February 27, 2016

Hello family,

Sorry about the weird week of writing.  Even though our Pday was taken by the multizones we don´t really have a make-up time.  We´re kind of just out of luck.  But I've got a bit of time in the office right now so I'll  write a bit. 

  

  Last night we finally had some time in the area  because the multizone stuff ended and we needed to get Kirby interviewed.  It was really worrisome because it´s super bad to go so long without seeing an investigator that supposedly is getting baptized on Saturday.  But he wasn't there so we´ll see if he´s home today, try to interview him and baptize him today but I'd say the chances of everything going right are slim.  But please pray that he´ll be home, want to get  baptized, and pass his interview.  Really having basically three days without working in the area is just throwing us off.   Maria is doing well (mother of  monica).  I don´t remember how much I´ve talked about her but she has a good testimony, but she hasn't been able to stop smoking.  She somehow got some extra strength last week and as of the last time we verified had about 5 or 6 days without smoking.  But when we showed up to our appointment yesterday some guy we´ve never met was there smoking and her daughter in law told us it´s her "friend".  Hopefully they don´t just sit there hanging out and smoking together.  But she told us she´s going to make it so she can get baptized next week on the 5th of March.  But there´s an area conference on the 6th with President Nelson so we won´t be able to confirm so we can´t baptize on the 5th.  Our other investigator Noel, the husband of a recent convert who has an RM son, is cool and wants to make it so his whole family is united in the church.  Last week in church he shocked everyone by participating a ton and having some great comments during the lessons.  We learned about the Holy Ghost in Principios del Evangelio and he ate it up.  But yesterday when we passed by his wife said that he went to the casino with his friends last night so he probably smoked and drank.  Dang it.  We have a return cita today so we´ll see.  

  In the office we have a pretty normal week coming up this week but the next week is change week.  During change week there´s a TON of stuff we do and the office secretaries basically are running everywhere from Monday to Thursday and don´t get any sleep.  I´m expecting it to be really stressful and I´m not looking forward to it but hey, at least it only comes once every six weeks...

  We also had a cool experience on Monday.  We passed by for someone positive we had contacted on Sunday afternoon and her deaf cousin and her friend were there.  The investigator spoke decent sign language by what I could tell but definitely struggled a bit translating for us.  But we were able to teach these two deaf girls, through their friend translating, the restoration and then put a fecha.  It was a really cool experience.  I also learned a bit of sign language from it.  

   It sounds like the family is doing pretty well.  Sorry for making you have to scramble on Tuesday to get me those emails.  Thanks mom for sending those packages.  It´s nice to have something like that to look forward to.  One perk of the office is that I´ll get them as soon as they come:)  Thanks for holding down the fort dad, as always, with the bonus points.  I didn't realize we have the same amount of elk points.  When are you going to cash in Mom´s deer points?  Which CWMU do you want to go to?  

Just to follow up, did anyone that reads the blog actually get Jamba Juice for Peyton?  If not, there´s still time.  

Love you!!!!!

Elder Smith

  So as far as what's been going on in the office... We've just been scrambling to be ready for the visit of Elder Ochoa. He's doing what's called a mission tour. Basically just looking at us to see how we're doing. So there's a lot of pressure for everything to be perfect. The multizones have been stressful because I'm responsible for making sure everyone gets their donuts and juice for breakfast, their lunch that a restaurant does for us, drinks, granola bars, bananas, and gatorade for the bus back. And I have to give everyone their reimbursements and pay the bus drivers. But it'll all be over on Saturday. I look forward to some real sleep.

With the multizones we haven't had much time to work in the area. Last week the APs came and taught familia Robleto with us, committed them to get married and then baptized this saturday. I, as well as the other missionaries present and Javier (the dad) thought everything was very clear, but..... Müriel (the mom) apparently thought the deal was only that she had to get married. Not baptized. So we came by on Sunday night to talk about plans for the marriage and when we got talking about the baptism right after she kind of freaked out. Then she pulled a bunch of doubts out that we've answered a long time ago and just kind of desperately saying whatever she could to not get baptized. And then Javier got super mad at her because he really wants to get baptized and he was clear that they would get baptized and then married. So he stopped talking to her. We came back on Tuesday and only she was there and she said she and her daughter wouldn't get baptized for a while, if ever. But she said she knows she needs to get married and she doesn't care if Javier gets baptized. So it's a tough situation for sure. We'll keep working with them and doing everything we can to resolve müriel's doubts. It would be extremely sad to baptize only Javier after imagining how happy and united the family would be otherwise.


With the multizones we haven't had much time to work in the area. Last week the APs came and taught familia Robleto with us, committed them to get married and then baptized this saturday. I, as well as the other missionaries present and Javier (the dad) thought everything was very clear, but..... Müriel (the mom) apparently thought the deal was only that she had to get married. Not baptized. So we came by on Sunday night to talk about plans for the marriage and when we got talking about the baptism right after she kind of freaked out. Then she pulled a bunch of doubts out that we've answered a long time ago and just kind of desperately saying whatever she could to not get baptized. And then Javier got super mad at her because he really wants to get baptized and he was clear that they would get baptized and then married. So he stopped talking to her. We came back on Tuesday and only she was there and she said she and her daughter wouldn't get baptized for a while, if ever. But she said she knows she needs to get married and she doesn't care if Javier gets baptized. So it's a tough situation for sure. We'll keep working with them and doing everything we can to resolve müriel's doubts. It would be extremely sad to baptize only Javier after imagining how happy and united the family would be otherwise.
 

February 17, 2016

Hello family,

   It´s been a pretty good week here.  We had stake conference this week in the Altagracia chapel, which is huge.  It´s the only chapel in Nicaragua that I know of that has an indoor basketball court.  So a funny story from conference... There´s an 83 year old guy named Stanley that got baptized in this area right before I got here.  He´s really funny and for an 83 year old is doing very well.  We took him to the priesthood session of conference with us on Saturday and he really liked it.  All he really does all day is sit out on his porch watching the street so we feel kind of bad for him.  His family doesn't really visit him either.  So on Sunday we just kind of threw him in a taxi to go to the chapel because we had to go around picking up investigators to go with us, obviously they have the priority.  So when we got there we saw him sitting down with a member and everything was great and dandy.  When the meeting ended we got up and were talking to some of the investigators that came and when we finished talking to them we went to look for Stanley to send him home because we knew he wouldn't have any money for a taxi.  But he wasn't there.  We went around asking everyone and they hadn't seen him.  So eventually we gave up and just went home, hoping that another member had given him a ride.  But when we got back to the area the door was still locked and he hadn't arrived.  

So we went to another convert who´s family made us Nica Guacamole, which was amazing.  We even had fried tortilla to eat it with which was basically tortilla chips that weren't cut.  But anyway, after that we went back to his house again to see if he had made it home.  We were very worried that he´d just be wandering around, lost in Managua.  But he was there, stripped down to his briefs just cooling down.  We asked him where he went, why he didn't wait for us, and how he got home.  He just said he got up, looked around a bit and didn't see us, so he decided to walk home.  It´s probably about two or three miles.  So I felt bad that the poor old man had to walk, but it didn't seem to faze him.  

   Familia Robleto is doing well.  The mom and daughter went to stake conference this week while the dad stayed at home with the baby.  They saw us teaching Stanley one time out in front of his house so they asked us who he was and stuff.  They were greatly touched by his humble situation and living conditions that now they´re donating rice to him and other necessities because they´re pretty well-off.  It´s just really touching to be out here and seeing so many examples of love and charity.  This family isn't even baptized or anything and they´re just looking to share what they have and help others.  

   Kirby´s doing great.  Yesterday was Monica´s bday so we went by with the mission leader and he brought two other young couples that are recent converts that have already gone to the temple.  We watched the restoration video and then drank coke and had cake and donuts.  It was pretty cool but the best part was definitely the spirit that was felt during the first vision scene.  I definitely felt it and I´m pretty sure I wasn't alone.  Kirby is doing ok but he has some word of wisdom problems that are going to be a big challenge to overcome.  

    We've just been scrambling in the area to juggle the lessons we have with investigators with finding new investigators.  It´s definitely frustrating at times to know that with more time working in the area you could have a lot more success but we need to be in the office doing those jobs as well.  

    The other day a guy stopped us on the street and had heard about the distribution center (which happens to be next door to the mission office) and told us he had heard that he can get a bible there for like a dollar.  We affirmed that he had hear correctly and we gave him the address.  So yesterday he came while me and Elder Jungers were just sitting there in the office.  So he bought his bible and started talking to us.  Basically he told us he wanted to be a missionary like us and asked us what was required.  So we said he had to get baptized, live the commandments, start learning everything possible about the church.  So I was just super direct with him, I´m like, are you baptized?

No

So if God answers your prayers would you like to get baptized on the 5th or 12th of March?

Well, the 5th is earlier so, the 5th.

Sweet, and will you go to church this Sunday at 9?

Yep

Cool

So that was probably like the easiest fecha ever.  We were just sitting there and he came to us.  Hopefully he actually goes to church so he can get baptized that soon.  

But ya, good week.

So for those of you that read the blog....  Yep, you failed me.  Peyton didn't get any Jamba last week after her surgery.  Luckily you can repent and bring her some.  Just saying.

Love you all!!!!!  Please keep the following in your prayers: familia Robleto, Kirby, José (easy fecha guy)

Love,

Elder Smith

p.s. I´m glad you got nice warm weather.  The weather here is shooting up and getting pretty dang hot.  I always love when I see a pic you guys send with snow because I forget that it´s winter there. I just kind of assume the whole world is in a perpetual summer like me. 

Yummy ice cream bar

Chocolate milk, ice cream and a blood test

Kitchen

Air conditioner (The best thing ever!)

Laundry room

February 10, 2016

Hello Family!!

  I was extremely glad to hear that Peyton´s surgery went well.  And that she has two thumbs and a spaceship on her nose.  Did she try to take the wheel and drive?  Is it going to hurt to eat?  Everyone that will read this on the blog needs to go to Jamba and bring something for Peyton ASAP.  Take care of her.  

  It was a good week here.  We worked hard and worked a lot with our progressing investigators.  Familia Robleto went to church and seemed to like it a lot.  Miurel, the mom, was reading in the Plan of Salvation pamphlet and had some questions about the fall.  Javier, the dad, proceeded to answer all of them perfectly.  So they are really good.  They have a lot of faith that the Lord will be able to bless their baby daughter with a heart problem.  It made me reflect a little on how the Lord performed miracles here on the earth based on the faith of the people.  I know that faith is a principle of power and that God is willing to bless us every bit as he was when Jesus was on the earth.  But please pray for this family and their baby, Rosemary.  

  The other family we´re teaching, Monica and Kirby are also doing very well.  Kirby is really understanding and liking what we´ve been teaching and they also went to church this week.  In Gospel Doctrine class the lesson was on the fall and they just ate it up.  We´re also very excited for them and ask for prayers on their behalf.

   It´s been a real blessing to be able to see families coming together and trying to improve through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that we teach.  Even though progress at times seems painfully slow and at times there are bumps along the way, it comes.  It´s amazing to see that as people strive to live the gospel better they are blessed; whether they be investigators or people that have been members their entire lives.

   We have stake conference this week in the Altagracia chapel which is HUGE.  It´s where we do our big multi-mission meetings and such.  So there won´t be any baptisms in the zone this week.  

    

   Love You All!!!!   Sorry that Golden Corral closed!!  That´s a real bummer.

Don´t forget to bring Peyton Jamba Juice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Smith

Sorry about the inversion.  It´s getting hotter here but it´s still not too bad.  They say that March will be the hottest time of the year here.  I´m not too excited about that but at least I´ll be spending the majority of it here in the air conditioned office.  Kirby is doing great.  He´d already be baptized if he didn't have some problems.  But I don´t even know what they are because interviews are confidential and I didn't do the interview and he hasn't told anyone outside of an interview.  So hopefully it´s not tooo big of a problem.  Familia Robleto is doing good as well.  They went to church (minus the oldest daughter) and fasted with us and want to pay fast offerings.  They´re just doing whatever possible to receive blessings for their sick baby.  Speaking of that, Mom, will you put her on the prayer roll?  Her name is Rosemary Danise Robleto Buenavida.  Thanks.  I´m not going to lie, I was happy to hear that glutton is gone because I thought based on the opening of that paragraph that Bo died so I was happy.  But still sad about glutton.  That´s too bad about the rottweiler...  Thanks for the update on the game.  I knew who won but no details.  Who did Cam blame for the loss?  That would be cool to have solar panels.  Now we just need to get Bees.  Good job running.  This week I will be making a concerted effort to exercise more and eat a little less McDonalds and PriceSmart.  Dad will you do a little research on the volcano momotombo that I can see spewing smoke every day?  Sounds good with the deer tags.  That would be cool to have  a CWMU tag for mom.  We know what kind of deer are behind the fence...  Based on the way you taught the Whitmers for home teaching I'm sure sharing time went just great.  How are the Home Teaching families doing Anyway? 

Also I forgot to tell you that I bought a 2 liter coke right before we went back to the house the other day and I drank the whole thing in the taxi from our area to the house.  I got a headache from all the caffeine.  But I felt kind of guilty so I haven´t had any coke since then.  

Also will you tell Grandpa that I spent his 15 bucks on rootbeer in the imports store.  And that I´m going to enjoy it more than I could ever describe in words.  And thank you.

Burning the tie to commemorate 6 months on the mission

Managua

Mountains and Lake Managua

February 3, 2016

Hello everyone!

Sounds like you all had a great time in Vegas!!  It must be nice being in such warm weather.  ha.  ha.

So we had a great week.  The highlight of the week was definitely Saturday and Sunday.

Monica is our investigator that was super ready and prepared to be baptized but we needed to get a divorce from her previous marriage and then get them married first.  And it is NOT easy to get people divorced in Nicaragua.  Luckily we worked with a really cool lawyer who was baptized recently that helped us a ton.  We got to the point that all we needed to finalize the divorce was the signature of the husband but nobody had an address for him.  Luckily we had an address of his grandma so we tracked her down but she doesn't exactly love Mormons and she wouldn't tell us where he lives but we found some of his friends who gave us his address.  So we go to where he was living but he was at work and wouldn't get home until like midnight.  And this was on Saturday so Monica´s baptism couldn't happen on Saturday.  But this super awesome lawyer went to the house of this guy on Saturday at like midnight and found him and got the signature to finalize the divorce.  So we got a phone call from the lawyer on Saturday night at like 12:30 and he´s like, can we have a marriage and baptism tomorrow before church?  And we were like, Heck ya we can.  So we called Monica and her partner Kirby and told them to be at the church at 6:30 in the morning to get married and baptized.  We lent Kirby clothes because he didn't have anything nice to wear.  So Saturday morning we had the marriage first in front of the font and right after baptized Monica.  It was actually a really cool experience.  We talked with Kirby after church on Sunday and he wants to get baptized as well but he´s still got some challenges we´re working with him on.  I imagine we´ll be able to get him baptized this month with a little help from the lord.  It´s cool because Monica is an amazing support for him and it´s a family that honestly wants to change and follow Christ.  

  Also Sonia got baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday without any sort of problem.  She loves primary and will go into Young Women's soon.  Mom to answer your question, I have no idea how many are in primary in the ward but I´ll check for you.  Sonia´s mom Urania is really cool but she won´t be able to get baptized until she gets married and her partner has no desire to get married so some prayers to soften his heart would be greatly appreciated. 

  Familia Robleto, the family of four we´re teaching, didn't come to church this week which was very disappointing.  But I think they felt pretty bad about it and say they´ll come this week.  It´s kind of hard to believe them because they haven´t come for the last two weeks but I've got faith that they´ll come.  The dad Javier is really cool and sincerely wants to find out if the church is true.  He has a lot of doubts about the Book of Mormon but he understands that reading it, pondering it, and praying about it are the keys to receiving an answer that it´s true.  He´s completely ready to follow an answer he receives so that´s a very faithful first step.  It´s definitely a seed of faith, now he just needs to nourish it...  The rest of his family is cool as well.  His 8 year old daughter Celeste is like the little engine of the family.  She always does her homework and encourages her family to remember to read what we've left.  The baby I asked you to pray for has a heart problem that will require open heart surgery eventually but she got something like laryngitis that she was pretty weak to be able to handle.  But they say she´s getting better.  

   So ya every day I´m learning more and more things that I´m responsible to do here like for example paying the utility bills for about half of the houses in the mission, making sure the proper food gets to all mission meetings, balancing every account the mission uses, sending people the necessary money on their mission cards, handling insurance claims, overseeing all the housing in the mission and dealing with all the problems the home-owners give the missionaries.  For this change I have Elder Beals to help me and teach me everything but next change he´ll go home and I´ll be on my own which honestly scares me to death.  But I´m figuring everything out quickly and I know the Lord will help me.  I´m just going to be super super super super super super busy for my time here.  The goal is to be able to leave the office by 3 everyday to go out and proselyte but often there are meetings or other things that come up that make that hard.  For example yesterday was leadership counsel at president´s house and I had to get donuts and juice to all the ZLs and Sister training leaders at the chapel before hand, pay the bus driver and send them off to the mission home for the meeting, go to Burger King and pick up the order of 37 whoppers I made the day before and deliver it to the mission home before they had their lunch break.  And I verified with Burger King twice that morning to make sure they were working on the order and they said yes, and we went to pick it up at 11:30 and they only had the burgers done and hadn't started on the fries or drinks.  So ya there´s lots of logistical stuff like that to do which takes valuable office time away from doing the actual financial stuff.  

   But I feel extremely blessed.   I´m in a blessed area with a great ward.  I love Elder Jungers (pronounced Yuhn - gers), he´s a hard worker and a great missionary.  The time here is going to go by very fast because I´ll be so busy all the time.  It´s weird that I´ll complete six months on the mission this Friday.  Time goes super fast and super slow somehow.  It just kind of goes.

  Congrats Matt on graduating from the police academy and blessing Myles.  I´m not sure which uniform looked sharper, my baby blessing clothes on Myles or Matt´s uniform.  Haha I was a bit surprised to see dad in a suit in that pic.  I guess you´re all used to that by now.

Well, have a great week!!  I love you and always pray for you!!  The church is true!!

Elder Smith

Monica after her wedding and before her baptism

Elder Jungers, Sonia and Family, Cody

Carne Asada

PriceSmart is the best!  American food - yum!

Cody's new favorite - PriceSmart