Hello Familia! Sounds like this was one busy week as always! Those pictures from the Amazing Race are sweet. Hope you had fun Matt, that was one of my favorite memories! Well done mom and dad on pulling off another Amazing Race, I know that that is quite a task. And how sad about that little boys funeral. Glad for the hope and direction and peace we have. And Kathryn WAY TO GO! Keep sharing the gospel with your friends. I promise nothing will make you happier.
This week. I titled this letter ''Firsts'' because thats what it was. I had my first baptism, my first talk, gave my first blessing, and other different priesthood ordinances in Spanish. It was awesome.
On Sunday it seemed like earth and hell were combining against us to stop the baptism but we did all we could, then stood still and watched the salvation of God. So the mission rule is that investigators have to go to church three times before baptism and that constitutes basically just being there for the Sacrament and usually the whole 1st hour. Our investigator was there at 8:45 and church starts at 9:00. So all was good...until he and his cousin left three minutes before Sacrament meeting ended without a word. AHHH!! We were searching all around for him and couldnt find him. Then, just as sacrament meeting had ended, he walked through the door. So we called President, the Assistants, President Monson, to see if we could still baptize him. We explained the circumstances and they gave us the go ahead.
The other thing(s). For some reason, two diligent missionaries (US) forgot to turn off the faucet in the font and one missionary, while he was giving his first 10 min talk in spanish (ME), saw water spilling out of the font room and into the hall. This was bad news.... So I hurried and closed my talk and then me and Elder Raudales ran to go clean up. All was well....until we tried to fill the font up again. The water turns off and on super randomly here and it decided to turn off when the water wasn't even to my knees. Whoops! Elder Raudales said ''You will probably have to perform a miracle in this baptism''. How comforting! But we did it. I said the ordinance in Spanish and we had no problems. It was funny because I had to lay him almost completely horizontal to immerse him completely and it was just different. So anyways, lesson learned: when you do all you can in the Work of the Lord, things will work out!
My talk went well too. I think. Who knows what I said! It was interesting how it even came to be that I was speaking. Sacrament meeting had actually started, and right after the announcements, Elder R stood up and told me that we had to each give 10 minute talks. My mind panicked for three seconds and then I found a couple scriptures while he was speaking and then stood up and said whatever I said. It was about how members can be an essential part of the work. They really are so important. All the converts that the Rio Santiago branch have had in the 3 months that it has been reopened have been through members. Just think about all that GB2 could do with 6 times as many members!
Random thing. Do you remember Sister Brewster who served in our ward? She has a twin serving in this mission. I saw her at the first change meeting and thought it was her. Small world.
I have had some wonderful spiritual experiences this week. Elder R and I have had some awesome companionship studies. By the way, he speaks better English than some of my friends, I forgot to mention that. We speak Spanglish and understand each other really well. During one of our studies he was teaching me something and then he paused and stopped for a little while and looked up at me and said ''Do you know why I am your trainer?'' "Umm no.'' ''Because I am an answer to your parents prayers.'' It caught me really off guard and the spirit bore witness to my soul that that was true. Then we talked about this great and grand plan that Heavenly Father has for each of us and just how perfect everything is.
I have also been thinking about another principle that I'd like to share. The hardest thing in this world is to overcome our selfish selves and trust in another. The hardest thing is to completely trust 100 percent in our Savior. But that is why we are here. To learn to trust that through him we can be perfect and exalted. And the most perfect form of trust? Love. If we love him perfectly, we will always always always keep his commandments. When we trust him with all our hearts, we will have no more disposition to do evil. I have just been thinking about that a lot and challenge this wonderful family to find ways to trust him more. You guys have taught me a lot about that throughout my years. Thank you for that.
Question Answering: I love the pictures. Keep em coming! The church building we attend is just a really small chapel. It has one hall leading up to a decently sized chapel where they do Sacrament and then lining the halls are 5 classroooms on each side and then somewhere in there is the baptismal font in the Relief Society room. Kinda confusing haha sorrry. There are 6 missionaries in my district. 4 elders and 2 hermanas. There are a bunch of missionaries in Santa Lucia - this makes up our zone. We do eat McDonalds every week. I try to eat pizza more because McDs does weird things to me. We have a cook that cooks us lunch when we want. She lives 15 minutes away and we walk there and pay her 15 quetz for lunch. She also cut my hair. Dad, I just want to say I'm sorry for ever complaining about your haircuts. You were a rockstar. Right now....lets just say the difference between a good haircut and a bad is 2 weeks - at least i hope! I have not received packages yet. I'll probably get them at the change meeting which is the first or second week of December. My body is treating me really good. Stomach good. Back excellent. Just waiting for my legs to get stronger so I can walk like I'm running! You would not believe how fast the missionaries walk. And you guys know me...I'm a turtle and don't like to move fast! And I will be providing zero information on sickness ever in the mission so don't ask that :) But really, I have been excellent, no problemas.
We had zone conference today. We watched this Elder Holland video that is incredible and you guys should watch it. It's about why missionary work never was or never is easy. Try to find it and show it if you can.
My comp and I are getting along super well and I am learning so much. He has been a leader for his whole mission and is famous.
I love you guys so much, have a good week.
Les amo,
Elder Freeman
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Elder Smith with the mission president and his wife
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