Just read the next chapter, not the last

Sent April 11th

So this week has just been super amazing, miracle-packed and ready to go.

First i received word from one of our converts from Santa Rita, that had her baby earlier this year, like 3 days after I was changed out, and they used my suggestion to name her.  Her name is Kiara Aseneth. Super cool.

Then our zone had interviews, with Presidente Klein! My last interview with him.... that was weird.. but he helped me sooo much. He is amazing.

We finally are getting some progress with some of our investigator’s divorcement papers, we are going to be able to send them in and get at least two married and then baptized!!! Awesome! Over a year waiting.

Then we went on Divisions with the president’s assistants. They are super sick. 

I read Alma 26 again and its so dope. I want to feel that way after my mission. That’s really all I could ever ask for.

Today we bought baleadas from an investigator family who’s trying to earn money to be married, and we played basketball. It was pretty awesome as well.

But the crowning jewel of the week was that the papers we have been fasting and praying for, finally came out, for a sister. She didn't have a cedula (ID card), because they messed up her paperwork up in the offices when she was born, so she hasn't been able to get married to her husband, or baptized. She's been waiting for 4 years, faithfully going to church, reading, praying, and even paying a full tithe. She is amazing, and when we finally handed her the papers, she just burst into tears. The spirit was felt so strong in that moment, and I felt so amazing inside, to see this faithful daughter of God, finally receiving the blessings that the lord promises us! Now the more important part- baptism.

Here is my zone. (from last change, but its a cool pic)

Alma 26:12, 22

 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

 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.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

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

You can't be late until you show up

Sent 3/14/16

The humidity is on another level this week... Straight dripping all day.

Lately we've been working on marriages. We have about 6 couples that need to get married. They pretty much always go to church and are active and everything, and want to get married but can’t because the cost, the paperwork and everything involved. So we've been working a lot with that kind of thing, getting new cedillas (forms) and helping people make wedding plans, so then they can get baptized.

We also had divisiones this week with our District Leaders.  What President is asking us zone-leaders to do is, bring our district leaders to our area, instead of going to their area. This has been working really well with our zone, because we can help them out by example instead of correcting them by pointing fingers.  

The bishop and our companionship have agreed also on 5 less active families that we need to help, so we visited one of them on Friday...los grandwell.  WOW, our area is pure mountain and this family lives up in the nothing! It took us 45 minutes to just get there.  Pure subida (straight climb?).

We also had some baptism interviews in Confite this week. It was pretty cool going out there again after like a year and a half. 

Also we helped an investigator move a pila (a big cement tub) heh, that was… well a trip.

Oh ya, we also had a tube (pipe) break in our house, so we came home to a waterbed. Literally, since we are the ZLs, we have about 3 or 4 extra beds in our house for divisions and changes and all that, and they were all wet... ya that was great.

Tomorrow we have divisions with the assistants, so that will be great. We are also going to pass by Berlin on the way! (another area Andy served in last year)

Alma 29:13-17

13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them; yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full.  

14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi.  

15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!  

16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.  

17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that they may praise him forever. And may God grant that it may be done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Sent: 3/7/16

This week was fulllll.

First we had the Zone Leadership meeting in La Paz, which is super far away, we just talked about the multi-zone conference that we were going to have and all the good stuff going on in the mission. It was good.

Then later in the week, we had to go rent tables for the multi-zone conference. All the missionaries from La Ceiba, Miramar, and Olanchito were going to be there, and there wasn't enough tables in the stake center for all of them, so we rented 16 extras.

Then we had the multi-zone. It was pretty sweet.  Me and my comp had a workshop on revelation through church attendance. It went well.

My comp also fulfilled one year in the mission, so we did the necessary activities.

Oh ya, my shoes are wrecked, so i sewed em up a little.

Well a lot went down this week, and it was a good one.

 3 Nephi 29:6

 6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!

#Halleluja mate

-- 

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Leap Year

February 29th

To be honest. Not a lot happened this week.  I got sick after eating platano pancakes on Tuesday, and was straight out barfing until Wednesday in the afternoon. When I stopped, we hit the hills.

We also came into contact with a guy from Colombia. Super cool guy. But we were teaching him about the Book of Mormon, when all of a sudden, like 20 mins into the lesson he's like... Ya know how I said that I was going to church in Guatemala? Well the elders baptized me there, so I'm already a member... jajaja the guy is already a member, and then he said, ya I just wanted to know where the church was so I could start going again... jaja ok we said, well do you still remember what the book of mormon is? No. Ok well, let’s continue... then we kept teaching the lesson on the BOM then told him where the chapel was. Este tipo.

My new Honduras ID,  after 18 months

We also gave a blessing to a sister in the ward that needed a serious knee surgery.  

She was super nervous.  She was going to go get the final checkup before the surgery, so we gave her the blessing.  At church she comes up to us all excited and jumping around, which doesn't really happen when you have a bad knee, so we were a little confused. Then she told us that she went into the checkup, and the doctors told her that for some reason, she doesn't need surgery anymore, just a ton of physical rehabilitation, and some weird shots and stuff, but no surgery!!   Way cool.

Other than that it rained tropical tears of fury again for like 3 days... floods of blessings.

stay dry my friends

Ether 12:37

 37 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.

☮ 

MACIZO

Elder Smart

This One’s For Ferris

February 22nd

Old Comp saying goodbye

New Comp ready to go

So there were Cambios this past week and Elder Navas, my comp, got changed. So I'm here in Las Colinas still. My new comp is Elder Monroy from Guatemala. I knew him in Berlin. He's super chill like a panda, looks like one too :-), but he doesn't even have a year in the mission, so I'm helping him a little with the ZL stuff, he's super pilas.  He's going to be great.

My new companion taking on the mountains we climb every day 

But holy cow, changes were insane.  Like half my zone had changes, so there were like 14 elders in my house the night before, sleeping over, because our house is the closest to the bus station.  That was insanity.   All night insanity.

Our cook's daughter's Birthday was this week and I got her pretty good with an egg.  There is a video thats pretty golden jajajaja. It’s great, she was so ticked off.  It’s a Honduran tradition to throw eggs at people when it’s their birthday.

Cleaning up after a little fun

Then yesterday we did Service in a school by our house.  Since it rained so much, the field area became like a permanent swamp, so we went over there and hauled buckets of sand and rocks to fill the swamped areas.  It was great.

There is a Multi-zone conference this next week, so thats going to be great as well.

Happy 30th Ferris Bueller!

D&C 122:7

 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Week of miracles and electric saws

Sent February 15th 

What does it mean!?

Its been raining for a week straight non stop. #Tropicaltears.

We have rats in our house, well better said they are in my suitcase...

We did have some baptisms this week!!!!!! We baptized G, E, and E. They are siblings and they are awesome. The missionaries have been visiting them for some time. Their parents are members, but their dad was shot and killed a really long time ago, and their mom has been inactive for years. We were working really hard on reactivating M, the mom, and helping them make a covenant with God.  They always go to church now, always.  They just were struggling with family life and their mom. They are all such great people and I love them.

We woke up a few days ago and something had happened to the padlock on our front door.   The barred metal door outside of the wood door.  Bottom line is that it was jacked and we couldn't get out... now this was right before the baptism.  Well we just jumped the 5 foot barbed-wire fence in the back yard instead. That was fun, but then we got to the chapel and because of the gallons it was dumping out-side, there was no water to fill up the pila baptismal (heavy rains can wash out the clean(er) water system) So we had to go to the stake center to do the baptisms.  Dang Satan fights until the very end doesn't he!

Well they were baptized, and it was amazing!

Then we went and borrowed an electric disc saw and spent the next 30 mins sawing off the lock on our front door… Sketch. 

People kept walking by and we had to keep saying ¨no no no... were not really braking in here.  We actually live here! hehe... hehe. ok bye¨

It was great.

Solid week.

1 Corinthians 8:6

 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him 

MACIZO

Elder Smart