This is El Camp....but not the best picture. The two girls who live with us. the one in red was in my casa at the mtc! I´ll try more next week.
The Chacai that I´m obsessed with. Happy spring, by the way!!!
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| The Chacai that I´m obsessed with. Happy spring, by the way!!! |
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| This is El Camp....but not the best picture. The two girls who live with us. the one in red was in my casa at the mtc! I´ll try more next week. |
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| Mi Primero Empenada!! |
Mi Primero Empenada!!
Hello Dearest Ones!
How is everybody this week? Another week of missionary work has past, and although it wasn´t ridiculously fast, I can tell that by the end of this experience, I am going to wonder where the time has gone. But I´m learning to enjoy every day and enjoy what is happening in the moment. It´s an important lesson that I hope to take with me after I return. Live in the present people! Life is beautiful!
This week was the grand fiesta of La Dìa de Independencia!!! Woot! Woot! Becuase of the holiday, the missionaries were basically quarantined to our casas exept for Almuerzo (Lunch at a members house every day) and appointments during the afternoon. Which, although the days were a little long, was actually really fun. One of the days we got to go to El Campo...which is basically just out in the country...and we got so many beautiful pictures and spent the day with the ward eating empenadas and playing volleyball and it was a party. Woot. Also, I have eaten so many empenadas. I taught my companion the term "Turkey coma" (you know, from too much turkey on Thanksgiving) and so we like to use the term "empenada coma" here. It´s hilarious. But overall, the festivities were so fun.
I have my first BAPTISMAL DATE. WOoot. His name is Hermano Guillermo Cardenas. The Cardenas are fabulous people who are all recent converts just awesome. We actually ate with them on the 18th (ind. day) But the father of the family had a drinking problem and wasn´t really interested at first. But while we were there he told us in tears that he really wanted to change and to get baptized. It was amazing. A few days later we visited again and he told us with godly sorrow in his voice that he, after trying to stop drinking, had made a mistake and drank. So I asked how we could help him and we started talking about the priesthood and how he can recieve a blessing of health and strength. We had a neighbor come over and give him a beautiful blessing of strength to quit. He was in tears again. The next day he came to church with his family for all three hours and even stayed an hour after for a baptism of an 8 year old member, Leslie (possibly the tiniest cutest human ever, by the way) But this whole experience has been absolutly amazing. The Atonement is so real. And it is beautiful to be able to be apart of that change. To help someone change their life through Christ. To be able to bear testimony to them of the truthfulness and power that this gospel of Jesus Christ has. Even in very, very broken spanish. The spirit penetrates all languages. :)
Speaking of, well, speaking, it´s still slightly (really) difficult. Especially this week when we had a special conference with an Area Seventy. It was about 4 hours long and all in spanish. I just really wanted to understand everything and learn how to be a better missionary. And during lessons or just during the day, I get really frustrated with myself becuase I honestly feel like a baby sometimes. I now understand how Lilly feels when she knows what she wants but can´t communicate. :) But, at the same time, I know that I am learning SO MUCH. I have never had to have so much patience and faith and I know it will bless me so much in my life. And I just have to look for little miracles throughout the day that my heavenly father gives me. Like being able to have a full on conversation with someone, or understanding here and there. Heavenly Father really is here for us. Siempre. Always. He loves us and will help us with anything and everything. We just have to have faith, act on it, and expect miracles. Or as presidente pratt of the CCM said, "Pray like everything depends on the Lord and DO like everything depends on you."
This gospel is true and I know we are all children of God with a Savior who loves us. Let that knowledge fill your life with joy and peace. It is the greatest blessing we have! I love you all and wish you the VERY BEST this week. I pray for you always.
Much love,
Hermana Smoot
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