Here are Some Photos from Sister Black's Camera

Letter to Whomever It May Concern: และเชื่อว่าปีศาจ (Believe and Devil)

Week 7 at the mtc! the official count right now is that we have 2 weeks and 5 days left. I am definitly ready to go to Thailand right now! I'm able to read thai script pretty well and the speaking is coming along ok.

sooooossss yea. I don't know what else to say. We are just doing some fat mtc stuff. Learning thai every day. getting to read the book of mormon. I started it over since i've been here and i'm almost finished. It's cool to be able to do that and see the whole story it has.

Hmmmmm what else. We get to fast on sunday. thats chill.... I also learned how to say law of chastity words such as homosexual, abortion, and sex. I am sure those will come super in handy later on. you better not edit those out mom. PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!

We've been doing more awkward fake investigator teaching lessons. This time we picked up sone new "investigators" that are our classmates. its kinda weird teaching them and being their "investigator". especially when people don't pronounce any of their tones. In thai the tones are just as important as consonants and vowel sounds. because certain words can be spelled the same and only differ by a tone. such as the word believe, and devil. They have the same tone, and they are super similar.

Btw i'm sorry in advance if I come back sounding like an Asian. that'll be interesting. "herro maam n dadd!" I think it would sound something like that.

hmmmmmm. oh. The cambodians left yesterday.  They were in 3 weeks before us. It was interesting, there were some really cool dudes in there. also, some really not cool ones. I thought it was funny how when we came in we assumed them to be so much older and having seniority because they were here before. when in all reality they were also noobs and had only been there for 3 weeks before. Interesting how perspective can change your view of a person.

But yea. I'm still here just chugging along in the mtc. It'll be nice to get to Thailand. Hopefully I'll be able to learn a bit more thai before I get there because I have this creeping suspicion that im not going to understand a single word when I get over there. Oh well. thats all part of the fun right??

anways, ya'll have a cool super duper week!

love, Elder Mark Hamilton Smith

"Ya, MTC Lyfe!!

So I only took one picture this week. I had just come to  the conclusion that everything is the same here every day so there was nothing new to take a picture of.... soooo, here ya go. It is a doughnut.

 donut.... doughnuuut? but yea. don't let my good camera work fool you. It is not a tasty doughnut. it is gross. and tasts somewhat like I imagine a partially decomposed slab of animal fecul matter. But that is ok. Because yolo.

so yea.

I will try and send more pictures if y'all want.

Once I get to Thailand it'll get a lot better. but for now. doughnuts..

ya mtc lyfe!!

Flannel is Special

Hey could you send me my little viel of concrated oil? I don't know how to spell those... so yea. But It was in a small black container and it has a little symbol of Jesus Christ on it. I was gonna bring it but then ended up not.... So, yea. It might have been left on the counter or something? I don't know if you saw it. Or it might be in that box of stuff that is random little trinket things that I have. That would be cool :) if not I'll just buy one here. cuz they give us some money for crap like that. But, the bishop gave me that one so its special :)

also. If you want to you could totally just drop off my red flannel shirt too :) I miss wearing flannels and I though, "might as well use it while its cold right?" then I could just ship it back with my winter coat. But yea. No big deal. I liked the package you sent! Especially the pictures. Haha. The sister missionaires in my zone said they approve of them very highly. Don't know what that means. Back off you sisters. Im a missionary. Nah, but really, they are super cool. Some of the elders here try to flirt with sister missionaries all the time, It's really stupid. Why would they waste their time doing that. That's not why they are here. But anyways. Ill send you a fat update in just a sec!

Letter to Dat Family, Plus Other People Who are Quite Chill, Too

Soooooo, this week has been super solid. And it went by super fast. It's good to know that when they told us things would speed up they weren't lying :) we only got 4 weeks left from this past monday. Which is gonna come by quick! I'm so stoked, its gonna be awesome. I've been learning alot more thai (of course) to the point where we are able to go into our fake investigator lessons with nothing but a Book of Mormon. and a note pad to write down words we want to know. Its cool because I've never been able to speak another language this well. German was nothing compared to how well I know thai. Which is cool because I know I still suck, bad. So when I am actually fluent, that will be a good day.

So, also some cool stuff happened this week. I was able to give Sister Black a blessing. She was having extreme pains from a surgery she had before she came here. Her doctor said that there would probably be pain, but it was to the point where she was on the floor crying. Me and my companion Elder Bassett came in and found her like that with her companions trying to help here. So right then and there we gave her a blessing. Afterward she felt better. She was able to walk to the front desk, where we talked to a doctor there. All they did was "prescribe" her some ibuprofen... which is pretty stupid, cuz thats what we all take all the friking time. But then later, that evening, she said the pain was totally gone. She had had constant pain for over a month. and that was the first time that it was gone. The only explanation is because of the priesthood blessing she received. This shows the truthfulness of the power of the priesthood which is power from God our Eternal Father.

That was a really cool experience for me. But also, I love to be able to have time set aside to read in the Book of Mormon every day. I've never had the chance to read it and study it like I do now. Or rather, I never gave myself the chance. Because I decided I was too busy with other things. But every time I read it, I can feel the truthfulness of it. It reminds me of a talk Elder Holland gave where he said ,

"Nevermind that their wives were to be widows, that their simple band of followers were to leave trails of blood in the snow" this is talking about Joseph Smith, "never mind all that. Would Joseph and Hyrum smith lay down their lives for some ficticious made up book? some blasphemy that they created? They Would Not Do That. They would not do that. They did this because what they believed in was true". 

They had gained this knowledge from their most high God, and there was no way they would ever deny it, even to the extent of sealing their testimony with their own blood.

Elder Holland is a pretty cool dude. Especially when he gave his talk on anxiety and depression in the last fall General Conference.

So, I'm doing really well here. I am so happy. and there is no place I'd rather be, because well, this is what the Lord wants me to be doing. I am happy. I know what I am doing is right. I love you all. Thanks for the support you give. I love getting letters from ya'll!

btw, my address is

Elder Mark Smith

Feb17 Thai-Ban Unit 35

2007 N 900 E

Provo UT, 84602

That's for you maren! and, if anyone else wants it :)

I hope you have a good week :)

I love you mom and dad.

Love, your son, Elder Mark Hamilton Smith.. Markie mark

Sporting a New Shorter Haircut

So its been exactly 4 weeks in the MTC. 1 month down, like 1 more to go. No biggie, I can do this. Hopefully, I won't get too bored. I mean, I've gotten a little better at sitting around forever. And it's nice that I can go to gym every day. Me and a friend from our district go and run every time. He's gonna run for BYU track when he gets back. Long distance runner, his name is Elder Hales. He has been showing me a new form where you only run with the balls of your feet like a sprinter, but it greatly increases your speed and duration for the same amount of exertion. Killer on the calves though. So thats been good. I guess you can say that i've been getting YOKED OUT OF MY MIND. So yea, running is a good stress reliever for me. sucks that all it is, is an indoor track that takes 10 laps for a mile. BUT STILL, ITS RUNNING.

So, the Thai has been coming better. I go into our fake investigator lessons with some notes written in english then I just have a few words in thia I dont know. then I just construct the sentences with my own brain and say them. how amazing is that. also, I was able to read 15 verses in the book of mormon in thai script. And be able to understand some of the words. Its cool to see just how much im able to progress in the mtc. I hear once you get out you feel lost again. but I think it'll be an advantage for me to read script so well, so im trying really hard on that.

Elder Bednar came and spoke again this week. I always likes it when he speaks. He stood up there and bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon. He said he was a wittness of its truthfulness. Then, The spirit made it manifest to me that what he was saying was true. It's so cool to be able to strenghten your testimony with the ones of others. The spirit bears wittness of all things that are truthful. I think that is so cool. He answered questions that people had from the christmas devo where he past out phones and let people text him questions. So it was super cool, just right on the spot insight from an apostle of the Lord. You cannot deny that he knows what he is doing is true.

We get to go to the temple every week now. I really love doing that. Its so cool to be in there and feel the peace and calm that the spirit brings. I can't imagine being married in the temple. That must be super epic. hashtag spiritual.

But yea. Just trying to get by, having fun but also working hard. It is cool all the things you learn while trying to teach others that know nothing about the gospel. Like, when we teach, everything should be centered on the Book of Mormon. because everything we teach is in there. Spelled out plain and simple.

another thing that Elder Bednar said that caught my attention was how many simple truths the Book of Mormon has. He said philosophers and religions people have argued for centuries if it is by works or by grace that we are saved. Then comes the Book of Mormon through the hand of the Lord, and we find out that it is both. By grace we are saved, after all we can do... or something like that. Every little thing like this in the Book of Mormon just manifests its truthfulness.

So, i'm doing well. I am anxiously awaiting the time in which I can go to Thailand. but until then, I gotta get better at Thai! I wan't to be fluent, and quick. Ive never been able to really speak a foreign language before so it will be a real blessing when I am able to express all of my feelings to others in a language other than English. Then when I come home I can swear at y'all in Thai... I mean what. None of that.

Think I should buy a phone card to call you guys when I go to the airport? I know it hasn't been that long but I thought I might as well. Just for the heck of it.

Anyways, have a good week!!!

Love, Elder Smith

PS  How do you like those pictures I sent ;) too seductive for a missionary to be doing i bet. But you know me, I can't help it.

take note of my hawt new hair cut.. im pretty much bald now

This is my horseman look. I don't like it.

Also, socks and shorts are good :) i could use some food that's not sugar if you want to send something. Like cheeze its or salt and vinegar chips. Sometimes im hungry at night but im not down to eat a fat wad of candy. Just doesn't rub me the right way.. ha

Letter to Da Fam from Dat Young MTC

Well another week down here at the young mtc. and honestly it went super fast. It didn't seem like that long since last p-day. so thats good! Its cool though because I am understanding thai alot better now. and when I am put on the spot I am able to come up with sentences to say rather than have them memorized. Im sure I have some pretty terrible grammar but I can still get my point across when charged with an unintended question. However I never feel like im doing good enough, part of my perfectionist attitude I guess. So I'm always trying to do better. Which I don't think is a bad thing. On sunday I had some sort of epiphany. I was able to start writing and reading thai script fairly decently. It was amazing. That gift of tongues though. So that was cool. I've had a little contention too with this elder in my district. He is a loud annoying guy. But we're loving him anyways. Its cool because even when problems do arise, we're able to get over them and focus on whats really important. because thats why were all there, To learn Thai and the gospel so we can preach it. Makes it alot easier to love the people that your with, knowing there all on your "team".

And yes I did get the shoes. They are really nice, I'll be glad to run in them! Also, sounds like a weird request but could you send me some super glue...? some of the tread on my trail shoes is starting to come off, and its weird not having the luxury of our shop to fix any problem that I have with my devices. So that would be nice :) now I'll have to be extra creative and learn to jerry rig stuff with coat hangers and book of mormon's. Cuz thats about the only thing we got plentiful access to here. Well, and food full of carbohydrates and preservatives.

So there was a funny story I heard, it was about our zone leaders before we got here. They said they got up in the morning to use the bathroom, and they both sat down on the toilet seats... then later, they both started to form terrible rashes on their butts to the point where they could not even sit down. They had to stand for the next two days. And apparently it was because the cleaning crew had used some sort of cleaner that had a strong  base in it and they didn't rinse off the cleaner. The elders got a burn from the chemicals. Moral of the story. Don't sit on the toilet seat, ever....

Or use toilet paper... ya know. Whichever is more doable.

Well things are pretty normal here. Just going along, doing that thai and stuff. We often have times where we get to go around and read the book of mormon. I really like that. Every time you can just hear the truthfulness of it. I especially liked when we read 2 nephi 4:17-19. Those are my favorite verses. You can go ahead and put those on my plac... idk how to spell that. But it just really hits me when nephi says "I know in whom I have trusted". dispite all the sins and all the hardship he has been through, he can be redeemed from them and ultimately be happy because the one in which he trusted was the creator of this whole earth and the one who atoned for our sins. and God, will not allow us to fail. especially as missionaries.

So you guys have a good week! I'll send some pictures in a bit.

I appreciate the packages and letters I get from you guys. And grandma's letter!

love, Elder Smith

Finally, a P Day

Well, its p-day now. Which is good. considering ive been here for two weeks without one! Soooooo im not really sure what to tell you guys. Just doing that normal mtc thing. Get up, follow a strict schedule and do alot of class time. It was cool though because yesterday I was able to read "Preach My Gospel" in thai. It took about 10 minutes and I was pretty much deciphering it using a paper that has all the letters and their translations on it. but still, reading. I'm gonna be good at Thai before I know it! and that sucks to hear that I didn't do good at byu... but i guess i should've been expecting it. It was really hard though to worry about so many things right as finals were approaching. It's just bothersome because I felt like I tried my best, especially in math, but I still got my ... kicked.... I mean butt. pardon my French. gonna have to edit that one ;) But yea, ill have to try a lot harder when I get back. anyways. Apparently there is this rumor that if you don't wear shoes in the shower you can get zits on your feet. and that one time this elder slid on his stomach across the shower room floor and got zits all the way up his body. Needless to say I've put those crocks to some good use. for now they are my shower shoes. Because they're pretty nasty. Same thing with the toilets. This is good though because itll get me ready for Bangkok :) I hear they actually have some pretty respectable apartments there though. So that will be cool. Not that it really bothers me. as long as I got a bed and earplugs it doesn't matter much where I sleep. I had to get earplugs at the bookstore the first night. Not because anybody snored, but because one of the people's in my room clock is so loud when it ticks that it was driving me crazy... so yea. good to have earplugs. anyways, just learning thai and stuff here at the young mtc. How has your guy's week been? that's all i got for now. I'll probably send a few letters between now and next p-day. But, see ya'll later!

Elder Mark Smith

we got to make ourselves queen sized beds because of the extra bunks. we are living in luxury now

we allot ourselves some nap/cuddle time

can you catch the photo bomb in the last one? yea, that's me