Semana de consejo (Council Week)

This has been a 7 day week.

We had our Zone reunion this week.  Pure. It went well, but now we are planning a multi-zone conference for this week, so we'll get all that good stuff this week.

This week has been nonstop parades... all week... I thought that Independence Day was only one day, but nope.  It lasts 7!

We did divisions with the Assistants to the presidents this week also.  MACIZO (solid).

We have been contacting a ton lately.   We make it fun. Really fun.  Straight forward.  All that the people need to hear is the truth.  Just say it.  Super dry and direct.  If they wanted life easy and sugar coated, they wouldn’t be down here with a body right now.  But we are all here, here in this life making hard decisions.

We also did a super contact in La Sarosa this week.  I feel weird working outside of my area.  Asking people if different missionaries can come by later... I just don't dig it, I wanna come back later.  Eh, its all good.

Santa Rita 2 Hermanas had a baptism this week.  Her name is E.P.  Super sweet she is. I baptized her.  Her mom is supposed to follow this next week.

We also had a super cool Noche de Hogar (fireside) yesterday up on top of one of the mountains here.  Super great message about the Sabbath day.

All the old ladies made the climb also and it was super fun helping them down the mountain again. hahaha.

Well well see if I survive another week here in ¨Santa Rita, por las Aguas Termales¨ (Santa Rita by the Hot Springs),

Be your own agent

DE MEIDO

Salmos 22:26-28 (Psalms)

 26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

 28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is the governor among the nations.

Questions from mom:

What are you eating, who is cooking?: The mom of the little girl Aju is our cook. She takes really good care of us. Although we did make french toast for some of our investigators!

Is this area safer than Berlin?  Yes Santa Rita is a little bit safer that Berlin. There are still muggings, murder, drogas (drugs) and mayhem, but a little less. A lot more drugs with all the mototaxis.
Are you exercising? We haven't been doing anything for exercise. Just P days in Progresso playing in the gym. But this week we found a gym.

What are you thankful for this week? I'm thankful for the opportunity to testify of my brother Jesus Christ every day.

No hay atajos (no shortcuts)

Elder Smart

Santa Rita

So this week has been pure intensity.

We are traveling a ton.  We always have to go do something, always.  Plan something, interview someone, check houses, divisions, everything.  We are always in the freaking bus, or in a mototaxi...

The view from a mototaxi 

There are about 30 missionaries in our zone, so that’s a lot of missionaries to take care of.

Some guys came by and cut the power cords to our house last week, so that was really horrible for a while.  But it’s all good (answering a question about a statement made last week about not having electricity)

Independence Day is tomorrow (Independence from Spain, along with the other Central American Countries in 1821), so everyone is going nuts.  There were parades and parties today, and it’s supposed to be 100% crazier tomorrow (the 15) But it was super cool seeing all the culture.  Beautiful.

Oh also we had the Mini CCM (MTC) this week and it turned out awesome.  There are some kids that are more pilas than we are.  Incredible to see the super strong testimonies of the youth here. Amazing.

 

President Klein teaching the "new" missionaries 

Two soon-to-be Elders

We had a BAPTISM also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hermana M is her name and she is awesome.  We found here super-fast, and the second time we went back to her house she had started to memorize her favorite parts of the book of Mormon... awesome. 

We also had a ZL meeting in La Paz. Mazico.  Super cool.  I got a bunch of new ideas.

Aju turned 2 today so we bought her a piñata.  She is so cool.  I’m definitely her #1 fan.

Jeramías 23: 29

 29:  Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Pickle the Beast

Elder Smart

ZL in Santa Rita

(9-7-15)

Honduran Ladies Lacrosse Team, 2025

So this week has been one for the books.  I got changed out of being District Leader in Berlin in Zone Progreso Norte, and now I'm Zone Leader in Progreso Sur.  My area is called Santa Rita, and it is the best. I love it.  My comps name is Elder C.  He’s from Guatemala, and knows some weird Guatemalan dialects. Its super cool. But he is a straight stud. I love the kid.  He’s got like 18 months on the mish.  He is literally the latino version of me, and he’s the bomb in a little chapín (Guatemalan) body.

Me and Elder C

Leaving Berlín gave me mixed feelings. First of all I was there for like 6 months, so it was time for a change. But I realized that I had been with some really amazing people, helped, and seen them change. That was really cool.

Oh that’s the other freaky thing. Mamá Enaida (our cook in Berlín) the day after I left, in the night, woke up to a knife to her throat.  Someone had broken into her house in the night and well there he was.  Thankfully she is fine. Super shaken up and scared but unharmed. Prayers.

Also a prayer call for a missionary who fell off a 65 foot cliff and from what I heard, smashed one side of his face, broke his spine in 2 places and also his hip.  He is lucky to be alive thanks to the brave and amazing missionaries who were with him.

There is so much to do as a Zone Leader.  Planning activities and maintaining jovenes (youth) in the murder capitol is quite a chore. That’s why we have Jesus.

Hey but a cool activity that we are planning is the Mini CCM.  All the Jovenes of the stakes are going to arrive in missionary clothing and scriptures and stuff like that for a day, and we are all going to act as their CCM (MTC) teachers.  Its going to be an all day long type of thing...

It will be great.

Ohh ya another notice... I’m back to Pila bucket showers, due to my “hut” of a house not having running water or electricity.

I am seriously loving every moment of my mission and just hope that you are all well also.

2 Nephi 9:26

 26 For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel.

My Beloved abuela (grandmother) Hermana Morlen

Tame the Tiger

No te rindas

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

The wall must come down (Leaving Berlin)

(8-31-15)

So this week has been exactly 7 days long.  Sounds like I'm still sane.

I’m almost positive I’ll be changed out of Berlín, but I wont know until the day before.  So there’s that.

I held my district meeting and taught how to preach repentance using power and authority through the holy ghost.  T’was good.

I’m not sure if the gangsters or the police are more dangerous here... some gangsters kill some people, and then the police come and start killing more people.  I just don't know.  It’s getting old.

I have felt so so so tired these past few weeks.   I just get into the house at night, and I'm beat. Straight burnt.

Oh cool experience of the week.   The Zone Leaders called us at 7 pm and told us we needed to come and do an emergency baptism interview... If it’s dark outside, you get shot or mugged, so this was an act of faith.  We went and did the interview, and it was the coolest interview I've ever done. Hermana Filomena is her name.  I’ve known her for a while now, going back and forth from El Centro all the time. She is the sweetest lady I have ever met in my entire life. She is super old. She’s like 78 or something, and she is more pilas (charged up) than the obispo (bishop).  She seriously has a testimony of steel.  

That was super cool to be a part of her years and years of searching for the truth.

One last pic before we split

¨I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken¨

-part of  2 Nephi 9:40

Luke 12: 31-32

 31 ¶But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Baleadas y la playa (tortillas and the beach)…nothing better.

Tengan un testimonio de acero (have a testimony of steel)

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

New member of the neigh-borhood