June, 23, 2015 - 9 Months

Mi familia eterna,

So glad everyone had a wonderful time in So Cal and you were able to spend time with family and relax and Matt was able to carry on the Smith family legacy. So sweet that he will be doing that. Very proud of you Matt. Loved the talk that you summarized Dad from Aunt Pam, our district meetings for the next little while will be focused weekly on the Christ like Attributes from Chapter 6. Today we had one on Faith. I focused on the relation that exists between covenants and our faith.

On that topic, my companion and I have begun to make various covenants with our Father in Heaven. One of them that we are in the midst of is to contact 1000 people in this week. That’s 142.5 every day. Yesterday we ran like crazy and in 4 hours of working (and amidst family nights and lessons) we contacted 150 people. Never done that in my whole mission. It was fun and we came home exhausted but with a bunch of addresses to visit and lots of faith. Covenants are so powerful. A two-way promise is what we always say. We expect something from God? Make covenants. Hay de hacerlo.

The Amatitlan Stake had stake conference this last Sunday. Elder Sam Galvez from the Area Seventy came and spoke. He was awesome! One example and teaching he gave the stake on Saturday was really powerful. He had a pair of missionaries from a certain ward come up and ask them who was their investigator that was closest to baptism. They said ''Allen''. Then he said ''Allen will be inactive in 2 years.'' The sisters started to protest as anyone would but he continued and said ''No, it doesn’t matter, he will become inactive.” He then proceeded to state some statistics about he retention of converts in the stake and it was true. Based on probability, Allen in 2 years or less would become inactive. Then he said ‘‘would you like the change the story?'' Of course we would. ''If so, from now on, you are forbidden to teach Allen in the house of Allen.'' And then he challenged the missionaries to never teach their investigators in their houses. It is so true. I love the members that offer us their houses. I love the members who I more or less force to let our investigators be taught in their houses. There is so much more power in a lesson with the support and spirit of the faithful member home.

Mom, yesterday for pday we woke up, studied, taught a lesson at 9 to a girl that will be baptized on the 5th of June, and then ate ice cream, bought our groceries, and then bought fried chicken to bring back to the house. We brought out 2 chairs and a table to the side of our street in front of our house and had a nice lunch of fried chicken (the stomach is stronger than the mind!) and then played soccer in the street. It was a blast. Then at 5 we left the start of another wonderful week in the Work of Salvation. Lovin it.

 Hope everyone has a good week and can remember Christ always,

Love,

Elder Smith