"I am starting to hate the word can't"

Date: Mon, Jun 11, 2012 at 11:33 AM

Wow sounds like a weekend!

Cool you got to see the old house and all. Has the ward changed much? I can't believe Andrea and Mel will be there! That's awesome! Tell them all I miss them. And eat some good treats for me! 

One cool thing that happened this week, again was with Marcello. He is doing great, he even wore wore church clothes to the Manaus Temple dedication, so cool to se him all giddyed up. But also we taught a lesson with him this week to a new investigator. It was cool because he was bearing testimony about prophets and apostles and sharing some stories. He really liked it, and I did too! It was cool to see someone we helped into the gospel already helping others.

Speaking of the Manaus Temple, we went to a cultural celebration Saturday night, it was cool! It was just televised from Manaus but President Utchdorf was there and the dances and music made me want to start groovin'! Sunday morning we went to the first session of the Dedication, it was awesome. They talked alot about the dedication that the members in Manaus have shown. About all the time, prayer, fasting, and effort they have put in to get a Temple there. I just think of the success they have reached there and I know I am playing a large role in the work now as a full-time missionary. Not that I feel like I am doing too much, but every little help counts and I am grateful to be a part of the growth here.

So our bathroom was pretty bad when I arrived here. It would bubble up a little and some food from the kitchen sink would come up in the shower when you used the sinks alot. Well we just kind of dealed with it for awhile and then finally we stopped using it cause it was gross. I wanted to get it fixed though because I knew it would keep getting worse and I didn't wanna just leave the problem (I learned this from Dad). Well I tried talking to people but they said you can't fix it and they already tried talking to the landlord so we'll just leave it and that we can't fix it. Well, like you Dad I am starting to hate the word can't! I have to say I did just leave it for awhile cause I didn't know what to do(and we have 2 bathrooms). We called the Mission President's wife and she said we could find a plumber. Well I decided to ask some members and one didn't know a plumber but suggested the stuff that clears up pipes, the stuff that can like burn your skin! So I bought some for 4 reais (2 dollars) and now it's all good! It was nasty and took a while to clean but it feels good to have fixed a problem rather than cover it up or leave it. Thanks for teaching me this prinicple Dad! I attached some photos of before and after!

Mom did you get my letter for Mother's Day? Also I think I might try and get some glasses next week so maybe make sure I have some money in my account, I don't exactly how much but if it's over like 100 dollars (200 reais) I don't think I'll do it. Maybe they can just fix my old ones or use the same lenses.

Well things are going well. We have an investigator who has been really busy but has been wanting to be baptized. His name is Felipe. His semester ends next week and he has been reading the Book of Mormon and living his committments. He has a friend in the Gospel too. We will be able to baptize him and help him further in the Gospel once his college ends. His baptism is scheduled for the 24th! He has an awesoem family too, I want to teach them aswell!

Well I love you and miss you all! I hope you all have a great week with the kiddies! Sounds like a handful but also a fun bunch! Send pics if anything funny happens! I think about you and talk about you guys alot! Not in a trunky way, but in a I love my family way!

Tchau tchau! 

Elder Smith