Hola Hola!!
This week was amazing! We had the opportunity to have Zone Conference with President Duncan. He is a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, and the president of the area of Central America. It was incredible! There were two or three times when he paused, looked up as if he were speaking with someone unseen, and then continued. I am certain that he was being guided by the spirit. And what he shared with us was so powerful. He first congratulated us on the work we have done, because as a mission we are among the top three baptizing missions in the area for the last two years! So we were all feeling pretty good at that point. But then he proceeded to destroy us on all the things we weren't doing so well. He gave us many obvious ideas of how to improve, and many things that we could clearly get better at. He pointed out a ton of things that we have been doing wrong…so many things that we all felt like it was our first day in the mission again! But he did it in such a motivating way that we all left there fired up and ready to change and follow every single one of his suggestions. I loved it!
As a result of following his counsel, Elder Batista and I have been lead to a couple of people who are really searching for the truth. This one lady said, "I don't really want to change churches, are you sure you want to keep visiting me?" and we responded, "Of course! You are important to us, and to your Heavenly Father! We're not here just to change your church, we're here to help you get back to live with Him!" or something along those lines. And she just broke down crying! She actually asked us to hug her...and we did... jaja, I feel like we had an exception on the no-hugging rule in that moment! But the spirit was so strong, and it was a direct result of following the counsel of President Duncan.
But it sounds like you guys had your own experience with special witnesses of Jesus Christ this week. That's really cool that you were able to listen to Elder Scott and Elder Nelson at Regional Conference. Those promises they gave you are powerful.
This week was amazing! We had the opportunity to have Zone Conference with President Duncan. He is a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, and the president of the area of Central America. It was incredible! There were two or three times when he paused, looked up as if he were speaking with someone unseen, and then continued. I am certain that he was being guided by the spirit. And what he shared with us was so powerful. He first congratulated us on the work we have done, because as a mission we are among the top three baptizing missions in the area for the last two years! So we were all feeling pretty good at that point. But then he proceeded to destroy us on all the things we weren't doing so well. He gave us many obvious ideas of how to improve, and many things that we could clearly get better at. He pointed out a ton of things that we have been doing wrong…so many things that we all felt like it was our first day in the mission again! But he did it in such a motivating way that we all left there fired up and ready to change and follow every single one of his suggestions. I loved it!
As a result of following his counsel, Elder Batista and I have been lead to a couple of people who are really searching for the truth. This one lady said, "I don't really want to change churches, are you sure you want to keep visiting me?" and we responded, "Of course! You are important to us, and to your Heavenly Father! We're not here just to change your church, we're here to help you get back to live with Him!" or something along those lines. And she just broke down crying! She actually asked us to hug her...and we did... jaja, I feel like we had an exception on the no-hugging rule in that moment! But the spirit was so strong, and it was a direct result of following the counsel of President Duncan.
But it sounds like you guys had your own experience with special witnesses of Jesus Christ this week. That's really cool that you were able to listen to Elder Scott and Elder Nelson at Regional Conference. Those promises they gave you are powerful.
I have a challenge for everyone reading this right now. In about two weeks we have General Conference. We are going to receive so much counsel from God through his prophets! I invite every one of you to prepare yourself. It is going to be great! And we are going to hear the guidelines that are going to help us get back to heaven, intended for us specifically. It's a pretty big deal!
Stefanie, I remember running in the BYU Invitational my sophomore year too!!! It's a great memory to have! I remember it because it was the first time I took first place for Lehi! (: I'm super happy that you are having the experience of running XC!
Other than that, the change ends this week. I don't think I'll have changes because we both just got here, but we will have some changes in our zone and ward. Elder Nielson who lives three doors down from us is finishing his mission. He's become a pretty good friend of mine and it will be weird without him. Hermana Osorio, from my district is finishing her mission too. She will be missed here in the mission. Great missionaries! It's weird to see your friends go home, But that's just life. I'm excited for this next change! I think its going to be my best of my mission so far! (:
Well, that's all my news for this week! I love you all!
~Elder Smith
A giant cross in a cemetary in my area with Elder Nielson.
Here's one with all of us. Me, Elder Batista, Elder Galindo from San Pedro, and Elder Nielson.
Me and Elder Pau'u. Jaja, it's kinda a tradition now!
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