Got a few pictures from Elder Crittenden's dad:

Guess they aren't starving!?

Alright here are some pics! the internet cut out on my comp yesterday so we came today so he could send an email to his parents. These are pics of the last couple p days. one of a catholic church we went up into and some other cool stuff. enjoy!

ps. i think i even attached a picture of the speaker box i bought yesterday!

Elder Smoot, Crittenden, & Bailey

Elder Smoot & Bailey

Elder Smoot & Crittenden

Wk 36 - I think im part brasilian..

Area: Teresina-Satélite

Companion: Elder Bailey

Well it was a good week and things are still going good here in Teresina. We have some good solid investigators and im enjoying my time here with elder Bailey.

Tuesday wasnt anything real special, but we did have an interview for Carla who will be baptized on the 17th of this month. So that was about the highlight of the day.

Wednesday i was super tired, but that happens a lot here in the mission and you just pull through it. We did end up having a great day and this is actually the day when we marked Carla´s baptism for the 17th. she wanted to put it off for a while, but we helped her decide to do it a little earlier. We were walking in the road and this lady stops us, she was on a motorcycle, and she told us to come to her house in 30 min. It was like, what is this! But it ended up to be cool. She told us she saw this member that was with us in a dream. She doesnt know why or whatever but she started asking about our religion and she just wanted to know why she saw this guy in her dream. Anyway it was really cool... the only problem was that it is in Elder Crittendens area so he will baptize her here in a couple weeks. I also made brownies this day, which are good but not amazing, and a member dropped off a guitar at our house. It is fun to play with and im actually getting better at the guitar haha who would have thought.

Thursday we met up with João and Marli and their daughter Aline. She is 17 years old, is going to seminary and has been to church a couple times... the only problem is that the parents havent been to church yet and need to be baptized... so we will have to work with them... but they are an awesome family. Later we talked with Mayara, who is 15, and we have been working with her a lot lately. She has a problem with coffee and is seriously addicted to it.. so that will be tough. other than that we woke up this day and played a little football at the field close to our house. My comp has a little nerf football and it was pretty fun. During the day we saw some kids yellin at us in the street and so we went over there and they wanted us to play soccer with them. So we played, me and Elder Bailey vs. another two kids. haha we just messed around with them and it was really fun. A couple of the kids were members and stuff. I also got a couple of letters that night from Amber, Talia and Austin, and Grandma and Grandpa Smoot. Letters are getting better the more time im out here. I feel like i dont even know home anymore! Its wild.

Friday we had a pretty good day and ended up finding a lot of random people to teach.. and thats how its been so far. Someone will say something to us and my comp goes right over, messes with them a little, then starts teaching. Its pretty cool. We met Daniela this way and she has heard from the missionaries before and hopefully she will progress.

Saturday was a good day as well and again we got some new investigators. So that lady that had the dream, we ended up with her sister in our area so we are teaching her now with her 13 yr old son. Anyway on Saturday´s and Sunday´s the whole town, or at least my area, there is lots of loud music, loud motorcycles and parties going on... its kind of annoying to try and be a missionary when there is so much noise and commotion going on.. but it still went well.

Sunday we had church.. and had 10 investigators there! This week was the best, numbers wise, week that i think i have had in the mission... it was pretty awesome. There were tons of people in the ward today and they would split really easy.. just that there needs to be a few more preisthood holders to do that.. other than that it was a pretty chill day, a meeting in the church with the ward missionary leader and a lesson later with Mayara again.

It was a great week and im still enjoying here with elder bailey. The april fools joke was really funny and everyone had a good laugh together. Me and my comp get along pretty good and so there is no problem jokin and stuff, which i really like. Also another thing is that i dont know what is going on but i think i might be part brasilian. Lots of people will ask me if im brasilian, sometimes i say yes others no, but then they will ask me if my parents are brasilian and just moved to the USA or do i have descendants from Brasil... anyway it is pretty funny. Some people tell right off that im american and some people it takes a little before they believe me. but its pretty awesome.


*Everything is good. house is safe. We even had this member come over and do exercises with us one day... he´s a fighter and stuff so it was pretty fun... ya know just in case we have any further problems ;)

*Im always healthy haha. I have a little more chubbiness then i used to.. it just comes with the life as a missionary. and the occasional diarrhea here is pretty normal.. so id say im good

So this computer is hard to send pics from.. there is the monitor cord blocking me from using the card reader!! I will try a little bit longer to send pics.. but sorry if it doesnt work.

love ya,

Elder Tanner Smoot

Wk 35 - Livin life in Teresina

Area: Teresina-Satélite

Companion: Elder Bailey

Well... sorry i dont have any pictures. We were kind of in a hurry and I forgot to grab my camera. I will be sure to get pics of the new chapel, its pretty cool, and whatever we do during the week. Things are still going great with my comp and I like the house.

Tuesday we had District meeting as we do every week.... It went well and we talked about baptismal invites. Ok so my district is this: Me & Elder Bailey, E. Crittenden & Moraes, E. Landeen & Rodriguez. All of them are really cool and we get along well which makes a world of a difference, its awesome. Also this day, because we were living in the staff, I couldnt find another shirt in my bag and had to use a long sleeve. Man i will probably not do that again. At least we are in the colder part of the year, but its still hot. I have a sweating problem... like i swear i sweat way more than anyone else. Is that just genetics or is there something else i can do? We taught Welton who is a cool guy that already knows everything about the church (btw, it was an accident that we found him in the road but he is awesome and even came to general conference and said he wants to be a missionary, and he is 17) and the only thing that stops him from being baptized is his dad... so were are trying to do service for his dad or something so we can help welton out a little. Anyway they are an awesome fam. Also we made some chicken and mashed potatoes at a recent converts house for fun to get a taste of good food in the USA... turned out really good actually.

Wednesday we spent most of the day moving back to our house in the area Satélite. The story is that the house was robbed a month or two ago so they all moved to Staff (where the secretaries live). They put some cage things over the window and we moved back this day. The house is pretty big and the shower has some insane pressure coming out of it so i love the house. It is me and my comp and Elder Crittenden (our District Leader) and Moraes (He was in my room in the CTM). Its a lot of fun and the new house has been good.

Thursday Elder Crittenden and Bailey went to renew their visas in the center and i went with Moraes to do some visits. My comp got back and we went to visit João and Marli (some people that the previous missionaries were teaching). They are awesome. There are the parents and two kids (17 and 20 yrs. old) that are all about ready to be baptized.... Just that the parents need to get married first and they will get baptized... its pretty awesome.

Friday about half way through the day i realized it was April fools day... haha. We had a pretty normal day... walkin in the sun, teaching lessons, saving the world one person at a time type stuff ya know... We got home and i pretended to get a call from president just acting like president was getting all mad at elder bailey and how i need to do something about it... anyway i gave the phone to elder bailey and he was all confused and mad that he was getting in trouble for something he didnt do and man i wish i had it on tape. The look on his face was priceless. It was a good one!

Saturday we went to lunch and then to conference. We had to go to a building about 30 min walking from our house. Also, we had to walk from the members house at lunch which was even further to walk. The other chapel was really cool and it was an amazing conference... though i had to watch it in portuguese. Though the translated voice, which is a lot more boring i might add, I managed to get some notes and what not. Sadly enough, we did not get the opportunity to see the preisthood session that night (would have started at 9) and neither the next day.

Sunday we didnt have time to go to the center to watch the preisthood session because we wouldnt have lunch, we would have to take the bus and we would be late to the morning session... so it was a bummer. But conference was still really good. We still ended up being a little late because we grabbed some investigators. And in the middle of conference, the power went out for like 10 min! Man it was a tough conference to watch. After conference we went to talk with a girl named Maiara. It started out normal and we taught our lesson and man i dont know what happened, but there was one of the coolest experiences I've had in a while. There was all sorts of noise, motorcycles and people walking by, but when i talked, she just looked straight at me and it seemed she was just shocked and just believed in what i was saying... i dont know how to explain it... Just usually when you teach people that are 15 they are very easily distracted... but she didnt look away. it was cool.

Anyway it has been a fun week and i am enjoying where i am and bein with my comp.

So mom, i have about a 4 year supply of bug spray and chapstick now so you dont need to send anymore haha love ya though. And my sunscreen is only about half way done... and i use it pretty much every day... it doesnt go away as fast when only one person uses it.

As far as money goes... i just take my money out every week and i use it well. I do have some stuff im buying but it would be cool to send you maybe another bigger hammock home, some guaraná jesus, some other jerseys or whatever... ill think about it. I am just good with money in that i take the money out and save just a little, like 15 reais each week and then save it until i have enough to spend it... so im doin good.

Dad, so internet is like this. There are quite a few people that have a USB thing that picks up internet (kind of like your sprint card you used to have). The majority do not have this. That is why the lan houses are so popular. Many have access on their cell phones, but dont always use it, it is an extra fee.

As far as the ipod and speakers go.... I can do one of two things if you dont send it to me. Normally there is at least one person in the house that has music, so i could just stick it out... Or i can use my USB and put music on it from other people and buy a little speaker box and it has access to the USB... not a big deal. So you decide. If it is too big of a pain.. then dont worry about it. I just like having my own music.. but im not like dying here.. so its all good. Just give me a response next week.

Well thats about it.. again sorry i dont have pics. Hopefully ill remember next week.

Love,

Elder Tanner Smoot

Wk 34 - Teresina-Satélite

Saying good bye in Campo Maior

Elder Iverson & Elder Smoot

Drinkin' Guarana Jesus with Elder Stewart!

skin problems you can encounter in Brazil

(Elder Larsen's leg)

Encontra dos Rios

Area: Teresina-Satélite

Companion: Elder Bailey

Heyo! Well as you kind of heard from Tiago, I am now in Teresina. At first i was pretty bummed that i was being transfered, mostly because of Eliane´s baptism, but I am so thankful that i got put into an awesome area. I am in the area Teresina, Satélite 1. My companion is Elder Bailey- from Salt Lake and has 1 year and about 6 months in the mission. I dont know really how to explain him... he is just crazy. haha but he is a cool kid and im loving it here in Teresina. There is so much more to do here!

Last monday i had the curveball thrown at me. We had gone to have family night at an investigators house and i got the call. i was totally expecting to just hear who my new comp would be, coming to Campo Maior... but then he said i was leaving and they were leaving only 2 missionaries in Campo Maior. Anyway, pretty much spent the evening getting ready.

Tuesday i got completely ready and went to Eliane´s work to tell her i was being transfered. She thought i was joking, but... i wasnt. I said bye to a few others and then got on the bus going to Teresina.... I got to Teresina and had no idea what to do. So i luckily wrote down Presidents number and called him to know what to do. Ended up taking a taxi alone to the Staff, which is where the secretaries live... Nobody was there so i just waited 20 min till they got there haha. It was a pretty wild and depressing start. My new comp, Elder Bailey, got there a little later and i met him.

Wednesday we went to our area and it was a good day. Elder Bailey is a goof and is unashamed and will literally talk to anyone about anything, its pretty funny. So i got to know him a little and our area. Our area has a lot of hills and this time its an actual ward, not just branch, and has a pretty cool chapel.

Thursday... Nothin too big, just getting to know the area a little better and working still.. We had a member come with us this day to help us a little more. I thought it was cool and funny, but Elder Bailey was almost mad that i havent had very many baptisms in my mission to this point. He really wants me to see what it is like to have success, even though he is a little tired of the mission at this point.

Friday we had another priest from the ward leave with us named Rafael. He is one of the coolest kids i have met here. Anyway, it was another pretty basic day, but fun. I love the Book of Mormon. If we can help the people gain a testimony of that book, they will automatically know that the church is true and that leads to a desire to be baptized. That book has a lot of power.

Saturday I was just thinking that it was Eliane´s baptism... ya i didnt get to do it.. but i am glad she got baptized. Elder Iverson called me on Sunday and told me that everything went well, which was good. We were leaving on the bus to go home, which i will tell you why in a little, and this guy came up to us and told us that a missionary left his bag on the bus. Turns out one of the missionaries left his bag on a bus and someone grabbed it and gave it to the bus driver who tracked us down and we tracked down who´s bag it was. Anyway, Elder Bailey started talkin to him about the gospel and it was sweet. It is honestly a miracle how sometimes people come to us. Ive seen it at least 3 times this past week. People come up to us and god just puts them into our hands sometimes.. it is awesome. So we take the bus because the house that is in my area got robbed so they have been living in the Staff house which is in the Center district of Teresina. The house should get reinforced this week so we can move back... Its tough living with 9 missionaries in one house, but we will still have 4 that live with us. Elder Crittenden(from Heber, and his parents came to Elder Blackhams house before the mish), Elder Moraes, me and Elder Bailey.

Sunday there were about 200 people in the ward... by far the largest group i have seen in a while. It was really cool and there are a lot of awesome people in this ward. There are lots of young men getting ready for missions that willingly do splits with us during the week which is awesome. That night the other elders, Crittenden and Moraes, had a baptism which was cool.

To sum it up... I love the new area and being here in Teresina. Today we went to the Encontra dos Rios, which is really cool. A nice shaded park area with two rivers that meet up at a point. I have some pics of that, of when i left Campo Maior, of me and Elder Stewart ( he was getting a new comp to train so he was in the Staff house when i got there... we´re drinkin Jesus! ), and of an Elder´s leg that had a weird thing going on with his skin. Elder Larsen is his name and he got here a couple weeks ago and is having some interesting problems!! Funny guy though. The mission is still getting better and better.

Well, Love you mom, dad, austin, tal, ruger, jenna, jade and tayton. have a good week.

Elder Smoot

Wk 33 - Still no companion...

Elder Smoot & Elder Stewart at mtgs in Teresina

(thanks to Elder Stewart for the pic!)

view from our new house

more people jumping-- looks fun!

(I'm sure Tanner would be doing

back flips into that water if he could)

Had to fill the font with buckets

Baptism of Lucas and Maura

Area: Campo Maior

Companions: (none) Almeida & Iverson

Well, it was a pretty fast, good week. On monday i went with Elder Almeida and Iverson again and we just went to Jefferson and Jessicas (Recent converts) house and had a good lesson with their parents that night. There parents are really cool and are just waiting to get married so they can be baptized.

Tuesday we had a district meeting, so me and Elder Iverson decided to make a cake for everyone... you know a few extra brownie points never hurts anyone. Anyway it was really good. After we visited with Darkyane, who has had some tough trials lately and she is a recent convert as well, and we tried to help her. Things were getting worse and worse, but then yesterday she was doing awesome and said she had an answer to her prayer and things were getting better in her life.... thats always good! Then we went to Lucas and Maura´s house who were planning on the baptism on saturday, and did get baptized. That night i split up and went with Assis (A RM that lives here in the ward and he is always helping us) and we went to meet with Francisco who went to church on sunday. Francisco is 14 and will be 15 in may... pretty much like jade. (Is jades birthday on the 20th or the 21st?) anyway his b day is on the 27th i think. Anyway he was awesome. We asked who could say the first prayer and he immediately volunteered. He was listening and understanding super well what we were saying and it was just insane... He didnt come to church on sunday though so we´ll see how things go this week when i get a companion to do my visits.

Wednesday... Happy Birthday Jenna! 17 Alreay?? Dang Geena! thats intense. Well it was a crazy day for us. We woke up early, as usual, but we went straight to that new house i was telling you about and we cleaned it all before we moved in. After cleaning all morning we got our stuff ready to go and ate lunch at a members house. During the Afternoon, we went and visited lucas and maura to make sure everything is good with them, and then went home to move everything. We got done in about 3 hours and only 3 pick up truck loads across town... Quickest move ive ever been apart of! it was tough though because we got to bed late and had to get up extra early on thursday.

Thursday we had to get up around 4 am because we had to head to Teresina for a Training with Elder Godoy (area 70 president of Brasil). We got there and they had a meeting first for the leaders, and Elder Stewart was there and i just figured out he´s an LD... pretty cool. Elder Godoy was awesome. He had a great sense of humor and taught a lot! He talked about that really we are here in the mission to learn from our mission president and talked about the importance of our mission president. He talked about how we need to include the book of mormon more in our teaching for if they have a testimony of that book, the rest falls into place. It was a truly amazing training. I am gaining such a strong testimony in our leaders of the church and that they trully are inspired. He talked about the apostles and when they choose our callings and it was amazing. He said sometimes there are areas that just need tons of missionaries to keep the mission going, but even then, the apostles think a bit and choose the correct one for the missionary, whether or not the mission is in need of missionaries. It truly is inspired. I saw Elder Robertson and Elder Stewart for the first time in a while and it was awesome. I hope i can be a comp or in the same house as them in the future, it is a lot more fun. But im good right now with elder Iverson, me and him have a good time. That night we got back and tried to go to Francisco, but he wasnt there so we contacted pretty much the entire street. It is pretty awesome how inviting people are to welcome you into there house, even when they dont want what you are bringing. For example, one day elder Iverson wanted water, he just walked up to a random house, asked for water and they gave it to him.... I have to admit i wanted some, but i was too busy laughing my head off that he actually did it... i didnt think he would.

Friday my new comp came with me... Assis. He has been staying with me for the last few days so i can still work in my area. We taught Gilvane, who said she was going to go to church but didnt, but we had a good lesson and i enjoyed it. She even said her little boy kept asking why we werent coming to there house anymore so we saw him again and it was fun. We talked to a recent convert José who is older and we helped him put this plug into his house and then talked about the importance of priesthood authority and prophets. And last and certainly not least, we went to visit Eliane. We had to figure out what was keeping her from baptism. Anyway, assis is an awesome teacher and we just kind of talked about the importance of the gospel. She agrees with everything we say and we ended up marking a baptism for her the next saturday! This time she has been telling people in the ward and is really excited so it should be awesome. I also used that step counter thing you sent during the day and i counted 22,170 steps and 10.47 miles... So it was quite a bit of walking this day. Im sure it wasnt exact, but it sure was close cause we walk a lot.

Saturday Elder Almeida went to Piripiri to do interviews with assis and so i was with Elder Iverson. We went to lunch, which was good, and then to pick up Lucas and Maura for the Baptism. There was some sort of a mess up and we got to the church with the ZL´s waiting for us. Anyway, we get there and the font was practically empty! and this city has a problem with water pressure during the day... so we started with the buckets. Me and Elder Iverson pretty much filled that thing up with buckets, because inside the church had a reserve water tank, and it took about 2 hours of bucket after bucket... it was crazy. But the baptism went well and Eliane was even there. After the baptism Eliane told me to come over and talk to her and she just told me that she wanted me to baptise her on Saturday! I know its not important, but it was a homerun for me. I can see and her friends have noticed the difference in her life and it is awesome.

Sunday we had a good day of church and once again we had two lunches! We had the one that was planned and then someone else wanted to give us lunch.. So we ate at the planned one and then took off to the other one haha. They were both good, but man it is hard to pass here in Campo Maior with hunger... only on fast sunday. At night we had a good lesson with Eliane, and yes im still with Assis at this time, and we talked about the modern day prophets and how we need to follow them and then i gave her the liahona from november witht he conference talks. Is conference in like 2 weeks?? Dang! Im excited.

Well it was a pretty chill week. The Training with Elder Godoy was a highlight and i have learned a lot here. I saw something about obama being in Brasil when we were at lunch this past week... haha thought that was funny. Everyone will say... Where are you from? Hey! Your president is in our country! its pretty funny. Well, have an awesome week!

Elder Smoot

Wk 32 - I´d say it was a good week

ya...we're cool!

Last night with Tiago

Felipe's baptism

Jumping off a bridge!

Lots of pigs here!

Slapping the bull!

Area: Campo Maior

Companion:(none) Elder Almeida & Elder Iverson

Well it was a pretty good week! I still dont have a comp, so i was with Elder Almeida and Iverson all week.. it was pretty awesome. I´ll write what i did real fast and get to answering your questions in another email.

Tuesday was the last day of Carnaval, which now seems forever ago, but it was crazy. We tried to go visit people, but the recent converts were at the ward camp and all of the investigators were gone or sleeping... so it made it hard, but we went home by 5 again. We had a good study of chapter 5 or PMG which talks about the Book of Mormon, then we made food, cause there was nothing else to do. I ended up making a pizza and a little later french toast haha. I am pretty sure i put on a few pounds that day. Then i was sleeping and woke up at like 3 30am just hearing the party from a mile away, but i could hear everything it was sooo loud.

Wednesday was a tough day to work too because everyone was sleeping from the party the night before. Even the members that came back from the camp were all sleeping! So it was a little slow and lots of the stores and all were still closed down, but we had a few good visits still, it was just a little later in the day.

Thursday Elder Almeida went to a leadership meeting in Teresina, he is our District Leader, and so it was me with Elder Iverson. I felt like the day went really well and I had a really good time with Elder Iverson. We taught some people that are getting ready for baptism in their area.

Friday Almeida went to go do interviews in PiriPiri with the sisters that are there, so he took a member as his comp and me and Iverson went to work again, and again it went really well. We had some really good lessons, and prepared Felipe for his baptism on Saturday and helped him know the questions of the interview and everything. Also we talked with Jefferson and his fam who is getting ready for marraige so they can be baptized. The kids are already baptized and we are working with their parents. Almeida didnt get home till 3 am from Piripiri because the guy told him wrong and a bus didnt pass until 1 am. haha it was kind of ridiculous but he told president and was kind of stuck. Sometimes it just happens.

Saturday we had Felipe´s interview and Elder Daniel and Elder Rackham came to do that and it went well. The people there actually ended up making us a lunch and everything. The people here are super giving and nice, and she wasnt even a member. The only thing is that we already had a lunch planned so we had to have a second lunch! It was pretty awesome and it went well. Later we had the baptism of Felipe and in the pic it shows his sister Karliane too, who was already baptized like a month or two ago. Also the LZ´s broght my package! Thanks so much! I love the Fruity pebbles, the horn (which i will use for our investigators on sunday), the mouthwash and everything. it was pretty sweet!

Sunday we had a good sacrament meeting and it was funny. The president announced that iverson was giving the openining prayer and he didnt hear so it was kind of a suprise. I almost died laughing at his reaction, but he did really good. Im loving it with Elder Almeida and Iverson and we have a good time doing the work.

Well have an awesome week. I was studying about the modern prophets this week and their stories are awesome. That Our Heritage book has a lot of cool stories.

Anyway, Love you.

Elder Smoot

Wk 31 - and CARNAVAL is going

splits with Elder Almeida

recent converts

Eliane- back left

corn on the cob anyone?! (Elder Iverson)

Area: Campo Maior

Companion: Elder Braga

HAHa alright so noone really complained about the pics... just made
comments.. it was a joke. Anyway, this week was pretty eventful.

Tuesday we had the same old, same old district meeting... which is
always pretty awesome. We also had president Dias come to Campo Maior
and gave the final word that we can move into the new house, right
next to Tiagos actually, when it finishes... but we still havent
moved. Then we met with Gilvana and that visit went well. She hás two
little boys that we play with and it was cool. She hás been reading
the scriptures and stuff so that was awesome. Then we went to Eliane
and taught the Word of Wisdom. She accepted immediately , which is a
miracle in itself, and she was preparing for the baptism which was
supposed to be on Saturday.

Wednesday we went and met with Liliane and Michaele, which are friends
of Eliane. It was funny because Liliane hás been to church and was
telling Michaele she needs to stop being lazy and go. After we went
and talked to a recent convert, José. He is about 50 or so and is a
cool guy. He got baptized after about 10 years of the missionaries
passing his house and now he is pretty solid coming to the church with
his fam every Sunday. Again we passed Eliane and taught about Chastity
and again she accepted immediately, it was awesome. Things were going
great with her.

Thursday we went to the far away place, the less active family, for
lunch. They were nice and then after we went to visit Deglan and
Douglas, the brothers. They have very sincere hearts and all so i hope
we can get them to come to church... just this week was a little
complicated with Carnaval. Anyway, we visited Eliane again and taught
about tithing and fast offerings and she accepted the commandment just
like the others! Things were going really good with her.

Friday... I now have 7 months... wohoo... haha not a ton, but a good
dent in two years... but it was a good day. Me and my comp bought
sling shots and went to Gilvane´s house again. Her son´s came and shot
them with us and we followed up with her. She is reading still, the
only problem right now that i see is that she works on Sunday... but
she wants to change her schedule to come, which was cool. We tried to
go to Eliane´s, but she wasnt there. We ended up seeing her in the
road! It was a miracle. We went to a little bread shop and just
prepared her for the interview and it went well. It was also the Pré
Carnaval and so the city started getting a little crazy that night.

Saturday we had the interview with Eliane after lunch and her and
Elder Almeida stayed there for about an hour... She came out looking a
little sad. Turns out she was praying a lot and just talked with
Almeida. She knows she needs to be baptized, and she could have as far
as i know, she just wasnt ready yet. There are a few more things in
her life that need to be in place i think. But this next week may work
out... so we´ll see. Carnaval was just kind of a crazy week to do a
Baptism. Plus we had to be inside the house at 5pm because of
Carnaval.

Sunday there was hardly anyone in church... this because the ward does
a camp to keep all the youth far away from the temptations of
Carnaval. Anyway, it was cool. We passed the sacrament and almost
everyone there bore their testimonies. It was a good experience and i
had a good fast sunday. After church and lunch we went to do a visit
with the other two elders. It went well and then we had to go home
again because of Carnaval. We got home and the President has a list of
some stuff for us to do durning Carnaval because we´ll be in the
house. Anyway we did it and then me and Elder Iverson made these scone
type things (i was just guessing a recipe and turned out amazing!) and
then we made bread with the remaining dough and made a cake, and i
tried to make an ice cream thing and dumped it on it.. anyway we ate
it today and its amazing too. It´s pretty much an icecream cake and it
was so good.

Today was pretty crazy. My companion ended up getting emergency
transfered so now i am here with the other two chillin. Anyway it was
a long night but now we are here! Carnaval is still goin and goes
until tuesday. Wednesday everything will, or should, open back up
after noon because everyone sleeps all day and parties all night.

Well it was a pretty great week here... guess we´ll see what a new
comp has in store for me.

I love the gospel and what it does for individuals and for families.

Com Amor,

Elder Tanner Smoot