June 10, 2019

Week 74: What whilt thou have me do?-Paul

This week was one I will never forget. So many things happened and I have learned so much. I hope I can remember the most important things to tell you guys. This week we had our Zone Conference with all the missionaries of Caborca. President Myers told us that we could teach anything we wanted to the missionaries but something that would help them progress and have more success in the work. We decided this week to fast to be able to recieve revelation to know what to do. This fast that we did was one of the hardest I had ever done. It was super hot, we were thirsty, and sometimes we felt like we could have fainted but we needed the extra help. In fact, that night when we slept my companion and I both woke up super early in the morning really week and we couldnt move. We were super thirsty and we kind of started to panic. Luckily, we could relax again and we feel asleep again.

I had an amazing experience that morning when we woke up. Before that point, we didnt really have an idea what to teach the missionaries and I was started to get stressed out. That morning, the alarm went off, and as soon I opened my eyes, I immediatley started thinking of the apostle Paul. I started to think in his life as a missionary and everything he went through. In my bed I turned my eyes to my night stand and saw my book "Jesus the Christ" by James Talmage (one of my favorite books) and I right away started to study the section that talks about Paul. I jotted down ideas and studied that morning about his life. I told my companion what had happened and we decided to teach the missionaries about Pauls conversion story and how our investigators can have a conversion. In the zone conference, we taught about the Pauls beautiful conversion story and life. I was truly grateful to be able learn of him and will always be an example to me. In some sense, I feel that Paul and I have went through similar experiences (except being in jail jaja) and we both have the same goal to be faithful servants our Heavenly Father.

This week as well with the fast that we did we were able to see many miracles. This week two of our investigators told us that they recieved an answer that the church is true. They said "When I said my prayer, I waited for an answer and I felt something and I started to cry but I dont know why." We were so amazed and explained that it was an answer from God. Those 2 people will be baptized the 29th of this month.

The last experience that I want to share happened this week as well. On saturday, we decided to say a prayer to be able to find a family that we could teach and be baptized. In the street, we said a prayer and as soon as we finished, we saw some kids outside a house and we went to go to talk with them. We started to teach them and soon their mom came out and presented herself and said her name was Merarith. She told us a little about herself and told us that she has had many problems in her life. We taught her a little and explained that if she would go to church that her life would be better and she could trust in the Lord. We invited her to church and said she would go. We told her the address and everything. Honestly I didnt think much about it. The next morning, we recieved a text message that said "Hi its Merarith I am getting ready to go!" She went! Even her kids. I am excited to see what is in store for her because we believe it was the family we have been searching for.

I love you all

Giddy Up

Elder Smith

1. Marieath and her family at church
2. Leon Bridges style
3. Caborca Zone in Rocky Point Zone Conference
4. The Dorks
5. Coming home from Rocky Point with Sister Myers
6-8. Dumb bike crash from getting chased by 4 dogs

June 3, 2019

Week 73: Caborca

This week was pretty cool. We recieved transfers and I found out that I will be staying Caborca again. Wow. That means that when I leave Caborca, I will have probably been here for 6 months. I love Caborca and honestly I wouldn't like to leave but, there isn't much here hahaha. Its ok because it just motivates us to preach the Gospel more. We say "well there's nothing to do, might as well just knock doors or teach." I had some really special experiences this week that I would like to share. This week we found an older man named Trinidad that went to church. We found him outside his house and he was delighted to see us. We took him to church and as soon as he saw our Branch President Panchito Jimenez, he got so happy and almost cried. They both gave each other a big hug and said "How have you been?" Its was truly a special sight. Small world (small Caborca). We have many people we are teaching and we have two people with baptismal dates for the 15th of this month. This week we also went to Hermosillo to have a Mission Counsel and it was pretty awesome. We feel super excited for this transfer! We had a really cool lesson with a young man named Ramiro. He is 16 and wants to go on a mission. We taught him about the Restoration and it was pretty awesome. He is going to be baptized on the 15th of this month! Something really special that happened this week, happened yesterday. There is a man in our ward named Tito Sotelo. He is 84 years old and since I came to Caborca he has been a special person to me. He has been a worker, cowboy, and faithful member of the church since he was young. I look up to him as a humble person, a faithful priesthood holder, and one who keeps his temple covenants. This Sunday, he asked if we could give him a blessing because he wasnt feeling very well. After church, we went to his house and there he was waiting with his wife. He greeted us in and sat down so we could give him the blessing. My companion annointed his head with oil and the spirit became strong. As I sealed the blessing, I felt a small portion of the love that the Lord had for Tito. The spirit I felt was something strong and sweet. My blessing was simple but I felt every word spoken. We finished the blessing, expressed our love and friendship for the Sotelo Family. As we left, I reflected on Gods kindness for all his children but especially his faithful children that live their covenants. I will look at Tito Sotelo as an example of that in my life. I love you all I thank all of you that do your best to stay true to the covenants you have made our Heavenly Father.