July 28, 2015 - Still in la Linda Vista

Hello mi familia gringa!

Those pictures from Aspen Grove look incredible. I have fond memores from that place. It seems like it was forever ago that we went there. How fun for you mom to be with your mom and sisters. I always love being in that environment because there is so much love and humor. The Throckmortons sure know how to laugh! I appreciated the short clip from mitch and aunt jenn and aunt lori and aunt karen. Really loved that and how strange it sounds to hear that mitchy is already home..and speaking spanish.  Time goes by fast. But glad that everyone could have a great week and learn a lot from those lectures.

This week I received my new comp Elder Casillas. He is from Coahuila Mexico and is 18 years old. It was quite difficult to say goodbye to Elder Duran. He turned out okay and now is in El Frutal more towards the capital. We had a ton of success together and we totally cried like girls a little bit in our last companionship inventory. I loved the spirit we felt together and how cool it was to watch him get converted and see so so so many miracles. Elder Casillas is my third kid I will be training. The zone says I am cursed to train  in linda vista for the rest of eternity. Kind of funny but I really love it. Being with new missionaries is always a little adventure. Elder Casillas was not expecting the type of mission that he entered into and we are now walking together side by side on the Road to Damascus where we come to a point where we say ''Who art thou Lord?'' And ''What wilt thou have me to do?''. It takes a while to come to the point where a new missionary asks that question, but when they do, the Lord answers them very quickly. It will be fun to see that process happen all over again. I dont know if I will be with him for 6 weeks or 12, but I will do my best.

Our investigator Rony got confirmed this past Sunday. Oh how I love that man. Cant explain it. Elder Casillas will be baptizing his first person in 6 hours. Her name is Froila and she is a 60 year old widow that the Lord put in our path 2 months ago when we were contacting in the street. She is the sweetest little old lady that I have ever met and the Lord just wants her in His Church. We have another for this Sunday, a teenager named Oliver. Pure member reference right there. 

As a zone amatitlan in August our goal is 81 baptisms. When we heard the goal we were all sort of shocked but the Lord put it and I know we can acheive. Every companionship needs to baptize 6. Very reachable goal and by the first Sunday Elder Casillas and I will have the third of our goal. If you could pray for that goal as well that would be great!

Well, I always want you guys to know how much I love you. Its a big love. Its hard to be far away and not able give hugs or anything, but I am just trying to work as hard as I can to show that love to the Lord. I love being a missionary. It is the hardest but most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Love,

Elder Smith

July 21, 2015 - HAY CAMBIOS!!!

Familia!

So here it is.......I’m getting transferred....to nowhere because I am staying in Linda Vista for another change!! Half a year in Linda Vista woooo!!! I will be training again and am super excited for it. Lets all pray for yet another hondureno because they are the best and he will be my fifth! The newbies are always great even though there is a little transition period when they cry for the wambulance and have to drag them along everywhere but it is the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. I am very sad to say goodbye to Elder Duran. He is incredible and will miss him so much. We have been through so much together in these past 3 months and he is a true brother that I have found in Guatemala. Such an amazing guy and we have seen much success together.

Sorry for writing a little late. Elder Duran had to go to the hospital today because he has something up with his stomach. We had to wake up at 4:45am and be at the hospital at 10. And we waited and waited....and waited for the mission nurse who didn’t show up til 2. It was weird just not doing anything so we decided to go out and look for an internet to write in. Which obviously led to us to getting lost in the capital ha-ha but it was great. He will be okay but its kind of lame because we wont have time for him to say goodbye to all of his converts tonight. The work goes on.

This Sunday we baptized another Tender Mercy of that Lord. His name is Rony Winter. He is 3 years older than you Dad. He was contacted 3 weeks ago in a bus by 2 sister missionaries and he promised them he would go to church. And he did. The following Tuesday we went to his house and within the first 5 minutes we had him challenged to a baptismal date. Then we began a short but eternally important journey that I cannot tell here. It was so special. 2 days before his baptism he began to weep in our lesson because he wanted to share what he felt and the change that he had with everyone. It helped me learn that when we use the Atonement in our lives EVERY DAY, sharing the gospel will be as natural as sharing a band-aid when someone gets cut. It begins and ends with conversion. Am I converted? is the question I have been asking recently. I always want the answer to be a firm and decided YES. I learned a lot from that from Alma 32 this week. I used to think that Alma 32 was just a fun analogy of how faith is a tree (even in my farewell talk!) but I read it this week and with new eyes I found a whole chapter on how to be converted. I love that for the first half of the chapter it speaks about humility. Pride and conversion are like oil in water. The leader of the group of poor people says ''What shall we do?'' I have been in that mentality on my mission. I have been compelled many times to be humble so much so that I have asked myself in that moment ''What shall I do?” and I promise you that every time the Lord has answered. And that is where conversion begins. And that is what I saw in Rony. He had so much baggage loaded upon him from his past and I saw him metaphorically ask that question ''What shall I do'' and the Lord answered. Again, remind me to tell you the story of hermano Rony's conversion in some future time.

I love the mission. I am enjoying every single day. It never gets old and I don’t want to leave. Lovin it. Love you guys

Elder Smith

 Sunday, July 19, 2015    

Rony's baptism day with Elder Duran and Elder Smith

Monday July 20, 2015  -   Early am studies and ...Oops!

July 14, 2015 - Conversion

Conversion is the change that the Holy Ghost makes in our hearts to align our works and desires to those of the Father. I think I am becoming converted. I can see my investigators and converts becoming converted. I see it in my young companion. Can we help those around us become converted if we are not on the path ourselves? I have been studying this topic for some time now and I am beginning to see the changes I want. There is SO FAR to go but to say that there is are steps taken is a step in the right direction. Dad I love what you wrote me because I also have been studying that process in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is just one great story of the process of conversion and unconversion of the Lord's People. Also I love what Aunt Lori sent me about ''The Music of the Gospel''. I wrote her back and said ''The Gospel teaches and the Spirit converts.'' Love the learnings!

This week was pretty slow. It was the first week in 13 weeks that this district hasn’t baptized. It was a good streak! So many miracles but this week was just hard to find the people that are ready. But these next couple of weeks we are gonna get rolling again and find all the people that want to repent. Teaching a guy right now and he is teaching me a ton about repentance. When I get home one day you have to ask me about the conversion of Rony. or in the phone call in a couple months. Mom, the changes aren’t until next week on Wednesday. So crazy that Matt had yet another trip to Bro Hansen. You’re supposed to be at the lake to save lives and not to get saved! A guy from the ward showed me a picture that you put on Instagram of your gnarly cut. What a guy! Love you guys and love that you are always there for me. I'll cut this a bit short so I can send photos.

Be converted!!

Elder Smith

Steakhouse Restaurant in Antigua

 July 6, 2015  -  Antigua

July 5th Baptism of Julio, brother of Katarin

June 28th, 2015

July 7, 2015 -Another week in Guate

Hello my dear family!

Greetings from Amatitlan, Guatemala. I am in the area of my Zone leaders right now on divisions. This is the first time I have left my area in all my time here in Linda Vista and I feel weird. So used to living and working in that area. If everything goes like I think it will, this is my almost last week in Linda Vista because I'll probably have changes. But who knows because the Lord's plan is His plan and not mine! But anyway, I'll be missing this place in my other area because it has changed my life. Every week has been so satisfying and I have baptized a lot of people that I have grown to love with my whole heart and the members are so incredible and more than anything I am more converted than ever. It was very difficult to leave my first area but I think it will be double to leave the second.

Couple highlights from this week

1. Baptized a 14-year-old named Julio. He is the brother of Katarin. Katarin is already preparing to serve a mission. Katarin got confirmed.

2. Got interviewed by the Amatitlan TV network. The zone did a service day with the stake. We planted trees and cleaned the building and washed chairs and swept the block around the street. At the end of the activity a tv crew showed up and they caught a gringo in action planting trees.... Maybe the interview is on the internet, look it up maybe?? It was funny and super random.

3. Went to Antigua again yesterday for zone p-day. I love that place. If we ever get to come here as a family, we have to go to Antigua. I dulged a little bit and ate at a steakhouse.... it was so delicious. Bought a cool shirt and a couple binders and notebooks. Took some sweet photos that I'll try to send in a little bit.

4. Interviews with President Markham. Still have to write down all I learned in my journal. Remember that when we pray, we kneel at an altar.

Thats about all that I remember from this week. This past week went by SO fast. Couldn't believe it on Sunday night. Days and weeks just blend together. I love being a missionary. I am trying right now to just be better and not let the days pass by without being a different 'Elder Smith' every day. It's hard and I'm still not super good at it but I'm getting there. Jesus Christ will take me there.

My favorite chapter from the Book of Mormon this week was Alma 24. It is divided up in the Testimony of Anti Lehi Nephi (king) where he bears his testimony of the atonement in a different way and a testament of the covenant that the ex-lamanites made with the Lord. Loved that and could apply so many different aspects of the story to my life and where I'm at as a disciple of Christ.

''Mighty Prayer'' is the Sacrifice we give to the Lord. 3 quick follow up questions. Who sacrificed the most in human history? What was He doing when He did it? How can we follow His example?

Love you guys a ton,

Elder Smith

 Zone Pday in Antigua -       Elder Smith and Elder Duran