Elder Jacob F Smith: July 21, 2015

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