You never learn by doing everything right‏

Sent 4/4/16

So this week we had cambios. I will be staying another change in Las Colinas with Elder Monroy. Then I only have 2 changes left... ya.

Cool story of the week, so we got our zone on all the busses and everything and sent them off, but then the next day, I get a call from Presidente Klein, and he's like ¨I'm in La Ceiba¨ (which is super far away from where he lives) He was with Hermana Bennet and Hermana Sherman (now their not Hermanas, but I don't know their first names). They had finished their mission like 18 months ago, but were back visiting their converts.  Back in the day, my area was the sister's area, so there's that.  Anyway, we met up to say hi and stuff, but it was kinda funny, because they remembered me, but from way back then, when I was in La Masica, and they were like "Elder Smart... Are you still in this zone??" and I was like "ya, I am". And they were like "wow… thats a long time... " It was really funny.   No, but they are super cool sisters.

Also I've been on divisiones for like 4 days straight with the changes, regular divisiones, and conference... I’m exhausted. Since our house is the central point in our zone, everyone comes over if there is going to be a meeting early in the morning, so I've just been hosting that for about a week.  No its all good though.

Conference was so dope. I love conference so much!! I really can’t explain how much I love it. And all my questions were answered just in the priesthood session. I loved Elder Nelsons talk on the priesthood and being worthy to use God’s power. Also I loved Uchtdorfs talk on marriage! Awesome.

Today we played Beachside volleyball as a zone and with some others from the other zone. it was super cool even thought we weren't able to play for that long.

So what happened today was amazing and an answer to our prayers. We were about to play volleyball, when the lawyer that we were working with to get one of our investigators divorced, re-married, then baptized, finally called us today!!! We have been waiting for like 4 months!!! So long ughhh, but he finally got all the divorcement papers signed, and printed out. so we just stood up our zone on the volleyball and ditched them.  We went straight there to get the papers and finally we can get this sister baptized. She has been waiting in total, about one year to get all this done!!! So amazing. I really saw the Lord's hand in that today.

Alma 26:27

  27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to ^aturn back, behold, the Lord ^bcomforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with ^cpatience thine ^dafflictions, and I will give unto you success.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Semana Santa Time (Holy Week)

Sent 3/28/16 

So this week was pretty great. We started out on Monday playing sports in the water, well more like mud, but it was legit.

Semana Santa (Easter Week) was this week also, so that was a ton of iniquity, especially because I'm here by the beach, and everyone goes to the beach for the Semana Santa... but we got by, it was good.

After that, we had divisions. We've been on like 3 this week.  Its been really long, but really cool. That's one thing I love about the mission. Getting to know so many other people from all over the world.  Its pretty cool.

This week we also  did some sweet service. What machete-ed a ton of stuff for like 2 hours then,  we planted savila, aloe-vera plants. I feel like I should send some home to my family for some reason... not sure why.. Oh well, just an impression. ja  (Anna got sunburned while on spring break this week)

We also went on divisions with the bishop, he's super pills (strong). He has a testimony of steel spirit.  I love that guy.

I was also assigned to talk this Sunday. It was pretty great. 

We got up super early this morning and went Catracho fishing, with some other missionaries. It was pretty chill. sunrise and all.

We didn't catch any fish, but then again, I’m not here for the fish.

Y'all take it easy

D&C 128:22

 22 Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. ^aCourage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into ^bsinging. Let the ^cdead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the ^dKing Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to ^eredeem them out of their ^fprison; for the prisoners shall go free.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

No White Flags

Sent 3/21/16

So this week we had divisiones with the APs (assistant to the president of the mission) in la Lima, so we had to get up at 3:30 am for the bus again, but we arrived there like at 7:30, and they had the 8 week meeting going on, so we got permission to go and visit Berlin!!  And since my comp and I were both there, it was awesome!!  I saw my converts, and Hermana Morlen!!! My favorite abuela Catracha (Honduran Grandma)!  

But the coolest thing was that the rest of the family got baptized after I left, as a result of them being baptized and sharing their testimonies and taking them to church.  Awesome.

We sold hamburgers in our zone to raise money to help a couple get married this week, nice. 

My comp had a nasty ear infection this week and so we had to go to the hospital and get him injected 3 times in the nalgas!! Jajaja that was funny. Good guy.

We also had a youth activity in our zone this week. We did a super contact with some youth preparing for missions. We were out front of the chapel waiting for the rest of the missionaries to get there, when all of a sudden, next to the church, we heard like 30 gun shots. Then a dude running with an AK47 jumps into a white car with tinted windows, and speeds off.  He had lit up a pulperia or something with lead. Straight unloaded. And we were like 20 feet away with all the youth... but we were in the church yard, so we were protected and no one snagged a stray bullet. The Lord protects his flock.

Also it was fathers day here, so we had an activity.  Someone made some really good flan, so hats off to who ever it was.

I also really enjoyed the ¨Ricciardi letter¨ it is amazing and really makes me look at myself as a missionary, amazing.

We also had a service project for the ward.  We made a new tin awning and new mud-oven for a sister in the ward. That was super cool.  But only a super old guy and the bishop helped us, so it took like 4 hours, but they fed us tacos, so it was cool.

Man, I'm really food motivated...

Then this Sunday was stake priesthood meeting.  It was pretty cool.  Saw some people from La Masica there.

Well folks, the Semana Santa (Holy Week) is starting here, so be out on the look-out.

John 15:13

13 Greater ^alove hath no man than this, that a man lay down his ^blife for his ^cfriends.

MACIZO

Elder Smart