Power and Authority as Worthy Followers of Christ

Hola Hola!

This week FLEW by! I really feel like I was just writing to you. And here I am again! But that's the mission I guess. Just an update on the investigator in church process... We had one this week! But he joined the army today..., so maybe what he learned will stick with him for when he gets back from basic training in three months, and he'll want to get baptized! But we'll just have to wait and see.

 

We actually have made a lot of progress with two or three families. We found a lady who is a member, just super inactive. She got baptized about twelve years ago, but then she moved and stopped going to church, but she has three daughters who aren't members, Gabriela, Nicole, and Lilian. They are awesome and I am really excited about them! We also found another young family, Franklin and Yajaida. Our lessons with them are the best lessons I have had in my mission to date! They ask great questions, the spirit is really strong, and they always read the Book of Mormon. Please, please pray for both of these families! The people you pray for get baptized!!! You guys really are the key!

 

Apart from that not a lot happened. So I'm just going to share with you what I learned while I was studying this week.  I'm reading the New Testament, in Acts right now. I love reading this book because it's all about the missionary efforts of the early apostles and saints of the church. Peter is probably one of the most powerful teachers/miracle workers ever! I love reading about his conviction and belief in Christ. It makes me think that we, as missionaries and as a church, lack faith. A lot of members are very obedient and keep the commandments. But we do it in a very blind way. If we could just realize how much power and authority we have as worthy, true followers of Christ we would be able to accomplish a whole lot more. People would be converted to a higher level of obedience. And really, everyone's lives would be blessed much more. For example...rhetorical question...when was the last time you asked God to bless you with a spiritual gift that will help you achieve a goal?

I think we are not receiving all the blessings that we qualify for because of a lack of faith... but all we have to do is change that a little. Have a little more faith in the blessings that God has promised us for obedience. And ask for them! Then He will give them to you freely! I promise.

I'm glad you all had a good week. School Is already in full swing again, that's crazy! Mom, I'm so happy for you! You are going to be the best first grade teacher ever. And you might even be in the very classroom that I was in for first grade! Stef, high school is a great time! And I'm super happy that you are still doing Cross. Keep going! It's the best club at the school. But focus on your grades, they are important, and will help you prepare for your mission. Dad, that's awesome that the Raff kid is killing it! I love hearing about that! Sounds like Lehi Cross Country has got things going! Your kid has got to be fun to coach! Jaja, I will always remember when I won that JV race at Westlake! It was awesome! I'm sure it's fun watching him do that in every varsity race. Thanks for the updates, and the advice. You guys are the best!

Well that's all from me this week. I love you all, have a great week.

-Elder Smith

We Have Some Work to Do With These People

Hola Hola!

Mom and Dad, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Woah! You guys have been married for a really long time! Thanks for being the best parents ever!

Starting from nothing in an area is HARD! But it's awesome at the same time because we can pretty much do everything our way. There is nothing we have to change. No old bad habits we have to break, no people who are offended if we don't visit them three times a week! Just a whole lot of work to be done. And not enough time to do it. We have knocked more doors this last week then any other week of my entire mission! So many new names! So many new faces! Its really hard to keep everyone separated! Jaja, planning at night takes like five times longer than it should because we have to try to remember all the names we have written down in our agendas! But we have found a couple of people who seem super excited to hear our message. Please pray for Franklin, and Yajaida! They are probably the most positive of all of them.

Our area is probably about two and a half miles from the church, which is pretty far! And we have a TON of inactive people in our area. Pretty much everyone who is a member is inactive. So we tried to get everyone excited about going to church  this week. We told them that we should all meet up in the morning at this one place called El Palo, which is this big tree that is in the middle of a busy street, and walk together! And everyone was pumped and said, "Yeah, we'll come!" So Sunday rolled around and we were waiting at 8:00 for everyone to show up. 8:15 passed...nobody. 8:30, still nobody. At 8:40 we finally left. By ourselves. No one came! We barely got to church on time... it was a sad moment for us. A couple of people showed up about half an hour later, but very few. We have some work to do with these people. But we're going to get everything going! Some extra prayers for church attendence would be appreciated!
 

It sounds like you guys have had a very exciting week! MOM CONGRATS ON GETTING THE JOB!! That's awesome! I went to first grade at Lehi Elementary! I'm super happy for you and I know you will do a great job! I can't believe that school is already starting. And Stefanie is starting high school!! What the heck! That's crazy! And cross country tambien! Everything just keeps moving. 

I also received a wedding invitation this week! Congrats Trevor and (Mom please insert the name of the girl, haha!) Gracias por la invitasion! Voy a hablar con mi presidente para ver si puedo tomar una semana vacasion para estar alla con ustedes! jaja No puedo prometer nada, pero voy a ententar lo!

Well, that's all for today, I hope you all have a very good first week of school! And that you keep your eye single to the glory of God! He can make a whole lot more out of your time than you can.  Let him be in charge. Life works better that way!

Love, Elder Smith

Changes!

Hola Hola!

Wow, What a crazy week! I got changes!! I am now in an area called the Travasia. They re-opened an old part of it, and Elders have not been assigned here for about a year. When we got here four days ago we didn't have a single investigator. But we're going to get this area rolling! It's weird, the area is in the middle of the city, but at time same time I am working in the mountains again. Jaja, I don't know how that works out, but whatever!  I am still District Leader. And I am training again. Elder Batista from the Dominican Republic! He's really Interesting, jaja, I like him! He has a ton of energy and a ton of love for the people here. I am super excited for this change! I think we are going to do some damage up here!

Saying goodbye to Villa Vieja was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Presidente Bowler called us on Tuesday morning and told us the news. And so we went to all of our investigators and told them that I was leaving... it was so sad! And then that night we went and said goodbye to some of the members who had helped us a whole lot, that was really hard too! I left my heart in Villa Vieja. 

It wasn't super hard to leave my first area. But this time I was crushed. I grew so much in that place. I loved so many people there. And I had to say goodbye. The mission is tough in that way... But I know I'm where I need to be now.

We have one pilas family up here, and the rest are inactive. They showed us the whole area, and where the rest of the members live. Their names are Edwin and Tomasa, and their two kids. They are probably the nicest people in the world! I think in the last four days we have eaten dinner there every night, and twice for lunch! They are not wealthy, they just love us! I have tried to tell them no, but they won't accept it. So we are in good hands up here! Please pray for them to receive blessings for all the help they are giving us. A few extra prayers would really help!

Another thing that kinda sucks, we don't have a place to live yet, because they weren't ready to open the area when changes came, but they did it anyway! Jaja, so right now we are sleeping on the floor of the apartment of Elder Nielson and Elder Galindo. Which is awesome because I like them both, but I like having my own bed!

Today we went to Pikachu. It's a mountain with a giant statue of Jesus on top. I had gone before but this time I had a camara! So that was cool.  It was a lot of fun! I really like my zone.

So many things happened this week, but I think I'm just going to leave it at that! I love you all so much! I am so grateful for this opportunity to be serving as a misisonary! I wouldn't change it for anything!

Love, Elder Smith

This is Elder Nielson in the striped shirt, and my Zone Leader, Elder Coombs. 

Me, Elder Christiansen, and the new Elders we are training.

This is the view from the roof of the apartment where we are staying.  Right after I took this picture I dropped my camera off the ledge...three stories down...but it landed on a tin roof and barely has a scratch.  Jaja, sorry Mom!  I love you!

Last Week Before Changes

Hola Hola!

This week has been bitter sweet. It is the last week before the change. Tomorrow we are going to get a call, telling us if we have changes.  I don't know if I will have changes or not, but I kinda have that feeling. So everything that we have been doing, all the people that I have been visiting, there has been that thought in the back of my mind saying, "this might be the last time I see you... EVER!"  It's so sad! I love these people! I have grown so much here! I have been so influenced in the last six months that I have spent here in Villa Vieja. And I might just have to leave it all behind in two days...

But apart from that, we had a really good week. We worked super hard! We found a couple of new families that have real potential to accept the gospel. And we also had a baptism! His name is Cesar. He is probably the person that I am most happy to have taught. He challenged us, he asked us questions, he didn't make anything easy. But he finally accepted the gospel. He is eighteen years old, and says that in a year and a month or two, he is going to write me a letter while he is serving his mission! I really do love that kid!

That's really cool, Mom, that you have found all those awesome stories about our ancestors. I really want to start doing family history work when I get back from the mission, and now that you and Stefanie are experts you can help me get started!

Another really big thing that happened is that Presidente Bowler gave us back sports! We are now allowed to play basketball, soccer, volleyball, you name it every P-Day!!!! WOOO haha! Today we played soccer with another zone! It felt soo good!! (: I love that sport so much! Every time I play I feel like I'm catching up with an old friend! And ever since you guys sent me that soccer ball I have been practicing with the ball two times a week for my morning exercise. The love is still there! The dreams are still alive! (: But only in the morning and on P-Day, apart from that there just isn't time, jaja.

I also received a package this week! I again have a camera! I'm still not used to it, and I forget to carry it around to take photos... but I'll get better with time.  And all the snacks I could ever want, jaja! Thank you so much!

 
Well, that's all from me for this week! Thank you so much for your prayers, and for fasting for me. I really can feel the strength that comes from those things. You guys are the best!

Love, Elder Smith