July 26, 2016 Let’s Go!

Not too much has happened lately. We are finishing up this change and month, one week left. Then I shall be starting my last change and full month in my beloved Guatemala. How strange is that! As a mission right now we are very close to achieving our goal of 200 baptisms and 70% retention. We just need a final push to the end, hence the ''Lets go!'' It will be fun.

Elder Diaz and I had a great week. We were in our area the whole week, doing 3 divisions with 3 different pairs of zone leaders in our own area. I like that a lot better than going to their area. Here, I can create and influence situations of finding and teaching so that they can learn better and then go back and apply that to their own area. That is what Salt Lake wants us to do. The Doctrine of Example. It was a good break from travelling all change and being able to support my own ward. We put the goal to not knock doors (I haven’t for 6+ months now) and to just visit the members in their homes. We received over 20 member referrals. I think that as missionaries we forget that we are here to Establish the Church. For me, knocking doors has become the last option. So many other things to do and more effective ways to work. Working with the members is not easy, but so worth it. I wish I started my mission with this mindset. Take notes Matthew!

President Markham took us all to Santiago Atitlan on Saturday as you saw in the pictures I sent. It was so fun. Guatemala has so many distinct cultures. I love it. There they speak a dialect called Sutujil, its a weird throat clicking language. President told us stories and taught us all the there and back. So fun to be with him. He is very wise. Always ready to take time out to teach. Yesterday I went to his house and he taught me about ties and dressing for success for 5 minutes and after my temple recommend interview he took time out of his busy schedule to teach me about prayer. Love that guy.

I am loving life. I don’t know anything other than being a missionary. That’s why its hard sometimes to think about September 14th....ugh.

We will be switching ward for my last change in the mission. We are flip flopping over to the secretaries’ ward and them to ours. Salt Lake wants us to be in the best ward in the stake and so that’s what we are doing. I went there yesterday to see how it is over there and I am so excited. There will be lots of success in August.

Love you guys. Keep asking me questions so I know what to write about!

Elder Smith

 Saturday, July 23, 2016

  We went to a place near Solola called Santiago Atitlan. Santiago is the big volcano and Atitlan is the name of the lake. Very beautiful and different culture there. 

 President Markham took the 6 of us together in his car. It was fun to be with him and to hear his wisdom!