Buuuuenos
familia,
The moment you’ve
all been waiting for....New companion!! His name is Elder Martinez from
Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He is an excellent missionary. New district leader and
has 13 months in the mission. We are getting along really well and I am trying
to put into practice all I learned from Elder Palma in regard to unity and
demonstrating love to others. It was hard to say goodbye to Elder Palma but he
sent me an email saying that he has like 5 dates planned for this week so I don’t
think he is missing me too much. This is going to be a fun change and one of
miracles! This is my 3rd change in Rio Santiago and I never want to leave these
people that reject me so often! Seriously I love this area and the people here
and I think I know the land better than some of the people that live here!
Kayler didn’t
get baptized this week. This is like the 3rd time that this has happened (we
have interviewed him and then something happens on Sunday and he doesn’t get
baptized) and I was really frustrated this Sunday because this has happened so
often and because I truly wanted to start off this change with Elder Martinez
with a baptism. I was actually frustrated this time (which is weird because I
am usually even keeled and all that stuff you have told me mom) and impatient
and a little bit angry. All emotions that impede the Spirit and His Guide. In
my prayers on Sunday night I asked Heavenly Father what I need to learn and why
Kayler hasn’t been baptized yet (he could’ve been baptized the 28th of
December!) and complaining, etc. And then He told me to read the following
morning in Preach My Gospel the Patience section in Developing Christlike
Attributes. And regularly when He tells me something I try to be obedient...so
I read it and the following scriptures. ''Bear with patience thine afflictions,
and I will give unto you success.'' Bam. Answer from the Book of Mormon.
Piercing the heart of Elder Smith! I love those moments. I learned that when
our actions are full of hope and faith, we won’t have to worry about the Lords
timing. We just have to be patient and do ALL WE CAN to bring to pass the fruit
of His Work. That was my revelation/Book of Mormon moment of the week. If you
guys could send me some of your own I would love that!!!
Elder Martinez
is a stud! He doesn’t speak any English really so I am really glad I have
learned to communicate a little bit. Elder Palma helped me a ton with that. We
spent P day cleaning the house. This house is always filthy and has burnt sugar
cane pieces all over it that we sweep out daily. I don’t think I’ve mentioned
that but the peeps burn the sugar cane before they waste their lives cutting it
and there is always ''black snow´'' as they call it in the air and in our
clothes and in our house! Elder Martinez walks even faster than Elder Palma and
Elder Raudales. We are working like locos and we are so exhausted all of the
time but it feels so good.
On Saturday
night we had a Fellowship Night at a members house. 30 members and one new
investigator showed up so it was a good turnout. One funny thing that always
happens at family nights, fellowship nights, sacrament meeting, Sunday school,
elders quorum is that whenever the speaker runs out of material or if he/she
feels uncomfortable they will always without fail say ''I don’t know, what do
the Elders think?'' That is like the key word that means Elders take over. So I
always have to treasure up the words of life at all times to be ready for these
moments! During this particular fellowship night last Saturday they, for some
reason, had set up a huge sound system with a microphone and music and
everything in this tiny, tiny, tiny, little house. So when this moment came I
jumped right up there and preached from the Book of Mormon and shared a message
about obedience. And Elder Martinez is a little shy and had never done this in
his life so this branch and I had to coax him up to the mic on his 3rd day here
and edify the members! It was awesome and a really cool way to introduce him to
the members.
Btw....there was
some craziness that happened during changes and I lost my memory card for my
camera....I have basically sent all the cool pictures that I have taken and
Elder Palma has all the pictures of everything for this past change. Well
actually I have them because I have his SD card! Like I said some craziness
happened. But don’t worry I will take care of this new one and take tons of
pictures.
Glad Kathryn had
a sweet bday. Tell Grandma to get better and that I will continue to pray for
her every night. I have a prayer list that I pray for every night and know that
Alan and Lisa and Matthew and Kathryn Smith are on it every night! I hope
everything is well. Keep enduring to the End. If you must change- change. Never
forget to love a little more.
Elder Smeet
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