Little Bit of Everything

This week was great. Christmas in the mission is always a special time to remember why we are here and what we have because of that little baby in the manger. Now that 2015 is over things are going to change. Here are things that are going to change for me.

1st. Our meetings at church will be at 11. So the assitence will go up by atleast 50. Welcome to the dedication of Peru. haha but we are going hard on the Sacrament and what it means.

2. The transfer ends today and I will probably be getting a new companion

3. We will be baptizing Yadira. Her mom gave her the best Christmas of all as she bore a solemn witness of the Lord at the age of 13 it became very clear that just as strong as she is, Joseph Smith was capable of seeing what he saw. Her date is the 9th, it has been a blessing sent from God to be here in this time.

A month ago I told the lord I would give him everything I have, and I did. and I know he has sent people to us because of that humble prayer. San Borja isn´t closing. It is growing, and will continue to grow. Along with Chose people such as Yadira the lord has sent us people who have absolutly destroyed their lives and are looking for anything to fix it. I have learned to completly rely on the spirit as these people having poured out their heart to us, with problems more serious than anything I have heard in my life.

At the end of the year my favorite talk of all time by Elder Holland comes to mind.

¨Remember Lots Wife¨ If you have time, read it, and as we go into 2016 we must not look back, no matter how great or how bad it was. It was the only year I was a missionary for 365 days. It is a year that changed my life, It has been the best year of my life to this point, but it will not stand to be the best as I continue to grow and live the covenants I have with the lord. The same goes for you.

Have a Merry New Year,

Stay out of Jail.

I love you all.

Peace and Love,

Elder Smith

Pictures

1. 8 sisters, my son, and me. The best district in the world

2. The Torres Family. The are awesome

3. The fanciest Christmas dinner I have ate

4. Causa and Turkey! yummm

5. the Family Maldonado are great

6. Christmas Morning!

7. We made a lot of Pancakes and Syrup. 

8. We love Christmas

9. The best Christmas gift of all!

 

 

¡Navidad en la Mision! ¡¿Donde esta mi Paneton?¡

In the world there are about 400 missions. These missions belong to areas. There are 15 areas in the world. My area includes all of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. We have the areas to control and watch out for the wards, stakes, and missions. every Area has a main Director. Or the big boss. One of those 15 men in the world, live my area, and I had lunch with him on Sunday. He has been a missionary, Mission President, and Seventy. It was honestly 2 hours of questions of my whole life no one has been able to answer, and arent in the scriptures. Pretty sure it was the best Christmas present I recieved this year. Some of the questions included, "How much do temples cost" "How do we break sealings" "How does the church pay for this and that" It was awesome.

I am in a very very good place to have Christmas. and Elder Chavez is a great companion to be with. We will do great things. I have learned more about what Christmas means this month more than any other time in my lfie. and I also realized that people need Christ at this time. maybe more than any other time.

A miracle happend as a 13 year old girl named Yadria told us that her very very strong adventista mother has given her permission to be baptized after 6 months of her begging. We start the lessons on Wednesday, the girl is awesome. and her support system is solid. Converts for life!

I hope everyone has a good Christmas. I hope you take a minute and think where everything you have came from, and where you have came from in one year. I have never grown as a person any other year of my life. Take a breath. Look at your family and friends, thank god you are where you are. Let his love surround you. Because he wants to.

Anyway, I am going to go eat and a buffet with my mission president and mi con padres. Merry Christmas!

1. Getcha some San Bojra!

2. The park of the week

3. Peruvian Llama.

4. Nothing I love more than getting my hands on the Conference Ensign and a hand written letter!

I dont cross the line, just dance upon it

This week was the first week since I've been here in San Borja we at least taught one lesson everyday! Por Fin! I swear I will never have another day without lessons. I'm not in Europe, there's no time for that!

Marcela is doing great, they came to the primary program with her son, Fabrisio. At first he didn't want to go, but then we started to talk to him, and he showed us his Halo accion figure he got in the states. After that we become best friends, I asked, "Do you know what the spartans name is?" He answered, No, But I want to know! So I told him, and he came to the primary program, next week he's next with the baptism date! So I guess playing Halo for 5 years of my life wasn't a complete waste ;)

We were contacting, and knocked on a door, a not so friendly man answered. and started to yell at us, he stated he was part of a religion (Of which I won't say out of respect) and I asked, We would like to share a message with you, bien tranquilo. 

He said, "Tell me what subject and only use the bible and you can come back, don't even pull out your trash you call the book of mormon" So that got me a little big on edge... his religion, they believe Jehova is God, and Jesus Christ is well, Jesus. Knowing that I smiled and said, "We would like to talk to you about how Jesus Christ is Jehova"... Haha that's when the man about exploded on me. He demanded I pulled out my bible on his doorstep and show him where it says that. I wasn't about to waste my time without getting a lesson out of it, so I told him, "Let's go in and start with a prayer" He shouted, again and said, "Show me right now!" I politely told him that me showing him the scriptures wouldn't change his mind, he has to feel the answer, not hear it. 

If you are at all curious why we believe Jehova is Jesus please go read these scriptures Isaiah 44:6 with Revelation 1:8. If that doesn't settle it John 8:56-58 with Isaiah 58:13-14 with Mark 2:28. Then ask god. He will let you know. It is sad that man didn't want to learn. Don't cross the line, but you should dance on it ;)

Anything else? Don't think so. Elder Wallace is our new zone leader, so we will pass Christmas together, again! :) And that's it. 

Pictures.

1. Her name is Wanda, she is peruvian. Should I bring her home?

2. The primary program was awesome

3. And again

4. I told Gary if he wants to get a job he has to cut his hair, he laughed and told me no. But we'll see :) Fabrisio and Marcela.

5. I have waited my whole mission to buy this!

6. Is it for sale in the US??

7. San Borja takes pride in being pridefull! haha. "Mi Orgullo" means My Pride

8. They are refering to this park

 

 

Y Tu Me oiste

So there we were, 2pm in the afternoon. Starting the day after lunch and saw a couple walking towards us. I said to my companion, "Hey contact them they will be the next converts being sealed in the temple" (He has a fear of stopping people) He didnt contact them and they walked by.

 I began playfully chew him out. "Listen God is not going to just send the family we need like a shooting star and land right in front of our face..." Before I could even finish my sentence, I heard someone yell out "Hey do you guys speak English??" I looked over and was shocked to see this hick! long hair, hat, and boots on. My companion just looked at me and smiled, while my jaw fell wide open.

Gary is his name. (He is SO white!) Just got married, to a peruvian, Marcela. He is a member, returned missionary. Very, very inactive. She is not a member. She has 3 kids with another man. We are going to focus a lot more on her, she is very interested, they came to church. I taught the gospel principals class about the spirit world and her questions were awesome. I also transladed everything for Gary so he wasnt as lost as I was my first time at church in Peru. 

That, along with three other people honestly just came into the area like a shooting star. I asked my companion, Why do you think we have been blessed with these people? He kinda looked at me and shrugged, I laughed and said, "It is because we prayed, with faith, did our part, and god did his" 

I know that is true. I know he hears our prayers. Every night I thanked him for the people we have found, constantly saying, "Tu me Oíste" "Thou has heard me" I know he will do the same for you. I know Christ lives and he will not slow down his work. I am blessed to be apart of it.

Anything else?

Yeah something funny. 

I ate a mango the size of my forehead this week. (That is a pretty big mango)

I met a peruvian general who is friends with President George Bush.

I ate stuffing at a members house who was a personal chef for 35 years.

I am not even crying. (=

Pictures

1. When you have a district with pure sisters, for p day. You play Tennis

2. It actually wasnt too bad.

3. We made Christmas Cards for the pensionistas

4. Ours was the best

5. I know everyone says their mission president will be a seventy, but I am convince that President Boswell actually will. He has our mission LOCKED. If you want to enter into a great tranquilo mission. Come to Lima East. Not to be confused with Lima Central

6. Our zone. Or the Relief Society. Whichever one works

7. Birthday Boy

8. Pizza showed up on our table again.

9. So much time!

 

 

The power is in them

This week, has been slow. This is the slowest area I've been in my whole mission. here it isn't doorms slammed in your face, it's more ringing a intercom, someone answering, saying they don't live here, they are just cleaning, then hang up. or in other words, only the maids are home. So there's that!

The members here are great though, just not really focused on missionary work, because well. They think it is impossible. But what they don't understand, what sometimes I don't understand is that the power is in us!

There are no secrets, there are no people who can do it better. If we are obedient and tell god, if we have the faith to ask him to do something in return for all of our dilligence and work, it will happen.

That is what we are looking to find this next week. Because we got some devestating news last night... My zone leader called, and said, "Well Elder Smith, if you and Elder Chavez don't get San Borja up and going, the area is going to close. And can you imagine what will happen if there aren't missionaries in the ward?"

His words brought me to my knees, and I told god. In the remaning 4 weeks, I will give him all that I have, more than I have ever done or worked, and I asked if he would bless our area more than he ever has.

It don't feel like it's testing god, but trusting in him.

So Elder Chavez and I have a lot of work to do. You can't just promise our heavenly father something like that and just keep doing the same stuff.

So next week, Something will have happened. and by Christmas, miracles will be flooding. Because the power is in us

Have a great week!

Do good things.

And don't forget to pray

Fotos. Por fin.

1. Elder Chavez's first service.

2. We don't have a pension for dinner, so pizza hut ends up coming to our room, somehow.... I don't know how ;)

3. Or hamburgers for 5 soles..

4. Giant parks here in San Borja

5. Typicall corner

6. City Life... One of Limas busiest streets are in our area.

7. Where we live

8. Why build a building and put a weird cartoon on it??

9. Our home