This week was full of zone conferences! We are really involved in the planning and execution of the conferences so Elder Crandall and I got to drive to each one and help out. I was excited to see more of Capital! One of the conferences was in La Boca, a part of the mission that I have never even been close to before. On the way there I made a few wrong turns (capital highways are crazy and constantly changing) and we ended up in another mission. But we did get to drive along the river and see the barges way off in the distance.
We also got to visit Caminito! Sister Smith (the mission presidents wife)decided that we've been working way too many hours and that we needed a break. She took us to Caminito with her kids and the Wrides (see pictures). I am grateful that she takes care of us.
That's crazy that Brinn is now home! Does she have a southern accent? She wrote me a little and said that it's been really good to be home. She enjoyed going over and visiting with you guys.
Now, to answer your questions:
How is your mission different then what you expected it to be like? What is harder? What is easier?
Many things are different than what I expected. I thought that Buenos Aires would be more like a big city in the states and that outside of the city it would be much less developed. I was surprised both in that Downtown is not as developed as other big cities I've been to and that outside of downtown is not 3rd world. Everyone has running water and electricity. Technology is everywhere. There is a large range of financial situations.
As for being a missionary, I expected always being with a companion to be a huge bother. I haven't got along perfectly with every companion but I can say that I enjoy having a companion to talk to and work with. Companions are a great support in both a motivational sense and a spiritual sense. Making an effort to be better missionaries is easier when you've got a companion working towards the same thing.
Finding a balance between focusing on being a missionary and using what I've learned from my previous experiences is harder than I thought before. I tried completely isolating my mind from my previous memories and feelings at the beginning of my mission to become a "consecrated missionary." Let's just say that was an epic failure. I greatly depend upon all that I experienced and learned before coming to Argentina. Remembering the strong relationships and experiences that I have with family and friends has been one of the strongest sources of help in times of difficulty.
Are you ready to leave the office yet?
Yes, but I will miss being with all of the office elders. Lots of good friends there.
Do you have more ups or more downs in your day to day mission life?
Not sure, I'll have to think about that one.
Do you miss America?
YES! yes, yes, yes. America is the greatest place on earth.
Which of your companions thus far has had the most impact on you?
I've learned from each of my companions but I would say that Elder Ryan has had the biggest impact. I've been able to watch him since my first day in the field until just a few weeks ago when he went home. I am overly impressed by how happy he always is and how positive he is. Life goal: be more like Elder Ryan.
Elder Smith
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