November 9, 2015

hey family!!!

I cant believe its already pday... crazy.  So Tuesday was the day I was super scared about, just me and Elder Peterson, alone in the area with a total of 8 weeks in Nicaragua.  and it went great.  We completed with norms, put 5 fetchas, 4 of which were with really cool and positive people.  The zls were thrilled that we didnt ruin the numbers for the whole week haha.  Tuesday was probably the biggest miracle of my mission to this point.  I felt like for the first time that I was understanding what everyone said to me and I was able to say (and they understood) what I wanted to say to them.  Definitely the gift of tongues.  and the gift of interpretation of tongues.  It was really cool.  I would just talk and not have to think too much about how to say what I wanted to say in Spanish.  Thanks for all your prayers!!!!!!  

Wednesday was a normal day. 

  

On Thursday I woke up at 3:30 to go to  Managua for 8 week training, which everyone has in their second change.  It was good, President and Sister Russell taught us and i learned a lot.  Sister Russell took one look at my face and asked me about my acne.  I said it was normal and that I take doxycycline and clindomyacin (sp?)  gel and she called the mission doctor and now I'm supposed to take amoxycilin and RetinA cream .1%.  So I'll pull like 40 bucks off my personal card to buy it at a pharmacy (prescriptions are not necessary here lol).  Sister Russell didn't care that amoxycillin didn't work on me before so if Diane or Doctor Johnson thinks its a bad idea let me know.  After we had the training we had Burger King that they brought in for us.  we left at like 1 and got back at like four or five.  Then we had a normal couple of days of finding cool people (no ones cool until they go to church though).  

On Sunday we got a total of 8 people to church.  3 of them we pulled off the street and got them to stay for an hour and the rest were actually investigators.  Adolfo and Danny came (we dropped Jessenia because she got baptized in a different church yesterday, possibly just to spite us).  Also this really cool lady's daughter came, but not the really cool lady so now the daughter is cool and not the mom.  And also a lesbian that Elders Peterson and Merrill found.  Now in the area we're a tripanionship of just me, Hanson, and Merrill.  I have no idea if they'll send anyone else or if we'll just be like this for four weeks until the next change.  It's a great opportunity to learn from two of the best missionaries in the world though.

Today I weighed myself in a pharmacy because I've been going down belt buckles and I weighed 151 lbs.  I think I weighed lke 170 when I got here from the MTC so apparently the Nicaraguan diet works.  But I'm confident that I'm the only one eating my food right now (I don't think i have a parasite).  I'm probably just losing all my muscle haha.  As if I had any to start with.  But that's ok, i just lost what I gained after graduation basically.

So ya, good week.  I wish I could tell you when or if Adolfo will get baptized but we dont know right now.  He says he wants to but he's bailando the mambo about when.  Pray for him and Danny (and Jessenia couldn't hurt either)

I'm glad you guys got to go to the cabin and that you saw sooooooooooooo many animals.  The deer will be the perfect size for when I get home.  Good job with school, work, home etc.  Thanks for sending the Christmas package  mom, I'm sure it'll be perfect.

Love Elder Smith

Answers to questions:

Thanks for the update about the church same sex policy.  Will you update me on any huge news stories as I hear nothing here?

Home Teaching here exists but doesn't happen much.  There's only like three companionships of Elders that actually go out and do their home teaching.  Poor guys have like 9 families haha.

The only change in weather Ive noticed is a little less rain which leads to a lot more heat.  So hot.  Always haha.  I don't think there are any holidays before Christmas here but i don't know. I'm already starting to see a bunch of Christmas trees.  I haven't gotten any letters from you yet.  Nobody's gotten mail for a while so when it comes I'll probably have a bunch. 

 Oh and Peterson and Merrill found a smallish tarantula in the bathroom this week but I didn't see it.