literally calls us everyday to feed us, it's very nice of him but we feel bad sometimes! Haha his names brother Burchet and he came to church this week so that was good! One of his best friends is actually Beth, our blind investigator that's getting baptized on September 2nd! She's amazing! Probably in her 30s and she's read all the way through the book of Mormon on her 2nd round! 

Thursday we got a lot of contacting in! Haha and studies! We were supposed to go on splits so we left our day clear and our zone leaders had something come up! So it was a pretty long day! Well the end of the week our investigators kinda fell through but thats alright it happens! 

We were on our way home Thursday or Friday night and about 5 minutes before 9 we saw this guy a block from our apartment. He was in a suite and we had the impression to talk to him! It was weird,you never see that by our apartment, but we talked to him, told him who we were and I asked him if he had kids. He said no we just got married in February but soon. I went on to say what if I promised you that through Christ you could live with your family forever. He got excited and said he'd do anything. So we thought that was awesome and we got his info and Elder Woodworth asked me to pray so I did. After the prayer I looked up and he was bawling. He said I'm speechless and I don't know what to say but thank you. He then explained that a month ago he prayed to God asking him if he was real, asking him to show himself. He exclaimed that he knew we were his answer and the spirit he felt was very strong. 

Because of miracles like this I know that I'm in the right place, I know that I'm doing God's work, and as much as Satan tells me otherwise there's no place I'd rather be. 

I love you guys so much remember that and remember God loves you!

 You will continue to be in my prayers thank you for your love and support.

 With love, Elder Smoot. 

a couple questions: 

*did you get that note from Jake Jayne's dad?? 

Yes! It was a very good surprise and it came with my bike so it was way cool! I can't wait to see them out here! Haha 

*hows the cooking going?

Food-well we've cooked a lot and got some lasagna, and pasta from members. Cooking is not bad at all.  Yes we do excercise everyday- we have to haha!

 *do you ride your bike alot?

We ride at least ten miles a day cause we usually go down to the ghetto to see and teach people! 

Letter from mission president when Tayton arrived in Ohio

Surprise Text!

Talia got this text Sunday from a hair client! It's such a small world!

Wk 4 - Week one in the field!

Companion: Elder Woodworth
Area: Marble Cliff Area (downtown Columbus)

 the selfies are in the ghetto sketch place. and the whole time there was a helicopter flying trying to find someone on the run. Good times.  

 The canopies in the front yard was a group blasting music yelling into the
microphone preaching I guess haha sketchy neighbor hood 

The ones from the building are the tallest building in Columbus, on pday just went there 

  This is my comp he loves to eat cake and sometimes ramen.
Will eat an occasional egg when I make It! 

He has been out 23 months and has also grown soo Much!
He's quite Tall! 

It's been a while but glad I got to call you at the airport!  

Last week was cool we got to see Elder Bednar in person which was amazing! So cool to see his glow and hear his testimony! Huge blessing! He's amazing! 

Had to say bye to the New York and Idaho missionaries tuesday at 3. Then the next day it was our turn. We got up at three and I got showered went to the bathroom twice and by then I had five minutes to make sure everything was all there and to get dressed and be at the bus at 3:30am! Good times! Haha got to the airport called Mom and Dad it was so good to talk to you guys! Then some how I got to fly first class and get breakfast and unlimited drinks with chairs that laid back awe it was amazing! Haha only 3 other missionaries got to do that out of 27 haha felt Pretty blessed! But got on the second flight it was only 35 minutes which was nice! 

We met our mission president and wife there. They are amazing people! Went straight to OSU campus and went out with someone experienced and got to go place a book of Mormon! We contacted a few then gave a book to this Asian man, he was way dope, nice guy! So that was cool. Got everything else like paper work and stuff done and went to the mission home! We got to ride in a travel bus the whole time, not like a huge one but a little one. But we got to the mission home and that thing is pretty! Lots of beautiful trees and green grass every thing! Very nice house. They had like 20 bunks down stairs for elders! We ate and had a testimony meeting! We saw a couple fire flies! I was Amazed! I went into their back yard and was watching for some bugs with another elder and we hear something in the brushes and I was looking at the top of the bush when a stupid possum came flying out towards me on the ground and scared the living crap out of me! I legit screamed until I realized what it was! Haha never seen a wild one before! It was crazy! 

The next day we went to a church, got our bikes and met our trainers, it was like Christmas after some meetings! Haha but my comp! His name is Elder Woodworth he's a pretty cool guy! He's from Caldwell Idaho and been here 23 months so I'm gonna kill him off! 

We are in the Marble Cliff area which is down town Columbus. Not gonna lie I thought where we were staying was ghetto but we went down town yesterday and that was some where I don't want to go again haha but I will if the Lord wants me too haha. Haha my comps been in this area 2 transfers before I got here, he got his bike stolen a couple of weeks before I got there but he got one from the mission to finish it off. 

We have a sweet Sweet blind ladies named Beth who is gonna get baptized on Sept 2nd. she's so sweet and read the book of Mormon through a Brail translator and she keeps up in class through a Bluetooth on gospel library from her phone! It's so cool to watch. 

We met another man from Liberia, his name is Antony. He's 27 and he's a hard worker, he heard things from missionaries back home then he heard rumors from friends here and wanted to find out for himself. I met him at the library and taught the first lesson, he said he was gonna come to church. He was gonna meet us at 8pm at the library a block from our house. We went over there and there he was. He told us before hand that if he liked it he would come for the next couple of months for sure, and if he felt the spirit he would see if he should be baptized. I connect with him very well and after he told me he loved it and was gonna keep coming and he felt the spirit so that was something he was going to consider while he reads the book of Mormon! I Hope he is able to feel the spirit in his life and come to Christ!

Its been a really good week but it has felt like I've been out here forever! There is a lot of homeless and wasted people out here haha we watched a couple super super wasted guys try to fight. one couldn't even stand the other one barely could but he got one down on the ground and stared at him trying to figure out where to punch because he was so gone. Haha and that was in the nicer part of town! 

But although it's hard it's worth it. Losing your self in the work is very very important and what I'm currently striving to do! 

Well until next week 

love you guys! 

Questions:
*where do you keep your bike?

we keep it in the basement locked up in our complex. And I'm in one of four areas that don't have cars out of about 40 areas haha my comp got his driving privileges taken away and My comps tire is popped and he loves walking 

*is it just you and y our comp in your apt?

 they don't have any apartments where two companionships are 

 first Wendy's! Scioto mile is the pics with the river  

 I got a couple surprise texts on Tayton's last day at the MTC! I LOVE it! 

from one of his teachers- turns out his wife was
Tayton's ceramic teacher at PG!

Tayton and Ruth Kocherhans
(my daughter-in-law's mom!)