Man the last weeks just fly by too fast

Another packed week with teaching, and finding, and miracles.

Also this week I hit my two year mark. That was a weird realization for me.

We met this kid that is incredible. His name is Guillem. He is a stud who is from San Quirze (next door) who did an exchange program in St. George. He got back in June and contacted the missionaries last week. They told me and I met with him and we talked. He went to Utah not believing in God and came back knowing that this is the true church. Good man!

Last Sunday I contacted a woman on a bus in Sabadell. Turns out she lives in Montcada (far out but in my area). She accepted a return visit. We came and taught. She loved it. Also her too kids. When we came back later in the week she had read and had great questions. She came to church. Ninosca, Fernando and Ahmed. Those were three individual miracles right there.

We are to the point of having tons and tons of people to teach and so we are super busy all day every day and not much time to find. The difficulty is finding people in the little time we have and help those be baptized who we have pendant. Let me just give you a recap of our pool of friends.

Asunción. Crazy but doesn´t feel the need to be baptized. She just thinks that all churches are true and she´s already been baptized. She treis my patience quite a bit!

Allison. A member (better said less active) told her the last time she came to church that she shouldn’t be baptized. Without much of an explanation you could tell that Elder Smiley was livid. Now we are trying to help her listen more to Jesus than to psycho members.

Ninosca. A little bit more time and she is going to be a great member of the church.

Joy. Not feeling well and super down. I don´t know whatever happened to her. Mari Carmen says that she is super down though. It´s a bit sad to see someone who was doing so well then to see them drop so low.

Not much new this eek We are working hard and seeing tons and tons of miracles. I will keep y´all updated on everything that is happening.

I also wanted to give, more or less, a shout out to Jim Dunn and his family. I fell like I have always had his support for my two years and that I owe him a lot for all the miracles I have participated in because of his prayers.

I don´t know if I already explained this but I thought it might put Utah church life into perspective. In Barberá we have to grab a bus or train at 2:30 to get to Sabadell to grab a bus at 3:00 to get to the church by at least 4:00 when it starts (Dave stop complaining about 2:30 church that one year). We have our meetings until 7:00 then grab the bus when it comes at 7.40 and then switch to the train, which drops us off in Barberá at 8:30, then we walk to our homes. Double your normal time. Blessings.

I love all of you and ask that you pray for my wonderful friends and that they can come to know Christ and receive his blessings.

I love all of you and thank all of you!

Élder Smiley

Back to Back Weeks of Baptisms. Way to go Elder Smiley

BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to back weeks! The ward and everyone is super excited!

The baptismal service was incredible. They did show up a bit late

but we got in and had a spiritual musical number, a good talk and a 

great prayer. Elder Johnson did a great baptism even though she

forgot to plug her nose and it was kind of awkwardly up in the air 

even though she still went all the way under. After the baptism she

gave a testimony that almost put me to tears. She thanked us

specifically for having helped her realize that she did need to be

baptized and this was the true church. She also talked about when

she has to go back to her country she will take Books of Mormon 

so that her family can have the  blessings of the gospel. In this

baptismal service I realized that I love my family and my home

but this is where I need to be right now and that this is real 

happiness. I was truly happy as I listened to that powerful testimony.

It was a very interesting week.

I´m usually focused on just baptizing baptizing baptizing. But this

week I did a little better job on stepping back and trying to help 

people in piso, less actives, recent converts, and active members

who were struggling.

We actually had a great conversation with a member who has been

a member for 30+ years. (The church started in Madrid 40 years ago,

in Barcelona I don´t even know when). His whole family was baptized

but now he is the only one active and it is a bit rough sometimes. Props

to this great man! Carlos Marcos, I will always remember him.

Also this week there were some old classmates of Mari Carmen that

were making fun of her after our visit. They were being what Charles

Barkley would call ¨knuckleheads¨. As we walked one way and she left

the other they started mocking and laughing and making fun of until

the point came when I couldn´t take it any more. I turned around and I

went up to him and got up in his face and said ¨We are friends of Mari

Carmen and you better cut that out.¨ He looked a lot like Uncle Mike.

I think I caught him by surprise and then he said, ¨take a walk!¨ I didn´t

move an inch and I told him I wouldn´t leave till he cut it out. I don´t

think anyone had ever stood up to him before especially not a squirt

in a white shirt and tie. It felt good to help our friend out because I 

really do love Mari Carmen.

Like I said an interesting week.

I love all of you and thank you all for your support and love even though

I´m still out here. ha

Would you please join me in prayer to help: Asunción, Allison, Guillem,

and Dani.

I thank you also for your many prayers in my behalf. Love y´all!

Anyone that will listen to his message!!!!

Typical Spanish street

Baptism this week.  The lady that said it would have to be a year before she was ready, Dave challenged her last week and she got baptized this week!

 

Mom's Payday!!

What a week! Full of mega miracles! (Also you are welcome for all the photos)

Miracle #1: is BAPTISM!!!!!! Gerard was baptized and he is a boss! It was a very calm and well done service. I was so calm and it was so well planned. We got there early and got everything ready. 2 of the bishopric came (About as rare as camels in the north pole). Pte. Dayton came with his wife. The talk was given by Flor, and she invited the whole family to follow Gerard and be baptized. The baptism was smooth and done once. When he got up and bore his testimony almost everyone was crying at the fact that an 8 year old could give such a strong testimony! It was incredible! The confirmation the same. Good work!

Miracle #2: María Jesús. Mother of 2 recent converts. She had said that IF she were to be baptized she would wait until ATLEAST next year. We saw her in the park on Saturday night and we started talking with her about the church and such. I then felt impressed to invite her to baptized, not only baptized, but for the 18th of July. She laughed, I felt a bit silly but we kept our cool. She realized we were serious and said that there was no way she could be ready by that day. We asked her to pray and ask about it. Specifically ask God what she should do. She did it and got her answer and when I called her on Sunday she told me she was going to be baptized this Saturday. We announced it in church and people were like ¨who?¨ and she would say ¨Me! Me!¨ After church we passed by to plan the service and we talked about the authority and how she was going to baptized by the authority she replied saying ¨I want to be baptized right now!¨ What a blessing and miracle she has been!

I had an interview with Pte. Dayton this week and we had a good talk about me and my family. He told me that I needed to do what my passion was when it came down to studies and work. I don´t want to think about it too much, but it was interesting the things I got out of the interview. Another thing is when he asked about mom I said, ¨She is just a stay at home mom.¨ He was struck with awe. He replied saying “Just a stay at home mom!”  That is the way the Lord wants the family to be.¨ I repented of it then in my prayer that night gave thanks for the blessing of having a mom that was always there for me. Waiting for me when I got home from school to make sure I did my homework and ate a snack. That took me to my baseball games and cheered for us even though we were losing and I was mad at her on the inside for being so enthusiastic and optimistic when we were down by 15. I love my mom!

My new companion is Elder Johnson and he is incredible! He is from Texas and is as humble as ever! I couldn´t be more grateful to have such a great missionary to finish my mission with.

I love all of you and thank you all for your love and support!

If you could all please pray for María Jesús for her baptism and for Gerard´s family that they can be baptized here soon.

Let´s go to work!

Élder Smiley

Gerard being Baptized, he asked for Dave to baptize him!

This is Sister Lee from South Korea.  Introduced to the gospel in Spanish Fork on a student exchange.  Dave Taught her on a missionary split while he was in Spanish Fork before his mission.  

Dave being "Smles"

Dave being "Smiles"

4th of July in Spain. . . not a big deal

Good week. Great week! I´m going to do a quick review.

Girard and Allison both accepted baptismal dates for the 11th of July.

Elder Alder is going to Cornellá and I am going to get Elder Johnson.

Maria Jesus came to church again and loved it. Her daughters are loving

the change they are seeing in their mother.

We did a move in the afternoon heat of 40 degrees! 

Mari Carmen is trucking like a boss and was making fun of Elder Alder and

how he had to baptize her five times so that it was actually good.  

Walter and Doris (parents of Girard and Allison) are doing so much better

and are excited for the baptisms of their kids, at one point they were against it.

Salvatore now picks up our friends that need rides to church. We call him

a member, and the members treat him like one. I almost want to give him

a home teaching partner. haha

Things are going really well and I love all of you!

August is coming quick so we have to baptize everyone that much quicker!

Love y´all!

Thank you for all of your prayers and support!

Élder Smiley

Dave's version of a Patriotic Photo