PS - on the stuff I sent home ( first part of July)

The vanilla i knew would be a fav. that bottle costs about $2 so I will bring home plenty. Anything else you like let me know haha. 

One of the first things i want to do is climb a mountain. Maybe we could go camping somewhere.  I hate how soon that sounds. Life is just so good here. We had the best week ever. We had more than 30 lessons put 4 baptismal dates and 2 of them made it to church. We contacted over 100 different people like everything was gold this week. 

Then to top it off we've had a great p day. Well basically we had lots of time to play haha. We played soccer and basketball and capture the flag. My comp and I were on opposite teams and it got intense haha. He was chasing me down and we both end up face planting the fence at the church. He got a split lip and my arm is all bruised but it wasn't too bad at all. I'm actually getting better at soccer. Instead of being the worst on the field I'm useful haha.

Love you all:)

26 July 2016

Life is amazing here! Fear not. We are fed so well always. The people here are more open minded than anywhere else I've been. It's awesome. We had a bad week this week and only got about 23 lessons but this week is off 100% we had 6 Sunday afternoon before the assistants called for the numbers and all and hope to end the week with 40-50. Thanks for helping the missionaries back home so much. They appreciate it so much! Every once in a while we knock a door or talk to someone from the states and usually they are super closed and shove us away as fast as they can. It really makes me admire the testimony and strength of those who work with people like that every day. Here at least once a day we talk to some one and before we can even say we are missionaries they tell us to come in. I love working here and will keep it up for sure!

I'm super excited to go to the temple in a month or so. It'll probably be my last time in Mexico I can go.

PS, love the painting

Today at Flavios )the restaurant the less active owns) I had garlic octopus and shrimp quesadillas and a coconut encrusted shrimp. You'd love the food there I bet.

20 July 2016

Week one in Puerto Peñasco has been amazing. It feels very different from the rest of the places I've been. It's 100% more humid here. I sweat always but feel like I can breath again. There is lots of tourism here so a few times a day we end up talking to people in English not Spanish. And church feels a lot like home in some ways. It's super full here in the summer months because 100+ people are visiting from the states. The work has been great. We are basically starting from scratch because we have as of yet been unable to find any addresses the previous zone leaders had left us. But we are finding so many people. People here are really open. It's rare that someone straight up says "No I don't want to hear what you have to say". So good vibes all around. Hopefully for next week we can have some solid people in teaching.

One experience I enjoyed this week was when we knocked on a door and they were headed out but told us we could come back the next day. As we walked off we heard the guy's wife ask him why the heck he said we could come back. Nonetheless we stopped by the next day and his wife answered the door and invited us in and told us they had been waiting for us (we got there a titch late). She explained that she didn't originally want to talk to us because she had heard bad things about the church from friends of hers. We had a great lesson that cleared up doubts and confusion and we will continue teaching. She is actually in the search for the true church of Jesus Christ, I'm excited to keep teaching. A funny moment; She had been told by said friends that "Mormons" were a lot of rowdy drunks that partied all the time. That was unexpected to say the least. That's honestly the last thing most people think haha. We explained how it was that we didn't even drink alcohol. All in all, I continue to be amazed how the Lord leads and guides us. How He prepares people. I love it here and hope for a great few months here!

Go have the best of weeks and keep it real!
Love,
Elder Smith

pics,
so there's a less active member here that has a restaurant on the ocean and we can eat free there, it's great to say the least. I ordered a fish dish thinking it was a normal sized thing when to my surprise I'm given a tray loaded with goodness. I haven't eaten so much in ages.

12 July 2016

So I had the most wonderful time this past week and the past 6 really. Caborca has been one of my favorite areas so far. Sadly I have been transferred once again. I'm in Puerto Peñasco. It'll be a great place to finish off my last 3 months working harder than ever. I'm with Elder Borja.

This past week was so cool. Estela madeit to church again. She and her family are so ready. Im exited for Elder Larsen and his trainee that will be working that area now. I will truly miss Caborca.

I don't have too long to write but I want to finish with a great thought from the zone meeting we had today.

"And men are that they might have joy" The work of the lord is a work of joy! for both the laborers and recipients! 

Doctrine and Convenants 123

 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

let us all work cheerfully and do everything we can for good! a tranquil mind and see as God places his hand in our lives.

I love you all and hope for a great week for all!!!

Elder Smith

4 July 2016!

We had the most amazing week! We were simply exhausted always but it feels great. Life is meant to work be it now before of after this time on earth am I right? The best part was surpassing our goal of 30 lessons. Hopefully we will have even more this week. I've been so blessed for the companion I have for the area I'm in for everything in my life. Estela was able to make it again to church! Her and her family have a baptism set for the end of July.  Hopefully I'll be here to see it through. Jackelyn and her family are progressing but a litter slower. We are hoping for the next transfer they can become a great family in the branch. A great moment in the week was when my comp told me that we should take a different route than the usual to get to an area we work. We start walking down the street and as usual talk with the people we see. We were able to find a family that had just moved the day before. She is a less active member and her husband has some knowledge of the church but plenty to learn :) I enjoyed seeing God's guiding hand in our life to find his children that need His help. 

I'm trying to re-read Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage before finishing the mission here in Sonora. I read of Christ as a baby child and adolescent. There is very little about his young years in the scriptures but the few verses teach us a lot. what really stood out to me was how cared for Christ was by God. His family was guided to the perfect locations at the perfect time to protect his young life and ensure an environment where he could learn and grow and come to understand his great mission. Pondering this I had a thought come to mind. the scriptures teach that God is no respecter of persons and that he loves each child as much as the next. sometimes we feel that maybe God loves others more than us but it is not so. God loves Christ so much and helped him so much in life but that isnt a right that Jesus alone had. we all have the right to have divine guidance and help in life. we all have the right to witness miracles. To have the constant company of the Holy Ghost. We are so very much loved by God. sometimes we forget that. especially when personal actions drive us away from His path for us. or when we simply have trials in life. remember that Christ too was not immune to trial and temptation. I forget too often that he was tempted much more than just the time after his 40 day fast. I forget that he was rejected by many. spat upon and hit. and probably not just in his last moments but all through his life. He had trials and hard times and was perfect! I loved something my aunt sent me in a letter. 

"Speaking of perfect…..in sacrament meeting a while ago, a sister spoke on gifts that Christ gives us.  She said something that really struck me so I wrote it in my journal.  She talked about the word PERFECT.  We think of it as being without flaw.  So we don't see how we can ever become perfect, as Christ and Heavenly Father are perfect.  But if you look at the word PERFECT in its definition in Christ’s day, the word meant complete or whole.  So if we should be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect, we should be complete or whole, which we can become in Christ.  With Him, we can be whole.  By joining ourselves with Christ, we can indeed be perfect.  Cool thought, huh?"

Christ was complete and whole and even as so He had a hard earth life. But he made it through. and we can too!. Through Him we can overcome all. we can become complete and whole and learn to love and accept every moment. Lifes too good to not enjoy. I love you all and hope for you to have the most amazing week ever!

Love,

Elder Smith

28 June 2016 - What. A. Week. ( That week with Ty)

Incredible Miracle:  Elder Gavin Smith and Elder Ty Smith serving together for a week!

What. A. Week. We started it off strong.  We had a great days work and found some great people we hope to keep teaching.. but the best part was when Ty got here. For all we tried we didn't get to sleep till past midnight. Nonetheless we got up nice and early and not too tired to head off to one of the best zone meetings I've ever been in. I'll hit you all up with details later in the letter. The whole week we had almost every appointment fall through but it gave us a great opportunity to contact a lot and find new people. I especially enjoyed how by the end of the week Ty was able to express himself well enough that the people understood what he wanted to say. For just a week in mexico, his spanish progressed miraculously. 

I really enjoyed a lesson we had with Estela and her family. She is progressing so well but due to a sudden case of the pox she was unable to come to church the past two weeks. Actually we almost couldn't find her. But one morning we found her in her brother's house and had the most wonderful lesson about why we have dfificulties in life and how to overcome them. We used a scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 122 that I love. verses7-9 it's a very comforting promise and advice

 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

 8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

 9  Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

This life is to learn and progress. Trials are just a necessary part. All will be as a "small moment" Christ has passed through all we do and infinitely more. We cannot fear, for fear will lead us to doubt in God. We may have questions but we can never. never. doubt our faith nor God. 

Saturday evening we had a family home evening with Jackelyn and her family. It was a great night full of fun and learning. Part of the family even made it to church on Sunday! Hopefully they all can make it next week.

I wish to testify of the power of hymns. We were able to sing several with Jackelyn and fam and it was probably the best part of the night. Sunday we sang Nearer My God to Thee us three and it turned out beautiful. one could really feel the Spirit. And on a light note, my companion found comfort in singing children's hymns in the middle of the night as he was throwing up. (Hes much better now).

All in all it was a fantastic week. 

So zone conference I attempted to translate part of my notes to help explain. I hope its understandable.

 Alma 7:20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths; neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is one eternal round.

What is a round? a circle. thats what was explained so well in the meeting. The circle of life. The great eternal round of God and Godship. 

First we must understand that we don't have just one Heavenly Parent but two. Father and Mother. We are all spirit children of said beings. This leads us to understand just why God cares so much about us. He cares for and worries abut his family. God has the infinite ability to create. To organize what is unorganized. To make beauty where perhaps there was not. I'd like you to refer to the drawing. 

We "begin" with out heavenly parents. We know we are created by them and lived with them before our time here. This is called pre-earth life. Our first estate. scripture explains that many rebelled against the plan of God and "kept not their first estate" these spirits were taken away from the eternal round of eternal progression by their own decision. #freeagency. We know we kept our first estate (that we followed God's plan of Christ being our Savior) because we are here on earth we were born. Here we are being tested and tried. To see if we "will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command" we then pass though death and enter the spirit world. There we will be in either paradise of spiritual prison. Note that there all people will have the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel of Christ. Also note those of us that fulfill our purpose here and make it in to paradise will yes rest from our worries but it never said that we would rest from all labors. For there is a great work yet to do. We must continue working to bring souls to Christ by preaching to those who don't know. We will then be resurrected and judged. To enter into a kingdom other then that of the Celestial puts an end to our progression but by entering into the celestial sealed to a spouse. in that state we will be able to learn from God until we know enough to be as He is. Then have offspring as he had us. "as man is, God once was. As God is, man may become" what a beautiful and fulfilling understanding! This is the watered down version of such an amazing meeting. I pray that we can all understand out truly divine potential and our eternal importance. Never give up because the central doctrine that makes our round possible is that of the atonement of Jesus Christ. He makes it possible we can do it! I love you all and hope you all have the best week ever!

Love forever,

Elder Smith 

20 June 2016

Thanks for being the best dad ever btw. I wish i could have called home as on Mother's Day but it's okay. Father's Day here is celebrated with lots of drinking and loud annoying music but then again that's how any and everything is celebrated here. Nonetheless in honor of my diligent father we tried to work extra hard. Every appointment fell though but we were still able to teach a few people. Thanks for being the best and for helping me better understand Heavenly Father because of who you are.

have the most amazing week planned for Ty. I hope to make it a pivotal moment for his entire misson. He will be worked hard and come home exhausted don't you worry. He's in good hands. haha