Cody's Mission Blog: Hello

January 11, 2016

Hello family!!

Well it wasn't that exciting of a week in the sense that there weren't earthquakes or big holidays or anything but it was still a really good week.

As always, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were normal days of work as normal. We worked extra-hard with Henry, Anyel, and Carolina so they could get baptized (and so Carolina could get confirmed). I honestly can´t even tell you how blessed we were with Anyel and Henry. We couldn't teach Anyel very well because he already knows every thing. He´s already asking us about the Urim and Thummim and stuff. Henry just has so much support from his member girlfriend. Henry and Anyel both showed up to church, lessons, and their baptisms on their own which is a miracle here. We´re also teaching a kid named Efraín who went to church with a member family a couple weeks ago. He´s like 9 or 10 but he´s like an adult in a kid´s body. His parents are Jehovah´s Witnesses but they´re ok with us teaching him and him getting baptized on the 23rd. But they could change their mind so we´re being careful there. Jonathen is a guy that went to church last week that we've been teaching but he didn't go this week. We´ll pass by tomorrow and see what´s up with him.

Anyway, on Friday we had Zone Meeting in Diriamba. It was nice. The zone has some big goals for this month so we´ll see if everyone can pull through.

On Saturday we had the baptisms of Henry and Anyel and everything went smoothly there. It did start about 40 minutes late but that´s on time in Nica time. After his baptism we went over with Anyel and watched the Restoration video which was very cool and spiritual as always. I think he showed it to his parents after we left too.

Sunday morning was pretty crazy because we had to go by Carolina, Reina, and familia Arias. We got Carolina and Reina but it took them a long time to get ready. We showed up for family Arias and they sent us off with Alfredo, Victoria, Dominga, and Erica. Dominga and Erica are going to get baptized next week and Alfredo and Victoria got baptized last month. Alfredo will be getting the priesthood next week. In church we had 8 investigators: Alfredo, Dominga, Henry, Anyel, Carolina, Efraín, Reina, and a lady a member brought. In sacrament meeting all the youth that just got back from a camp that´s like EFY bore their testimonies and then I had to talk (but I was planning on it) I started at about 10 and spoke for about 8 minutes. I just thanked them for all the help the members had given us with the baptisms we had this week (the ward here really helped us out a lot) and gave them some ideas of things they can do to be good member missionaries, i.e. hold a family home evening with us and a nonmember friend etc. I thought about you during my talk mom and beamed out my support for you because I knew you´d be talking within an hour. By what everyone said it sounds like you had a pretty dang good talk. I was a lot less nervous for my talk this week which was nice.

So this week we have Dominga, Erica, and Reina preparing to get baptized. They´re going to be needing a lot of prayers though. Please also pray for Efraín and Jonathen.

This week will be crazy because on Wednesday we´re going to the beach as our award for reaching our goal in 2015, and we have to get Reina, Dominga, and Erica ready for their baptisms. But I´m looking forward to it, it´ll be a great week.

I´m truly grateful for how many miracles and blessings we´re seeing every day. I know that this is the Lord´s work. He´s truly blessing us with this ward. I could go on and on about how great this ward is. They help us find new people to teach, they help us teach those people, and then they help those people stay active after their baptisms. It´s so wonderful because that´s how missionary work should be. D&C 38: 40 - 41 explains how every member is a missionary. It´s so true.

But anyway I hope everyone has a great week! Know that you´re in my prayers always!

Love,

Elder Smith