Week # 13 (Oct, 27 2014) My First Baptism!

Hello Dearest ones.

¿Como están? This week has been crazy and we feel a little destroyed...but hey! That´s a great feeling on the mission becuase it means that we´ve been working hard. 

I had my first baptism this week with our investigator Nicolas Saldivia. He is the 11 year old that is absolutely wonderful. It was so beautiful to be apart of a day so special for him. My companion and I got to sing for the service and plan the whole thing.....(hence destroyed...) But it was all worth it to see the smile on his face after the service. He is really shy, but he did tell us that he felt really happy. :) Also, The change in their family has been really beautiful to witness as his mom is reminded of all the things she learned and as the gospel fills their home with the love of christ. Ah. So beautiful. 

Also, GUILLERMO! Ah. People like him are the reason that we serve missions. Guillermo has had so much darkness in his life and now, he is literally a different person. He honestly wants to know everything about the gospel and feel the happiness and power that it brings to his life. During our lesson on the plan of salvation, after teaching him, he literally explained the whole plan, including the Fall and agency in about 2 or 3 sentences. Hna Figueredo and I were pretty much speechless from happiness. AH. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real. And makes everything possible. 

We are definitely tired and as always, there are days when I really don´t want to go outside and walk for miles and miles. But like all of Ashley´s letters, there are so many miracles in a day that make it all beautiful. Keep pressing onward in this gospel, becuase when we TRULY live it, and repent every single day to become better, God pours out his blessings upon us. 

I love you all and wish you the VERY best. Remember you all have divine potential and to enjoy every day of your life with the light of Christ. 

Love,

Hermana Smoot

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLY!!!!!!!!! You are the best! Give her a million kisses from me and tell her that I love her. :)

PPS I would like to make an official and public announcement that I have eaten chili in chile. Also, nobody knows what chili is here....funny. But it was lovely and it reminded me so much of my dear home where food is normal and not just meat, potatoes and bread. :)

xoxo

Happy Birthdy Lil bug!

Nico y su familia!

Week # 12 (Oct. 20, 2014)

Mi primero paquete!! GRACIAS (also, it took a little over a month and a half for future reference)

Mi primero paquete!! GRACIAS (also, it took a little over a month and a half for future reference)

Hola mi familia!!

Como estan?!! I love you all very much. Just to let you know. Also. HOLY COW THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE. AAAAAAHHHHHHHH. It came and I was jumping up and down becuase chocolate and green smoothies. My inner battle between healthy food and my weakness for sweets: me in a nut shell.....my mother knows me too well.

This week was so fast. I´m done with my first cambio? What happened. It has been beautiful and I hope that I can enjoy all of them as much as I have enjoyed the first. 

In fabulous news: We are having a baptism this sunday! Our investigador Nico is 11 years old and we´ve taught him all the discussion and he had his interview in saturday and is ready to go! Even with just 11 years, we have been able to see such a change in his life and in the home of his family. He reads his scriptures and prays every day and just has a desire to be good. It´s amazing to see a change in a family through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Speaking of the miracle of change and the atonement, Hermano Guillermo (the one who had the drinking problem and relapsed)  and his family are Amazing. Miracles people. We went to their house last night and he was so excited to learn and understand. He even said that his brothers and sisters were teasing him for wanting to join the church and thinking he could change, and he stood his ground and testified of this church. WHAT? His wife said that they could really see the change in their home. All of them are working toward one purpose and trying to believe that their father can do this. The feeling is literally indescribable. To be able to see the miracle of the atonement in such a personal way is incredible. Change is real and very possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ!!!

I love this work. I am so grateful for this life that we have. Honestly, we are so lucky. If you ever feel sad, look around you and realize how many blessings you have. Because honestly family, you guys are ridiculously blessed. Like, ridiculously. Be grateful and give to others. This life is beautiful and we can do anything with the power of God!!

I love you all so much. Continue onward. Seguir adelante. :)

MUCHO Amor,

Hermana Smoot

 1.Hermana Figueredo...I just love her. (And don´t want her to leave this cambio. We´re crossing our fingers!)

 2.We went on a walk. Just take that view in people. UG. it´s too beautiful here.

Week # 11 (Oct. 13, 2014)

Hello wonderful loved ones!

I would just like all of you to know that I totally just wrote my mission president in Spanish. What? I´m awesome. That´s what. Actually no, basically I´m witnessing the Don de lenguas (gift of tounges) in my life more and more each day. And honestly, missionary work is absolutely amazing. It´s really ridiculously hard and crazy that I have the resposibility of saving souls here in Valle Volcanes in the Pichi Pelluco ward en Puerto Montt. I just pray that I can be an instrument in God´s hands and do what he needs me to do. But in all, the church is wonderful and the joy of the spirit is incredible. Inexplicably so. 

This week was really awesome and Super difficult as well. There was a lot of rejection and not a whole lot of actual appointments. Just a whole bunch of contacts and lessons in the street. Which are always fun. And really interesting. It´s crazy that some people don´t believe there is a god. It really doesn´t make a whole lot of sense to me. And also when people have all these questions and this church has ALL the answers but they don´t want them. Those moments are the most frustrating. But it´s ok. This is why we pray every day to find people that are ready.

Also, can I just mention how lucky I am to have my companion. She is the kind of missionary I want to be. She just sincerely loves and enjoys every moment of her mission and is SO focused on her purpose. I´m pretty sure she would give her whole life to missionary work if she could. (she is halfway done at this point and hates when I remind her that.) :)

At the end of this week we decided to fast for all of our investigators, specifically Hno Guillermo. He has been having a really hard time stopping his addiction to Alcohol. (Like anyone who has been drinking their whole lives) It´s just incredibly difficult becuase his family doesn´t really believe in him and he feels really alone. So we have just been doing everything possible and praying like crazy that we can figure out how to best help him. Because it is WAY over our heads at this point. But we did see so many miracles from our fast. For example, in the street, almost everyone we talked to and all the doors we knocked were almost strangely nice. Like, I thought my companion knew them from before. And one girl just let us into her house before we even introduced ourselves. What!? Heavenly father gives us so many miracles to lift us up. So the week ended well.

I challenge all of you to really look for miracles in each day. Heavenly father loves you so much and your lives and INCREDIBLY blesses. I know that more than ever when I meet broken families and homes. Count your blessings becuase you have more that you know. Like Ashley said, EXPECT MIRACLES. :) (Also good luck ashley in your last cambio....I don´t know what that word is in english....exchange? Algo asì.

I love you all and pray for you every night!! Tenga una BONITA Día!!! 

Mucho Amor,

Hermana Smoot

P.S. Fleas. Fleas.....fleas.

THIS is puerto montt. I get to look at this every day people.

The ugliest statue in puerto montt. I don´t really understand it. Apparently there is some song that goes with it. It´s really famous. But hideous.

A birthday party for one of our investigadores. We eat too much.

And also this. Just an average every day view of the lovely Hna Figueredo 

week # 10 ( Oct. 6, 2014) Angel the Atheist/fleas/conference

Hola Familia,

First of all, SORRY ASHLEY! I didn´t realize that hadn´t been sending my letters to you. I love you so much and pray for you every night! You are totally my example and if I can be half the missionary that you have been, I will be set for life. :) You are beautiful.

This week was another week of work, trying to understand/speak spanish, and this wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ. I really love living the life of a missionary. It´s really hard at times and sometimes/all the time I just want to take a nap and watch a Disney movie and eat peanut butter, BUT I absolutely love that my life is so in line with Christ´s life. And all my thoughts lead to gospel and I get the chance to love so many people and do so many wonderful things. And LEARN so much. Ugh. This is the best.

First of all, funny story: We were walking down the street and stopped to talk to a child of god that chose to dress slightly differently/emo and his black hair covered his eyes and all that jazz. We asked him about his relijeous beliefs and he said "No hay Dios" or "There is no god." We tried to talk to him about the fact that there is a god and he loves you! But he just kind of smiled like we were idiots. Woot. But the funny part, though is that his name is ANGEL. I really wanted to ask him if he had any idea what his name meant. Oh. Good times.

Also, another FUN fact. Pulgas. Fleas. They are a thing. And that thing is biting me in the night. But mother, no se preocupe. Don´t worry. I am fine and living and they aren´t very bad and I´m using the Avon oil and all that Jazz. We had intercambios...over exchanges (sorry..don´t know missionary terms in english) But I stayed in overnight at our sister training leader´s house and her bed had fleas. So I may have brought them back. But they really aren´t super bad. They are just more present in the warmer weather that is starting to appear. But it´s just the mission life!

Conference was this weekend! As you all should know. What an incredible opportunity. Conference is the best people. If you didn´t watch, GO DO IT RIGHT NOW. DON¨T EVEN FINISH THIS LETTER. If you did, good job. Now go do it again. Until april conference. :) I was really hoping and praying that I would be able to watch conference in English but it turned out that there isn´t enough internet power in the chapel and we couldn´t connect 2 computers. And it was only me and sister Harvey (the other newbie) that wanted english. So it didn´t happen. We did get to watch saturday afternoon at a member´s house, but the rest were in spanish at the chapel. And I´m not going to lie, I was mad. I wanted to shake someone and tell them "Do you realize how important this is to me as a missionary!! You don´t understand!!" So I sulked through the first session on sunday morning. But it´s never good to be angry and we can always learn something from hard experiences and anger and difficulty. I realized how selfish I was being and how ridiculous my anger was. I was in a comfortable chapel on a mission with members who were gaining valuable spiritual experiences. And I can speak a little spanish. I can still learn. So the spirit softened my heart and I just decided to pray for the ability to understand for the second session. And guess what? Prayer is real. What? I didn´t understand everything, and I was still struggling to translate and internalize, but I still learned and felt the power of the prophets. People, this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. We are so blessed to have modern day prophets. The more we focus on others and try to be like our savior the more we learn and the more we ENJOY our lives. And that is the purpose of our lives. To have joy. :) So learn from your trials and setbacks, put your faith in the lord and love life. Because it is a blessing and you have the knowledge of this gospel!! 

I love you all and pray for you! Have a beautiful day!

Love,

Hermana Smoot

week # 9 (sept. 28, 2014)

Ally is serving in Puerto Montt.

Her companion is Hna Figuereda from Argentina.

Hola loved ones!

How is everyone in all your various places? This week has been lovely and hard and actually quite short. My 2 month mark on my mission is tomorrow. What? What happened with the time? I have no idea. I really need to soak up every day because I´m going to be home before I even realize!

Fun things about this week before I talk spiritual: 

First of all, we do not have any more wood for our stove...and we won´t be getting any until next week. So....it´s basically the same tempurature inside and out. So I´m cold all the time, but it´s fine. Bienvenida a la mision! (As my comp so graciously says when I complain about being hungry/cold/tired) 

Also, we did a service project for one of our Less Actives and offered to clean her yard. She had, in the most literal sense possible, let her yard go to the dogs. There was foam matress that had been torn up and spread EVERYWHERE and tons of trash and did I mention dog hair? Everywhere. Lovely. Oh also, we got to use plastic grocery sacks for gloves. It was SO fun. Basically I´m prepared to do anything now. 

With the work, I am slowly beginning to participate more and understand more. I´ve had a couple of my own contacts too! I started up a conversation with a worker at the grocery store and he ended up coming to church this week. We had 5 whole investigators at church this week!! And it was extra special becuase I was able to give a special musical number and sing for the ward. I am so grateful that God gave me the talent to sing. Music has such a power and brings the spirit so strongly. It was amazing to be able to bear my testimony that way to our investigators. 

With the improvemtn, there are definitely moments during the day and during lessons, where I get so frustrated becuase I can´t understand anything and therefore can´t participate, but I have a feeling that those feelings are going to come throughout my entire mission an my entire life. So I´m learning to do a few things to deal with it. 1. Look for the miracles in every day. Especially on the REALLY bad days. Write them down and realize that God totally has is hand in everything. 2. Have patience with yourself and realize that at times, the things that we want take time work, but if we bear all things with patience and turn to god in times of need, all things are possible. And 3. Take ACTION! When I feel grumpy or just talked to an Athiest named paul who doesn´t belief in anything and shut us down hard core, Sing a happy hymn. Change your attitude. Realize there are more opportunities, more doors opening and more chances to start again and be better. We can always rely on our heavenly father and the atonement of Jesus Christ. Siempre!!

I love you all so very much and I can´t even tell you, family, how much I appreciate your support. I pray that you can all turn to God in ANY time of need. Have an absolutely beautiful day. :)

Much Love,

Hermana Smoot

Didn´t take any pictures this week....lo siento...I know it´s a sin. But here are a few that I wanted to send last week. 

This is the activity in with the ward in El Campo. They had a zipline.(Is that what it´s called in english?

This is the familia cardenas. The dad is Guillermo the one that we spent the 18th with and that has the baptismal date. They are fabulous.

This is the activity with the ward in El Campo. They had a zipline.(Is that what it´s called in english?)

This is the familia cardenas. The dad is Guillermo the one that we spent the 18th with and that has the baptismal date. They are fabulous.

This is our group from the MTC. someone just sent it to me.

week # 8 (Sept. 22, 2014)

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!!!

The Chacai that I´m obsessed with. Happy spring, by the way!!!

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.

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

Week # 7- First week in Chile! (Sept. 14, 2014)

Ally is serving in Puerto Montt.

Her companion is Hna Figuereda

Hello! I´m alive and in Chile!

First of all, sorry for not being able to call on tuesday. We literally tried everything, and when we finally figured out how to make the call, we found out it was about 50 bucks to call for 5 minutes.....so ya. No bueno. But I´m pretty sure I would have been a million times more homesick hearing your voice mom.

I´m in Chile! After a million and twelve hours of flying and trying to do missionary work in the airport and on a plane (placed my first book of mormon!) we arrived in the beautiful land of Chile. It really is so beautiful. We arrived at the mission home and ate and figured out who our companions were going to be. Presidente Obeso and his wife are from Mexico and are the sweetest humans in the world. Plus I can actually understand what they are saying. (Mexican spanish is a million times slower than chilean..) That night we had COMPLETOS, yes like kid history. They are basically just hot dogs with a million toppings. Good stuff. We stayed in a hotel and then the next day met our companions and went to our areas. I was assigned to Puerto Montt. It is probably the most beautiful thing ever. I´m righ by the coast so when we go into the city, we can see the coast and it´s gorgeous. My compañera is named Hna. Figuereda. She is possibly the most fabulous human in the world. She is the best missionary ever and is so utterly kind and loving. I really don´t know how I got so lucky. She is from Misiones, Argentina and so she doesn´t speak a lot of english, But it´s ok. Because I´m learning a lot. And we can communicate enough.

The main difficulty I am having right now is obviously with the language. I honestly don´t do a ton right now except for smile and bear my testimony. I don´t really understand what is going on a lot of the time because the people here speak SO FAST. And they cut off their words and don´t say their S´s very clearly. Anyway, it´s just hard to understand. So I´m just trying my hardest to be obedient and to have the spirit with me. I know I´m just supposed to be learning patience and diligence right now. And I will definitely be grateful for it in hindsight. It´s just slightly difficult right now. But it´s all ok! Becuase through god all things are possible!!

Speaking of which, I definitely witnessed a miracle yesterday. We were teaching one of our investigators about prophets and authority and I actually understood her questions and concerns. I was able to bear my testimony and tell her that she had to find out for herself that this was the one faith and baptism she had read about. While we prayed with her, I really felt that burning desire to have heavenly father soften he heart and for her to know like I do. After the lesson though, I went back to not understanding very much. I know heavenly father is helping me SO much right now and as long as I rely on him, I really can do this. Heavenly father answers our prayers and he will provide a way! Just trust in him.

Other than the language barrier, I really love missionary work. The days are long and there is always plenty to do, but it´s wondeful. I love the people here so much and I love trying to talk to people and giving out pass along cards and smiling and being a representative of christ. It´s just absolutly wonderful. This is truly a divine work.

I love you all so much and I wish I could write a million more things. But know that I pray for you every night and this church is true!

Love, 

Hermana Smoot

Gotta have a lovely selfie- Me and Hermana Figuereda

Just...Chile. Me gusta.

Choppin away!  must. chop. for. heat

P.S.

Funny things about chile

There are definitely dogs EVERYWHERE. I don´t think I´ve seen so many strays in my life. And they act like cats sometimes, where they will just sit and nap in the sun. It´s amusing. Good news though, no fleas! Apparently there are seasons for fleas. i´m not sure when it is, but it´s not now. yay!

Peanut Butter is scarce and expensive 4 or 5 dollars for about a cup. Dumb. Send me some mom? haha.

no but really

We get to chop wood. And I look like an idiot when I do it. So that´s fun.

Independence day is Equivalent to American Christmas. (Sept 18) Nobody wants to talk to us. 

Did i mention it´s beautiful here? Becuase it is. ohhhhh 

Yellow flowers here called Chacai...i think. Ya, want them at my wedding. they are everywhere and wonderful.


yay missions!
xoxox

Chacai.