Guatemala is not only a part of my ancestry but it’s also a part of my heart and I will love it forever.

Welp, it looks like today is the last time I will be emailing home as a missionary....it really hadn’t hit me that I was going home until right now. So I have been able to sleep, but I probably won’t be able to sleep tonight. It is just weird. Yeah I still get lung pains every once in awhile, but it really isn’t that bad any more. I am about at 80% right now I’d say. And once I am home, I will either be 100% or worse. Depending on if the weather wants to kill me. If not, then the Lord will bless me and I will be just fine. Ha I will be fine for travel Mom, it’s not like I'm going to be walking home! Haha.

I won’t believe that Allison is grown up until I see it. Pretty sure it isn’t possible though. Jake, I can maybe comprehend it, maybe. But I will probably freak out for how big they are!

Well it is kind of a weird time to be coming home. Having a baptism so close and all. But really, I did all that the Lord had for me to do. He has it all planned out, and as long as we are willing to show forth some effort on our part, all will be done according to how He wants it to be done. And I know that Fam. Can Tun will be baptized in these next 2 weeks. All that is left is for them to go to the Muni (city hall, kind of) to take out his papers and then wait a week! Everything worked out miraculously! But I feel that I am ready, and that I am supposed to go home at this time. I knew ever since I started getting sick, I knew that the date the Lord gave me to work till would be the date I go home, and that everything else would happen according to His will....if that made any sense. But I know all is well, and that it is time...

Guatland is...I really don’t know how to fully describe what it means to me. It has always been part of my heritage, but now I feel that it is actually part of me. It is kind of like football. After working so hard and leaving sweat and blood out on the field, that field becomes linked to you in a very special way. Guatemala is not only a part of my ancestry but it’s also a part of my heart and I will love it forever. Even though I spent super hard times here, I loved it here and will carry the experiences I learned throughout the rest of my life.

Serving these people was hard. Not gonna lie. Before my mission I thought, Hmm, Guatemala, everyone wants to be baptized down there probably! However, it was definitely not the case. But the few chosen ones that I was able to teach really touched me and I will never forget them. Even those that didnt accept me and those who outright rejected me, I will always wish them the best and continually pray that they will find the truth one day. I love the people here and I have grown so much by seeing them live with so little, and yet be happy. I have truly learned what it is to be happy.

I have learned way too many things from my trials, I will talk about it more in my homecoming talk, but for now I will just say that I definitely learned how to trust in the Lord and that I don’t need anything in my life as long as I have Him by my side.

I just want to apply all the things that I learned out here to be able to continue to progress and really rely on the Lord, because I don’t think He is quite done molding me yet.

My last testimony as a missionary is simple. I know that Jesus is the Christ and the He lives. I know that Joseph Smith saw Him at the right hand of the Father on a spring morning of 1820. I know that the apostles and prophets of today still converse with our Lord and Savior to give counsel to all of us here on the earth. I know that God will lift us up in any moment of trial if we just remember Him, and put Him first. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true church upon the face of the earth.

This mission experience has changed my life. There are no other words to describe it. I have gone through my wilderness as you said mom. And now it is time to continue on with what the Lord has planned out for me.

I love you all. See you in a couple days.

Stay Strong

Keep the Faith

Love, Elder Jordan Smith.....

Out