January 25, 2010

So Wednesday was the trainers/nuevos meeting and I got my new companion. Elder Portillo from San Salvador, El Salvador. And, HE SPEAKS SPANISH! What a relief. Latins. This is a whole lot easier than what I had the last 2 changes. Yeah. He can actually teach and contact with me. We are doing well. Weve got a baptismal date for this week with a girl named Nefertiti. She is 18, really really loves and is dedicated to Christ, but sorta lacks in a testimony of the restored church. She is keeping commitments, shares her testimony about Jose Smith and all that, but in the end I think she´s getting baptized for the good looking missionaries and members. Haha. Oh well. She is willing and faithful, we can´t tell her no. That´s about it. > I'm learning more Spanish with the El Salvadorean slang. Today we had to go into the office and everything and to the police station for my comps fingerprints, and are going to head back to the house for a bit. Tonight we have a family night planned with a member family and another family that lives across the street. We´ll see what happens.> > Love you all.> Elder Smith

Jan 18 2010

This week was awesome. I dont know what really to say. I was expecting to be leaving my area this week with tranfers being today and having 6 months in my area already but friday night the zone leaders called and told us that my companion, not me, had changes. So, the little bit of laziness before leaving an area is going to be smacking me in the face this week. So, I didnt get transferred. I am still in San Miguel and will be until I complete at least 7.5 months there. This is my fetching first area. But I love it. I wouldn´t have it any other way. If I could, I would be there the whole two years. My companion was a tough job to train and teach, but we did well together and had a lot of success. I was his second companion and he was my second companion, but I was his unofficial trainer or as others say ´potty trainer´. I dont like all of those terms but that´s what they say. But yeah, he left, and Im still here. And..... Im officially training. Fresh off the boat, newb missionary. I feel super inadequate. I have 7.5 months in the mission and this nuevo will be looking to me for everything. Hopefully he at least knows Spanish so I dont waste time teaching that to him. Maybe he´ll be Latin. That would be nice. And ya learn more from them because your patience is tried more hahaha. The president told us that we are training because we are the top of the class. Me and my district leader(he came to Costa Rica the same time as me) were in the room full of experienced trainers or older missionaries with a lot of time in the mission. President basically told us that we can´t screw up. We have to be perfect. What a responsibility right? So, Im a TRAINER. > Right now it´s still Monday, the changes meeting was in the morning. Im with my district leader, we are working in both of our areas until the nuevos come on Wednesday. Im doing well. Just feel super pressured and with a lot of responsibility. > We´ve got about 4 people in our area who at the moment want to get baptized. Our goal for the month is 3 baptisms and we already have two. I think we will hopefully end with 4. I have a lot of plans to get references and leave this area with a bang. I am currently helping change the ward a bit too. Priesthood leadership is super weak. But, a lot of things are happening right now to progress with the work and to progress with our recent converts. Antonio and Carmen are still incredible. We went with a member of our ward to have a lesson on temples (ordinances, sealings, redemption for the deceased, etc) He is a worker in the temple and the family history specialist for the stake, it was one of the most powerful lessons that I have had. These two couples are so strong (Carmen & Antonio, Felix & Marling). Carmen started to cry at the thought of not being able to get sealed to her 2 kids in Nicaraugua because they arent members and probably wont be. We also talked about multiple sealings, haha, it was a laugh. But yeah. We only had 4 investigators in church this week. It´s sure to rise soon. Fingers crossed right. Anyway, hope all is well. Im healthy and nervous and scared and fine.> Elder Smith

January 11th

Another great week. We had another marriage and baptisms this weekend. > Remember Antonio and Carmen that got baptised like 2 weeks ago? This week > was his brothers turn. The ward made lunch, we bought a cake for like 25 > bucks, and we had a good turn out from the members. They got confirmed the > day after, Sunday, and payed tithing too. So, we´ve got some other > hopefuls for the temple in about a year. One of the scariest things I have > done is confirming someone. I confirmed Antonio and yesterday Felix. Super > difficult. Ya know how the whack Evangelical churches shake and tremble > and say it´s becuase they have the Spirit? I think that happened to me too > haha, cuase my legs and arms were shaking both times. But just to clear > things up.. that´s not the spirit, just nervousness. We have another > baptism this week too, Sandra. To me, this one will be another miracle > because she has gone to church forever and already has a testimony, she > just lived with her spouse in a free union (I think that´s what it´s > called in English) adn couldnt realize her desire to get baptized. But > this week, probably my last week in this area, she told us that he up and > left. She was all sad but we kept congratulating her. I gave her some of > the chocolate I got from dad, and then we read a few scriptures and set > the date and time for this week. She is about 45 and will be an awesome > member. We had 10 of the 12 converts that I taught in church this week, > one couldnt come and the other moved about 2 months ago, so we´re going > strong. Im doing well. I ve had a mean cold for about 2 days. I think it´s > because we have been showering without any type of heater for about 2 > weeks. The coldest water that there is here. Mmm mmm. This next week I > think Ill be letting you know that Im in a new area with a new companion, > but who knows. Till then.>>> Harrison

january 4

Happy Christmas and Happy New Year. Well to start out, we had the baptism of Carmen and Antonio. It was awesome; we did it in the middle of our Christmas zone conference, and they stayed and ate the Christmas dinner with all of the missionaries. They bore their testimonies and are already testifying about going to the temple. So, about Christmas time next year Ill be able to go with them to the House of the Lord for their endowments and their family sealing. The crowning moments of a mission. Also, this week we are planning the marriage and baptism of Antonio´s brother, Felix. If all works out, it will go down this Saturday. So, we have some more people ready and wanting. We are just re-passing the lessons again, making sure they have repented and are going to stay in the church for the rest of their lives. Also, we have a baptism goal with Nefertiti, just have to clear up a few things with her. Even though we´ve explained it a thousand times, she doesn´t seem to put together that the veracity of the Book of Mormon signifies that every other church is devoid of authority to baptize (and other stuff). As for the others, they´ve still got to wait for marriage. We haven´t had many new investigators lately. Just a few each week. We´re working with about 9 or 10 inactive families and that´s going really well. Saving the lost sheep to me has more eternal significance and eventually will lead to people that the Lord has prepared through the inactives. On another line, I will most likely be changed this month. Changes are the 18th. I do not want to leave. But we will see, I will have completed about 6 months in San Miguel and I think there are other places waiting for me. All in al The work is moving on. Always remember that the Members are the missionaries and the Elders are just the chosen teachers. The growth and progress of the church relies on the work that the members put forth.