Well I am very sad to say that this might be the last official email! Next week I will be able to email but maybe not say much. I have such a busy week. I am so grateful that many things have happened. We had such an awesome week. The water fight was the most fun I've had in awhile! I can't even describe it. One of the only time I can throw water balloons and dose people with a water hose without getting in trouble, especially as a missionary haha. We even got special permission from President Ahlander just because we serve in Bunkerville. I wish we could do that every month of the summer! Then on the night of the 4th we had to be in a members home and we had permission to watch Frozen and How to Train Your Dragon, so we did that at the Bunkers house with 2 other missionaries. It was great because we watched it with them on the Bunker's Theater screen, but it was really weird to watch a movie again. We felt like we were breaking rules even though we weren't! This morning we went out in the country to see petroglyphs on rocks and some other things. That was really cool as well. So as you can see we have had some good fun lately.
The baptisms are still good for Saturday. To end off, I just wanted to say how happy I am that I have been able to serve these past two years. And that I have had all of you right along with me giving the support I needed. There are no words to describe my feelings and the many things I have learned. It has been hard, there's no doubt about that. But I would not take this experience back for anything in the world. I am truly grateful for what my Heavenly Father has provided for me and helped me with. I am looking forward to a new chapter in life, yes it will be stressful and hard, but I know I will still continue to be guided and helped. I look forward to seeing all of you and hope you have a fantastic week! I love you. Elder Smith

5 K Run that we did

Family!
Wow, where to begin, so many amazing things have happened this week I don't eve know where to start! So to make a long story short, we will be having 2 baptisms on July 12th! They kind of just came out of nowhere. First off I don't know if you have heard, but it's public now so I am allowed to tell you. Starting on July 14th, my last day in the mission, Mesquite is getting taken over by the St George mission, no joke haha. So what they are doing is kicking all of the Las Vegas missionary's out of here and back to Vegas and bringing in 3 sets of missionaries from St George. We have 5 sets here now, so they will be pretty busy! Elder Woody has been pretty bummed about this cause he was going to finish his mission here but now has to go back to Vegas for his last 6 weeks. So we have been working hard to try to build up the area, and the Lord has blessed us with 2 people to be baptized the Saturday before we leave. The first one is one we have been teaching, we have been trying to teach him the past month but the past week has been awesome. We already had 3 lessons with him and he received an AMAZING answer to his prayers. Because of time, I will save that story for when I get home, sorry. You'll love it though, we sat there when he told us what happened and we just looked at each other like, did that just happen!?  So after he told us the story I immediately asked if he would be baptized and he said yes. He's been coming to church every week now and is really preparing himself. He's giving up smoking this week as well and we have faith that he won't have a problem with it any more after that.
The second person is a friend of a girl in the ward. They just graduated from high school. She invited him to listen to the missionaries and so we've taught him 3 times this week too. He is such a great kid and already has a strong testimony of the Gospel. He is tearing through the Book of Mormon too just reading a lot and learning from it. His mom and sister don't want to learn along with him so he was telling us how he's the Nephi in his family and has to set an example for them. We set his baptism date for the 26th but he's been progressing so well and wants it so bad that we've moved it to the 12th, right before we leave. We are so excited for them both.
Also something cool that happened this week, there was a girl that Elder Parker and I taught in Vegas that finally got baptized on Saturday so we were able to go down to see that happen. It was so cool to finally see her take that step in her life after all she went through when we taught her and  all the doubts she had.
We had a missionary musical fireside last night that we had been inviting everybody to the last month. We sang as missionaries of Mesquite and then a few other members of the stake sang and played the piano and the there was a video performance, there were very few dry eyes in that chapel.!! It was so good. It's been such a great week.
As for the 4th of July, I have been waiting for this week since the day I got to the area! The reason why is because on July 3rd of every year, the town of Bunkerville turns into a huge water fight. We will be in the water balloon battle of 2014 with everyone here haha! We will be teaming up with a family, or a couple of families here and having fun. You can look it up on Youtube. They always include the missionaries so we are going to have our own outfits we are making that will be pretty cool, so expect some pictures next week, if my camera stays safe from the water balloons! I hope you guys have a great 4th of July. Love Elder Smith

Hey family! I appreciate the email and love from ya'll. In about 3 weeks I have to start being a good member missionary, not just a full time missionary. This is a harder thing to do because you don't have that mantel on your shoulders anymore as a full time servant of the Lord. Life will get in the way of sharing the Gospel. But I have a goal to do my best to be the best member missionary I can be, and Mom and Dad I hope you stay on me about that and push me to do it when I get down. I am happy and grateful that you are trying to be missionaries also. Once we are converted we have a responsibility and duty to share this with others. It has eternal consequences. I love D&C 18: 10-18. Please red it and make sense of it in your lives and how it can apply to you.
This week has been kinda crazy but we have had some great experiences. Elder Woody was sick for a couple day so we spent some time in the Quick Care and in the hospital trying to figure out what was wrong with him. The interesting thing about it is that the doctor we went to in the Quick Care is a member in St George, but is going through a lot of hard things. He opened up to Elder Woody in the room and he was able to help him out a little bit and become a really good friend. So the doctor hooked him up and ran him through lab work, an ultrasound, and a CT scan for free all in like 4 hours flat. He is doing a lot better now though, I guess it was just an infection. So it was cool to see that the Lord allowed Elder Woody to get sick and sacrifice his body so he could meet this man and help him out. The Lord is truly watching over everyone of us and knows and loves us all.
We also had a very cool experience with the investigator we are working with. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and has prayed. He was raised as a Mennonite, and he worries about his family in Kansas who have not heard of this new church.
Since Elder Woody is doing better we are hoping to hit it hard this week and work the best that we can. I just hope to find every person that I am her to find before I go home and pray that I will accomplish what I need to . I love and appreciate you all and hope you have a great week. Love Elder Smith

Golfing with a Semi Pro that is in our ward. It was fun!

Loved Ones!
First off Happy Fathers Day Dad! I hope it was a great day. I love you and appreciate what you have done for me.
Second, thank you for the news from home! I was happy to hear all of it and glad that things are going well. Send Jordan and Brittney and Matt and Ashlie my love. And good luck to Jordan with the house. That was funny about running over the skunk, the other day the family I live with's dog was sprayed by a skunk and she came inside at night, so all night we smelled that terrible smell. The next morning the family were scrubbing her for awhile to get the smell out ha ha. They are great people I'm thankful that I get to live with them for awhile.
This week has bee great. We just got done playing about 12 holes of golf at Falcon Ridge and next week we get to go to Wolf Creek. So that was really fun.Something cool that happened this week was the ability to exercise the Priesthood. We went to the home we go to and asked them if they would like a blessing. They said they already had one earlier, but would not turn down another one. So my companion was able to bless the husband and I blessed the wife. The spirit immediately filled the room to where their eyes were not dry and we were just so happy to be able to be there. Despite all that has gone on with them, they are still a great family that have great faith and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We are working the hardest we can and trying not to think about home and how long we have left right now. Elder Woody and I kind of feed off of each other to work hard, and have fun too. But sometimes he reminds me of how long I have left, so I remind him of how long he has haha. He's great. I hope you all have a great week and I sent my love to each  one of you. Oh and Grandma Smith, thanks for the money, and I'm sorry I haven't written faithfully to you and Grandma Birch. Thank you both for your support and love.
Love Elder Smith

We walked in our house and found this little guy laying on our floor, I thought it was fake but then it started moving and scared the crap out of us haha

Optical illusion, I really hit the ball!

Petting and caring for the calf

Shoeing the Horse

Family! It sounds like it's been a very good and uplifting week for you all with the welcome home talks and the funeral. Dad first off I want you to know how happy I am to have you as a father and the great example you have been to me. You have touched lives and I know that the Lord looks over families.
I'm also so happy that you got to see Elder Parker's talk and everything you said about him is so true. I was privileged to spend 18 weeks with him and we learned so much together. I look up to him and hope to do things with him when I get home. I am also happy to hear that Michael did well. I'm sad to hear that his mission was difficult in the sense of finding people and working with members. But each mission has their difficulties and theirs something to be learned from each.
Anyways, this week has been absolutely great! I love Elder Woody! We are getting along great and working hard. He goes home 6 weeks after I do so he'll send me home then someone will come and send him home. He is from Huntsville Alabama. I knew him when he came out and he had an awesome accent, but he's kinda gotten rid of it during his mission. Yesterday we were able to go out and give some service at Bundys and teach Patrick and Buddah, two of the guys who are there and reading the Book of Mormon. They have some pretty cool stories  on how they were led to Bundys and feel it's where they need to be. And I think its cause they can learn the Gospel here. A couple days ago we went out and put new horse shoes on one of the horses, and yesterday we fed little calf's and brushed  horses. It's been pretty great to get to know the family, they are great people.
Well I love you all and am grateful for the many things you do for me and the support you give. Have a great week and stay safe. Love Elder Smith

I needed some new clothes, and this is all I could find. Do you like them?

Hey Mom and Dad, thanks for the email and the funny stories about the kids. I love hearing about them! I got a video from Ashlie that I really appreciate, they are getting so big! Dad, thank you so much for getting my bikes fixed up and ready to go, that makes me really excited, I see bikes and four wheeler s and razors all the time here so, I can't wait to go soon.
I have learned so many things especially from Elder Beddoes, and my entire mission. I am super grateful to have been his companion, yes we have had bad times but we have had some really good times and it has been a great 3 months. He is getting transferred today and my new companion is Elder Woody from Alabama. He was in my district in my first area so I know him pretty well.
We haven't been able to teach anyone out at the ranch this week but we hope to go out tomorrow and get to know some people. They switch out so often that you never know who will be there. Yesterday 2 new guys came with Cliven to church and one of them was a member because he actually participated in priesthood meeting. I know it will pay off. We are preparing the members to be better missionaries ant then eventually there will be more non members to teach. I love this area and I will be sad to leave it.
I'm glad Jordan has moved back and that was cool to hear that his friend was a returned missionary. I love you all and hope you have a great week. I hope you like the snake we found while we were milking the cows!!
Love Elder Smith

Family!
Thanks for the great email, I'm glad things are good back home. Wow Dad, that was a great story, I'm super happy to hear about that. I have thought about the Muellers multiple times throughout my mission but still haven't had any contact with them. I hope they are all doing well and hope Tim's mom get better and that it can bring a missionary opportunity. Also congrats to Katlyn, I hope they do well together. And that's crazy that Michael will be home this week, I guess I am the next one, unfortunately.
So this week has been great! Pretty crazy too as you will see from the picture. We once again went out to Bundy's ranch and got talking to the security guys who stay on Clivens front lawn. There were some new guys this time and they are all ex military and super nice. They all have a Christian background, except for one named Buddah who believes in a lot of things. Well we were sitting there talking about military and things like that and then one of the girls that was there says, well you guys are like ministers right? So are you going to share something with us? We were like, perfect, you got it! So Elder Beddoes shared a scripture that brought up some good conversation, then I shared a different scripture that brought up some really good conversation. And they were just itching for more, so right there we taught the whole 1st lesson to 6 of the people there. We kind of felt like we were standing on a box preaching to a crowd haha. But they accepted it well and half of them took copies of the Book of Mormon and said they would read. It was a cool experience because they are feeling the spirit at Clivens house like they have never felt before. And they have literally seen the Bundys prayers answered as they have gone through this whole experience. I know there's a lot of bad talk about the Bundys and everything going on, but if there is anything good that's coming out of this event that's taking place, it is with the people who have came and seen how an LDS family handle hard situations and have faith in God. It's cool to see. They are also having a big BBQ tonight and invited everyone at church (half of Bunkerville ha) so we hope we can go to that if it doesn't conflict with our appointment.
One last thing, we are super sore today because crossfit was a really good workout this morning! We show up and had to do the following:
first off run 1 mile, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats, then finish with another mile. So as you can see, it keeps us in shape!!! Well I love you all and hope your week is great. Love Elder Smith