out in the MISSION for 2 weeks

So I've been out in the MISSION for 2 weeks its getting weird seriously I struggle with everything. Spanish is coming I can understand pretty well now I just need to work on talking more. My comp is awesome seriously I would die without him. We have been working hard and having a good time. So my first Sunday on the mission I had to help give a blessing in Spanish... you could say that was rough hahaha my comp helped me so much. We had to move houses and that was an all day experience kinda rough but whatever. I am loving the people here they are all so kind.... well all except the drunk dudes and the people that hate us, but other than those people they are awesome I seriously love them so much. I have been feeling the spirit so much and it tells me to say something...... in English and then I think like how the freak am I supposed to translate that to Spanish. That's been fun. My area is super big and we get bikes.. super cool I'm about and hour away from the city and I am so happy about that I was sick of just looking at buildings. It definitely shocked me.... like some of these people have some crap houses.... then they whip out these super nice phones and cars, I don't think they like their houses very much....

Church is so different.. But I swear every week the spirit is so strong in that place. The people are so different here it makes things really awesome but I like it.

So today obviously is p day and we decided to drive for an hour to  place called Lampa and go on a hike with some other elders. It was awesome... as soon as we got above the fog... then we found this cave and found gold. I kid you not it was gold I even grabbed some and took a photo that I sent soooo just saying I'm a pretty rich kid right now.... so don't be surprised if when I come home in my private plane. Just saying.

Alright that's it for this week. 

Thanks so much for everything. Love you all!

1st week there! He is in Colina Chile!

Yo yo yo yo whats up??!! So the first week was rough getting used to life here but its all fine now. My trainer is rad so I don't think we will have a problem with that.

Seriously it was so rough I'm in a poor area not the poorest but its pretty bad.

Okay, I don't have much time but this week was crazy I can tell that my Spanish is growing and I seriously am struggling in English now. So last night someone offered me a raw egg.... as a joke when they didn't think I would eat it I grabbed it and totally downed it.... the rest of the night I felt sick... but it's whatever... yolo so not much to say other than my life here is starting to get better.. I realized how fast time goes out here... it's crazy. I gave my first Spanish blessing last night that was not expected but I did it and I seriously felt the spirit even though I struggled... We have visited so many people and I seriously love the people here they are the best I think that's what has helped me the most... it's rough because I can't communicate as much as I want to but that will come with time.

I love you all and I will send you a longer letter next week I spent too much time reading all the emails I got this week. 

Peace out from elder chase smith

He has Arrived!

MISSION CHILE SANTIAGO NORTH Maria Graham 312 Recoleta Santiago, Chile Teléfono: (56-2) 777-3661 2011379@ldschurch.org

                                                                    

  

 June 19, 2014

Dear Smith Family,

            It was a great pleasure to welcome your son to our mission.  He arrived safely, is enthusiastic, and anxious to begin missionary work here in the Chile Santiago North mission.  I have interviewed him carefully and find him well prepared, with a strong testimony, and a good beginning foundation in the Spanish language.  I feel honored to be his mission president and know that the Lord has prepared many people here to receive the testimony of the restoration he bears.   Sister Essig and I will treat him as our own son. 

            Your son will look forward to your weekly letters of encouragement and support.  E-mail is a great way to communicate with him as he communicates with me by e-mail weekly as well.  If you prefer to send letters, the church pouch system is the fastest and safest method.  The pouch mail comes several times per week and is delivered to the mission office, where we either carry it ourselves, or send it with missionaries to your son as soon as possible.  You can also send letters directly to his address but it will not get here as quickly.  The address of our mission for the pouch system is as follows.

Chile Santiago North Mission

MP-Chile Santiago North Mission

Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

            Thank you for all you have done to prepare your son for his mission.  Sister Essig and I will do everything in our power to help him have a wonderful and productive mission.

Sincerely yours,

Fred D. Essig

President, Chile Santiago North Mission

fessig@ldschurch.org

 He looks tired!!

 But Happy!

Welcome to the JUNGLE!

So, its my last p day here at the MTC and in 7 days from today I leave into the jungle. Haha one of our teachers took us out to contact people the other day and in her Chilano accent she said "welcome to the jungle."  It was hilarious. So, not much happened this week but it got super cold and it rained a lot.

My spiritual experience was me being humbled..  I've been having a difficult time having to listen and follow my DL and seriously its tough, it gets me so angry sometimes. Anyways, about Thursday last week I couldn't feel the spirit and I didn't really know what was going on. This continued until Friday night when I realized what was going on. Seriously, I didn't know what to do without the Holy Ghost, it was like I was lost... so I prayed... a lot and asked for help and ever since then I have been fine and I have been a good little boy.

Just a reminder I don't have p day next week so I wont be talking to you... well that's from what I know so don't be worried if you don't hear from me.

Mom, seriously that is such a cool experience. I'm so glad that happened. I definitely know I am safe because I am in the Lords hands.

Love you guys so much!!!

Happy Birthday MOM!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM... yesterday!!!! 

I seriously could not wait to get on today and tell you that. I was hoping I wouldn't forget!!

Alright, first off I want to say that I am so jealous of all of you!!(MOM NOTE:  we were all in Cancun without Chase!) This week has been good you could say that when I come back to Utah that I could be a pro soccer player... don't want to brag or anything but its the truth.. so watch out. I scored like 5 times this last week!! It was awesome. Will you make sure and tell everyone hello and tell them that I am sorry for not emailing back I just don't get enough time to type back. Alright, next is the Spanish this stuff is seriously like me being the president, its a joke!! hahah I seriously get outside the prison walls and when people talk I just smile. Its freaking hilarious. UM you should all send me pictures in the mail I think that's what I love the most I would also love some of those new family pictures!!! Its my last two weeks here in the MTC and I am so excited!!! That's pretty much it this week.

 I love and miss you all so so so so so much!!! Have a blast while I am gone!!!

peace

I need my slack line MOM!

Alright, so this week was super fast not too much happened. My practice lessons have been flying by and I am actually starting to put sentences together. Seriously, I think I might get the hang of this stuff.. I've talked to multiple. missionaries and they say that when you get out in the field it comes faster They say that you just have to try your best and it will come and to not worry about it. I have had a blast making new friends here some of us have already started planning trips to come back with each other and do some exploring. I don't know what I would have done if i didn't make any friends... probably would have rolled over and died. but hey!! who knows. soccer has been crazy I've been getting better and better at playing goalie andIi have been getting better at moving my feet and playing with the ball!! 

All I think about is me getting out in the mission field. That's all I think about  but i guess some trainers are native and I seriously think with my luck I am getting one!!! So, cant wait for that.

Mom I need my slack line!! you should send it asap. They told me it was okay to have and it really would help me so so so much... physically and SPIRITUAlly hahaha but en serio.

Alright that this week. sorry its so short I wish I had better stuff!!

Love you all so much!!!  Elder Chase Smith

I've started to understand Spanish

Soooo, this week has been crazy!! I have started to understand Spanish more and I have started loving the Book of Mormon. Any chance I get I read it. I seriously have grown to love my district, some of my favorites are Elder Swan Elder Stephens and Elder Kimball. I'm pretty sure I will be good friends with them the rest of my life. we have started to feel more like a family and less like random people that were put together. So, I really don't have much to say.... I'm getting good at playing soccer and being the goalie... I guess that's cool.. people here call me granola.. hahah I guess they think I'm granola, but when is that a bad thing I kind like the thought of being granola. So some of these pictures are of my friends and roommates. I got my missionary card yesterday and it shows when I'm coming home.... haha I'll be coming home May 7.... 2016 with 2 other missionaries, everyone else goes home a month earlier than us. I like to think its because we are meant to be out here longer... but I'm sure its just because of transfers. I haven't missed a day reading my patriarchal blessing since the Friday I got here. I never thought that could lift me up, it always stressed me out when I read it at home but here it shows my potential and that kind of gives me reassurance of who I am to become. I also have found so much in it and it tells me all things.... I don't know if they are exactly right but I know that its a good possibility that they are right.

Again, I love you guys so much. Thanks for praying for me and cheering me on. I am doing the best I can out here. I have become more in tune with the spirit and that really has helped me. I love the warm feeling I receive, when it is strong it gives me a weird satisfaction.

Love you guys so much miss you all!!!