Elder Jaymes Monson: Week 40! SMILE!

Well 40 weeks in my mission and 9 months last Wednesday wow time just sort of gets away from you and well we are here Welcome to July!!! the first of July ALREADY!!! I just want to say Happy Independence's Day this week!! I really think you might be seeing more of it than me. Oh well we will celebrate it with a hot dog or something.

they finally found tables/desks for their apartment!

What a great life we have isn't it? its just a wonderful life. Kind of reminds me of a show called "Its a Wonderful Life" i don't know what that has to do with it but its a good show as far as I remember. But our lives really are wonderful!! why wouldn't they be? we are children of an almighty God and he loves us!!! Why wouldn't we have a wonderful life. Well Why not?

As we learned yesterday from our Mission President, because he came to our little town to see how the Lord has blessed us, we learned from this wonderful man that its our decision whether we have a good life or a bad life or a wonderful life. Its all up to us. its like the decision to say I cant do that, or how am i supposed to do that when I cant. it sort of brings me back to a book from my childhood, yes I know I am a child still but my younger years when I was 3 or 4 or 5 years old, The little engine that could. this little engine was a small little guy he saw the big engines pull the load of things to and fro he saw the big ones pull the load with ease. but he was bound and determined to pull his little load of things without help everyone told him he couldn't do it but he told himself as he pulled the little load up the big hill, I think I can I think I can I think I can. and you know what he did, He finished it reached the top and came down into the valley a Happy little train. Well that was a nice memory to be sitting with my mom and dad and shouting I think I can I think I can!!! And you know what I know I can do anything. It may be hard but why not give it a try. this is the kind of mind set we need to have. We aren't quitters we are doers and well we can do anything if we put on a happy face and do it with a smile. like the primary song tells us, flip the frown face upside down and smile all the while.

President Cardenas told us to put our smiles on to live life. we only will be the ones to change it. if our attitude is bad then well our day wont go by as well but if we just smile and show off the beautiful smiles that we all have we don't need to frown and we will make our days so much better. Be happy!!! and well there is also a song by Josh Groban that says Just Smile. Its actually called Smile!. Why don't we just smile. Life is a lot better if we just smile. Yesterday President told me that he was interviewing somebody from the branch and he asked a question about the missionaries and they said, the thing about Elder Monson is that he put on a smile when he got here the first day and he has not taken it off. He then asked me why i smile so much, I told him well my dad paid an awful lot to get these teeth straight and well I'm just thanking him! haha that and I am a very Happy Elder!!!

Life is great and the church is true. I love this work and I love everything, Sister Cardenas asked me yesterday why I was smiling and I told her I know the truth that and I love to smile!!!! she then asked if i have been sick, I told her I'm sick of heat haha and then I told her that I have a blessing from God that I wouldn't be sick on my mission and well that's why my mom let me go. haha just remember to smile every once and awhile!!!

Have a great Week!! love you lots!!!

Elder Jaymes Monson