We handed out pass along cards at the Mormon musical in Miami beach, everyone thought we were part of the show// I told them that they were a bunch a fakers// If they wanted to know the truth about our religion to ask us to get the real answers

                                         

Matthew 5:44 and 3 Nephi 12:44

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."

Smoking for more than 30 years// stops smoking in less then two weeks and gets baptized// that is just crazy to me// this work is inspired of GOD

Smoking for 5 packs a day for more than 30 years and Maria stops smoking in less than two weeks and is baptized! A miracle for Maria!

I love this work and this gospel!!

Hey everyone! I hope all of you are doing very well! I'm just having a wonderful time here in Miami! This week Elder Carver and I have been finding people like crazy, its been super awesome! We have 2 people set for Baptism this up and coming Sunday for MARIA SANCHEZ and CESAR BANEQUE and we are stoked! Yesterday we had a great lesson with Maria and we showed her the Restoration video and she really liked it!! Elder Carver and I shared our testimonies about the prophet Joseph Smith, and she definitely felt it! We committed her to quit smoking and she accepted! Its amazing how the Lord works with people. The day we met her she was smoking about three packs a day, and now she's like "I don't want to smoke anymore". Milagros por dias. Estamos muy agradecidos por este milagro que Dios dar nos. I love this work and this Gospel! I love all of you at home, keep the faith.

 

Joseph Smith was indeed called of God. When I prayed and asked if he was called of God I received my answer through humble prayer. The Lord answered me with "yes he is my son"

HEY what up everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This week has been CHEVRE!!! WE got 3 gators at Sacrament this week, which is really awesome! Elder Cobabe and I set them with baptismal dates for this up and coming Sunday so we are super stoked! We taught Felix the other day about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he is really solid on Baptism! We found Felix from one of our members Brother Ramos! He told us that his friend wanted us to teach him so we were like YES SIR. We have been blessed with referrals from members which is awesome! Felix is from Honduras, and he works construction with brother Ramos near the beach!

Joseph Smith, the PROPHET  and SEER of the LORD, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.... He lived Great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people

I have a strong testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith, he was indeed called of GOD, I have been asking to know if he was called of GOD? and I have received an answer through humble prayer to the Lord and he has answered me with this "yes he is my son."  Wow that hit me really hard! It was like lightening striking my heart! I respect Joseph Smith and what he has done for Jesus Christ's church. Other church's say they use the name Jesus, but the church that I belong to is true. I know that God speaks and not spake. If you want to know if the Church that I belong to is true, ask God and I know that he will answer you. This is my humble testimony in the name of our Lord and Savior who is Jesus Christ amen.

I loved my first area so much but now I'm getting transferred! It's going to be hard to say goodbye.

Aug 19 2014
Hola Socios!!!!! Que tal???? Everything is going so well here!!!! We baptized Ana Maria Mateo this Sunday!!!!! Man she is so solid! She has really been progressing since the first day we met her! Her favorite part about our teaching is the Restoration! She loves Joseph Smith, and she keeps telling us that the first vision is "beauty"! Her baptism was so boss! Nothing is more satisfying then bringing souls back to the fold of our heavenly father! I love her and I can't wait to go through the temple with her in a year! Elder Crockett and I went to her apartment last night to surprise her and I gave her a CTR ring! After I said Goodbye to her I started to ball my eyes out because I knew that I was going to be transferred! I have loved my first area so much and its gonna be hard to say goodbye to every one tonight! I love this Gospel and I love His work! The mission so far has brought me so much joy and happiness! I love all of you and all your support! As Cuban's say it

Voy Echando

LOVE ELDER SMITH CHAD SWENSEN

Aug 25 2014

Hey Mom! I hope everything is going well! Im serving in the El Portal North (Spanish Speaking ward)! It's a super boss area, we do district meetings in the Miami Beach chapel! The chapel is right next to the water! Its amazing! Our house is so sweet! We live in little Haiti! Its so hood here! Yesterday Elder Cobabe and I were riding our bikes home from work 8:30 at night and there was this super bad car accident, as we pulled up to the street light there was a group of fire fighters that got out and one of them talked to Elder Cobabe and I and he was like "HEY do you know what neighborhood your in????" with scared eyes! Then Elder Cobabe responded " YA, we live here." non chaulantely hahahaha! and then we took off!!! It was hilarious, I just started laughing at the fire fighter as we speedily headed home! I have seen a lot of crazy stuff so far in this area! Ill save those for when I return home from service hahahahaha! Overall things are great! I saw my recent convert at stake conferenceyesterday so I was super excited! Ana Maria is so solid! I love you guys so much!

"Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings Miracles"

Que Pasa SOCIOS!!!!! I hope everyone is doing well!!! All is well in the best mission in the world! This week we have seen some wonderful miracles! Elder Davy Crockett and I taught a really great word of Wisdom lesson with our boy Spencer! We committed him to stop smoking and to stop drinking coffee right then and there! So we took his coffee maker and cigarettes it was awesome! It felt like winning the NBA championship hahahahahah! It was dope though ripping those cigarrettes up! This week we are Focusing on finding a FAMILY and we have some really good ideas on where we are going to harvest and bring people to the Fold of GOD! Lately Ive been thinking about why its important to be exactly obedient to what God asks of us! We simply live the Commandments because we love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! And I can testify in the name of Jesus Christ that these things are true, and are here for us to return to live with our Father in heaven! I can see Jeus Christ standing there on the right side of GOD, and people will see, BOW, and know that he is the Christ the Son of the EVERLASTING ETERNAL HEAVENLY FATHER! I speek boldly of these things because of the Hastening of the perfect work of GOD! I love all of you so much! Strive to live the commandments that God has provided for you and know that he loves you very much! As a disciple of Jesus Christ I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Hey peeps, just here thuggin in MIAMI! This week has been super good! WE have 2 potential baptisms going down this week ,so we are super hyped! One of the recent converts in our ward brought a friend to church and she had a really wonderful spirtual experience! She got in contact with us and her name is Danielle she is super boss! we also set one of our investigators with a baptismal date last night as well! Her name is Ana Maria and she looks a lot like Madam Zaroni from HOLES! Elder Crockett and I always joke about that! "IF you don't come back for madam Zoroni, and BAPTIZE me your family will be cursed for always and eternities" hahahahahahahaha She is super solid, when we were talking to her about baptism she was like " Well I have been baptized in the catholic church but they only sprinkled water on my head, instead I want to be baptize like Jesus" elect SON!!!!  she is definitely up in this club! I love all of you guys for your support and prayers! Keep having fun and be sure to give someone a smile and hug for me hahahaha your boi

Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings Miracles

Love

Elder Smith Chad Swensen

Miraculous conversion and baptism for Magela.

Magela

Machete

Hey everyone its Elder Swensen!!!! Things are going so good! My love for this gospel has grown so much this 

past week! This week we were able to Baptize MAGELA HECHAVARRRRRIA! Oh man she is so rad! Elder 

Ward and I were able to meet her a while back for the first time! It was definitely a touching story when we first 

met her, we were on a fire exchange with the sisters and the last house we knocked was Magela! I remember 

when she opened the door just balling! I felt God's love for her and she knew exactly why we were there! I 

could feel the presence of the savior right next to Elder Ward and I!!! It was amazing what we spoke! It was 

pure doctorine and that invitation to be baptized! Oh man that day was amazing! Miracles!!!!! she was so elect! 

WE have two more baptisms lined up for this sunday! I'll keep you posted! I baptized Magela the other day in 

spanish and man she came right out of the water so flawlessly! Everyone this is what it's all about!!! No greater 

feeling in the world! I love all of you!!! Thanks for all your prayers! Stay sweet sweeties hahaha

Love Elder SWENSEN

"The Graveyard" is the area the locals call the projects Smith and his companion are working in.

Hey wazzzup PEEPS this week has been so wonderful! Miracles upon miracles! We have had so much fun! We have been throwing down on people in the graveyard!! PEEWEE also known as (5) came to church with us the other day! He has super high desires to be baptized this weekend! He also has a super gnarly tattoo of a bull skull on his forehead, its super scary! He looks like Antwan Dixon hahaha! He is super chill though! He really enjoyed church and he can't wait to come back to be baptized! Also I was able to baptize our boy William Palma from Venezuela! He is a super awesome guy, and is a really good artist! He wants to do baptisms for the dead for his brother and his father! He is really progressing!! After I baptized him I was like "This is what its all about" He gave me a big hug and said "THANK YOU BROTHER" Wow it was amazing, the spirit was so strong! His spanish is awesome as well he speaks spanish with a german accent because he is half german! It sounds super cool! 175 baptisms is our goal! We need to hit it by the end of this month, because our mission president is leaving! Lately were finding a lot of cool people and having lots of success! LETS GO! and make it happen! I also got the infamous posterity tie from Elder Mendy cause I got wet yesterday! I love all you guys for all of your support! Keep me pumped up! I also want to thank my Uncle Mike C. For sending his inspirational letter and package! He is so BOSS! I Love my Mom, my DAD, Sophie, Soladay, and Swenjamin Franklin//// God has blessed me with such a wonderful Family! I love all you guys so much! Girls keep staying sweet! 

MUCH LOVE

ELDER SMITH CHAD SWENSEN AKA CALIFORNIA

Hey everyone!!!! Its your boi Elder Swensen! This past week has been really rad!!! I love my area so much!!! This past week we got a lot of new investigators and 2 of my favorites is Mario and his wife!! Mario is around 20 years old and had a gnarly story to tell us about when he got shot 5 times and turned his life around after getting out of jail! While he was talking to me and Elder Anthony he basically told us that he needed to settle down and come unto Christ even more! He has a son thats 8 and a daughter thats 2!! They are both so awesome! For the first time I took the lead on the Restoration and just let go!!! It was so fun to throwdown with Elder Anthony! We taught it flawlessly and they really liked is a lot! They really enjoyed the First vison and the spirit was so sincere with us it was awesome! They are both excited about reading the Book of Mormon and Baptism! I love these guys so much! Rena our recent convert finally gave me a nickname/// Elder SWENSEN= California// Elder Mendenhall= Sugar shane shorty! She is so crazy but awesome! Our boy Willy is in a wheel chair because of some gang activity, he was also shot several times and lived! Hes dope though he always plays sicky music as we walk by// Especially RKelly- remix to ignition// its great though because he always turns it down when we need to pray with him and invite the spirit! Mike and his family are still doing great he got antied by his wife because the book of mormon is not the bible! But then we threw down on her and saved those baptisms because the power of the lord was with us!! Were hoping that they will be prepared to be interviewd this week so they can get baptized on Mothers day!! Overall just throwing down everyday! JT our new investigator is in this picture with me// we taught him about making righteous decisions and brought up the song "check yourself, before you wreck yourself" and he really enjoyed it! Hes making righteous decisons everyday! Girls keep staying sweet!

 Much Love Elder Swensen

"I met Lil Wayne the other day, and he wasn't too hyped on us"

Meeting the mission President and his wife

Hey whats up its Elder Swensen!!!! Im in Florida and I like it, my area is so hood! I mean HOOD its so dope though! We came here to throw down! Elder Mendenhall is my companion and he is from LA and he surfs! the first time I met him he gave me a planner with a picture of Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith and on the back it has Ford  ripping! Its so tight! I love my companion already he is so boss at teaching! The past week we have been teaching a lot of families that are Black! And thats what I wanted!! Ive been speaking a lot of spanish though its a good mix, but mostly black! We have been teaching the Thompson family and they are so chill! Michael, and his family want to baptized on the 11th of may and they have a family of 7! Its time to throwdown! Im so excited to baptize, I cant wait for that wonderful feeling! JT and Rena are recent converts and they just got back from prison, its so tight to be teaching them, their place is so hood but they have the sweetest little girl she is so sweet! They grew up in the struggle with her mom being a complete crack head and smoking weed everyday! I love teaching those guys already! And I love that they love hiphop music and rap! I met Lilwayne the other day and he wasnt to hyped on us, he had some sicky grills though! The dogs here are so gnarly we peg them with rocks if they get to close! We had Elder Cook come to our mission and speak  with us, he is truly called of God. And after he talked I was watching him sing "I beleive in Christ" and I knew for a fact that this church is true!!!!!!! The spirit testified to me that this is Christ's church! And its time to be bold and throw down! So things are going good here and My companion and I teach with such unity and boldness and the spirit its awesome! I havent seen the ocean yet but I know that its there! Just know that I mean business in the hood and Im keeping it real with my companion and have been working really hard proselyting and studying and have learned so much!

"MAKE THE EARTH TREMBLE"

Love Elder Swensen

New Florida Temple Just Built 44,000 people attended the Open House

Apostle Elder Quentin L Cook taught and trained them last week 

My spanish has become super good

This week has been really fun and busy! We have been working really hard here and our teaching in spanish has become super good! I have been thinking about Michelle a lot and the past few days have been really hard, I shared my testimony to everyone in testimony meeting on Sunday about Michelle and that everyone can live with their families eternally after this life! I basically explained how much my family matters to me and how much I love them! I talked about how wonderful Aunt Michelle was to all of us and how much joy she had in her life! I then I said that it always make me mad when someone says "What if this church is not true" and I said with power from god, This church is true!!!! And I love this gospel so much and I would die for it, but more I want to live for it!!! Michelle was such a wonderful example in our lives, she had so much faith and I hope that Doug and the Girls are comforted by the spirit!! They are going to do wonderful things in the near future! Elder Bednar gave an awesome devotional the other day and he put this scripture in his talk and its in D&C 68.4 and it says "And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the lord, shall be the voice of the lord, and the power of God unto Salvation" I hope everything is going well! I love you guys so much! Update me on how things are going

Love

Elder Swensen

It has been a wonderful week so far! Ive been really working hard and have had some wonderful experiences! A couple of days a go we taught some real families from a ward nearby the MTC! First my companions and I taught the Bishop and the wife of the bishop, and we basically talked about her brothers that went inactive in the church and how hard it is for their family to see this happening in there life right now! I asked her if she had been married in the temple and she said yes! And then I was like well you and your husband have made the best decision you can do! I said to her that she would be able to see her brothers in the life to come even though they don't have the gospel in their lives right now! After that we taught a family of 5, they were so awesome! Even though I don't remember all their names, I remember that there names were really refined and so pretty! As we were talking to the mother she also said that her brother went inactive and she didn´t know why! she started crying and breaking down, I also asked her if she had been married in the temple and she said yes! So I got really stoked and told her that she would be able to see her brother in the life to come! after we had taught her I asked her if we could pray about her brother Serio, and she said yes! Ive never prayed so hard in my life, I prayed that he would come back to church, and feel the prompting of the holy ghost to live the true and living gospel once again! Wow that prayer was so powerful! And she was so greatful that I offered to pray about her brother! There was a devotional given by Elder Holland the other night and he said to "Speak With Thunder" and I definitely did. My love for this gospel has grown so much already, its time to make our words effective! Holland said that we were in the middle of the latterdays and the Hastening of the work is powerful! I have a strong testimony about the atonement and the love that our savior has for us! I know that Joseph Smith was a true oracle of God, and President Thomas S. Monson leads the only true and living church on this earth today!

 I´m about my Father´s business,

Love Elder Swensen

Things are still going good at the MTC! its been a lot of hardwork and a lot of studying! The food here goes right through you hahaha you seriously get wrecked after every meal! We spend more time in the restroom than studying hahaha! Its getting so much easier to teach in spanish, I love it! the other day I was talking to President Pratt right before a devotional and he told me that I was doing awesome in my work and he said just to keep focused on the work, he grabbed my shoulder and he told me that anything can happen when you teach by the spirit! He is such an awesome and the most spiritual guy I ever met, when he touched my shoulder it felt like the savior was helping me it was awesome! All the native teachers here are so sick, they are so helpful and a lot of them are really funny! Hermano Garza showed us this video about this kid that had struggled with drinking, and when the kid said that he was from Mexico Hermano Garzas right arm and finger pointed straight up!! hahaha it was so funny, he has so much pride for Mexico! Im starting to have Mexico pride here too! I love it here! I have been really focused and obedient to the work and it has been really paying off! I have heard some wonderful testimonies from my district they are so awesome, and they keep making my testimony stronger.Daniel L. Johnson president over the 70 in 2006 gave us an awesome devotional about the atonement and how it applies to our lives in every sense, he was very direct with us and Ive never been so spiritually sound before! one of the quotes that he said was " it wasn't the nails that held him on the cross, it was his love for us that held him" Wow! that is so powerful! things are becoming more clear and my testimony is growing so much! I want to come to Mexico when I get back! it would be so sick to surf here! 

 District 10 C//10 si

Smith leaves Mar. 5th 2014 to Mexico MTC

Smith left for the Mexico MTC on the morning of March 5th 2014. For those that know our family we are very close so this was such a sacrifice for us to let him go. Even though it is difficult we believe that what he will be doing and what he will become are so much more important than having him here with us today. We know that he is going to be an amazing missionary who will offer the fullness of the gospel to those who are willing to listen to his saving message. We are excited to hear of his progress, updates, and experiences through email communication.
WE LOVE YOU SMITTY!

Love
Dad Mom Solomon Sophia and Swen