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