1-16-12

Hello everyone,

well today i only have 9 minutes to write so its gonna be cliff notes version.

 

i got to go back to la venta! it was way cool. hna patty who had the dreams about me and getting baptized and stuff got baptized this week and i got permision from president to go and baptize her. i got to see a lot of ppl from la venta and it was crazy to be there again. at times the mission flies by and others it seems like so long ago that i was a new missionary not knowing spanish or how to teach or anything when i got to la venta. it was so great to see the people there and to see some converts. the little boy is a convert of mine named josue and wouldnt stop hugging me the whole time i was there ha. he is great and is going to be an awesome missionary. he had a hard life. could barely read, worked 13 hours a day for 2 dollars and didnt have a good home life. he is now living with members and sang perfectly reading the hymn at the baptism and is at church every week. it is amazing the changes the gospel makes in lives. the hna patty was really excited too and it was really great. the baptism was at like 8 at night though so that was different and COLD! haha

 

we had a lot of miracles this week. we did exchanges with the assistants again and i went with elder barrios. we contacted references and ppl we'd talked to and made appointments with for like 2 and a half hours and nobody was there or would let us in. i kept a positive attitude (that has been the focus for me because of the talk by pres monson in the january liahona) or ensign, and i prayed for guidance. turned my head saw a house looked the other way and felt good about the first house. knocked the door. there were 30 boxes of beer outside, the lady came out and said "isnt it a little late to be out..." but we talked and preached the gospel to her and she let us in. she had two sons of 13 and 18 years and by the end the 18 year old that was playing video games at the start, cried because he knew god had sent us to give this message to his family that really needed it. that also made the mom cry and almost me hah. the spirit was really powerful.

 

also we are teaching another family and a 13 year old boy got and answer about the book of mormon. he said "i read and prayed and felt something really weird right here (pointing to his chest)" my comp said, "thats what it feels like when god answers us. it was a good feeling right? of peace and happiness?" and the boy (josue) said "Wow, god answered me". it was way cool and i felt the spirit.

 

also a daughter of a convert that has about 3 months in the church came to church this week. she had never talked to us before and didnt want to. we had a lesson with her and her and a step daughter of the same convert accepted to be baptized. it was way powerful too and i know something that the hna claudia (convert) has been waiting for, because almost no one in her fam accepts her.

 

okay well i am out of time. i love you all and miss you a ton. my time is running by fast and i am enjoying every minute of it and learning so much. i am thankful for my heavenly father for this opporutnidad and am so happy to be here and share the gospel. i know that this is true what i teach and that this is the true church of jesus christ witha living prophet in these days.

have a great week

 

love

 

elder smith