Elder Smith is home! May 10,2016

Waiting!!!

He arrived!!!

The first thing he did when he came home!

Last email from Chile!

Well to start this email out I really don’t know what to say, other than that I still am not quite able to wrap my head around the fact that I am going home. I feel like I am in a dream or something and I am going to wake up and be new in the mission again. 

Well the mission has been amazing. I am going to miss Chile so much. I love the people no matter how many times they were rude to me. I have grown to love these people and their culture. I know that I am gringo but my heart tells me that I’m chileno.(and a flaite one if you ask me). I remember thinking that the mission was perfect and that us as missionaries we don’t suffer and that all we feel is happiness and stuff like that. I WAS WRONG, very wrong. I have learned how to suffer with joy, as President Videla always tells us. I have been able to change and see the big picture and really why things are important. My testimony has grown and even though I wouldn’t say that it’s huge I know and can say that it’s grown. When I first got here I thought that I wasn’t going to be able to preach the gospel because I didn’t feel like my testimony was big enough and actually felt so inadequate that I asked my MTC Presidente to send me home and I don’t remember how many times. For some reason he didn’t give into my askings. I am so thankful for the help that all my leaders have offered me because if they weren’t men of God I wouldn’t have been able to learn that God makes weak things strong and that he shows that he is God through us weak missionaries.

To add to this we had a strange contact with someone. We knocked at this guy’s door and he came out and started attacking right away. Well he said that he studies the Bible a lot and then started to attack us and trying to... well I don’t know what he was trying to prove, but after talking about the teachings in the Bible for like 15 min. He finally asked how many times we had read the bible. I told him I had never read the Bible completely before. He seemed very prideful when we said he had read it completely through 15 times. Then told us that we needed to study it more and come back to him and tell him what we learned. Little did he know that he helped me learn that God really makes weak things strong! Knowing little and being weak in all the knowledge that the Bible has, I was able to talk and answer the things he was asking us. 

I am so thankful for the opportunitdad that God has given me the chance to serve him. I love him and know that this is the true church of Christ and that Joseph Smith restored this church and was able to translate the Book of Mormon through the power and help of God. I am so thankful for all my companions even the hard times that I passed with them because I have truly learned from them and been humbled. 

Los Amo a todos ustedes

Con harto Amor,

Elder Smith

#salvationain´tcheap

Sleeping bags and suffering!

Well this last week was good. We were able to start working more with the members and we even received some references. Well man as the mission starts to end I think that it really is a battle and I think that is why so many missionaries, at least in our mission kind of end lowly. I have been able to experience a good amount of challenges and well to be honest I think that really is just part of life. I remember one time when my dad and some of us, went to Moab and I remember asking my dad what sleeping bag he wanted to take before we headed out. Well it was a bit of a mix up and I took a summer bag for him and a nicer bag for me. When we got there in the night I remember him telling me that he said it was okay if “I” brought the summer bag and well I think it was a bit mixed up because he was on the phone. But when he told me that he was willing to take the summer bag and I could have the other bag. I told him and I quote, "there is a lot of suffering in life and I might as well suffer now." Well, something like that. I think this has stuck with me a lot because we all suffer and some more than others but the most important thing is that we never take our eyes off of Jesus Christ. Even though life is hard and we feel like we can’t do something, we have to keep trying and pushing because our potential is much more than we know. 

Now in our sector we are working hard and man it’s rough sometimes but I can feel the help from God and Jesus Christ in those  moments. I testify of the love God has for us and all that he offers us if we just turn to Him and follow His son Jesus Christ. If we fall of the slack line, what do we do, we get back up and keep going until we get to the other side. I know that this is the true church and the road that we need to take. I love this gospel and am so thankful for Gods plan and for the atonement of our savior Jesus Christ. HE knows what we need and will always help us, so when life gets rough keep going because it’s only for a time and we will also grow closer to God and Jesus Christ through our suffering. 

I love you all!!

Con mucho Amor!

Elder Smith

Hike up Cerro Manquehue

The Andes in the background!  So Amazing!

Rain, Rain and more Rain!

Well this last week he have been trying to work hard and find more people and to work hard with the members. Well we only had sacrament meeting this last week because of all the rain. It was a little crazy because of that and we didn't have water for a good couple days but its fine we were ready. Also Mario our friend that just got baptized a couple weeks received  the priesthood this last week and also will be working with the young men and it will be awesome. Well I love you all and hope that all are doing good. 

Con mucho amor Elder Smith

(Note from mom:  Elder Smiths companion shared more of their week and I wanted to include his thoughts....From Elder Birrell

So, this was a bit of a crazy week and most of that was due to the weather. There were a couple earthquakes this week, one was at 5 AM and shook our bed pretty bad and knocked my watch of the ledge of my bed but neither earthquake was too bad. Here they have two names for earthquakes- Terremotos and Temblores. Terremotos are the serious earthquakes like they just had in Ecuador and Japan. We just had a couple temblores which actually happens all the time here. That wasn't the crazy part of the weather this week, the crazy part was the rain. In rained hard for about four days straight and flooded a lot of Santiago. It also made the water source contaminated, so they cut our water from Saturday until Monday morning. We had some leaking into our house, but it wasn't anything dangerous. A couple Elders from our mission had their fridge blow up, so we're thankful that didn't happen to us. Saturday it rained especially bad, but when we went out to work it looked fine, so we just wore sweaters and didn't take umbrellas. After about an hour of working, the skies opened and we started getting DUMPED on. Within a few minutes we went from being completely dry to completely soaked and we were about to walk to a house all the way across the sector for an appointment. Just then, a stranger pulled up and asked us if we wanted a ride to where we were going. Rides from strangers isn't something we normally do, but it was pouring and we were super grateful. I think this gesture of kindness had an affect on us as two hours later  (still raining) we found a very intoxicated man laying down on the grass in a puddle. We passed by him without really thinking, but then realized that that man really needed help. We then picked him up and carried him 45 minutes to his house. While the rain maybe wasn't ideal, I think sometimes we need these circumstances. Both to receive service and to give it and we were super thankful for both.

 

Birthdays in Chile are Chill!

Well we are doing good. We have an investigator that just doesn't want to accept a date for baptism but really is a member. We are working more with the ward and it's been great. I think it has helped me to think back to how the sector was when I first got here and man I'm not perfect but through this whole process I can see how the ups and down have brought the sector to a better place even though I had to suffer a little bit. We had a zone conference and it was good I was able to give my testimony and say good bye to everyone, that was weird but I am thankful that I got to do that. We are doing super good and loving the work. We are finishing strong. I haven't been able to go to the temple this week because  I am waiting to get my new one because mine is expired so I am waiting. 

Thank you for todo

Elder Smith

Just finishing emails and then heading to play ping pong!  Birthday Celebration!

Conference!

Well this last week was good. We were so excited for conference. My companion turned to me at one point and told me that this had turned into something like a big football game or something crazy. It really has become to be one of the highlights of the year for me. Hearing the words from the living prophet and apostles is so amazing and really it makes me feel so good to hear and find answers to that I have asked to know. . I have grown to love the gospel in so many ways that I didn't think possible and really it gives me so much happiness even though I feel down because I'm not perfect.. but as we know we wont be perfect in this life. I really love learning about the talks that the people give and really I never knew that it was possible to have joy from sitting down for 10 hours watching people talk. I really loved what the Prophet said in his talk he gave in priesthood about standing in holy places. It made me think about how I just want to come home and progress and do what is right and not be engulfed in the world. It helped me to think about more of the importance of the priesthood and really what I do. It has helped me realize also what he said in the Sunday morning talk about choosing to take the harder right than the easier wrong. I think that this conference has helped me understand that I need to work hard and finish stronger than ever and everything will be okay after. 

This last week was a little crazy, we were working hard and man it seems like the days are getting shorter and we have less time because we are not finding enough to do all that we want and need to do. 

We have been teaching a boy named Andony from Peru. He is amazing. Ever since we found him he has come to church and is even attending mutual with the youth and seminary. He is progressing and doing well but his initial doubt that he had was that he had already been baptized before and he didn't know if he could be baptized again. We helped explain to him that he could be baptized again. But he just wouldn't hear us and put it together. But in these last 6 weeks that we have been working with him he has slowly started to progress and the other day we had a good lesson with him. About half way through the lesson the spirit just came over us and it was such a nice good, warm feeling that confirmed that Andony was progressing and that everything would be okay. 

It's been so amazing to me to see how God works. Like we read in Alma he works through small and simple things and really that's how things work. I know that Gods loves us and is here to help us if we first are humble and look for him and then are willing to do what he wants and expects of us. I know that Jesus is the Christ and and he paid for our sins and for our hard times and everything that has, is, or will happen in our lives. He knows what we need because he has felt the same thing. That is what he does. I know that the Holy Ghost is here to lead and guide us and to help us gain and strengthen us so that we can grow closer with God and his son. I know that Joseph Smith restored this gospel and that he is a prophet even the prophet that restored the priesthood power to this earth again. This is the path of never ending happiness and if we let God into our lives he will never lead us astray. 

Con mucho Amor,

Elder Smith 

Mario was baptized!

Well this last week was so full of a lot of things we had to do because we were preparing our investigator Mario to be baptized. He got baptized on Easter Sunday and man it was such a special feeling. I know that God prepares the way for all his children and really if we trust Him and let Him guide us in this dark world we wont have regrets. I love you all!!! Take care and take the time to read this because well it's what happened with Mario. 

Con mucho Amor, 

Elder Smith

Bueno,

           Hace dos meses y medio atrás nosotros hicimos una actividad de zona y una de las referencias que recibimos, encontramos Hermano Mario, su esposa Yemesi en cual es miembro de la iglesia hace muchos años y se bautizó cuando era joven, su hija Romina y su hijo Tomás. La primera vez que nosotros pasamos a visitarles, nos aceptaron en su casa y nosotros empezamos a conocerles. Al empezar a enseñarles invitamos a toda la familia escucharnos, pero solo Mario quería y ni siquiera sabíamos que su señora era miembro de la iglesia, porque no compartió mucho con nosotros cuando estábamos en su casa o no estaría cuando pasábamos. No supimos hasta más adelante que era miembro. Pero en esta ejemplo Dios nos muestra que prepara las personas y que realmente nosotros somos las herramientas en sus manos. Entonces empezamos a compartir el Evangelio de Jesucristo con él. Después la segunda o tercera visita nosotros llevamos un miembro para ayudarnos hermanar y compartir su testimonio. En esta visita le ayudamos a Mario entender y comprender la importancia de la oración en la conversión y le invitamos esta noche a orar para saber si esta es la iglesia correcta, si José Smith es un Profeta de Dios y si él restauró el Evangelio de Jesucristo aquí en la tierra de nuevo, y si el Libro de Mormón es la palabra de Dios. Después de dejarle esta noche, Le dijimos que íbamos a pasar el día siguiente para verificar como le fuera.
          Llegamos el próximo día y el nos dijo que sí había recibido la respuesta y que esta era el camino correcto. De esta momento y adelante empezamos a ver mucho progreso, pero sabíamos que no estaban casados. En nuestra planificación semanal nosotros decidimos que sí o sí le íbamos a enseñar la ley de castidad el más pronto posible. Cuando nosotros le íbamos a pasar el folleto de la ley de castidad, él nos contó que se iban a casar. Esta fue tan genial para nosotros porque ni siquiera habíamos dicho algo a ellos de la ley de castidad. Y el día cinco de marzo se casaron.
          En todo el proceso de la conversión de Mario nosotros vimos mucho progreso y había muchas veces cuando él nos compartió experiencias cuando sintió el espíritu. Él es realmente un hombre de Dios muy especial, cada lección que tenemos con él, el espíritu es muy presente y siempre tiene algo bueno para compartir o una pregunta para que pueda entender aun más de las cosas de Dios.  Y por fin, después de dos meses y medio Mario pudo bautizarse el 27 de marzo y ahora él y su familia pueden prepararse a ir al templo para llegar a ser una familia eterna.

(Translated version)

Bueno,

           Two months and a half ago we did an activity in our area and one of the references we found was Brother Mario, his wife Yemesi she had been a member of the church for many years and was baptized when she was young, her daughter Romina and her son Thomas. The first time we had to visit them, they accepted us into their home and we begin to know them. To start teaching  and to invite the whole family to listen, but only Mario wanted and did not even know that his wife was a member of the church because she did not share much with us when we were at home or would not as we passed. We did not know until later that she was a member. But this example shows us that God prepares people and we are really tools in their hands. Then we began to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him. After the second or third visit we took a member to help Hermana and share their testimony. On this visit we helped Mario understand and understand the importance of prayer in the conversion and invited him tonight to pray to know if this is the right church, if Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and if he restored the gospel of Jesus Christ here on earth again, and if the Book of Mormon is the word of God. After leaving that night, I said we would stop the next day to check how it was.
          We arrived the next day and he said yes he had received the answer and that this was the right way. From this time forward we began to see a lot of progress, but we knew they were not married. In our weekly schedule we decided that yes we were going to teach the law of chastity the soonest possible. When we were going to talk about the booklet Law of Chastity, he told us that they were getting married. This was so great for us because we had not even said anything to them about the law of chastity. And on March 5 they married.
          Throughout the process of conversion of Mario we saw a lot of progress and there were many times when he shared with us experiences when he felt the spirit. He really is a very special man of God, every lesson we have with him, the spirit is very present and always has something good to share or a question so that you understand even more of the things of God. And finally, after two and a half months Mario was baptized on March 27 and now he and his family can prepare to go to the temple to become an eternal family.

Be Patient!

This last week was super good. We were able to work hard but I was also able to learn more about suffering with Joy as our President always says to us. 

Bueno I have been learning about how almost anyone that we learn about in the scriptures and the prophets all had to suffer or they had a lot of afflictions at one point. And for one example it talks about in Alma with Ammon and his brothers and the others that the Lord said to them to have patience because they were going to suffer but he said to them to go because they were going to bring a lot into the kingdom of God. 

I feel as if that is what God says to us, "Be patient my little one and you will learn from your afflictions and also will bless others". I think that being a disciple of Christ was easy to say yes to but I think that it’s a lot harder to continue to be one every day. We have to be better every day and every second. Sometime life gets hard and we think that we can’t get up, but all we have to do is have faith in God and use the strength we have to lift ourselves and God will help us the rest of the way. I know that is true because I have felt that way so much and I recently felt that this last week. I know that God loves us and I am so thankful for everything that he has put in my way to teach me, even though it’s hard. But, I am even more grateful for those that he has put in my life to help me get around the obstacles of life. I know that God loves us all but I do know that his idea is that we can act for ourselves and that we can do what we want. He doesn’t want to force someone to have life eternal. He wants us to look for it and go search until we find it. 

Soooo this last week also we were able to teach our friend Mario. We were able to talk about his baptism because he was going to get baptized last week but because of some things we decided to move it to this week. He is so ready to make covenants with Heavenly Father and I am so happy for him because he understands the spirit so good and knows where to look for his answers. 

I know that this is the work God wants us all to do! I know that this is the true church and this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ and that this is where we find true happiness. 

Elder Smith

When life gets hard don't give up!

This last week was great. We were able to work hard to see lots of fruits from our faith and action, trusting that God was going to bless us. 

On Wednesday, we were able to learn about conversion. I taught a class on conversion and did a lot of studying to prepare.  This helped me to understand so much and really get a lot out of the class. We talked about how conversion really isn’t just one instant or one time. It’s through our whole life. We have to constantly be converted and continue to be more converted every day. It was super good!

Later on in the week, I think it was the day Thursday. We had a lesson with a lady and her family. Her name is Angelica, she and her family are blessings that have come into our lives. We were a little late on our way over and she called us to see where we were. I told her that we were in front of her house (because we were). Then we went in and we started talking about what she had read about the restoration of the gospel. Then her husband came in and we had the whole family there. It was amazing to talk and converse about the gospel because well it was almost like we didn’t have to teach, it was like the spirit was there just teaching the whole time and we just laid back and talked a little. It was so cool to see how words we had said touched her heart! We had talked about how families can be together forever even after death. Not thinking too much about it we kept talking and later in the lesson she said, "I have never thought about that before, having a family forever and what happens after this life." 

The spirit was so strong and really it was so amazing to see this family and just be with them while the spirit entered into their hearts. 

We also had a special transmission on Sunday for all of Chile. It was really good there were 4 speakers and the last one was Elder Nelson. It was so good to hear and see the concern that the leaders of the church have for all of the world. 

To end I want to share that when life gets hard don’t give up. So many of us have those hard times and really one of the first things we want to do is give up. I know that is NOT what God expects of us. He wants us to be strong and to "suffer with JOY". He wants us to trust in him and know that everything is going to be okay. I know that this is true, because it has happened to me many times and the only thing that I have in my head sometimes are the words "just keep going and everything will be okay”!

I know that this is the true church and that God and his Son live and love us. I know that they appeared to a 14 year old boy that needed help that was looking for the truth and that he got an answer to his prayers and that he, Joseph Smith was able to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ to this earth so that we can find never-ending happiness. 

I love you all!! 

Con harto Amor, 

Elder Smith

Me and my companion after we cleaned our apartment!

The Book of Mormon has changed my life!

Our investigator Jorge. He got sick and is in his bed a lot and every time that we have gone to just say hi or share something small, his wife tells us to leave. So that was pretty sad for us because he was doing so good and getting ready for his baptism and then he got sick.

We also were able to share with our other investigator Mario, We got to take a member of the ward with us and we shared and taught about the Word of Wisdom. It was a good lesson and it was very interesting to see that he understood why these things are important not to take. It was also good because the member asked him a question about what has caught his attention the most about what we share. He said the Book of Mormon. This caught my attention because he has told us that he believes that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the word of God. He is progressing and soon will make the baptismal covenant with our father in heaven.

I know that we are all here to learn and to complete a mission and I know that part of that mission is to keep progressing and learn and help others come to Christ and to be changed in him.

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and I know that it changes lives because it has changed mine. I know that God loves us and also Jesus Christ loves us too. I know that we can feel this love, but only if we choose to go to them.

I love you all!

Con mucho Amor,

 Elder Smith

The hill we climbed last week. Cerro Renca

FAITH

Well this last week was super good. We were able to work a lot and to teach a lot more than we have. We have been able to really start progressing and it is amazing to see what we can do with just a little bit of FE!!!! (Faith) 

So for our area down here in South America we had a special conference with Elder Bednar. It was super special because we learned together. While he was talking it really came to me that he was talking to us in our own language. Because us being young we do talk different and he didn’t treat us like older people that just understand. I could really feel the spirit testify that he is one of the special witnesses of Jesus Christ our Savior. I could really see it in his face. He asked us many questions and taught us and also answered the questions that we asked him. I am so thankful because we as missionaries are really learning how to do the work of God. 

We had a lesson with some guy that thinks and he is the last prophet of God. He told us that he talks with God and angels and stuff. Well His house was full of an evil feeling and when we started sharing I could not feel the spirit. While we were there I was testifying of Christ and the priesthood and the guy interrupted me and asked my name and then said "someone wants to talk to you". Well then I stopped talking and was super confused and he sat up all straight and looked at me like something else was in his body and said "Elder Smith, I am God and I have called Mauricio to be a prophet" Then it started saying a lot more crap that well I was just freaked out and kind of wanted to stand up and command that thing out of the house.. But I doubted in faith you could say and didn’t do it. But I kindly asked if I could talk to Mauricio again. Haha then we popped back into himself and was all happy and weird. It was a weird experience and we felt weird the rest of the day. 

We also were contacted by a Jehovah witness. Well that was interesting he told us that he would invite us into his house but we had to go in with an open heart and mind so that he could convince us. We then explained that we are willing to converse about God but we want to make sure that the Holy Ghost is there so HE, the holy Ghost could teach and convert us.

So our investigator named Mario got back from his vacations and we had a lesson with him yesterday and he told us that he feels that he wants to be baptized and that he wants to shoot for the 13th of March which was the date that we had put with him. He has grown so much and every time we share with him the spirit is so strong and I think that it’s not only because what we are sharing but because he is accepting it into his heart. On top of that he will be getting married this Saturday so we are super happy for him because, well sometimes that’s a hard step here. 

I know that God loves us all and that if we are humble enough he will give us what we need and what we ask. I know that Jesus lives and that he is our Savior. I love him and want to serve him always. I know that this is the only Church/Gospel that takes us to eternal life. Joseph Smith, a little boy full of faith, asked God and He got his answer. I know that God prepared him to establish the church of Christ again and I know that Christ leads it today through Thomas S. Monson. This is happiness and we all can have it. 

I love you all!!! Remember to be happy and positive. 

Con harto Amor,

Elder Smith

An elder Chase has trained and Elder Birrell who he is training now.

God blesses us when we do our part!

This week was super good… in some ways. We found some good people and we are finding more, so we will be seeing them progress. So, we as missionaries in this ward do a lot. The members... well they are good but we help them a lot with their work. We helped a lady put a roof on her house and it took a lot of time. Some of the members seem to think that we have all the time in the world to do what they want, now don’t get me wrong I love doing service but what I don’t like to do is take the opportunity away from the members because it would bless them.

On the positive side we have been doing family home evenings every week on Friday for the last month and a half and this week a member that was excommunicated brought a friend and this friends name is Juan! He is from Peru and really wants to learn. We taught a to him lesson on Monday and he said that we had a dream that someone taught him the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and then said that it could have been us. He said that he feels like he needs to follow in the church and then his family will follow him. 

We also were a little bummed because of the service we had done and the time we lost... so on Sunday we really wanted to work hard and find some people and teach lessons. So at about 5:45 we were walking in the street and hadn’t had too much success but we were working hard! As we walked in the street I said a short prayer to heavenly father asking that he could bless us with someone because we were trying to do our very best in the work and that we needed motivation. So we went by some guy that we had found a while back and he said that for another day we could come by. Then we knock 4 more houses. Finally, that fourth house, a man came to the door and we talked to him a little and then he asked us to come into his house. We went in and we shared with a family of 5 people!

I know that God answers our prayers but I testify that he won’t bless us when we aren’t doing our part and all that we can. I know that Heavenly father loves us and I know that this is the true church. We can only find true and everlasting happiness through this gospel. 

Also our investigator, Jorge was sick on Saturday and we couldn’t visit him and he really wants to get baptized but we want him to do more of his part so we have been helping him a lot. On Sunday we didn’t think that he was going to come to church then he just showed up. I know that the people that truly have felt the Holy Ghost in their lives testifying that this is the true church, those are the people that will do all they can to complete what God wants. 

I love you all!!

Con mucho Amor 

Elder Smith

God prepares the way!

Well last week was a great week.  It has started making heat again! It’s hot!! We have been working hard and it has been nice!  Last week we were super busy with lots of things to do because not only did we have the normal stuff to do but we also had to do the stuff for my new companion because; well, he is new. Anyway, I will tell you a little more about him. He is a cool dude. He was studying at BYU before the mission for a semester and he will be swimming for the BYU team after. He came to Chile talking super good Spanish but sometimes it’s a little rough for him to understand how the Chileans speak because.... well it’s their own language. He is really ready to work and knows the stuff. We have been able to learn how to teach together and I am super excited because I’m sure he will be killing me, and having him will help me finish strong. 

We had some super good news this week because we have an investigator that wasn’t married and we had planned to help them to prepare to marry. We were going to teach that the following time. But this time we taught about the sacrament. After the lesson, he told us that they were going to get married. This amazed me and really what I felt like crying because I was so happy... but I didn’t. It helped me to know that God prepares the way for the people when we do our part.

I know that God lives and loves us and I know that He wants us to help our brothers and sisters to come to the knowledge of this gospel... and I know that it’s the work of all of us members, not just the missionaries. I know that Joseph Smith restored the gospel and that Jesus lives. I know that this is happiness and it’s the only way to return to God. 

I love you all. 

Con mucho Amor,

 Elder Smith

I have learned a lot!

This week was good! We were able to work a lot but also it was my companions last week here and I think that gave him laziness. Anyway, it was good we were able to pass and visit and teach a good amount of people. We were able to do splits with the members last Tuesday so that we could teach two different families; somehow we set up the appointment at the same time. It was good and we were able to help them a lot. For example, we taught Mario more about prayer and the right way to do it because he didn’t pray to God so we had to teach him. Also, we taught him more about why we are here on the earth and what our purpose is here. It was super good and he understood everything and we were able to invite him to church and he came with his whole family!

Jorge, our other investigator that is progressing well but it’s been hard on him to walk so he hasn’t been able to make it to church but we are still working with ward members so that they can offer to pick him up so he can attend church. 

We also had changes this week and my companion left me after 4 months and I can say that I learned a lot from him and I love him a lot. I was able to learn to be a better missionary and disciple of Christ. But, I know that changes happen for a reason and they are here so that we can progress. Last Wednesday the President called me and told me that I would be training again. So, I have a new companion, his name is Elder Birrell. He is from Seattle!!! I am excited to know that I will be ending my mission training.

I know that this is the true church and that God loves us so much that he gave his Son for us so that we have the chance to return to him again and live with him and our families forever. 

I love you all!!

Cuidense Harto

Con cariño,

 Elder Smith

God knows what we need!

Bueno!

Well this week was good. I think that it probably about killed me though. It’s been weird here, we got some rain and then some cloudy days and then it just hit us fast with really hot weather. I think that kills me because I was waaaaay tired. Well this week was like the week of vacations and nobody was home and I guess they also didn’t want to accept us. But it’s all good we had some good experiences. 

Our investigator Jorge is doing good but he struggles with getting to church because he is sick with his legs and can’t walk good and on top of that he doesn’t want a member to come get him in a car. He is stubborn but he really is gaining a testimony and his plan was to get baptized this Sunday but we will have to see if it all works out. 

Another investigator is named Mario, he is doing good. We had an awesome lesson with a member the other day with him and we talked about how he can’t progress if he doesn’t ask God in a prayer if what we say is true. He said we would pray that night and we told him that we were going to pass by the next day to follow up and see what his answer was. So, he got un answer saying that it’s the right path and that he needs to continue and he also has the desire to attend church which is awesome so this week he will be coming to church with us. 

Last Friday we had followed our plans and they had failed us so we were a little bummed and then we decided to do some contacts. We started knocking a street and from there we arrived at a door that I will never forget. We knocked (or in this case we yelled because that’s how you do it here in Chile) and a young dude with about 25 years came out and talked to us. At first he didn’t want to let us pass into the house and then we started talking. My companion said that through the message that we share he could know why there are so many churches... right then and there he asked "Why are there so many churches"? Soo when we first got to this house I started to feel the spirit so strong and really I hadn’t ever felt it so strong like I did when I was doing contacts. This amazed me and I was stunned because I didn’t understand why I was feeling it so strong. Okay, so after he had asked the question we answered and then he opened up and invited us in. We went in and shared with him and we came to find out that he had been looking for God for a while mostly, because he was changing his life around. This has helped me understand that God truly helps people find their way back to him. If we hadn’t been doing what we needed to be doing we would have never found him. Now we have plans to visit him this week and I know that for some reason God wanted us there when we got there.

I know that God lives and I know that Jesus Christ lives and that only through him we can have eternal life. Now let us all continue to turn to him always looking for help because he knows what we need and when we look and ask we will find what we need. 

I love you all!!

Con mucho Amor,

Elder Chase Smith

Refining ourselves!

Well this week was good! We were able to work hard and find a lot of new people. 

In church we learned about refining ourselves. The teacher asked us if we thought that being a member was easy. One of the brothers said that after he got his testimony it was easy for him. I said that the idea of us is to progress always and I think that it’s hard because giving the example of a return missionary because sometimes they get back and they stop to study the scriptures and then with time the progressing stops. This happens with all of us. We get comfortable with where we are and we don’t move forward. But it’s so important to keep active and always move forward. 

I know that God lives and loves us. I know that he wants us to be happy and i know that when we feel pain he feels pain. HE is our Loving heavenly Father that sent his son Jesus Christ so that we could return to him. I love him and am so thankful for Christ and I love him so very much for what he did for me and all of us. 

Be happy!! Move on! 

Con mucho Amor,

Elder Smith

The work is progressing!

Bueno,

Last week was super good! We have been finding more and more people every day and the work is progressing. We taught one of our investigators named Jorge more about trusting God. He really wants to go to church and really he believes everything and loves what we teach him but his poor little wife is so sick and he doesn’t want to leave her alone or bring her with him. We testified that if he did what God wanted everything would be okay and he would be blessing. So at the end of that lesson he said, "I’ll think about it".  Then we asked if we could call him to help him wake up and go. He said, "don’t bug me too much”.  So, we ended with that, said a prayer and hoped for the best. Personally, I didn’t think he would come... or I guess it was more of forgetting because I thought he was bugged with us. 

Then on Sunday he walked in.... and this guy lives pretty far from the church. He walked and he walks with a cane. HE put his trust in the lord hoping that everything will work out fine. I love seeing this in people, when they do things that aren’t easy especially because we don’t know how God will bless us but just know that he will bless us and help us!

Also, another one of Gods children decided to get baptized and make a promise with him yesterday! It was so amazing seeing this little boy grow and understand. Even though it takes little by little for him to grow to understand he has changed and I truly love him and am so grateful that I am able to help him and his family. 

I love you all!

Con Mucho Amor 

Elder Smith