Another Week in the Ghetto

Sent May 23rd

So this week has been full of surprises.

First theres a guy named Pedro that called us and wanted us to go visit him. He prayed, then found a pamphlet from the missionaries with their number, then called us. It turns out he's a member. He was baptized in Berlin like 2 weeks before i got there.  He had abandoned his family there and left, because of some problems he was having. I don't know. I had always heard really ugly things about him from the people in Berlin, but looking at him, and really getting to know him, all i could see was a broken man who missed his family a ton. it has been like a year and a half since he had seen his kids and wife. But it was pretty incredible, because every Sunday i would pass by his families house and take them to church. He didn't know this at all. But when i told him that i knew them and took them to church, he just broke out in tears, and told us that he knew that calling us was an answer to his prayers. It definitely was the spirit we all felt there. the Lord’s hand was seen.

There is a street where nobody lives in the middle of my area, because the gangs came by and sent out flyers telling everyone that if they weren't out of their houses by the end of the week, that they were going to kill them. So that’s a problem. Everyone left.

But good news. I made a couch with a member of our ward. Super cool. we made the skeleton, and then put all the foam, springs and fabric on it it was pretty cool. We are going to make stools for our house next pday, because we don't even have chairs in our house.  its going to be dope.

Oh ya i finally had sopa de mondongo. For the first time in my mission. I thought i was going to make it through without having to eat it.  It’s cow-intestine soup cooked in lime-juice or something.

it wasn't that bad.

Really awesome week overall.

D&C 11:15

 15 Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Story for Another Day

Concrete Jungle

Sent May 16th

Well... we had cambios (changes)… I had to leave my boys in the miramar in la Ceiba.  That was super sad. Ive been zone leader for like a year now, so that was a super big change, and a little sad.

But the saddest part was saying goodbye to our converts.  So hard. “G”, “E” and “Ed” were begging me not to leave. They had me in tears!  Then they literally took the shirts off of their backs and gave them to me.  I love those guys so much. Changed my life for ever, for sure.

Well I'm here in the middle of San Pedro Sula. I went from a jungle of green, to a jungle of concrete.  Its nuts here.  Luisiana is ran by the gangs 18, 13, and MS. They are always shooting up stuff and people, and leaving bodies everywhere, but they don't do anything to the missionaries.  They got respect for the servants of the Lord. But there are areas that we aren't even allowed to go into, because anyone who goes in there gets shot on the spot, more or less.

My new comp is cool though. He has 6 months in the mission, and is from El Salvador. soo chill. He does remind me of an owl though. he's sick.

There is a lot of dust in my area, but most of the people, other than the gangs, are super cool. Every day we go visiting with someone from the ward. Were going to baptize this super old bald dude this next Saturday named “E”. He's super cool. but he's like 90.  Its like his last attempt to accept christ before he dies.  But his intentions are 100% pure. He gave up coffee and cigarette completely. Such a strong testimony. He always says Primero, Dios, (God first) which is like the coolest phrase ever. 

Ohh ya my area is dope because the majority of the population is Garifuna. The Garifuna are descendants of West African, Central African, Island carib, and Arawak people. They are the coolest people I've ever met.  Soo sick working with them.  Seriously, its pretty much just Garifuna here. Their dialect is super cool also. Really the coolest people I've ever met.

Oh ya i already gave a talk here. They are super into member missionary work, so i talked on that.

Well looks like i found my burial ground (referring to the last place he serves before coming home) in Honduras. Well see where it 

takes me.

Romans 8:35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Mum-Time and Utila

Sent May 9th 

SO this week has been real wet, but otherwise just a real solid week.

Alright we start off with some service with “A” and “S” moving gravel in 5 gallon buckets and what not for a couple of hours.

The next day the secretaries called me and told me that they bought my plane tickets. I get home at 8:55 august 4, SALT LAKE CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also had my last zl reunion, because I have changes. I will be going to the heart of san pedro murder, I mean city. To the area of Luisiana. Super dope. It’s going to be sad though, I've been a zone leader for almost a year now, leaving that will be a huge change... well see where it takes me. It'll be grand mate.

Then we did some service with “J”, moving a portable pulperia (store), and then chopping some lawns with a machete in the rain. Super great.

Then i got to talk to the most important person in my life. aka Mum. That was the last time I'm going to see her from a computer screen... si ombe. But that was amazing. LOVED IT!! and you all should be jealous because I'm the only one that can have her. sorry it was predestine. That’s my blessing.

Oh ya then we went as a zone to the tropical island of Utila. You can literally walk across this island in like 30 mins. Even president Klein and sister Klein came!

Heres some stuff we did there:

-went to a hippie museum of glass castles and spiders

-met a dutch guy

-took a billion amazing pics

-took a ship out there, super cool

-ate lunch with a mermaid

-chilled by the beach all day

-Had a blast

all around it was an amazing way to end my journey in La Ceiba

…be jealous

Tourist "dress-up"Contest

#Murica

Tree of Missionaries

Almost to scale...

Obligatory Name-Tag shot

Some of us took the "dress like a tourist" more serious than others

President Klein on the deck!

One awesome Pday on Utila

D&C 58:26

 26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Beach Baptisms

Sent May 1st

A lost and now found investigator

This week was all solid. 

We did a bunch of service again, separating leaves and branches and cutting stuff and all that.

Then we were on divisiones like 3 times again this week.

But the second division was with my boy Gillins in La Masica, my first area!! Sooo cool. I got to see all our old converts and members (there are only 24), but the coolest thing was that they don't have church under an awning anymore!! They rented out a super sick house (it actually was a narco house when I was there) And they even have a place that says the churches name and everything! Super awesome to see the growth. Ohh, and I got to see Danielito!! Mi esquinkle.

New La Masica chapel

Danielito and his family

I’m addicted to peanut butter topogigios (popsicles in a bag), we have an investigator who is garifuna (of west African and Caribbean decent)  and she is so sick and makes great topos!!

So cool story, there was a part-member family in my ward in Las Colinas, who we were visiting, trying to complete the family by baptizing the 2 remaining kids, but then they moved away to Montecristo because it’s a lot safer there; so I passed the reference to my bud Elder Irlenborn, and he finished teaching them. They got baptized this week, and asked me to be a witness. Super cool. They were baptized in the ocean!! I got to get in the ocean! The sun was setting, we were completing a family, and the spirit was strong.

We bought the tickets for Utila! (small Honduran Island off the coast)

There was supposed to be like a gang war this Sunday, but nothing happened during church until that night, so that was a blessing.

Well, I guess well be SEEing the mommys this week!

D&C8:10

 10 Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

RIP Prince, we’ll do your temple work

Sent April 25th

So this week has been solid.

We had a ton of divisiones, and a ton of priesthood blessings.

We had a zone service activity digging out a huge hill so a lady can build her house there. It was super cool, but so freaking hard.

Then I went on divisiones again for like the 4th time, but it was super cool. I taught an english lesson with my man Elder Irlenborn.  We taught this dude who's from Roatan, and doesn't speak Spanish. He's super cool and trying to save enough money to move to London. So I'm hoping to pass that reference along to London (if you know what I mean) that would be so sick! (Jake Parkin is one of Andy’s friends who is serving his mission in London).

The other thing is that we might be going to Utila this next Monday, so stay tuned for pics of the island boys.  (Utila is a Honduran island just off the coast)

All the doves are crying this week (reference to When Doves Cry song by Prince)

Mosiah 16:8

 8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ

MACIZO

Elder Smart

Crescent Moon

Sent April 18th 

This week was sick.

So I got my easter package! Super awesome.

Month old, stale peeps are better anyway

I went visiting with one of our converts here in La Ceiba “E” and he is a stud. So cool.

I was also on a ton of divisions this week, like 3.  It’s super hard to do divisions with everyone, lead the zone, and actually get work done in your own area, but it’s such a blessing.

Also, every morning this week, except Sunday, we did service. Chopping stuff, moving dirt off mountains to make a level spot to build a house, removing garbage, and what not, its been amazing. I enjoy the mission so much better when I am physically serving the people here in Honduras. They are a lot quicker to recognize our intentions.

OHH the sister “S” thats been waiting for 4 years is going to be able to get married the next week, and then get baptized!!! Prayers and fasting!!

Also we had a meeting with Presidente Klein, and our stake president, and the other dope zone leaders of Zona La Ceiba, (Tobes, and Sandovallin) We talked about the kinds of “plans” we are going to need to have to have success as a church, not just as the missionary force, but with the wards and branches here too. Super eye opening.

And then today we woke up super early and hiked to a rope bridge. It was super cool and I took some sweet pics.

Well, the lord is good.

Have a nice week.

D&C 1:38

 38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

MACIZO

Elder Smart

bridge and dirt