One of the Best Weeks of My Mission

Hola Hola! 

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!! I love you so much!!! You are the best mom in the whole world! I am so happy that I will never have to go another one of your birthdays in my life without talking to you, even if it's just by phone, and telling you how much I love you! I hope it was a good one! 

This week was an interesting one for sure! It started just like any other week. Elder Yac and I got to work! That guy is an animal! We make a good team. We have been finding a ton of new investigators and have been being super direct and upfront with everyone about how important our message is. And people have been responding pretty well to it. I am hoping (Moroni 8:40-48 hope!) that we are going to have quite a few baptisms in October. Please pray for Alejandro and Dilcia. Alejandro is eight years old and Dilcia is his nanny, she takes care of him and his little siblings while his mom is at work. Alejandro's parents are members, just inactive, so we are trying to get the whole family back.

Then on Wednesday we had interviews with Presidente Bowler as a zone. He is an amazing man! He came down with the assistants to give us some instruction and the interviews. My interview with him was pretty quick and painless, but at the end he gave me a blessing that was super powerful. It was exactly what I needed to hear! It is always a great experience when we get to talk to president.

On Friday we got a call from some Elders in our zone, who live in the middle of NOWHERE! An area called Agua Caliente. That is about an hour and a half away from Choluteca, in the middle of the mountains. They said Elder De Leon hurt his knee pretty bad and that he was going to have to come get it checked out. So I went into the jungle in his place. It was awesome! I love that little place. I was there for three days. There is no cell phone service. Only like half the houses have electricity. No running water. Nothing! But it was awesome. 

The best part was after church on Sunday we went to give a blessing to a guy named Juan, who wasn't a member. He said that he had heard of the Elders and how they can heal people by the power of God. He had been really sick for a while. But he lived about an hour walk from the little village. So we went. When we got there it was getting dark, so they lit their oil lanterns that they use for light and we shared a short little message about the priesthood, the power of God given to men. And then we asked him if he had faith to be healed. He looked up at us with almost childlike esperanza and said, "Si." We then gave one of the most powerful blessings that I have ever been a part of. Juan is out working in his field today. 

This was probably one of the best weeks of my mission. I am so happy all the time! I am covered in mosquito bites, my feet are sore, and I'm sunburnt out of my mind. But I am just happy! 

I love you all, I hope you prepare yourselves spiritually for general conference this week! It is going to be great. I can't wait! Be good this week, keep working hard at what you are doing, but remember what is most important.

-Elder Smith

Zone Leader

Hola Hola!

That's awesome that you guys got to go to the temple rededication! I'm sure that was a great spiritual experience. I remember doing the Hosanna Shout a couple of times, it always brings the spirit so strongly! And I love what you shared about the differences between the world and the temple. It is so true. This world is full of many destructive, chaotic things, but the temple is such a clean, reverent place! I love it!

This week I had changes!!! I am now back in Choluteca. I really wasn't expecting to have changes because I had just gotten to La Travisia, and I was training...but here I am! I am also now a zone leader! My companion is Elder Yac. He was my ZL when I was back in Uyuca. A really good guy and I am already learning a lot from him.

It was actually really, really hard for me when they told me I had changes. I was not expecting to leave any time soon. And even though I had only been there one change I had already found a lot of people who I loved. I had caught hold of a vision of what I hoped for those people and that area. It broke my heart when they told me I was leaving...but I'm sure the Lord knows what He is doing. So I'll just keep serving, keep working hard.

Being a zone leader is HARD! Everyone has a ton of problems all the time, and now I am in charge of fixing them all! For example, There used to be four hermanas in our zone, but now there are just two, so we had to go and terminate the contract of the other hermanas.  And when we went to tell the landlady that we would no longer be needing that house she got SOOO MAD!!! She started calling us liars, she said that they had done a ton of damage to the house... just a ton of stuff that I would have never had to deal with if I hadn't been the zone leader. But maybe that is what I need to learn now, how to deal with angry people... I'm sure this experience will help me out somewhere down the road!

Well that's all for today! It has been a crazy week! But I'm super excited to be down here in the South again! Love you all! 

-Elder Smith

 My zone!

It rains a lot in Cholu!

A cool bird at our cocinera's house.

Zone Conference with President Duncan

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.

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!

A Refining Fire

Hola Hola!

First and foremost, congrats to my cousin Mark, or should I say, Elder Kindred!! Atta boy! I'm super proud of him for starting the mission! Our family is awesome. I can't wait for the next like 20 years to be hearing about all the missionary experiences of all my cousins. If both sides of our family all just moved to the same place in the middle of nowhere we could probably start our own ward! Jaja, good job Mark!

This week we decided to go to the other part of our area. So we work in the mountains. We have two WHOLE MOUNTAINS as our area. One is called La Mololoa, it sounds kinda Hawaiian! And the other is Agua Blanca. We had been working almost exclusively in La Mololoa before this week, because there are strong members there and it's not as hard to get there. But this week we decided to check out the other side of the canyon! So we have only been visiting our positive investigators in the Mololoa, and contacting todo el mundo in Agua Blanca! It has been kind of amazing. We found a lady whose brother is named Elder Smith!! Those are his first and second names! Not a member of the church. And her other brother's name is Hyrum. That just proves to me that angels really are preparing the hearts of the people to receive this message! (Alma 13:24) And for the very first time in my mission, we knocked on a door and a girl came out and I really felt like I knew her from before. I know that wasn't the first time I had talked to her.

We also had quite a few investigators in church! Remember Franklin and Jahaida, who I asked you to pray for? They came! They are so great! We have a ton of faith in them! Please keep praying for them!

This week was also Consejo de Lideres! It was a great experience to go and listen to Presidente, the Assistants, and to watch and see how the mission is changing! The best part was that every single one of the Elders that I came with was there! We took an awesome picture of us all together. 

The mission is like a refining fire. You get tried every day. Plunged into the flaming coals. Heated up to the point of melting, and then pulled out and plunged into freezing cold water. But the Lord is the one shaping us, changing us, picking out our imperfections, smoothing over our weaknesses, destroying our pride, strengthening our faith,  forming a masterpiece. It hurts, but I can feel his love for me in every moment. I can't wait to see the end result.

-Elder Smith

Rough Week

Hola Hola!

Wow. It was a rough week! Our zone passed through some trials this week, that's for sure. But we are all still alive at least.

I went on divisions this week with one of the elders in my zone, Elder Fasabi. And it was a really good day of work with him. We felt the spirit a lot and had a super good noche de hogar at the end, so we went to bed happy! But then at like five o'clock in the morning we got a call from my comp from my house saying that our whole house was flooded! Remember when I told you we didn't have water a couple months ago? Yeah, that happens regularly in my new house. So what had happened is my comp or the other elder turned on the water to check if there was any, and there wasn't. But then he forgot to shut it off, and then in the morning the water truck came and filled up our tank. So the water ran all morning til my comp woke up. So we took a taxi back to my house at like 5:30 a.m. and when we got there there was still like three inches of water in the house! We spent like an hour bailing water out of our house.

Then this Saturday we all went as a zone to eat baleadas. SOOO GOOD! But we think the meat they used must have been bad, because about half of the zone is sick! Elder Batista was throwing up, had diarrhea, and just is not feeling good! Jaja, he has had a pretty rough week! Poor kid!

Then on Sunday the elders that live three doors down from us got robbed! Stole their scriptures, their wallets, their phone, pretty much everything! One of the elders is about to go home in like two weeks and he had gone his whole mission without being robbed, so he was pretty upset about his record being broken.
 
But we have decided this week was one of two things...

1) God is punishing us for breaking all the rules...  or
 

2) We are just passing through some hard trials before we have the most successful week in the history of missionaries!!

I hope it's number two because I work really hard to be obedient.  I am not complaining, it has been a very memorable week. I have loved every second of it! And I am willing to go through whatever God wants to put me through. I just hope next week is a little better for Elder Batista! Jaja, I don't know if he will survive another week like this one!

Congrats to Trevor and Megan on their marriage! And atta girl, Stefanie, I love the Grass Relays!  I hope you all have a great Labor Day with the family all there! Say hi to Nancy, Linda and Grandma Smith for me!

I love you all!  Have Family Home Evening tonight!!

-Elder Smith

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

The Church is True!

Hola Hola!

What happened this week? Jaja, sometimes I get to the computer and I really can't remember ANYTHING! But then poco a poco it all comes back. I feel like I give you guys the wrong representation of what really happens in the mission, because you just hear about all the cool things, all the baptisms, all the crazy stories! In reality, it's a ton of work. I work so hard! I spend HOURS in the streets, walking all over the place, knocking on doors, trying to figure out what it is these people need to hear. It's not easy. It's a grind sometimes. But it's so worth it. And it's helped me change a whole lot!

That being said, there were some pretty cool things that happened this week too. We painted a house BRIGHT yellow, jaja, it is such a brilliant color! All the houses here are super bright!  Green, pink, yellow, you name it. It was super fun! Then we painted our faces the colors of our countries! And ate pizza!

This morning we all wrote our testimonies and letters of encouragement. Found a box made out of wood, and put them, and other little things into the box, along with El Libro De Mormón. Then we climbed a mountain in our area and dug a hole. We covered the hole with a GIANT rock, and said a prayer over the rock! It was like Moroni with the plates of gold.  It was a really spiritual experience!

We also went to the temple with our investigators today. That always rocks! We had a family come, Laura y Sabino. I have a lot of faith in them! If you guys could pray for them that would be great! We also have a baptism planned for this Saturday, a guy named Cesar. He is awesome! But he is going to need some prayers too. The people you pray for get baptized! So will you please add them to your list?

That's all from me this week. Be good! The church is true!

-Elder Smith

P.S.: Honduras is beautiful!

One Year

Hola Hola!

Wow! It's been a whole year. That was fast! I can't even believe how fast the time has gone. If this next year goes by this fast again I'm going to be really sad! Don't get me wrong, I want to see you guys. I love and miss you so much. But I have so much more work to do down here. And I haven't changed enough... I'm not the person God needs me to be yet. I now know how short a year really is. Wow, jaja, major reflection in just a couple lines!

This week we had some house problems. Thursday morning our dueño showed up with some guys to spray for bugs, and we were like, "Ok, no problem, we'll just shut all the windows and stay inside for about half an hour until you are finished." But he was like, "No, we are going to spray INSIDE the house, you guys gotta leave for an hour." Our house still stinks like poison! It's terrible! Plus, because we had about three minutes to prepare, a lot of things were left out, like my corn flakes! My liahona, my red and white pajama pants, and a lot of other things!! It has been frustrating! And then yesterday we ran out of water! Here in Honduras there isn't a water supply system underground. So to have water you have to pay these giant trucks that drive around with water in tanks to fill up your cisterna. So we are without water right now... There are some times that I really miss the States! jaja

But on a good note, we had another baptism! A 15-year-old girl named Vivian. She has been coming to church with us for about three months, but her mom isn't really a big supporter of religion. But this week we finally convinced her that Vivian was ready to make this choice for herself. When her mom told us that, we had to fight to NOT cheer and run around locos! Then at her baptism there wasn't enough water in the church... for the same problem... we ended up filling up buckets and carrying them up the stairs to the baptismal font. And she had to be baptized sitting down so she could get completely under the water. But it worked out, and yesterday she was confirmed! Another miracle.

I really like what Maggie wrote about Grandpa Smith. I feel the same way about him, he died when I was really young and I didn't know him well. But I have felt him helping me out a few times… before the mission mostly.  Him specifically, I don't know how I knew it was him, but he is a big reason for why I am here. I can't wait to give him a big hug someday.

Sounds like you guys are enjoying your summer to the fullest! Congrats to Chris and his new wife! And I wish I could have seen you guys flip over in the canoe! That's so funny! And ATTA BOY CALEB!! I'm so happy for you man!! Latin America is the best place in the world. You are going to learn so much out here. Good luck!

Well, that's all from me today. I love you guys! I hope this next year brings more success and more change. When God is in control change is good! And right now change is good. 

-Elder Smith

It Always Works Out

Hola Hola!

I love the last sentence of your first paragraph, Mom! You wrote, "It was stressful, but we made it!" talking about running through the airport to catch your flight. I feel like that is my life right now. Every day we fight out here to get things done that seem impossible! We knock on a door, start talking and expect peoples lives to completely change... from the way they are living their family life, to the things they drink in the morning with breakfast. It is super stressful! But It always works out. I don't understand it. We can have a baptism planned, and EVERYTHING will go wrong, but about an hour later the person is baptized and it all just works out. That is one of the craziest things I have learned out here in the mission.

This week has been a really good one! Workwise it was a little down, but still a great week. On Tuesday we had interviews with the new mission president, President Bowler and his wife. He is a really impressive guy! And his wife is sooo loving. It was really easy to connect with them. I don't know if that is because they are American, or because they are here by revelation. Hermana Bowler doesn't speak Spanish at all! And Presidente is trying to pick it back up after forty years of not speaking it since he got back from his mission. But I'm really excited to see the direction that the mission goes this next year!

The day after that we went to the temple. Not with investigators, just to go in and do a session.  It was just my second time this year. It was amazing! I received some revelation and felt the spirit very strongly. I love that place!

And to top it all off, Lilliam was baptized! She didn't let her dad come...but It was a great service.

I love Lilliam so much! Her life was a MESS when we met her. But now she has her feet underneath her, and has been so blessed. We had asked her to be baptized about a hundred times and she always said no, jaja, it almost became an inside joke. But I will never forget when she quietly asked us if she could be baptized. She's awesome!

I am so glad to be here serving the Lord! I have grown so much out here. I was called to help these people out, but really they have helped me out a whole lot more. Weird how that works.

Love, Elder Smith

It was Elder Dalgo's birthday and some members invited us to eat!

Proud to Be An American

Hola Hola!

Happy 4th of July! It took me until the day before, but I remembered. I love the USA! We really do live in such a blessed country.  We had dinner with some members and before we started to eat I sang the National Anthem. It was a proud moment for me! I said, "I'm proud to be an American!" and my comp (from El Salvador) got mad at me. He said that ALL of North, Central and South America is "America"…we are ALL Americans! Jaja, we might be a little bit prideful in that aspect.

You guys are in Chicago! That's awesome! I am a little sad that I'm missing out on that.  But I hope you are all having a great time. Tell everyone that I say hi! I have always loved Smith family reunions. They are the best! Eat some deep dish pizza for me, jaja.

That story about the freezer is super funny! I can imagine dad opening the freezer door and shutting it super fast! Wanna know something funny? I don't think I've used a freezer in all my time here! I have never bought food that had to be frozen, and I don't think any of my comps have either. Freezers just aren't used that much, except to make these natural popsicles called charamuscas which are delicious!

 (Had to google them and post a picture...)

This week we are working with this lady named Lilian.  She is 33 years old and she is going to get baptized this Saturday. The thing is, she doesn't want us to tell anyone! Not even her dad who is a member.  So will you please say a few prayers for her?  Pray that she will open her heart to letting her father come and baptize her.

Today we are going to play volleyball in the training facility for Olympic athletes of Honduras. It is called Villa Olímpica. I'm super pumped, #1: because I love volleyball!  And #2: because this place is supposed to be awesome! Should be really fun!

Well, I love you all a whole lot. I miss you and hope you are having a great time at the reunion.  Keep running Stefanie! Keep reading the scriptures everybody! Read DyC:138. It's about the Spirit World and it's amazing.

Love, Elder Smith

God and I Are On Pretty Good Terms Right Now!

Hola Hola!

Stefanie writes the funniest letters ever, jaja! From her point of view it sounds like it was a great week.

I didn't have changes! I'm still here in Villa Vieja with Elder Dalgo. This is the first time I've been through three changes with the same companion. But I'm happy about it because he is a great comp to have. And this is my fourth change in Villa Vieja. The last time I stayed through my fourth change, Elder Arteaga and I baptized six people. We're going to beat that! And today our new president arrives. President Hernandez has finished his mission. I respect that guy a whole lot. Just the spirit that he has, it's impressive. And his wife too, they worked hard. But I am also excited to see in what direction our new president will take the mission in the next year. We're going to see some miracles!

I can't believe that Elder Glassett is home now. I love that guy! He was the best trainer ever. We had good times, and we worked hard. He really has had a huge influence on me as a missionary. That is awesome that you got to go to his homecoming. And it's good to hear that you met Elder Lewis and he is getting better. I never met him, but maybe he will be able to get back out here someday and I will meet him.

What the heck!?!? Kelsey Hancock isn't marrying Alvaro? Jaja, just kidding, I'm really happy for her! And way to go Caleb Rodabough, turning in those mission papers! I hope you get called to Honduras, Tegucigalpa! Best mission in the world.

We had a baptism this week, this little girl named Kimberly. I love her so much! We found her family and they are members, just inactive. So we taught them all, reactivated her parents and she was baptized yesterday. She's eight years old so it didn't count for the mission, but I love them all so much that I don't even care. It was one of my favorites so far, and it counts in my heart.

Dang, I'm sad that I will miss the Smith family reunion... although it will probably suck without me and Maggie, jaja! I will pray for you to have a safe flight! God and I are on pretty good terms right now, he seems to be listening to me so don't worry!

Don't forget to read the scriptures while you're on your vacation! Sometimes little things like that can throw you off your habit for a long time. Don't let it!

The church is true! I love you guys! Thank you for your prayers.

Love,

Elder Smith

It's a Good Thing That the Church is True!

Hola Hola!

I didn't watch the USA game...but I heard about it from a bunch of members...Portugal scored a goal in the 94th minute. Lame! But it's okay, we still have a chance to advance! And I'm glad to hear that my family is at home supporting my country! I'm there in spirit! I was able to see the Honduras game...very sad...the whole country was disappointed...but it's okay, the world keeps on spinning!

This week was interesting. On Sunday at church this lady had her cell phone stolen out of her purse. So the bishop said that the bus wasn't going to leave until her phone was returned to her... he meant well... but it just ended in everyone accusing everyone else... and it got really ugly. One guy told this other lady that he KNEW that it was her son who stole the cell phone because he saw the kid running around outside when he should have been in Young Men. So the mom started swearing at him and screaming how she was never going to come back to church because he had just accused her. The lady whose phone was stolen was crying, everyone was mad because the bus didn't leave for like 45 minutes. It was just a really bad Sunday. The worst part was that we had investigators watching the whole thing. Our investigator Stacy didn't come to church...which now thinking about it might have been a blessing in disguise. We had another investigator get really mad because the teacher of the Gospel Principles class told her that her baptism wasn't done with correct priesthood authority. All in all it was just a mess. It helped me remember that the church is still very new here in Honduras. Still growing. We have a long way to go. It's a good thing that the church is true!!! haha

This week we have changes. I have been here for three changes, which isn't really a whole lot. But I have two with Elder Dalgo. This could be my second to last day here in Villa Vieja! Changes are always exciting!  I'll keep you posted about what happens. But don't hold your breath... I can't write till next Monday, haha!

I'm glad that you guys had a good week. Glad Stefanie had fun at Youth Conference!  I loved all my Youth Conferences. But the best ones were the ones with my sisters!!

You asked about my companion and my district...Elder Dalgo and I are really good friends. He's super obedient and we work hard. We have had good times together! The other companionships in my district have had their challenges but they are great people. I love them a lot!

Well, that's all for today, I love you guys! Thank you for your prayers, they are felt! Good luck with everything you do this week! And GO USA!!

-Elder Smith