Cada pulgada (Every Inch, as in “Fight for Every Inch”)

Hello all. 
Another week here in the land of the dead.  So this week has been really slow.  The food finally caught up with me, so I was sick for the first time.  All I will say is...diarrhea fuego.  But I’m over that now, and back on track.


It still rains buckets every day, and busses fill up with water, so they get slow. This means that the trip to Confité, to drop off carpetas de miembros (member files) took like 3 hours instead of 30 mins.

After this is when I was feeling super sick.  Double headed dragon.  I told Hmna. Martha this, and she said she would make me something really good for my stomach the next day.  Well, the next day rolled in, and what did she drop on my plate?  A fish head.   She thought that was real funny. Haha no.   All I could do was look into the gooey eyes and turn green.  I’m happy to say I did eat it, but it took a while.

We also got to play soccer for mutual in the little soccer arena. That was way cool. Scored 2x on Elder V, which is a real feat, because he is a giant.

Oh ya, scary story of the week- The Elders in Confité got robbed this week in the middle of the night, while they were sleeping in the members house where they live.  They woke up to gunshots.  (The banditos shot and killed the guard dogs before entering).  Then the door broke down, and they were face to face with the masked faced men who then robbed them of all they had, microhonda, ropa, dinero, todo (microwave, clothes, money, all).  One of the Elders then recognized one of the masked men, and said, I know you, why are you doing this? He then was beat up.  Please pray for these valiant young men.

Oh ya, we ate iguana this week as well.  That was a trip. But then after was Hermanamiento, where I gave the lesson on oración (prayer).  I think it went well. The people seemed to think so to. I was definitely feeling the spirit that day, I could just... feel it. I don’t know how to describe it...and it definitely wasn’t Hmna Martha’s fish head.

Oh ya, today is Elder M’s birthday today.  He’s a stud and a half.  Sorry my email is all over the place this week.  I live in Hondo, so I think that’s a pretty good excuse.
Anyway, the scripture of the week and one I really need to capitalize on lately is Mosiah 23:21.  It talks about how God tries our patience and faith.  This is one of the most real verses, and it applies to everyone, especially me.
21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.

Here is a picture of Hmna.  Martha and her swag. Gafas de sol (sunglasses) credit- Elder Runyan.
Thanks bud, I miss the Goonies back in the states, along with 8-ball and scoot 801.  There’s my shout out for this week.

I know you all are real busy, but I would appreciate it if you all took the time this week to kneel down and thank God for what he has provided for you. Everything comes from him, most importantly the greatest gift of all, the plan of salvation.

Oh I’m sorry one other thing, our next baptism is for the 6th of December- Hermana Reyna. That should be a blast 100.

Thanks for todo (all)
Con Amor+
Elder Smart

Wowzers

Elder Smart's mailing address is at the top of the blog if anyone wants to send a letter or package.

This week was a thrill. I don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll keep it quick. So, to start things off, one of my companion’s investigators was shot and killed the day before he was supposed to be baptized. He’s going straight to the celestial kingdom I’m sure.

Ok, now, some things that happened. Haircut, English class, tons of contacting, Jehovah’s Witnesses, rain for days, hamburgers, faux missionaries, service, La Ceiba, Trujillo, soccer, beach, bedbugs. 

Story of the week. We were contacting, and we decided to talk to this older lady. We found out she was loco. She started kissing our hands, and she called my companion black Jesus, and me white Jesus. This was apostasia (apostasy), so we tried to teach her that she needs to stop kissing our hands, we are certainly not Jesus, but that he does live. But she kept mumbling something about shoveling sand on the beach, so we left right quick. Like 3 minutes later, My Friend (literally his name) the town bolo asked me to sing Feliz Navidad with him. So I happily obliged, and joined in.

Next. Two missionaries were spotted in La Masica. Fake missionaries.   Name tags, and all. There are only 4 missionaries here, and they certainly weren’t us.  Raro.

Next... TRUJILLO!!!!!!

Zone pday was on Monday, and we all got to go to Trujillo. It was so beautiful. We played soccer on the beach, toured the ruins of a fort, and just hung out on the beach. Chill fest 100. Anyway it was so nice to see all the guys from the Mexico CCM again. Oh and Elder Criddle is the man.  Such a help.

The scriptures of the week are, Mosiah 4:9

9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

The next is Mosiah 4:16-25.

16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish 

17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just 

18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. 

19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? 

20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy 

21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another. 

22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done

23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world

24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give. 

25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

They basically say, we need to believe in God, and help and succor the weak in need.

Oh and if you want a machete, look up Alma 5:16-21. Intenso.

16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth? 

17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you? 

18 Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of God? 

19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances? 

20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil? 

21 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins.

Love you all, con amor+

Elder Smart    

Bautismo y peligro (Baptism and peril)

And it's not even the rainy season yet...

This week, this week, this week...

I now have to teach my Comp English by December, direct orders from Presidente Klein, because of some bumps in the road from his previous area. I am not going to elaborate.

Elder V

My companion is a very hard working, loving, spiritual giant, and he is an excellent missionary. He does, however like to have fun.

This week, I was able to calm down quite a bit. I wasn’t worried about Spanish at all. Even through the lesson with two Geipers, I was able to pay attention with ease.

We ate armadillo at a less active member’s house. He caught it in the mountains while he was looking for firewood. Que raro (odd). They say it’s really rico (delicious) here, but I thought it was a little gamey.

On the 7th, we went to Ceiba for reunion de districto, and I found out that Hermana Bennett is Dakota Cobbler’s cousin! That is so cool, I remember him telling me about her, but it just didn’t click until she asked me. Wow. What a small world. The connections are ridiculous. P.S. Bill is still crazy! (Dakota’s dad and Andy’s Cross Country coach).

I taught a lesson in English! It was to Gringo Dan who lives here; pero (but) he is atheist, so that was a trip. Elder M and I went on splits and contacted 8 people in like 2 hours, which it pretty impressive for La Masica.

  Oh ya we had a baptism!!!!!!!! 
Madgiel was his name. In the river again, of course...  After that we had pelicula noche (movie night) and watched Rey Leon (Lion King) and that was super cool because we tied it into a devotional about families being together forever and the levels of glory.  Then, the lady whose house is attached to the awning we use for church asked me to give her a blessing because she was feeling really bad physically.  I gave it in English, unfortunately, but the spirit was definitely there.

My Comp has had a trip of a week also. This includes a face full of thorns from a hide-and-go-seek youth activity, kissing a pig and licking a turtle. Yes this is the truth. We had a bet that he couldn't teach the entirety of the first three lessons in less than 10 minutes. The consequence was kissing the pig. He failed, and has a chancho novia (pig girlfriend) now. He then insisted to try again, and failed tambien. Thus the turtle novia... He’s a goober and a half. He then had to dump a 10 liter drum of ice water on Hermana Rubi’s hijo (son) because she failed the challenge too. We probably should stop this stuff, but it was real funny. Reir (laugh). 

We get to go to Trujillo for our next zone p-day. It’s going to be a blast and a half.  

Also, I would encourage you all to watch the temple dedication ceremonies for the Tegucigalpa, Honduras Temple, by any means you can. It’s incredible.

Tegucigalpa Temple article: https://www.lds.org/church/news/president-uchtdorf-dedicates-tegucigalpa-honduras-temple?lang=eng

Dedicatory prayer: https://www.lds.org/church/news/dedicatory-prayer-expresses-gratitude-for-christ-gospel?lang=eng

The scripture for the week is 2nd Nephi 31:20-21. For me this helps me know that i need hope and love of god in my life, so press forward and endure to the end.

 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.  

21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen. 

 Jesucristo es vida (Jesus Christ is life)

Elder Smart

Con Amore

RIO...

cantando el rio blues

Okay, so the turtle story was 100% true.  I live in Honduras... (Note: The Smarts had a family dispute over the truthfulness of this story).
And some other questions...
We are teaching some familias. We don’t have very many progressing investigators, but we are teaching. Me and my companion get along fine. Que raro.  Anyway, my companion is the new district leader. That’s going to be fun.

On Halloween, we played indoor soccer (just soccer under a lean-to). That was way fun playing with all the little kids. Ha ha, they would all try to take me out! Oh, also, I bought 100 lychees for like 15 lempira... Candy. So good. They are the red things and are a fruit. However, it flooded again on Halloween, and the power went out tambien.

We baptized a little girl named Astrid in the river, because we are in La Masica. That was way cool. The only time it stopped raining that day was when the baptismal service was taking place (God’s work).
The power has been off most of the days, so I’m really glad it’s on for me to email!

We had P-noché last night. Ha ha--a pajama party at our casa for the missionaries in La Masica and played UNO. Sorry my email is short this week, it has been action packed.
I am beginning to love it more and more each and every day.
My scripture for the week is D&C 84:106. Bueno.

106 And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also.

Tub and laundry 

Road or river- depends on the day

Con Amor,  

Elder Smart

Suprise

Since yesterday was a big change (or transfer) day, we got another day to “prep”.
But, Honduras decided to flood again, so we were stuck inside all day again, with no power. However, the water was on this time, which was nice.  

Anyway, due to the rain, we didn't do much but play Uno, and eat baleadas all pday

Today however, we were at a catratchos house, and he keeps live turtles in the cement tub behind his house, and he decided to prepare one (comida). This included him skinning the turtle out of his shell. I don’t really mind these sights, but this time was different.  At first, I couldn't figure it out, but, then I realized he hadn't killed the turtle first.  He just hacked at it until he ripped it out of its shell. This troubled me.  Meanwhile, he pulled the still-beating heart out of the wriggling mass of intestines and let it pump in his hand until it stopped...

Happy Halloween!

Oh, Elder J, and Elder R were changed, I was quite sad, but I think I’ll learn faster now I’m not speaking ANY English.

Elder J and Elder R are next to our hermana who feeds us lunch

Hope you are all eating a ton of candy, for Andy, right now

Con Amor

Elder Smart

Solo Lobo (Lone Wolf)

OK, this week has been a roller-coaster...
I have successfully made it through one Transfer, boom.
I was sitting in a hammock eating some tortillas, and all of a sudden, thought to myself, all of my friends are doing something similar to this right now. They are either on a mission in a place far away from home, or they are at college with a ton of classes. Bottom line is that most the people I know right now are going through some really big changes, and wow. We are growing up. I hope.
Anyway, District meeting was on Tuesday, my comp took 2 showers, (because the water was finally back on), so we were really late. Entonces (then), after we got back from Ceiba, we went on splits.  I went with Elder M. and my comp went with Elder J.  Elder M. speaks really clearly and slowly, so I was able to understand most of our lessons, which was nice because I was able to follow, and then contribute.
That night was Hermana Martha’s birthday. Everyone here somehow knows Happy Birthday in English (pronounced completely wrong) but that was kinda funny. She gave a speech, and blew out a match that was stuck in a cupcake, and then we played pin the tail on the donkey. However, whoever lost had to eat extra baleadas/tortillas (we had already eaten). I gave her an English CTR ring I had, and she loved it. Oh I almost forgot! I got a letter from Grandma when we were in Ceiba!! Super, super helpful.

Picture from the Mission President's Wife website 

Reunion de 12 semanas (weeks) was on the 23rd. This was also in Ceiba (with Pres. Klein and Hermana Klein). We were like 45 minutes late because the bus broke down again, and it’s an hour and a half ride to Ceiba.  Anyway, I felt like a goon rolling up late, especially when Pres. K came up and shook my hand. Don’t worry mom, I explained to him.  But that’s where the picture from Hermana K’s blog was from.  The Elder was reciting the first vision, but he is a native speaker, so it was a breeze for him.  Anyway, for lunch they gave us PIZZA!  I almost forgot what food other than rice beans and Tortillas tasted like.  Wow that was awesome. I did see Elder Tobler, Elder Beeston, Elder Hansen, and Elder Patterson there so that was really cool to see the boys again.  They are all doing really well. We are all freaking out, because we are in Honduras, but all was well.

Oh, the kids throw fireworks at you here. Some Catracho (Honduran) threw one at me, but I guess he didn’t light it, so I picked it up and put it in my pocket. Temptation... I threw it away after much contemplation. That was hard. (Note: we found a cache of fireworks in Elder Smart’s room after he left for the MTC).

The 24th was Missionary Correlation, so we went to Confité (an hour by bus). We stayed overnight there, and left at 5 in the morning to baptize three new members in the river that runs through Masica, but then it started to rain, and it didn’t stop for two days. Elder J y Elder M’s house was flooded, and the power went out, so we had to stay indoors all day because there was water up to our knees in the street and it was dark by 4 pm. We did, however, have some candles, so that was nice. We played UNO for like 2 hours because we couldn’t do anything else. While I was studying by candle light, I came across the scripture Alma 26:12, and 27. This is a new pump up scripture for me.

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

During sacrament meeting this week, in our lean-to, some pollos/chickens (that were trying to break the law of chastity) flew INTO the congregation, and landed on a member.  That was nice.  Oh, later that day, we were getting Coconuts from a tree, and one fell and hit my comp Elder V. on the shoulder. It scraped the side of his face, and bruised his shoulder. A couple of inches over... and it would have been his head.  Dios is up their watching over us.

We had Rico for lunch. I can’t describe it. Just look it up... Raro. (Note: despite many Google searches, we could not identify what food Andy is talking about.)
Oh, I have heat rash on my ankles, so I shaved them. Just my ankles, though (lol).

Just today, comp screamed like a niño when a frog hopped into his shower.  And then right after there was a mouse in his luggage, and a gecko on his garments.  I had to take care of all these ''diablos'' (devils) as he described them.

That’s been my week.  If you can, please take a moment to pray for missionaries and their investigators. It means the world.

Con Amor
Elder Smart

Quick answers to some of the questions we've asked:

• Yes we have working toilets, but the water is not on all the time
• We have an indoor shower, but again, the water is unreliable, and then I bath in a deep concrete basin outside
• We do not ride bikes, because they'd be stolen... like in 5 seconds
• My bed is good, but collects a lot of dead bugs
• We go to Ceiba weekly for food, district meetings and money
• I am progressing with the language, but I can only say the basic stuff (like a 4 yr-old child).  I have had a few situations where I have understand "everything", it's really weird when that happens.
• Our church meets under that awning... the local school teacher owns the casa it's connected to, and lets us use the space under the awning 
• The people who feed us horse, were very poor and had to kill their horse for food

Masica is vida (life)

First off...

I make a ton of pancakes every morning, and then get fed rice, beans, tons of tortillas, platanos, eggs and meat (in excess) for lunch and dinner. So I am getting fed well for all of those wondering.

Anyway, Honduras played U.S.A in soccer on the 14^th. They tied which blew my mind. How does that happen? I actually got to watch half an hour of it at a member’s hut, which was really cool. So that was satisfying. I wrote down 2^nd Nephi 3:13 for some reason in my journal, and now I can’t remember why. It’s good though...

 13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

My companion has been really sick lately, so he asked for a blessing. I gave him one (in English) and it was actually exactly what I needed. It was weird; the blessing was for him, but it I feel like it helped me more than it helped him.

On the 15^th we taught our weekly English lesson. These always go pretty poorly because not one person here can pronounce English words. It is quite a challenge trying to teach your native language, in a language you don’t really know.

Another scripture, 2^nd Nephi 7:7 really helped me, as I found it in personal study (God will help me). 

 7 For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

The Hermana (sister) that cooks for us had kind of a tough week. Her son was with a "friend" and he thought it would be funny to pressure him into drinking really concentrated alcohol (that he had also drugged with something), so in the middle of lunch, the father comes in, literally dragging his son in. He is completely passed out, and is throwing up in his sleeplike state. Our Hermana was sobbing for hours. It’s important that we remember that we represent our family in everything we do. Everything you do reflects your family. Please pray for our Hermana and her son, he will be okay, but his friend I hope, will realize the severity of his actions.

Waiting for some computer time 

On the 17^th, not much happened other than I juggled oranges for some kids for like 30 minutes because they have never seen that before. Oh, the other thing. People ask to see some of the pictures I have from home, but I really don’t like showing them. It shames me to show pictures of me in a suit I rented (for prom), and what not, while the people here rarely have more than one shirt to wear. People here get married in whatever they are wearing that day. It breaks my heart to see pictures of people on their wedding day, and they’re not even wearing shoes. It really makes me appreciate what I had, even though in the past I thought I had so little. When in actuality, I had infinitely more than I ever realized. It really hurts me inside. But the worst part is, I can’t sympathize with them, or tell them that I love them because my Spanish is so horrible.

Anyway...  Three more scriptures: 2^nd Nephi 8:25, 2^nd Nephi 9:4, and 2^nd Nephi 9:10. These scriptures help me remember why I’m out here in a jungle.

 25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

 4 For I know that ye have searched much, many of you, to know of things to come; wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God.

 10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.

On the 18th, we couldn’t find anyone we had previously contacted. So we decided to find some new people. The first hut we went to, a lady was washing clothes outside, and she said we could talk to her. She was really nice, amiable, and seemed to be really interested. so we talked to her for about 15-20 minutes, and were silently thanking God for blessing us with a new potential investigator, when all of a sudden, her husband called her in to the house for a minute, and then started closing all the windows and doors. Meanwhile, my comp and I were still sitting outside, still holding the pamphlet we were about to give her. We waited for about 10, then she cracked open the door, and apologized because her husband hates the Mormons, is a devoted Catholic, and has a problem with the missionaries. Then she shut the door. Pues (then), we left feeling pretty low. It was the first time someone had been so abrupt with us. I should probably get used to that.

We had mutual that night, and played soccer. The missionary team dominated, just saying. (God’s team) can’t beat it.

I learned on Sunday, that I will be staying in the area Elder V and I opened (La Masica 3) for another change (transfer). Elder R. and Elder J. are both leaving, which really puts me down, because they are the only ones in Masica that speak any English. I will be totally alone. They have helped me with my challenges from Spanish, to simply life here. They have become really good friends to me. They will be in my prayers. 

Patience is a virtue. 

The LDS church in Masica

Oh this is our church... I love it. 

And from our house (it’s always raining).

Love You all. 

Con Amor,

Elder Smart