Hello!

June 22, 2016

Hello family!

  We had a really good week.  It was a bit of a struggle to get out of the office due to some things that Elder Petty had to do.  I also had to go out to Ciudad Sandino to look at a house and other things like that that took up a lot of time in the office.  Our time in the area was really well spent, and we had a week of really great lessons with everyone progressing really nicely.  

   The son of Darwin Josè who's name is Darwin Steven is the one that said he`d get baptized on the 25th because on the 28th he left on a 6 month service trip.  Then we found out on Saturday that they changed up the trip on Darwin Steven and he was now going to leave on the 23rd instead.  So he`s out for being baptized on the 25th.  We couldn't just baptize him that same day because he just wasn't ready with all of the commandments.  So we lost him.  He was awesome.  But he still came to church with us and really liked it and he`s really charismatic so the ward really liked him too.  It`s a shame.  I guess you could pray that his service trip gets cancelled or something.  Someone put a reminder on your phone for 6 months from now and when it goes off, email me and I`ll get in contact with whatever missionary will be in this area and tell them to go baptize him.

   Also, the two awesome references from Hermano Castro, Carmen and her daughter Guadelupe both went to church and really liked it.  We taught them Word of Wisdom and they have some small problems with coffee but I don`t think it will hinder them much.  They are really excited to change.  Guadelupe is 8 and has a hernia that`s causing her a lot of pain.  Please pray for her.

   Hayzel went to church but her daughter Jasmin was with her Grandma so she didn`t come.  But Hazel came and she`s really excited for her fecha on the 2nd.  She also has some coffee issues but is a bit less excited to stop drinking coffee.  Please pray that she can have the true desire to stop drinking it.  

   Also Coco went to church for her second time.  She LOVED it.  Her and Rosa both made it to 2nd Nefi already (reminder that Rosa got baptized in May, I`ve heard people refer to her as an investigator).  So next week is Rosa`s turn to go to church then the next week is Coco`s turn and then Coco will have three times in church and we`ll baptize her on the 9th.  They`re going to get someone to watch the house on the 9th so Rosa can see Coco`s confirmation.  But it`s only for that week, and not a permanent solution for them both to go to church every week.  Please pray that we can find something so they can both go to church. Christina also came to church.  There`s nothing new on her divorce so we`re hoping that all of that comes through so we can get her baptized.  She really wants to do it and has no commandment problems.  Oh, also, when we taught Word of Wisdom to Coco she`s just like, ya, when you taught it to Rosa a few months ago I just stopped drinking coffee with her and haven`t had it since.  I just kind of freaked out and shook her hand like 6 times.  I was so happy.  

  Also a guy from our area went to church with an investigator of some other missionaries in another area and so we got him as a reference.  But...  he hasn`t been home when we`ve gone by and he hasn`t seem very positive when we`ve talked on the phone.  Please pray that he can be positive and want to keep investigating.  Haha sorry there`s a lot to pray for this week;)

  I hope you all have an awesome week!!

Elder Smith

Sis. Russell, Cody, President Russell

Food they received from President Russell's fridge as he prepares to go home.