April 15, 2019
Week 66: Una Semana de Gratitude
This week was very interesting. We had ups and downs but I can truly say that Heavenly Father has been on our side the entire way. To start of, I turned 20 this week! It was very special to be able to spend my birthday here in Caborca and it was pretty rad. In the morning on my birthday, my converts from Obregon gave me a call to wish me a Happy Birthday. It made my day! It was so cool that they remembered! It was the best gift I could have recieved that day. We had a really cool District Meeting with the other missionaries and they brought me a cake! I didn't see but as soon as they finished singing, they pulled out noise makers out of their pockets and surprised me! It was super rad.
One of the funniest things that happened this week was a person named Francisco. We contacted him and started to teach him. He was saying some things that were so funny that I was crying laughing. We taught about baptism and how it is the only way to return to live with God. After teaching him we asked him the same question multiple times .... "what do we need to go to heaven?" He would say.. "behave ourselves". And we would say "Yes, we need to keep the commandments and also get baptized. Baptism is a commandment." Then we asked "what is the commandment that we are supposed to follow?" and he kept saying "behave ourselves". This happened like 3 times. Then my companion read 3 Nephi 27:20 and its says: "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." and then we asked, "What is the commandment?" and he sighs and yells "WELL BAPTISM" I was crying laughing. We spent like an hour trying to help this guy to understand the purpose of baptism. It was so funny. We should've just read the scripture in the first place.
Something difficult that happened this week was the baptism we were going to have. We were going to baptize a man named Manuel but seriously a half an hour before the baptism, he decided that he didnt want to be baptized. We had already had everything ready. We filled the font and made the program and he decided not too. We are still working with him but I would ask you all to pray for him so that one day (maybe this transfer) he will be baptized. That day was extremely tough for me. For a couple hours, I can honestly say that I was over it. I was super tired of the mission and all the problems that happened. But, the next day, we had a fantastic day. I know the Lord blesses us in our times of need. When we think that we don't have the strength to go on and move on, that is when the power of the Atonement gives us power beyond our own.
The next day, we as missionaries gave talks in sacrament meeting. It was a great experience. I talked about what I wrote in my last letter. I talked about Knowledge, Understanding, and Intelligence. Even though we felt good about speaking, no one had arrived to church and we were bummed out because we thought that no one was going to come. As my companion was talking, we saw the door open and.... in walked MIRIAM and her AUNT that has not been to church for awhile. We were freaking. After church, they told us that they really enjoyed everything. We weren't there but we were told that Miriam said that she loved church and wants to be baptized. What a cool experience. We are going to baptize her this transfer! I am very grateful for the week we had and I hope that you can join us in our prayer so that Miriam can get baptized and that all will turn out well. Thanks so much and I love you alll!
This week was very interesting. We had ups and downs but I can truly say that Heavenly Father has been on our side the entire way. To start of, I turned 20 this week! It was very special to be able to spend my birthday here in Caborca and it was pretty rad. In the morning on my birthday, my converts from Obregon gave me a call to wish me a Happy Birthday. It made my day! It was so cool that they remembered! It was the best gift I could have recieved that day. We had a really cool District Meeting with the other missionaries and they brought me a cake! I didn't see but as soon as they finished singing, they pulled out noise makers out of their pockets and surprised me! It was super rad.
One of the funniest things that happened this week was a person named Francisco. We contacted him and started to teach him. He was saying some things that were so funny that I was crying laughing. We taught about baptism and how it is the only way to return to live with God. After teaching him we asked him the same question multiple times .... "what do we need to go to heaven?" He would say.. "behave ourselves". And we would say "Yes, we need to keep the commandments and also get baptized. Baptism is a commandment." Then we asked "what is the commandment that we are supposed to follow?" and he kept saying "behave ourselves". This happened like 3 times. Then my companion read 3 Nephi 27:20 and its says: "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." and then we asked, "What is the commandment?" and he sighs and yells "WELL BAPTISM" I was crying laughing. We spent like an hour trying to help this guy to understand the purpose of baptism. It was so funny. We should've just read the scripture in the first place.
Something difficult that happened this week was the baptism we were going to have. We were going to baptize a man named Manuel but seriously a half an hour before the baptism, he decided that he didnt want to be baptized. We had already had everything ready. We filled the font and made the program and he decided not too. We are still working with him but I would ask you all to pray for him so that one day (maybe this transfer) he will be baptized. That day was extremely tough for me. For a couple hours, I can honestly say that I was over it. I was super tired of the mission and all the problems that happened. But, the next day, we had a fantastic day. I know the Lord blesses us in our times of need. When we think that we don't have the strength to go on and move on, that is when the power of the Atonement gives us power beyond our own.
The next day, we as missionaries gave talks in sacrament meeting. It was a great experience. I talked about what I wrote in my last letter. I talked about Knowledge, Understanding, and Intelligence. Even though we felt good about speaking, no one had arrived to church and we were bummed out because we thought that no one was going to come. As my companion was talking, we saw the door open and.... in walked MIRIAM and her AUNT that has not been to church for awhile. We were freaking. After church, they told us that they really enjoyed everything. We weren't there but we were told that Miriam said that she loved church and wants to be baptized. What a cool experience. We are going to baptize her this transfer! I am very grateful for the week we had and I hope that you can join us in our prayer so that Miriam can get baptized and that all will turn out well. Thanks so much and I love you alll!
Giddy up,
Elder Smith
1. Con Miriam
2. Si me vieran ahora
3. Mi Pastel
4. Asco
5. Un cantante famoso de Carborca
April 8, 2019
Week 65: Una semana muy especial
This week was pretty special. We had some pretty cool things happen to us. We truly saw miracles this week and I will do my best to explain what I have learned and how amazing this work is. Last week we assisted church and we saw all the youth give talks about seminary and what they had learned. It was super special to be able to hear the testimonies of each of one the youth and what they had learned about Doctrine and Convenants. We saw a young girl that was sitting up on the stand that we had never seen before. After the service, we asked the seminary teacher who she was and she told us that she wasn't a member and that she had gone to church many times and was currently assisting seminary. We said WHAT!! We couldnt believe it. We asked her if the missionaries had gone to her house and the teacher told us no. She told us that she was going to be in seminary this week and we could go to meet her and join the class. We were super excited! Seminary has a special spot in my heart. I remember from the beginning that's where my testimony started to grow at a faster pace and became stronger. We went to seminary and wow what a special class. I can sincerely say that we felt a spirit different and very beautiful. I loved seminary. I would recommend it to anyone that can attend.
After the class we talked to the young girl and we taught her this week. She is super special. We can tell that she is definitely ready to be baptized. This Tuesday we will go to teach her and we need your prayers! Her name is Miriam and we would love it if you all could join us in a special prayer so that she can accept to be baptzied!
This week I have been thinking a lot of learning. It maybe sounds strange but, I feel like this week I have been learning how I can learn better. A huge role model in my life is David Bednar an modern day apostle. He is a very smart man, I love listening to his simplicity in teaching and helping us to be independent learners. I have been thinking about one of my favorite quotes from his talk "Gather together in one all things in Christ" that says:
The purpose and purification, the happiness and joy, and the continuing conversion and protection that come from “yielding [our] hearts unto God” and “[receiving] his image in [our] countenances” cannot be obtained merely by performing and checking off all the spiritual things we are supposed to do. Rather, the power of the Savior’s gospel to transform and bless us flows from discerning and applying the interrelatedness of its doctrine, principles, and practices. Only as we gather together in one all things in Christ, with firm focus upon Him, can gospel truths synergistically enable us to become what God desires us to become6 and endure valiantly to the end.
If someone was to ask me "what is one of the most important things you have learned on your mission" I could say many things. But, one the most important things that I have learned in my mission and have tried to put practice is that we cannot become spiritual sufficient people by just "going through the motions" or checking off a list of all the spiritual things we are supposed to do. Elder Bednar says in his book "Increase in learning" he teaches three types of learning that I have pondered this week and I think it is essential in our learning so that our testimony is strong. Our testimony is "organic" and "living" like Jeffrey R Holland says. If we do not nuture it, it will die.
This week I have learned so many things. I am also so thankful for Conference and because we were able to listen to the voice of God through his holy Prophets and servants. When we sustained the Prophet President Nelson this week in the Conference, I felt a strong and deep confirmation that he is the Prophet of God. I love this church. I love this work. I testify that the true happiness that you are searching for is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being obedient to his commandments. I love you all.
Giddy up (Kramer)
Elder Smith
April 1, 2019
Week 64: The Power of the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ
This week was something very special and something I will never forget. I have literally been waiting to tell you all this for so long and I am so happy to be able to share this with all of you. This week, our Sister Missionaries had a ton of success. They baptized 3 people this week. Two of them were little girls and the other was a woman. The woman that was baptized name is Karla and I hope that her story helps you at home in your life.
I arrived with my companion at Karla's house to do a baptismal interview so that she could be baptized the next day (we are zone leaders and as leaders we interview people so that they are ready to be baptized.) The cool thing was that I had met their family before but her and her boyfriend were'nt there the last time that I went. We arrived and I met her and I could tell at first that she was a really rad person. I told her that I was going to interview her so that she good get baptized the next day. Unfortunately, during the interview, due to some rules as missionaries, if a person tells us certain things, we cannot approve their baptism without Presidents permission. She opened up to me and told me some things that I was unsure of and somethings that she had done in her past. I told her that I don't have keys to repentance so the case would have to go to the mission president. I told her that I was unsure and that for then, she would have to wait until we could talk to President. She was heartbroken. It was painful to see and hear her desire to be baptized becuase she had been waiting for so long and her and her boyfriend were going to be married the next day so that she could get baptized. She was devastated and it broke my heart to see her pain.
We finished the interview and I tried to call the mission president. After an hour of waiting, he answered and I explained the situation in private. President said that he didnt have time to come down and visit her and have an interview in person so he told me to have me call him back so that they both could have a phone interview. After the call with President, I explained to Karla what was going to happen and told her that everything was going to be alright. I expressed to her that we loved her and I gave her the phone. After about an hour in private in her home, my companion and I and the sisters waited outside to see what was going to happen. It was very difficult. After an hour she came out looking calm and with eyes wet with tears. She said "Tomorrow I am going to be baptized, and your mission president wants my husband to baptize me." We all leaped for joy. It was a moment of pure happiness. Joy that came from our Heavenly Father. When her boyfriend arrived, they hugged each other so hard and her boyfriend came over to us and gave us a big hug. We smiled and we cried. We were at peace and we felt hope. Over all, we felt the love of our Savior Jesus Christ and his Atonement.
Afterwards, we decided to go to our house so that her boyfriend could borrow some baptismal clothes and he needed and a coat. so I lent him my suit coat. They thanked us then left. They next day was even more special. We got up early in the morning to go with everyone to go see them get married in the Registro Civil. They said their vows and were married. What a beautiful experience! And we are even more excited to see them when they get sealed in the temple!
I arrived with my companion at Karla's house to do a baptismal interview so that she could be baptized the next day (we are zone leaders and as leaders we interview people so that they are ready to be baptized.) The cool thing was that I had met their family before but her and her boyfriend were'nt there the last time that I went. We arrived and I met her and I could tell at first that she was a really rad person. I told her that I was going to interview her so that she good get baptized the next day. Unfortunately, during the interview, due to some rules as missionaries, if a person tells us certain things, we cannot approve their baptism without Presidents permission. She opened up to me and told me some things that I was unsure of and somethings that she had done in her past. I told her that I don't have keys to repentance so the case would have to go to the mission president. I told her that I was unsure and that for then, she would have to wait until we could talk to President. She was heartbroken. It was painful to see and hear her desire to be baptized becuase she had been waiting for so long and her and her boyfriend were going to be married the next day so that she could get baptized. She was devastated and it broke my heart to see her pain.
We finished the interview and I tried to call the mission president. After an hour of waiting, he answered and I explained the situation in private. President said that he didnt have time to come down and visit her and have an interview in person so he told me to have me call him back so that they both could have a phone interview. After the call with President, I explained to Karla what was going to happen and told her that everything was going to be alright. I expressed to her that we loved her and I gave her the phone. After about an hour in private in her home, my companion and I and the sisters waited outside to see what was going to happen. It was very difficult. After an hour she came out looking calm and with eyes wet with tears. She said "Tomorrow I am going to be baptized, and your mission president wants my husband to baptize me." We all leaped for joy. It was a moment of pure happiness. Joy that came from our Heavenly Father. When her boyfriend arrived, they hugged each other so hard and her boyfriend came over to us and gave us a big hug. We smiled and we cried. We were at peace and we felt hope. Over all, we felt the love of our Savior Jesus Christ and his Atonement.
Afterwards, we decided to go to our house so that her boyfriend could borrow some baptismal clothes and he needed and a coat. so I lent him my suit coat. They thanked us then left. They next day was even more special. We got up early in the morning to go with everyone to go see them get married in the Registro Civil. They said their vows and were married. What a beautiful experience! And we are even more excited to see them when they get sealed in the temple!
After that we helped the sisters prepare the chapel for the baptism. We filled up the font and set up the party tables and the cake, everything. The moment that Karla came out of the font was a moment that I can't describe. She was at peace. She was clean. Her husband gave her a big, amazing hug. She came out and we all cried. It was super special.
We then made them close their eyes after the baptismal service and took them into the room where the party was and where everyone was waiting to surprise them. They turned the lights on and yelled SURPRISE and they were so happy. When my companion and I were there, I just stood back and watched everything. I watched the people having a great time and how happy Karla and her husband were. Tears filled my eyes. I NEVER thought that it was possible to come to love a family and a person so much in such a short amount of time. I felt like I had known them for years.
The thing that affected me the most of this experience was at the end of everything. After everyone had left and cleaned up. It was just the missionaries and Karla and her family. She told me something that changed my life. She told us "When the missionaries first arrived at my house, my life began to change. But my life changed completely thanks to you two missionaries. I am completley changed" She told me specifically afterwards "Elder Smith, I will never forget you. Thank you for helping me change my life. I will never forget you and I hope that you never forget us." I immediately thought of the part of my Patriarchal Blessing that says "you will help many enter the waters of baptism and they will remember and be thankful for you." Her prayer was answered and so was mine. Until then, I didn't really understand that part of my blessing. As soon as she told me that, it struck my heart.
This was an experience that I will never forget. I love her and her family so much and they weren't even our converts. I will always be grateful with my Heavenly Father because he allowed me to be a super super small and imperfect link to make a part of that experience possible. I am so thankful for this work. I know the Savior lives and he loves us. I love you all very much.
Elder Smith
Giddy Up
We then made them close their eyes after the baptismal service and took them into the room where the party was and where everyone was waiting to surprise them. They turned the lights on and yelled SURPRISE and they were so happy. When my companion and I were there, I just stood back and watched everything. I watched the people having a great time and how happy Karla and her husband were. Tears filled my eyes. I NEVER thought that it was possible to come to love a family and a person so much in such a short amount of time. I felt like I had known them for years.
The thing that affected me the most of this experience was at the end of everything. After everyone had left and cleaned up. It was just the missionaries and Karla and her family. She told me something that changed my life. She told us "When the missionaries first arrived at my house, my life began to change. But my life changed completely thanks to you two missionaries. I am completley changed" She told me specifically afterwards "Elder Smith, I will never forget you. Thank you for helping me change my life. I will never forget you and I hope that you never forget us." I immediately thought of the part of my Patriarchal Blessing that says "you will help many enter the waters of baptism and they will remember and be thankful for you." Her prayer was answered and so was mine. Until then, I didn't really understand that part of my blessing. As soon as she told me that, it struck my heart.
This was an experience that I will never forget. I love her and her family so much and they weren't even our converts. I will always be grateful with my Heavenly Father because he allowed me to be a super super small and imperfect link to make a part of that experience possible. I am so thankful for this work. I know the Savior lives and he loves us. I love you all very much.
Elder Smith
Giddy Up
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