Another week gone by

Your darn right another week has come and gone!

well this week has been an ok week, we were able to teach two of our investigators this week and we saw a couple more but couldn't teach them which sucks but oh well what do you do. 

My favorite thing that happened this week was that i didn't get transferred and neither did elder Houston, he is a good kid and is going to keep me going tell the last day of my mission which is going to be great. 

Dang i cant believe  elder josh smith is home, it seems like just yesterday that me and him were in west des moines, crazy how time flies by. just 6 more weeks is all but who is counting haha.

Man Dad is a stud and a half. I love that man, he has been an example to all of us and hopefully he knows that i love him and am grateful for all that he has done for me cant wait to go shooting with him so i can try and beat him haha. but sounds like he is doing great and that he can always fall back on the atonement. 

Well sounds like you guys are going to get a new fancy fridge sounds good and hope you wont have to stand on your head to see what you got in the freezer that would be bad :) 

man weston is still growing and the girls across the street are too i bet. they sound like they are getting big, and how is brenden? is he huge yet like his dad? just so they know they better get ready to loose. 

Well that is mighty kind of you to do that to my room sounds like you have done alot of stuff this last week and man i bet you feel good your house is less messy than it was before? 

Well tell katlyn good luck on her call i prob will be home before she leaves but who knows i remember two years ago around this time i got my call and like 40 days later entered into the mtc btw thats how many days i think 

Well thats all i can think of right now but hopefully everything is going good still and you are excited to see a kid in a couple weeks for mothers day that  should be fun 

I love you guys and i always will 

Love Elder Bracken Smith

March 31, 2015

Got to go to the Nauvoo Temple on Saturday March 28, 2015

Hey Family

Sorry about yesterday the server was down and we couldnt get on and email so we are going to do it today. 

All is going great in Centerville and we are trying to see all of our investigators which is like 7 now and teach them but this past week they were either busy or they werent home so we were unable to talk to them but hopefully we can see them this week, should be great. 

Man Saturday was super fun, we rode over to the temple with sister White and Garrett White (her son and one of my favorite members) and talked and had some good laughs, it was a good experience and the thought of knowing i will be back there in a month and a half for a departing temple trip we go on is kinda scary but oh well you got to do what you got to do. we had fun though and was awesome! 

Ya this week was kinda crudy we had not so good weather but its still not as cold as it was in the winter time let me tell you. Just excited for the warmer weather thats all im looking for.

Man i was taking with some members that are teachers and asked them when the last day of school is for them and they said may 22nd, what day do you guys get out? but i will be home on may 22nd if everything works out haha.

Man i remember those softball games but its been along time since i went to one of those let me tell ya but thats over with but man you got sunburned well that just means the sun didnt like you haha.

me and elder houston were talking about playing catch a lot because he played baseball and he has his mit but i dont so its kinda hard to play catch with one mit but we might go and see if some members have on that we can borrow or something like that.

man weston said he wants to go on a mission huh? well that would be the best thing he will ever do in his life. its hard and challenging some days but the outcome is the best thing ever because you change so much, but you were taking about how one of the missionaries look like colton and we can log on to lds.org and see the ward directory for our home wards and they have a missionary spot and i can look at the missionaries serving in fielding stake and he looks a lot like him haha thats super crazy made me laugh.

Well hope you have a great week and enjoy having a pj sunday conference and hope that dad and weston enjoy the priesthood session of conf as well i love you guys and hope that everything is going great!

Love Elder Bracken Smith

March 16, 2015

The Plan of Salvation is real! 

 There is truth to this statement.

 Work Hard Nap Hard....

Farm Harder!!  Helping at the Farm!

Hello family

Sorry its took so long to email today but we were doing service with the whites and helped them around their farm so we just got done with that and now we get to e mail so that's good.

Yes i was able to get over this sickness that i had but it took forever long and i wanted it to just stop but hey you got to take time to heal. Well i know it wasn't allergies so it must have been a crappy cold or something

Yes it has finally changed from being winter to spring like weather its like 81 right now and it feels good. im so glad its warming up and that i don't have to wear layers on layers of clothing.

ha-ha sounds like you guys are doing great with your health man that's so awesome and that you are trying to work together at that man keep up the good work sounds like Weston needs to get on board with that too but hey its hard sometimes and i can testify of that one.

Heck ya reading the book of mormon has helped me out so much im my life and im excited you guys are reading it together and helping each other thats how you are going to get closer together and feel the spirit more in your life. But hey just keep plugging along and soon you will get there dont worry how or where you are at just know what matters is how you feel and what its saying.

man i dont miss all that gardening but hey thats ok becasue i will be back in time to help with all that fun jazz and hopefully be working that would be wicked sweet but hey i got 2 and 1/2 more months to learn what i need to out here in Iowa and also those people that need the gospel so thats the real focus right now cant make my mission a 22 month mission its going to be a Honorable 24 months so thats whats going to happen.  Well hope all is going great and you have a great week as well oh ya we have found 2 new people we can teach now and one has a date for the 23 of May.y. well love you guys always 

Love ya 

Elder Bracken Smith 

March 9, 2015

Got to meet Elder Smith's trainer Elder Tanner Horn.  We loved hearing him speak at his homecoming.

Still looking good!

One last posterity picture before Elder Horn comes home.

L-R Elder Deeds, Elder Smith, and Elder Horn

This is our church house.  It was a barn, then bar, then church.

Letter from March 9, 2015

Hey there how are you guys doing?  This week has been really long, but a lot of good things happened.  Elder Houston is a really good hard working kid which is good for me so I don't lose track of these last couple months.

Man Weston you saw Meet the Mormons movie?  It is a really good movie, have the rest of you seen it yet?

So this week we just talked with a lot of people;  potential investigators and less active members and we found a new investigator.  Then on Wednesday I felt dizzy and then on Thursday I had a headache and Friday I couldn't breathe that great mixed with a headache and that has gone on for a couple days so I finally called the mission doctor and she told me some things to do so we will see how well that works.  That is so cool that you were able to see Elder Horn, well I guess Tanner, he is a neat and cool kid.  Cant believe he is already home now.  Just think that will be me in 2 1/2 months.  Man dad has a big patch of stuff growing on his face.  can't wait to see it when I get home.

I love you guys

Leaving Dubuque

 It's never east to say goodbye, but remember its only for a short time.  With Tim and Salena

 He is so happy and I love that SMILE on his face!!

 Good times playing some basketball.

 Look at the elder on Bracken's Left, 

Tim and Salena.  Elder Smith had a great big impact on them and now they are like family!

New Year 2015

 Elder Smith was so excited for the opportunity to baptize this awesome guy Tim.

 Tim, Elder Bracken Smith and his companion Elder Young.

Tim with a lot of missionaries to support him on his great day Jan. 5, 2015

Here is his letter for this week Jan 12, 2015

Hey there family!

Lets just say I'm so glad this week has ended and I'm ready for whatever is next.  If I stay, I stay and if I leave, I leave.

Man I love Tim and Salena they are like cousins to me and they are the best.  I have really thought a lot about the movie Lelo and Stitch.  I don't know why but I have.  When Stitch says OHANA...OHANA MEANS FAMILY!!!  Family means no one gets left behind..or forgotten!

This is huge right now because I know how much family really means now.  I am grateful every day that I have a family back home that cares and supports me no matter what the outcome is and I will always remember the people I have helped and taught, but more importantly the friends I have made.

I's so proud of dad and you!  Thanks for being an example to me and my brothers.

Hope you have a great week and know that I LOVE YOU

Elder Bracken Smith

Dec 15, 2014

 Look at how cute this little guy is!

 One cute, chubby little fellow!

 The whole gang in Dubuque.

The whole district in Dubuque.

Hey Family

Man this week was so good we were able to see Tim and Salina, (A part member family).  Tim has a date to get  baptized on it is the 5th of January and he is so excited about it.  He has already invited some of his family, so that is sweet and he has asked me to baptize him which is way cool too!

Man it has been such a great experience out on my mission.  For our zone conference we watched Ephraim's Rescue and man that dang prednisone or whatever it is, made me cry.  I hope you get a laugh out of that.  Saturday we were able to sing in a Christmas Cantata and we had like 20-25 non members there so that was cool.  Tim and Salina came as well.  This Saturday we have a pancake breakfast and you know how much I like pancakes..NOT!!

Man I cant believe Tayton comes home on my click day, that's crazy.  I can't wait to get back together with those guys and hang out.

Yesterday it was 51 degrees and it felt so nice, because it has been cloudy, but this week it's is suppose to be clear so it's going to be like 28-17 ish so that sucks.

Hey I can't wait for the  25th to see you guys and hope that you guys have a great week and I love you guys so much

Love Elder Smith

Your Boy