From Borrowed Suit to Wearing White!

The Best 2 Years!

Dear Family,

Holy Cow this week was really crazy. So much happened and I'm not going to have time to write you everything in detail, but let me just tell ya that it was CRAZY!!! 

So Monday we had an awesome P day activity and finally I get to see the parts of Costa Rica that I have wanted to see for my whole mission. So after the activity Elder Cope and I were supposed to go back to our area, but we missed the bus so we spent the night with the Zone Leaders in Ciudad Neily. The only problem was that I had no mission clothes and the next morning really early we had a conference with Pres. Galvez. So Elder Sirrine  let me borrow some of his clothes, which by the way were really tight on me cause he is super skinny (see attached photo and you'll know what I'm talkin' about). So the conference with President Galvez was super good and we watched a talk given by Elder Holland in the MTC this past Jan. I had already seen the talk twice, but in Spanish and this time we watched it in English. Maybe next week if I have time I will write some of the things I liked about the talk, just know that it was super good. One of the things we talked about in the conference was doing everything possible so that our investigators can be baptized. 

Well the ZLs have a family they are teaching, Luis and Maria. They are super awesome and were going to get baptized on the 18, but Luis had to go to this one place called Carate to work. Its a place by Puerto Jimenez which is like 4 hours away from Neily. They still wanted to get baptized so we decided that we were going to do everything possible so that they could get married and baptized. We planned that elder Rosales, one of the ZLs and I would go to Carate, do the baptismal interview with him, then have the APs drive down and bring his wife and a lawyer, so that they could get married and baptized right there on the beach. So I went on a 2 day adventure with Elder Rosales to Puerto Jimenez and just remember that I had basically nothing, just that clothes that Elder Sirrine lent me, a Book of Mormon, and toothbrush that I bought and this really awesome book that Im reading called Life Everlasting, check it out, cause now I have a whole new perspective about life after death. 

So anyway we took a 4 hour bus ride to Puerto Jimenez and spent the night in the church which is just a small house, but they had beds so we didn’t have to sleep on the floor. The next day, Wednesday, we had to wake up at 4:30 in order to be able to go to Carate. The only ways to get there are by driving yourself or going in the back of a truck that has two rows of benches in the back to sit on. So we took a bumpy two hour truck ride to go to Carate and something that I forgot to mention is that Elder Rosales was really sick with a flu. So we got to Carate and spent all day looking for him. We had been told that he was working as a security guard for a hotel and in Carate there is only the beach, one small store and hotels. I think that the population of people who actually live there is less than 50 and they all live in these tent style houses called rancheros. Some funny things happened while we were looking for him, but I don’t have time today to tell them all, but one funny thing is that everyone thought we were from the FBI and they were all scared. Well we only had until 4 in the afternoon to look for him cause that is when the truck left to go to Puerto Jimenez. Also what made everything difficult is that the phone reception is really bad out in that part of the country so we couldn’t get a hold of Luis. 

We went all the way back to Puerto Jimenez and we were a little disanimated, but the Lord blessed us for our work. The next day, the Branch President of Puerto Jimenez met with us and told us about a young man whose dad is a member and was listening to the missionaries, but when the missionaries were taken out of Jimenez he stopped going to church, but that in the last month he had been coming and wanted to get baptized. So we went over to his house, oh his name is Michael, and he told us that he wanted to get baptized. I did the interview and he was baptized this past Friday. So even though we didn’t get Luis and Maria baptized, we did baptize Michael, who is 20 years old so he also can get the Priesthood. Luis was eventually found and they are getting baptized in the next two weeks or soon thereafter. 

After our 2 day adventure in Puerto Jimenez, I helped the Sister Missionaries a little bit for a couple days so I was out of my area Monday until Saturday morning. And for those 5 days I wore the same clothes and so I smelled kinda bad, but that’s how the mission is (brings back memories of scout camp!). It was a fun experience and I wrote like 5 pages in my journal so when I get home you can read about it in detail.

To answer some of your questions dad, the computer in the church is fully equiped with everything necessary, even with the new Microsoft 7. The branch presidency consists of my companion and me. Thank you for sending me my setting apart. I have listened to it and enjoy it. In our branch there are about 16 active people, two families and a couple of single people. There are about 4 young men and women and a few kids in the primary. Also the computer has MLS and I´ve basically learned how to use it. Thank you for the talk outlines and if you want you can send more, cause I will basically be speaking every week. Also please send the recorder because it would be fun to record some of my talks. I think and hope that I answered all of your questions  . . .  it just that I’m trying to do a bunch of stuff right now.

Julia thanks for the pictures of your trip . . .  I enjoyed them. Inbioparque was in my first area and so you saw were I walked in the first months of my mission. I’m glad to hear that everything is going well and I hope you are all having a wonderful summer. I love you all!!!! 

Love Elder Smith





P-day at the Beach

Me and Elder Sirrine -- I like this photo!

Dear Family,

There is so much that I want to write you, but I have such little time. Thank you all for your letters I will print them off and read them tonight. So today was the funnest p-day activity that I have had in the mission. We went to the beach and it was AWESOME!!! I am uploading pics right now!!!! 

The work in the branch is going well. We are working with a bunch of less active members to try and get them reactivated again. We had an activity on Saturday for Fathers Day and suprisingly a bunch of people showed so that was nice. Also we are trying to find new families to teach every day and this week we found a couple of new families so we will see how they progress. 

I am pretty sure that Sundays are going to be the busiest days for the next little while, because I am basically in charge of everything. Yesterday I gave a talk in church, about Faith in Christ. I taught the Sunday School class to the youth and I also taught Priesthood. So I was pretty busy all during church. Oh and we had an attendance of 16 which is an improvment from last week! 

I am sorry that I don't have more time to write--it's just that we missed the last bus that goes to our area and so we are stuck here in Ciudad Neily with the ZLs and we have to sleep in their house tonight and borrow some of their clothes because tomorrow we have a meeting with President Galvez. So at least you can look at the pictures that I put up. Oh and the C. Funds were used to help an investigator that we have named Geraldo. He needed 40 bucks to take out and send some documents to a lawyer in San Jose. He had an accident in his work and the insurance company won't pay him. But he is going to pay me back within 3 weeks and he is also going to read the Book of Mormon and come to church. That was part of our deal.

Well I love you all and btw HAPPY FATHERS DAY YESTERDAY! Too bad I couldn't be there to enjoy the nice food you all had but hey, we roasted hot dogs today!!!  Love Elder Smith

My tag . . . worn with pride!

Dear Family & Friends,

Well, I’m glad to hear that you are all doing fine! I hope Julia had a fun time in Costa Rica, I really was planning on trying to see her but I couldn’t with transfers—oh well. It sounds like Nick is doing good in the MTC. I can’t wait to get a FREE Subway sandwich from Spencer when I get home. Landon, I hope you and Dad have fun at Camp Tracy and Pirates 4 is one of the first movies that I will watch the night I get home! Dad . . . thanks for all the information that you sent me. The church building is a really big house and yes, it has everything like a computer, printer, MLS and all the forms and everything. I also have both the instructional manuals for bishops and stake presidents.

Being Branch President has been pretty easy so far (it's now been 5 days ha ha). I haven’t had to do too much yet. Yesterday, it was Sunday and we went to a Priesthood Conference. A man in our branch got the Melchizedek Priesthood and I had to give a talk in church, but that was about it. So the branch has an attendance of about 15 members. Our number one goal is to get attendance up to at least 30 members. The branch is actually very old and there are a lot of less active members. From what I have heard there were a few missionaries and leaders in the past who did some things and for that, the progress of the branch was stopped and last year they were even thinking about closing the area. So we have a ton of work to do.

As far as investigators go, we are teaching a man named Jimmy. He has a baptismal date for the 25 of June and he came to church yesterday. We are also teaching a lady named Maritza and her 5 daughters. There is a recent convert named Orlando and he is Maritza’s brother, and we are also teaching another one of their sisters named Gerardina.

Basically we will be working to reactivate the less active members, find, teach, convert and baptize more investigators, keep the active members involved with activities and stuff like that, etc. The youth have a temple trip next week. Also, I am in charge of 4 sister missionaries and the ZLs are in my district. BTW Elder Sirrine is in my district and he is one of the ZLs, so basically we have been the same zone for like our whole missions and finally we get to go on divisions and do fun stuff together on P-days.

Well, I love you all. I have almost started my 20 week countdown (ha ha) and my D&C reading countdown (You start at section 138 and read a section every day until I get to section 1 and then I will be home!!!!) I really don’t care what you send in my package, but make sure there are a bunch of family pictures.

Love Elder Smith

Ps. I did pull out some money because I had to do some cleaning in our house and there was no food!

New Branch Presidento

Saying Good-bye in Pococi

Dear Family,

Hey sorry I didn't write you yesterday, but I had to take a 6 hour bus ride and I didn't get home until 10:30 p.m. So I had changes and my new area is San Vito, which is in the Zona Sur right next to Panama. So any chances of seeing Julia in the next week are gone because I am super far away . . . so she will just have to wait 5 and a half months just like the rest of you to see me. Well my new companion is named Elder Cope and guess what? He is from Spanish Fork Utah. Yay!!!!! I have a Gringo Companion again which is the best. He has 5 months in the mission, the time that I lack haha! but his Spanish is really good. Well I am also district leader and there are 4 sisters in my district. This is the first time that I will be in charge of sister missionaries so it will be very interesting. 

Also the most suprising and overwhelming change is that San Vito is a rama (branch) and there is no branch president so guess who is the branch president.....ME!!!!!!!! I have no idea how to be a branch president and so it is going to be a very interesting learning expirience. So basically this is going to be the busiest last few months of my mission and President Galvez knows me better than I thought he did cause without this responsibility, I would probably get lazy and trunky!!

I am going to miss Pococi a ton!!! I love the people there and I made some amazing friends so I will definitely be visiting there!

This is going to be a short letter cause there are a bunch of things that I need to do right now, but I love you all and I can't wait to see you in November. I am uploading some pics right now! Love Elder Smith

Met Zone Goal!

Look . . . a beautiful flower!

Dear Family, So today I am writing super early because we have a special zone council today. Usually just the zone leaders go, but this time all the district leaders are coming too. This week has been super awesome and it's weeks like these that make me wish that the mission would never end!! So this week, we started out with 8 baptisms as a zone and we ended the week and the month with 19 baptisms in total. We all worked hard this week to meet the goal. Basically from Wednesday to Saturday we did not work in our area. On Wednesday, I went to Siqiurres to do 3 baptismal interviews. On Thursday, I went to Limon to do another interview, but the kid never showed up and my companion traveled a ton to do a few baptism interviews. On Friday, the APs came to visit the zone and so we went with them to other areas. On Saturday, we went to La Rita where they baptized 2 families, a total of 8 people. Basically we made the goal because of this area and so we are really grateful for them. So basically that was my week in a nutshell. It was really crazy but really awesome!

So DAD Happy Birthday to You!!!!!! I hope you have a happy birthday, I hope you cake is really good, only 6 more months till I can eat an ice cream cake again. I also hope you go to a really cool restaurant to eat really good food! So this is the last week of school! This school year has gone by really fast and I hope you all have a really good summer. Julia only one more week until you come to Costa Rica! I hope you have lots of fun!!! So yesterday during church, I was reading my Patriarchal blessing and I found something new that I had never noticed before. It mention faithfulness about 12 times, either me being faithful, being blessed for my faithfulness, helping others be more faithful or people looking up to me because of my faithfulness. So I was thinking about that all yesterday, about how I can be more faithful as a missionary and as a regular person after the mission. So I love you all and I hope you have a fun last week of school!!! Love Elder Anthony Smith P.S. tell nick that I have like 3 letters for him, but I have had no time to send them so I will do that this week!!

May 23: Officially 18 Months Out!

Dear Everyone,

Hey so I hope you all had a good week. Thanks for sending me Nick's letter . . . it's good to hear that he is doing ok!!!!!

So this week was really busy with lots of divisions and trying to help the zone out so that we can make our goal. Right now we have 8 baptisms and the goal is 17, but this week we have a lot of possibilities and so we are going to be working super hard this week too. Remember how last week I said that we finally had some new investigators. Well all of them are super cool, but for every single one, there is something that impeeds them from getting baptized this week--which kinda is too bad, but oh well. Franklin, this super cool reference that we got, totally wants to get baptized, but the only problem is that he has to get divorced. Alejandra just gave bith to her baby boy yesterday night and another investigator named Yesenia is in labor right now. The only posibility that we have is Martin to be baptized this week, but he isn't sure if he has to leave town this weekend for work.

So something I'd really like to do for super awesome really awesome converts is give them a triple and the bible after their baptism. Not the hardback or paper back version, but the leather ones that are really nice because it's a lot funner to read your scriptures when they are nice. So this week our ward is going to the temple so I am going to ask someone to pick me up some scriptures so that if and when I do have a baptism, I can already have this gift. So I'm hoping that using the consecrated fund for this is okay. I plan to give them to the adult converts and maybe something smaller for children . . . I will make sure that the scriptures will be for someone who will use and enjoy them!!!!!

Well this is going to be a short letter because I don't have a lot to write about. Some good news is that I completed 18 months in the mission this week so yeah, that's pretty cool!

So I hope you all have a fun week! This is basically the last week of school for ya all since the actual last week of school nothing is done. It's crazy that it's already summer vacation again!!

Well I love you all and I miss you all and I will see you in 6 months!!!! Love Elder Smith

Two Elders!

Dear Family and Nick oh wait Elder Smith,

Hey everyone I'm sure last week was super exciting with Nick entering the MTC. Its super cool that there are two missionaries in the fam!! 

So I don't have much time to write, but this week has been super good!!! For the past couple weeks my comp. and I have been trying to find new families to teach and we were a little discouraged cause it has been super hard to find people. Knocking doors has not been very effective so we hardly to it and whenever we contact a family, they are always from a different area. But this week we are starting to see the blessings that come from working hard. We received a couple references and one of them is a guy named Franklin who had an anurism, I think, a couple months ago and so he can't move half of his body. Well he came to Stake Conference last week and he really loved it. Yesterday we met with him for the first time and had a super awesome lesson. We taught the restoration and he sayed that last week he was praying and asking God to help show him the correct path just like Joseph Smith was trying to find the correct path. He also said that he believes that one of the ways that God answers prayers is though other people and that we were an answer to his prayer. So that was pretty cool!!! Also we did finally contact a family that lives in our area and they seem really cool and we are going to visit them this week. Also this week we are going to be doing lots of divisions!!!!!

So I love you all and I will send Nick a letter in the mail!!!! Also me and my comp will start thinking of ways to use the fund to help people.

Love Elder Smith

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Family and Friends,

I’m so glad that I got to talk with all of you yesterday I really enjoyed it and it gave me lots of animo (encouragement) to work hard for the next 6 months. So yesterday we had a super awesome Stake Conference here in Guapiles. President Galvez and his wife came and also Elder Laboriel who is a member of the Quorum of the Seventy. Before the conference started there was a little meeting for the recent converts and investigators and it was super awesome!!! President Galvez and Sister Galvez talked. President Galvez said there are 5 things that new members need to do, read the scriptures for 5 min. daily, pray at least 5 times a day, have family home evening, fast every month and pay tithing. As missionaries that is our goal with new converts, because if they can do those 5 things constantly than they will be prepared to go to the temple in one year and won’t go inactive. The stake conference was really good too. Elder Laborial gave a really good talk.

So I’m glad to hear that all went well for Nick’s farewell. It’s crazy to think that so much time has passed since my farewell. I’m sure Nick did a great job on his talk and I know that he is going to be an excellent missionary. Just have fun buddy and don’t worry if it’s hard at first, because it’s going to be. Just remember that it’s going to get harder before it gets easier and remember that as a missionary you are going to have special gifts of the spirit and you have the power of faith and prayer on your side! While you are in the MTC I will write to you, so mom please send me his MTC address, and then when you get out into the mission field I will email you, so also mom could you send me his email. Also upload pictures of the farewell and prom.

So since I haven’t written a lot about the people we are teaching I will write a little today. So we found this inactive family, the Bonilla family and they have been inactive for quite some time so we are trying to reactivate them. One of the daughters is living with a guy named Omar and he isn’t a member so we have been teaching them. He is really interested and is reading the Book of Mormon, the only problem is that they aren’t married and he works on Sunday. Something that we want to do with them is take them to the temple, now this is where part of Dad’s consecrated fund could come into hand. I could use some of the money to take families for a trip to the temple. We are allowed to take families to the temple because the spirit is really strong and lots of people get converted right there. Also part of Dad’s fund could help some people get married and something that I would like to do is be able to buy scriptures for the people that I baptize! So those are some things that I was thinking about! We are also teaching a young guy named Jose Luis. He is about 24 and has some member friends in another ward. A couple weeks ago he went to a young adult campout and he loved it. The only challenge we have with him is that he likes to visit his family in the morning on Sunday and so it’s hard to get him to come to church, but we are going to keep working with him. I told you about Alejandra--we are trying to fix a couple problems that the husband has and fortunately the members are willing to help us with this family. We are also working to find new investigators.

Well I love you all and once again I hope mom had a happy Mother’s Day and Nick, get ready to begin the coolest thing you have ever or will probably ever do!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Smith

Please remember in the package you send to incule lots, but lots of family pics. and Dad you can send more talks too, cause I actually do listen to them and I like them too!!!!

NICK I LOVE YOU AND I WILL SEE YOU IN 2 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's May . . . only 6 more months!

Dear Everyone,

So you all have heard the news of Osama bin Laden. I was at a member's house last night and it came on the news! So I'd have to say that was the highlight of my week! Not too much has happened since the last time I wrote you. Thursday we had zone council with President and all the Zone Leaders. It wasn't too much fun because as a mission we did horrible this month. We only baptized 99 people and that's the lowest we have had in a long time so President kinda chopped our heads off (term we use as missionaries here) The good thing was Hermana Galvez made us these really sick hamburgers and I think they were the best ones I've have in 17 and a half months!! Also we watched a really cool talk that Elder Holland gave in January to the missionaries in the MTC. Nick you are going to be in the MTC for 3 months so I'm sure that some Apostles will visit while your there. Also Nick one thing I would suggest is that you take a voice recorder or a recording device so that you can record talks and lessons in your mission. That is something that I wish I would have done because I have heard some pretty amazing talks. Also I will think of some advice that I can give you this week and will share it with you when I call home. So about calling home this week. Well I can't call Sunday morning because I have church in the morning so maybe I could call in the evening or Monday evening. What I'm going to do is buy a international calling card so that I can quickly call you guys like Saturday in the morning and we can plan it all out.

So today we had a fun activity. A member took us up the mountain and we went hiking and it was pretty fun. This past week has been super super super hot, but today it rained a little bit and so it was a lot cooler. It was really jungely and it was really cool. I tood some pictures that I will upload right now. Well finally we are in May and I will be completing 18 months in the mission. It's hard to believe that I only have 6 months left and I'm sure that it is going to go by super fast.

So my new companion Elder Martinez is cool! We are working to find new investigators and help out our zone complete the goal we have. This week we have interviews with President, but this time he is going to come to all our houses, so that should be interesting.

Also about the shoulder bag. I actually don't have it anymore because I gave it to a missionary whose backpack broke, but in the MTC store they have really good bags and they are pretty cheap, so Nick could get one there. Well So I hope you all have a good week. Love you all and I cant wait to talk to you all for the last time in the mission!!!!

Love Elder Anthony Smith

Sementa Santa Week

Dear Family,

Well this past week was super crazy with Semana Santa, which is basically the Latino version of Spring Break, but worse. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday everything (and I mean everything) was closed. . .there were no buses running and everyone went to the beach or rivers. So we had P-day on Friday and we basically spent the weekend at a member's house because like nobody was home to visit or proselyte to!

So Elder Vazquez had changes this week which is too bad,  because he was really cool. But I have a new companion. His name is Elder Martinez and he is from El Salvador. He was actually my ZL when I was in Pavas which is interesting because since becoming a ZL, all of my companions have been my former zone leaders. Also I only have 5 more changes left which is pretty crazy because changes pass by super super fast!!

Well I don't really have that much to write because this week not too much happened.

Nick, I hope you are getting ready to start your mission. It really is going to be an awesome experience. What I love the most is getting to meet tons of new people. I have made so many friends in the last 17 months. Also don't worry if you are nervous because I was so nervous when I first started the mission. Spencer learn how to brush your teeth!!!!!!!! Julia you too!!! and I'm glad you finally know what it's like when nature really calls and there are no public facilities! Landon you just have to last a few more weeks and then it will be summer vacation! Mom and Dad have fun with your new stake assignment . . . Also, when I get home I don't want to go to a Singles Ward!

Well I'm excited that I get to call you guys in a couple weeks. I'm going to talk to President tomorrow or sometime this week to get everything all planned out.

Well I love you all and I hope you have an awesome week!!!!

Love Elder Smith

p.s. Oh, and make sure to tell Nana K. Happy Birthday yesterday from me!!!!!

Visit by Elder Richard Hinckley




My desk

 Dear Family,

Well this week was super awesome!! Elder Richard Hinckley came to Costa Rica and we had a really awesome Zone Council and Zone Conference with him. After the Zone Council, he said quote, ¨This is the best zone leadership training that I have ever seen, including the ones that I gave as a Mission President.¨ Also he said that President and Sister Galvaz are one of the best mission president he has ever seen and that Costa Rica is one of the best missions he has ever seen. Now this isn’t some random guy saying this . . . Elder Hinckley is basically in charge of the Mission Department and so he knows what he is talking about.

So this week we are going to have 2 baptisms. Alejandra is finally going to get baptized and we are also going to baptize Martin. So that’s basically what is going to be happening this week. Also this week is Semana Santa so we are actually going to have P-day on Friday.
Thanks for sharing the news about a new Bishopric . . . that means Dad will have more time around the house. One of the biggest things that I have learned from the mission is that change can be a really hard thing. In every area I have been in, I have learned to love the people so much that when I get changed out it has been harder saying good-bye to these people than it was saying good-bye to you guys at home. But this is something that we all have to deal with in life because the one guarantee is that things are going to change. We just have to deal with it and have faith that good things and most of the time, better things will happen.  Well this is a super short letter but I hope you all have a good week!
Love Elder Smith

A Quick Note

With Members Celebrating a Birthday!!

Hey Family/Friends,

I don't have much time to write today, but I just want to say that conference was amazing!!!!!!!! I loved it and it went by way too fast! 

This week was really good and it went by super super fast. I can't believe that we are already in April--the time is moving so much faster that it did a year ago. We are teaching a new guy named Martin. He is the uncle of a member in our ward and he is super cool. He has had a really hard life and in our first lesson with him, he told us that he wants to be born again and so we talked about baptism and put a goal with him for the 23rd. He also doesn't know how to read or write so we are going to teach him.

I love you all and I hope you have an awesome spring break this week!!! Love Elder Smith

What Happens When You Forget to Pay Utilities!

P-day activity, playing futobal

Dear Family,  Hey so I’m so glad to hear that you are all doing fine and that things are going well back at home! Everyday since the beginning of the mission I have prayed for you all and I’m so glad that in the past 16 months everyone has been kept safe. (Nick don’t do anything stupid to screw that up) Ha-ha!! Well Spencer I’m glad to hear that lacrosse is going well. Make sure you can get healed up, because it’s better that you sit out a few games as a sophomore than have to sit out a whole season as a junior or senior. Julia thanks for the letter and I’m glad to hear that you are starting to be able to control your crying ha-ha! Lets see if you can hold it in at the airport when I get home.... doubt it ha-ha! Nick make sure you spend as much time on your homework as you do with your girlfriend, cause she probably won’t even wait for you . . . JK-ing!

This week was super fun and a ton of stuff happened. First we did divisions almost every day this week. Tuesday, I was in Siquirres, Wednesday I was in Cariari, and Thursday and Friday my companion was in Limon. In total, I spent about 10 hours on buses, but luckily all the buses in this part of Costa Rica are the really nice charter buses. 

Tuesday, I was with Elder Maylett in Siquirres and we basically spent the whole day traveling to another area to do and interview, but it was still fun being with him.

Wednesday, I was with Elder Gutierrez in Cariari so that I could do the interview for a guy name Hector, whose wife got baptized like 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately they are probably going to get divorced, cause both of them have made some mistakes in the past, but they are going to try and work things out now. 

Then on Thursday, we traveled down to Limon so that I could do an interview for a guy who only speaks Patua, it’s like a mix between English, French and some other language, but I could understand everything he said. Well, we ended up not doing the interview cause he still had some doubts about the church being the only true church and about being baptized again, cause he was baptized in the Catholic Church. So Elder Norr and I taught a super bomb lesson in English and I think it was the first legit lesson that I have taught in the English language here in Costa Rica. Afterwards Elder Norr and I returned back to Guapiles, a 2 and a half hour bus ride and spent Thursday night and Friday on division. I love Elder Norr and it brought back memories of our days in Pavas!

Oh and this past week we lived like pioneers, cause we didn’t pay for our water and electricity and so it got shut off. So we showered in member’s homes and Thursday night they turned the water back on and we are still without electricity until tomorrow and so we have been using candles and flashlights. That’s the last time I will forget to pay the utilities, cause it sucks. I think Saturday night was the worst night of both the mission and I think my life . . . it was super hot and we got bit by a ton of mosquitoes. We couldn’t turn on the fan cause we had no electricity, when I tried to use my blanket it was too hot to sleep and when I didn’t use the blanket, I got bit a ton and my body was itching like crazy. So I was miserable the whole night and so next month I’m going to buy some bug spray. Oh and the past couple of days, my companion has been kind of sick and last night he couldn’t stand it anymore so we went to the hospital. We were there for like 3 hours and I was left on my own for the whole time, so that was kind of weird, but enjoyable. He has some stomach problem and has to now watch his diet aka no more spicy stuff, which burns cause he’s a Mexican and they love spiciness.

So today for P-day I had to go to San Jose for Zone Council and it was super awesome, because as a zone we met our goal so I got to report that to President!!!! Also we learned some really cool stuff from President, I love him--he is so awesome and he is definately an inspired man of God! Also we got fed super good--ribs, pasta, salad, cake and ice cream. Also I got to hang out with all my Zone Leader friends, which is always super nice!

So this week was fun and I’m super excited for the month of April, because one, General Conference is this week! Yeah!! Party!!! And two, Elder Richard G. Hinckley is coming the second week of April and so we are going to have a conference with him!!!!!!

Well I love you all and I can’t wait to see you all in approximately 20,304,000 seconds. Ha-ha, I’m not really counting but I did calculate this countdown last night while I was waiting for my companion at the hospital. Stay safe!!!!!!!! Love Elder Smith

March Has Been a White Month!

Baptismal Day of Jose, Marielos and Esteban Villalobos

Preparing the Font

My home here in Pococi


CLICK ON POCOCI REGION IN RIGHT COLUMN TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS!

Dear Everyone,

Well this is going to be a short letter, because I don’t have a lot to write about. This week was really good especially with the baptisms of Jose, Marielos and Esteban Villalobos. Yesterday, Sunday, they all got confirmed and Jose and Esteben received the Priesthood. I wasn’t expecting that and I am sure they weren’t either, but it was really cool and Jose even got to stand in the circle for the ordination of his son. Also on Sunday Alejandra got married! The ceremony was really good and Alejandra’s husband, Marcos, has a sister who lives in San Rafael and her family showed up and so it was good to see them. Also now that my Spanish is a ton better we could actually have a conversation.

So tomorrow, Tuesday, we are going to do the baptismal interview for Alejandra and we want to have her baptism this coming Saturday!! Right now as a zone we have had 14 baptisms and we only need 2 more to complete the zone’s goal for this month. For this week we have about 8 possibilities and so if all goes well, then we are going to overpass the goal, which will be cool! 

This week we are going to be doing lots of divisions with the zone. We have to do some baptismal interviews and we also want to see how the elders are doing. On Tuesday, I am going to be in Siquirres and then on Wednesday I am going to be in Cariari. On Thursday and Friday, my companion is going to Limon and I am going to be in our area. So it should be a fun week! Also only 2 more weeks until General Conference, which is basically the Superbowl for missionaries! Hope you all have a good week!!!! I am going to put some pictures up! Love Elder Anthony Smith

So Much to Write About!

Enjoying P-day in Costa Rica!

Dear Everyone,

Hey so I hope you all had a good week!!! Nick--study Chinese cause Spanish was pretty hard to learn and Chinese is like a billion times harder so the more practice you get now will make it so much easier in the MTC and in the field! Spencer--that is a super sick drawing!!! You should do one of me playing lax!!! Hey I hope your leg gets better so you can play!!! Julia--I heard that you have started a countdown for me, well starting on March 26th I am going to start reading a chapter a day in the Book of Mormon and by the time I finish, I will be home!!!! Also send me a list of the places you are going to visit here in Costa Rica and I’ll see what I can do!!!!! Landon-- keep having fun in your school and playing with your friends!!!! Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa--I got the packages!!!! Thank you so much, especially for the Double Stuffed Oreos, I am going to eat them all tonight and then start my getting in shape workouts!!!!!!!

So this week was super good and there was a bunch of things that I wanted to write about, but with everything that goes on, it's super easy to forget!! Well this week I finished reading The Book of Mormon again in Spanish!!!! It's super crazy, thinking that a year ago I was reading in Spanish, but like every other word I was looking it up in the dictionary and now I can just read and focus on learning the gospel!!! My testimony for The Book of Mormon has grown so much and I know that it is true!!!! So now I am going to read it again but with the seminary manual!!!

So yes this week we had 3 baptisms!!! The familia Villalobos, Jose, Marielos, and Esteban got baptized and it was super awesome!! This family is really converted and even though they had some struggles they are super happy and the baptismal service was such a spiritual experience!!! The members in the ward have helped out so much and a bunch of people came to support this familia's decision!

Well today we had changes and my new companion is Elder Vasquez!!!! He is from Mexico (yeah! that makes two companions from Mexico), and he was actually my zone leader when I was in Alajeula about a year ago!! He is super cool and I'm excited to work with him!! The zone is doing super good with the three baptism here, we now have 13 which means we only need 3 more to reach the goal and on March 26, my area is going to baptize another lady! Her name is Alejandra and her husband is a less active member who we have reactivated and they are going to get married on Sunday and she will be baptized the following week!!!!! Also my MTC comp. Elder Duncan is now a zone leader. That means that from my group me, Duncan, Sangster, Romney, and Whittier are all zone leaders and Elder Johnson is a district leader and training so he will be zone leader soon and Elder Brazington is now senior comp and doing well!!! 

Well I'm just finding out that all the workout vids you sent are in a Quicktime video format and won't sink to my iPod, but don't worry I have a video converter so we should be good, it just might take me a couple weeks to convert all the vids!!!! Thanks for all your love, support and prayers! I am really thankful for all of you in my life and I'm glad that mom now has an emotional attachment to rap music that makes her cry!!! Ha Ha Well I hope you all have an awesome week!! And I love you all!!! Love Elder Smith

Another Busy Week

Quite a feast for a p-day!

Dear Family, 

Haha I have no time to write again because we have to do a bunch of info. for the stake! But this week was really good! I was on divisions for a couple of days, getting to know some investigators. I like being ZL because I get to know many more people! This week, our zone had 3 baptisms and we have the posibilty of baptizing 10 this week which would be super awesome because the meta for the zone this month is 16!! We might have a baptism this week in our area! We are teaching this super golden family and the mom and son are totally ready to get baptized this week, but the dad is a little nervous! This family is super awesome and Ill have to write more about them next week!!! Also next week we have changes and I think that my companion might have changes so we will see what happens. With the changes next week that means I won't write you till Wednesday so don't worry if you don't get anything on Monday!!!

Have an awesome week!!!!!

Love Elder Smith

P.S. Thanks for not writing me......haha just kidding its cool, something probably happened but you all better write next week. Tell Aunt Caroline thanks for the letter I got last week!!

Crazy Day: Zone Council

Giving directions how to focus the camera :)

Dear Family!!!

Hey sorry it's so late (6:30 p.m. when he sent this email)  and I have like no time to write you guys, but today has been super busy!!!! And I mean super busy!!!!!! So it is the end of the month and that means that we had to do all the numbers for the zone last night. We had to get all the totals for this month, all the goals for next month and then we had to give it all to the AP´s. It took forever! and we went to bed at like 1:00 in the morning! Then we had to wake up at 4:30 so that we could be to the bus station by 5:30 so we could go to San Jose for Zone Council!!!! The worst part was I left my umbrella in the house of a member Sunday night and it was raining super hard this morning and so I got soaking wet and they had the AC on full blast in the bus and so I was freezing!!! 

Well this month our zone didn't meet our goal so in the Zone Council we had to explain to President why we didn't meet the goal and what we are going to do better this next month so that we can meet the goals that the missionaries have set. 

Some cool news, in April, Elder Richard Hinckley, son of President Hinckley, will be coming to Costa Rica and we´ll probably have a Zone Conference with him!!!

Congrats Spencer on making the Varsity Team! I have completly forgotten everything about lacrosse and I'm not even sure I could craddle a stick right now!! I remember I was super nervous when I make Varsity as a sophmore because the coach kept saying that the roster wasn't final and that people could get moved up or down. Just do your best and it will all be fine!!!! 

Nick, hey HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! I hope you get lots of hugs and kisses from the ladies, Hay que aprovechar este tiempo con las guilas!!! Haha!!!!

Hope You all Have an AWESOME WEEK and hopefully I will have more time to write next week sorry!!! I´ll try to take more photos too!!!!!!

Love, Elder Smith

I Saw the Ocean

Elder Malen, Paola, and Elder Alvare

Preparing for the Baptismal Services

Elder Alvare baptizes Paola 

Elder Smith (me) and Elder Malen

Hey Everyone,

So I don't have much time to write, but this week has been super busy! Elder Lopez and I have been doing divisions with the zone making sure that everyone who can get baptized this month, gets baptized so we can meet our goal as a zone. So I spent part of the weekend in Limon and finally after 15 months in the mission I saw the ocean!!! Also I saw some members of our stake in Centerville! It was super crazy, because I was inside sewing a hole in my pants and a couple of elders were outside and then one of them told me to come outside and I see these Gringos who look really familiar and they asked me what stake I was from in Centerville. I said the Centerville North in the Chase Lane ward and they are from the Willow Wood ward. The only problem is I don't remember their names, but they took some pictures with us and maybe they will call you. One of them is on the Stake High Council and knows Dad! So That was cool!!! Then on Saturday, I saw my first baptism that took place in a river. The Elders in Puerto Viejo don't have a church building and so they have to use the river and I conducted the baptismal interview for the young woman that got baptized! So this week has been pretty cool!!!

Today we had a fun P-day too!!! There is a member in Siquirres whose husband owns this pineapple farm and they live in a jungle part of the area and so they showed us around and we also got to see this really cool river and I took some pictures so I will upload them right now so you can see what this part of Costa Rica looks like!!!!

So yeah, that's basically what happened this past week and I hope you all have a great week!!

Love Elder Smith

Happy Birthday Bro!

Making Calls

Hi All,

This week has been good and has passed by super fast. Last Wedenesday, the zone had a capacitation with President and Hermana Galvez. They explained about some new things the mission is trying to implement to find more and better investigators. One example is that we are now challenging people to be baptized when we contact them. At first it was a little ackward but it is a really effective way to find the golden investigators and to find those who are ready to hear the gospel. On Friday and Saturday I was in Cariari doing divistions with Elder Bernuy and Elder Gutierrez and my companion went to Puerto Limon. We went to conduct baptism invertiews in both areas. It's kinda funny because Elder Bernuy was my district leader when I was in Heredia and now I am his zone leader, but he is super cool and is almost done with his mission. It's kind of sad because all my friends in the mission are now either gone or about to leave and there are a whole bunch of new missionaries who I don't know so I'm going to have to get to know the newer missionaries.

In Cariari I did the interview for a man, Kendall, who was able to get married and then baptized. The interview was really good and he actually answered most of the questions without any help which was really cool. I also got to stay for the wedding and the baptism. He married a lady who is a member of the church and has 9 kids. The wedding was really long because the lawyer talked forever and ever, but Kendall's baptism was really cool and all the people who came for the wedding ended up staying for the baptism and several of them aren't members. I will post pictures of both events.

I really like my new area! It is hot and sunny (unless it rains) and I'm staring to get a tan again. Also the peolple are really awesome members and investigators. We are teaching a lady named Alejandra who is going to get baptized in March after she gets married to her boyfriend who we have reactivated. She is ready to get baptized. . . she just has to get married. We are going to work hard for the next two weeks finding new investigators who we hope will prepare to be baptized in the months of March and April.

Going to the temple today was really awesome and I saw some members from my passed areas so that was cool!!! Mom if you send a package soon could you please send some sunblock, its super expensive here, but not too high spf. Also could you send some double stuffed oreos, original please, my companion loves oreos and has never tried the double stuff . . . also those p90x vids would be supper awesome!!! Love you all and I hope Spencer had an awesome birthday!!! Have fun driving and dating!!!!

Love Elder Smith

ZL Work

Beautiful Pococi -- this is our church building

My new companion Elder Lopez

Dear Family,

Hey I hope everyone had a good week, sounds like it was really cold in Utah this week . . .  well here in Pococí it is a different story. The weather here is very unpredictable. For example in the morning it will rain and then it is very hot around mid afternoon and when the sun goes down it is fresco . . . I always have to make sure that I have my umbrella or I could get wet. Oh and I'm sorry I forgot to mention that my new companion is Elder Lopez. He was actually my Zone Leader in La Sabana with Elder Sangster so I know him really well and he is cool and we get along really well. Um well so far being a ZL isn't too hard, I just have to make a lot of phone calls and Sundays are long because we wake up a 5 am and we have to do numbers for the week and so that takes a long time, but last night I got to bed at 11:45 and so that wasn't too bad.

Last Thursday we had Zone Council so we had to go back to San Jose, another 2 hour ride through the mountains. There is a huge difference in climate between where I am and San Jose. San Jose is cold and dry and Pococi is hot and humid. Zone Council was fun and I didn't really have to do anything because I only had a day being ZL. It's cool because Elder Sangster, Romney, Whittier and I are ZLs and Elder Johnson and Duncan are DLs and so my MTC group is doing pretty good here in the mission and pretty soon we could all be ZLs.

This coming week we have a Zone meeting with President Galvez and that should be fun and then I will probably be doing divisions for the rest of the week, getting to know some investigators and I will probably do a couple baptism interviews.

Next week we are going to the temple!!! YAY!!!! Every zone goes about once every 3 months and so I got lucky and get to go twice in one month. So next week I will write home on Wednesday and not Monday.

Mom, about the questions you gave me about what Nick should take. The shoes I took on my mission are ecos brand--DO NOT TAKE THIS BRAND OF SHOE  . . . especially if you are going to be doing a lot of walking. You will see what my shoes look like when I get home. Don't worry I have another pair so I will be good, but take Dr. Martin or Dr. Sholes, I don't remember what they are called. My luggage has held up pretty good, still no rips or tears. Make sure Nick that your clothes fit you!!!! Remember how I went into the MTC a litttle chunky and I gained a lot of weight in the MTC. Well that all fell off when I got here and so my clothes are a little baggy and so make sure your clothes fit. Don't think Nick will have too much of a problem because he is a stick. Do Not Take A shoulder bag!!!! Take a regular backpack! My back hurt with a shoulder bag and I didn't like it at all. I use a backpack now and it is so much better. So take a nice backpack!!!! Also make sure you have plenty of socks and garments!! Well I hope you all have a great week and I will write you again next Wednesday!!!!

Love Elder Smith