I can't think of the word in English....

Well hey there all you ugly people,
(As grandpa would say haha)

I did get my Halloween package, it came this past week, just in time!!! It was sweet!We enjoyed those smores so much! Delicious! I can’t even remember the last time I had a graham cracker!!Thank you!!

It’s really interesting that you mentioned that scripture, because at the beginning of every change I write a scripture in my agendas. This change just happened to be that scripture! Crazy right! I really have faith in that scripture though after all of the crazy stuff that has gone down throughout my mission.
D&C 84:88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

I have played the piano a few times every now and then out here, but not that much.

Elder Howard called me last week to have me give you the info on his homecoming and how to get there and stuff. He wanted to make sure you had it and could be there so good thing you got it on his blog.

Something super sweet happened this week. We got the NEWLY TRANSLATED Q'EQCHI' TRIPLE!!! Its super sweet, especially since it is in new Q'eqchi'! It's cool too that Hermana Sully (Sulleny) in our ward was a helper during the translation. She is in the October Liahona (p. 74 in the Ensign). She was super excited when we showed it to her. She will be getting one soon.

Our investigators are doing great! David, is way too pilas if that’s even possible. We left him 3 Ne 11 to read and when we came back he had 3 pages of notes with more things highlighted than I have highlighted in my scriptures! He is sick (awesome)!! And super excited for his baptism and just wants to keep learning more. I am glad to be able to teach someone like him. Selvin is doing great too. I really don’t know what happened to him though. He was really bummed last time we passed by, but he wouldn’t really tell us the real reason, and then he didn't go to church. We are going by on Tuesday to see what happened and why he didn’t go to church. Hopefully he is still doing alright and that Satan isn’t winning against one my best investigators. David can’t get baptized until the 19th because he is working really hard at school and finals are coming up during these next few weeks, plus we haven’t taught him all the commandments. And Selvin's was held back for his wife, so that she could think about it more, but it's going to take longer for her I think. We might ask him if he wants to move up his fecha one week when we pass by on Tuesday.

This last Sunday I had to give a talk that I was randomly asked to do. I gave cinchazo (please figure out how to translate that Mom, ha cuz I can’t think of or find a word good enough in English)--- (unfortunately mom doesn’t know Spanish slang, but I think it's a joking way of reprimanding) --- for all those who haven’t helped us. We haven’t received very much help from the members in our ward so I gave them a little bit of motivation to help us. It really turned the meeting around too. The next 2 speakers changed their talks to be about missionary work!

Well that is all for this week! I hope you all have a fantastic Halloween!! Jake better go trick or treating! Heck I am definitely going trick or treating next year. Who says no to free candy?
Have a great next week too! Peace and love!
Stay Strong.
Keep the Faith.
Love Elder Jordan Smith

The Lord's ministering angels protect His servants at every moment

What’s UP!?!
Crazy that's it's almost been two years since I got my call. The mission is definitely different than I thought it was gonna be back then for sure but it also has changed me in ways that I didn’t think were possible. It truly is amazing.

Zone Conference was sweet! Elder Amado was different than I expected hearing what was said in the other zone conferences. But I really enjoyed it. He gave me a lot to think about and how I really can improve myself as well as my missionary techniques. It was great.

Things are going good here in Carchá. Our investigators that we have are doing great. Selvin practically bore his testimony to his wife last time we were at his house. It was really neat. And our other awesome investigator, David, accepted a fecha for the same day as Selvin. It's going to be sweet! 2 baptisms, then 2 confirmations who will also receive the Priesthood the same day. SO COOL! I am soo excited! Also Noé, a guy that I found in Tucurú who later got baptized is now the branch secretary, super sweet!

There is a crazy story that happened this week. We were walking home after church yesterday. When we were almost there, a car was behind us so we moved over to the side of the road. As we did, he revved the engine and started speeding up right toward us. We couldn’t really do anything about it, there was nowhere for us to go. But right when he was about to hit us, his car just stopped. He didnt yell at us, just looked at us really confused. Then he just re started his car and drove off....I really think that the Lord's ministering angels protect His servants at every moment. I am grateful to always have his protection as I obey the rules and work as hard as I can.

I think the little cars would be good to send for the kids down here for Christmas. And for the girls, they don’t really wear bows, but I guess you could send that and those other things sound like good ideas too. And maybe just some beef jerky. A member asked if we could get that for him. No they don’t really have CD Players, only radios. So the primary CD's wouldn’t work out. But those other things sound great!

Learning languages really does change your mode of thinking and it helps you realize numerous things about words and their actual meaning in certain contexts. Like the word “Atonement”. . . in English we can give a vague definition of what the word means, but in Q'eqchi' it is really self explanatory. Xtojb'al rix li maak, basically means to pay for sins upon one's back. It just really gives extra meaning to the scriptures for me too. I am reading the Book of Mormon again. Sometimes when I have come across some deep passages, I have been able to translate them in my mind or read it in Q'eqchi' and it brings out a whole other meaning that really completes what my lack of understanding was about that specific passage of scripture. It is amazing how the knowledge of languages can do that. I will teach my kids Spanish for sure, and maybe a little Q'eqchi', we will see Ha ha!

Well that is all for this week. Success is coming and it is good to see fruits of your labors, especially since the fruit of my labors have usually come after I am gone from that area. Ha anyways, I hope you all have a great time next week!

Maajaruj b'exkanab' chixb'aanunkil li us… May you all never stop doing good!
Stay Strong
Keep the Faith
Love Elder Jordan Smith

I am Polochic baggy right now

HELLO!
Our family letter to Elder Smith this week was entitled “Que Pasa?” – What’s happening? So to that he replied:
You gotta say.... “Que pasa calabaza?”
and the answer is .....“Nada nada limonada.”
Great joke huh? Ha ha ha!!

That is super sweet that you guys got to meet Elder Davis....Matt Davis. He is the man!! I can’t wait to be able to hang with him when I get home. We might room together in the Fall, once I get going back into real school at BYU, besides just the summer semester.

Our new companionship is working really well together, even though we are in a trio. I’m back with my old comp from Tucurú, Elder Olson. We’re also with Elder Ware (Tanner Skousen’s MTC comp from Spanish Fork). He is a lot of fun!! We are working hard and having success so far! So it’s all good!

(photo of Concepcion and her family after her baptism last week)

We have some sweeet new investigators too!!! One is Selvin and his wife. He is soo ready to be baptized, just golden. She is a little harder because her family is really Catholic. She said that she knows that the church is true, but it is going to be hard for her to make the decision. Selvin asked us if he could still be baptized even if his wife isn't ready yet. I think we are going to baptize him and try and get him the Priesthood as fast as possible so that his wife can see the difference it makes in the home setting and she will have a greater desire to be baptized. We put fechas with them this last week though for the 19 of November! He might get baptized before. He came to church for the 2nd time today, the 1st one was General Conference!!! So sweet. I have never had an investigator go to General Conference!

We also have David. He is awesome and has been coming to church for a long time now, we were just never really able to teach him. But we finally did and he is really pilas and has a desire to know more, and be baptized too! We should have at least 2 baptisms this change! I can’t wait!!!

It’s actually kind of sweet that one of the areas here got closed. It is soo much better, we have more to work with and there is now a lot more of our area that speaks Q'eqchi'. So since Olson and I know Q'eqchi', we are teaching it to Elder Ware, who is just The Man by the way!! He is learning super fast! It took me a good change or a little more to get my testimony and my prayer down in that language. He almost has his prayer down already and it’s only been a week! He's a future Chiker (Polochic missionary) for sure.

Well Zone Conference is tomorrow. The new Area Seventy will be there so it will be good to meet him. AND I will be able to see Pres. and Hna. Watts again!! AND I will also be able to talk to Elder Williams again!! AND I got to see all of my Chik (Polochic) bros again today for Pday!!! It was sooo sweet to see them all and talk and what not. The “Chiker Curse/Blessing'' still stands too. The last 3 elders there that had girlfriends waiting for them at home just got written off. No Chiker in the mission right now has a girl waiting for them. Ha I don’t know why I am telling you all this, but it is just good to see those guys again after soo long! If I don’t stay in Carchá to finish out my mission, I could definitely train a newbie out in Q'eqchi'-landia. We shall see what happens. I am Polochik baggy right now seeing all those guys. It’s great. They smell different too. When I was with them, I smelt the same so I didn’t notice it, but the Polochik missionaries definitely smell different. So, I am sorry if I smell bad for the first little while once I am home. Ha ha!!

Photo of the "Turkey Experience" from last week.

I would just like to finish with my testimony in Q'eqchi' with some new stuff that I learned this past week...here it goes....
(A BIG thank you to Elder Tayler Larsen, yes the same one who was in the news on the Guatemala story the other day, for translating this for us. He said, “That's the best I could do. It may not make perfect sense but I tried to capture what he is really communicating and still have it make sense.”
Nannaw naq Lix Paab'al Li Jesukristo Reheb' Laj Tiikilal Sa' Roso'jikeb' Li Kutan a'an li junaj chi tz'aqal Paab'al ut maajun chik natawman sa' xb'een li ruuchich'och'.
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only perfect faith and there is not one other found on the earth.

Nannaw naq laj Jose Smith oril li ruuch li Ajaw, ut jo'kan ajwi' li Ralal li Jesukristo sa' k'iche'. Ohwan choq' xpropeet li Yos chi ak'il, re naq ohru chixk'ojob'ankil wi'chik lix Chaab'il Esilal li Kriist.
I know that Joseph Smith saw the face of the God, and His son Jesus Christ in the forest. He was God's prophet anew so that he could restore the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Nannaw naq laj Tomas S. Monson a'an li yo'yookil xpropeet li Ajaw anajwan. Nannaw naq a'an naqaatina jo' lix yaab xkux li Qaawa'.
I know that Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet of God today. I know that he speaks to us as the voice of the Lord.

Nannaq naq li Kriist a'an li aj Tojol qix li qamaak ut li aj Kolol qech sa' xk'ab'a' chixjunil lix k'anjeleb' ohlajxb'aanu qeech ut li mayej re lix junxaqalil ohk'e qeech chaq.
I know that Christ is the Payer of our sins and our Savior in the name of all the work He did for us and the sacrifice of His being that He gave to us.

Nannaw naq wi junelik taqapaab'eb' lix taqlahom li Nimajwal Ajaw, tookole'q.
I know that if we always follow the commandments of God, we will be saved.

Nannaw ajwi' naq Lix Hu Laj Mormon a'an li raatin li Yos chi tz'aqal.
I know also that the Book Of Mormon is the word of God (perfectly.

Ontaw lix nawom inch'ool a'in xmaak naq ontijok chirix, ut li Ajaw ohye wech naq yaal rik'in lix Musiq'.
I found this knowledge of my heart because I prayed about it, and the Lord told me it was true with His Spirit.

B'antioxinb'ilaqin chi junelik chiruuch li Qaawa' xmaak naq ohk'e wech lin hoonal chi k'anjelak arin Watemaal ut sa' xyaanqeb' aj ralch'och' malaj aj Q'eqchi' nayehman reheb'.
I will always be grateful to the Lord because He gave me this time to work here in Guatemala and with the natives or Qeqchis as they are called.

Nannaw chixjunil a'in chi anchal inch'ool. A'an a'in lix nawom inch'ool chi tz'aqal.
I know all of this with all of my heart. This is truthfully the knowledge of my heart.

Nanye eerech li waatin a'in sa' xk'ab'a' li Kriist. Amen. Jo'kan taxaq.
I say this, my word, to you in the name of Christ. Amen. Let it be.
Keep the Faith.
Stay Strong.
Love Elder Jordan Smith

I could see the difference in her face!

HEY!!
Twenty months!! Veinte Meses!! Junmay Po!! It's so weird how fast time is flying. I only have 4 months left? It can’t be true. Just 3 more changes including this one that starts today. So weird!! I just want to go to the end giving it my all. Just continue working hard until my time is up...The Lord will do the rest if I do that...

Concepción's baptism was great! I was able to baptize her in lovely dirty water! =) I did get scared for a little bit because she wasn’t there when church started on Sunday. And she is always there, on time too. But she came just a little late and got confirmed. After church when I saw her get out of Relief Society, she looked like a different person. She seemed so much happier. She still has all the same problems, but without the weight of sin and the new guidance from the Gift of the Holy Ghost, I could see the difference in her face! It was so great! All of us missionaries are trying to figure out ways to help her, but we aren’t allowed to give money to people. She can get help from fast offerings now. I think through that and her willingness to pay her tithing, even though she has nothing, she will be able to receive the blessings she needs to be able to keep surviving.

Craziest story ever coming up…So on Tuesday this last week we woke up at 6:30 like good missionaries do and my comp wasn’t in his bed. Elder Bishop got up to go the bathroom and expected to find him since he is always in there! Well next thing I hear is, ''Elder Smith, your companion isn’t here.'' WHAT?! We called President and the APs and started a wild goose chase to figure out where the heck he went....nothing....I thought of this bus station where you can buy tickets to go to the Capital from Coban that was in our area. We went there and asked the secretary if she had seen or heard from him. She said she thought she got a call from him early in the morning. So she looked in her phone and found the number and called it. Sure enough, it was him, on his personal cell phone, alone, on a bus to the capital. We called the APs and we coordinated missionaries to be at that bus's bus stops. We finally found him and he was sent home the day after. Crazy right?! I didn’t expect that one at all. I still don’t understand how he got out of the house without waking one of us up. I mean the 4 of us sleep in the same room!! I ended up working in a trio for the last week of this change. It kinda stinks because you always end up asking yourself ''What more could I have done for him?'' But we all did all that we could. Makes me really sad and I hope he’ll be ok. Please remember him in your prayers.

As for changes so far, Elder Bishop has a change, and Elder Ware and I are staying here in Carchá. So now it’s just the waiting period to find out who my next companion is. They could close one of the areas here and Elder Ware and I could be comps, which would be sick (awesome)! But who knows what will happen. Anything goes really.

Another adventure for this week... I got to slice a Turkey's throat! I killed it, watched it cook, and then I ate it. Super Sweet! Ha I will spare you all the details, but it was awesome!!!

I would send you pics, but this computer is being lame and won’t do it. But I will try my best to get a good computer next week. I hope you all have a great week and I love you all!
Stay Strong.
Keep the Faith.
Love Elder Jordan Smith

Priesthood Session Scramble

Hey everybody over there!!!

Yeah I really enjoyed conference as well. There is also a story that goes along with that. I call it Priesthood Session Scramble... Ok so there are a few lds church buildings here in Coban. So we were at a ward building for the first 2 sessions on Saturday and we got to listen to it in English! Then we headed to the Stake Center for the Priesthood session. We got there and as it was starting the audio for the broadcast, the English feed wasn’t working. So in the rain and wearing suits, all of us North Americans booked it out of the Stake Center to find the nearest taxi to take us to the building we were at in the first place. After helping this guy push his big truck into a garage, we found a taxi. We got to the other building right after the other North American missionaries did only to find out that they didn’t have English anymore there and that the Stake Center figured out the audio. So we got back in the taxi and headed back to the Stake Center. After all the mess and 35 quetz down the drain we ran into the building to hear that Jeffrey R. Holland had just spoken and that we missed it!!!!! He's my favorite!! Bummer and a half times 10!!! So I guess I will have to wait for the Liahona to get to me to be able to read his talk. But the rest of conference was fantastic and just for me with all the talks about what to do once home from a mission!! So sweet!

I don’t think we will be able to go all the way to Quetzaltenango for the temple dedication, but we will probably be able to go to the stake center here to see it! I hope so.

Yes I did get that package from you. They brought it up with them for the little mini conference we had this last week. Thanks! Long letter with your news?.....maybe? That’s not very specific. But if it’s the one where you got a job, then yes, and CONGRATS! Well guess what? I did find a good long sleeve white shirt, so if you didnt buy one yet, don’t worry about it. It took a little bit to find my size and one that wasn’t all destroyed, but it got found and was only about 2 dollars and 50 cents (20 quetz)! Special requests for Christmas? Not really. Pop tarts are in Guatemala now! Haha! and I have a good amount of Peanut Butter still. But maybe a little something for my companion. He is from El Salvador, but his parents are living in Belgium so he doesn’t really get anything from them. It is fine if you don’t get me anything for Christmas this year. I can wait until I get home.

Our food situation just got better because we just got an increase of the money we get every month! So we are eating burritos and other good things! Yay! And we have money to buy more fruits and veggies too....So it’s all good! But if you would pray for Concepcion (our investigator) to have food. Her family has nothing. Barely enough money to survive, literally. They don’t have a bed and are sleeping on the dirt floor of their small wooden shack. And she has 5 kids....it’s not the best situation...

Jhonny is progressing great! He wasn’t able to go to conference, even though he was going to go with us all day on Saturday because he couldn’t on Sunday. But it was his mom's birthday and he was going to come anyway but his sister never came over to help his mom out and make food and things like that. But a few days before that, we put a fecha with him! It is for the 22nd. So hopefully we can get him to church. Because he is reading the Book of Mormon and everything! It’s going great with him. Our other investigator, Concepción, is getting baptized this Saturday! She is Q'eqchi' so it has been great tuning up my Q'eqchi' and being able to teach those people again! But we have still not found good new investigators. It’s hard without help from the members since we have a big area, and it’s tough to figure out how to contact it effectively. So hopefully we find some soon or we won’t have any once our 2 investigators get baptized!

We just relaxed today for Pday. It was nice. Pday is usually really stressful because we are always running around everywhere to get everything done. But today was nice and chill.

Well I am pretty sure that is all! Thanks for everything and I hope you have a great week!!

Stay strong.
Keep the Faith.
Love Elder Jordan Smith