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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

28 September 2015

So this week was so so amazing. I'll get to details in a moment. Other news is that I found a way to upload pictures now so I'll send a couple.   ( See the end of the letter)


 As a mission here we have a goal that every companionship contacts 70 people a week. or 10 a day. This past week we kinda forgot about that until Friday night and we were looking at things and realized that we had contacted a grand total of 9 people so far. 61 short of the goal. We had one day to talk to 61 new people. The most we had previously been able to do in a day was around 30. So it was a feat. But we went forward with faith. We made plans. Wrote name and number on 61 pass along cards and set out. We talked to every.one. we saw. Many said we could stop by.  Many said I'd rather not and a few just walked away. We rode the bus a few times and I stood up in front talked to the lot inside and then we passed by and asked who we could visit. We hit 8:50pm and went to count the cards and found we had one left. We were walking home at the time and no one was out. But just before getting home a young man walked by and we talked to him and basically we met the goal. I could really see how the Lord had helped us that day. We may have slacked a little in the beginning of the week but the Lord saw our hearts and blessed us with the ability to do what He had asked of us. I could help but to think of the talk by Elder Eyring in April 2010 where he says:
"Plead that the Spirit will show you what the Lord wants you to do. Plan to do it. Promise Him to obey. Act with determination until you have done what He asked. And then pray to give thanks for the opportunity to serve and to know what you might do next."
We knew what we had to do. We prayed for help. We made plans. We promised to do our best. Then we acted in diligence and determination. I for one was very grateful that evening. 
Oftentimes we are faced by what seems almost impossible. That day we lost about 4 hours of regular work due to interviews with president (which were awesome btw) and we had no idea how we were going to do it. But the people were put in our path. It was interesting to me in another point too. Because normally during the day at some point someone approaches us and talks to us instead of us talking to them but that day nobody did so to me it was like the Lord saying "I will put the people there for you, I will help you know what to say but you need to prove your willing to do so." It was a good reminder that if we want something done we need to act. It's one thing to say I have faith I will contact 61 people or I will find a better job or I will make amends with that person or whatever the case may be. It's another thing to put that faith to practice, to the test. To go out and do something about it and then watch the miracles occur. always remember that faith is a principle of action and power. It empowers us to act. 
On a new note. President interviews were fantastic. We talked about sever htings including obedience and conversion. He sent me off with a study assignment that I've already found to be really interesting and useful. I am to study the why Jesus was obedient to his father, D&C 76 focusing on the attributes of those that inherit a celestial glory, Abraham 3 and the why the earth was created in the first ´place. finally I'm to study how Christ feels toward us and how others feel about Him including 3rd Nephi 11-end of 3rd Nephi and Mosiah 2-5. One thing I've really liked so far is that obedience is the first of the celestial laws. How exact obedience leads to blessings and progress. How it creates trust between one person and another. God wants to entrust us with all that he has but we need to show him that we are worthy of said trust. 

keep being amazing and awesome and have the best week of you life!
Miss and love you all,
Elder Smith






1. Probably my favorite flower I've seen here, to think something so spikey and unfriendly like a cactus could make something so beautiful haha pull you own analogies.




2.  The Mexico US border

3. Average neighborhood here in Nogales





4. There's a lot of hills here. So there's a lot of stairs. Good thing I just love to climb stairs and literally 45 degree incline roads





5. We have a lot of fun trying to find addresses here considering many roads look like this or even less like a road




I hung out with Simi. He's the mascot of a pharmacy here that's everywhere and he makes me laugh a bit every time I see him haha. We were headed back from playing soccer this morning when I found him. Hence the shorts and t-shirt instead of tie haha. 






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