The Berlin Wall

Multi zone conference was this week and it was awesome!  Presidente Klein talked about amor and animo (love and courage).   I also saw a bunch of people I haven't seen in a while.  Namely Elder Vera, my caballo, I mean dad (training companion).  No ya, but he's with elder Harris who came with me, and Vera goes home this next change.  

Elders Smart and Criddle

Also Elder Criddle was there, jaja I remember when I first got to Honduras and he was there, and he was like... my sister told me you were coming... And I was like, what??  And he was like ya.. that's right, and then we were best friends.   So he's awesome.

It rained…

I was given 3 dinners and then the next day you can imagine what happened. Yo estaba vomitando pues.  Ya, so we didn't leave the house that day.  But I'm all good now.  I also learned that gatorade is magic.

We also had J, K, J, and R come to sacrament meeting again! They are all awesome, and they all came to church on their own!

Wow time is flying. I know I keep saying that, but its really just slipping away.  My parents keep telling me that this happened to this person and that happened to him and guess what she did? stuff like that.  And santa vaca! se va rapido el tiempo (holy cow time goes fast)

My emails have been pretty short lately, and its just because all that is happening is the Lord’s work.  We have lessons all day, and if we don't have lessons, we find lessons.  So I'm just here in the land of the loco, tag teaming it with my comp Elder Martinez, who goes home in a month, so well see how that goes.

Elders Smart and Martinez

Ether 12:27 

 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Moses 7:13

 13 And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him.

Answers to questions:
How is it being a DL? Everything is going fine with being District Leader. All good. I'm actually enjoying it! My district is a district of 8 elders and 2 hermanas. The Zone Leaders are in my district.
Are your rashes better? No, but Rich (Ingebretsen, MD) hooked me up on email. He says it's poison ivy. It's from walking around the yard doing my laundry barefoot. There are a ton of weeds in the yard that could have caused it.
How have you changed since you have been out? I'm a completely different person now, still the same doof, but when it comes to stuff that matters like family, the gospel and helping, I'm completely different. And this version comes with Spanish!
How are you doing emotionally? I'm still crazy but I'm 100% fine.

I've been ready since the pre-existence

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

-------another message given to the missionaries:

The Regional Security Office (RSO) has been made aware that another "March of Torches" will likely take place on Friday, June 26 at approximately 5:00 pm. The march will start on Boulevard Kennedy near the Supermercado La Colonia and proceed north, concluding in front of Casa Presidencial.  Please avoid the area. 

Pictures on social media regarding the Torch Protests against corruption  in the capital city of Tegucigalpa

barba pelón lo mejor (bald beard the best?)

Well I just got this notification...

“Last night, Sunday, 21 June, 2015, around 2130 hours, an explosive device detonated at the Honduran Supreme Court of Justice in Tegucigalpa, and the local anti-bomb squad responded. Thus far, experts have not yet determined what kind of explosive was used, but Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team members are currently conducting an investigation. There are no reported casualties or damage to the building.In addition, there is a proposed hunger strike on Juan Pablo Segundo, in front of Casa Presidential. Protest organizers have asked citizens to come to the area today with torches and to set up tents in front of Casa Presidential.  The area is currently closed to traffic.”

 (Tegucigalpa is not within Andy's mission boundaries)

Only in Honduras…!

So not a lot happened this week, just work and work and work...

But... I did get the package with my new book of mormon!  That was awesome!  I finally will be able to use a book of mormon that isn't so damaged by water you cant read it!

Well, we have a Multi-Zone reunion tomorrow and I'm stoked!

It rained.

So funny story real quick.  We were walking home from our last lesson a few days ago, on our way to the house, and we were just talking about how the lesson went.  When all of a sudden, around the corner came a few people.  We didn't think anything about it, so we kept walking.  When the people got to us, they kind of hesitated for a second, so we stopped too.  One of the guys of the other group all of a sudden grabbed my comps arm, said something like hello beautiful, and then kissed my comps bicep.  My comp screamed like a little girl. As we walked home, we didn't talk. He was to busy being in shock and i was too busy laughing. That was real funny.

Inside joke between friends 

Andy did't explain... but sent several pictures of what looks like poison ivy, or similar "contact" blisters around his ankles and feet

Just remember to soak it all in. 

All of it, because you are only going to have today once.

Alma 34:14-17 

 14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal. 15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. 16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption. 17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

SOAK IT IN

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

Jefe... 10 months... Double digits… It’s kinda cool here.

This was sent June 15th:

Maybe only the central American missionaries are going to understand me, but when it rains you can hear it coming (metal roofs), and when you hear it... You run. 

So that was a lot of this week. 

I also was called as District Leader as changes were this week, so all=C3= =AD

vamos. 

The “12 gringos” went home this week with honor (a particularly tight-knit  group of Americans)

But this week my district had 3 baptisms!   That was really cool.

These kids  have the hardest life ever in the hardest country ever.  Its super cool to  see them try to make the best of what they do have, and  follow the savior  in all things.  

We got a referral from the states this week also. That was a bit weird, but really cool to see how the office works.  The reference was from Texas, but  the family of this hermana lived in Utah!  First person I've talked to that actually knows  where utah is and doesn't think that Miami is a state.  Super  cool.  

We also had Josylin and Isaac and Kaylin come to sacrament this week and Hermana Morlen came again too!  Oh, and we got the Family Marinez who have been inactive for a year to come!  They are really cool.

Sorry this letter was really short, but it has been jam packed with work, and these are the highlights. 

Hondy is the best and I love it more than anything.

2 Nefi 31:20

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.

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

Time Warp

Sent June 8th 2015:

Patience is something I do not have at all. I need to work on that. Hey but this week was really sweet, I got a ton of rashes from something... dunno, but it is going away, but really gave me a hard time because I'm always wet. It rained a lot this week.

Ya, so school ended this week in the 801... was that really a year ago? I seriously feel like I'm in hyper speed. Time is just a blink.

There was a couple of murders this week in Berlin, so it was crawling with police, which meant more violence and killing, so that didn't work out. This week was a little tricky finding people, and getting lessons in because of that, but all is well.

I have never been a fan of futbol, or Barcelona, but I didn't think I would ever be screaming that loud in Spanish while we saw the big game (ate lunch with the familia George Reyes that was watching the finals). Messi is tight.

Changes are on the 10th... wow that was fast. This change came, and went. Bye.

We finally got Ledwin to go to church!! he was real hesitant about it because its super dangerous over by the chapel, but we said a prayer with him, and he said he felt like it was the right thing to do. That was super cool. Its kind of funny too, because Ledwin is like 6 foot 3 and is a body builder, so he's like the biggest, most massive guy in Berlin, but yet, he is scared of the little skinny ladrones (thieves) that are in the streets. He's super cool though.

Well not much happened this week, but it was a killer one.

Mark 6:11

 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Relajate (relax)

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

¿Qué hay de nuevo Scooby-Doo? (what's new Scooby-Doo)

(what's up?)

Seriously this week feels like a few seconds...

Here’s a quick rundown of the hondy side of the woods...

We had a super cool super contact in the hermanas area this week after district reunion, and that ended up real nice.

We also contacted some awesome people in our area this week. We've been praying a ton for escogidos this week, and we are beginning to see the fruits of our labor! There was even one guy that straight out asked us Why do people believe in jesus here in the americas? He was going about doing his stuff in Jerusalem... What the heck? How did the good word get here?    Ha!!! Gold!!! (thats the first time in my mission that someone has asked me that question) But we then explained all the cool stuff about the BOOK OF MORMON another testament of Jesus Christ, and he was blown away!  Ya, he's pretty cool.

We also had divisiones withs the zone leaders today. That was pretty cool, a little out of the way, because we had a ton of important lessons planed that day, and the lessons just don't flow as good when there are 3 people teaching the lesson.  But it was good.

We went to the beach in Tela again and it is always super awesome.  A ton of wild horses were chillin on the beach

Spirit, Stallion of Hondy

This week was pretty relajado (relaxed), but always llena! (full to the brim)

1Timothy 6:12

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

1Corinthians 13:11 (No more childs-play)

 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

no te rindas

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

Week of Inches

(Andrew's parent are late again- he sent this on Monday May 25th)

Im pretty sure we straight destroyed the adversary this week...

Andrew didn't say who or where this is

We’ve been working real hard this week.  But also got some letters, burnt a pair of socks, and realized that my time here is flying!  I don't know how to feel about that, but well see...

Honduran bench-press (concrete formed in buckets)

We almost got robbed again, but didn't... We were walking to dinner this week and I decided to take a shortcut, my companion told me that he didn't want to go that way because it was late, dark, and he felt like we shouldn't go that way.  Ya, I completely ignored him, and I told him I was hungry, and kept walking, and he followed me.  MISTAKE!  We arrived at a corner pulperia (very small market) just as one guy was mugging another guy.  We quickly took shelter in the pulperia, but that didn't do anything. The mugger came in (had a gun), and started looking us over, and asked for money, trying to see if we had anything.  I had 20 limpira (worth $1 American), but he then told me he was hungry- So I read him Amos 8:11-12... 

10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. 11 ¶Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:

I thought that was pretty funny!  We then gave him a book of mormon, and told him to read the title page, he can’t really read so he was struggling and really focusing on reading, so he didn't notice as we slipped out and ran away.  Haha the book of mormon saves lives, but seriously... Listen to the spirit!

I also dedicated/blessed the house of Hermana Osiris this week, she is super Pilas and always gives us referencias.  She is awesome.  Also gave her sobrinito (nephew) a blessing and was healed! #priesthood.

It rained a ton again, I'm either soaking wet from sweat, or soaking wet from rain.  Hondy.

One of the biggest blessings we had this week was that we finally got Hmna. Morlen to come to church.  She is the mother of the first councilor (Filepé), and she has been inactive for 6 years!  We have been going to her  house every week for 2 changes, and she finally committed to coming to church, so we went to her house every day this week, just to solidify her promise.  And when the moment came, she was ready to go, and we got her to church.  Filipé just about pooped his pants when he saw that we brought his mom to church.  He lives next door to her... Ya but they both were so happy!  All the little old catrachitas came up and kept telling her that they had missed her, and she was filled with joy!  That was awesome, everyone was giving her attention and it really was a blessing.  Also had Jerson our investigator come to church, and he was giving more input that the people in his classes!  he's awesome.

I also gave a talk this week on retention and compared it to a baleada, so that’s pretty awesome too.  Cook the Baleada of retention people and the kingdom of god will grow deliciously!

This weeks scriptures:

D&C 35:24

 24 Keep all the commandments and covenants by which ye are bound; and I will cause the heavens to shake for your good, and Satan shall tremble and Zion shall rejoice upon the hills and flourish;

2 Nefi 31:19-20

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. 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.

¡Cada pulgada! (every inch) 

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

9 Months in Hondy

So up next is double digits..... (10 months)

Ya but my week was pretty sweet, like always, but there was some really cool things that happened this week.

First off the boring stuff, always washing our clothes by hand in the pila, eating a ton of Baleadas and bananas, oh and we have an orange tree in our back yard (¨yard¨).  

Checking up on the dove family living in our window-frame, 

getting up in the middle of the night to throw rocks at the wild horses that always break the law of chastity behind our house at like 4:00 am. The usual, and of course preaching the gospel always.

Not in the middle of the night this time...

But this week was the semana por la familia, so there was a ton of activities in the ward every night this week! The missionaries just so happened to run the whole thing... Its not like we have a ton of lessons planned or anything (sarcastic)… No?  But it was super cool. One activity we explained everything about the armor of god, and then had everyone make cardboard armor, and label all the parts. We explained that you always have to andar (walk) with the armor to defend yourself, but you need to put it on your families, because satan always attacks the family. Everyone loved it and it was awesome.

The next activity was on family history, I lead that. It was cool, but no one really cares about family history here, so not a lot of people showed up.  But it was cool.

Practice for the semana por la familia 

This week I finished the Book of Mormon again. I know its true with all my heart, and it really is 100% perfect.

We also had interviews with Presidente Klein, Super awesome!!

Then we ended it off today with zone p-day on the beaches of Tela. Chilled, ate, played some football American and volleyball! 

Awesome to live on the hondy coast!

Put on the armor of God Efesios 6:10-18

 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.   

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God 

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Roll on: Mormon 8:22

 22 For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled 

no te rindas

Con Amor+

Elder Smart

What time is it? Sorry, can’t tell ya!

This is from last week (May 11th) 

Moms are the best.  Sorry for all you suckers who don't have Mamá Smart as your mom.

So now that's off my chest. I'll get to the awesome week I had.

This week has been killer.  Just work work, work, work is all I can say.  Every moment.

Also got robbed again... that really sucked, because first of all, it was in front of the church.  Second... It was Omar (I know this guy) who robbed me.  Third... he took my freakin' calculator watch!!!!!!!! I loved that watch... But Omar was drunk, and he came over to us, and told me that he was going to "break" us... So ya, a gun + drunk Omar = just give him your watch and wallet.  So that was sad.  We're going to go and talk to him about that.  Pobrecito este tipo (Poor guy?)

There was also a gang fight behind our house. There's like a little forest behind our house, so the crazy folk always go over there to do illegal stuff, so ya we woke up to gunfire again. Ehh.

Mother's day shenanigans were the best thing in the world!!!  Talking to the fam was super cool.  I'm so glad that we live in a day and age were I can talk to my family all in Utah, from the jungle. I don't know how they do it, maybe the palm trees are used as satellite dishes, no se (I don’t know).  You tell me.  Bottom line... Beyond Awesome.

Also a huge blessing we had this week were Investigators in the sacrament reunion (Sacrament meeting).  We have been waiting and praying super hard for this particular Hermana to come to church, for like 2 changes!  And she finally came!!! I was so happy! I know that prayers are answered, but the thing we forget is that they will come in the lords time.  That means we have to be patient.  I'm not a patient person.  So that's what I'm working on as of now.

Helping Anna with a Yoga assignment for school... and maybe working on patience 

Hope you all thought of all of your mommas in your lives this week. They carried us around for 9 months, and put up with our trash every single day because they know what is like to have Christ-like-love.  They're the best examples we have, so make them proud!

Alma 26:22 

22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

no te rindas

Con amor+

Elder Smart

Notes from Mother’s Day conversation with Elder Smart

• The people are really poor but try to give the missionaries food and drinks like Coke and Pepsi. Andy said he intends to never drink Coke or Pepsi again when he gets home because he drinks it so much and is sick of it.
• He is often offered water that isn’t bottled and sometimes he drinks it, but hasn’t been sick.  It is so humid that they have to drink a lot and something and it’s all the people have to offer.
• Despite sending him with a large selection of handkerchiefs, Elder Smart uses his tie to wipe sweat from his face, which is often. While we talked to him he was really sweaty and did it frequently. He is hot and sweaty all the time and has learned that some ties are washable and some are not:)
• The ward leadership are not terribly committed and the bishop really leans on the missionaries to provide what is needed. Andy and his companion were in charge of a family ward activity because they were the only ones to show up to ward council. He was frustrated that his teaching and contacting time is often spent doing the ward business but it’s hard to get people to commit to their callings.
• He has played the piano a few times (insert a cheer from mom)! Most of the places either don’t have a piano or just have an electronic one so he doesn’t get a lot of opportunities. He said if he started playing, it would be expected that he do it all the time and he only knows 5 songs well enough.
• His Spanish is coming along really well. He had a hard time coming up with english words like “sacrament meeting” and did it again in the email.  He can’t remember what things are called in english and struggled to explain what he meant.  Several times he started a sentence in English and finished the sentence in Spanish.
• His clothes are getting tight around the waist and chest. He eats pretty well but can’t figure out why the Hondurans eat mangoes when they are still unripe and green. He likes them ripe and orange, and they are huge!
• A lady makes them lunch everyday and they pay her for that and also to use her washing machine. But, the washer broke so they are hand washing again like in La Masica. His clothes take a beating because they use a washboard on the collars to get the stains out. 
• Getting mugged: most of the time the mugger has a weapon but doesn’t use it unless you resist or argue, then they show you that they have a gun or whatever. Usually they don’t even have bullets in them because they are all so poor, but you never know. The sisters were held up and it was so upsetting that one of them fainted when they told Andy and Elder Martinez. Andy used hand sanitizer under her nose to revive her. (Special thanks to the Scouting leaders in Andy’s life).
• What he misses: my family and friends, lacrosse, my music, regular food, girls, ice, grass (lawns) and the temperature/humidity in Utah. 

Mrs Dove's nest in our window

Laundry

Cambios (Changes)

So changes were the other day, and yes, Elder Vasquez got changed. He's doing ok though. He is in Lempira, La Ceiba, so he is doing just fine.

However, my new companion is Elder Martinez from El Salvador! (no picture yet) He is a convert of 5 years, and has 22 months in the mission, so I will be killing him here in Berlin!  He is also like the coolest dude ever to teach with.  It is super fun teaching and working with this guy, I can’t even explain it. It just clicks with us.  We’ve have also been working like horses.  We teach everyone in sight. We go to a pulperia (grocery store) and buy a topogigo (stuffed mouse?), we teach a lesson. We see a guy selling coconuts, we stop and teach him. Its actually super fun to just slide Jesus into every conversation that we have.

We did service for 3 sisters this week. They died over my companion. They want him to come back and get married to one of them. They gave us baleadas after, so it was worth the pain of trying to pry them off my comp. It was way funny though.

Last P-day (before this transfer)

So I was thinking the other day, and School is almost over in the 801... what the heck!

Oh ya. The whole world here has this mosquito born virus called Chikungunya. Everyone. We’re good though (priesthood). No but its cool. But our investigator, Lewin, had it. But this is the story. We went by on Saturday for our lesson with him, but he was feeling super sick. So what we decided to do is give him a blessing for the sick. So we did that, and then left. He looked like a dead man.

We passed by his house on Sunday morning to see if he could come with us to church. He greeted us at the door, and smiled bigger than I have ever seen him smile. He said he felt better than ever before. He told us that after we left, he felt like he was going to die, but then he remembered that we gave him a blessing, and he said he prayed that he would be ok. He then fell asleep. When he woke up, he felt really hot, so he got up, and BOOM. He felt 100% again! Priesthood works.

That night we made french toast. It was delicious. And I taught my comp how to say french toast in English, and its his favorite phrase now. He says it all the time now. 

Hey compa! ¡Que French Toast!

Sea así

3 Nephi 12:16

 16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

and also

3 Nephi 25:2-3

 2 But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts.

no te rindas (Don’t give up!)

Con Amor+

Elder Smart