Elder Smith & Elder Devon Jones

Hey Mom,
I really do love it here in New Orleans. We have already met a ton of interesting people. I'm not going to lie it is not somewhere I would ever want to live haha. It's just so crowded and dirty. We don't get fed down here at all so this past week we have been eating lots of rice haha. I'm working with Garrett right now to register for classes so that is pretty exciting. I've decided to change my degree from engineering to economics. Im pretty excited to learn about all that and I think that's what I need to be doing. I've been studying and praying about my Patriarchal blessing and economics just feels right to me.
Love Jeff

 It has been a really crazy week here in Downtown New Orleans. Since me and my companion were both transferred in at the same time we have to learn this together. My companion is from Arizona and he is really awesome. So far I have really liked it here. It is just very different from Slaughter. The architecture here is amazing and it's just really cozy. It feels a lot smaller than it really is. We try to stay away from the big city just because people are so grumpy there, but outside, where people actually live, it is a whole lot better. One cool thing that happened was we were just walking home last Saturday night and a lady asked us what school we were from since we were all dressed up. We started talking to her about the church and she said she was interested and wanted to come to church with us this coming Sunday. She then went into her home and brought us a bunch of crawfish. My companion had never had any so he was pretty excited. (He has been out for a little over 3 months, this is his 3rd transfer). Our area covers the East part of New Orleans from the river to the lake. We have all the major New Orleans sites in our area like the superdome, WW2 museum, the French Quarter, and just downtown New Orleans of course. We live with two other missionaries who have a truck so that helps us to get groceries and stuff like that. My companion and I already get along really well and I kind of hope that I can finish up my mission here. I kind of have a feeling that its going to be two transfers here and then the last one and a half somewhere else. I have heard from other missionaries that we are probably going to be sent home on the 20th or 14 th of August, just so you know. Ill find out for sure from President soon which one its going to be. I guess what we have been doing recently is just tracting all day long. Its quite the change from in Slaughter. Well Thanks for everything and tell Jamie I love her and am happy for them!

Love Jeff

Hey Mom,
So, I am getting transferred from Slaughter which isn't a surprise. I'm definitely going to miss being in the country with a truck and a super awesome companion. It's just going to be different. I don't know where I'm getting transferred but I'll find out tomorrow. We did do a good bit of service this week. It was all outside stuff so I have a pretty good tan now. Yesterday I was a little sun burnt but today it's all pretty much tan. We helped out at the dairy, did a little bit of moving, and a whole lot of cutting trees down. The weather yesterday was really hot and it made me a little nervous about the summer. I'm not excited to get back into the super heat and humidity. I'm mostly praying that I get to end in a car area. I feel like I put my time in for riding a bike haha. I'll be excited to hear about the new niece next week!
Love Jeff

Hey Family,
So this week has been pretty busy and it went by extremely fast. We spent a few days helping a member move stuff in his house so his grandmother could move in and we spent some time working at the dairy and visiting a few families. I was a little disappointed to find out that one of the less active families we have been working with are moving back to Georgia. They are moving right before transfers though so I will definitely be able to say bye to them. Hmm something interesting this week was that on our way home from the farmers market on Saturday we broke down and had to get towed back home. Old Vernon Brian was steering the truck and we took out at least one garbage can along the road. He was pretty nervous because he was gripping that steering wheel as if when he let go he would fly out of the truck. We made it safe and sound though. Hmm, other than that things were really good. Its going to be nice and rainy here for the next week, so Im looking forward to that. Im really going to miss this place when I leave!

Love Jeff

Hey Mom,
Sorry the email was so short, last week it was a busy day. I did get time to email everyone but one but that was just because I forgot to email him. Caleb is doing pretty well, he was really excited about some of his classes and I think he really likes the job he has. I haven't heard from Colton at all. How is he doing? I can't believe that Jamie is going to have her baby! I didn't realize that it was so soon. I wrote Dallan a letter and sent it last week so they should get it either today or they may have already got it. I had all the Elders write a little note for him too. It really is pretty hard to leave an area after being there for a while. It was pretty surreal when I left Kenner and its probably going to be similar when I leave here. We find out about transfers in a couple of weeks. I still am expecting to leave but honestly anything could happen. I was talking to Sister and President Hansen on Tuesday and they said they are trying to get all of my transfer to go home a week or two early. I think Sister Hansen is thinking two weeks and President is thinking one. I think Sister Hansen will get her way. I told President that whatever they decide I'll go with. I did buy a pair of jeans this week at Walmart and hopefully they last me a good while. One funny thing was we were at a less active families house eating dinner and their youngest girl came up to me and said " Elder Smith where are your glasses?" my response was, well I just felt like switching things up and surprise people!" "Well you look better without glasses." It sounded a lot different when she said it, but she is just one of the sweetest little girls I have ever met. She reminds me a lot of my awesome nieces.


Love Jeff

 Hmm I think I'll jump into a ring of fire!!

 Oh, look I'm not the only silly one

 loading some junk

Good ole service work for us Missionaries.