Week # 56 (Aug. 24, 2015) tender story about Tithing and more

Hello family :)

I'm glad to see that Ashley and Derek's wedding went gorgeously. So cool that all the brothers and sisters from both sides were there. I loved everything (thank you grandma thomas for all the pictures!) It actually hasn´t sunk in yet that it all happened but it't ok. :) 

This week we actually saw tons of miracles, however small they were. We are working with Maria Elena (I sent a picture of her a while back) who is a single mom who quit her job to come to church on sunday. She is a very spiritual person who has a childlike learning capablity and love for everyone. This week we started teaching her and I had the impression to ask her about her temple savings. We gave her a little jar to save coins for the yearly temple trip that the branch is doing in november. I was actually expecting her to have forgotten all about it becuase it{s been months. But she went out to grab it and she had this giant wet wips tup that was almost full of coins. I was in shock. We told her how awesome that was and that she should work to get her temple recomend. We told her she just had to be keeping the commandments and paying her tithing and she can go. But after that she said, "oh, and that's the most difficult one right? the tithing?" We started talking about all the benefits of tithing and the blessing promised and she just said that she really lacks faith. But as my companion shared her life experience with tithing and our testimonies, she finally commited to paying. And it was hard becuase obviously, she has nothing right now. And she just looked so distraught after saying that she would do it. But then we said a prayer and someone was knocking on the gate outside. So we went out and the branch president was there to drop off a whole bunch of groceries and diapers and clothes. We all just almost started crying it was so powerful. 

That night I was thinking about all of this and about the work here in san pablo And I was frustrated becuase everyone we had talked to that day didn't want anything to do with us and we couldnt set up any return appointments. And it{s rustrating sometimes when we do so much, yet day after day, we just don{t have as much success as we want with baptisms and crazy conversion stories. But as i think back, i don{t think a missionary ever has as much success as we want-becuase as Elder Holland says, salvation never was a cheap experience. But even with all the people who reject us, we are siing so many miracles. Maybe i want 10 amazing new progressing investigators and a million member present lessons, but heavenly father helped a less active feel the spirit and commit her to paying her tithings. Even though it{s difficult to believe somtimes all our efforts ar worth it. And heavenly father has so many miracles and tender mercies that he wants to poor over us, but we have to be willing to RECOGNIZE them. And FOCUS on those great things that are in our lives instead of fussing over the things that we aren't doing or aren't achieving. All of it is a process that heavnely father has preciously created for each and every one of us. 

I hope all of you search for those blessings and try to appreciate ever tender mercy the lord gives you. Becuase they are many.

I love you all and i'm so glad everything went so well. Have a wonderfully miraculous week. Love you Mr. and Mrs Thomson!!

Love,

Hermana Smoot

Johnny the dog has a hurt leg too and my comp was making fun of me. So i took a picture to remember it.

My comp found her frog prince

Chopping wood for Maria Elena. My super compy

We had a talent night. This is the president and his wife.
(we did the makeup skit thing where i was her arms and she was talking)

Week # 55 ( Aug. 17, 2015) Once upon a time...Bit by Chilean Dogs!

On our way to church. With crutches...

Sorry if you didnt want to see this, but here was the cut after about 2 days

Once upon a time Herman Smoot and Hermana Kogianes were doing normal missionary work, on the way to help an investigator with an english assignment. They were chuckling and enjoying there time together when suddenly a dog came around the corner. Hermana smoot didn{t notice-there are always dogs in the street. It went around her companion and without her doing anything, the dog LUNGED from behind her and BIT her right behind her leg. She screamed really loud and tried to fight back, but lost her balance and fell back. People in their houses began to come out wondering what was happening. Her companion stayed calm and helped her but hernana Smoot was kind of freaking out becuase there was a lot of blood and well, A DOG BIT HER.

Yes, I recieved my first dog bite this week on tuesday, and hopefully my last. And before you freak out, Im fine. A nice family took me to the hospital and i recieved my first stitches. 7 of them actually. They gave me and anti rabies vaccination. The only thing was is that it was RIGHT behind my knee, so if I walked, the cut would open up. So guess who was given 5-7 days of REST as a missionary? So apart from the drama of tuesday, I have been in our house, DYING of boredom as my companion does everything for me. The ward has been so nice, helping us with everything. And the branch presidente and his mom (the only family with a car) has been taking us to the hospital and to church and everything that we have had to do. Even our mamita who makes us lunch has been walking to our house to give us luch. I feel way too babied and taken care of for a few stitches. Needless to say it{s been kind of a long week. And just really weird. 

I{ve been trying to pray and figure our why all of this is happening and I feel like it was kind of a slap in the face to forget myself and get to work. LIke, "you want a break, fine, Im going to give it to you!" But in a really loving way. But now I{m determined and super excited to JUST get to work and do everything that i possibly can to help the people here to come unto christ.

I know this church is true and that god loves us so much. And god expects a lot out of us sometimes becuase we are CAPABLE humans with the potential to become like him. SO amazing.}

Ashley, I hope everything goes well this week! KNow that i love all of you. 

(And mom, stop freaking out. Im fine :) 

Love, 

Hermana Smoot

The branch president{s mom (the relief society president) They made tacos and invited us to watch "meet the mormons" because we were so bored. It was so nice of them. :) 

We made a LOT of projects with our time. So i made little plan of salvation drawings for my comp.

Week # 54 ( Aug. 10, 2015)

Me and INGRID!

"classic hna kogianes face" or so she says

 Maria Elena. Another progressing menos activa

Week # 53 ( Aug 3, 2015)Wow, the mission is so amazing. Thank you for all of your support. I´m serious. I feel so much love from all of you. So thank you. This week went by quickly (how many times have I said that now) but it´s so weird. Sometimes i´m just so tired and I feel like the day wont end. And then I look back and I can´t even remember half the things I´ve done. My companion is trying to keep me calm and trying to let me know that she can do things. And she can. She is acutally such a good missionary. I¨m serious. It´s actually kind of ridiculous. SHe has the strongest testimony ever and has the biggest passion to help everyone to accept the restored gospel. And when they don´t, she alwyas says. "UG! IT´S RIGHT THERE! JUST TAKE IT! YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON SO MUCH" So she´s basically going to change everyone´s lives here. :) And i´m just here trying to help her learn patience and spanish. The work is progressing here, even though we are lacking investigators. Apart from the fact that we were left without minutes to call this last week (so hard to do missionary work without a phone) and the fact that my comp got sick and had to sleep all day one day(she was so mad not to leave the house) we are trying to find the chosen ones. We are studying a lot on faith and hope (and again the patience) that we will be able to find them. I´ve literally been prayin SO hard that I can just do the will of the lord. Sometimes it´s so hard to talk to someone or to use every second wisely and I know it´s impossible to be perfect and do absolutely everything. So I´m just praying really hard to do everything that Heavenly Father wants me to do and everything he knows i´m capable of doing. And even though i mess up A LOT, it´ll be ok. The familia Fuentealba is having a few problems....meaning tha we aren´t really sure if they are going to progress. The father seems to just like spending time talking about god than really recieving a testimony. And he hasn´t been reading. But the wife has been to church 3 times and is loving the book of mormon. So we are just trying to pray to see what would be best for them. BUT, NICOLE IS PROGRESSING. She is amazing. We were able to visit her on saturday and she had read all of the plan of salvation pamphlet and again marked almost all of it. And she just understands really well. And started asking us if there was anything that she had to do to become a member, like not eat meat or something. So, tonight we are teaching law of chastity...(shes not married) But, she wanted to come to church and then commit to a specific baptismal date. So we fasted and prayed a ton that she would be able to wake up and come. AND SHE CAME. And she liked it. She only stayed for sacrament but she said she felt a lot of peace there. I just am so glad that we followed the prompting to talk to her in the street. And i know that god puts prepared people in our path and she is hopefully going to be able to have an eternal family one day! So pray for her and that everything goes well tonight and that her spouse has the same desire. This is the true gospel. Our heavenly father loves us so much and wants us to be happy. Thank you for all of your love. Keep following and doing the basics to be able to recieve all of the amazing blessings of the gospel that heavenly father wants to give you. I LOVE YOU ALL!! Con Amor, Hermana Smoot

Wow, the mission is so amazing.

Thank you for all of your support. I´m serious. I feel so much love from all of you. So thank you. 

This week went by quickly (how many times have I said that now) but it´s so weird. Sometimes i´m just so tired and I feel like the day wont end. And then I look back and I can´t  even remember half the things I´ve done. My companion is trying to keep me calm and trying to let me know that she can do things. And she can. She is acutally such a good missionary. I¨m serious. It´s actually kind of ridiculous. SHe has the strongest testimony ever and has the biggest passion to help everyone  to accept the restored gospel. And when they don´t, she alwyas says. "UG! IT´S RIGHT THERE! JUST TAKE IT! YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON SO MUCH" So she´s basically going to change everyone´s lives here. :) And i´m just here trying to help her learn patience and spanish. 

The work is progressing here, even though we are lacking investigators. Apart from the fact that we were left without minutes to call this last week (so hard to do missionary work without a phone) and the fact that my comp got sick and had to sleep all day one day(she was so mad not to leave the house) we are trying to find the chosen ones.  We are studying a lot on faith and hope (and again the patience) that we will be able to find them. I´ve literally been prayin SO hard that I can just do the will of the lord. Sometimes it´s so hard to talk to someone or to use every second wisely and I know it´s impossible to be perfect and do absolutely everything. So I´m just praying really hard to do everything that Heavenly Father wants me to do and everything he knows i´m capable of doing. And even though i mess up A LOT, it´ll be ok. 

The familia Fuentealba is having a few problems....meaning tha we aren´t really sure if they are going to progress. The father seems to just like spending time talking about god than really recieving a testimony. And he hasn´t been reading. But the wife has been to church 3 times and is loving the book of mormon. So we are just trying to pray to see what would be best for them.

BUT, NICOLE IS PROGRESSING. She is amazing. We were able to visit her on saturday and she had read all of the plan of salvation pamphlet and again marked almost all of it. And she just understands really well. And started asking us if there was anything that she had to do to become a member, like not eat meat or something. So, tonight we are teaching law of chastity...(shes not married) But, she wanted to come to church and then commit to a specific baptismal date. So we fasted and prayed a ton that she would be able to wake up and come. AND SHE CAME. And she liked it. She only stayed for sacrament but she said she felt a lot of peace there. I just am so glad that we followed the prompting to talk to her in the street. And i know that god puts prepared people in our path and she is hopefully going to be able to have an eternal family one day! So pray for her and that everything goes well tonight and that her spouse has the same desire.

This is the true gospel. Our heavenly father loves us so much and wants us to be happy. Thank you for all of your love. Keep following and doing the basics to be able  to recieve all of the amazing blessings of the gospel that heavenly father wants to give you. I LOVE YOU ALL!!

Con Amor,

Hermana Smoot                                                             

Week # 52 (July 27,2015)

Hello everyone!

This week was another very quick one. That seems to happen a lot here. I really love it here in San Pablo with Hna Kogianes. It´s been an adventure adapting to new situations. I feel a new apprecition for missionary work becuase Hna Kogianes just wants to make the most of it every day. She got sick this week (which is always so much worse as a missionary) and she had to sleep for a few hours one afternoon and when she woke up, she felt bad for "wasting" some time and was just ready for to give it her all and not waste another second. She told me, "I just feel bad sometimes becuase you only have like six months left and I want you to have the best experience." First of all, how thoughtful. :) second of all, time is going by way too fast and I just don´t know what to think. But I think the key now is just to do as she said. And what you said, Dad. Just make the most of every moment and run harder that ever before. I just want to keep learning. 

This week we saw a few miracles worth mentioning.  Nicole, the one that has been reading and marking everything- we found her boyfriend/spouse. They aren´t married but we were able to teach the whole family about the importance of families and prophets and we have another appointment with them today so i hope it goes well.

Also, la familia fuentealba, who don´t have baptismal dates yet becuase they want to feel super prepared ( we are working on that) the WHOLE family came. The two f he and their daughter. It was AWESOME. It made the week a whole lot brighter.

I love you all so very much. There is so much to learn in this life, and even though sometimes it´s tiring, it´s so worth it. I found  scripture this morning that i´m going to have to paraphrase in Alma 37 vs 34 (i think) it says: Be not weary of good works but be meek and lowly in heart and you shall find reest to your soul.

I love it. Becuase even though we get tired sometimes we are feeding our soud and we will feel that rest. and the strength that comes from our heavenly father. So even though planning a wedding is stressful, god still loves you all!! And so do I!

Have a wonderful week!

LOVE,

Hermana Smoot

Hna Kogianes and SUBWAY

Hna K being attacked by Rambo and Johnny. The dogs that follow us everyday

My SUPER attractive coat for the old lady that owns our house. I lost the one from the mission and she gave me winter of ´86

There is always a lot of random excersize equipment in the parks here. :)

Week # 51 (July 20,2015)

IT RAINED SO MUCH on saturday. And a few of our appointmet fell through and i left my umbrella (my 4th here in chile.) at someones house....basically we were really really wet. Good times.

This is my sister training leader. SHe{s from kentucky! She was so surprised when she saw pigs in the street. Oh san pablo.

Hello family and lovely loved ones.

 

This week has been so full and so fast (welcome to the mission). We had companion exchanges, zone conference, more training and more preaching the gospel to this little farm town. I really feel blessed to have this experience.

SO....Ronald and Luisa asked us not to visit them for a while. Apperantly ronald doesn{t want to change and luisa feels like it was all too fast...plus some of her friends were making fun of her for listening to us. But she told us she did really have a hunger to find the truth and she is going to keep reading and praying and she will call us when she wants more. So we were kind of bummed, but we planting a dang good seed and I have faith that one day she will be able to satisfy her hunger with the restored truth of the gospel.

We have another lovely investigator Nicole that is a young mom who now has a baptismal date. She read and marked the restoration pamphlet and loved the part about families. And when we gave her the book of mormon she read and marked all of 3nephi 11 and had questions. SO COOL. When someone reads and feels the spirit from the book of mormon its literally like christmas morning as a missioanary. She is not married so we are trying to find a time to meet and teach her boyfriend who is living there. But pray that they can get baptized and have an eternal family!

We are also teaching another family that CAME TO CHURCH on sunday. That is so amazing. The two parents both came and like it. And we are really hoping they will progress. 

Its so crazy sometimes that the salvation of all of these souls is in our hands....ok, not really our hands, but as instruments we have the responsiblity to help these people make saving covenant with heavenly father. I am just trying has hard as i can to do what i should and help and love. My companion is doing super great and even though we have our stressful times, she is amazing. She always has so many ideas and she is helping me to be more obedient and to help ALL to come unto christ. 

THank you for all of your letters! I hope megan is well on the other side of the states and that the two love birds are planning for their wedding...1 month! And gosh, i just love you all so much. If you have a minute, I always appreciate letters. :)

Have the Best week ever. Really heavenly father loves eache of you so much. You all have the possiblity to progress so much becuase of the atonement of christ. We can literally change our character becuase of it. Let{s keep progressing and becoming better this week!

I love you all!

 

Hermana Smoot

 

 

 

Heeeeeeyyyy........

so, i have a sad story that makes me....realy really sad...

 

i lost my camera last week. I left it in the ciber cafe thing where we write. And i{m really sad. I have some of my photos backed up and a whole bunch on my other giant camera but i think i{m going to have to search from all my comps (which gratefully most of them live in utah...so no worries.)

But, im debating bying anothing cheap camera. Im do use my big camera, but it{s just kind of difficult to use every day during prosyliting. Just let me know what you guys think. I can just use the big one.

I love you guys and i{m so grateful for all you do for me. serously i don{t deserve it. BUt ya. let me know. 

 

LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH.

Week # 50 (July 13, 2015) Despues los aflicciones vienen las bendiciones

HELLO!

How is everyone. You are all growing up so much and all look so lovely. I have such an attractive family. Sorry i didnt take any pictures this week. I feel bad. Next week i will send some. :)

This week was one of those 2 nephi 2 weeks. Where it talks about how there needs to be an opposite in everything and we need to have problems to feel joy? Well, asi fue. Thats how it was. At the beginning of the week on tuesday, im pretty sure that everything that could have gone wrong, did. Ronald and Luisa (hungry for the truth) called us and said that we couldn{t come see them becuase they  had company and when we tried to set up another appointment she said that she was going to be busy all week and that she would call US on monday. WHAT? We were so confused. No one says that unless that dont want to see us anymore. But we prayed really hard that she really was just busy. But then after that, we had to stay in the house and study becuase My comp is training. So after being couped up, stressed out and totally emotionally eating, we finally left the house. And it was SUPER rainy and windy and ALL of our other appts fell through and my umbrella broke AND my companion stepped on a thorn that went THROUGH HER BOOT. At that point we were actually laughing becuase it was just so ridiculous. The next day was equally as stressful but not quite ridiculous. But I just kept praying really hard. Becuase I know that when we go through hard things that means that really great things are going to come afterward. And I just kind of held on to that hope. And it was true. This weekend a ton of people let us into there houses and TWO menos activos that hardly ever go to chruch (one that hasn{t gone in years) cam to church and an investigator came and was really well recieved by the sisters in the ward. And my lovely compy gave her first talk in spanish and totally rocked it. But really, she made a sister cry. I don{t even know why i{m training her. I{m learing a lot more from her than she is from me. It{s just the spanish that i understand. She is going to change so many lives. 

But to top off the weekend, we had a super cool spiritual experience. We had about 40 minutes til we had to go back home. And we still hadnt heard from Ronald and Luisa. But there was another new investigator that accepted a baptismal date whose appt also fell through. So we wanted to visit both of them. And we decided to say a prayer to see where we should go. And after the prayer, we pondered for a minute and my companion said, "ok, on the count of three, say the name" and then on three, at the same time, we said, "RONALD Y LUISA." The spirit was obvious. And then we went to their house and they were home and told us they really had been busy all week long and said we could come on wednesday! It was the BEST. So please pray for them. Seriously, they have so much potential. 

In the end, god blesses us for our sacrifices. In every way. There is a scripture in D&C that says that the blessing come after the afflictions. And sometimes we cant see with our natural eyes what heavenly father is doing or why. But just know its all for a reason. And he loves us. And just wants us to be better, awesome, children of him. 

I LOVE YOU ALL so very much. And wish you all the very best week. ;) 

LOVE,

Hermana Smoot

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MOMMA!

 I really am so blessed to have you. Have a beautiful week.