Falling Apart

January 23, 2017

​Hi family,

   I gave the email that subject because I've been afflicted with a plethora of ailments this week.​  On Monday after we wrote we played soccer as a zone and I was outrageously sore for the next three days.  And then yesterday my bacteria came back and I felt like crap again and had some other afflictions that, out of respect, won't be mentioned but you can probably figure out.  I've also been hurting in my left shoulder and neck, I think from my backpack or something.  I'm looking for ways to lighten it a bit.  

     Happy birthday Dad, I thought about you on Thursday but I didn't treat myself to anything on your birthday:(  

    The investigators, for the most part, had a pretty rough week.  Angela went back to the street after being clean for a whole week and got lost in the paths of the world.  Grettel had a rough week as well.  But she still went to church but ended up just arguing with people in Gospel Doctrine class and I got pretty annoyed.  It's not looking as good for her as it was that's for sure....  But she's managed to make it a whole week without letting her ex back in so that's good.  

  We got permission to baptize Calixto so his baptism is on Saturday.  He's really cool.  When we let him choose who will say the closing prayer in a lesson he always just chooses himself.  Paola also had a bad week.   She basically just decided to be Catholic no matter what God tells her.  And we dropped Jorge because he doesn't complete with any commitments.  But we have worked a lot better with the ward members lately and they're giving us some good references and inviting friends to FHEs and stuff.  

   This Wednesday in the morning we have a missionary broadcast thing from Salt Lake and then after our zone has interviews with President Brown.  WooHoo!

Have a great week!!!

Love You!

Elder Smith  

Happy Birthday Dad!!

January 14, 2017

Hello family!!  Happy Birthday on Thursday Dad!!

    This was a really busy week!  On Thursday we had multizones.  They were awesome!!  We learned a lot from President and Sister Brown and the APs and had good food and it was good to see some old friends from the mission.  

   On Tuesday someone gave Grettel a free gallon of paint so we hellped her paint the outside of her house.  We were very clear that since we don't get paid and we have no painting experience that if we did a bad job she couldn't complain.  We probably did a bad job but nobody complained:)  Luckily most paint jobs in Nicaragua look bad and nobody really cares. We also painted a stripe on the dog (with permission)

   Then my birthday was on Friday.  It was really good, don't worry Mom, lots of people knew it was my birthday.  But it was really good.  I suspected that at District meeting the zone was going to crack eggs on my head (latin birthday tradition) so I bought eggs and took them to district meeting and announced beforehand that anyone that tried to egg me would get egged back.  So we walk into the church and the whole zone threw a surprise party with a cake and soda in bags :) and balloons and everything.  It was good and actually caught me by surprise.  I saw that some people had eggs and were planning on getting me outside after the meetings but I evaded everyone else and was ready to defend myself.  All violence was avoided.  Then at night the family we lived with threw me a little party with a cake and soda and it was really nice.  

    The investigators are doing pretty good.  Grettel didn't go to church this week for various little problems that came up on Sunday morning.  She separated from Jose and he's out of the picture now.  We had a fhe with her on monday and watched the restoration movie with some other members and she received an answer to her prayers and felt that this is all true.  It's kind of hard for her because she knows that if she gets baptized her friends from her other churches will probably reject her and she still doesn't have many friends here.  So we're trying really hard to introduce her to a lot of people in the ward and help her be brave in following the answer God sent her.  

   Paola is also doing well.  She showed up to church this week like five minutes after sacrament meeting.  Church was hard for the investigators this week because all we did after Sacrament Meeting was watch a video from the area presidency about the area plan and they didn't understand anything.  

   Calixto also went to church and we're still working on getting permission from his dad to baptize him but he's really smart and knows his stuff already.  Also another member lady brought a homeless guy and his partner from off the street and they're trying to rehabilitate them a bit.  Pray for them.  The lady's name is Angela and I didn't get the name of the guy. 

   Today has been a great pday so far.  After studying this morning I just took a little nap on my hammock, then we ordered popcorn chicken right to the house, and then we mopped the floor, went shopping, and came to write.  Then I think we'll go sleep some more.  WooHoo!!

I hope you have a great week!  

TO ANYONE WHO SEES THE BLOG BUY MY DAD DIET COKE ON THURSDAY FOR HIS BIRTHDAY!!!!

Elder Smith

Party at District Meeting

Cake with members that live on the property

Painting

The dog after it got a stripe painted down it's back (with permission from the owner)

My Bacteria Is Gone!!!

January 9, 2017

Hi family!

   Well, my bacteria went away.  Thanks for your prayers!  I feel great now.  

   We had a great week.  On Tuesday I did divisions with Elder Wilkey from Tennessee.  That was good.  Then on Wednesday we had leadership council and a training with all of the DLs.  As is any meeting where president Brown trains, it was awesome and super spiritual.  I learned a lot.  Then they gave us subways which was really good.  This weekend we had stake conference and we were able to go to all of the sessions and bring investigators on Saturday and Sunday.

   We are working with a family where the lady is less active and the guy isn't a member because he's had some challenges with the Word of Wisdom.  He would get baptized if it wasn't for that.  His name is Jorge.  They came to the adult session on Saturday and enjoyed it and got to meet President and Hermana Brown.  Also Hna Coco (the lady that lives in the other house on the property) brought a friend.  On Sunday Grettel and Jose came to church.  It was a struggle to help them get ready on time and try to walk instead of meander to church when we were already a little late.  The stake center was full and we had to sit in the back and everyone was talking so it wasn't the best experience they could've had but they did like it still.  They're decided to get married and baptized.  Pray that Jose won't fall back into drinking, and that Grettel can be patient with him.Also we have been teaching a lady named Paola with some members.  They brought her to the christmas activity a few weeks ago but she hasn't been able to go to church because she sells nacatamales (just google it) on weekends and if she hasn't sold them all before church on sunday she can't go.  We promised her the Lord would send people to buy her nacatamales and He did and she sold them all and came to church.  We went with the bishop too to buy some nacatamales and they were pretty good.  

    So ya it's been pretty good.  This Thursday we have a multizone and it should be fun.  Our zone has to do a musical number so we'll see what we throw together.  Then my birthday on Friday.  I don't really have any big plans, maybe we'll order a pizza or something.  IDK.

  Well have a good week.  Enjoy your time with Myles!!

Love,

Elder Smith

Happy New Year!!

January 2, 2017

Hi Family!! Happy New Year!  I'll see you this year!

  We had a pretty good week.  New Years Eve was weird because everyone got drunk super early (some even a couple days early) and were just bothering everyone on the street.  We saw one guy in a creepy Halloween mask with a cape who was very intoxicated pretending like he was killing people on the sidewalk.  Gotta love Nicaragua.  But we worked as normal and a couple of people fed us.  We went to bed as normal but at midnight we were woken up by a ton of fireworks.  It was funny because we walked to our gate and looked out to the street and there were just a ton of bonfires in the middle of the street and every house had their speakers out and their music blasting.  It was pretty crazy.  But don't worry we stayed safely locked inside.  

   Church on Sunday was a struggle.  When sacrament meeting started at 8 there were only 21 people there (including us) but by the time it ended there were 42.  None of our investigators went in spite of being warned and warned and committed like five times to watch out for it.  Grettel went to some Evangelical vigil thing and didn't get back until 5 AM and then turned off her phone and wouldn't answer the door despite many knocks and a lot of yelling.  But the ward pulled through and a young woman brought her boyfriend and another lady brought a cousin that isn't a member.  Yesterday was pretty quiet because everyone was sleeping and super hungover.  

    I also have another bacteria that hasn't been very fun.  But I'm feeling a bit better now.

    Yesterday the puppy that lives on our property randomly got sick and died.  That was pretty sad.  The landlord took him to the vet but everything was closed so he just died.  Who knows what happened to the poor guy.

   We haven't been able to find very many new people to teach, but we found a lady named Cynthia yesterday who's kind of positive.  We're working with Calixto's grandparents to get permission from his dad so we can baptize him.  I'm confident they'll be able to get it and we'll probably baptize him towards the end of January.  

  Next week we have Stake Conference.  The best part is that it's at 10 so it should be a lot easier to get investigators there.  

  Today for Pday we went in to the office and got the mail.  Thanks to all of those that sent Christmas cards!  Also thanks Ryan and Lezli for the package!!  It's awesome!!!!!

  So ya...  Not that exciting of a week...

   I'm jealous that you guys get to babysit Myles!   You're going to be in heaven:)

Love,

Elder Smith

December 26, 2016