Hey Momma!

 

Skyping was the best. You're right.  I remembered that I actually belong to a family again.  That sounds awful, but when you are on your mission, you're just a foster child for the ward you're serving.  It's nice to just be a little brother again, instead of "The Elders."  When we were talking it totally felt like I had never left.  I miss you guys a lot, and I don't realise that very often.  You don't really seem to exist in my world.  I mean I get an email every week, and I love it, but it kind of seems like I've always been on a mission and always will be.  Ask Ben if you can't figure that one out.  I'm sure he completely understands.  His letters are usually spot on.  It was so great to hear from you again though.  And it'll only be a few months before number 3 out of 4 calls happens.  How crazy is that?  I'm coming up on my year mark.  Some of me feels like I've been out forever, and some of me feels like I've only just got off the plane. 

 

This week was really good.  Wolverhampton is such a great ward.  They definitely spoiled us.  I'm going to try and get the pictures from Shepdawg, but we'll see if I get them passed on in time.  (My camera has had low batteries for a little while now.)  (I'm buying new ones today, don't worry.) Speaking of pictures though, I've made a New Year's Resolution to take at least one picture per day.  I think that'll be good, so that I'll have a bunch of pictures not only for you, but for the rest of forever when I want to remember my mission. 

 

Thanks for telling me I look good.  I'm going to keep growing my hair out.  I think I want it to be as long as it was when I was at the MTC.  I liked that length.

 

I hate my cough too.  It will never go away, because I'm just too soggy.  That's what you are in England.  Soggy.

Shepherd is his name.

 

The sun comes up about 9:30 and goes down at about 4:00. And really I'm not that bothered by the dark, I was next to nocturnal before I came on my mission, so it doesn't get to me.  It's the rain.  We wont talk about the rain. You know how I feel about it.

 

To be honest, yeah, I was definitely blessed to speak English on my mission.  I did have to learn a new language though, and you'll understand that when you come over and can't understand a word anyone says.  But I'm still pretty dang jealous of people that now know other languages.  Jake is fluent in Spanish now, and I have a bunch of friends that are fluent in a ton of other languages, even one that's fluent in Filipino sign language.  I think that's so cool.  I'm definitely going to try and learn Spanish when I get home.  We'll see though.

 

I'm going in to get your package today at the mission office, and nobody will be able to tell me what you did wrong.  Sorry.  I'm pretty sure that if you send a package that has more than $50 dollars worth of stuff in it, that's when they kill ya with tax.  I'm not sure though.  You could probably email Sister Rasmussen, she'd know a lot more than I do.

 

Mother. Stop worrying about the dang package.  We went through this on my birthday already.  I don't care when I get the package. Stop stressing about it.  Next time just send it the cheapest way you can find.  Don't spend any money you don't have to, because I really don't care when I get it.

 

You are the girliest family.  I bet Ben and Aaron were feeling that.  I did when we were skyping.  I'm going to have to come home and not shower for a few weeks and fart and burp and go fishing. 

 

I'm excited for movies.  I miss them a lot.  We weren't allowed to watch any, and that made me really sad.  I've been debating with myself for the past like six months which disney movie I was going to pick, because, up until this year, missionaries have always been allowed to watch one disney.  But this year, President decided that we weren't allowed to do that anymore.  That was hard, especially because we were at the Chaproniere's when their son skyped home and he was telling them about all the movies that he was watching that day.  Apparently their president lets them watch any animated disney movie on any p days and gave them a long list of Christmas movies that they were allowed to watch (like the Grinch and Home Alone.)  Elder C is in Manchester, and Elder Wrenger's brother is in Leeds, and the rules were the same there... Oh well.  I don't get it, but hopefully it's good for me.

 

Everyone's pregnant. (Except Ange, thank goodness.  There's a missionary out here that got written off after three months, and apparently his ex is expecting in a couple months. Ouch.)

 

Holiday boyfriend sounds nice.  I'm not quite sure why he isn't Christmas boyfriend.  Is he Jewish or something?  Can you not call it Christmas?  Haha

 

Ange is great.  I really really like her. I forgot how much. But it's a lot.

 

Boxing Day still doesn't make sense to me.  But we had a P day on it, but all the libraries and everything was closed.  Well like governmentish things were closed at least.  They have major huge boxing day sales, and everyone goes shopping.  We did too, cause no one wanted to play basketball with me.  So I was just bored all day.  But that's alright.  I think it was to train me for the years to come.  Except, I have three sisters and a mother.  Hopefully I can just pawn the after-christmas shopping off on you guys.  Be friends with whoever I marry so I can do less shopping.  You guys could all go save $209 dollars at Banana Republic together!

 

I'll take lots of pictures.  But, to be completely honest, no.  I don't love England like that.  I think I'll be somewhat happy to only come here on holidays, and stay inside when it rains.  I don't think God planned on people living here either.  I think just sheep.  Sheep like it here.  There's a reason "Our Heritage" left.

 

Go read, and let Aaron do whatever he wants.  It's going to happen either when you let him or when you're at work, so you don't have too much of a choice.

 

I love you too!

Love,

Elder Smart

 

Hey Momma, we have a second to email today.

 

I'm super excited to talk to you! It's going to be really fun, I hope everything is all set up for that.  I know it is here.

I'm sick. So that sucks. I feel like I'm going to barf, and I've had a cough for the past couple weeks.  We'll see.  I think I might have a fever, but I really don't have time for a fever.  It's definitely because of the stupid weather.  Have I ever told you how much I hate rain.

 

If not let me.

 

I hate rain. Almost as much as the devil.  Maybe they're the same thing.

 

I'm going to call Sister Rasmussen after we email, and probably go home and sleep the rest of the day.  After I walk home in the stupid rain.

 

Tell everyone in the world sorry that I wont be emailing them today. We're only supposed to be on the computers momentarily today, mostly just to confirm skyping plans.  I'm super excited to see all of you, and hopefully I wont be ralphing every couple of minutes.  I guess time will tell!

 

There's a package that I apparently received from the States that England is making me pay £40 for.  I hope you don't mind.  I think you told me that you were jipping me for Christmas.  That's okay.  But I'm going to buy myself some stuff. I haven't sent the package home either. Sorry. It'll happen sometime soon. I don't have much time to do stuff like that. 

 

I'm not very talkative today. Sorry.  It's because I feel like death. Merry Christmas.

 

I love you! I'll talk to you in a couple days!

 

Love,

Elder Smart

Hey Momma!

 

So transfers happened, and yes I did get moved.  I'm now in a place called Wolverhampton.  It's in the same stake as Tamworth, but it's pretty far away from Tamworth.  It's a pretty big city, and a very big ward.  In fact, there are two wards here.  I'm over Wolverhampton 1st Ward, but we share it with the Zone Leaders, who are pretty cool, so I don't mind.  My new companion is Elder Shepherd.  I think you remember him. You should at least.  I realized all the people I meet out here get coined as an animal, Shepdawg was the first, then Hounddog, then The Bear, and now Shepdawg again.  He's an awkward guy, but that's alright, I like him and we get along.  At least he talks.  He's got three transfers left, including this one, so he goes home in April.  This is his fourth transfer here in Wolverhampton though, so he's probably going to move areas next transfer.  We'll have to see, I guess.  In the meantime, I'm content being junior companion.  He's the district leader here, and I've got a feeling that I'm next. Again, we'll have to see.

 

The ward is great though.  We get dinner just about every night, and they're actually willing to help us, annnnnnndd they have a basketball court at the chapel.  Looks like I'll have a way to keep the holiday weight off.  I love basketball. We played on Saturday with some of the youth in the ward (Youth!! Woohoo!) and I've been pretty sore ever since.  Which is good.  I'm out of shape, but soon I'll be back up to par.  The area is good though, and really I'm so happy to be here.  I've got one of the elders I was in the MTC in my district as well.  His name is Elder Allred, and he's from Vernal.  I really really like Elder Allred.  He's a total farmboy, and I love it.  He has his own cattle ranch back home, and he has something like twelve cows that his dad is taking care of for him, and before his mission he drove semi-trucks.  I think he is about the coolest hick in all the world.  But he's also just a really good guy.  One of those quality people that you know you'll be friends with for the rest of your life.

 

Anyways, you're going to want to know about Elder Shepherd.  He's from Idaho Falls, he's the oldest of three boys, he didn't really play sports back home, but he's a pretty good singer, he's almost 21, his little brother just got his mission call and is going to the Czeck Republic (poor kid), and all-around he's just a good guy.  I like Elder Shepherd.  Especially after my last two companions.  I'm pretty happy to be back with an American.  Is that wrong to say?  There's so much more to talk about.  I like it.  Maybe I'll get another companion like Elder Okuonghae again, and I'll love it, but I'm not a huge fan of Germany.  Probably I'm generalizing a bit too much. But that's life, I guess.

 

Everything here is good, and set up for Christmas.  I'll be able to talk to you for a couple hours hopefully.  The plan is to Skype from a member's house here at about 6:00pm our time.  There is a seven hour time difference again, so that's 11:00am for you.  Double check that for me.  I'm about 99% sure I'm right, but I don't want to get that wrong.  Please call and invite Angela too.  I've already emailed her and told her that I'd like her to be there, but I think she'd feel about a million times more comfortable if you called and invited her to come over. I still have a crush on her, and don't worry, that's not against the rules.

 

Emailing isn't going to be like it was before.  I'm sorry.  We'll be doing it probably from 10:15 to about 1:00 every monday.  So, I probably wont be chatting with anyone unless you guys decide to be awake from 3:00 to 6:00 in the morning.  That was fun while we did it though.  I think I need to play basketball and be active to stay alive though.  I hope that's okay.

 

So that's where I am right now.  I think President knows how I feel about him. I told him, so I hope it's obvious. I think that's maybe why I didn't move very far away from the mission office.  I have a feeling I'll be in Wolverhampton for a long time.  I'm absolutely fine with that.  I love it here. 

 

Don't worry about what you said to me.  I know what you meant.  In fact, I think I can hear your voice in my head just about all the time telling me what I need to do.  I think you're my Mom, and even the Spirit knows that your voice will get me to me the most effectively.  Things are good though Mom.  There is a woman in the ward that has a misisonary in the Manchester Mission (and we'll be eating at her house on Christmas), she told me what to tell you to make you feel better.  In fact, I really like this lady already, and probably she'll be in contact with you sometime.  Her last name is Chapronnierre, or something like that. Sister C. She told me to tell you that I'm in a new ward, and they take care of their missionaries (they do), and that I like my companion (I do), and that Christmas is all planned (it is) and that you have nothing to worry about (you still will).

 

There are a lot of people in this ward that are related to my bishop in Tamworth.  He actually has now moved to Church Headquarters in Germany, but I now know his parents and his sister, and he sold his car to a guy in my ward here as well.  So basically it's like coming home.  The flat is pretty small.  It's just a one bedroom with a big, studio-esque main room, where we study and eat.  The water heater pilot light has to light every so often, and it sounds like some one is trying to break in.  Just one big boom, every once in a while, to keep you on your toes while you're studying the scriptures. The beds are squeaky and I sleep on the top bunk. We live right above a chippy (fish and chip shop) and so I might get fat, but I have basketball so I can still burn it all off.  Everything is good, Mom.  You can stop worrying about me.  Actually don't.  Your Mom-Prayers work pretty well.

 

Elder Wrenger got a companion from my MTC group, that I didn't know very well, but I've heard that he suits him perfectly, so I'm glad.  He'll be a good missionary, and so I think I did my job, even if I was ready to kill him a few times. 

 

This week has felt like a month.  So much has happened.  We also had our Christmas Conference, and the whole mission got to come to that, so that was really cool.  I got to see all my friends.  It was good, but.. kind of boring other than the friends part.  You know those people who try too hard to be really spiritual all the time?  That's how my President is, and how he wants all of us to be.  And how he wanted the Christmas Conference to be.  Luckily, most of the missionaries don't hate fun.  So there were some good laughs as well.

 

Alright.  I think that's my whole life right now.  I don't think I'll be emailing you next Monday.  If I do, it'll be very quick.  Since it's Christmas week, I think they're moving P Day to Boxing Day.  Hopefully things are open that day, and if not, we'll just try and email from a member's house.  So the next time I will talk to you will probably be on Christmas, but I need your name on Skype again, and the email that you use for it.  I think I know both those things, but will you send me both of them in an email like the second you read this, so if there is a time I can jump on a computer for just a second, I can write those things down, so that I can add you as a friend from whatever account I use?  Thanks Momma.

 

Oh and I got a few things from you, and others in the ward!  The letters that Sister Hood sent, as well as some cd's that Brother Pennington sent to me.  They're of his Mr. Mormon thing.  I really like them.  Ask him about it, and tell him that I said thanks! I've listened to all of them and they all offer some really good insight.  The letters were a bit bland, I'll be honest.  But I guess when your ward has one billion missionaries, they tend to be that way.  Isn't it super cool that we have one billion missionaries?  I think so.  It's also cool that all of my roommates are out, and basically all my friends.  Except my girl-friend. But that's okay.  She's not married yet.

 

Thanks for all the pictures! I love them.  I only have about an hour left, because I write so much to you, but I love you! And tell all the others sorry because I spend all my email time writing you.  I'm sure they hear enough about me from you, so that's okay.  You can always send things on to my sisters if they want stuff, even my boohoo letters.  (Laura told me.)

 

I'm doing okay.  Try not to worry about me too much.  I really am happy here, and I think I'm going to see a lot of success.  It just might be after Christmas when people open their doors again.

 

I love you! I'm super excited to talk to you next week!

 

Love, Elder Smart

So here's a few pictures I stole from Elder Tanner.

The first one is a canal boat 'town.'  People live on these boats and travel all over the country in canals.  This is one of the places that is like a meet up area.

The second one is my watch, and the sun going down. Depressing.

The third one is one of my favorites.  Me and Elder Tanner were on exchange, and we were up contacting this person in Lillington, and on the way to Lillington there's a BMX dirt course.  Elder Wrenger and Elder Houghton were always too wussy to do it with me, but Elder Tanner was down.  The only problem was that it rained the day before.  We might've done it twice cause it was so fun.  Don't worry, everything washed out.

The fourth one is of a cool hedge we saw.

Number five is a sign.

And the last one is a picture of the big church that the other elders live at.  Taken from a little town outside of the city.  Cool.  (The elders don't live at the church, just by it.)

Hey Mom!

I missed you for Thanksgiving as well.  I also missed the immense amount of food down in the "Cultural Hall."  We got a proper dinner though.  Two of the American families in the ward got together and invited us as well.  It was delicious.  And we had a good time.  There's no turkeys in England.

Actually I made that up.  I have no idea if there are any turkeys here.  There probably is.

The question about the lower case f's might be the oddest question I have ever read.  I have absolutely no idea.  Even if they did do that, I probably wouldn't notice.  Even if I did notice, I probably would attribute it to the specific person's handwriting more than the whole nation's writing style.  Just teach her proper American.

This week went by pretty fast, and I don't even know what to tell you about.  The pictures I sent to you weren't all taken this week, they were over the past three or four.  But they're good ones.  I like them a lot.  Especially the muddy ones.  Elder Tanner and I try to find all of those courses now. It's because we think we're cool.  And, pretty much, we are.

Brooke sounds like fun.  Elder Tanner and I were on exchange again this week, and I found out that he talks in his sleep as well.  He also told me that he usually falls asleep in a hoodie and sweat pants, but generally wakes up in just undies.  He says he has no recollection of undressing, it just happens.  He's really funny, and we get along really well.  He's a dork, and.. so am I.

Your own bed is a great thing.  In our "White Handbook" (the missionary rules) it says that we have to sleep in the same room, but we can't sleep in the same bed.  It makes me laugh every time.  

You can tell Spencer's kids that if they want to name their children after us, that I'm fine with it.  The more Coltons the better.  As long as they remember that I'm the alpha-Colton.  I miss all the family.  I've been a little reminiscent this week, with Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the extended family has been a part of Thanksgiving since I can remember.  I really loved going to St. George and playing with my cousins the whole week.  I wish we still did that.  But Arizona is cool enough.  We're going to have to make some traditions of our own though.  I'm still down with St. George.  Or we could do like a cabin! That'd be way cool.  We all go up to Daniel's Summit and go snowmobiling all week.  Deal. 

I've always been with you.  We're buds.  I remember flying down to Arizona with you as a kid.  Just me and you.  I never really knew why we were going, but I knew that it was fun and that I'd get to see Kevin.  Plus I got to go in a plane.  That was always a cool experience.  It still is.  Except over oceans, when you can't use electronics.  I think I'll only ever do that one more time.

Paul served here?! That's awesome!  I wonder if I know any of the members he knows.  There's not a lot of them, but I might know some of them.  He hasn't sent me anything, but I'd love to hear from him, and I'd really love to see some pictures. (Drawn, or photographed.)  I love pictures.

Did I send you the pictures that I had Elder Wrenger draw?  They're quality.  If not, tell me and I'll send them.

Painting is fun, but kind of boring after a while.  I've done a bit of that on my mission.  You wouldn't imagine all the weird skills I'm picking up out here.  By the end of my mission, I'll be able to do anything.  That glider is the biggest hassle in all the world.  I still don't know why you bought it.  I mean, it's nice, but nothing but grief has come from that.

Postcards!  Sorry, I've been holding on to them for forever, I just didn't really know what to put on them.. so I ended up just sending them the way I did.. With nothing on them.  Haha  I'm not sure that'll I'll go through the castle.  That'd be fun. But I don't really think it's worth £9.  Plus I think I'll only have one more P Day here.  I think I'm going to get transferred on the 11th.  I have no clues to back up that theory, but, I think that's what's going to happen.  And I think I'm going to Wales.  Hopefully Merthyr.  I want to go there pretty bad.  But really, I just want to go to Wales.  There are a lot of missionaries in Wales that finish their missions this transfer, so there's a lot of empty spots out there.  I think that's what's going to happen. I hope so at least.

Laura told me all about her ER experience.  That doesn't sound fun at all.  Maybe the Hospital Heroin, but not the pain.  Take care of my sister, please.

Patrick.  Well, last week I think I told you he might be baptized this week.  The member that was updating us turned out to be exaggerating a bit.  But he's still progressing.  I'm not sure he'll be baptized while I'm here, but I think it'll be soon.  Like within the next month or two.  He wants to choose a big day, and there's a few in the coming weeks.  Christmas, New Year's.. etc.  I think he'll choose to do it then.  But I don't think I'll be around to see.  We're going to see if we can't convince him just to do it this weekend.  That way we'll definitely be here.  That'd be good.

Hungary hasn't really said or done much for a while.  Hopefully she'll come back to reality when finals and stuff are over.  She is a student, so I understand, but this is still kind of her eternal salvation.. Agency, right? How annoying.

Me and my German actually are getting along a lot better this week, we're both kind of hoping to move at transfers, but we like each other.  I kind of want a change of scenery and faces, he wants to go to a flat that has a weightlifting bench.  Haha, I guess we'll see what happens.  He's from Dortmund, which is apparently a pretty big place.  He always says it's West-Center in the country.  So yeah.  I'm not really in a place where I can just ask him a million questions for you, and I'm not really sure why you want to know if he travelled a lot.  He's told me in the past that he did travel quite a bit, he said mostly to Egypt.  I'm not really sure why Egypt, but yeah.  He speaks German and English though.

Speaking of other countries though, we talked to this guy with some long black dreads, he's from Senegal, and we're going to meet up with him tomorrow.  I think he thinks that we're just going to hang out with him and go get a beer, but secretly we want to teach him the gospel.  We'll see how it goes.  His name is Vieux (Vee-uhh)  And he's in a reggae band.  Haha he looks a lot like Bob Marley.  We'll definitely get some pictures.  He's way cool.

Chatting isn't breaking rules.  Unless it's secret, unsaid rules that I don't know about.  It doesn't say anything against it in the rulebook, and I haven't been told I can't.  I don't see anything wrong with it. So.. yeah.  I'm going to continue to do it until some one tells me I can't.

I talk to Adrienne most weeks.  She does seem stressed.  I fasted for all my sisters yesterday, and Patrick, and this other Laura in my branch now, and myself, to have more energy, or to get better sleep, or something.  My sleeping sucks lately.  I think I'm a little stressed about missionary work, but I wake up about one million times in the night, and never actually feel rested.  I have no problem getting to sleep, but I don't remember the last time I stayed asleep all night.  If I was a baby, I'd keep you up all night long.  I've tried some really low strength over the counter drugs I got at Asda (Walmart) that they told me to try out, but they didn't do anything.  So.. I might ask them for some stronger stuff to see if I can knock myself out a little better.

This week was good though.  We had a lot of success, but a lot of people didn't show up to their appointments, or cancelled and told us they were happy with their lives.  They're not, I think they're just scared of the truth.  I've recognized that a lot of the time that's all my problem is.  I feel secure in the ignorance I think I have, and I'm scared to find answers.  But then I do, and then I'm accountable, and then I have to commit myself to what I figure out.  You cursed/blessed me with this mind of mine.  Good going.

Anyways, I love you Momma!  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Smart

 These are two pictures of Kenilworth Castle near sunset. (At about 3:30.)

Then I turned around and took a picture of Kenilworth.  I thought you'd like to see it, and it was a pretty nice day. (Cold though.)

Then we went by some thatched roof cottages, and I thought you would like to see those as well.  If you look close, one of them has an "R" crest thing.

This is the "R" Crest.

 I'm sitting on Stand Street. Haha get it?

On Nov 18, 2013, at 7:28 AM, Colton Reed Smart <csmart@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Hey Momma!

I'm glad Ange came over this week!  That's good.  I like that girl. Kind of a lot.  It's weird to me that my friends are all getting married though.  We're still just babies.  Well, some of us are Elder babies. But how crazy is it that your youngest is going to be out of his teens within a year?  And he's on a mission. Weird.  Ange really liked coming over and seeing you though.  And Mom, you can stop commanding me to be happy about my girlfriend.  I think you think that I'm more concerned than I really am.  I still have feelings for her, but whether or not she's going to marry me is in the Lord's hands.  I'm currently His servant though.. and you know.. Ammon was Lamoni's servant, and offered him one of his daughters cause he was so impressed with him.. Maybe Heavenly Father will do the same for me(: haha but really. I'm okay. Yeah, to be honest I wasn't impressed with the new Towner.  I met her before I left, and just thought she was boring.. Apparently she gets kind of nasty sometimes though. It's sad because Angela is so close to Mitch, and now his wife wants to separate him from them.  If you know the Towners, you'd know that will not be easy.  I didn't meet Jordan's girlfriend, but she sounds really cool, and if Ange likes her, then I probably would too.

Haha I love Trouble.  The pictures I get every week are great.  I didn't know about the keys.. I think you might've blamed losing them on me a few weeks ago... but it might be another set of keys or something.  I don't really remember.  But Brooke does look pretty different! She did the short hair look a while back, so it's not too foreign to me though.  It looks good though!  How'd Remy feel about it? Did she notice? or was she busy feeding Hank?

Aaron is great.  He's doing his best to get favorite child points, but I'm pretty positive that I've got a million points. times infinity.  At least until March 2015, maybe a little longer, depending on how I play my cards.

Does Corie have fifty children?  How many is this?  I don't blame Megan and Houston for moving to Logan.  It's great up there. 

You BYU people don't know what I'm talking about.  Logan is the best.  In fact, I'm wearing my USU T Shirt right now, as I type.  How long are they going to be up there? I'm planning on going to Utah State the fall after I get home. Are they still going to be there?  I know how disappointed you are, sorry Mom.  My mission has changed me a lot, but I'm still an Aggie.  Always will be.  

Sounds like work is about the same. You hate the children, but actually, you just love them.

Jacksonville sounds nice.  It's probably still nice and warm there, and maybe the sun is up for longer than twenty minutes.  It literally sets at about 4:00 here, and we still have a month before the days start getting longer again. Boooo.  Oh well, the work goes on.  This week was rough.  Patrick decided to go to London even though he has zero money.  We've told him before that it's not a good idea.  He acts like he actually does have money, and decides to buy expensive groceries and go to London every other weekend.. and he always tells us that he doesn't feel the spirit the whole time he's London. But.. he still goes.  He's a little frustrating lately.  Our Hungarian also.  Except she's understandable at least.  She's a business law student, it's near the end of the semester, and she also works part time.  So she basically had to tell us that she's too busy right now for church and meeting with us.  But we text her every day, and she reads the scriptures and stuff, she just thinks she's too busy for everything else at the moment.  But I think she's still interested, so that's good.  The German is good.  I'm a little disappointed to be honest.  I was hoping that my "boy" (my greenie) and I would be best friends like Elder Lewis and me.  We're not.  I'm trying to be. But we're not. Oh well.  I think I'm going to get transferred next transfer.  Which is December 11.  We'll see.  I might be talking to you from Wales.  Who knows?

Stockton.  Haha that's funny.

It sounds like both you and Brooke are excited for Remy to be going to nursery.

I think you'll be out of Young Women when you start to like it.  In fact, it's probably a lot like the Buddhist reincarnation.  The only way you get out of it is when you don't care whether or not you're in or out of it. Or you'll just get released and put in nursery.  Haha

Speaking of old.  I read Granddad's biography.  How is he doing?  So, I don't know if I ever sent you my priesthood line of authority, but he was acquainted with "Uncle Del" or Elder Delbert Leon Stapley of the Quorum of the Twelve.  Anyways, the reason that I mention my line of authority is that my authority goes through "Uncle Del."  Pretty cool.  You have a cool Dad.  So do I.  We need to make a biography of Dad's life.  I would really really like that.  Maybe I can do it when I get home.  Best some one else do it probably.. I'd like to help though!  Maybe a few of my siblings and I can put it together with your help.  That'd be really fun, and cool.

I don't know who stole my credit card number.  I never use it anymore.  I will when I get a suit or something.  I bought some one pound (£1 not 1 lb.) gloves and cut off the fingers.  You can see them in one of the pictures I sent you.  They do the trick.  I still don't know about an umbrella.. We'll see.

I really like that finding idea.  It would be really fun to draw things with chalk, and it would be good for our young little branch.  We've heard of missionaries doing that, and we've been talking about doing it.  We would have to get permission from the city probably, and permission from our President, and after about a year of getting permission, we might be able to do it.  There are so many dang rules.  Sometimes it feels like we have to pay attention more to the rules than to missionary work.  I know they're for our benefit, as well as the church's, but some of them are so annoying.

I'm jealous of cars.  You don't know how much I walk every day.  Yes, walk.  Elder Muscles doesn't love to ride bikes.  And I don't love walking, but as long as he doesn't fix his bike, we'll be walking, until I break my legs instead.  Then he'll have to push me in a wheelchair.  That's a good plan right?

I'm emailing for P day.  That's what we usually do nowadays.  It's cold, dark, and not really worth going outside.  So we spend most of the day at the library talking to our families.  It's good fun, but I miss playing football (soccer), and basketball every week, but we just don't really have the people to do it.  My companion likes working out, but not really sports, and the other two in my area aren't super athletic either.. but whatever. That happens.  Maybe my next area I'll be active again.

I'm going to Stratford on Wednesday.  I haven't been yet, but we're going down there to contact some people the church is stalking.  Haha, maybe I'll explain that a little bit.  The church tries to find members that have moved without telling anyone.  And then, when they think they've found them, they send their names and addresses to the missionaries, and we have to report and tell them if they live there, if they're dead, etc.. but it gets us into some pretty awkward conversations.  Because a lot of the time we talk to people that match the name we're looking for, but they've never been part of the church.  Then they get worried about how two strange kids got their names and addresses, and why they're asking if they can come in and teach them about Jesus Christ.  Haha it's good fun.  We're not only the Lord's servants, but we're also His Church's servants.

I've only thought of a few things I want for Christmas.  A drawing from all of you again, cause that was the funniest thing ever, and a cookbook.  With recipes I can make and eat within one hour.  That would be brilliant.

I'll think of more things later.

I love you Mom, I can't wait for Christmas when I get to hear from you and the rest of the family! I miss you.

Love,

Elder Smart

On Mon, Nov 11, 2013 at 11:55 AM, Colton Reed Smart ‪<csmart@myldsmail.net>‬ wrote:

Hey Momma,

I miss you too.  You like me.  People I try and stop on the street in the dark, cold, rainy nights, generally don't.  But I always think of Paul.  He's a better missionary than I am, but I'm working on it.  He says in Acts that he's happy to suffer shame, or pain, or suffer, for Jesus, because Christ did so much for us.  Paul is cool, and while reading through the Acts, can it be much more obvious that the laying on of hands is necessary for the Gift of the Holy Ghost?  I'm pretty sure that we are one of the only churches, if not the only church, to practice that.  Kinda narrows down the choices, at least in my head. But I guess if we're proving any church right, then I can only think of one that performs Baptisms for the Dead.. which is also found in the bible..  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wins.  And will continue to win. Forever.  Cool.

Oh, Nigel.  What a character.  Will you send him over here?  I could use a car.  It's wet here.  There's a person named Nigel in our branch.. but he's got some.. learning difficulties? Is that the proper way to say that?  Whenever we visit him he just asks us the whole time if Eminem and Michael Jackson will make it to the Celestial Kingdom, which inevitably leads to him asking if he's going to make it to the Celestial Kingdom.  Those visits are.. fun.  He usually kicks us out when he's had enough of us, but then invites us back in before we've gone.  We usually just take the opportunity to leave.

I'm a dream child right now.  Music to my ears.  Favorite child? Definitely.  And now I know, all it takes is moving to a different country and only talking to you once a week through email.  Haha just kidding.  I miss talking to all of you.  I miss America.  Everything is so much cheaper.  I can't wait to get a 99 cent double cheeseburger and spicy mcchicken when I get home, and the best part will be walking away and not feeling like I spent my whole week's money at McD's.

Have I ever told you that I hate rain?  If not, let me.  I hate rain.  I know that's not the right attitude, or whatever, but I do.  It's cold, and wet, and awful.  I can deal with snow, and I can deal with cold, and I can deal with pretty well everything but rain.  I hate it, and it hates missionary work.  It also hates happiness, and fun, and puppies.  Okay, I don't know if it hates puppies. But the rest of the stuff? Definitely.

I don't have an umbrella.  I don't really know if I like them, because they're somewhat imposing when you're on a doorstep or approaching people on the street.  At the same time.. A soggy missionary isn't super approachable either.. I usually just wear water proof clothing with warm clothing underneath, and everything in my backpack goes in plastic bags.  Soooooo.. yeah.  I do sometimes wear a scarf as a kidney warmer.  I also passed that on to Elder Wrenger and he does it always.  We didn't get me gloves.  Probably best we didn't.  I think all I want is those little cheepos that we always get, and then I'm going to cut off the ends of the fingers.  Cause gloves are just a nuisance if they have fingers in my line of work.  I do wear a beanie.  I love beanies.  They're so comfy, in fact, before I bought myself a duvet, I wore a full sweatsuit with a beanie and my hood on, and that was pretty comfy.  I often change into that when I get home for the night.

I'm supposed to be happy and nice.  But I'm also supposed to tell the truth, so maybe I just wont say anything about the branch.  No, I'm kidding.  They're alright.  Some of them just aren't really concerned with their responsibilities.. which makes missionary work pretty hard.  Because some of the unconcerned are leaders, but oh well.  That happens.  We have a few families that I like here, but only one or two people like Tamworth ward.  I miss Tamworth.  I think if I get the choice, I'll want to go back there at the end of my mission.  Friends with the Branch President? I'd say we're associates.  He's a very busy guy.  He's finishing up becoming a General Practitioner, and has a young family and a new baby.. so I understand, but sometimes it's a bit frustrating.

Leamington is a nice city.  Things don't get stolen as much as you think.  Coventry is where my bike got stolen, and that's a mean city.  I am currently not stolen, nor do I think it will happen.  We're really safe here Momma, don't worry.  I think I'm going to get transferred out of here right before Christmas though.  In about four weeks.  We'll see, but that's just my premonition, I guess.

Elder Lewis goes home in about ten days.  It's crazy.  I barely could comprehend when we were split up, so I'm sure I'm not going to be able to swallow that he's back in the States.  He taught this family here, who is friends with one of my friends back home, and now has been proxy invited to one of my high-school friend's wedding, this person also happens to be Angela's best friend, so Elder Lewis and Ange will be running into each other pretty soon.  That's weird.

I am just now hearing about the huge earthquake and typhoons and stuff in the Philippines, and that makes me way sad.  That's not what those fabulous people need.  I hope all my missionary friends are okay.  I think they're out of harm's way.  I can't think of any I know in Tacloban.  Maybe this girl that I almost dated.  But I don't remember.  I hope my area didn't get hit too hard.  Those little huts that my children live in wouldn't make it.

Well, I have to get off for a few minutes.  I'll finish this email in about fifteen minutes.

I love you Momma! 

Aaaah.  Everyone and everything is going to look so different when I get home.  And thanks for the permission to grow my hair our, but.. I think I'm going to try and cut it again sometime.  Probably not for a couple more weeks.  It's a learning process.  Don't worry Mom.  You're not here to see it.  So it's fine.  Just imagine that I have the same hair cut that I did when I left.  You're right.  I did notice when you cut your hair.  You're my mother.  It's scary to me when you change your look, because you look less like my mother.  Then I have to get used to the way you look, and then inevitably you change again.  So even small changes are noticed, I didn't say out loud that I noticed every time, but I definitely did still notice.

I'll get you a Christmas list eventually.  I've been thinking about it a little lately.  I'm not sure how long it'll take to actually get to me.. In Tamworth it was easy, because every week we'd have district meeting at the chapel next to the mission office, but now I have to wait for it to come, then wait for the Zone Leaders to go to the mission office.. and that takes ages sometimes. So I'm not sure.  If you sent it two or three weeks before Christmas, I'm sure I'd have it before.  I'm not worried about when it comes though.  So don't worry too much.  To tell you the truth, I basically feel like I live on a different planet.  It almost feels like I've only ever been a missionary and always will be. Which I hope is true, but I mean a full-time missionary.  So when I get packages from you or, you know, "Earth," it's always just a bonus or a treat, not an expectation.

I do want to send you a bunch of stuff home though.  I hope that's okay.  I was just going to do one package and send everything home I need to for a while.  Plus some English presents. I've had Adrienne's for about six months now.  Cause it was just too perfect not to buy.  Apparently she has a birthday present to send me that she never did, so tell her to send it to me.  Cause I love birth-six-months.  In fact, you can start on my next birth-six-months whenever you want.  The six months include the six months before June 2, and the six months after June 2. 

I'm really excited to talk to all of you and meet little Tess.  That's going to be really fun.  I hope you don't mind I invited Ange. I still have a pretty solid crush on her, and would like to hear from her as well.

Dog-Teeth. Nice.  I bet he hated that more than anything in his entire life.

Aaron seems like he comes over a lot now!  Maybe it's just because I never come over anymore, but it feels like I always get at least one picture a week of Aaron and Rem.  They're so cute together.  They're just polar opposites.  Aaron is this massive guy with a manly-man moustache (and goatee?) and Remy is this tiny little girl in cute little skirts.  Haha I love it. Remy is so dang cute. All of my little-relatives are cute. And awesome. I especially loved that picture of Remy feeding Hank that Brooke sent me a couple weeks ago.  That was brilliant. I bet my companion feels the same way about me as Stockton does about Remy.  I eat a lot of beans, cause they're cheap and come in a can, and I can make them delicious, but they have an adverse side-effect, and Muscles generally gets the brunt of the attacks.  He probably wants a little more privacy. Too bad. I mooned him like three times last night. Haha

I'm jealous that you got to hang out with Aunt Chris.  I plan on doing a bit of that when I get back.  I'm also jealous of Aunt Chris that she's going to Hawaii.  Maybe global warming will make the Welsh coast Hawaiian-like by the time I get there.  That'd be good.  I'm also jealous of Thanksgiving.  I'm really hoping that one of the American families here decides to have us over for Thanksgiving and feeds us until we can't physically move.  I'd be okay with that.

That picture that you found of us is this transfer's planner picture.  Every transfer I put a picture in my planner that I can have to show to people or look at myself or whatever.  And every time I open my planner now I see your happy face, and I smile.  I hope you smile a lot, and don't talk about how excited you are about death to Brooke.  Stop doing that if you are.

Oh man. I'm going to die.  A hobo guy just sat down next to me here at the library.  Hobos generally don't smell good, but wet hobos smell a lot worse, and I think he's been spending some time outside lately.

This week has been kind of a downer week for me.  We didn't teach hardly at all and didn't have a ton of success with our finding.  It was definitely a less-productive week.  But we have a really good week set up this week.  So I'm not too worried.  Unfortunately Kerstin cancelled her appointment last week cause she was working, and then didn't come to Church, and hasn't answered her phone.. so.. please pray that we get in contact with her again and that she's still interested.  Bleh.  Anyways.  Yeah.  This week just kind of sucked.  But we found a few good people that we're going to go and teach this week.  I've also been reading Granddad's biography and his book that he gave me.  They're both really good.  I've been listening to a lot of talks by John Bytheway and Hank Smith too.  Look up Hank Smith, and download some of his talks.  They're definitely worth it, except you may burn yourself when you're straightening your hair in the morning cause he's so dang funny.  They've got really good principles, mostly geared towards the youth, but aren't we all youth?  It helps for all of us.

Anyways.  Thank you for always sending me an email.  I love reading your emails Momma.  I will be shattered if I don't have one every week, just like I know you'd personally come and kill me if I didn't write you one every week.

I love you Mom!

Love,

Elder Smart

Muthuh,

My hair isn't that bad. You just think it is.

It was a nice picture. I'll grow my hair out for a little while, but then I'm going to cut it again.

Halloween was good, we were supposed too be in at six if we didn't have an appointment, so we went and taught Patrick at eight. It was decent. We watched Finding Faith in Christ, and then had a chat about faith. It was good. They definitely don't celebrate Halloween as much here. I wore a Christmas tie for Halloween.

I loved those pictures! I have cute nieces and nephews. (Or awesome, I think Laura told me that Stockton has to be awesome.)

I can print them out, but I almost never remember to cause I shop in the morning and then email. And I only get the pictures printed off at the place I shop at. And I love getting post, so you should definitely send me them in letters. And draw me pictures. My favorite thing is when people draw me pictures.

Don't worry about the UA. I don't need it, and if I do, then I'll just buy some British equivalent.  

Christmas. Whoa. I'd like to talk to you? Is that okay? I'll make you a list before too long. I have to think about that. More importantly, can I send a package home for you guys? Do you want a bunch of chocolate? You should.

Waterford must be Jehovah's Witnesses. Mom, don't believe them. We can still celebrate holidays I promise. And please don't deny blood transfusions.

That is an awesome text exchange. You should see some our emails. You wouldn't believe them.

Can I take the grand cuties trick or treating in a couple years? I'd like that.

Haha what a joke. I don't belong in lesson plans. Although I'm sure it was really good, cause you taught it.

We had a trunk or treat as well. It was good, but none of the people I invited came ):

Oh well. Missions aren't supposed to be easy. We'd go out boys and come back sisters. Ha just kidding.

I'm glad that things at the temple are getting easier. I'm not going to remember how to temple. At all. But I'm really excited to. It's going to mean a lot more. Can we be temple buddies?

Ender's Game is a movie now?! That book is awesome. I'm really excited. I hope you've been writing down all the good movies. Actually, you and Uncle Steve. Sorry Mom, we don't have the same taste sometimes.  

How the crap did Phil go on a mission for two years? I really can't think of doing this and not actually meaning it. It would be a freakin tough two years. 

It's incredible how important honesty is. I've been really focusing lately on being completely honest, especially with myself. Especially with Heavenly Father. It's easy to lie, or blame somebody else. That's what cowards do. Thanks for teaching me right Mom. I'm eternally grateful to you and Dad for instilling the values and morals that the world passes by without a blink.  Phil has literally ruined his life. Even if he doesn't know it yet. I literally thought he was living the best life I could think of. Beautiful wife, who's supportive and loving and completely took care of him, the cutest kid, a well paying job with a future, and a testimony of the Truth. Soon all that will be completely gone. What a waste. 

It's sad that literally everything he says can't be trusted anymore. I hope he's serious about being sorry though. I hope there is some sort of regret where there should be a black hole of sorrow.

Stuff here's okay. The work has gotten a bit slow and it's gotten a lot a bit cold.  It makes it hard to motivate yourself to talk to strangers in ice cold pouring rain, and this week was proof of that, but I set a bunch of goals to try to get me to work harder.  I could really really use some prayer power. Specifically to find some more people to teach and for Patrick to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. 

Our Hungarian is good. She kind of fell off the map last week cause she was really busy with school. But we're teaching her this week. So it'll be good!

Yeah sorry about the Thursday email. There wasn't time and nothing changed in our district, so it was kind of pointless.

I'm doing this email from our church and I don't want to figure out pictures this week, but I'll send a bunch next week.

I love you!

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Smart

Hello Mother-Dearest,

How could I?  With a shaver that Elder Houghton left in the flat when he went to Coventry.  I don't actually think it looks bad, and in fact, both President and his wife told me that I did a very good job and that they were impressed. Neener neener neener. People are generally a lot more scared that I want to talk about religion than what my hair looks like.  It's kind of pathetic sometimes in fact.  Grown men that wont even look at us cause, well, possibly we're right.  Surprise! We are.

I did finally get the package.  And before we start taking digs at me, your picture, first of all, made me laugh way hard, and second, what the heck!?  You're growing out your hair?  I don't think you understand the loop that throws me through.  I have literally never seen you with long hair.  And now all of the sudden you're completely different! I'm allowed to do whatever I want to my hair, cause you are taking the same kind of artistic freedom, and messing with me too.

I have to get off for a little bit. I love you!

Thanks for the wool knowledge.  Good to know.  I'm going to be looking over the next few weeks.  I'll buy one eventually.

Do I hate the food here?  Have I ever hated food? Ever?  Nah.  The food is fine.  It's not the best.  But far from the worst.  It's just kind of plain.  But fish and chips is delicious, and absolutely dreadfully bad for you.  They deep fry the fish, and then ask if you want salt and vinegar.  Of course I want salt and vinegar.  So they bathe it in those two substances.  Chips here are fries.  I think that's common knowledge, but I'm not sure.  It messes with me every once in a while.  Fries are chips, and chips are crisps.  Get that?

We have a lot of Americans in our ward though, and they like to make us miss home with Mexican food or other american-treats.  Like tonight.  There's some one in our ward that went to California on his mission, and they're making chili dogs for us tonight.  Awesome.

Sorry that you missed me today.  You chose about the only time that I wasn't planning on being on the computers.  Germany does an hour of working out every P day, so we all get some lunch and watch him, cause we're way too lazy to get in on that.

Yeah!  Chad and Stacy!  Me and Chad actually got on really well!  He's way way funny.

Boo Philth.  What a creep.  I know that Remy is his kid, but, well, in my head, he's already given up that right.  But I have been thinking of him a lot lately.  And I've been talking to my mission president a bit about it as well.  And, even though it's not the popular belief right now, I just feel bad for him.  Not bad in the sense that I think he doesn't deserve a well placed kick to his manhood, because he does, but more because he's lost.  He's in that fog that Lehi talks about.  Forbidden paths.  I feel bad because the devil has got a good grasp on him, and he can't even figure that out.  You'd think a brain like his could.  You'd think that he'd realize that he's falling into the same traps prophesied about all through the scriptures.  God doesn't tend to deal well with those people.  Think Sodom and Gomorrah.  Ouch.  Or in the Doctrine and Covenants "Amen to that man's priesthood."  That makes cringe every time I read it.  I have to go back to my favorite hymn.  It's Press Forward Saints.  At the end it talks about Heavenly Father saying that we have Eternal Life.  Can you imagine how perfectly amazing that feeling will be?  It says it in my patriarchal blessing as well.  Right there at the end.  If that last paragraph or two was all my blessing said, it would still help me.

Everything went well this week.  People came to church and our new Hungarian girl really liked it.  And the branch just totally fellowshipped her.  (I made sure to call people the night before so that it would definitely happen.) But the branch was super awesome, and friendly.

I'm glad everything is good there.  Today is dodge day, so I could be moving, but I really doubt it.  It's really unlikely since I'm training.  But that also means I get to send a quick email on Thursday.  That's always good.

I love you guys!  I miss you a ton, and I'm getting excited to talk to you on Christmas!  You should figure out if you can put me on the big screen in the family room somehow.  Call Paul!  In fact, tell him to email me! I'd love to hear where he served and stuff, now that I know England a little better.  Same with Michael.  And Granddad. And everyone.  Just tell everyone to email/write to me.  Thanks Mom.

I lerrve yerr!

Love,

Eldeh Smaht

PS is it against the Word of Wisdom to be addicted to Nutella? Cause I am now.

Alright Mum?

Okay, before you read what I'm about to tell you, sit down and remember all the great emails you told me about how grown up I'm becoming, and how I've changed so much.. Please.

This week I decided to cut my own hair, and went through with it.

I promise it's not terrible, I did okay.  I mean, it's not anything I'd pay to get at a barber.. but I didn't have to go and get it fixed.  That's the good news. The bad news is that I underestimated just how short the longest guard was on the shaver... I really don't have any hair left, and you might have to come over here and kill me. I'll attach a picture for you. Haha I'm just thinking about all the squirming and the groaning you're doing right now.  That's pretty funny.  I, on the other hand, have always loved buzz cuts.  Although, nobody in the states, including my girlfriend like the idea of me without hair.  Guess you'll have to live with it.  The other bad news for you is that I didn't traumatize myself to never do it again, in fact, I think I'll give it like a transfer, and do it again, except better, because I've learned a few things about cutting hair now.

Alright. Breathe.

I finally got my camera checked out and the guy told me it wasn't worth fixing, so I bought a new one at a secondhand shop, and it's good.  I had to use all of my money I had left though, because on Friday we went to the Gadfield Elm Chapel and Benbow Pond, so I had to buy my camera.  That meant that today I had enough money to buy two loaves of bread.. for the rest of the week.  But don't worry, I always buy canned food and I have a large supply that will last me through this week.  I'll try really hard to get a bunch of dinner appointments as well, so you don't have to worry.  I haven't gotten my package yet, but that's not because it hasn't arrived.  I'm almost sure it has.  But the zone leaders don't go to the mission home super often, and they're the ones that would pick it up for me.  So I'll probably be getting it tomorrow or the next day.  But I've been trying to take a bunch of pictures to make up for the apostasy of photography.  I'll send you a bunch today.  I also just sent in a letter with reimbursements for travel, and I should be getting £50 by the end of the week, so don't worry about money.  Breathe.

A suit.  I'm tempted.  I still don't know how often I wear suits.. because when it rains I just wear coats and rainjackets with a white shirt and tie underneath.. But I do have to wear them twice a week, once to district meeting and once to church, and if I want to look especially nice sometime in between the two meetings.  I think I will get one soon.  But I'm going to go to a million different places and try on a million different suits until I find one that is exactly what I want.  I'm thinking blue.  Or grey.  One of the two.  Like a nice, light grey, or a dark navy blue.  We'll see.  Most of my stuff matches the grey better, but I like the idea of blue with the reddish brown shoes and belt.  That look is really nice.  I'll definitely get a suit sometime.  I just don't know how soon it will be.  Stop worrying about that.  Breathe.

This week was kind of bleh.  My planning made it seem like it was going to be a really good week, but everything decided to fall through right before it was supposed to happen.  So it was really.. annoying.  This week should go really good.  But I wasn't able to see Patrick, my german and Elder Tanner (one of the elders in Warwick) went and saw him while I was on exchange with Elder McKnight. We were going to see him three times and put him on a baptismal date, and have a really great week, but then he decided to go to London on Tuesday and stay til Sunday night.  Awesome.  Then we planned on seeing Kerstin, the Hungarian girl, and that fell through, and we also tried contacting this potential investigator that was really solid, but she wasn't in.  (Before you ask, she's maybe a little younger than Adrienne, but has twins that are just little babies.  We're going to contact her tomorrow, if it kills us.)  Everything was just really grey this week.  Especially the sky.  It's pitch black dark at about 7:00 nowadays.  And the rest of the day it rains. or drizzles. or does this weird misty rain thing, that i really don't like.  I don't like rain, Mom.  I'm pretty sure I was sent here to humble the heck out of me.

Michele is good though.  She got really good home teachers.  One is the branch president, and the other is a former branch president.. So I don't have to worry about her at all.  She's going to be such an awesome member.  A definite "kingdom-builder."  So I'm really happy about that.  Patrick will be too, eventually.

Don't worry about the under armour.  If it fits in some future package, send it, but if not, don't worry about it.  It is cold. But I can handle it.  Even though I'm your little baby boohoo, I'm also a big boy now too.  One day maybe I'll be a man... Doubt it.  I'll probably still try to cut my own hair.  Haha hopefully I marry some one that can cut my hair, cause if not, I think I'll have to live with whatever I can do to my hair.

I'm glad you're back from Arkansas, I missed you.

Yeah the Patriarchal Blessing is pretty solid.  Not very much room for sinning.  Guess I'll just have to stop doing that.  Sinning, I mean.

I already have three baptisms.. that's one way to say it.  Or we could say that I've been blessed to see three incredible people make covenants with God, so that one day they can live with Him again.  As much as I'd like to take credit for any of it, they were all so prepared, so give the pat on the back to Christ.  He's pretty amazing.

Aunt Chris in Hawaii.  Haha, she knows how to do missions.  That one fits her personality so well.  She'll fit right in with the jolly Hawaiians.  I'm jealous of the food that she'll get too.  I like Aunt Chris. Give her a hug for me.

I'm really glad to hear about Laura, she sent me an email and I'm going to read it after I send this one to you.  I bet she was more than relieved to hear that she was healing properly.  Take a million more pictures with Tess.  I love pictures.  And I love my little nieces and nephews.  There's a good correlation here, I think. 

Speaking of my sisters though, how's Brooke?  How'd this weekend go? Is she okay?  Did Phil call and freak out?  You really can't just have my President talk me down like that and then kick me out of the loop.  How is she?  I've been praying really really hard for her all week.  I hope everything went alright.

Me and Remy are in the same boat.  I think I'm a little bit better at handling it though.  I woke up really flemmy, and with a sore throat.  But.. it's P Day, and I'm not staying in.  Maybe tomorrow if it gets any worse.  Poor little girl.  I hear that people don't really dress up or trick or treat as much over here.. But I don't know. I haven't been here for Halloween yet.

Five years. Poop, indeed.  But he's probably a really super awesome missionary right now, and I'm sure he's helping me out a lot too.

I love you Momma. I'll send pictures in just a moment.

Love,

Elder Smart