The Lord Is Protecting Us

Hola Hola! 

This week was an interesting one! We had interviews with President and I was ready to get shaved (that's missionary for lectured) for eating last week at Plaza Mira Flores. He did address it, but overall he pretty much let it go. He told me that I should remember this moment and let it be something that I would remember for the rest of my life about obedience...maybe he's right, I don't know. But at least he's not mad. 

It sounds like a good time to be in Utah right now. I remember spring! We are about to enter wintertime here. That means in about two weeks it is going to start raining like crazy! I'm expecting one or two GIANT rainstorms every day! haha It's awesome! Winter also means that we will be able to talk on the phone again!!!!! (Or skype or whatever...) I'm pumped!!! We still haven't figured out all the details, we will probably do that this week. I'll keep you posted!

I can´t believe that high school soccer playoffs are about to start already!!! Second place in region isn't half bad! I remember this time last year vividly! I can't believe that it has already been a year! You will have to keep me updated on what happens in the playoffs. 

OK, I'm going to tell you an awesome story, just don't freak out! On Friday we were teaching a lesson to one of our investigators. We were talking about marriage and baptism. Then all of a sudden we hear BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG! Eight gunshots from just like fifty yards away! Five teenagers run in the house and slam the door screaming that their buddy just got shot! We turned off the lights and everyone got down and we were quiet for about ten minutes. Then we went outside to see what had happened, and to see if anyone needed a blessing, but we couldn't find anyone bleeding or anything. So we decided it was better if we just left that part of the area for the day. We have seen people running around with guns all week. It has been crazy! But we are fine and really I still feel safe in my area. People respect us as missionaries! Plus the Lord is protecting us! (: 

Love you guys! I hope you have a great week! 

-Elder Smith

One Hundred Degrees Every Day

Hola hola!

Happy Easter! Easter here is called Semana Santa, I actually kinda forgot that the American equivalent is Easter! It's the hottest week of the year, so everyone just goes to the beach or to a river to swim. The only real tradition is that there isn't a whole lot of work for the missionaries! Haha, just kidding, we kept ourselves busy. But it has been HOT! One hundred degrees or high nineties every day, with a ton of humidity too! But it's good.

Mom, I think you were inspired for sharing that article from the Ensign with me, because something stupid happened this week. The assistants came to our district meeting, so we had it on Wednesday instead of Thursday. And always after district meetings we go to eat as a zone at this place called Plaza Mira Flores. But this time the ZLs had to go do some work with the APs. So we went without them and we were eating just like normal, and then President Hernandez and his wife showed up to eat with some zone Leaders from a different zone. They accused us of being disobedient because we were outside of the area of our zone, and because it was Wednesday and we were supposed to be in our zone working... We explained why we were there, and that we didn't know it was a rule that we had to be in our zone because we always eat there, every week. So we apologized and left. Then today we saw those ZLs and they told us that President and his wife were SUPER mad at us, and because we are District Leaders they put our names on the "Black List" for our next president to see. I guess we were technically breaking a rule, but it was a rule that I didn't even know existed. But I just feel slapped in the face. Because I have been really obedient my whole mission, and I have worked really hard...but maybe this is just my opportunity to show to the Lord and myself that I can keep working hard and being obedient. Sorry if it seems like I'm complaining.

Whatever, crap happens sometimes I guess, right? I'm glad to hear that you are all doing good. I miss running! I can't wait to be able to go for a run again! Keep it up Dad, and go for the marathon!  Stefanie, write me an email!! Rachel, thank you for the letter!!! You rock! And Mom, please tell Grandma Smith that I get her letters, and that I love her very much! I just don't have a ton of time to write back!! But I'm working on it!

Please keep praying for Hermano Leonel! He is reading the Book of Mormon and really wants to know the truth about it.  It's amazing! Miracles happen and you guys are helping!  I love you all. Have a great week!!

-Elder Smith

Semana Santa

Hola Hola!

Spring break sounds so nice!!!! It's kinda like spring break here too. It's called Semana Santa, which is kinda like Easter week. But it just means that every one gets the week off from work and school, and because it's like the HOTTEST WEEK EVER!!!! everyone is at the beach. Or the river. Or anywhere but home to listen to the missionaries... haha Spring break sucks when you are serving a mission!

But in all reality we have been having quite a bit of success. Hermano Leonel is making a ton of progress!! He is reading the Book of Mormon, and is asking all the right questions. He is really an investigator of gold!!!! (...That sounds weird in English) But I'm really excited about him! Please keep praying for him. There seems to be a pretty direct relation between the people who get baptized in my areas, and the people I ask you to pray for.... haha wierd right??  My family has so much faith!!!! You guys rock! I would like to add Alejandra and Fernanda to that list.

Someone in General Conference, I don't remember who, said that we should share what we are studying in Preach My Gospel with our families! So, this week Elder Dalgo and I studied Lesson 5 which is given after baptism and it's about the laws and ordinances of the gospel! We studied the sacrament. It was an eye opening experience for me. I learned that we cannot be forgiven of our sins just through repentance alone. We could pray every day of our entire lives, begging and pleading for forgiveness with a broken heart and contrite spirit. We could change everything we were doing wrong and live righteously for fifty years. But if we never took the sacrament those sins would still be there. Only through taking the sacrament can those sins really be washed away. And as we take the sacrament worthily we eliminate a wall that we have constructed by our personal disobedience and sins, between us and the Holy Ghost, allowing us to be inspired and listen to his whisperings more easily and clearly! We'd better go to church every week! It's kinda important.

Sounds like you guys are having a good time back at home!!! That's awesome that you got to go to a Jazz game.  Even though they suck! And it's always fun to share hot springs with a drunk naked guy! haha Yes, I remember the blossoming trees on our street in April, pretty great time of year. And atta boy Chris Campbell!!! That's what I'm talking about!!

Well I hope you guys had a great week! Keep up the family scripture study, family prayers and the family home evenings! I think there is less than a month until we get to talk on Mother's Day!!! haha So I'll see you guys soon!!! I love you!!

Elder Smith

How Great Was Conference!

Hola Hola!!!

Mama!!! The lights went out in the colonia where we were writing!!!  We waited for a while and then went to another place to finish. I have been really inconsistent with my writing to you these past two weeks!!! I don't want you to lose faith in me!!! I will always write to you Mama!!!!

First things first, Elder Dalgo is an AWESOME missionary!!! I'm pretty obedient!  But he has already helped me change some of the bad habits that I didn't even recognize that I had. For example, our house was not messy, but super dusty! When he swept I was so surprised at how much dust there was, haha!  And a couple other little things that he has helped straighten out since he has been here. I think we are going to see some miracles this change!!

Secondly, how great was conference!!!!! Are you sleeping through the restoration?? I hope we can all answer that question NO! There were so many good suggestions and warnings given by the prophet, apostles, and other speakers. I really encourage you all to "Follow up" and search for common topics that you might be able to find. One thing that I found, at least three times was that we need to be ready and willing to stand alone! I think that we, as members, are going to start finding ourselves in situations in which we are going to have to really defend  what we believe. We gotta be ready for that!!!

In other news, we receive our money every fifteen days through a debit card. I am really dumb and lost my dang card!! I have been with out money for the past week and a half...I am dying!!!!!  Please say a prayer that my money will be transferred into my comp's account so I can stop stressing over money... that's the last thing I want to worry about on the misión. Money is stupid anyway! Law of Consecration all the way baby!!!!!

I would also like to ask you all to pray for two families. I think it was Elder Eyring who said that real happiness comes through making family bonds that last forever. I think that goes for the happiness that I will feel out here on the mission. I want to feel that level of true happiness that he spoke of! The families are the family of Hermano Leonel, and the family of Hermana Carolina y Norma. Please follow up on that!

I'm glad that everything is still going well with you guys! I pray for you to be safe and happy every day! God answers prayers!  And I am jealous it is your spring break and you get to sleep in!!! I don't even remember what sleeping in is anymore! It's like a fairytale dream! But I love you a lot!!!! You guys rock! 

To those members of the Priest Quorum back at home preparing for their missions, keep going!!! This is the best experience ever.

Love, Elder Smith

Changes!!

Hola, hola!!

Forgive me for not writing until Wednesday!!! This is what happened. Our zone baptized more than any other zone this month, so we asked President if we could go to the temple, and he said yes!!! But the temple isn't open on Mondays so we had to wait until Tuesday to have our p-day. But on Tuesday Elder Sorenson got really sick... so we just stayed in the house all day. And now I'm writing on Wednesday!

Other big news. Today was CHANGES!!!!! I have a new companion named Elder Dalgo. He is from Equador! He is a really nice guy, soft spoken. I think we are going to have a lot of success because he likes to work! I'm really excited about that! I would send a picture, but I still don't have a camera. I'll get on that though! I know that the Lord is going to bless us this change. I can feel it!

We had two baptisms this past Sunday! Olivia, and Maria Jose! it had to be Sunday because Olivia´s brother had to go out of town on Saturday, and Maria Jose's mom had to work too. But it was a great baptismal service. Our ward is really pretty awesome! The Young Women president and Elders Quorum president both spoke, and there was a lot of support from members. I was really happy about it! I really feel like they both are going to be lifelong converts now. They both have great systems of support to help them keep going!

That's awesome that you guys spoke in church this week. I'm sure you blew everyone away with the spirit! haha And I'm glad you had such a good time in Disneyland! And congrats to Billy and Josette!!! I'm so much older than my new cousin Lydia! haha But that's really great!

I love you all and hope you have a great week! The church is true! Listen to the spirit!

-Elder Smith

My new companion, Elder Dalgo

Divisions

Hola Hola,

This week was interesting. Elder Sorenson and I had divisions with the President's Assistants. (I think that's how you say it in English...) It was awesome! I went to their area with Elder Lawson. He's from Colorado and is a really good missionary! I always like working with other people because there are little things that you can learn from everyone. He legitimately talked with EVERYONE that we saw. I usually pick and choose the people I decide to talk to based on if they are busy or if they look like they are ready to accept the message. But he really talked with everyone who would listen. And by doing that we actually found a whole lot of people who I wouldn't have guessed would be interested, but they really were. He told me something like this, "God gives the best references. If we show Him that He can trust us, He will put the people who are prepared right in front of us. We just gotta talk to them." Haha, I believe him!

We also had divisions with Elder Christiansen and Elder Alarcon from our district. I went to their area with Elder Christiansen. We talked with some recent converts, found a couple new people to teach, and had some really good lessons! One in particular I have no idea how it went well, God was watching over us. We started talking about the Book of Mormon, and we were just all over the place! Elder Christiansen started off explaining really simply and clearly, but then Josue, the father of the family, asked us if this was before or after Christ. So then we started explaining, and it went something like this...

"Well you see, it started off about 400 years before Christ about the time of Jeremiah, in the land of Jerusalem, but then God told this other prophet that you've never heard of, Lehi and his family that they needed to leave, so then they built a boat and crossed the ocean and came here to the Promised Land, and because God loves all of his children he spoke to other prophets here just like in Jerusalem, but then Christ died in Jerusalem, and then he showed up in America too, and he organized his church here just like he did over there, but then because the Lamanites were wicked and the Nephites were too, they were all destroyed. Oh, by the way, they are called Lamanites and Nephites because the prophet Lehi, remember him? Well yeah, he had a lot of sons and some were wicked and some were righteous...never mind. But then the prophet Moroni, who was the son of Mormon... that's why it's called the Book of Mormon...anyway Moroni buried the plates of gold in the ground, oh by the way, all the prophets wrote on gold plates...anyway and then about fourteen hundred years later Joseph Smith had a vision of Moroni and he told him where he buried the gold plates, and then three years later by the power of God Joseph Smith translated the book into English, and that's why the church is true!!!!!!  Any questions?"

Haha, it was like we were just throwing up a ton of information that really wasn't important for him to learn all at once... but somehow the spirit was still there and touched his heart. We really witnessed that the Lord is there to help us out, as long as we are trying our best... even if our best is terrible! (:

The church is true. Even when the missionaries give terrible lessons! The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Read it! And tell your friends to read it! They might think you're weird now, but when you are both talking about it in the Celestial Kingdom they will be so grateful.

I'm glad you are doing so well!  Have fun in California! I love you all! 

-Elder Smith

We hiked a mountain in our area one day!!  It was awesome, but we took the hardest way up EVER!!

 

We worked at a construction site for service one day. They are building a new chapel.  Should be done in July. It was awesome!!

Promised Land

Hola Hola!

It was soccer day today!!!!! I love soccer! It felt so good to play!!! I miss soccer so much. I told you this before Mom, but I will know who my wife should be when I would rather spend time with her than play soccer! haha That's a tall order to fill, ladies. You are going to have to be pretty awesome.

We had Stake Conference this week. Which means that we lost all of Saturday's work because we had to go to conference. But it's OK, because then on Sunday we had a special church broadcast for all of Central America! Two apostles spoke, Elder Richard G. Scott and Dallin H. Oaks! It was really awesome. Elder Oaks spoke of four ways to strengthen the family:

     1) prayer: personal and family
     2) scripture study: personal and family
     3) family home evening, and 
     4) making sure everyone gets a good education.

Elder Scott Spoke about how Central America is part of the Promised Land, and how blessed we all are to be here in this part of the world! He spoke of the blessings of tithing and fast offerings. It was really good and powerful. Plus, Elder Scott speaks really good Spanish!!! I was glad we had a couple investigators there to listen to two of the apostles of the Lord speak.

I had divisions this week with Elder Torres, one of our Zone Leaders. He's a really good guy and a good missionary! When we got back to the house that night we had a little bit of a heart to heart talk. We started with a prayer and he told me some of the attributes I have that he has noticed. He said that I am really obedient, I try to follow all the rules. That I am very observant, and like to see and take in everything that happens before I start to speak, and that I am really patient in criticizing anyone. I think he is right about all of those things. But I was thinking about the me before the mission, and I can see pretty clearly some of the changes that I have gone through! I'm definitely not the same person I was when I left! But I like all the changes that I can see. The Lord is helping me change into the person I need to be!

MARCH MADNESS, haha. I can't believe it's starting this week! You guys are all just lucky that I'm here in the mission or else I would win all of the bracket tournaments! haha And I can't believe that the high school soccer season is already starting!! GO LEHI!!! Thanks for the sports update, Dad! And Stefanie, good luck out there in California! You and your squad are going to win nationals for sure!

I love you guys and I'm glad you are doing so well!!! Keep up the good work! The church is true. I dare you all to invite someone to church this week!

~Elder Smith

Not My Favorite Week of the Mission

Hola Hola!

Este semana fue muy mal. Nuestro bautismos se cayeron, Yo estaba muy enfermo y todavía estoy un poquito, no tuvimos mucho exito, y ahora el hombre quien esta sentado a lado de mi esta mirando X....awkward...Pero por lo menos, hoy es un nuevo semana. Tango mucho esperanza para este semana. (Translation:  This week was very bad.  Our baptisms fell, I was very sick and still am a little bit.  We did not have much success, and now the man who is sitting next to me is viewing pornography…awkward…but at least it is a new week. I have much hope for this week.)

This week was a little rough. Not my favorite of the mission. But that's ok, they all can't be the best. The two baptisms that we had planned both fell through, one due to coffee, and the other because the kid's mom influenced him to choose against it...way to look out for your kid, mom...but I guess everyone has their free agency, right? I was also pretty sick all week. Still am a little, but it's ok. But the good part about it is that this week FLEW by! I swear someone is pushing the fast forward button on life right now.

This week has had a couple of silver linings. We started teaching two investigators who are GOLDEN!!! The first one's name is Glenda, she is married to a guy who is a member but has been pretty inactive for a while, up until about three weeks ago when we found him. He is now asking to come with us to teach almost every day, and then we found out his wife (or girlfriend...everyone just says wife here) isn't a member!!! Music to my ears! Elder Sorensen and I taught the first lesson to them and the spirit was so strong. We have an appointment with them this Wednesday, I'm pretty excited about this one!

The other investigator who we found lives with her sister and their family who are active members! She has come to church like a million times! Really all that's left is to baptize her! And figure out what her name is because neither one of us knows it...haha. Even when we have hard weeks the work of the Lord is still moving forward.

All the District Leaders were also invited to attend Consejo, which is usually just for the Zone Leaders. Elder Amado, former mission president of Mission Tegucigalpa  and member of the temple presidency, spoke to us. It was a great talk. He spoke about the power and authority that we really have as missionaries. It was incredible! We really have the power to act in the name of Christ!!! If I feel the spirit, and promise them blessings or answers to their prayers, it is really going to happen! I heard a saying that I like, "Be willing to sacrifice who you are for who you will become, at any moment." That to me means that when a good idea comes along, don't just condemn it because it is different from the way you did things before. So I have tried to apply that to my teaching, and it has really helped.

Sounds like you guys have had a pretty good week at home too. I can´t believe that its already been a year since I got my call!! haha And it's even crazier that Kaitlyn Florek got married!!! Congrats to her!

Ok, do something awesome this week!

Love, Elder Smith

P.S. Shut up Stefanie, YOU are getting weird!!!!

I Have a Wash Lady!

Hola Hola!

I can't believe that it is already March! It feels like February just started. This week has been awesome! My new ward is awesome! I really like Elder Sorenson. He's a hard worker and really patient with our investigators, and with all of my shortcomings too. I really like our zone! I am super happy with where I ended up. But we have had some bad things happen too. I'll start with the good.

I have a wash lady!!!! I no longer have to spend hours washing my own clothes, scrubbing on the pila and not getting all the stains out anyway! We have a lady in our ward who washes our clothes for 100 limps once a week, that's like five dollars. It's awesome! I gave her my clothes on Friday and got them back whiter than they have been in three months! Plus I had a hole in one of my shirts and she patched it. She's awesome and this is honestly a blessing! We also have dinner with a member five out of the seven days of the week! The people here are way nice to the missionaries. And yesterday after church the whole Elder's Quorum came with us and visited our area. We are really going to have a lot of success here, I can feel it! We had a fast this week as a zone to accomplish a goal of fifty baptisms, with at least six families. I hope we can accomplish it.

We have two baptisms lined up for this week, two brothers named E*** and Y*****. Their uncle is a member, but until two weeks ago he hadn't come to church for a few years. But now he has come out and worked with us two times so far, come to church two weeks in a row, and helped us teach his nephews! I'm really excited about it! I would really appreciate it if you guys could say a few extra prayers for them this week.

On top of all that we had Zone Conference this week. President Hernandez gave an INCREDIBLE discourse based on the talk, "Becoming a Consecrated Elder" by Tad R. Callister. He spoke on the difference between a social missionary, an honorable missionary and a consecrated missionary. It was so powerful, it really helped me open my eyes to some of the things that I was doing, not necessarily wrong, but just not as well as I could have been. I want to become the best missionary I can be. I really suggest this talk for everyone preparing to serve a mission...Maggie, Hunter, Michael and everyone else! And also another talk called "The Fourth Missionary" by Lawrence E. Corbridge. They both talk about the same thing. Both excellent!

OK, now for the bad. One of the areas in my district was changed this week because of disobedience issues. So there were some "mini changes". I hope everyone involved can use this as an opportunity to work harder and just become better, and not as an excuse to fail...I have faith in them! But the thing is, I have been a district leader for only about a week and have already lost one of the areas that I was supposed to help. Dang it...but I'm not going to use this as an excuse to fail either. "The greater the challenge, the greater the triumph."

I love you all, keep working hard to become the people that God expects you to be. There are people depending on you! This church is true! I really believe that with all of my heart. My faith is tried, tested, confirmed, and strengthened every day out here. But I'm going to keep on fighting to have more faith every day until the day that I don't have to have faith anymore because I will have a perfect knowledge. Until the day that I can hug my Savior and thank him for everything he has done for me, and tell him that I did everything I could to follow him and help others do the same. How great that day will be!

-Elder Smith

Elder Pau'u and Elder Glassett

Changes!

Hola Hola!

Changes! I am no longer in Lemón.... I am going to miss that place like crazy. We spent Tuesday saying goodbye to everyone who I have come to know and love there. It was really hard. That night we got the call. I have a new companion, Elder Sorenson. He's from Kearns, Utah and I am officially in Villa Vieja, in Zona Uyuca.

I am also now a District Leader! Elder Henry is in my district! And also Elder Christianson, the guy we met in the airport!

From what I have seen so far, this area is awesome!!! It is straight up a mountain! I hike up and down in between two different mountains all day long.

One is called Brisas de Oriente, and the other is Tierra Blanca. It is a lot of work hiking all day, but it's pretty amazing at the same time! It is situated between three other areas: Los Pinos, Villa Real, And Villa Nueva, and those are three of like the five areas in the mission where Gringos are not allowed to go because it is so dangerous...so my area is apparently pretty sketchy. But Elder Sorenson said nothing ever happens really. But, IT IS SOOO COLD HERE AT NIGHT! and the showers here are so freezing! I hate the cold! haha I had gotten way to used to the heat in Choluteca!

This Sunday was pretty interesting. We went to pick up this lady who got baptized like two weeks ago, but never was confirmed. But she didn't want to go. She was swearing and screaming!  So we left her house and said a prayer asking for a little bit of help. Then out of nowhere, the elder who was here last change called her because he felt like he needed to. He convinced her that she needed to go. And she was confirmed! I actually was part of the circle to confirm her, first time I have ever done that. God hears prayers!

You guys had an Apostle at Stake Conference!?!?!? Dang it! Why does that have to happen while I'm away on the mission? haha He could have waited like two years... but that is really cool! I'm glad you got that opportunity! That is really interesting that he spoke about his experience with assigning missionaries. I'm sure I will someday figure out the reason for me being here in Honduras. I'm just going to work hard until that happens!

I believe this church is true! I hope all of you out there can REALLY say that for yourselves. It is easy to say "I know the church is true" because it's easy to know something...I know 2+2=4, so I never have to think about that ever again. But to really believe in something is hard. It takes commitment, dedication, and mental exertion. Maybe its time for us to evaluate where we are really at in this moment. Alma 5:26.

I'm glad you are all doing OK! I hope you have a great time skiing today, skipping school! You planchers! haha

Love, Elder Smith

I Really Believe that the Lord is Leading This Work

Hola hola!!!

Happy Valentine's Day! A little late but it still counts. Here in Honduras it is called "La Día De Amor Y Amistad" (The Day of Love and Friendship) and it is way less of a deal. But I still hope it was a great day for all of you love birds back there in the States!

Today we went again to the Peña.

I was the only person left in the zone from the first group so it was the second time for me, but the first time for everyone else. It is crazy how fast everything changes! But it is awesome. I really love my zone! I'm sad that I am probably leaving. But at the same time I feel like its time for me to go. We'll find out for sure tomorrow.

If I go or if I stay, it doesn't really matter. I was a little bit hoping for a change last time. However, I am really grateful that I was able to stay here because I have really seen the fruits of all our hard work pay off! We have had baptisms each of the past three Saturdays. This Saturday we baptized Rixi and Oscar!

It was really awesome because Oscar's dad is a member, but really inactive. But when he saw his son get baptized I think something clicked in his head. I hope he is going to find his way back! I really believe that the Lord is leading this work. It's easy to see that He has helped me out personally a ton!

I'm glad to hear that life is good back home! Stefanie is a beast! Dad, I'm sorry that the season wasn't the best, but I know the effect you have had on your players will last much longer. I still remember my times out on the field, course and court!  Plus your JV team kicked butt anyway! Mom, I love the story about your romantic "date" with Dad, Stefanie, Rachel and George, haha that's awesome!

Go USA! I still haven't watched a single Olympic event yet! I probably won't. Snow sports seem kinda like a fantasy here because its so dang hot all the time! I'm SOO sunburned right now! But I still have a lot of patriotism.

One story.  Yesterday we decided to look for new investigators. We were walking to the area that we wanted to contact, and we passed a couple of kids that I had never seen before, which is weird because I've seen everyone in my area. So we knocked on a couple doors but nothing really too promising. Elder Arteaga gets frustrated pretty fast sometimes when contacting (with reason, its hard!) so we decided just to talk to people in the street. We saw this other girl that I had never seen before.  So we talked to her, her name was Gabriela. I asked her if she knew of anyone who would be interested in learning about Jesus Chirst. And she said, "Yeah, my dad!"  So she took us to her house, and there were the kids we had passed earlier! They were her little brothers and sisters! So we talked to the dad for awhile and he really wants to change his life and get away from some of the things that he has been doing! The only thing I can think is that God placed that man's children in our path yesterday so that we could help him come unto Christ!

I really believe that this church is true. I hope you guys all do too. But to believe in something takes work. It is not easy, but it is worth it! I love you all.

Elder Smith

P.S. I also gave a KILLER talk this Sunday! It was a great exclamation mark to my time here!

I Will Remember This Day For the Rest of My Life

Hola, Hola!

This week was an interesting one! Lots of good things, and a couple of bad things too! We´ll start with the bad to get them out of the way.

My camera was stolen!!! I am now cameraless...we are pretty sure we know who took it though, so I still have a little faith of getting it back. But there are a lot of memories in that little thing that mean a lot to me, so I´m praying I will be able to find it! Also, we were threatened at machete point to get out of this guys house! His wife was like, "Elders, come on in!"  But then he was like, "Don't even think about coming in here, you *!#@$%* dang Mormons!"  Haha, we decided to listen to the guy with the sword, so we left. It's kinda sad how strong of a grasp Satan has on the hearts of some people, that they can be so blinded to the truth...but it makes for some good stories sometimes too!

OK, now on to the good! Three of our investigators got baptized and confirmed this week!! I had the opportunity of baptizing two of them! They were my first baptisms, other than when Stefanie, Taelor and I went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. But it was awesome! F******** is amazing and was so happy to be baptized! I will remember this day for the rest of my life.

We have two more baptisms planed for this weekend!  Seeing as how you guys praying for my investigators helped so much this last week, I figured I would ask you to do it again! 

I am seeing and feeling the Lord's help so much lately and I am so grateful for it. I just gotta keep being obedient and working hard! This is probably my last week in my first area, changes are a week from Wednesday. I want to leave this place knowing I did all I could for these people! Changes also means that some missionaries are going home. Elder Reyes and Hermana Estrada are both finishing their missions. Its crazy how little time it takes to become such good friends with people! I really feel like I have known them for my whole life! But after this week I might never see either one of them ever again. Crazy! But that's the mission I guess. 

Thanks for the messages, Dad and Stefanie! It's always good to hear from you guys! Stef, Brother Peck taught at the high school last year! He's a very good seminary teacher, you are lucky to be in his class. Keep working hard in school!  Dad, yeah we're working hard! I hope you start feeling better!

I love you guys! I hope you have a good week. Remember to read the scriptures and say your prayers! It helps a lot. The church is true! I believe that more and more every day. Thank you for your prayers, they really are felt. 

Love, Elder Smith

P.S. I didn't even know the Olympics were going on until today! haha That's kinda depressing...

We Had A Baptism!

Hola Hola!

So, big news! For the first time in my mission, the first two columns of my agenda dats sheet weren't 0 and 0!!! That's right, people! We had a baptism! (: His name is E****, he's eleven-years-old, and he is best friends with a couple of kids from the ward. So one day we started teaching him. We asked him to get baptized for the first time a long time ago, but his dad was really against it because he had already been baptized when he was a baby. But with a lot of prayers and fasting, a little biblical explaining, a bunch of faith and a little help from God, he got permission from his dad to get baptized! Elder Arteaga did it because it is my calling to make him the best missionary ever, and maybe if he gets in the habit of baptizing now it will just kinda stick, haha! I am really happy about it. He's a great kid. I can already see him passing the sacrament, preaching the gospel with a name tag on his chest, and entering in the temple to get sealed for eternity to his wife! Gosh, this church is true!

We have three more baptisms planned for this weekend, a girl named S******, her brother D*****, and an old lady named F*********. I love S****** so much! She reminds me so much of you, Stefanie!  She's a really cute girl and that usually means trouble for girls down here in Honduras. So we're trying to get her away from the ugly things of this world before they ruin her life! Her brother D***** quit drinking coffee the very first time we told him it was bad and hasn't had another sip since! He's so pilas! And F********* is this sixty eight year old widow who has outlived two of her three kids. When we shared with her the message of the Plan of Salvation she started crying because her pastor had told her that she would never see her husband or kids again. I have a ton of love for each one of them and I would really appreciate a few extra prayers for them this week! (:

I also went to Tegus again this week to take out my residency. I am now officially a legal resident of Honduras! (: But the three hour bus ride there and back is not worth it.  But I saw Elder Glassett while I was there, I love that guy! I also got to see almost all of the Elders from my group! I really think there is something special about our little group. My zone leader, Elder Elggren went with me to take out his residency as well, and he gave a Captain Moroni-like speech on the bus ride back! haha He is a great missionary and I hope I can do as much for this country and people as he has!

Ok, that's about it for this week! Gosh dang it, Broncos! Good work on the court, Dad! Stefanie, good luck at nationals! Rachel and George keep being the best newly married couple ever! And Mom, keep being the best Primary president anyone could ask for! You helped me turn out alright, so the more influence you have on those kids the better!

Love, Elder Smith

Six Months

Hola Hola!!!

P-day got changed to today because there was an emergency meeting for all of the zone and district leaders...not an acceptable reason in my opinion...but what can you do sometimes, ya know?? Sorry to keep you waiting yesterday!

...It's been about 30 minutes since I wrote that paragraph up there...I got distracted looking at my blog for the first time! haha It looks good, Mom! Good work! 

Anyway, this week has been pretty good. I have officially completed six months of my mission. Woah! Where the heck did that go? I still feel so new, but at the same time I am so comfortable walking up to people's doors, knocking, and in a new language giving a brief summary of the most important message that anyone could ever receive; how Christ has re-established his true church on the earth today through a prophet named Joseph Smith, and then asking them if they would like to learn more.

This week my estaca (stake) had a mini-CCM (MTC) for the youth. They had asked the zone leaders to help, but because they had to go to Tegus for a meeting, it fell to us. But it was soo cool! Elder Arteaga and I explained the importance of district meetings and how we use them to help us find solutions to their problems. So we gave them each an investigator scenario to work with. We used our own investigators but changed their names, hoping that maybe we would actually get some good ideas from them, and we really did! They helped us and other people out a lot without even really knowing it! I know these kids are going to be good missionaries! 

Stefanie, thank you for that spiritual thought!! (Never postpone a prompting.~Thomas S. Monson) I have actually been thinking a lot about Thomas S. Monson this week. We watched a movie about his life called "On The Lords Errand" with one of our investigators. President Monson is truly an amazing man and I have no doubt that he is a prophet of God! I think you were led to share that thought with me! Way to be spiritually in-tune! You are already ready to be a missionary! (:

Sounds like life is moving along back in the USA too! Stefanie with braces! Vocal Point Concert! Super Bowl! haha Stay strong Rachel! I am cheering for the Broncos with you! (Even though you are only a fake Broncos fan...) Nobody here really cares about the Super Bowl... haha first time I won't watch it in my life!

Keep working hard! Remember that we are supposed to be happy! Take some time to think about what makes you truly happy this week and then just decide to follow or do whatever it is that you are inspired to come up with! (:

I know the church is true! I know if we let God help us with our lives more we will be a whole lot happier and more successful. I know that because I have seen it in my own life. But what good is that to you guys? I encourage you to let God lead the way in every aspect of your life this week. Invite him through prayer to guide you. And then at the end of this week review what has happened.

Love Elder Smith

Surprise Temple Trip

Hola Hola!

THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME!!! It started off with a surprise temple trip. Right after we got done writing last week we got a call from the APs saying, "Hey guess what, you guys get to go to the temple tomorrow!!!"  Best news ever! I love that place. Earlier in the week I had decided to fast so I could get a little help with this crazy adventure I'm on right now, and I got it. It was such a great experience! 

I had the feeling that we should visit this lady named E****** the next day. So we went, and we talked about her life and her family. She opened up with us a little bit and told us how she and her husband had been novios (sweethearts) since esquela, which is like elementary school, and they have been in love their whole lives. But he started drinking a couple of years ago, and now she feels like she doesn't even know him anymore. That is so sad to me! It just shows how important the Word of Wisdom is. Not just for us, but for those who we love too! God is pretty smart. It's probably a good idea to listen to what he tells us to do.   

The next day I went on divisions with my District Leader, Elder Reyes. He is the best Elder I've ever met. I really look up to him so much. He finishes his mission in one month from today so he's been around the block a few times. He's from Boston, but his parents are both Guatemalteco so he's Latin too. Anyway, while we were working I could really just feel and see how much love he had for everyone that we taught! It was incredible. He has helped me more than a few times and I really feel like the help I was asking for in the temple was given to me through the day that I got to work with Elder Reyes. 

I'm really sorry that Stef injured her shoulder. But I'm so proud of her for being tough and going through with the dance competition and trying her best anyway. That's my sister! (: I'm actually teaching a little girl named Stefany right now! Cute little girl. Every time I say her name I think about you, Stefanie! 

I have definitely felt the effect of my family's help in our "Hour Of Power".  It is honestly like plugging into a power source for that hour! I can feel the spirit so strong and I really want to thank you all for that. 

Today we got to play soccer! We only get to play one p-day each month...and it was rico! I love soccer! I decided that I will know who to marry when I would rather spend time with her than play soccer. It has been a good day!

I'm so proud of my cousin Maggie. Way to get your mission call! You are going to be a great missionary! Anybody else who gets their call, let me know. I love missions! 

That's all for today. I love you all! Keep working hard at whatever you're doing. I know the best thing you can do in any situation is to have the spirit. 

Love Elder Smith

P.S. Bronco Nation!!! 

P.P.S.  Look what I ate--it's a crab!  Like a whole crab.  I was eating soup and then, whoa, there were like three crabs in there that I didn't see...haha they were so good!!