March 22, 2016 - Holy Week

So here we are in Semana Santa for the last time! This time around it's going to get crazier than last year because Chimaltenango has a much heavier Catholic influence than Linda Vista (where I spent it last year). Last time literally no one was in their house and it was the most boring week ever. Things have changed now that I’m in the mountains and I am prepared!

That was a cool picture you guys took at Big Ben. I think I am the only family member that hasn’t been there now.... No matter I am doing much more important things! Just kidding, but now I have an excuse to ask you to take me there Dadio. Crazy that you guys visited Heidi. I would most definitely feel strange if someone I knew visited me! I always get really nervous when white people talk to me. I don’t know why! I’ll have to overcome that weakness soon or that could become a problem come September... Where else are you guys going in Europe?

So this past week was awesome. We didn’t have any meetings or anything and we just worked worked worked. It felt so good. Couple of highlights

1. We found a family. OF 30 PEOPLE. It was literally the craziest lesson I have ever taught. Elder Diaz and I took out the ward directory again and went on a less active-hunt. We were looking for this big family of less actives and their direction would be something like this if it was in Granite Bay: ''On the road to the lake, Douglas BLVD, CA'' So pretty much we searched in vain...or so we thought! We went to a small village like place and started asking people if they knew anything that had the last name of the people we were looking for. Turns out that everyone in that part of our area has that last name... But at one of the houses we stopped at we saw a bunch of people hanging around, like 20 kids playing in the porch and 15 adults busy cooking dinner and such. And naturally we gathered every last one to the porch, sat down and started to teach. We found 22 people in one lesson that are in the baptizable age. Unfortunately, 29 out of the 30 went to Escuintla for Semana Santa on Sunday, but we brought Jose Luis to church, an 82 year old man that was just living the dream with us on the Sabbath Day. More updates on them to come.

2. Yesterday we had a water balloon fight in 60 degree weather. Were not in Escuintla anymore Dorothy!

3. Edgar still is repenting and has not been baptized yet. We have a long ways to go still but the faith is strong.

4. We went to Comalapa again. Sometimes Branches in Guatemala blow my mind. Elder Diaz and I want to be the branch presidents there haha.

I am loving life and the mission. Number 5 is that I realized that I have 18 months in Guatemala. 18 life changing months. I have loved every second.

Love you guys,

Elder Smith