Spiders and Christmas

So this week has been slick, real slick

Full of spiders and the spirit.  But I'm serious we've had about 5 spiders in our house bigger than my hand. It's kind of like, wake up, go to the bathroom, look for the next spider. Seriously like every day. Its getting annoying.

Like I said, not much happened this week except a ton of lessons. I probably will get changed out of La Masica this next change, and I'm sad to leave now, because we have a number of investigators with a baptismal date, and I wont see them get baptized if I leave. Its like waiting in line for a movie you've wanted to see for months, and then you get to the ticket booth, and they tell you, oh ya, we just sold the last ticket. Sorry man. It is the worst.

Hey but who knows, I might stay.

We went to La Ceiba to hear Presidente Duncan (one of the 70 who is the President for all the central america missions). This guy is made of rocks. He macheted us super hard on what we need to change, and how we can have more success. Its the little things that make up the big things, so do it all to your full potential. The lord only asks you to give all you have. That's not too much to give. We have exactly that capacity. There I saw some of the boys from The CCM Mexico. Tobs, Lars, Pats, etc... that was super duper.

Also I got a ton of Christmas cards!!! whooooooooooo. Feliz Navidad Everyone!!!!

The next day we had divisions. I went with Elder Guadamuz. He's only got like a week left in his mission and is super baggy. But he still likes teaching, so thats a score.

Then we baptized Isaac in the Rio La Masica. It is kinda hard, because he used to be my investigator, but then our areas changed a little, so he is now the investigator of La Masica 1, instead of 2, so I didn't get to baptize him. But it was really spiritual anyway.

One thing that I read this week that really applies to me, especially right now is  Mateo 5:44  
Please read it, and change.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you

La vida está llena de dificultades, algunas más penosas que otras. Parecería que hay una infinidad de pruebas para todo. El problema es que muchas veces esperamos soluciones instantáneas para las dificultades, olividando que frecuentemente es necesario que pongamos en práctica la virtud celestial de la paciencia.

(Translation: Life is full of difficulties, some more painful than others. It would seem that there are countless tests for everything. The problem is that we often expect instant solutions to the difficulties, forgetting it is often necessary to put into practice the heavenly virtue of patience.)

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

Questions:

The pig's name is Kevin Bacon, and yes he lives in our yard. Our dueña (landlady) put him there.  He keeps me up at night. He has this gross nose ring (you hook a chain to it, so you can lead him around), and it makes him snore.

No I don't have my package yet, but we are going to San Pedro Sula this week to hear an apostle speak. Its a multi-mission. There I'm pretty sure I will get it, and my new mission credit card.

(Angela told him to polish his shoes because they look pretty worn in the pictures.) Ya no tengo tiempo para brillar mis zapatos. Siempre estamos trabajando. Pero tal vez trataré. Tal vez. (Translation: I no longer have time to shine my shoes. We are always working. But maybe I will try. Maybe

por fin marzo (Finally March)

Bueno, it has been super hot this week.  Super hot.  I can’t even express.

Other than that, this week has been another loco one.  

First of all, I saw a pig kill a chicken and then eat it, in the street. 

So there's that. It was pretty sweet week I guess.

We were contacting this week, and were talking in the street with a contact, when a parrot lands on my companions shoulder. He looked at it, then just kept teaching. It wasn't exactly a dove, but it was super cool.

Later that night, we were teaching an investigator.  She then proceeded to tell us that her pastor said we are devil worshipers.  She then asked us if that was true.... We then showed her our tags that say JESUS CHRIST in bold text... she laughed then got real embarrassed, because we have taught her like 3 times, and she doesn't remember what church we represent.

We had to go to La Ceiba like 3 times this week... That wasn't too fun wasting a ton of time on the bus, and we did see a huge tanker truck that fell into one of the rivers we pass over. They eventually took the compartment portion off, to get the food and stuff from inside, but they just left the cab part. Its still there, in the river...

One cool thing though that happened is that we were walking to an appointment, and there was a guy on a bike that passed us.  We said hi, but then he responded by saying “Hey fellas, how ya doing, can I have one of your books?”  In really good English.  This really took me back, because I haven't heard spoken English in like a zillion years, and the fact that he asked for a Book of Mormon.  Turns out the guy's name is Idzidro, and he does in fact speak English, which is super weird. He then straight up asked us for a Book of Mormon, and we were like, uhhhh ya, umm, wait, did you just speak in English? My comp stood there like a log (he speaks Portuguese and Spanish, not english). So we gave him a book, and are going to his house this week!

Then it was Danielitos birthday. 

Elder Smart's birthday card for Danielito's 6th birthday

Heres the thing that just really made me more mad than I have ever been in my mission.

We were contacting, and my comp felt like this particular house was a good one to contact. It turns out that a blind guy lives there, and he came out, listened to about 3 sentences of what we had to say, and then screamed at us that we were “devils” and “thieves of justice”.  That our message is garbage, and he hates us. He then told us that our mothers are prostitutes, and that we are the scum of the earth. Get your gringo garbage out of here and never come back!  I was soooooo mad.  First of all, this man can't even see us let alone judge us that fast.  I was so ticked, I then told him that we wanted to share a message with him about Jesus Christ, which he denied.  I then asked him if he wanted Christ in his life, which he responded to with ´´I don't care about Christ, God loves me´´. He then said a bunch of bad words.

I was so mad, I literally didn't know what to do. My comp saw that I was peeved, and then told me this:

Compa, tranquillo. Relájese (relax), Don’t you know that he literally will see the truth one day?

That really calmed me down. I do know that he will see one day, his eyes will be healed by the savior himself, and when he opens his brand new, perfect eyes, his heart will be softened.

I really liked D&C 30:11 this week:

 11 And your whole labor shall be in Zion, with all your soul, from henceforth; yea, you shall ever open your mouth in my cause, not fearing what man can do, for I am with you. Amen.

No te rindas, nunca (don’t ever give up)

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

Tiempo (time)

Went to La Ceiba this week for interviews with Pres. Klein.  He is the best by the way.  He reminded me that we are here not only to invite, but to help the people- Awesome.  
I got a package full of mail, and a new dictionary, which pretty much just made my month.  So amazing!!
Oh, i found out my mission account was hacked by someone in Puerto Rico.  Pray for him please, if he was in so much need that he stole the lords money, he needs blessings and your prayers.

I'm going to answer some frequently asked questions...

I'm teaching a ton of people right now, but its kind of sad, because we have to drop a ton of people too. For example, we were teaching this guy, then we found out he has killed people, so we had to back off him, super sad. 
Everyone has challenges here, not only the really poor, but also the narcos (drug traffickers), we have to drop most of them too. 

Danielito (little stud) is not a member, but the brother of Yelarin (one of my recent converts) he is 5 years old, too young to baptize -____-.

My sister plays the harmonica.

My companion (aka Neymar) is super cool. He is 20, and lives in Rio de Janeiro. Its actually really funny, Everyone calls us Chocolate and Milk (you can figure out why) and together, ChocoSula (brand of chocolate milk here in Hondo).

One really cool story quick: We are teaching this familia Mosquito.  Mosquitos are like native Hondurans but they dont speak Spanish they speak Mosquito which is like a Caribbean island language.  Anyway, they do speak Spanish too, but in one of our lessons, I prayed in Spanish, then the Mom prayed in Mosquito, then My comp prayed in Portuguese, then I prayed again in English. That was really cool. 4 Languages, 1 God.

I've actually been kind of really angry lately, because these people here just wont read!  We give them the restored gospel of Jesus, and they just tell me, Oh... Uhhh I didn't have any time this week, I had to go to Ceiba, uhh, I had to wash a ton of clothes... Ok well, you dont have 5 mins to read a little bit out of the book of mormon, or the pamphlet we gave you?  It might just change your life.  But then what President told me really hit me, dont just invite, but help them too.  So then I started asking what we could do to help, and some of them told me that they cant read.  Which is really sad to me. There are a ton of people who cant read, so now, we are reading with those who can, and teaching those who cant read, how to read.  Its really is a humbling experience.

Anyway thats it except photos
These pics are as follows:
My Comp celebrating after getting investigators to church, pointing towards heaven in thanks.


Goliath.

Tie dye and the house that caught on fire (belongs to Jehovah witnesses).

Con Amor+
Elder Smart
Sent from my iPhone

Ladrones (thieves) and 6 months

Bueno. 

This week has been a trip. 6 months... Dang.

But other than that, my new comp is a stud. He is from Brazil. He is all about work work work, so we are always out and about slingin' the word of God. Its pretty sweet, no puedo mentir (I can’t lie).

But not much has happened this week except for citas (appointments). Seriously. Lo siento (I’m sorry), but its the truth.

We did see this drunk guy pass out. It was like 1 in the afternoon, which is weird because that means he was quenching his thirst all morning... anyway, he’s right next to us, and he’s walking all weird, and we tell him buenas, and he smiles, points at us, then literally falls flat as a board in the gutter. Elder Oliviera and I run over to make sure he is ok, but he’s out cold, so we moved him to the dirt (I say dirt, because grass doesn't exist in Hondo) and told him adios, and left. I dunno.

We had english class on Wednesday that Elder Sheperd and I taught, that was cool as always. Then on Thursday we went on divisions, I was with Elder Guadamuz, which was pretty cool. He only has like 5 weeks left in his mission, so he pretty much has teaching the doctrine down to a science. But we were at one lesson, and we were sitting on this bench that was made out of sticks (better than what we usually have) and all of a sudden, the bench snaps in half. I guess we are just full of the spirit or something... you tell me.

We were supposed to have a baptism this week, but the lady left for Tegucigalpa the day before, so that didn't happen, then she called and said that her family will kick her out of the house if she gets baptized into the ¨mormones church¨. So she said we couldn't come back…which is too bad. 

But, we have other plans coming up. Taught a class on repentance on Sunday to all the investigators in attendance. It went pretty smooth.

Valentines day was a sad one. But then I realized that ya need to forget that stuff to function on the mish. So I figured I'm in a serious relationship with the gospel for 1 and a half more years and then I can deal with mujeres (women).

Oh ya, my mission account got robbed too. Estoy pobre (I’m poor) for now. But its all good. I think I'm disappointed about not being able to buy peanut butter more than anything. It will be fixed in like a week, so its swell in all. There’s always Danielito to cheer me up.... Catrachito.. He is also in my pics from this week.

I appreciate your prayers as I know all the other goonies living here in the jungle book feel that way too.

Todo es bien (all is well)

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

P.S. Here are the answers to what Mom needs to know:

1) how is your health - skin rashes etc. 

I always have rashes. Something new always shows up on my body every day, and I just think to myself...mehhh. Whatever... normal

2) how is your new companion

100 times better. We are killin it. Such a difference. And he doesn't speak much English. About none at all. But that’s fine. I feel way comfortable speaking Spanish, so its chill. He speaks Portuguese too.

3) how are you emotionally 

I’m doing swell. Sometimes I feel quite baggy, but its whatever. Usually only at nights when I pray, cause I pray for you guys, and then it reminds me that, oh dang, I haven't seen them in a while. But I'm good.

Brazil

Hello all. This week has been a swell semana (week).  I can’t lie. It rained all week... Again. but...

Changes were this week, so Elder Vera and Elder Montes left. In exchange, we got Elder Olibeira, My comp, and Elder Sheperd. Elder Olibeira is from Brazil and is my comp. And Elder Shep is the comp of Elder Guadamuz. We all get along really well. The only thing is that my comp has kind of an accent. It’s really cool, and everyone is always talking about us, because we both look like a pair of famous soccer players, apparently, so everyone comes up to us and asks where the next game is. It’s kind of funny, but it’s all good. 

Other than that, guess who I saw in La Ceiba when I was picking up my new comp¿  None other than The Elder Larsen. Ya my comp from the CCM. He is now in the zone next to mine. Wow I haven’t seen him in a while. We’ve both changed so much. It was way cool seeing him again!

Me and Oliveira have been killing it lately, I can’t lie. We have contacting down to like an art. One other thing that all of us are supposed to do in our mission is while we’re out working, to always have a Libro de Mormon in our hand. It really helps a ton, cause you’re like sitting in the bus or getting something from the pulperia (grocery store), and the people see the book, and they always ask, “Hey gringo. What’s that you got there, or like, Hey... What’s that book?” And then we start to tell them about it. It’s really easy, and we place a ton more now, which is what Presidente Klein wants.

Elder Olibeira has this saying that he always says: ¨We can’t look to the left at the pulperia de pecados (store of sins) or to the right a la tienda de tentaciones (shop of temptations). We have to always look straight ahead, to the straight and narrow.¨

I really like that. I’m super stoked for this change and I’m ready to help destroy the adversary.

Oh ya I got a ton of Christmas cards this week!! That was cool. Thanks to you all, you know who you are.

Oh ya, here is a picture of Danielito, the coolest kid in Honduras. I wish I could adopt this little stud or something. 

And a La Ceiba Sunrise.

Thanks for taking an interest in my life here in the Jungle Book.

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

Febrero esta aquí (February is here)

So, not a lot happened this week.

On Tuesday, someone tried to break into our house during the night. He was some drunk guy that just kept trying to open the door (which was locked), so I'm not sure whats up with him, but he didn't get in. We watched him through the window. It was weird. 

On Wednesday we got a sweet new investigator. Her name is Blanca, and she hasn't been baptized in any church, which is extremely unusual in Honduras. She is super cool and really likes us. I have high hopes.

Thursday was divisions with Elder Montes. That went well. He'll probably be changed this week. (cambios (transfers) are this wed). Oh ya I'll probably be changed too, or get a new compañero.

Saturday we played soccer with the youth, like always, and it was super fun.

The only downer of this week, is that after sacrament meeting on Sunday, which was really cool, because some of the less active members bore their testimonies.

Anyway, someone hung them self behind where we hold church (church is still outside).

No one knew who it was, but there is kind of like a field behind where we meet (its pretty big)

So we didn't find out until sacrament meeting was over thank goodness ( it was very sad)

But hey, the plan of salvation is real. Which is exactly what Hermana Blanca is interested in hearing

Then we went to Ceiba today for p day, to hang out with the other missionaries.

Elder Royer is also the other missionary in my pics. He goes home this week. He is a stud. He really killed it out here for his 2. Im going to miss him.

The lord is in all things and I see his work everyday out here in the jungle.

His hand is in all.

Con Amor+

Elder Smarty

Stand in Holy Places

Hello.

This week has been a blast and a half.

It rained...

We had district meeting (just us 4 here in La Masica) but it was really good. We are currently studying chapter 5 in Preach My Gospel, and it is really amazing. I encourage all of you to read about it. It helps me understand why its so important to explain to people why our church is different (Book Of Mormon).

So this week we have been really working hard on contacting all the people from the zone super contacto that we directed here in La Masica. Let me just tell you, Its exactly what we needed. It's amazing to see how many people we dont know in this little pueblo. Amazing.

Anyway, we didn't have mutual this week, because it rained...again. for like the 400th time this week and I was a little sick this week. Im not sure what it was from, but I think that it might be since we get up at like 5 in the morning to go to the gym and work out, and I dont get much sleep. 

However, on Sunday, no one who had a talk showed up, so we each had to prepare a talk in like 5 minutes to give. It was way weird, because I blessed the sacrament, and directed the hymns too. So I literally led the music, immediately sat down, blessed the sacrament, then after sacrament, stood up, led the music, put my hymnbook down, gave my talk, picked up my hymnbook, etc... But it wasn't half bad, since it was raining, there were only like 28 people at church, so it wasn't as awkward as it would have been. 

Oh ya, I had to gave my backpack to a member, so I bought a new one for like 73 limpiras, which is literally the price of a burger at McDonalds. Its a fake Jansport (joy sport) which is pretty awesome, so theres that. 

Sunday, we contacted all day. All day. And all day, Nothing. Every reference, Every house, nothing. Well, we were about to go to dinner, when we decided to make one last call. We called this particular gentleman who seemed really interested. We weren't sure though, because it was a reference from the hermanas (sisters). We weren't sure if he was interested in our message, or just talking to the girls again.

Anyway, we called him, and the first thing he said was that he had prayed earlier that day for the missionaries to contact him again!! Wow, so we said we were free then and he invited us over. We had one of the best lessons ever. He is literally asking the golden questions. About Joseph Smith, The book of mormon, the plan of salvation, and inspiration. It was awesome. He also gave us food (pastelitos)-cupcakes.  And Elder G says that when an investigator gives you food on the first visit, he or she gets baptized... Pretty funny, but I really hope this guy holds firm to his questions and really tries to find and answers because, WE got the answers.

To make things even cooler, I read Alma 26:27 right before I went to bed that night, which just tied everything up perfectly. 

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. 

We need to have an open heart to those we serve. It's not about the numbers. People are not numbers. It's about the people you teach, not the lessons. And God promises success if you go about your work this way.

Love you all
Con Amor+
Elder Smart

Doing laundry, Central American Style

We all have work

Tiña o algo (ringworm or something)

This week, This week, Where to start.

Well, its rained. Um. we have a pig living in our yard... Not a lot has happened. Things are going a little bit better from last week. Things have settled down. Oh ya, hey I have Ringworm, yay. Dang humidity. Its ok though. 

This week we had Reunion de Zona, where we talked about how to more affectively contact with the Book of Mormon. It was exactly what i needed to hear, and has really helped me in placing Books of Mormon, and retaining first contacts. it was amazing to see how much easier it was to explain to people why we are here, with the Book of Mormon. I know what your thinking... you are a missionary, why aren't you using the Book of Mormon. 

Well, we are, just not for contacting. But that is all changed now. BOM all day, every day, and for everything.

This helped us find our new favorite investigator. her name is Rudi, and she is gold. All her questions are literally the questions that we have all the answers for. All 3 of the first lessons, her questions were perfect for what we were teaching. It was amazing.

Zone p-day was today, and we went to Pico Bonito. We also hiked to this way cool waterfall in the middle of the jungle. This waterfall was so huge, that you could be standing like 150 yards away, and the spray would still hit you. It was amazing. Just another example of the hand of the Lord on the earth. The missionaries are so awesome in my zone, so helpful for every worry, or problem I have. Truly amazing.

One more thing. Shoutout to my favorite sister for this scripture. D&C 68:6 It has helped her, and it definitely was the perfect scripture, exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks ace.

D&C 68:6

6 Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.

This week has been another strange, average week here in the land of the lost.

But I still know that the lost need to be found, and thats why we are here.

Con Amor+

Élder

Smart

Pues pues pues qué tenemos aquí (well, well, well, what have we here)

 

This week has been Catracho!

Just real quick here is a list of stuff that happened.

-mud facials at a members house

-service cutting again

-washed everything, clothes, ourselves, house, everything in the pila.

-and last, we directed a super contact in our area for all the missionaries in our zone. Thats like 30 people and we contacted all day in La Masica. That was really awesome. We found a mountain of people and I think all the missionaries enjoyed it.

Sorry for the short email this week, its been a trippy one.

Oh one more thing. I just wanna give a shout out to my neighbor (who had a monkey once), you know who you are.

Love you all a ton, and some more.

Con Amor+

Elder Smar

New Year New Me

So first of all, this man with Elder V is blind and deaf. Second of all he lives in Confité...

So we were in Confité for New Years Eve, and then realized that there were no busses on New Years day, so we weren’t able to leave. We stayed an extra day and played soccer and messed around. It was a great time. New Years was just as loco as Christmas, except for more explosions, more crazy and more Catracho.

The next day we had divisions with the ZLs. Elder Larson and Elder Monterosa. Both studs. Elder L is leaving to Hogar on Thursday, and I’m really sad. I really got to know Elder Larson and he’s been a real role model for me. And plus his Spanish is incredible. Anyway that day, we had a mountain of lessons, like more than I’ve ever had in one day. It was so cool. Elder L had so many positive things to say. What a stud. Anyway, he’s the one in my pics covered in flour and soda.

Zone P day was today, and we went to Tela. Beautiful. Qué Hermosa. The beach was beautiful, and we just hung out, played volleyball and some soccer, and then ate at a member’s house.  

I don’t really  have a scripture that I found and that really stood out this week, so I’ll just tell you Alma 32 is all about faith.  

 27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

This is usually the scripture I use for our investigators. Necesitamos crecer en nuestra fe, Siempre (we need to grow in our faith, always). 

Man I love being a missionary in Honduras!

Sorry my email is so short this week. It went by really fast.

Con Amor+

Elder Smarty

Merry Christmas, Machine Guns and Happy Birthday Sis!

Man, this week has been such a roller-coaster.  Ups, Downs, todo (everything).

First off it was multi- zone conference on the 23rd, which was a blast. I saw some of the old Hondo group, like E. Tobes and Dakota C’s cousin gave me an influenza shot. Jeje.  We had really good food, and some good lessons. We also watched the San Pedro Sula Este movie on service that our mission made, it’s really awesome.  (This is the link to the video. Andy is in Zona Miramar at about 9:35 minutes into the video. You can see him a couple of times if you watch for his blonde hair and his tall companion wearing a Santa hat.)  

http://youtu.be/SGjKE4CZeyE

Now, Christmas... What a fiesta…so people here celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve more than on the actual day. However, we made Chicken, rice, french fries, and bought some soda from La Ceiba, so we actually had a great feast. 

Then, when the clock struck 12 midnight, chaos blew up in the streets of Hondo. We’re talking kids throwing fireworks at everything that moves, everybody yelling, and cheering, and everyone unloading lead into the air like there’s no tomorrow. Our neighbor, as kind as he is, pulled out his AK and was just unloading clips into the air. Tatatatatatatat. That was wild.

But then, it was Christmas day!!! Which means I got to talk to my family and my best friends and oh what a surprise!  More than the AK for sure. Everyone is so good and awesome. I just love everyone. There is no more to say.

THE 28TH!!! ANNA’s b-day. Man, 15 is way too old, but relax, you’re not 16 yet! Played soccer in the canchita (soccer arena) for mutual, and the whole time I was thinking about my sis. Anna, why couldn’t you like Harry Potter and JRR Tolkien I dunno, say about 4 months ago or something? Amazing right? Stay gold.

Anyway, Christmas in Honduras was just as wild as I expected, but it was also my favorite so far. It was so cool wearing the name Jesus Christ over my heart, on Christ’s day. It really helped me focus on what really happened. Not the parties, food, and festivities, but what our gospel testifies of. Representing Jesus is what I do and what I love.

Even though it rained all day on Christmas, and it wasn’t exactly a ¨White Christmas¨, there was still the white of missionary shirts and ties going about making Christmas more white with the word of God.

That’s all, thanks for all the support, all of you with emails, and letters, I don’t have enough time to explain or thank enough.

Feliz Navidad, and a Happy new year

Con amor+

Elder Smart

PS. Love you mom. This week has been a little rough with my comp. Won’t go into detail, not much time. But I love you and appreciate all you do for me and nuestra familia (our family)