7 Sept. 2015

So this week is what I'd like to call a preparatory week as in not much happened but all we did prepares this upcoming week to be amazing.

Nonetheless we still had an amazing week. We got to talk to lots of new people and we will see how things go with them but my favorite parts of last week happened toward the end of the week. Sunday was fantastic obviously but in ward council it was awesome. We have been putting a new reactivation plan into action and its been incredible. In council we made plans to visit more people and as missionaries we are heading out with a different member almost every evening this week or in other words a missionary´s dream. Last week we visited a couple people one of which we are working with Sunday  evening we went and visited a less active family. We talked for a bit with them but since they were super busy we set an appointment for later in the family we are focusing a lot on Juan Sr. he told us that he was available at 6am Monday so if we really wanted to teach something we could come then. So this morning we got up before the sun and went over still groggy but it was a fantastic lesson. He had previously asked us a golden question "So after baptism and all, whats next?"  we talked about enduring to the end with a strong focus on the temple. at the end of the lesson he said that he had previously heard about the temple but now he suddenly had a strong desire to go in. This was huge and I'm stoked to keep teaching him even if it means 6am every day. The Lord blesses us for our efforts. 6am on our p-day was not exactly something we wanted to do but we felt like it was the right move, and for a small sacrifice, we were blessed with huge results. 

Sorry for writing so little this week but much more to come next week!

I love you all and hope that you have the best week ever ever ever.

Keep up the awesome!

Love,

Elder Smith

1 September 2015

First off. Sorry for not writing last week. I planned my time poorly and well, it didn't happen haha but don't you worry, I'll write the best letter ever this week. Or try at least.

Two weeks ago was a truly fantastic week but not to much to report. We had a great ward activity (talent show) that turned out amazing. Tons of people came. I participated in two acts. A sketch with the youth (they wanted to to the Econ 101 sketch by studio c so I translated the thing and ended up being the guy that talks the whole time) and then we did a piece as missionaries. We rewrote a the battle hymn of the republic and acted out a story of sorts hard to describe but it turned out awesome. It started with

mi padres me dijeron hijo vete a la misión

me lavaron el cerebro con el Libro de Mormon

me tomaron por el cuello y me lanzaron al avión

ya voy a la mision

gloria gloria se llamaba

la mujer que ya amaba

gloria gloria se llamaba

la que no me esperó

and ended

ya termina el tiempo que serví en la misión

aprendí a ser humilde y lograr la conversión

mis padres me esperan con abrazos de amor

pues termino con honor

It turned out awesome and was super fun to write haha

This past week has been incredible as well.

Javier is becoming more and more ready to take the step of baptism. Each time we visit has been amazing. I can't wait for the family to to be sealed. We just need to help Javier get baptized and then a year later they're off to the temple. It'll be amazing. I just hope I can be there.

He's the only person we are teaching right now that is progressing but there is so much potential here so expect much more to come.

On the side of less actives we have a ton of work and its amazing!

Martín is officially reactivated. He's a convert from several years ago and we've been trying to find him for months But he just showed up at church a few weeks ago and he is doing everything possible to be a disciple of Christ.

Juan and Juan (father and son) have gone from noy wanting to come back at all to making plans to ensure that they can make it to church. They are both amazing. Juan jr is 17 and we are helping him get ready for a mission too. It's awesome.

There are several others as well but truly, the work here is awesome. 

Saturday we had exchanges with the zone leaders. Elder Berheisel came to my area and my comp went to his. We had such an incredible day. When we planned it was hard because we had nothing pre- set for the day no appointments or anything. Just a meeting in the morning with the ward mission leader. Somehow the day stayed busy busy busy. We had one of the most successful days of the entire week and we made extra efforts to contact people to the point where I was talking with one of our neighbors and suddenly I notice he's not by my side and I see him a few yards away talking to someone else. (both of said people are very excited to receive us Tuesday evening:)). a good lesson was learned that day too.

We were working hard and we hit 8:30. We had a ride set for 9:00 to switch back. It would have been really easy to just go to the house and pack up things to be ready to head out especially because we had just had two very rough shutdowns from some people but we chose to put in just a little more and even though we passed the house we saw someone walking toward us so we decided before going in we would contact him. He seemed super interested and then we saw someone else a little farther off so we walked and talked to them. Same deal. It kept going like that till we actually had to head back to get things ready. It would have been so easy to just go inside and rest but we put an extra 20 minutes in and those 20 min were some of the most efficient of the day. Never give up early give it one more step and then when you can't give anymore. Go one more. and we find that the best experiences happen in that last step. 

While we were in the meeting Saturday it came up that I had never given a talk while on the mission. Needless to say. Hermano Peña talked that instant with Bishop and "luckily" there was an opening that Sunday to talk. I got the call haha. It was an awesome experience. I had zero time to prepare the talk Saturday (though obviously I was thinking about it a lot) so I had to prepare it Sunday morning before church (felt just like old times...). It was perfect because as I was falling asleep and again while I woke up I had a really clear and distinct idea for the talk. Again and again a quote from President Howard W. Hunter came to mind. It's found in the quotes of the prophets at the end of chapter one of Preach My Gospel. Rough translation "a good measure of your personal conversion to Christ is found in your desire to share the gospel" so I based the talk on that. Missonary work and conversion. I used the example used several conferences ago of Christ asking his disciple "do you love me...feed my sheep" and then I used some scriptures in alma. Alma 26 is full of goodies. 

13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?

 14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.

 15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.

 16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full;

For our joy is full. you want to be happy? you want to be full of joy? preach the gosple. but how? how do we do it. the world is full of darkness and struggle. of people that are encircled about in the chains of hell. how are we supposed to make a difference? Alma makes it very clear. convert yourself to the Lord

 22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

When we do these things The Lord gives us the strength knowledge words etc to be his hand here on earth. Unto us it can be given to bring thousands of souls to repentance. True joy, true success, true living comes from personal conversion. Let that be our goal. Let that be the thing we desire above all else.

Have the best weeks ever and keep being happy and exciting and wonderful. Remember that life is awesome and just the best thing ever. Keep it up!

Love Elder Smith

Oh and the pics.

This morning my comp and I and some other missionaries went up to Cerro de la Campana, a big hill in the middle of the city. You could see the whole city from on top even though it was scorching hot it was super fly.

18 August 2015

Somehow it turns out that each week just gets better and better and better. Life's cool like that.

To start this week we had a downpour like no other like mini hurricane style. vid attached. It was awesome. 

So if you remember last week I said we were about to have a family home evening with Javier and his family. Well we did and it was incredible. We talked about temples and then visited the temple. Everything just worked that night. Like we talked about baptism with Javier and he wants to be baptized which was honestly a little unexpected. We are working on helping him find a date he's comfortable with but that's amazing news. Then when we went to the temple the grounds were just closed at the time but the guard there was super awesome and was like, hey, you all wanna come in? So we got to walk the grounds and everything. It was an awesome night.

The whole week went like that. Things just worked. It was so so cool. It was also a week full of service. We were able to help out several people with this or that but one of my favorites was the Ochoa family. They,re older members and have a large backyard (large for here) but it had become overgrown with weeds and what not. We went and cleaned it up and then they had us plant some trees and bushes back there. I just really like being able to get my hands a little dirty and make a space beautiful again. It reminded me a lot of working outside back home. 

Then we were with Josué the other day and he told us about another friend of his he wanted to go teach with us. We have only taught a little but it's been awesome. 

Another member gave us a reference of someone named Flor who actually works outside the city so we didn't get to talk to her but we talked to her sister and mom and brother and they seem to have a lot of interest. Then we talked to their neighbor. Who is incredible. He has only 15 years of age but after teaching about the restoration he was full of questions and interest. He wants to come to mutual and church and everything. It was awesome. We were talking about how when Christ established His church he did so with firm bases. A Prophet, Apostles, revelation, the priesthood, and the scriptures. When we explained about the apostasy and all the churches in the world he asked "and how can I know which church is most stable, which has the strongest bases?" It was a golden question that we had the pleasure of explaining and then with the less active members here we have seen amazing progress as well. Maria Fernanda is one such. It's been really hard to help her because she is often very depressed and has a hard family situation. for example we passed by the past Sunday to go with them to church but her husband came out and told us every one was sleeping. Later Maria told us she was about to get up but her husband told her "Don't you move." like bad vibes. But we decided later to stop by and see how they were and to talk to the husband a bit to see what the problem was. We stopped by and it was amazing. Someone definitely was helping us that day. We came by and the husband was out cleaning the front porch and we helped out a bit and chatted platonically. We then asked if we could share something with the family. He went and gathered the family which was an awesome start considering he'd never listened to us before. We shared a short message from Jacob chapter 4 and it was perfect. We had forgotten to plan the lessons that day so I opened up the scriptures at random and the perfect scripture came up. We finished talking and invited them to pray and read as a family and to prepare themselves to come to church Sunday. They all accepted. The husband with more excitement than the rest too! It was so so so cool. I really hope things keep going well with them.

Jacob 4:4-7

4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.

 5 Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.

 6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

 7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

We have the potential and right to be participants in miracles. as we strengthen our faith, through scripture study and obedience. miracles come. we become empowered to see incredible things. perhaps today we dont have the need to move mountains or waves but we do experience waves of doubt, mountains of regret sorrow or pain. the amazing thing is that we are sons nd daughters of a King. eternal and all powerful. we are righted to the inheritance of said King. we are amazing and have an even more amazing potention. those waves and mountains cand and will be moved when we act on our faith, when we decide to be the children our Father in Heaven needs. we may be weak but that doesnt matter, we can be given strenght we are made strong and we become capable of anything.

Guys. Have the best week of your lives this week. Never forget how amazing you are and how much you are loved. Do something special every day and never stop being you!

Love Forever,

Elder Smith

10 August 2015

What an awesome week. Since it was the first week with my new companion, we spent a lot of time introducing him to members and all but man it's so cool to work with him. He´s very distinct from my past few companions. More than anything he's ready to just work hard and make this place amazing. I really appreciate that. We've been walking and talking till we drop all week long. Oh so you can see what he looks like here the only pic I've got as of right now. 

Seriously this week has been unreal. We've been making progress like no other week that I've been here. We went to visit some less active members and I remember two visits in specific because they were similar in a way. They are both sisters that have a hard time with depression and always seem a little down but I remember that in the lessons each one smiled more and even laughed here and there, which is something I hadn't seen from them in months. Then we were teaching another family where all are inactive but the mom, and it just went really really well. 

Around mid week we went with Luis (the 9 year old that just got baptized) to go over the lessons again but we made sure that we did it with his dad (who isn't a member) present. We taught the first lesson and it went so well. Luis remembered tons, Lizet (the mom) helped a lot and Javier (the dad) had questions and promised to start reading the Book of Mormon. We are planning on having a family home evening with them in about an hour from now and at the end they want to go to the temple grounds. i'm really hoping that it turns out to be an amazing experience for them and for us. 

Jesus Antonio couldn't make it to church again for scheduling problems but he is still progressing really well.

Consuelo and her kids are headed out to Mexicali this week so we´ll be sending that reference off to the Tijuana mission but they are so prepared.

Things are just going so well here. and this next week will be the best of them all. 

Also rumors are about that president will be opening up some of the smaller towns here in Sonora that missionaries haven't ever touched before so that should be an awesome thing, I can't wait to here how it goes (should it happen of course).

Sabbath day observance is a major theme here and so important. I love the quote (although I don't remember from where. I'm pretty sure its in gospel principals manual in some part but not the chapter about sabbath day ironically) that talks about how observance of that commandment has a direct correlation to how well we do both temporally and spiritually, personally obviously but as a nation itself, when the keeping of that commandment weakens so does that nations strength, economy, etc weaken.

Missing out on the sabbath day is like saying nah I'm good, I'll just go ahead and fend for myself, help accepted but nah not needed. Maybe it works for a bit but it can't last. And when you need help, it'll be a lot harder to get. I know a less active sister here who is going through some really hard times right now. She may lose everything which would be horrible. It's really hard to see and know that if she would just listen to the Lords counsel and go to church Sunday, pay tithing, keep the entire sabbath day holy, etc, that she would feel fine. The problems may come but when your right with the Lord, there is no need to worry. In contrast, in Pueblitos (my last area) the Navoa family told us about how there was a time they had nothing, living in a carton house and struggling to even find the basic food for them and their kids but how they never let themselves forget the Sabbath day and tithing. They talked about how miraculously they came through and are now doing much better. 

It's kinda funny how tithing and the Sabbath Day go hand in hand. I feel like one without the other is somewhat incomplete.

The other day we were talking with bishop and he told of the new plan president was making help with retention and reactivation. It's a great idea I cant wait to get started with. Each organization within the church will choose a few less actives and then we go with them and they present us missionaries to them and all. Then working with their home teachers we begin teaching the mission lessons. At the end of 5 weeks the goal is for them to have an interview with bishop and get a calling. Each person reactivated is like a baptism and we will be reporting the numbers and everything. I love the plan because it reminds me of how very important fellowshipping is. This plan basically ensures that people feel comfortable and that they have friends. Never stop being a friend to everyone. It makes all the difference and everyone wins. I always think of my Grandpa Ward as one of the best examples of  this. He's just a friendly happy person. I'm pretty sure that in his town there's not a single person that doesn't know him because he just talks to them all. Just smile and be friendly and life's just awesome. 

Keep being the amazing people you are and I hope you remember how very important you are in the eyes of God. Never forget your potential and never stop trying to reach it.

Love and miss you all!

Elder Smith

3 August 2015

So it's been a great week. Like super fun. I'll just start off with the pics I've got.

We were walking by the stadium here and it was open for maintenence or something and we casually stopped by.

and then since La Hermana Martinez was headed home this week and had never in her year and a half here tried a burro percheron we helped her out by sending her off with these beauties. Yes it's wrapped in bacon. It was life changing. 

Friday was awesome because we got to go to the temple. It was the first time I've been able to go here in Mexico and it was amazing. I learned more and had a better experience than any other time I've been to the temple before. Having everything be in Spanish made me pay close attention and really helped me understand actually. It's just an amazing place. 10/10 would recommend going asap. Don't miss out.

Regrettably, Sunday Jesús Antonio was unable to make it to church but is still doing great and will come this next week. It was a little rough this week as far as the work goes but that doesn't mean it wasn't wonderful anyway. We were able to talk to tons and have lots of potential here. I just got a new companion, Elder Sanchez and will be with him for the next while. He is fantastic. He's from Ecuador and we´re going to be working hard alright.

Get set and get ready because this week that's coming is going to be amazing in so many ways. Why? Because why not? Like it was mentioned so many times this week for me (temple, sacrament meeting, teaching) we are not here to suffer, we are not here to have a hard time. We are here to be happy and that's just what we should be. This next week will be incredible and we have the chance to make it so just by the way we look at it. So when the trial comes or the bad day slips in, smile and think about how awesome life is.

i love you all and hope nothing but the best for you all. Keep being amazing and I'll hear form you soon!!!

Love,

Elder Smith

27 July 2015

This week has been phenomenal duh ha ha. The truth is that nothing too exciting happened but nonetheless it was an awesome week. Wednesday we were walking near the church when it started to downpour. A lot. So naturally we head over to shelter and the since all the youth were there for mutual night we naturally decided to soak ourselves and play soccer in the flooded court. It was fantastic.

Then Thursday or Friday, I don't remember but everything fell through in the morning so we were tracting and we found this amazing guy, Jesús Antonio, we barely were able to talk maybe 20 minutes but he came to church Sunday and loved it and I'm just pumped to teach him this week. 

Honestly one of the best moments of the week was Sunday in sacrament meeting. I don't even know why but it was just amazing. The talks were great, and for some reason I just felt happier than usual. It was the right place to be. I loved one of the talks where they talked about how home should be your own little piece of heaven. And it's true. Your home should be somewhere where you feel comfortable with yourself and all those around you. It should be a place where you can learn. It should be heavenly basically. I'm forever grateful to my parents for making our home exactly as such. 

Even though my week was rather uneventful it was nonetheless fantastic. Sorry for the short quick letter but I don't have too much time today. 

I love you all and hope you keep being amazing. As always have the best week ever and do something unexpected. Love you all tons!

Elder Smith

23 July 2015

So this has been one of the most amazing weeks ever. Like get a comfy seat y'all cause I'm about to get started. 

So to start it all off,i  got to have interviews with the new mission president here and that was just a great time. Before it was my turn I was waiting in the offices and chilling when I noticed La Hermana Robbinson sitting by herself trying to learn Spanish. I realized that no one in the room spoke English except me at the time so I decided to go talk to her. Perhaps I killed her study time, haha, but I had a really nice conversation with her. She's amazing just saying. She reminds me a lot of my own mom. She has a son serving in Japan right now who as chance would have it, entered the MTC the exact same day that I did, so there's a very slim chance that i saw her drop off her son or saw her son there. I like to think that that happened so I can claim that I knew them first of all the mission haha. We were talking and she was telling me how crazy everything is in life. Learning Spanish, home things, all that but then we talked about one of my favorite scriptures from the sermon on the mount. 

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

I love the message there and its so applicable to life. We are full of stresses and struggles. We have more than we can handle on our plate every day. We have no clue what tomorrow will bring but He knows. If we just stop worrying and put our faith and trust in the hand of the Lord. it's all okay. Tomorrow will come and we will love it because God has prepared us and we trust Him. He will clothe us, feed us, love us, teach us, and care for us in every way. Worry is for those who don't understand the plan of God. For those who aren't ready to see Him. so if you're worrying do what you need to to be the clean and ready person God needs you to be, then stop worrying and just love life for all its beauty.

After talking with Sister Robbinson for a bit she was needed by the assistants and after talking another five minutes President called me to the interview. President is amazing. one of the most loving people I've ever met in my life. He taught me about the importance of love. How we truly need to follow the commandment to love first God and then everyone else. When we truly love everyone, things work out better, we are happier, and well, life's just good.

Then saturday I got to baptize. It was so so nice. the joy you feel when you help someone enter the waters of baptism cannot be aptly described. But it's amazing. 

From left to right. Elder Hernandez, Hermano Héctor, me, Juan

in front. Some kid who wanted to join the pic and Luis

It was so awesome. Luis´ Mom invited tons of family and what not so we had to hold the talks and hymns in the chapel. In the service as well us missionaries sang "Hark All Ye Nations" and I got to solo the first verse so that was fun too.

The baptisms were awesome I really enjoyed it. I got to baptize Juan and his mom was able to come, even though she didn't want him to get baptized it was good that she could be there. It had a certain tinge of a catholic style baptism haha because the mom of Luis put up a whole refreshment table for afterwards with pepihuates and cupcakes and such things. So you all know pepihuates are deliciusly amazing. They're japanese peanuts (peanuts covered in a flour based shell) in a cup with diced cucumber on top. You pour on some tomato/clam juice some chamoy and hot sauce. Add in some chile dusted tamarind and wahlah. good stufff. But the whole thing looked straight up like a wedding reception haha. It was awesome and everyone had a great time.

We're working hard to keep the work moving here.

Benjamín is amazing to talk to. He is just open to giving it a shot. We are teaching him with his whole family. He's the only non member though and its really a good experience for all.

Consuelo and her kids are great as well, unforturnately she got sick and we couldn't see her much last week but this week should be awesome. They all are reading and praying and basically being awesome in all ways shapes and forms.

also found a super cool dog this week

We are now allowed to knock on doors and tract. (before it was pure street contacting and references) so we are trying to learn how to do that so its kinda fun. so far no one has slammed the door so that's good haha. (although it has happened several times before while looking for references etc) any good ideas are welcome haha

Also in the baptism, another awesome thing. IT RAINED AGAIN. I was changing in the bathroom just afterwards and thunder cracked so loud and so fierce. It shook the whole building. IT WAS AMAZING. It was the best thing that could've happened. I love rain so much and thunderstorms even more even though it only lasted an hourish I felt like someone was pleased with my efforts. It was a really really good day.

also selfie with Bishop Muñoz

I found a great backpak today as well. 10/10 would reccommend for the mission haha

Oh and then Sunday in the third hour Presidente Montes was giving the lesson in Elders Quorum and said something i feel like parents would like haha. 

He talked about the gratitude he felt for his parents and the help they gave him in being obedient. He told us of a time when he told his mom he was sick of all the rules and told here to basically "stop choking me!". His mom responded. "If you were falling off a cliff, I don't think you would care how tightly i was holding you. I just don't want you to fall." Sometimes we feel like the commandments or the rules or whatever are too strict, that we just can't, myself included obviously, but there's someone that just doesn't want us to fall and He´s stretching out and grabbing us tight so we don't fall. The rules are for our good. It's something really hard to learn and even harder to apply but the blessings of obedience out weigh any momentary happiness you may feel with eternal joy. As Presidente Monte´s Dad told him as he was deciding between a full ride scholarship and the mission. "Is what your choosing helping you prepare for an eternal family?" Keep being amazing all of you. keep being happy. Don't worry and just have faith. Life's good and even better when we are obedient and choose the right. It's been an awesome time here in Mexico and I hope it's been the same to you all. Have the best week of your life and I'll talk to you all soon!

Love forever,

Elder Smith