Speaking English is hard to do now!

I met Bugsy from Bedtime Stories.

 

 

I forgot to burn a tie at 6 months so I went "back in time" to recreate that moment!

Keeping the tradition by burning a shirt at one year! 3-27-14

Hey Everybody!

I can't believe that school is going to end soon for Allison. I can't even imagine taking AP calculus, or however you spell it haha. I keep thinking to myself that when I get back to college, I might be totally dead because I don't remember a whole lot about math or anything. But I am positive that Heavenly Father will bless me witht that. Good luck everyone on your studies for the end of the year! You can do it!!! I am happy that I don't have to worry too much about studying for finals right now!

Mom congratulations on your new calling! I remember when you got released from the Young Women many years ago and you cried because you loved that calling sooo much! You are going to do such an AMAZING job with that calling. My testimony has grown sooo much during this past year about callings in the church. It is so crucial that we strive to fulfill every calling that the Lord gives us so that we can complete our convenio that we made at baptism, I don't know remember the word in English for "convenio" so I'm sorry, Mom help me out haha. (Covenant) But here in Peru there are a lot of people that take their calling as if they were nothing. I know that you will strive so hard to do an amazing job. And you are exactly right, Heavenly Father will bless you sooo much!

Right now my area has improved soooo much!!!!! We have found a few people to teach, not a lot, but I will take this blessing. We received a referral from the institute building here because that is where we meet for District Meeting and a guy gave us a referral of a girl named Laura Sandoval. She is 23 years old. She has been attending a different ward around here and she realized that there was a closer ward that she could attend and so they contacted us. This past Friday we went over to get to know her and oh my gosh she is sooo prepared! She goes to an institute class of the Book of Mormon and she is so interested in the Church. The missionaries never visited her where she used to attend church and so the lessons are new for her but she keeps every commitment that we leave her and she attends church with a smile on her face. We are looking forward to put a baptismal date with her this week for probably the 19 of April!! It will be sooo exciting since there hasn't been a baptism here for now 6 months. But Elder Supayabe and I are working really hard!

My Area is actually a pretty nice area. There are a lot of rich apartments here unlike in Jaen and the food is a little bit better and the pencionista cooks better as well. She makes tacos and lasagna and stuff. However there are a lot of dirt roads and dirt fields where dirt flies up in the air as I have told you guys. It gets so bad that you have to hide yourself before the dust cloud eats you all up!!! It's pretty funny though because Elder Supayabe sometimes hides behind me and screams as it goes flying past us. There are some poor areas as well, extremely poor areas like Jaen and in those areas it is pretty dangerous. I haven't gotten robbed here but I have seen 3 robberies happen while I have been here in those parts. We try to avoid them but it is kind of impossible. But we are protected. My area is actually Chiclayo, an outskirt of the main roads here in Chiclayo with tons of taxis and everything.

Things have gotten better here and I am excited to be here and I am excited that things are progressing! Things are going great with my companion. I really had to learn how to love him though. But we haven't had a problem this past week. I think that Heavenly Father...well...I know that He helped me out a whole lot because I really prayed for the gift of loving others. Now I get along with a lot more people and I have been able to understand my companion a lot more this past week. We work really hard and we both have desires to increase this work here in this area.

I can't believe that conference is already here! Just 6 months ago I was in Jaen about to watch and BAM! I am here! After this conference I just have 1 more in the mission. Time is going by really fast. I have learned a whole bunch and my testimony is SUPER strong about the church. I can't even describe it. Dad, remember how when we were companions for home teaching and I never really wanted to go. Man I look back at that and I just want to punch myself in the face a million times for being such a punk. I am so excited as well to get back and continue growing my testimony in the church and to continue working hard in the church. I can't wait to hear the prophet and the apostles and the leaders of the church give us our spiritual strength that we need. I can't wait to hear what I  need to hear right now. I hope we all can go with a sincere and open heart. 

I hit a year this past week...its nuts. It went by way fast. I am excited to work even harder. I want to go all out this next year.

I love you all. He loves you.

Elder Smith