Conference Weekend

Hello Family!

How are you guys? How are you doing?  I am just so happy after watching conference! I don't know why it impacted me so much, but the spirit was just so strong, even in Spanish - and even though the translator did not come near to doing justice to the tone of Elder Holland haha.

There were a lot of "one-liners" that really stood out to me, but maybe that's just because I was listening in Spanish! But I want to share the ones that I really enjoyed. They may be a bit different because I had to translate them back to English.

• "blessings are often delayed to help us grow faith" - President Eyring

• "danger lurks when we divide ourselves" - Elder Scott

• "we are here to learn how to manage the feeling of our bodies" - Linda S Reeves

• "we need the strength that comes from trusting in the prophets" - Elder Anderson

• "destructive words can take a dangerous situation to fatal" - Elder Zwick

• "Who we are is not who we can become...WE NEED TO CHANGE" -Elder Hallstrom

• "what does your heart desire" - Randall Ridd

• "are you sleeping through the restoration? ... get out!" "when we are grateful, we can find peace in times of affliction" - President Uchtdorf

• "true happiness does not mean being free from burdens" - Elder Bednar

• "blame keeps wounds open, only forgiveness heals" - President Thomas S Monson

• ... and of course Elder Holland has done it again!

Well if these quotes are wrong, it's because I listened in a language that I don't understand hahahaha! 

I am so grateful for these talks! It is so edifying to have things be  "[brought] to [our] remembrance"! If I could sum up this week, it would be that I am so grateful for the Lord's help. I really don't know how it is even possible for me to do this work. I'm not a good teacher, it's a miracle that anyone can even understand my greengo accent, and there is so much doctrine that I need to understand better, but I feel like my efforts have been blessed. It has really been an eye opener to me. 2 Nefi 32:9 has really come alive for me! He will always help, we just need to ask!

well I hope you all have a fantastic week!
I love you so much!
Elder Smalley

Working Hard

Hola Familia!

Can you believe that I have been in Tijuana for 15 weeks! I can. The time seems to go fast, but sometimes I stop and think and realize that I've been here a while. Things that would have surprised me 15 weeks ago really don't anymore. It really is a completely different world down here. By the way, I have decided that I will not tolerate people complaining about food having preservatives in the US. People who do clearly have NEVER been to a different country and seen what the food looks like without preservatives, so there. I'm glad I got that one out. haha

Hermosillo Sonora México Temple

I don't really know what happened this week. Most of my journal entries were about a sentence long. haha I was a little tired! It's really been a good week though. My companion loves to work hard, and I LOVE that about him. 

On Thursday, when I was passing our totals to the district leader, he didn't believe me, because they were all really good! Then on Friday half our ward left for the temple in Hermosillo, so it was hard to find members to accompany us and stuff, but it was still a really good week!

Yesterday we had the most powerful lesson of my mission so far! I am still just beaming because of it. It is just so darn cool to see how Heavenly Father prepares people to hear His beautiful message. Hmm what else! Wednesday was awesome! we had our reunión de la correlacion misional and the members of the ward are really getting excited about working with us! 

subida cada lunes

OH! and I keep forgeting to tell you. Elder Meldrum, Ciera Kilingbel's cousin is in my district! Well I'm sorry it's another short one, but that's all I got. I took a picture of our subida cada lunes (climb every Monday) we have to take to wash our clothes. It's a dirt trail on a very steep hill. We have to take it because some others Elders took the washer from our area when it was closed haha. well take care!
Love you all so much!
Elder Smalley

It was crazy how many people came!

Dad note: Here is a pic of the entire mission from when Bishop Davies came to visit the mission back in February. Joel is in the very back, to the right of center.


Hi there fam!
Holy cow, is it really 20 weeks? Haha. Well this week has been SUPER awesome, probably like the best week of my mission.

Adjusting to a new companion has been interesting, but Elder Torres is pretty great. He is a really quiet person, but he teaches so powerfully, and he is really focused on the missionary purpose. He has high expectations for everyone and I LOVE that. He speaks zero english, but he is really excited to learn. It has been interesting, to have to show the area to someone else, I've had a great opportunity to step outside of the comfort zone!

Well everybody in the mission office is freaking out about my back. On Friday, they made me go to another Doctor. Waste of time. Basically, he just told me to have good posture and not carry heavy things. Oh yeah, he prescribed a faja, which from what I can understand is a back brace. Huh, YEAH RIGHT. There is no way that I am walking around in the sun all day with that on. [Dad note: google translates faja as "girdle". I don't think I'll share that fact with Joel!]

I am just really happy, I have felt the spirit so strongly this week. I have really seen the blessings that come from effective planning and study! We have had some pretty powerful lessons this week!

Everything led up to this Sunday! We had ward conference. We really focused on getting less active members and investigators to come. It was crazy how many people came! There were 92 people, including 9 non members. Usually the attendance is around 50 so that was HUGE! The 9 were all from our teaching pool except for two. A member brought a couple that have never talked to the missionaries before. We talked to them, and they live in another ward, so we passed along a great referral to those missionaries!

So it feels like progress, poco a poco I guess. More and more of the members are getting excited about sharing the gospel. This week we had 20 lessons with a member present (the standard of excellence is 15). So, we trust more baptisms will follow.

I really like the picture I'm sending, because it doesn't show how fat I am getting. I'd prefer to not think about it. Everything is cooked with oil, and jalapeño haha

Take care, love you guys so much!

Elder Smalley

Transfers

March 17, 2014

Hola familia!

over looking Reforma

Well not a lot happened really this last week before transfers, but my companion and I knew that one of us would be leaving so we really just had a blast our last week ... working hard, obviously! Ya know, I'm really gonna miss that Elder. After 13 weeks, I feel like I know him better than anyone in this world, which really has been a privilege. Some members made us a cake for transfers. It says "éxito en su misión" which means "success on your mission".

Temple in Tijuana under construction

Turns out I am still in Reforma, and have a new companion, Elder Torres. He's from some part of Torreón. He is a convert of two years and is 24 years old. He's pretty cool, doesn't say too much, but I like him. Here's a picture we took after we picked us Elder Torres. On the way back, we drove past the temple to get back to Reforma.

Well it is really starting to get hot here in Tijuana. Even the Mexicans are starting to admit it. 

Once again ... I just want to say that I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD. It seriously just makes me so happy. BUT ... some members brought us In-N-Out!  I was so darn excited to eat a double double! but can you believe, my companion didn't really like it. 

Mom, since I know how much you like bugs (haha!) here's a really weird bug that we found in the road. The picture doesn't really do it justice. It was seriously super cool! I know Mom ... you're so glad I shared :-)

 Oh, about the back problems I've had, I was diagnosed with scoliosis, but we already knew that, so no big deal. I feel bien. Not any pain today. But while on the subject, can you believe 2 years ago today I had a broken nose?

I'm so sorry about to hear about Brother Byrge & Brother Coons. It's hard for me to even believe. I actually found out on Saturday. I saw your email then, because I had to get on to print receipts for medical reimbursements. I'm just Really sorry to hear about this and all the struggles the ward has had this week dealing with it. I'm sorry, I am too distracted to really think about it. I think it just hasn't sunk in, but it will I'm sure. In the mean time, I'm praying for all you guys!

I love you all so much!

Elder Smalley

I love to see the temple

March 10, 2014

It has been a crazy day, but this week has just been superb. I have officially ended my training, but since we got here a week early, there is still one more week until transfers. 

"I Love to See the Temple" ... see its right there!

Here's another picture showing a different view of the temple. You have to zoom in REALLY close to see it, it's like a white box and there is something else that's white in the background.

On Wednesday I had exchanges with the District Leader, which turned out to be a huge tender mercy because he showed me a lot of things that I could do better that I didn't know before. It really improved my week, even if it is hard to be corrected sometimes.  

How Carnitas are made

Yesterday at a member's house we had Carnitas, which is hard to explain, but DELICIOUS! The picture shows how it's made, sorta haha

I would just like to say that after living in Tijuana for 12 weeks, I can say that I HATE DOGS. This place is covered in dogs. They always bark at you, lay in the street and drop bombs everywhere. Then they just die and nobody does anything so it smells horrible. Sometimes when I'm bored I count the number of seconds that there is not a dog in sight when we are walking. I have yet to get to 1. Then I count the seconds that I can't see at least 2 dogs ... still at 0. I AM NEVER HAVING A DOG! 

Other than that I LOVE Tijuana, and this amazing opportunity to hold such a sacred calling!

I think one of the greatest breakthroughs that I have made this week is the realization of just what humility is. Humility is not ignoring your strengths, but rather acknowledging where they come from. Everything comes from the Lord. He has given me weaknesses so that I can overcome them (only by turning to Him) and strengths so that I can do His work! It has really helped me to put the right foot forward!

mucho amor,
Elder Smalley

Primer bautismo en once semanas

Hey Guys,

Well we finally had our baptism! I seriously doubted if it was all going to come together, but somehow it all did! I have never felt so stressed in my life before Wednesday! Also, the water heater was broken, so the water was really cold. Other than that, it was a really good service! I finally just had to take a moment to calm down right before the service so that I could feel the spirit! I am very grateful to see the changes this gospel makes in our lives!

This week I have really grown to appreciate the Bible. I have read the bible before for seminary and stuff, but I have really grown a lot from it this week! My testimony has grown so much that it is the word of God! This last week has been really hard, and I've been really humbled. One scripture that really has helped me this week is Proverbs 3:11 I especially love the blessings that are mentioned in verse 12 and 13. I feel like through it all, I am gaining wisdom and understanding! I've really been working on developing those Christlike attributes. Its ironic that patience is one of them because I have not been very patient in the whole process haha! Another scripture that really spoke to me is Matthew 23:26. I feel like I really need to work from the inside out, instead of the other way around. Anyways, that's just the brief version, but needless to say, I LOVE the bible!

Well this weekend it rained, a lot! The thing about Tijuana is it's hills. There is literally no flat part, everything is like 45 degree angles in all different directions and since it's a maze of streets and stuff, even a light sprinkle up top can turn into quite the river at the bottom. Well just imagine what it's like when it pours. yeah haha. It poured all weekend. On Friday, we had an appointment at the lowest elevation of our area. When we walked out, it was pouring cats and dogs, so we decided to take a calafia back up, which is like a mini bus. Well we were on the wrong side of the street, and we couldn'd find a place to cross because it was so deep of rushing water! So we had to walk all the way up in the rain haha! I actually enjoyed it! It reminded me of New Jersey! I missed those downpours! My companion thinks I'm crazy now, cause I was walking around all happy on a rainy day! haha.

well that's all i got this week! hope you guys are doing alright!
mucho amor,
Elder Smalley

We're having a baptism! ... wait, where's the keys?

Hello Family!

A few new interesting things happened this week! For starters, I'm excited for Wednesday! We are having a baptism, and she asked me to baptize her! We've had to reschedule her date a couple times, but she's been going strong for almost 3 weeks now! The thing is, its been so long since there has been a baptism in Reforma that nobody really knows how or what to do or where those darn keys to open the font are! haha! Hopefully it all works out. 

I am also super happy because I finally memorized all of  D&C 4 in Spanish this week! I've been working on it for a couple weeks! whoohoo! bboring, I know. hmm-oh!

Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting! Only it wasn't planned! While the 1st speaker was giving her talk, the stake president asked me if I would speak next for 10 minutes. She literally closed her talk probably about 30 seconds after that. Haha it wasn't that bad. I talked for about 15 minutes oops, but most of it was rambling probably haha! My companion said he was proud that he has trained me well haha!

Had another exchange with an Elder from my generation again! He still doesn't know that much Spanish but it was a very good learning experience for me because even though he doesn't speak very well, he still tries. I usually don't say anything that I'm not positive I should say, so it was good for me to learn from him!

Also, we taught a lesson in ENGLISH this week! I contacted a woman who only speaks English a month or so ago, and we finally found her house and taught her a lesson! It was way fun to be able to express my thoughts freely. My companion wanted to be a part of the lesson too, so we practiced in English that morning. It was way hard for me to not interrupt him while he was struggled to teach in English. It really showed me how much patience my companion must have had with me! Great experience to see the other side of it!

Today it is just absolutely BEAUTIFUL so I took a picture of the back view of our apartment.

Also, I've been doing some decorating and I wanted you to see it. There is another picture I took this week from a night we had with a member family that is a little strange, and I couldn't stop laughing. We shall see if I send it or not haha. take care,

todo el amor!,
Elder Smalley!