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Les
Extraño y Les Amo!!!
 
These
weeks are really flying! Changes are in 2 weeks and I really can't believe
it. I really hope to stay here in Los Amautas for at least one more change
because I'm loving it. I LOVE the people here. I know all the streets
names and I really am learning a lot. My companion and I are really striving
to work hard since we are ending our missions soon. Elder Chavez ends his
mission in January and then I'll be out the next change and so we are really
freaking out because the time isn't slowing down. We are really blessed to be
together though. I really have learned a lot from him and I love where I'm at
right now. I really feel that the Lord is molding me because I see it inside
myself. My companion and I were talking the other day saying that the longer
we are out on our missions the better we know how to teach and contact, but we
also start to really understand the gospel and how important it is to keep
the commandments and we are just more joyful and happy. I love the mission. The
other night I was laying in bed humbled because I was thinking how I would be
if wouldn't have gone on a mission. This mission has changed me for the
better. My testimony is soooooooo strong right now and I'm excited to apply
the things that I have learned into my everyday life after my mission.
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This past week we had a leadership
council with the zls and the sister leaders and it was a great experience and
we left really pumped to finish our mission strong. Changes are in 2 weeks and I
hope that I can stay at least one more change and then my next area I would
have 3 more changes and end my mission there. I hope it is like that, but I'll
go where the Lord wants me to go.
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Anyway!
Daniel is looking good for Friday since it's his baptism! This past week we
taught him about fasting and he was able to do his 24 hour fast! He also paid
his offering to the church and so he is really prepared and even though he is
only 13, he is mature and is so excited to be baptized. He was really
persistent and even though his Dad didn't really want him to get baptized, he
kept striving, going to church, and doing all that was possible to prove that
he wants to be baptized.
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I want to thank each one of you guys for supporting me to go
on a mission. Yesterday a 20 year old boy came to church. He is from a little town called Ferreñafe
that is about 30 minutes from here. He
just came to visit one of his friends from our ward. He was baptized 2 years
ago and no one in his family is a member. He explained that a year ago he told
his family that he wanted to serve a mission. His mom and brother said that if
he went on a mission, he would have to forget that he was even a part of their
family. And that he would not return back with their acceptance in their home.
That really hit him hard because he really wanted to serve. He started to fast
and pray and he said that he found D y C 31 that promised him that the Lord
would take care of his family. He now is gonna start his papers soon and leave
in January. It really was a testimony builder for me. I thank you guys for your love and support
because a lot of missionaries don't have that. It humbles me because I am soo blessed to be
here and the Lord really is molding me because I can feel it and see it.
Dad, that is sooo tight that you were able to see one of
your mission comps after 27 years!!! That is a long time!! That makes me sad
though because I probably won't be able to see many of my comps. But I'll be
able to see Elder Nielson, Elder Taylor, Elder White, Elder Rich, Elder Santos,
and Elder Waite again...Well I hope so!!! So I'm blessed!
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Yesterday
we went on splits with the young men in our ward and I went to contact since
we need to find families. It ended up being really hard though! We couldn't
really get into any home. I knocked 36 doors and only 2 accepted us into
their house. Many of them were Catholics or Jehovah witnesses and wouldn't
even accept a card of Jesus Christ. I probably had like 25 doors slammed in
my face so it was a humbling experience as well. But one of those two people that
I talked to was an old lady probably 75 years old and she didn't accept
anything I had to say to her either but at the end of talking to her, she
asked me if I was REALLY sure that I was in the true church. That really has never
happened to me in my mission. Her question was so serious and she looked me
straight into my eyes. I was able to put a big smile on my face and with all
the confidence in the world, I told her, yes!!! I know that I'm in the true
church and that I'm doing the work of the lord and that I'm teaching the true
gospel. I told her about prophets and the priesthood and she just stood there
amazed and stunned I felt like.I gave her a pamphlet and left. It was so
powerful and I felt the spirit testifying of the words that I had said.
We are
teaching this lady who has 3 little girls and lives right in front of us and
sells Arroz con Leche everyday (which I absolutely love!) We contacted her about 2 weeks ago and this
past week as we went to teach her, she told us that she no longer lives with
her boyfriend and that she wants a new life. So I am so happy that we are
teaching her.
Me and
my comp were studying in Preach My Gospel this past week trying to find
ideas, scriptures, tools, etc...on how to find families and how we can teach
them better. It said a lot of times
how we just need to live the gospel to find the true joy in life and the life
hereafter. That will be my goal when I get back from my mission. So now we
are trying to explain the importance of temples and families and living the
gospel to all the people that we are finding and teaching
So many
experiences that I have had in just one week. I hope each one of you counts
your blessings of being in this gospel. It's true happiness.
I love
you.
He loves
you
Elder
Smith
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