tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1390184064797720732023-11-16T11:44:09.204-07:00Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-19798814223625748742012-02-20T23:48:00.000-07:002013-01-07T23:48:42.712-07:00Homecoming pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVYlKlYWACWnds_v7XAEMB8QCt6tUL5d4mB7lB3-9B321ZVj959yFmFBdJU2Pp_TDbzrGo2r1M_XTmEjXZ6MShjmSPP_Op7LPy9ha-m649h6qAv06KfZPcVIIxbfs8vsZlLeFlTo9Z3dB/s1600/CIMG0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVYlKlYWACWnds_v7XAEMB8QCt6tUL5d4mB7lB3-9B321ZVj959yFmFBdJU2Pp_TDbzrGo2r1M_XTmEjXZ6MShjmSPP_Op7LPy9ha-m649h6qAv06KfZPcVIIxbfs8vsZlLeFlTo9Z3dB/s320/CIMG0012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7KTkZQWcS_Z2prWIJOMwy_ubCGMv7AIww7FeScd0Hu6JElrjifgP58qH8QrlbfID7p1Tq5s_kiyGjN06pag0yFfSd1zi45Uwd8nJNyb1EL5gB4cWDMpcGMNrYRicu3ulVa6IGyCJLEaf/s1600/CIMG0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7KTkZQWcS_Z2prWIJOMwy_ubCGMv7AIww7FeScd0Hu6JElrjifgP58qH8QrlbfID7p1Tq5s_kiyGjN06pag0yFfSd1zi45Uwd8nJNyb1EL5gB4cWDMpcGMNrYRicu3ulVa6IGyCJLEaf/s320/CIMG0020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbOhH6sQNwZ_7I2uuHvP1slxwc-IJAJIW9Mhzftp2RDnj_hltkk1nPq-IOop0TxQxuD76Fs4fCu_SyiBfRyFvWlAiIRkfyUw70WDWL4s70pOxaq-6vGy_w2zvqaXeKQdz2GWHNrWagcT4/s1600/CIMG0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbOhH6sQNwZ_7I2uuHvP1slxwc-IJAJIW9Mhzftp2RDnj_hltkk1nPq-IOop0TxQxuD76Fs4fCu_SyiBfRyFvWlAiIRkfyUw70WDWL4s70pOxaq-6vGy_w2zvqaXeKQdz2GWHNrWagcT4/s320/CIMG0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGxChju_tWMJT6GRZjT0KuUAt3XlR5P5D5L_IrOw61sUOQQSKJJ-oDwNvgVIUulF66f6rrtpoIw_2Cc1TxitqrUFZRm8Wfqbpd4kBF_yCH3Ux8uIWed_vBhseTXdzo1EoGXqnAPTv3k_t/s1600/CIMG0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmGxChju_tWMJT6GRZjT0KuUAt3XlR5P5D5L_IrOw61sUOQQSKJJ-oDwNvgVIUulF66f6rrtpoIw_2Cc1TxitqrUFZRm8Wfqbpd4kBF_yCH3Ux8uIWed_vBhseTXdzo1EoGXqnAPTv3k_t/s320/CIMG0021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7Xzw-95RbUsI7g4AU4yidCSJWtGg5WOoIwE7iodcwdlB0kAPBDKB7Jukha41PAIaLUHezZs-cBKjpYqYrtG8uVF6VSrnoaJV9BZ-Xy1oFlpB1HTQRoYePDKn7QQAWhKiFwK3MpvxJ0PP/s1600/CIMG0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7Xzw-95RbUsI7g4AU4yidCSJWtGg5WOoIwE7iodcwdlB0kAPBDKB7Jukha41PAIaLUHezZs-cBKjpYqYrtG8uVF6VSrnoaJV9BZ-Xy1oFlpB1HTQRoYePDKn7QQAWhKiFwK3MpvxJ0PP/s320/CIMG0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81FRL0h1aox7vVjogPoYEI8YLn93rtDwzGCbmA4pHWPTwsuqwkcxmf6a1Ew32CAxw83Ep8NIsItQDO3AnITlIAQ_PJYJm2q8G38X6O0P_fbTWnTeg5jQRRQZXmBf5Mkgq8kEebICMhDuZ/s1600/CIMG0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81FRL0h1aox7vVjogPoYEI8YLn93rtDwzGCbmA4pHWPTwsuqwkcxmf6a1Ew32CAxw83Ep8NIsItQDO3AnITlIAQ_PJYJm2q8G38X6O0P_fbTWnTeg5jQRRQZXmBf5Mkgq8kEebICMhDuZ/s320/CIMG0044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEh75TJA-2kFHVDDdSlInCA-YC0aWCkKGR4Asko9MdYa8Ah3JNeRI6juzIdr3-eVOH5qltUeICEHKbuWmCL8bxmHJl-V-qrtWy_7c6gc4Ibh56Rf5hq4qnDeLDws1oR8-DbSgFU7LCult0/s1600/CIMG0051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEh75TJA-2kFHVDDdSlInCA-YC0aWCkKGR4Asko9MdYa8Ah3JNeRI6juzIdr3-eVOH5qltUeICEHKbuWmCL8bxmHJl-V-qrtWy_7c6gc4Ibh56Rf5hq4qnDeLDws1oR8-DbSgFU7LCult0/s320/CIMG0051.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfObliOOkGquhmoU1Xjhk4eCKHWoW4YRZDDBp4CEH_2aAYaspI6z4uH62QOoJ-SmOCE-pn7BfASwIUSmKETDHkhkyz72QCxoePv5FXvbRPKxyzDAzlNpVs7quINVsQUaBTcOaXPLmn_iq/s1600/CIMG0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfObliOOkGquhmoU1Xjhk4eCKHWoW4YRZDDBp4CEH_2aAYaspI6z4uH62QOoJ-SmOCE-pn7BfASwIUSmKETDHkhkyz72QCxoePv5FXvbRPKxyzDAzlNpVs7quINVsQUaBTcOaXPLmn_iq/s320/CIMG0048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvDA8Swbc6LskkNQOrecnVzax-hCTjz0biYYGmw_lAQ59A3Ue0O0Ky8AwnJMy6chwtupDS2Vmmssm88rtQZcuxTTDs19W5heSailxa-JEd70nVR7rfZtkqtlSyuaDA22lugkiSyGNpFj0/s1600/CIMG0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvDA8Swbc6LskkNQOrecnVzax-hCTjz0biYYGmw_lAQ59A3Ue0O0Ky8AwnJMy6chwtupDS2Vmmssm88rtQZcuxTTDs19W5heSailxa-JEd70nVR7rfZtkqtlSyuaDA22lugkiSyGNpFj0/s320/CIMG0071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3bqWQh_50A3WqZnj0UZnNYbk2AVkY9o443GhNKytmBZtusT3LX5MDsTPDdWnpQBCCfmKKD2Hy2gN-Ur-h3p3Nd6Ap7oJPnFrWHte_LRrYhTAhr0sh3bsP3BojIaH-IPhtSV06o1HK2XI/s1600/CIMG0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3bqWQh_50A3WqZnj0UZnNYbk2AVkY9o443GhNKytmBZtusT3LX5MDsTPDdWnpQBCCfmKKD2Hy2gN-Ur-h3p3Nd6Ap7oJPnFrWHte_LRrYhTAhr0sh3bsP3BojIaH-IPhtSV06o1HK2XI/s320/CIMG0074.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yc8o0RWUhGSV8pvOxyQIakBNvIV93WkqjhF7hXfVx53t_hq0wb64fc6tabaaxjZfvXQvHhYMnYKj3STkgSHmff7qvyMZzx1s2CEEZjeKEjczl9YRGrEEaAD_lB-3kRv3P0UtPXKyifSd/s1600/CIMG0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yc8o0RWUhGSV8pvOxyQIakBNvIV93WkqjhF7hXfVx53t_hq0wb64fc6tabaaxjZfvXQvHhYMnYKj3STkgSHmff7qvyMZzx1s2CEEZjeKEjczl9YRGrEEaAD_lB-3kRv3P0UtPXKyifSd/s320/CIMG0080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-74707554785409399552012-02-19T23:31:00.000-07:002013-01-18T15:11:34.565-07:00Homecoming Talk<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ma Sa Sa' lee ch'ool!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well speaking in English is still pretty hard so bear with
me. But I’m just going to start from the beginning I guess about how everything
went down on my mission. When I first went in, I started with a native
companion. I didn’t know Spanish and he didn’t know English so I didn’t really
know what was going on. He was used to being in an area where you don’t eat
very much. We didn’t really buy much food and I was hungry all the time. It was
really hard and I wanted to go home. I talked my mission president and he
helped me out and helped me to want to stay. It was a really hard time. I
couldn’t teach anybody like I wanted to. But I knew the Lord that the Lord had
something prepared, like he always does, for His missionaries and I knew that
He would take care of me and help me learn this language. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once I started learning it and I went to a different area, I
started to feel comfortable with that language, Spanish. Of course when you get
comfortable, there always comes a trial. The Gospel comforts the afflicted and
afflicts the comfortable. So I got changed to an area where they speak a
different language. Where I went, there’s no MTC. Just your companion who knows
the language a little bit better and you have to look things up in the
dictionary. Going up there that first day on a dusty road, hopping on the back
of a big old cattle truck, people asking me what my name was every five seconds
and I didn’t know anything of what they were saying. The work was hard. It’s up
in the mountains, and you’re hiking about 70 miles a week, super tiring. Going
to sleep really early, because the people there fall asleep really early. One
of the things that I learned there was to be really grateful. The people there
live in conditions that we here can’t even imagine. If you’ve ever seen “The
Testament,” that’s how they live still. In wooden houses, still using rocks to
smash their corn. One thing with those people is that even though they don’t
have anything, those that have the Gospel are happy. It really makes you realize
that though this Gospel, you can live a happy life. It doesn’t matter what we
have or what we don’t have. As long as we’re willing to make the sacrifices and
trust in the Lord to able to do what we need to do. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some people there that I taught were really amazing. One was
the family of Rosalina. It was really a miracle how we found them. My companion
that I had just opened this area with, had come from an area where he had
baptized these people but they had moved and he didn’t know where they were. We
were just walking up in the mountains one day, really really far away, about 2
½ hours from where we lived in the Church. We found these two little girls that
were part of that family. We found their house where they lived with their
grandmother which was just outside one of the pueblos called Actela. But they
made the sacrifice to go to church every week. They walked like an hour and
then an hour back. They were just little girls and an old lady. I don’t know
how they are now, but I know they’re going to be ok. That area was really hard.
No one accepted us. We were persecuted, rocks thrown at us, but they were
special. And I had a dream that that whole place was flooded. It was filled
with water all the way to the top of the mountains, except for their house.
They were the only ones left. I just know that through their sacrifices, they
will be safe. We just need to follow their example and do the same. Sacrifice
everything that we have to follow what the Lord needs us to be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those people are really special. They truly are Lamanites
and they still live like them. Through spending time with them I came to learn
many things especially to not take anything for granted. After that I went to a
different area out of the mountains. We were tracting and didn't really have
much success after contacting about 3 families. They would let us in, but
didn't really want to hear what we had to say. Then we found this young man. He
was about 22 or 23. He spoke Spanish which was weird because neither my companion
nor I were used to teaching in Spanish. We started teaching him about the
Restoration of the Gospel and after telling him about the First Vision we just
kind of paused and we asked him how he felt. And he said "Good." And
then we asked him if he would pray about it and he said, "No, because I
already know that it's true." He never missed a day of Church. He was
there every Sunday from then on. After he joined the church his family also got
baptized, his sister and his mom. The missionaries were still working with his
dad. He also made a huge sacrifice to travel far every week for church.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I started to get comfortable after a year of speaking
their language and getting comfortable with how the work was, I was less
tired...so then came my next trial. I got sick. But luckily before that, I know
it was received by revelation by my mission president, I got changed to an area
that was closer to medical facilities. But anyway, I got sick and the doctors
couldn't figure out what I had. It was hard. I didn't know what to do. I went
to numerous different doctors. I went to the mission doctor first and he told
me I had gastritis, but my stomach didn't hurt at all so I was confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sent me back to my area. But then I went
back to the capitol and saw other doctors and after two months they figured out
what I had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when they did, they told
me to go home. I had been out 18 months. They asked me how much time I had out
there and how much time I had left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
I told him I had 6 months left, he said that I definitely needed to go home
before then because I wouldn't be able to handle the pressure and the living
conditions anymore. So I didn't know what to do. He told me to go home and I
didn't know what to say. So I spent all my time praying and studying. I
couldn't sleep. I woke up one night at like midnight and went into the bathroom
to read my scriptures so that I could know what to do. And I found a verse in
the Doctrine and Covenants that almost doesn't have very much meaning, but to
me it did at that time. At the beginning of my mission I was scheduled to go
home on February 16th, and the scripture that I read was inspiration received
by Oliver Cowdrey on February 16th and I knew that that was the date that I was
supposed to go home. Not before. Not after. That was the time that the Lord had
called me to work and I would work until then no matter what happened to me. I
know that the scriptures can really give us every answer that we need during
every moment of trial. After that, I told them that I wasn't going to go home
so they got me some medicine and my mission president put me to work in the
mission office for a little while where I wouldn't have to work physically too
much and I got better. He sent me back out to an area speaking the same dialect
that I had been speaking before and I was able to find some great people . </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found a guy who was going to school in the area where I
was working. He lived with some members. We invited him to church and we began
teaching him about the Restoration and we challenged him to read the Book of
Mormon. When we ask people to read the Book of Mormon there, no one ever reads
it. Never. When we went back to visit him a few days later, he had read the
whole thing and had 3 pages worth of notes and questions and his book was more
highlighted than my own scriptures were. He also knew it was true from the very
first time. He was baptized right after I left that area. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another person we found was a lady, her husband was a member
but not very active. He was always drunk in the streets. She didn't have a very
good house. They slept on the floor because they didn't have beds. On the dirt
with their five kids, on a blanket. But she also went to church. She had so
little. She didn't even have money for food sometimes. But she was always happy
when we saw her at church. After she was baptized, we saw her at church and
even though she couldn't really understand much because it was in Spanish and
she only spoke the dialect of Q'eqchi she was happier than I had ever seen her.
It was because of this Gospel. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It doesn't matter how hard our lives are. All you have to do
is trust in the Lord and everything will be alright. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I got transferred to another part of my mission to a
place that was hot, flat, and really small and everyone spoke Spanish. And I
was like, "Why am I here?" I can't teach these people because I'm not
used to speaking this language anymore. I can't contact because the area is so
small, I don't know how to work here. But there's always a purpose. We're all
in a place in our lives for a reason. I found some amazing people who will
hopefully got baptized this weekend or the next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This family lived in a tiny little room with
their 3 kids. We were trying to get them married. That's a really big problem
in Guatemala. No one is married. They just live together, have kids, and call
it good. The hard thing is that they don't have papers to get married. We were
trying to work with them to get their papers. We got the wife's and everything
was good and then we were trying to get the husband's. We found out that it was
going to be really hard. His brother stole his identity and got married with
his name. So he had to prove that he didn't exist and then he had to prove that
he existed again, it was really complicated. The lawyer we were working with
didn't think it was possible, but we knew it could be done. The man didn't have
any money to get this done. It was the last thing we needed to get it to go
through. They needed about $55 and so we raised that money for them and paid the
lawyer without them knowing it. But the lawyer said, "I don't know if I
can take this because I don't know if this is even going to work." He sent
the papers down to the Capitol about 10 hours away and it worked!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's just amazing how the Lord blesses us when we are
faithful in doing what He wants us to do. This family has been going to church
for about 15 months and they will finally get to be baptized this weekend or
the next. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know that the Lord always has a wise purpose for us. After
1 1/2 months in that area I go t sick again. It was my last change. I wanted to
work hard until the end but I couldn't. The very first day I was with my jr.
companion that I was training I had a little bit of a cough so President told
me to go to the doctor. So I went and I had pneumonia. Which was weird because
I was in the hottest place in the mission. I was in the hospital for two days.
When I left, I was able to only work a few hours a day and then I had to rest.
But everything happens for a reason. God has everything planned out. We just
have to trust him with all that He knows is right for us. Because through those
hardships we become transformed into the person that He wants us to be. In
Malachi 3:3 it says, "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that
they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." This scripture
really impacted me especially when my mom sent me a story kind of about it.
"The Refiner's Touch" There was a group of women in a Bible study on
the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three they came across
verse three which says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement
meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find
out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their
next Bible study. That week the woman called up a silversmith and made an
appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason
for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining
silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire
and let it heat up. He explained that, in refining silver, one needed to hold
the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to
burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a
hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that He sits as a refiner
and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to
sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The
man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he
had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if
the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be
destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith,
"How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled
at her and answered, "Oh, that's the easy part -- when I see my image
reflected in it." <br />
<br />
The Lord has us in that fire until he sees His image in us. We may not be
perfect or be finished in being refined but if we always trust in what the Lord
has in store for us, we will be alright. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 "Blessed be God, even the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who
comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which
are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth
by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation,
which is effectual i the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer:
or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our
hope of you is steadfast..." So not only does the Lord comfort us during
our times of trouble, but he expects us to do the same for others. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to thank everyone who helped and supported me with
prayers while I was out there. It really helped me a lot. Just try to always
make sure that your are trying to serve each other, help everyone that you can
and be excellent to each other. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to share one last scripture that my mission president
shared with us on our last night. Alma 26: 30 "And we have suffered all
manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of
saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we
could be the means of saving some." I didn't have much success on my
mission in some people's eyes, but I know I had the joy that this scriptures
talks about. My greatest convert was definitely ME. I know that the sciptures
are true. It doesn't matter how hard our life is, as long as we do what we are
supposed to do, He will always make up the rest and give us joy when it's all
over. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I just want to finish by bearing my testimony, first in Spanish…Yo se que
por medio de obedecer los mandamientos realmente podemos saber la voluntad de
Dios para nosotros. Yo se que Tomas S. Monson es un profeta de Dios y que el
recibe revelacion y se que el realmente habla con Dios, cara a cara. Y tambien
se que hoy dia tenemos la palabra de Dios por medio de el.<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would also like to bare my
testimony in the other language I learned, called Q’eqchi’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ninnaw naq li Jesukristo a’an li Ralal li
Yios. A’an kikam chiru li krus choq’ qe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ut xb’aan lix mayej li kixb’aanu chaq, naru toosutq’iiq rik’in li Yos
chirix li yu’am ha’in. A’an aj Tojol Rix li Ruuchich’och’. A’an li Qas. Nannaw
naq laj Jose Smith kiril li ru li Yos ut xb’aan a’an li Iklees a’in
kik’ojob’aman chaq. Ninnaw naq Lix Iklees li Jesukristo reheb’ laj Santil
Paab’anel sa’ Roso’jikeb’ li Kutan a’an lix iklees li Jesukristo, ut maajun
chik natawman sa’ xb’een li ruuchich’och’.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I leave these things with you sa’
xk’ab’a’ li Jesukristo, nuestro Salvador. Jo’kan taxaq. Amen.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bishop Brent Estes: Jordan chose a scripture for his mission
plaque before he left on his mission. Looking back at it now, I think he was
rather inspired and prophetic as it describes his mission quiet accurately. Doctrine
and Covenants 121: 6-7 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity
and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it
well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all they
foes."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as this scripture is
engraved on this plaque, you can tell that Jordan's testimony is engraved on
his soul. I want to thank Jordan on behalf of the ward for the service he gave
to our brothers and sisters in Guatemala. We did pray for him and were mindful
of him. And we are thankful that he is back with us again. Thank you
Jordan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-42562669358836792542012-02-16T21:21:00.000-07:002013-01-07T23:40:24.723-07:00Airport Reunion Pictures - 2/16/12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cW9qvPczb1dA9G-6N5xTMKI58DXdM4ohQyG4uRaD6vLHIG9CIHF8DFdHQpX_emZdia7ovIH3hN0LhYeYy0K63So1SXjb00RbnDrHGdONJnz5A8MBKXbXbtftvGxijmVSTirAiVTjIG6L/s1600/CIMG6394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cW9qvPczb1dA9G-6N5xTMKI58DXdM4ohQyG4uRaD6vLHIG9CIHF8DFdHQpX_emZdia7ovIH3hN0LhYeYy0K63So1SXjb00RbnDrHGdONJnz5A8MBKXbXbtftvGxijmVSTirAiVTjIG6L/s320/CIMG6394.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
All of us anxiously awaiting for the plane to arrive!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqcXaXt3LtBm4h5-y690dNYDR2dtzBBVtd-zWXFDUFYeAe1V3hoB9D8tr_HnGCtRsrRwdbqG9GLymfK1vnhj-hNEnfL_ZqE0cLiOeKfEVU_q6IjRLh8lwDwvcbcNj2kWERLM4O5CuVsHO/s1600/CIMG6404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqcXaXt3LtBm4h5-y690dNYDR2dtzBBVtd-zWXFDUFYeAe1V3hoB9D8tr_HnGCtRsrRwdbqG9GLymfK1vnhj-hNEnfL_ZqE0cLiOeKfEVU_q6IjRLh8lwDwvcbcNj2kWERLM4O5CuVsHO/s320/CIMG6404.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrNfa82AzRFkgSObziC4oVT-PIah-Jn2mUehRS01dsAea9nR-tIXKOFic5Z9a-953HNs3949YSpoV9-cp0GeKhumHItYjW6K3OvXyaU2024hb0aam7ZWsQQIFxuFEbKFCQRMF8nERYd1j/s1600/CIMG6406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrNfa82AzRFkgSObziC4oVT-PIah-Jn2mUehRS01dsAea9nR-tIXKOFic5Z9a-953HNs3949YSpoV9-cp0GeKhumHItYjW6K3OvXyaU2024hb0aam7ZWsQQIFxuFEbKFCQRMF8nERYd1j/s320/CIMG6406.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There they are! All our missionaries finally home!!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDv4ElaJLnBxaow-GqDJtBlPYV8KZAB573An9b6u-PYIKjn2NSUJiHGlVmX4_HDYeMJbaORDnmsF9cezubvIGYtz5IGCrrJ2EYIE6E54A7yVa5BVmVDRblJJLKCyQbm15Gxym8MTdXXbS-/s1600/CIMG6407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDv4ElaJLnBxaow-GqDJtBlPYV8KZAB573An9b6u-PYIKjn2NSUJiHGlVmX4_HDYeMJbaORDnmsF9cezubvIGYtz5IGCrrJ2EYIE6E54A7yVa5BVmVDRblJJLKCyQbm15Gxym8MTdXXbS-/s400/CIMG6407.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mom running with outstretched arms to get the first hug from her boy!!!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ushaDY3pUDhgG7yH-SXjCm90CmnvQbbzfIVTYqu9K_SS5O0Xauvlncgg_9fhbThCXmgxjMveMJbEglAHL-hjIScS_5tOIurQzX5TGLfds-LZGYkxh6Avv6EvzC_CjRcVX-i5u6MMr9WC/s1600/IMG_5557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ushaDY3pUDhgG7yH-SXjCm90CmnvQbbzfIVTYqu9K_SS5O0Xauvlncgg_9fhbThCXmgxjMveMJbEglAHL-hjIScS_5tOIurQzX5TGLfds-LZGYkxh6Avv6EvzC_CjRcVX-i5u6MMr9WC/s400/IMG_5557.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Moms and Sons hugging for the first time in two years.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
From left to right: Collette McPhee, Leslie Smith, Sheila Dixon</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcQO23eYuhUEfSJ1LVxV5APmi9CXNC6doeMx3oFvOpDwNTR_y_rS48hzajzftp6rr_b1w6ALOCg5doExl0nlko9JJxVaX0acIUCVhrzhsDJZE8DraFAK5X6cbU0WOMQOW6F6pURkwgbFN/s1600/IMG_5561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAcQO23eYuhUEfSJ1LVxV5APmi9CXNC6doeMx3oFvOpDwNTR_y_rS48hzajzftp6rr_b1w6ALOCg5doExl0nlko9JJxVaX0acIUCVhrzhsDJZE8DraFAK5X6cbU0WOMQOW6F6pURkwgbFN/s400/IMG_5561.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I LOVE THIS PICTURE!</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPJhfq_bpT7tFBGafmtgBhmPAY8_VelnFt8Lkul2gSDtJx6AwDeMriFa9oksej88Q1fqSahig9ma4yBcPJVMtIXYhrSIynhkk3ELTSWJVGopbLozn_IGI_HoMTec0oHvGBhT1oOMfejV2/s1600/CIMG6418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPJhfq_bpT7tFBGafmtgBhmPAY8_VelnFt8Lkul2gSDtJx6AwDeMriFa9oksej88Q1fqSahig9ma4yBcPJVMtIXYhrSIynhkk3ELTSWJVGopbLozn_IGI_HoMTec0oHvGBhT1oOMfejV2/s400/CIMG6418.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Brothers reunited! Jake and Jordan</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-atZs-MQHIGxE-IXGUiUqjlSpyP6VSvj847gGANTkxpbiV7wXAw_Jj61bYSBhyphenhyphen0PeraV0tzHF3mdDN7LBfxU2NAT8Gsn-8dQum_lTs3XF8OoSQM4sDeVnMuYvGvJEhyphenhyphenTomhsX5D13r-x7/s1600/IMG_5567%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-atZs-MQHIGxE-IXGUiUqjlSpyP6VSvj847gGANTkxpbiV7wXAw_Jj61bYSBhyphenhyphen0PeraV0tzHF3mdDN7LBfxU2NAT8Gsn-8dQum_lTs3XF8OoSQM4sDeVnMuYvGvJEhyphenhyphenTomhsX5D13r-x7/s400/IMG_5567%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Allison was so very excited to welcome home her big brother. This hug was worth it!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMX_pL_dgIN5D5YPmUq8Bfh7aOuB6yqUnmbVh4A8FSAIHcM5pq66ulxrMIVFPLQQSuv7YGlfsY6L2LZ8A42D1Vv1VBYscMi7JiQpjVPY6otrGMwOcyRBxO3BMXcY_J-eZOx0LKgegQbLBe/s1600/CIMG6439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMX_pL_dgIN5D5YPmUq8Bfh7aOuB6yqUnmbVh4A8FSAIHcM5pq66ulxrMIVFPLQQSuv7YGlfsY6L2LZ8A42D1Vv1VBYscMi7JiQpjVPY6otrGMwOcyRBxO3BMXcY_J-eZOx0LKgegQbLBe/s400/CIMG6439.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixT0ALwRjZKOJnlZ5QN66RA4jmCrvHPaEuuoEl3XUBA6ijSWCd5yAxsUBkz01d5HOaDpszLczo9AJHiXB2CNnq7d50Aij6PPm8p28NncMZ4fa8jxCju_mav3bv9IeYWIKsKfO8jp91DqBB/s1600/IMG_5572%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixT0ALwRjZKOJnlZ5QN66RA4jmCrvHPaEuuoEl3XUBA6ijSWCd5yAxsUBkz01d5HOaDpszLczo9AJHiXB2CNnq7d50Aij6PPm8p28NncMZ4fa8jxCju_mav3bv9IeYWIKsKfO8jp91DqBB/s400/IMG_5572%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Grandma and Grandpa couldn't be more proud or happy to see their beloved grandson again!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPTmKANhcSURNyJpB35D7i9LUL-ysLrZVcLJDLT3thVMkzj3aeZZeS1Ruyil1TsSMowyRatXlbdwOmuEJlTblWHj5wY0b7g3l-1WbV0erV2tk44uY3a0DptSSLc1jcguqZGZkYYiN65vV/s1600/CIMG6429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPTmKANhcSURNyJpB35D7i9LUL-ysLrZVcLJDLT3thVMkzj3aeZZeS1Ruyil1TsSMowyRatXlbdwOmuEJlTblWHj5wY0b7g3l-1WbV0erV2tk44uY3a0DptSSLc1jcguqZGZkYYiN65vV/s400/CIMG6429.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJj8IfeITgTaXm0SEb6anxav3m98znUuD1COjMfXDezkReD9Sy8McsqcwM1HYxK9UPehLjVossXpAnMFB8szjlSLdgok7IDjBEgg-hOcjoGu0nZm9eH7GeqGobuNECgviPcsgDQF-3Alg/s1600/CIMG6480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJj8IfeITgTaXm0SEb6anxav3m98znUuD1COjMfXDezkReD9Sy8McsqcwM1HYxK9UPehLjVossXpAnMFB8szjlSLdgok7IDjBEgg-hOcjoGu0nZm9eH7GeqGobuNECgviPcsgDQF-3Alg/s320/CIMG6480.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Elder Smith with about half of his little cousins whom he adores.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgGTeaN1jLKeFMTAyPdRQN3yb0hWVpFKxZRjzIkRHselojqO8XpuJpXoRk4fgQZm4B8VR5SXJgDKuyq8GKzBKSBfsqX0n6RVwCCjl2YCbKBvZNuy-7mfuaGBultDunhQxqitLrPbVhbdn/s1600/CIMG6482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgGTeaN1jLKeFMTAyPdRQN3yb0hWVpFKxZRjzIkRHselojqO8XpuJpXoRk4fgQZm4B8VR5SXJgDKuyq8GKzBKSBfsqX0n6RVwCCjl2YCbKBvZNuy-7mfuaGBultDunhQxqitLrPbVhbdn/s400/CIMG6482.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
THEY MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE TOGETHER!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF14aEpOYC8QP6kxajXZeqY2DtPFrhcrDkoad-__a59OhNw93uo9hnHkmVlLJV9uca8UFoFvfvQzYxLlt6Ze4p_nYIChqXuudokLQ4l83sZvwXOhj6U1QFSkj43yC7puT6Q9_CaP6Na8b/s1600/CIMG6484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTF14aEpOYC8QP6kxajXZeqY2DtPFrhcrDkoad-__a59OhNw93uo9hnHkmVlLJV9uca8UFoFvfvQzYxLlt6Ze4p_nYIChqXuudokLQ4l83sZvwXOhj6U1QFSkj43yC7puT6Q9_CaP6Na8b/s400/CIMG6484.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBEOhtE9v8F5paaltA5ELJEttqvuhoM3-9LIceVCjIDxIKqcVkATS8CENnX4ud-Fqtj-MfA4xPe2sKt-5p-MSHOdV0skQGtOhnGCX7gNAEnYoHXj6ysOvujCvuVBG20NwDgHdp8QJaW9Y/s1600/CIMG6494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBEOhtE9v8F5paaltA5ELJEttqvuhoM3-9LIceVCjIDxIKqcVkATS8CENnX4ud-Fqtj-MfA4xPe2sKt-5p-MSHOdV0skQGtOhnGCX7gNAEnYoHXj6ysOvujCvuVBG20NwDgHdp8QJaW9Y/s400/CIMG6494.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
President and Hermana Torres surprised all the missionaries by coming to the airport to welcome them home. It was such a treat for them. They all broke down when they saw their beloved mission president and mission mom. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBClUfCeUxdji2RgitC_h5-UJNp9X9vVvG33hYeZKESUfF3inUUyj1Xt-a-lhHwb6E1bleDQIGX9Cpg61aIDsigEIhtfEGQoFS0RlQIQfpZzyCpHI76CkAw-IcXPouBYPTGdVlhyE7Jk_n/s1600/CIMG6498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBClUfCeUxdji2RgitC_h5-UJNp9X9vVvG33hYeZKESUfF3inUUyj1Xt-a-lhHwb6E1bleDQIGX9Cpg61aIDsigEIhtfEGQoFS0RlQIQfpZzyCpHI76CkAw-IcXPouBYPTGdVlhyE7Jk_n/s400/CIMG6498.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3-9RG92wCqUXQgghDaGFsH4KBX5fkuEXJ6ruSl1C0gELuBgLYcioLqvPz3sUvUTtTSrXoeIELdjcB-pdWunRWvA5tpUcVgCUmJacv8O7ORqOYeYaqWM0E64ffHF30CT3I-Iko5KmezOG/s1600/CIMG6518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3-9RG92wCqUXQgghDaGFsH4KBX5fkuEXJ6ruSl1C0gELuBgLYcioLqvPz3sUvUTtTSrXoeIELdjcB-pdWunRWvA5tpUcVgCUmJacv8O7ORqOYeYaqWM0E64ffHF30CT3I-Iko5KmezOG/s400/CIMG6518.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Elders Jordan Smith, Evan Fast, Corbin McPhee, Travis Dixon,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hermana Torres, President Torres, Matt Lusty, Jared Fadel, and Jared Winkel</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwf0IKnPs8mzKhODBv-py9dqMXK8ZzlYiqv8c-1aEB4K2n0mDdkUp4PwS86xKm8VbpzxtAaZoxkI_MqYZ4b3wDKzfzV0lDa_ccDlwQ-lHtXkfeoWRksAY0S-0qs14kIIuIv91jBeJHV1Gg/s1600/IMG_5580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwf0IKnPs8mzKhODBv-py9dqMXK8ZzlYiqv8c-1aEB4K2n0mDdkUp4PwS86xKm8VbpzxtAaZoxkI_MqYZ4b3wDKzfzV0lDa_ccDlwQ-lHtXkfeoWRksAY0S-0qs14kIIuIv91jBeJHV1Gg/s400/IMG_5580.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
He's really REAL and really home!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3rtPmGtL4AIpCxb-O1aWGOSw2IZLYGfi6KDBaC278ZLGt0s67sctaPmT3a-J45bta8uR4NmC3tPJRL_c0QonbT8PDDb3dkDETFRAZV0IVDuFK9GYqb1xYJzhq2-jcEi2L7zovJHgOteZ/s1600/CIMG0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3rtPmGtL4AIpCxb-O1aWGOSw2IZLYGfi6KDBaC278ZLGt0s67sctaPmT3a-J45bta8uR4NmC3tPJRL_c0QonbT8PDDb3dkDETFRAZV0IVDuFK9GYqb1xYJzhq2-jcEi2L7zovJHgOteZ/s320/CIMG0001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's the best to be a complete family again!!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhvvAtFbMHRkx2mbIfU4kLJuF5BxZ6OoLl2kqqZVx1pOH1l5385LpSeFRWLAO_8LANZBIn7aSteUuNQH6Xnz37OoyFnvcgo9VHZVCZ0u82Y2uAiM5MBnnJM091gockFdbSnaJaaUaLQ9K/s1600/IMG_5583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhvvAtFbMHRkx2mbIfU4kLJuF5BxZ6OoLl2kqqZVx1pOH1l5385LpSeFRWLAO_8LANZBIn7aSteUuNQH6Xnz37OoyFnvcgo9VHZVCZ0u82Y2uAiM5MBnnJM091gockFdbSnaJaaUaLQ9K/s400/IMG_5583.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__-6QaAZx26Z98bJgcAiKg4koEpFWyFodcwv80xKJNGwT8mR7N4nWpOO7tscEwJ5N3yAzb882gxiHQiwXKVUlDefdSPmP05avdCg6nRE3Lvyp5CxvKZTPEEGh8A910cQvagMgp76jM9JT/s1600/CIMG0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__-6QaAZx26Z98bJgcAiKg4koEpFWyFodcwv80xKJNGwT8mR7N4nWpOO7tscEwJ5N3yAzb882gxiHQiwXKVUlDefdSPmP05avdCg6nRE3Lvyp5CxvKZTPEEGh8A910cQvagMgp76jM9JT/s320/CIMG0002.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He came home proudly looking like a pure Polochic Missionary.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NamJ3shw4l7wehkYB6nDIzTJdmYDc4NYBCEAD8Wq71nAnmp5RIN4hxSoVaLJehIYDuHE4kApFMFxfmvXe6-aOvVDI77C_9Rvb4jy3QXzq74LnfOJgnPSAfNlQ78G_DerZpEoPWiq9wdO/s1600/CIMG0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NamJ3shw4l7wehkYB6nDIzTJdmYDc4NYBCEAD8Wq71nAnmp5RIN4hxSoVaLJehIYDuHE4kApFMFxfmvXe6-aOvVDI77C_9Rvb4jy3QXzq74LnfOJgnPSAfNlQ78G_DerZpEoPWiq9wdO/s320/CIMG0004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> I'm Back!</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVC6bMrJ-e3g8DTeHTkoBJC7bdN1J-sge1huapTWKaRDP1QdhfBfZIlQVYdjPlQKw5jo1U-7gptQcwIOlO7k113TGrxDtxj5fRfIAd7J7gMdLs_Us_8sfxacKFK7FztYzv1QTSrNML2b0N/s1600/CIMG0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVC6bMrJ-e3g8DTeHTkoBJC7bdN1J-sge1huapTWKaRDP1QdhfBfZIlQVYdjPlQKw5jo1U-7gptQcwIOlO7k113TGrxDtxj5fRfIAd7J7gMdLs_Us_8sfxacKFK7FztYzv1QTSrNML2b0N/s320/CIMG0005.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmNqxy4pWVPwPMlFPZk5qlYULQ_ApmDu3FCWCkr6hQsdB4VbQQufBmgepcv_AqIMjlv_k2CwdV0SWumf_EHbLZIIIOnadA5YWqkjPDtJjG6LK8_g5AjyPFuCDj_hqr55zs0wbexlP0YZ7/s1600/IMG_5584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmNqxy4pWVPwPMlFPZk5qlYULQ_ApmDu3FCWCkr6hQsdB4VbQQufBmgepcv_AqIMjlv_k2CwdV0SWumf_EHbLZIIIOnadA5YWqkjPDtJjG6LK8_g5AjyPFuCDj_hqr55zs0wbexlP0YZ7/s400/IMG_5584.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
By: Leslie Smith (Mom)<br />
Thank you for sharing in our excitement and welcoming our missionary back home! It was extra special to share this moment with so many other missionary families whom we have gotten to know over the past two years. You have all been such a blessing in our lives. Everyone said that welcoming home a missionary is better than you can ever imagine...well I imagined pretty awesome things, but the feelings that washed over me as I saw my boy for the first time in two years cannot be put into words. I have such a deep gratitude and love to my Heavenly Father for protecting him and guiding him and helping him complete this amazing two year journey. What a blessing it has been for Jordan and our entire family. More pictures will be posted here soon of him at home and of his mission report homecoming. I will also post Elder Smith's homecoming talk on here as soon as I transcribe it. If you would like to see a complete album of all the mission homecoming activities, please check my facebook photos as I will be updating them all there.Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-15312050999637432112012-02-13T20:22:00.000-07:002012-02-13T20:22:00.394-07:00Guatemala is not only a part of my ancestry but it’s also a part of my heart and I will love it forever.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fudnmgiDROK8ia-wVQ0Rsci9uwfe-JPl19pN8wv3B-wgzMW2c47iiaVZiyOz0_8m-7ygGV3rsBSlAUDx_7xiLuxjdv0mUCXFGpNU6Yg4Dn2uxGWiBeCpC41k8JoS8ZgBNp81v8le8LvQ/s1600/wilderness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fudnmgiDROK8ia-wVQ0Rsci9uwfe-JPl19pN8wv3B-wgzMW2c47iiaVZiyOz0_8m-7ygGV3rsBSlAUDx_7xiLuxjdv0mUCXFGpNU6Yg4Dn2uxGWiBeCpC41k8JoS8ZgBNp81v8le8LvQ/s320/wilderness.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>
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.<br />
<br />
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! <br />
<br />
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...<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
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. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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. </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I love you all. See you in a couple days.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Stay Strong</div>
Keep the Faith<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Love, Elder Jordan Smith.....</div>
OutLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-48161905153533726672012-02-06T21:42:00.004-07:002012-02-06T21:59:25.002-07:00All is going well, slow but well<div align="left">I am doing great mamacita. Still a little sick, and with lung pains, but doing great.<br /><br />This week was a pretty lame week. Nothing has really progressed with the Fam. Can Tun. The lawyer hasn’t been at his office when they go by, and things have lengthed that we didnt think were going to lengthen. They will get baptized in upcoming months, but I don’t think it will happen when I am here. And we dropped Adolfo this week. He just isn’t progressing, and doesn’t really want to progress. He just wants to do things his own way instead of trying to accept the will of the Lord in his life. Maybe one he will be baptized, because he just knows too much to deny it, but we aren’t teaching him anymore. So that was kind of a bummer. And we FINALLY got some references, but we haven’t been able to find them ever. Soooo the work is just slowly rolling along.<br /><br />That is super sick that I will be able to defer until the Fall at BYU. It will definitely help me get back into real life again and to be able to get a job and all that stuff. Yeah, I think I am gonna wanna live in Orem instead of Provo. It would be easier I think since there are a little bit more job opportunities there and what not. But we shall see in a couple weeks, then I will figure that all out...if you could keep your eyes out for me??<br /><br />That's sweet that we can go to almost all the Homecomings for my group. It is going to be crazy, scrambling around to all those, but it will be super fun. And yeah, Tell Bronson’s mom that I will totally go to the airport to welcome home Elder Bronson in March!<br /><br />Ha that sounds like a pretty fun first weekend home. I think on the way home from the airport I want to eat at somewhere American! Real Steak or even In N Out. I don’t really care that much. But I’d say Texas Roadhouse or In N Out. Either one. What foods do I want when I get home? Anything that isn’t oily. I don’t really want to eat anything that is made with oil or butter anymore. That is all I have eaten here. So anything just fresh and tasty..... <em><span style="color:#000000;">(hmmmm, because In N Out is so fresh and their menu selections are not oily?)<br /><br /></span></em>Right when we walked outside the house this morning there was a newspaper with Eli Manning holding up the Super bowl Trophy with the score and everything. But I have no idea how it all went down, so I can’t wait to see it.<br /><br />As long as Fam Can Tun gets baptized one day, I will be happy, cuz it is really coming down to the wire, but I know that they will be part of the church one day. They even have Family Home Evening and know their way around the Book of Mormon pretty well. They are practically members, they just haven’t gotten wet yet. But one day.<br /><br />Oh freak, my cousins are little punks, and really hilarious. Hahaha its gonna be fun messin around with all those little kids when I get back...I can’t wait!<br /><br />All is going well, slow but well. At least our branch mission leader left with us once this last week, for one hour. I think that is the first time my entire mission!!!!!! WHOO!!!!<br /><br />Well super crazy that next week will be the last email that I will be sending home from Guatland. It still doesn’t seem like this is all coming to an end. Well I love you guys, have a great week. See ya in 10 days! Love you lots!<br /><br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith </div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-86452470562351549032012-02-04T11:56:00.004-07:002012-02-04T12:10:26.619-07:00Homecoming Information<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvALBiQd4HGuiACNmGya4aqNRUC1Pujtmz7xMF1RGu_jWzLpt_A7Q0jG-uTbNLxB90Vsy928iTNf__oLQKTgAyDtp3hoKvPlo3BZqrUN5z6ihuBhkRp8YSS24sk_e2TOKixiU679Djn17/s1600/Jordan+green+background-p001.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705356919900806786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvALBiQd4HGuiACNmGya4aqNRUC1Pujtmz7xMF1RGu_jWzLpt_A7Q0jG-uTbNLxB90Vsy928iTNf__oLQKTgAyDtp3hoKvPlo3BZqrUN5z6ihuBhkRp8YSS24sk_e2TOKixiU679Djn17/s400/Jordan+green+background-p001.jpg" /></a><br /></div><span style="color:#000000;">We would like to extend an invitation to all who have been following Elder Smith's blog (whether we know you or not) to come listen to him report on his mission at our Sacrament Meeting. It will be on Sunday, February 19th at 9:00am 2790 North Center Street in Lehi UT.<br /><br />We are eagerly preparing for his return here at home. It's almost like getting ready to welcome a new baby into our house, but better!! Cleaning, organizing, washing, buying a few new things, planning parties....it's all going by really fast now and we can hardly stand it!<br /><br />12 more days until I get to hug my son again after two very long years. I may never let go. We hope you'll join us as we celebrate his return from serving the people of Guatemala, our Heavenly Father, and our Savior Jesus Christ.</span>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-48500239565001892232012-01-31T09:35:00.005-07:002012-01-31T10:05:32.846-07:00The Lord works with each one of us and molds us into the person we should be<div align="left">Sup poopy pants! Haha<br />It has been going pretty good this week. My health is improving, I think. Not quite 100% yet, but I am getting there....I just hope that the cold at home doesn’t do me in when I get there. I’m done with all my prescriptions for now. I am just left with some nasal spray that I will be spraying up my nostrils for a month after I am home!<br /><br />Well I am pretty sure the authorization went through for Fam. Can Tun. We called the lawyer, with our borrowed phone that we no longer have and he told us that Ernesto just needed to go in and sign something and than after, it is just the wait. So hopefully it all works out in time. I really don’t know how long it is going to take after being signed, but it better be this week. If not.....the next. But be praying extra hard. We have already seen the miracle that God gave us with that paper working out well from the Capital, so we shall see how all that goes these next few days...<br /><br />Adolfo has kind of retrogressed a little this week. We had zone conference this week and since we didnt think that taking a few extra aspirins every now and then was against the Word of Wisdom, we asked President and we were right. So we then told that to Adolfo and that plus other things he got mad because we insisted him to be baptized. He had told us that that was the only thing that stopped him from being baptized. So why not get baptized right? But then he came up with a bunch of random things that really aren't that important....But we think there could be something wrong with him, like mentally. He is 52 and lives alone, and randomly lies, thinking that those lies are truth, it's weird. But we are still trying to help him the best we can. But it is hard sometimes because he says he doesn’t like it when we invite him to do something and he accepts and then doesn’t do it, that we get sad, and push him harder to do it. We told him that that is our job, but he doesn’t understand. He still has a fecha, but if he doesn’t start showing some initiative we might be forced to drop him. We will see what happens this next week.<br /><br />That blows my mind that both of those little wieners are going to the same date dance. Allison isn’t even supposed to like boys yet!! Neither Jake nor Allison were even dating when I left. Super WEIRD!!! That will take a little bit to get used too.<br /><br />Ha it is crazy that you guys know and have all those guys from my mission over at the house so much.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpXV5euOx4RvhNS53BeycagZEsvLo6BisrTeawBBaJJ8lzJ5v-IGL6luPGdAd88vKpfcjKj_Nb_dF-ZB5EWjG65WDNDgaPYs6kDo5f6i-2oz9p63Rppd8YEDVIljO17_vEA9_RbTkojRk/s1600/CIMG6277.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703836342913495778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpXV5euOx4RvhNS53BeycagZEsvLo6BisrTeawBBaJJ8lzJ5v-IGL6luPGdAd88vKpfcjKj_Nb_dF-ZB5EWjG65WDNDgaPYs6kDo5f6i-2oz9p63Rppd8YEDVIljO17_vEA9_RbTkojRk/s320/CIMG6277.JPG" /></a><br />Hmm I will have to think about rooming in that house for Fall with Caleb and Tanner. I will let them know when I get home I think, so that I can talk around with more guys from the mish, and work it all out. Not too sure what I wanna do yet. But it sounds like it would be fun, especially with that many people living in the same house.<br /><br />Well, let’s see…. Our house is really small, but I like it. It is just a small room with a weird wooden divider in the middle. I have pictures, but it will just be easier to show you when I get home. And we had the worst beds ever!!!! It took hours for us to fall asleep on those stupid things! But we just got new beds on Friday and they are freakin heaven!!! I fall asleep so fast!! It is so great!! And it is not THAT hot. It’s hot, but it isn’t as hot as how it was last time I was in Petén. The coldest it gets is like 80 degrees and goes up to like 90 in the day time. So it's not that bad.<br /><br />My mission has flown by for sure for me. It really doesn’t feel that my time is almost up here in Guatland. But I am ready. I have worked hard, and will continue to work as hard as my health allows until the end, but it is time for me to move on with the other things in my life and keep on the line of eternal progression ya know?<br /><br />The mission truly has changed my life. I have noticed how I was in the past and am grateful to the Lord for allowing me to change some things that were bad and keep the things that were good. I pray to be able to always be able to keep improving and being able to apply the many things that I have learned out here.<br /><br />Yeah, Jake is a great kid, and he is definitely a better kid than I was before the mission. So I know that he will be a great missionary. The Lord has a plan for each one of us, even if it is all in different ways. He works with each one of us and molds us into the person we should be.<br /><br />Well it is nuts that my time here is wrapping up, but it's not over till it's over right?! I will see you soon! Well keep praying that our baptisms work out!!! Have a great week! See you guys soon!!<br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith</div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-73575913179004857362012-01-23T20:46:00.002-07:002012-01-23T20:53:13.560-07:00It would be soooo amazing to finish off my mission with 5 baptisms!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFUvXDOXTeiMXHlH_yTKjQr3TvqIgA2mZe6b1I9OSn1F2P24IGEA8pUTql1u4NrKDpioh1rHACjdfOkJOFoZ0lU84PqXerHZ4jsnrR9GuLkdxmbadLetjUs3TIbvWUdwNsw7ypvBQIlpl/s1600/DSC00159.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701041063394781682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFUvXDOXTeiMXHlH_yTKjQr3TvqIgA2mZe6b1I9OSn1F2P24IGEA8pUTql1u4NrKDpioh1rHACjdfOkJOFoZ0lU84PqXerHZ4jsnrR9GuLkdxmbadLetjUs3TIbvWUdwNsw7ypvBQIlpl/s320/DSC00159.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUC0AEDoB5O6XhigTshtlOJOXOJp7Y7yIltj0OaGcvPsrSRcmgoOajAzaz0eRCfJFp_GzzwAyfSUIMNFNTQMPkuONBwS98OYuavpZAjm33LMIpOuueC8_liYdeBr1qegvMsGKnI9_vInY/s1600/DSC00160.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701041054554361746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUC0AEDoB5O6XhigTshtlOJOXOJp7Y7yIltj0OaGcvPsrSRcmgoOajAzaz0eRCfJFp_GzzwAyfSUIMNFNTQMPkuONBwS98OYuavpZAjm33LMIpOuueC8_liYdeBr1qegvMsGKnI9_vInY/s320/DSC00160.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHna4c4N3qky26vrPMhIJfnkBl5RG7_zhn0wB4zUj5fENqw2g4uAGzm4q2MtvM1i48IVgoJyRs0Flnybaa7BZPtGpFVkLLM-ROVL_GIgxHG8uNYWomT5JITNL3aTukBGq8cJK-F-0TA_vV/s1600/DSC00113.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701041051502337218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHna4c4N3qky26vrPMhIJfnkBl5RG7_zhn0wB4zUj5fENqw2g4uAGzm4q2MtvM1i48IVgoJyRs0Flnybaa7BZPtGpFVkLLM-ROVL_GIgxHG8uNYWomT5JITNL3aTukBGq8cJK-F-0TA_vV/s320/DSC00113.JPG" /></a><br /></div>HEY!!<br />Yeah we have been able to work a little more this week. It has been good. Sometimes, I felt crappy, but it wasn’t too bad! And we got some super good news for Fam. Can Tun. The papers came back from the cap and it came out in favor of Ernesto (the dad)!!! Now we are just waiting, for another week, for that paper to get authorized, which shouldn’t bring about any problems....and then they can get married!!! We put their fecha again for the 4th, the week before Adolfo's baptism!! It would be soooo amazing to finish off my mission with 5 baptisms!!<br /><br />Yeah, that is fine if we sing that song at the house instead of at my homecoming, it will be a little weird, but it’s all good. Oh and when I get home, I am definitely going to be listening to lots of Spanish music, so prepare!!!<br /><br />Well for BYU Summer term classes, I honestly don’t know....I really just kinda wanna work and save up a little bit before I head to college. Just get settled down a little bit, and figure out what I wanna do and what not. I think I just wanna start in the Fall. If that isn’t possible, then I want to test out of a bunch of Spanish classes and then just take an English class. Can you find out for me?<br /><br />As far as the Super Bowl goes, I will probably end up finding out anyways, especially when I head back to the states, everyone will be jabbering about it in the airport and what not, so I guess you can tell me how the game ends up. And the 9ers aren’t in it, which really bummed me out, so it’s not super important to me.....Elder Davis however, is a giants fan, he will be happy haha.<br /><br />That’s good that you guys are really ''feelin it'' in primary. It must be rough sometimes, but you gotta magnify that calling, no matter what it is right? We are always called to be in places for a reason, even if that reason is so small we don’t even notice it<br /><br />Yeah it is starting to feel really surreal that I am coming home. It’s weird. But good. But at least we are seeing success even though we can’t work like normal.<br /><br />Well there isn’t too much news this week on this end. But our baptisms are looking more seguros and we are trying to work as much as possible. My last 2 weeks, or at least my last week we will be able to work as hard as usual.<br />I love you all and hope you have a great week!!<br />Keep the Faith<br />Stay Strong<br />Nalajexinra<br />Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-56241551905377874882012-01-16T18:52:00.003-07:002012-01-16T19:03:56.676-07:00Thanks for all the support back home and all the prayers<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKmYuOa1txyO9j-BpuSvckVbMnCpAz8Fj4ZbFI0jpec9n1Jj4dq4XmLfTx7kJCHQ7fyzjavosxGUmivCZulC8NQSbtPyTEO_GfNCoJHNX10Oa2KP5Gs7znYjo1g7Z-pWFODTEaGAo12Op/s1600/76139049919842898_i6FZZreH_c%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698414823813148786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKmYuOa1txyO9j-BpuSvckVbMnCpAz8Fj4ZbFI0jpec9n1Jj4dq4XmLfTx7kJCHQ7fyzjavosxGUmivCZulC8NQSbtPyTEO_GfNCoJHNX10Oa2KP5Gs7znYjo1g7Z-pWFODTEaGAo12Op/s320/76139049919842898_i6FZZreH_c%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF41H9pxwyvpNxggW9gkZJU_18RGf5Cxzpt5HprkV8Zxp8El4Kp5KRhMNg5GpM0i3d8S49PkeqN8gV20y9pe6XTtUsy__QHQ80JIN9Wlithe0SEgxdl0cIeGrI3P5Fx6otKne4DTKGQw4/s1600/DSC00253.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698414820016902674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF41H9pxwyvpNxggW9gkZJU_18RGf5Cxzpt5HprkV8Zxp8El4Kp5KRhMNg5GpM0i3d8S49PkeqN8gV20y9pe6XTtUsy__QHQ80JIN9Wlithe0SEgxdl0cIeGrI3P5Fx6otKne4DTKGQw4/s320/DSC00253.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div align="left">Hey!!<br />I am doing alright! I am feeling a little better than I have been lately. I think I should be good to go in about 2 more weeks.....hopefully.....because we are only really able to work about 3 hours a day. Thanks for all the support back home and all the prayers. I am really feeling the effect of them and the greatness of our Father in Heaven for always having a listening ear.<br /><br />Things are going great with Elder Asdel! It’s great having him as a companion! Its funny, he talks like Ocho. We get along really well.<br /><br />We finally got the money to be able to pay the lawyer for Familia Can Tun. So we are going to call him tonight to be able to set up a little meeting with him and pay him. After that it takes about 10 days for that paper to come. So hopefully in 2 more weeks they will be able to be baptized.<br /><br />And we made great progress with Adolfo as well!! He finally told us what really held him back from being baptized. He said he didn’t feel worthy. We didn’t get out of him why at first but the next visit we read Alma's Conversion in Alma ch. 36 and we talked about repentance. He opened up and told us he is addicted to aspirin....is that even possible?? Ha I don’t know, it really isn’t a big deal, and he said that sometimes he takes more than he is supposed to when he needs it. But like it’s not that strong of an addiction (if you can call it that) at all. But to help him feel better about being baptized we set some goals with him, including a fecha!!! He accepted to be baptized on Feb. 11th! My last Saturday here in the mission! I really hope all works out and that he feels ready to be baptized for that date!<br /><br />Those are really the only updates for this week....oh and that Elder Asdel almost lit the house on fire hahaha. That’s funny that you all played Phase 10, we played that this last Monday! In Polochik we played that lots too with Fast. Ha Mom! Funny story about how Dad owned Fast after they all went upstairs to kill the ''bad guys''!! Haha!<br /><br />WHOA those are sweet sports updates! That is nuts that the Packers lost, and at home too!! That is freakin cool about the 49ers though. That would be soo sweet if they won the super bowl. On my last Monday, you can’t tell me the results of the super bowl, I just wanna watch it without knowing the result once I get home....ok? Just let me know the teams, when it gets down to the end...And the Jazz would lose to the Lakers, especially when my comp is from LA haha.<br /><br />Thanks for always praying for me and helping me out! And of course for the updates! Well I hope you guys have a great week! I love you all!<br /><br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith</div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-68705899178672967992012-01-12T15:26:00.012-07:002012-01-13T16:41:20.710-07:00Mission Wide Christmas Service Projects 2011<em><span style="color:#000000;">This is a little bit out of order, but I had to include this on Jordan's mission blog because this is so much what a mission is all about.....losing oneself in the service of others, enriching the lives of those less fortunate with the gospel and with necessities, and most importantly remembering the Savior's life and example. This past Christmas, The Guatemala City North Missionaries were able to be a part of 4 different and significant service projects. The following is an account of them in Sister Watt's words. We thank her for organizing this and for documenting it through words and pictures so that we could all feel a part of it thousands of miles away.</span></em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgcpnQEhRmY3cQTgX75M7dgdQqsaiU-6HFcqgx9Idt9YUh_WQhxsunGj4cUxx9sNU6kmJ5DaMxppGJA77UA1yYL7fc524SpdrKzg2VSq0vajkhnKnRtNkLecvi2PxoU82rmwUwerTYgyy/s1600/DSC00372.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696876781257544978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgcpnQEhRmY3cQTgX75M7dgdQqsaiU-6HFcqgx9Idt9YUh_WQhxsunGj4cUxx9sNU6kmJ5DaMxppGJA77UA1yYL7fc524SpdrKzg2VSq0vajkhnKnRtNkLecvi2PxoU82rmwUwerTYgyy/s320/DSC00372.jpg" /></a><br /><align="center">The 3 Assistants to the President<br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#006600;">Christmas 2011 Review<br />Dear Family and Friends,<br />I am going to take the opportunity today to let you all know what Christmas service projects we were able to do because of all of the things that were given to us by you. THANK YOU ALL for everything you did. Every service was wonderful, not only for the people who received the help but also for the missionaries. Thank you for being patient with me in getting this letter back to you. Ed and I were only home 8 days in the month of December and most of those days were spent getting things organized for the service projects. This week we have spent gathering new missionaries from the MTC here in Guatemala – (they are WONDERFUL!) and saying good bye to 19 of our missionaries who have completed their missions – a PAINFUL experience for me! I would like to have every missionary stay here with us until we go home, welcoming all of the new ones that we can get. But I think that I would rather ask President Monson for extensions for our missionaries than ask their Mothers. I would not like to ask President Monson though so you can guess how much I would NOT like to ask the Mothers! Anyway, it is busy – as always – here in the Mission and I do appreciate your patience. </span></div><span style="color:#006600;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXQedP5WDupjVgr3EF9qfPvH9v7Hlo9G2-Q548b-LGFdspLDEI0IGQPtRbkIRB2zgpIdOwGcMJ8-NWaehhWuXSrcvt6NszAebVTDVUX6NQVT-to52jEXm9D1BclzeDIH_Wb8LeVnC4ek_/s1600/DSC00267.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696876772871905474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXQedP5WDupjVgr3EF9qfPvH9v7Hlo9G2-Q548b-LGFdspLDEI0IGQPtRbkIRB2zgpIdOwGcMJ8-NWaehhWuXSrcvt6NszAebVTDVUX6NQVT-to52jEXm9D1BclzeDIH_Wb8LeVnC4ek_/s320/DSC00267.jpg" /></a><br />Before I get into the specifics of the service projects, let me tell you that we had 76 missionaries who did not receive any gift from home this year. However, we were able to put together something for each one of them. Each of them received A LOT of candy, granola bars, etc., razor, toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, jerky, a tie for the Elders and a little hair thing for the Hermanas. They were all thrilled! I know that some of the parents of our missionaries also sent an extra package for the companion of their son or daughter. Thank you for thinking of them. It is difficult to not have anything when your companion does. We have one Elder who has NEVER received a gift before for ANY reason so thank you for making this possible for all of them.<br /><br />Our goal this year for the service projects was to do something that would help the missionaries connect with the people and the communities that they live in. We wanted to find some service activities that would allow them the opportunity to work with “people” not “dirt.” (Although we also think that “dirt” service projects are important too!) Heavenly Father truly directed us to find a service project for each area. Each project was different, but I really cannot choose one that I felt was more significant than another. The rule for each of the projects was to forget about themselves and bless someone else. Every missionary did this.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjvl_suwDcA7gZCZfX_epzTvdqrSfzHxaSDa7yhZwodHIs80PGi3rbAGHapjwoniC1Zoi6rtZjZdehiNcSz3GZ0sztmGUQR5_V754W26AD1QuTnOyuNdbH1Kfib0pWZ-M73xev_1Puktp/s1600/DSC00330a.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 244px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696876773114965826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjvl_suwDcA7gZCZfX_epzTvdqrSfzHxaSDa7yhZwodHIs80PGi3rbAGHapjwoniC1Zoi6rtZjZdehiNcSz3GZ0sztmGUQR5_V754W26AD1QuTnOyuNdbH1Kfib0pWZ-M73xev_1Puktp/s320/DSC00330a.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5G9Z4RCgufpL1Va2TgVuFzkx39ngW11PJ3SCD3ViPnpmUUojNNYkLHFKo0a-XV613GwWXdT0PNRyxRdaKhNnYD3zEpaQ7lEPLIsxE11HRy6VCe89k2I9nCLuOeQfxZw6HbTQ-bnBZb9a/s1600/DSC00343.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696876778920209778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5G9Z4RCgufpL1Va2TgVuFzkx39ngW11PJ3SCD3ViPnpmUUojNNYkLHFKo0a-XV613GwWXdT0PNRyxRdaKhNnYD3zEpaQ7lEPLIsxE11HRy6VCe89k2I9nCLuOeQfxZw6HbTQ-bnBZb9a/s320/DSC00343.jpg" /></a><br />Our first project was in San Jeronimo in the Baja Verapaz Valley at an orphanage with 93 children. The children range in age from 1 year old to 18. We started together by singing Christmas songs, with Elder Nelson accompanying us on the little piano keyboard. We sang most of the songs in Spanish and then sang a few (At the suggestion of one of our Latino Elders) in English. We then played the game Fruit Basket with the missionaries and the children. It did not take long for the smiling and the squealing to begin! After the group activity we broke into smaller groups so that the missionaries could get to know the children on a more personal basis because they were responsible to choose the gifts for the children they were interacting with. The bags with the little cars, the teddy bears, stuffed rabbits and other stuffed animals, the action figures and army guys, the yoyos, the bugs and dinosaurs, the dolls, the journals and jacks, balls, EVERYTHING were just so much appreciated and loved! We had asked the people at the orphanage what the children needed or what we might do to help them and they told us that all of the children needed socks. We put together bags that had socks, a toothbrush; a Christmas pencil, (thanks Misty!), fruit snacks and candy in them and then the missionaries choose something that the child they had gotten to know would like. We were able to buy some beautiful pictures of the Savior from the Distribution Center and so each child received one of those too. We gave everyone their gifts, sang a song and then left. One little guy said that he had NEVER had his own toothbrush. I can still see the happy little faces of the children, young and old, but they did not outshine the happy faces of our missionaries. They were magnificent!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzRgbm1O26hARXbG0PK12fL66Lpyx_qIqaXgVvaRGYz6c5P6vXM3Aszrr2GtkZnQFolGA-LNK20dzbWDTJ9eMi4pN1orJRc36SJPCCGkV_sWC4T3Dq7qiUNc6wNPRp7zDELC9vNnFPkcB/s1600/DSC00402.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696877356855807938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzRgbm1O26hARXbG0PK12fL66Lpyx_qIqaXgVvaRGYz6c5P6vXM3Aszrr2GtkZnQFolGA-LNK20dzbWDTJ9eMi4pN1orJRc36SJPCCGkV_sWC4T3Dq7qiUNc6wNPRp7zDELC9vNnFPkcB/s320/DSC00402.jpg" /></a><br />Our second project was in Chulac in the Polochic Valley. The Polochic does not have an orphanage or a retirement home, but they have significantly other needs. This is the area where the people still cook on open pit fires. Many of the people that live here have burns and infections from cuts and more serious wounds. The very first time Ed and I traveled to meet our missionaries in July, a young woman stopped us and told us the she was expecting a baby, but that she was sick and could not get the medicine. The medicine was not in the Polochic Valley. In November we saw a little 4 year old downs syndrome girl with a serious burn on her neck. All that the family had to treat it with was raw egg. If the medicine can be found in the Polochic it is VERY expensive for the people there. We found out that it is also very expensive here in the Capitol. We thought that the best service project for the missionaries in the Polochic to participate in was to help put together simple first aid kits. We found that the Church had some supplies of donated medical things that we needed that was just sitting in an unfinished building in Senahu so we were able to get some of those supplies. With other money that was donated by several of you we were able to buy supplies to make 55 big first aid kits (2 per missionary) for the missionaries to take to the Branch Presidents or other responsible leader in the Branch, 220 (8 per missionary) medium kits for the missionaries to give to people that they were aware of that might need the kits and then 100 (4 per missionary) small kits with band aides, etc. The big kits contained soap, gauze, several different kinds and sizes of band aides, tape, Antibiotic cream for infection, burn cream, anti-fungal cream, Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, a thermometer, plastic gloves, and ace wraps. We also put a 5 x 7 picture of the Savior in each kit. The missionaries were given instructions about the supplies that they were giving to others so that they could explain and help where needed. I just got a picture this week of a family that Hermana Westenskow gave her first aid kit to. It was a little family of a Mother, Father and four little children. Thank you to all who donated toward this project, I think it will bless the lives of families living in the Polochic.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeaJL9Jb3EZ5mhnEN78hgmYY22uFn71myUJ5w8yK3gx4lVhRvfhxM9aJTPjlLZt0_oDAPLGLLdXzCovlP9xFqMAbDbgG55EMDAo47TIMdwYFELn5uRUzx04dJMb8lBLLzq8Q0pRtdeHaf/s1600/DSC00470.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696876791696228866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeaJL9Jb3EZ5mhnEN78hgmYY22uFn71myUJ5w8yK3gx4lVhRvfhxM9aJTPjlLZt0_oDAPLGLLdXzCovlP9xFqMAbDbgG55EMDAo47TIMdwYFELn5uRUzx04dJMb8lBLLzq8Q0pRtdeHaf/s320/DSC00470.jpg" /></a><br /></span><span style="color:#006600;">The third project that we were able to participate in was with all of the Elders and Hermanas in the Capitol. We had about 100 missionaries participate in this activity. We took the items that you gave us and every missionary thought of a family, a member, or investigator that did not have anything for Christmas or that needed something a little more. They each wrote their testimony and message on a card and then chose items specifically for the people they were thinking of. It was so fun to watch them carefully select the item(s) that they thought would be just right for someone else. We had a picture of the Savior, candy, etc. for them to add to the bags and then that night, December 23rd, (Joseph Smith’s birthday); they each delivered their gift to their chosen person or family. I have heard back from several of the missionaries and besides the phone call from home, this was their favorite part of the Christmas season this year. Our missionaries serve and pray and work with the people who live here and so the gift that they were able to give was not only given with your love but with theirs as well. Thank you.<br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK61vw_vuoDX3Qdo1VbnDD__aKV9M4Aa643TxFcQGe2z9NHu7n3LAnnoxjUMg59jxY4JdLBr1ASXSdZzbFCOI5C5zES4UAf87tROZWiEOIdvb-an0EUr68GS-socNw_MMx1PLJPUqvvuTe/s1600/DSC00596.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696877598075470882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK61vw_vuoDX3Qdo1VbnDD__aKV9M4Aa643TxFcQGe2z9NHu7n3LAnnoxjUMg59jxY4JdLBr1ASXSdZzbFCOI5C5zES4UAf87tROZWiEOIdvb-an0EUr68GS-socNw_MMx1PLJPUqvvuTe/s320/DSC00596.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yA4LqvAlL9DEP4AmGihtvDkzZ8wbnFOAvSy1GBSRoQYNPoL-iKugYAhvJsQFgHt_nFde2qFOKiiwYofM7bSp2KeEApoIR-RaR8ZW0qxoumWwHYLgh9xqbG4cJUs_djnNsDFileqvTsXw/s1600/DSC00534a.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 239px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696877591835810818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yA4LqvAlL9DEP4AmGihtvDkzZ8wbnFOAvSy1GBSRoQYNPoL-iKugYAhvJsQFgHt_nFde2qFOKiiwYofM7bSp2KeEApoIR-RaR8ZW0qxoumWwHYLgh9xqbG4cJUs_djnNsDFileqvTsXw/s320/DSC00534a.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxukvdEAoFx-5LXZjOReurCQ7cYttDrQhnE6Loj1EOEx9OFjEHYLLL2UyHf1Z_zl2yTOMmYN8hiwu6J1ZNKYLzGUnbRFXRcXW2Xnti-8NmnpoG2wLm6ZSusnT_hiAX6U1Ijd_iRH-YV_N/s1600/DSC00587.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696877388146379698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxukvdEAoFx-5LXZjOReurCQ7cYttDrQhnE6Loj1EOEx9OFjEHYLLL2UyHf1Z_zl2yTOMmYN8hiwu6J1ZNKYLzGUnbRFXRcXW2Xnti-8NmnpoG2wLm6ZSusnT_hiAX6U1Ijd_iRH-YV_N/s320/DSC00587.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8TXXJ9aFzNziUvUoERsvKRYp-KNsKDKNi2LPV3opdbaGTTJsFbull_9wsKJr0Ow7m-1E-lY7FGtAKoA39LvEh4ujDp2UJ9kJRm37h-SzDJmb_uwy3e9g2IHoLab29WAc6Vqk4yPdyKhK/s1600/DSC00579.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696877358976168322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8TXXJ9aFzNziUvUoERsvKRYp-KNsKDKNi2LPV3opdbaGTTJsFbull_9wsKJr0Ow7m-1E-lY7FGtAKoA39LvEh4ujDp2UJ9kJRm37h-SzDJmb_uwy3e9g2IHoLab29WAc6Vqk4yPdyKhK/s320/DSC00579.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakF8wnGt42IGl9w2mkqGnIVZWV4BOXWDoaCuTCiQXlkiNIPLekCzr41JOiUpbBakRbn1oorod-Oc3hjbXMQIOESt2YkRn5nUU9DDe4-wM6hOscirts8HumQ-JWXl__oze1W009z7Dl3ae/s1600/DSC00530.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696877359101659954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakF8wnGt42IGl9w2mkqGnIVZWV4BOXWDoaCuTCiQXlkiNIPLekCzr41JOiUpbBakRbn1oorod-Oc3hjbXMQIOESt2YkRn5nUU9DDe4-wM6hOscirts8HumQ-JWXl__oze1W009z7Dl3ae/s320/DSC00530.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIChJfWheoJHH3pGD0HuaJDEAZ0qpI0Z5Pu9ti7RIxk540pNLZ7XSnIwUvHk8dto8NVCVyrSa5KHwgRWkUSAoHsG69z9xdUe1FgnThcfPlgCcViPNgvagHYsRb8gkaqEh5IaMxhWkzibQ/s1600/DSC00519.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696877354031523794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIChJfWheoJHH3pGD0HuaJDEAZ0qpI0Z5Pu9ti7RIxk540pNLZ7XSnIwUvHk8dto8NVCVyrSa5KHwgRWkUSAoHsG69z9xdUe1FgnThcfPlgCcViPNgvagHYsRb8gkaqEh5IaMxhWkzibQ/s320/DSC00519.jpg" /></a></p><p align="left">The fourth project was a service project in San Benito, Petén. <span style="color:#000000;"><em>(This is Elder Smith's current area of assignment.)</em></span> We had this activity on December 27th because of all of the meetings, Christmas Conferences and trainings held in December. We could not get to all of the places before Christmas. However, the missionaries were good sports about this and I thought that it just helped the season last a little bit longer. In Petén we were able to go to a Rest Home that houses about 90 people, around 70 men and 20 women. It is run completely by volunteers so you can guess that they need a little help. When asked what they might need, they told us that they needed food – just basic food. We were able to buy eggs, flour, beans, rice and powdered milk for them. When we got to the Home the missionaries helped us put together bags with socks, Chap Stick, razors, some smaller pictures of the Savior and some candy in each one. The missionaries then made sure that each person got a bag. The best part though was the time we each were able to spend with the residents there. They were wonderful. Some of our Q’eqchi speaking missionaries found a couple of people who spoke Q’eqchi and spent some time with them. We even met a couple who had just gotten married and they were both in their 90s. Before we left, we lined up in the hallway every other one facing opposite of each other so that we could see each person as we sang some Christmas hymns to them. It was wonderful and the Spirit was so strong. After we finished singing all of the little residents clapped. Our 4 Q’eqchi speaking Elders sang a Christmas song to our two new Q’eqchi friends. I loved seeing each missionary spending one on one time with each resident and I will never forget the sight of one of our missionaries holding the hand and talking to an older man who was in a wheelchair and was unable to move or speak. Thank you for helping to make this possible.<br /><br />With all of these activities and all of the effort and money that each of you went to, I keep thinking about the part of the baptismal covenant which tells us that part of the covenant is to “bear one another’s burdens.” This you truly did this Christmas season. Not only did you help the people of Guatemala and our missionaries but you helped ALL of us be a little less homesick as we found ourselves lost in the gift of thinking about someone else. Thank you.<br /><br />Well, this is long enough – SORRY!! I cannot express enough thanks for all that you have done in English or Spanish! Thank you, each one, for your kindness and generosity and once again, to those of you who are parents of our missionaries, Ed and I LOVE THEM DEARLY!!! We will forever be blessed because we have been privileged to know and serve with them. We hope that you have a wonderful, blessed New Year!<br />Love you, Hermana Watts</span></p><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">For more pictures, please click on the slideshow on the right sidebar titled "Christmas Service Projects 2011."</span></em>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-72241161573375835152012-01-09T19:22:00.000-07:002012-01-09T19:22:02.259-07:00At least the hospital had Air Conditioning!! That was nice...Hey Everyone!<br />Thanks so much for all the encouragement and prayers from back home!<br /><br />Well first off, the reason I didn't tell Sister Watts that I was in the hospital was because we don’t have a phone. Second, I was able to borrow a member's phone and made calls to the Zone Leaderss and the mission nurses, it's not my fault they didn't call Hna Watts.....haha. But all of that doesn’t really matter too much now....<br /><br />All I know is that I am kind of sick and tired of being sick all of the time! I don’t know how long it is going to take for me to recover from Pneumonia, but I just hope that it passes by fast. It stinks, I can’t even walk for a long time without feeling short of breath. I wanted to really work hard this last change to finish off my mission like I am supposed to. And now I can’t..... I am so done being sick. I am going to be reading and studying the scriptures a lot to find answers and to try and stay focused It worked for me last time I was sick. I hope I figure out what I am supposed to learn from all this. Everything always happens for a reason, I just have to figure out what that reason is.<br /><br />One thing I do know that I have learned through all the junk that I already went through is to just trust in the Lord. I know that I am in His hands and everything will work out just the way He wants it to. So I am just fine with that....And at least the hospital had Air Conditioning!! That was nice...<br /><br />Now I am trying to rest. I end up with headaches and body aches from lying down and doing nothing for such a long time though. Yeah, I will try not to push myself too much. I will be trying my best to balance working and resting. Right now, I just want to be healthy again. No, the dr didn’t tell me how long it will be until I should feel better. She really didn’t tell me anything. But I am taking 3 different meds. One for 5 days, one for 15 days, and another for 2 months. I will be home before all that is done with.<br /><br />We weren’t really able to work all week. But my comp is the man, so that is a good thing! He is being really patient about us not being able to go out and work like usual, so that is really good. At least we will get along great having to stay all cooped up more than normal. But it is going to be really hard to press things forward with the investigators that we have. Hopefully we will be able to do everything efficiently with the small time we have to work now. Nothing yet on the papers for the Fam. Can Tun, hopefully this week.<br />All is in the Lord's hands. <br />Stay Strong<br />Keep the Faith<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-69576682616552071192012-01-07T14:07:00.007-07:002012-01-07T14:17:59.817-07:00In the hospital!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFG19CW3dDug2mYWlp68zShc0YUNZAovvLt_Sh8zCu7_S5ObQyTVdyebSb87MqzuvT4jIKFUD0UaK0frShZu48VYzQJ63gUt7deZjhZgHcHopCSYhww1RyVi0m5Q9KLHYer6-4RgeMcq6q/s1600/DSC00138.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695000416326123714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFG19CW3dDug2mYWlp68zShc0YUNZAovvLt_Sh8zCu7_S5ObQyTVdyebSb87MqzuvT4jIKFUD0UaK0frShZu48VYzQJ63gUt7deZjhZgHcHopCSYhww1RyVi0m5Q9KLHYer6-4RgeMcq6q/s320/DSC00138.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#000000;">This photo is from July 2011 when Elder Smith was in the hospital for stomach pains. Now Pneumonia!....Good thing he will be home in 5 1/2 weeks because this Mom can't take much more of this!</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#000000;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#000000;">Emails received from Sister Watts (the mission president's wife). She is just the best to keep me informed and for loving her missionaries like her own. I'm so very thankful for her!!</span></em></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#003300;">6:34 am Friday January 6, 2012<br />Good Morning Leslie,<br />I just wanted to let you know that last week when I saw Elder Smith he said that he had had a cough and cold symptoms for about 2 weeks. I told him that if he was not feeling better by Friday that I wanted him to make an appointment and go see the Doctor. We have an excellent Doctor in Peten. He was obedient and made an appointment to see her on Monday. He has bronchitis and so is taking the medication necessary to get better. I will call him this morning to make sure that he is doing better. I just thought that you would like to know - not to worry you but to let you know that he is doing OK.<br /><br />2:32 pm<br />I have been trying to reach Elder Smith for the last couple of days just to check on him but have been unable to reach him. Now I know why.<br />I could not reach him on his phone and so I finally called the Z Leaders to see if they knew what was happening with him and found out that the Dr. and nurses in Peten put him in the hospital on Wednesday because he has pneumonia. I am sorry to tell you this in an e-mail - please forgive me. However, I did get him on a phone - he has borrowed the phone of a member - and I was able to talk with him. He is doing fine and is expected to be released today a 5:00. He has been on an IV and is receiving antibiotics. His new companion, Elder Asdel, has been with him. Yesterday the ZLs went to see him and said he looks great, but that the Dr. wants to be sure that he is well on his way to recovery before he is released. I am going to call him again at 4:00 this afternoon to make sure that he is well and is going to be released. I will send you another note back as soon as I finish talking with him OK?<br />I am sorry Leslie, but I really do believe that he is doing well. I will threaten him to tell me the truth AND I will also talk with his companion. Please try not to worry. We can be on a plane and in Peten first thing in the morning if we need to, but I do feel that everything is OK.<br />I will get another note to you within the hour.<br />Love you, Lorie<br /><br />4:22 pm<br />Ok Leslie, I just got off the phone with Elder Smith and he is doing well and is home. They have plenty of food and water and he is loaded up with all of the medicine that he needs. He is going to be resting for the next little while. I also talked with Elder Asdel, his companion, and he said that Elder Smith is taking his medicine and being obedient. I told Elder Adel that he was the boss of Elder Smith for the next few days and to make sure that he eats, that he continues to rest and take the medication. Elder Smith sounds great though. I did get after him just a little about not letting me know that he was in the hospital, but no one can be too cross with him for very long....<br />Everything is well now, please do not worry. We will stay in touch and let you know if there is anything else that comes up OK? He will be writing you this Monday. It is sunny and warm in Peten...<br />Love you, Lorie </span></div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-60787147104077137612012-01-03T19:11:00.002-07:002012-01-03T19:18:33.117-07:00I have had 8 areas and 17 companions so far<em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;">(Note from Mom: Stay tuned for some great pictures coming soon! I just need to download them from a disc that we got for Christmas!!)</span></em><br />Chaab'il Ak Chihab' choq' eereech!!(Happy New Year to you all!)<br />WHOO 2012!!! Ha I bet it is going to be crazy here in December next year since the Mayans are from here! I am glad that I won’t be here for that time. It could probably get dangerous!! Ha well more than it already is I guess...<br /><br />When I read that second sentence...ha you made me giggle. Thanks for the giggle you goofy mom you! Haha!<br /><br />I’m glad you all liked the gifts that I got you all! Wanna know the funny thing about those shoes I sent home? I only used them for like a year total. My other 2 pairs of shoes are almost as worse, one of them might be worse....I will bring them home and we shall compare!<br /><br />It was way too cold there on New Year's Eve huh? I still sweat like a chucho every day here! I don’t think I am going to survive once I get back home!<br /><br />WHOA! That is insane that my Homecoming is already scheduled. I better start thinking of what to talk about!! That would be super legit if we could sing that song....<br /><br />Interviews/Training with President: On Tuesday, we did a little service project at an Old Folks Home. There were 2 old people that spoke Q'eqchi' so that was fun for me and kinda funny too because the old lady that spoke Q'eqchi' kept swearing haha. And then we went and ate lunch, and then.....WATCHED A MOVIE!!!!! WITH PRESIDENT!!!!!! It was the movie Entangled! It was sooo good! I don’t know if it was good just cuz I haven’t seen a movie in so long or something, but I thought it was a good movie. And then on Wednesday we had interviews.<br /><br />We are still working with the papers for Fam Can Tun. But Adolfo is really close!! He read the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and could feel from what he read that he was truly a prophet of God. There is still something that is holding him back from being baptized, but it's something small I think, especially now that he has a testimony! He came to church yesterday too! I think he will be baptized soon. I really hope I will be able to baptize Fam Can Tun this last change too....PS I don’t have a change but my companion does...so hopefully I will be able to work well and united with my next/last companion...Crazy thing....I have had 8 areas and 17 companions in total...there are 16 changes. That is a lot more of both of those things than normal, but I have definitely learned lots from all those different experiences!<br /><br />Just a little note from last Pday....we played soccer against the Policeman from here in Santa Elena. A couple of the cops that were on duty came and watched, holding their big ol machine guns.....haha. And...We won! WHOOP!<br /><br />I’m going to end my letters each week of my last change with my testimony about a different gospel topic. I guess I should probably do it in English though, huh?<br />I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that by him, through him, and of him we are able to return into the presence of our Father in Heaven IF we do our part. This means, if we repent, and do everything we possibly can to follow him and his example. I know that he knows our sufferings to perfection and is willing to help us in every moment of trial that we have if are willing to be patient and humble ourselves and really put our trust in God's plan for us. I am grateful for him, and I can’t wait to be able to call him King when he is on the earth once again...<br /><br />Stay Strong<br />Keep the faith<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-7684691095311164472011-12-26T20:25:00.015-07:002011-12-26T22:22:06.429-07:00I have now seen 2 sides of Christmas hereHEY!<br />Nice Work on the Q'eqchi' mother face! Yeah that runt (Ryder) is huge! I was looking at some of the pictures of him from right before I left and he was just a tiny guy. Everybody is growing up! It's crazy!!!<br /><br />I am pretty sure the Guatemala City Temple is closing down soon, but I am not sure when or for how long.<br /><br />Ha you guys are lazy!! Opening presents at 11! Haha. I think it will probably take me about a week or so until I get back to that though. But I am going to try and wake up earlier now. I can just get soo much more things done. And I will probably end up going to the gym in the mornings. But like at around 8 or so...nothing too crazy early haha.<br /><br />That is a really interesting quote that you said about prayer! I have always tried to be thankful for things in my prayers, but now I will really think more about the way I thank the Lord for those things. I have gotten in a bad habit of sometimes just going through the motions of a prayer and not directly from my heart. I don’t do it all the time, but I notice it when it happens, and it's not good. I hope to improve. Thanks mom!<br /><br /><div align="left">For Christmas, the gift giving was really great! Stressful, but great! <em><span style="color:#000000;">(More details on this event are below in the higlights of our Christmas phonecall.)</span></em></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzPOLwkXZvaizvh0H1OYN1ijXe7W59rJ3ISESoctaRPsAHWfIqKb7vglUQuGpydQd5GPVDbUQ2CnFBvuLDf39WYMXXlPd7f7fkB1T76Uisk1cGT7Ce-_e5cUlIqH-XV_idw8CpQP8_0-g/s1600/DSC07634.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690670544254765426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzPOLwkXZvaizvh0H1OYN1ijXe7W59rJ3ISESoctaRPsAHWfIqKb7vglUQuGpydQd5GPVDbUQ2CnFBvuLDf39WYMXXlPd7f7fkB1T76Uisk1cGT7Ce-_e5cUlIqH-XV_idw8CpQP8_0-g/s320/DSC07634.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirySVIdgTm_mh1ByZcMJYdJ7sGhT3N6y729wG4RckEwy2rjSRjDPG8te5ZEMg4t7A8F-tQNOQSwB4sFVYcGi_FUVPg9mQBzRHOEwIdSR9azXpo8tqatCC84diK6OYS5mjo2ox-tslbD-H/s1600/DSC07633a.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690668907210141682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirySVIdgTm_mh1ByZcMJYdJ7sGhT3N6y729wG4RckEwy2rjSRjDPG8te5ZEMg4t7A8F-tQNOQSwB4sFVYcGi_FUVPg9mQBzRHOEwIdSR9azXpo8tqatCC84diK6OYS5mjo2ox-tslbD-H/s320/DSC07633a.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VofrBuvCvborl8w0dCayD72K4R9FV_bP1t0_u55D_GQelhcXWjsETp_itEZbLuCLcz9PlwimrPZABoGoYQy3Ofu7VFqnqheMByv4HIa646BocD3udKnIjv5usdJZv-J1rW3Oo_8YoQuW/s1600/DSC07629.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690667789737400194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VofrBuvCvborl8w0dCayD72K4R9FV_bP1t0_u55D_GQelhcXWjsETp_itEZbLuCLcz9PlwimrPZABoGoYQy3Ofu7VFqnqheMByv4HIa646BocD3udKnIjv5usdJZv-J1rW3Oo_8YoQuW/s320/DSC07629.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfYUOORV8w4FuvDNlmeAX-Irjp1mQ1z2Xk0qOHEVs2W2CWqYlO4cC0oxElsy_f-G5P4lUQ2-N9-SLi0OWrH8iMeqE3SC3pG4ovpK3SywEUAKcnsMQQAjBYJwQn84UWlVe-ONilSbbiLZt/s1600/DSC07638.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690669838402971570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRfYUOORV8w4FuvDNlmeAX-Irjp1mQ1z2Xk0qOHEVs2W2CWqYlO4cC0oxElsy_f-G5P4lUQ2-N9-SLi0OWrH8iMeqE3SC3pG4ovpK3SywEUAKcnsMQQAjBYJwQn84UWlVe-ONilSbbiLZt/s320/DSC07638.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBFMJs3uXL1kbF7oUiYVt5_fiqe1AwNozdMfd7oPlWb0Af_TEczJmW1U4xzu2TkISuo-_2HaQCVRTRQ9PxxFyKc_5EFziEDQJCGxwfbE5X6YvrMZ3hiqaSgk2NUHEB5iJwkpbWQ7jlSrT/s1600/DSC07647a.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 250px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690671443067747506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBFMJs3uXL1kbF7oUiYVt5_fiqe1AwNozdMfd7oPlWb0Af_TEczJmW1U4xzu2TkISuo-_2HaQCVRTRQ9PxxFyKc_5EFziEDQJCGxwfbE5X6YvrMZ3hiqaSgk2NUHEB5iJwkpbWQ7jlSrT/s320/DSC07647a.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div align="left">Then for Christmas Eve....I ate soooo much. The first family gave us 2 tamales. So I thought, hey....its not gonna be too bad after all! And then the next house we had a GIANT turkey leg with salad and rice. I was stuffed! And we had 1 more house to go! We went there and they gave us rice, and 3 huge pieces of different types of meat, and pasta salad, AND 1 tamale!! OHHH my.... I was soooo full! But it was great to spend my last Christmas like that. I have now seen 2 sides of Christmas here. 1 really humble Christmas and 1 Christmas full of food. It really has been so amazing experiencing both!<br /><br />Well it was great talking you all! I hope you have a great New Year mom and pops, even though you will be all alone like old fogies haha. But enjoy it! I love you guys! Have a great one!<br /><br />Stay Strong<br />Keep the Faith<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith<br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>Highlights of our Christmas Phonecall (12/25/11)<br />*He was able to put together 65 little bags of treats and toys from the things we sent him for the children in his branch. The elders in his district assembled them and gave them out at a branch activity. They had to supplement them with a little bit of candy that they bought there. They made some for the girls and different ones for the boys. It was a highlight of his Chrismtas this year to be able to do that.<br /><br />*Since fireworks run in the Smith blood, he was thrilled to see so many of them for Christmas. He even did a little mini tank wars in his neighborhood with just a few fireworks that he could afford! The people said, "What are you doing? Are you crazy taping all those fireworks together?" He replied, "Oh this is nothing...you should see what my family does when we get together and do them!" He said that we should start doing our own fireworks for Christmas back at home now.<br /><br />*He is looking forward to starting up back at BYU and said he is excited that they are one of two schools in the U.S. that offer a class in Mayan studies...definitely one he wants to take.<br /><br />*With only 7 weeks until he comes home we talked about what family vacation he would like to go on during Srping Break. We decided that it would be fun to go to New York, visit the city and also the church history sites and also venture down for a day or two in Washington D.C. Can't wait!<br /><br />*Our call got dropped three times so we had to keep calling back. Everytime he answered he did it with a little "Whoop" type sound. It's impossible to replicate with words but it's a silly little sound that he said is how people answer their phone there and greet each other especially in Polochic. Made us laugh!<br /><br />*He said that if he had the ultimate dream area to finish out his mission he would choose to go to Senahu in Polochic but that it is up to the Lord where he will go and he will be fine if he ends up staying in his current area.<br /><br />*Jake told him that he really wants to go to South Africa on his mission. Jordan said, "Oh I've heard that South Africa is the most dangerous mission in all the world. But guess what the 2nd most dangerous mission in the world is...Guatemala City North. Oh sorry Mom, but it's true!"<br /><br />*He is looking forward to zone conference this week and getting to visit with the A.P.'s who are two of his best friends in the mission. He is also excited to be with President and Sister Watts.<br /><br />*We closed our phone call with our tradition of family prayer. We asked Jordan to offer it this time in English since he's said it before in Spanish and in Qeqchi. It was a perfect way to end our Christmas day. His Grandma and Grandpa Howard had stopped by towards the end of his call and they enjoyed hearing his voice for a few minutes and feeling of his missionary spirit. </em></span></div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-84485465711684032732011-12-20T13:49:00.004-07:002011-12-20T14:01:04.489-07:00Me and my comp are gonna get fat from soo much candy!!HEY!<br />Ok this is what you need to do for the Christmas phone call..... hopefully that time works out for you guys, cuz you can’t really get a hold of me to tell me if it doesn’t haha. Our phone broke. And we are just borrowing a phone from members to be able to make the call. So I will be home at that time....Just give me a ring!<br /><br />Zone Conference isn’t until the last week of this change...but I did get my Christmas packages this week! We are going to organize the regalitos (presents) you sent for all the kids at district meeting and hand them out at a branch activity! The candy with the scriptures is really creative! I like it a lot, really! Thanks Mom! Me and my comp are gonna get fat from soo much candy!! Thank you a lot!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBDp6aeacyqdJfSFRwUn9cUk04lFP9aYXYCe4sqA21gdTkVLgnqIXQlE_9tFoQhT08zxePJVKdrh4yQE_-F1UfQqdQJVElzsHzGM6rV5L8gCu9ZeMXltfqtGv6Oybn7QRi-UdW8oYLpat/s1600/CIMG6078.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688316413968043170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBDp6aeacyqdJfSFRwUn9cUk04lFP9aYXYCe4sqA21gdTkVLgnqIXQlE_9tFoQhT08zxePJVKdrh4yQE_-F1UfQqdQJVElzsHzGM6rV5L8gCu9ZeMXltfqtGv6Oybn7QRi-UdW8oYLpat/s320/CIMG6078.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>(Note from Mom: I sent Jordan and his companion candy and a coordinating scripture to open and enjoy each day of December up to Christmas!)</em></span></div><br /><div align="left">I am pretty sure that my bum is going to fall off from the cold in Utah when I get home! Sometimes in the morning here I think it is cold and it is like 73 degrees! I am going to die!<br /><br />Familia Can Tun......so close.....kinda.....Things got really complicated. This is what's going on and why the papers have taken a long time. The husband of the family had papers but they were stolen by his brother....and his brother then used them to get married under his name! So basically his identity was stolen, and it is complicated to be able to get it all fixed....we are thinking to just have him change his name and get papers with that new name, but he has to prove that he was born here and isn’t an extranjero and stuff like that. ESTÁ LOCA LA CASACA! Hopefully we will get it all figured out, and fast, because they really have their hopes up to be baptized on the 31st....and if it is going to continue to cost money, I am thinking about paying it.....but it is more costly. The branch helped a lot and already raised money for them to help them out, but we will see how it goes. They are not doing very well economically, so its just rough.....Be praying hard for them. They have been trying to get baptized for a good 8-9 months now....<br /><br />Our other prospect is Adolfo Moya. He is really intelligent and has read the whole Triple as well as numerous Liahonas, but he has had a problem of asking questions and holding on to doubts that really don’t matter too much, and that don’t pertain to his salvation. But I think he will be able to be baptized. He has taken a big step recently in trying to leave behind those doubts and focusing on Joseph Smith, to see if he really was a prophet of our Lord Jesus Christ.....I pray that he will be able to gain a testimony of all that pertains to the restoration soon....then he will be baptized!<br /><br />Yeah, it was truly amazing to hear from David in Carchá, I am truly grateful to the Lord for allowing His Spirit to work through me in such a way....=)<br /><br />The branch (Santa Elena) and the district (San Benito) have a choir. They have been traveling around Peten and have been putting on shows and stuff like that. They are not too bad actually...ha well the District choir anyways....Speaking of that. We had all the branches sing at a district activity. And during the activity, another elder and I sung a Christmas hymn in Q'eqchi'! Ha that is the first time that I have sung a duet in front of so many people. Ha it’s funny though, I don’t really get nervous singing in front of the people here compared to back home....but it went well! But I don’t have any pics of it....we kinda just did it last second without really practicing or anything....haha but it went well..<br /><br />Well that is about all that happened this week! I can’t wait to talk to you all on Sunday! Have a great week and a Chaab'il Ralankil ut jun li Chaab'il Ak' Chihab'. I love you! Have a fun Christmas with the fam!<br /><br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith</div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-79413736054796765322011-12-12T20:22:00.006-07:002011-12-12T20:33:06.957-07:00Truly, the Spirit was there in rich abundance!What's up!!!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyNvbNV83JtzpBIGO0voQ9NqsBhl3Rvpyc5jwlhH5SSTu9i2vJ9ymJ_fVAKjKSmbWIkRYAUADunlP0dJUrUjqHY3rubLuNVNqE7aCGvROWDpJC4_NmXVgSUYzvcJ_5dHsOV4az9kfpseD/s1600/P1060466.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 321px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685447973793382978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyNvbNV83JtzpBIGO0voQ9NqsBhl3Rvpyc5jwlhH5SSTu9i2vJ9ymJ_fVAKjKSmbWIkRYAUADunlP0dJUrUjqHY3rubLuNVNqE7aCGvROWDpJC4_NmXVgSUYzvcJ_5dHsOV4az9kfpseD/s320/P1060466.JPG" /></a></div><div align="left">Above is a picture of David, my convert from Carcha. I got transferred the week before his baptism, but he emailed me some pictures and a really awesome letter thanking me for finding him and teaching him and bringing the gospel to him! He thanked me for changing his life and for the friendship that we developed. I love him!<br /><br />I will try and look for a nativity set for you Mom. They probably have a few here since their is an island called Flores and they sell a whole bunch of crap for tourists and what not. I will try and find one today, or next week!<br /><br />That is sweet that the Torres' are doing that for the Juarez Family. The dad, Lázaro, is in the Branch Presidency in Sayaxchè now! I was able to see him, his wife and Abel at the Temple Dedication this last Sunday! 2 other kids from their family, Raul and Leticia, went to Quetzaltenango for the Dedication! It was really neat to see other members from Sayaxchè too!! It is weird to think that I left that area more than a year ago!<br /><br />Speaking of the Quetzaltenango Temple Dedication....it was amazing! Truly, the Spirit was there in rich abundance! Seeing that happen was a true testimony builder and I felt the Spirit stronger than I have felt in a little while testifying to me yet again of the truthfulness of this great work that the Lord is bringing to pass on the earth in these, the last days! I am grateful for the opportunity of being able to see the dedication of that new House of the Lord.<br /><br />That is pretty cool that Elder Howard went over to the house to party it up with Fast. Ha it is funny that every body is already partying at my house and I am not even there yet! Not too much longer though, just gotta keep working hard and pushing forward till the end!<br /><br />I hope things go better for you and your job Mom. The Lord has a plan and reason for everything. It will all work out, it always does!<br />That is a good win for the Cougs! Hey so who is all in the BCS games?<br />How many new cousins do I have that I don’t know? There are a buttload huh! It's gonna be crazy to see all those new little faces when I get back home.<br /><br />NO!! Grandma and Grandpa Howard can’t come up to Lehi and live with Pam. Where are we going to have family meetings, and the 4th of July?! It just won’t work! Haha it will be way better if they stay down there in Provo!<br /><br />I am starting to feel a little more comfortable in my area. Even though I am still not used to speaking Spanish so much. But I guess that is good for me since I will be using that a lot more once I am home. And things with my comp are improving little by little. I am trying to improve my patience and trying to focus on my studies and the work to help make the time go by faster, its working so far! The district is pretty fun. We have some chill, hard working elders, so it’s great. I really don’t know very many people from the zone since the zone is so spread out. It is pretty much just our district and the ZLs that do stuff on Pdays and what not.. It’s all good though!<br /><br />We are going to be able to baptize that family soon too. Familia Can Tun. They speak Q'eqchi'!!!....well I think they do....they won’t ever speak it to me, but the little things I have said to them they understand.....But anyways. Their challenge is that they aren’t married!! Who would have thought!??! Welcome to Guatemala! But they couldn’t get married because they didn't have the papers to do so!! BUT....now they have their papers and can get married....IF they get the money to do so. They already owe the lawyer money so he wants at least a little of the money they owe before he will perform the marriage. I think they can do it though. They are a great family with lots of faith. They are always the first ones in the building on Sunday! We hope to baptize them by the 31st. Pray that it all works out ok?<br /><br />Well everything is going well here, I hope you have a great week! I love you all!<br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith</div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-28465433475559169802011-12-06T11:38:00.004-07:002011-12-06T11:50:44.873-07:00We are teaching a family of 4!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5kHQW7lFJHpZKQltehxQLm_fGsGUxIp9CU1kMVtWIh0GI25EOmyGswHoQ0wmBs3JtMgIW4ZVaDvnclqJHeUtnaWMa0vWXiwbOomA2g6pMdmNVPui6gcV8l1-7zbKQYTzVTbNG1QWZjLg/s1600/DSC07599.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683088051852393090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5kHQW7lFJHpZKQltehxQLm_fGsGUxIp9CU1kMVtWIh0GI25EOmyGswHoQ0wmBs3JtMgIW4ZVaDvnclqJHeUtnaWMa0vWXiwbOomA2g6pMdmNVPui6gcV8l1-7zbKQYTzVTbNG1QWZjLg/s320/DSC07599.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMU_Uk1O3pkNf-vjW2i_v1VhZxmL7hMacBFwWOIJ2ExQPJBy2NckJ3WE-3MIK2RmXy7Sur4Nl1RMfUkBPDSb7-CPWLVxXgplCtb-jwWhStQeV02ZTwDK4GJEXas6selqKln_3fs5i7Xfb/s1600/DSC07598.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683088048072919362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMU_Uk1O3pkNf-vjW2i_v1VhZxmL7hMacBFwWOIJ2ExQPJBy2NckJ3WE-3MIK2RmXy7Sur4Nl1RMfUkBPDSb7-CPWLVxXgplCtb-jwWhStQeV02ZTwDK4GJEXas6selqKln_3fs5i7Xfb/s320/DSC07598.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div align="left">Hi Mom!<br />Well it's going I guess! Honestly, it has been going a little better. I have tried, like I have before, to try and focus on the good things, and the work to get my mind off the lame stuff, but ahí vamos.... And so sorry, I thought I answered those questions....I am in Santa Elena 1. My comp is Elder José Roque Sermeño, from Sonsonate, El Salvador. It is his 3rd change in the mission. I have been wondering the same thing as to why I am in this area....I really enjoyed Carchá, and I had great comps last change, so the adjustment has been tough. I have prayed a lot to find out what the will of the Lord is for me in this area and to be able to find my niche here (or my purpose, in better words). I am going to work hard to find out that thing and focus on it instead of all the stuff, like you said. The days go by a lot slower than they did last change. The time I have felt here so far, is the same time I felt for all of last change. So that is kind of annoying. But I don't know....everything happens for a reason. I just have to work hard until that reason is revealed to me.<br /><br />HAHA that's pretty funny about Allison and driving. As long as I never enter into a car that she is driving in, I will be fine! Oh and about her dating soon....not happening! haha<br /><br />For pday today, we played soccer, and basketball and then went to BK for lunch...<br />People in my district.....E. Eskelsen and E. Cerón are tight. They both played football before, so we get along good. and then there is E. Hopkins, he is tight too. Then my comp, and E. Bravo, the district leader from my group. I don't really know anybody from the zone....Which is also really lame. I don't really know anybody outside of Coban and Polochik.....<br />my area is kinda like Sayaxche, but not as pretty....the people live the same as they did in Sayaxche....and there aren't any new fun food stories here.....<br />Favorite thing so far this change...the weather. Its not hot like last time Ii was here in Peten. But its not freezing like it is in Coban. Its just nice and frescito the whole time...<br />I have no idea when the Christmas Conference is, we should find out next week I think though because the ZL's will be coming back from concilio with all of that info! But it shouldnt be too much longer!!!<br /><br />We are close to putting a fecha with this man, Adolfo. He is really pilas and has read the Book of Mormon and Doc. and Cov. and the Pearl of Great Price already! But he just doesn't seem to be ready to receive an answer because he just wants to know more and more instead of relying on faith to make a decision. Hopefully he will be able to be baptized here soon. And we are also teaching a family of 4! They need to be married before they get baptized. But they need their papers. They almost have it all done though. We are helping them finish that up and they should be baptized by the end of this month, so that is really exciting!!<br /><br />Well I hope you have a great week and that all is well back at home! I love you all and I will talk to you soon!<br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith </div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-86620897187915039192011-11-29T14:12:00.003-07:002011-11-29T14:19:09.601-07:00Week 93Hey Hey!<br /><br />Yeah, it does kind of stink that I wasn't able to see David be baptized, but he did get baptized and received the Priesthood too! So that is SUPER COOL!! But all was in the hands of the Lord.<br /><br />My new area.....honestly, I don't really like it too much yet. And I don't really know any of the members yet either. Most of them went to the Temple Open House over in Quetzaltenango. So they haven't been home this last week. Living conditions....I live in tiny cuartito....I don't mean to be so bitter, but I don't want to lie and say that it is all great and dandy. Let's just say that this is going to be a long change. I hope I can come to understand why the Lord needs me here.....I miss speaking Q'eqchi' already....ok enough complaining.... <span style="color:#006600;">(Note from Mom: Hmmm....I sure wish he would have remembered to mention the name of his new area and who his companion is!)</span><br /><br />The packages should get here in a couple weeks. It just depends on when we have Christmas Conference up here in the zone. Until then will I receive them...Was grandma able to get the stuff that I sent down to the office yet?<br /><br />We do have someone that is a possibilty in the area though. He has read the Book of Mormon twice already and he wants to keep learning more and more. Which is kind of a problem because the things he doesn't know makes a little stumbling block for him. However, he is praying and he came to church on Sunday! So we shall see how it goes for him.<br /><br />Well that is about all for this week. Hopefully all improves and that I know why I am supposed to be here. I love you all and I hope you have a great week!<br /><br />Stay Strong<br />Keep the Faith<br />Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-63399789226474391652011-11-22T18:47:00.002-07:002011-11-22T18:53:34.053-07:00A disappointing weekWell hello there!<br /><br />Well this week was kind of the story of my mission. David called us mid week and said he didn't have time this week to get baptized. We had to postpone his baptism until next week. Selvin bailed to the Capital working, so who knows when he will be back. He doesn't answer our phone calls either. And we haven't really been able to teach those new people because they have been busy...so until next week we shall see what happens....Which is another thing, I won't even be here next week!!!! I have a change, and so does Elder Olson, Elder Ware and both of the Hermanas in Carcha. They are whitewashing the whole place!! Missionaries are going to walk right into baptisms in this area. I hope I find success in my next area. I find out tomorrow where I am going. I wish I was training here in Carcha, but I guess the Lord has a different plan for me. So we shall see how it all turns out!<br /><br />Crazy that Britni Smith got married on Sat. It would've been great to have gotten her invite earlier because Elder Ware knows her too! Ha crazy huh?! But that's still super cool! I didn't realize when Ben came home either! Him and Jeremy Holland were like the first of my buddies to head out. Which is really weird because Ike, Shay, and Josh all get home this upcoming change, and then I will be back! So crazy how fast that time went!<br /><br />Nothing really big happened this week. We just worked like normal, receiving the disappointments for our baptisms, and then we all got changes! So we shall see what all goes down for changes and what not! I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic day and week! <br /><br />OH I totally forgot. We had Stake Conference this last week. It was with everyone here in Guatemala and Belize. But it was broadcast from Utah. Elder Holland and President Uchtdorf spoke, and then.....HNA TORRES directed the intermediate hymn! It was super cool to see her again!<br />Anyways, that's all, I love you all! Peace and love!!<br />Stay Strong<br />Keep the Faith<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-71499116600538343732011-11-15T17:15:00.002-07:002011-11-15T17:18:13.469-07:00We had an American Thanksgiving!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcktpt0oP5UFtI0y1-LS2jAq2onXXc8Nmg-hGIH5h9S7ZrMy_IdEGGKZPpREsCE9cQQFTRerhUGjpXssuV4s1-Ft5OdGJnNKR9ABv2uoFO6WHdHXvPTnMHFMct6rwnz1KEbZqjlds5COfW/s1600/IMG_0641%255B1%255D%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675380917127157282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcktpt0oP5UFtI0y1-LS2jAq2onXXc8Nmg-hGIH5h9S7ZrMy_IdEGGKZPpREsCE9cQQFTRerhUGjpXssuV4s1-Ft5OdGJnNKR9ABv2uoFO6WHdHXvPTnMHFMct6rwnz1KEbZqjlds5COfW/s320/IMG_0641%255B1%255D%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br />BUEEENOOOO!!! (greeting to contact a house, to say hi)</div><br /><div align="left">That is so sick that you got to see Fast! I am jealous! He is the man. He really was an amazing missionary and a just a great guy. Love that kid! Stinks that the other speaker left him no time and he couldn’t really give his talk at his homecoming. Stupid guy. That is super crazy though that he is going to come to Utah to go to school, and even crazier that he is going to be living with us! That is pretty sick, not gonna lie!!! And I think that will definitely be a help to me to have him around and not have as much companion separation anxiety, Ha ha.<br /><br />News Response:<br />No way!!! Cat is engaged! Do you know the name of the person? I doubt I know who it is, but that is just crazy! Sweet though! Tell her congrats for me!<br />Toni is going on a mission huh?! WOW! I can honestly say that I never saw that coming. But super cool and pilas of her to be doing that!<br />That is pretty sweet that you got to meet that Peter Mourick guy. That is like saying that you have a mutual connection to the Prophet!! Lucky!!! (napoleon dynamite voice) haha<br /><br />I loved that story about Ezra. Especially since it was just a little holiday like Veterans day. Don’t tell him about Martin Luther King Jr Day and Columbus Day, there are practically holidays every day! I will so kidnap him one day though and play games with him all day…and not on a holiday!<br /><br />Well this week was pretty successful! We had as many news (new investigators) and lessons with a member this week than the other 4 weeks combined this whole change! It was good to actually get a little help and to find a few more cool people.<br /><br />We had to change one of our fechas from this week to the next. But David is definitely getting baptized this week! I am super excited for that one! And then Selvin has a few challenges to overcome. His wife doesn’t really want him to be baptized, but he knows he needs to, and he has a great desire to be baptized as well because he knows that this church is true. He called us this morning about all of it. We will be praying a lot to figure out how to best help him. We want what is best for him, but we don’t want to tear the family apart either. So we shall see how that goes. We have a cita with him tomorrow.<br /><br />I also finished the Book of Mormon this last week! I began 6 weeks ago! I finished it on 11/11/11. That makes it the 4th time that I have read it on my mission. And I am still understanding new things that I didn’t see beforehand. Super sweet. I just started reading the Old Testament again. I hope to finish it before I go home.<br /><br />Today for pday we had a pretty sweet zone activity! WE HAD AN AMERICAN THANKSGIVING! With stuffing, potatoes, turkey, pies, rolls, and everything! It was sweet! Especially since for last thanksgiving I ate some beans in a can with a bag of chips! So big of a difference, but so nice.<br /><br />I will try and send some pics soon! Sorry that I have been kind of lazy with that.<br />Well that is all for this week. I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you all soon!<br /><br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan Smith </div>Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-63345137085767533542011-11-07T20:47:00.003-07:002011-11-07T20:55:55.133-07:00There is always stuff we need to work onHey there peeps!! <br />That’s sick about your job Mom. It worked out just perfectly! What an amazing blessing that must have been!<br /><br />That’s good that grandma will be here the 20th. Because changes are on the 22nd and I will be able to send you guys your Christmas presents home with her! That's what the money that I took out of my account was for by the way. . . Christmas presents for you mom, Dad, Jake, and Allison I will need to pull out that same amount again to finish it all off. Oh and I'm gonna need some travel money when that day comes because I can almost guarantee that my suitcases will be overweight. I have about 104 ties right about now too! I will be coming home with lots of those, but not all of them. But I’m planning on my suitcases to be a little bit pesaditas!<br /><br />That’s sweet that Carlos and Julie had another baby. AH!!!!! There are sooo many new cousins of mine that have been born since I’ve left....it is gonna take me a little while just to get all of their names down! <br /><br />Well, working on the 1st and 2nd this past week were just horrible. And then yesterday they had the final elections for the new president here, so no one was home! It was really lame. We ended up just walking forever to find someone out in the streets at least. Lame sauce. But we did have a good lunch with some members for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on the 1st. We ate Fiambre. Practically the same thing that Tia Carmen made for us that one time. It was pretty good I guess. Lots of beets and lots of gross sausages, but it wasn’t too bad. The members that we ate with are really cool though, so it all made up for it.<br /><br />Well our investigators are doing great! Selvin and David are both on track for their baptisms on the 19th! But the only problem is, we haven’t found anybody more besides them. So I’m not sure what we are going to do when they get baptized. We shall see I guess! <br /><br />This last week hit the day of 2 years since I got my mission call. Crazy!! Last year I was in Sayaxchè with Elder Toolson and we had a baptism! The year before, opening my call at BYU. So weird to think how fast the time flies. <br /><br />In reply to Dad’s email:<br />Sup Father Face!<br />That would be nuts if BYU played Utah again in the infamous Vegas Bowl! If they do, they better win! But are you serious about the NBA Season?! That is insane that they haven’t solved all that crap! Super lame! At least the NFL is on. I wonder if I will make it back for the superbowl or not. I doubt it, but I will just watch it later anyways, so it doesn’t matter I guess.<br /><br />I really liked all that stuff you learned about in Stake Conference. Yes, there is always stuff we need to work on. It’s kind of been a weight on me, and super annoying about some of the people here. When they hear a talk that says anything about our needing to improve, they immediately take it offensively and think that it’s just cincho. It’s just the attitude/culture here I guess. It’s not everyone, but mostly. I love it here, don’t get me wrong. But certain things get old after a while if you know what I mean...<br /><br />My health is great! My knee is just fine, and the meds I was on for my weird pains, well I was slowly weaning myself off of them, but I have since run out of them... But I am really doing fine, not even any signs of stress, or weird pains at all. So it’s all good!!<br /><br />Well I really wish that I had more to write, but this week was kind of a lame week. Next week will be better though. I love you guys and have a fantabulous next week!<br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-71623470343337549902011-10-31T19:54:00.002-06:002011-10-31T20:06:13.274-06:00I can't think of the word in English....Well hey there all you ugly people,<br />(As grandpa would say haha)<br /><br />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!!<br /><br />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.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">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. </span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#000000;"></span></em><br />I have played the piano a few times every now and then out here, but not that much.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <em><span style="color:#000000;">(p. 74 in the Ensign).</span></em> She was super excited when we showed it to her. She will be getting one soon.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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)--- <em><span style="color:#000000;">(unfortunately mom doesn’t know Spanish slang, but I think it's a joking way of reprimanding)</span></em> --- 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!<br /><br />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?<br />Have a great next week too! Peace and love!<br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-91236340870977882062011-10-24T20:24:00.001-06:002011-10-24T20:29:20.362-06:00The Lord's ministering angels protect His servants at every momentWhat’s UP!?!<br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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!<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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! <br /> <br />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!<br /> <br />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! <br /><br />Maajaruj b'exkanab' chixb'aanunkil li us… May you all never stop doing good!<br />Stay Strong<br />Keep the Faith<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-1137221915577521762011-10-18T15:24:00.007-06:002011-10-18T15:56:15.566-06:00I am Polochic baggy right nowHELLO!<br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>Our family letter to Elder Smith this week was entitled “Que Pasa?” – What’s happening? So to that he replied:<br /></em></span>You gotta say.... “Que pasa calabaza?”<br />and the answer is .....“Nada nada limonada.”<br />Great joke huh? Ha ha ha!!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvehAHm5Tdg_E8Wqzpz4kCDtyH7GdlbjMRcGUStT90Fr_kgkHAJHTwYCM4ePTMQkzAt1UjhP93wr4qDhyphenhyphenFL8FMIRjkQnxYvw3ZkWjdjR_wy7cCqkrCxKtSreiAMxMM7-z1vgXdeqsV6Fe8/s1600/DSC07238.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664932129192004786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvehAHm5Tdg_E8Wqzpz4kCDtyH7GdlbjMRcGUStT90Fr_kgkHAJHTwYCM4ePTMQkzAt1UjhP93wr4qDhyphenhyphenFL8FMIRjkQnxYvw3ZkWjdjR_wy7cCqkrCxKtSreiAMxMM7-z1vgXdeqsV6Fe8/s320/DSC07238.JPG" /></a></div>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.<br /><br />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!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaEGjThWxsCARCuBA0HvjBw9YzvSuJebhdtdDO7YkCFsmPctY7qg-01BzeYMcRrSiUe3ZJIytgG8tXPiecMfZJkBeObyrl-n38PAe3dT4greVxCH0fwg5T0D2by3PfSACF5e1WTpwtFk7/s1600/DSC07380a.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664932860796862274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaEGjThWxsCARCuBA0HvjBw9YzvSuJebhdtdDO7YkCFsmPctY7qg-01BzeYMcRrSiUe3ZJIytgG8tXPiecMfZJkBeObyrl-n38PAe3dT4greVxCH0fwg5T0D2by3PfSACF5e1WTpwtFk7/s320/DSC07380a.jpg" /></a><br />(photo of Concepcion and her family after her baptism last week)</div>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!<br /><br />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!!!<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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!!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugG2lFZzP0wFT5UWRlLP6LH9Z5IpSBD0yX5YrqbVMH85o5I-Tna5vY1hF1n79zJreTG59gjwpthIE2lER41Y7-1AZIhy0ZGEUOjhcBbL7xm9IuDZjrgjZR9lPTrId65R34IGt6ZZPO_F9/s1600/DSC07341a.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 240px; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664932856773305346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugG2lFZzP0wFT5UWRlLP6LH9Z5IpSBD0yX5YrqbVMH85o5I-Tna5vY1hF1n79zJreTG59gjwpthIE2lER41Y7-1AZIhy0ZGEUOjhcBbL7xm9IuDZjrgjZR9lPTrId65R34IGt6ZZPO_F9/s320/DSC07341a.jpg" /></a><br />Photo of the "Turkey Experience" from last week.</div><br />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....<br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>(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.” </em></span><br />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'.<br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>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.</em></span><br /><br />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.<br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>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.</em></span><br /><br />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'.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">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.</span></em><br /><br />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.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">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.</span></em><br /><br />Nannaw naq wi junelik taqapaab'eb' lix taqlahom li Nimajwal Ajaw, tookole'q.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">I know that if we always follow the commandments of God, we will be saved.</span></em><br /><br />Nannaw ajwi' naq Lix Hu Laj Mormon a'an li raatin li Yos chi tz'aqal.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">I know also that the Book Of Mormon is the word of God (perfectly.</span></em><br /><br />Ontaw lix nawom inch'ool a'in xmaak naq ontijok chirix, ut li Ajaw ohye wech naq yaal rik'in lix Musiq'.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">I found this knowledge of my heart because I prayed about it, and the Lord told me it was true with His Spirit.</span></em><br /><br />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'.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">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</span></em>.<br /><br />Nannaw chixjunil a'in chi anchal inch'ool. A'an a'in lix nawom inch'ool chi tz'aqal.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">I know all of this with all of my heart. This is truthfully the knowledge of my heart.</span></em><br /><br />Nanye eerech li waatin a'in sa' xk'ab'a' li Kriist. Amen. Jo'kan taxaq.<br /><em><span style="color:#000000;">I say this, my word, to you in the name of Christ. Amen. Let it be.</span></em><br />Keep the Faith.<br />Stay Strong.<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-139018406479772073.post-46285025866232849852011-10-12T20:59:00.005-06:002011-10-12T21:29:23.310-06:00I could see the difference in her face!HEY!!<br />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...<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.'' <span style="font-size:130%;">WHAT?!</span> 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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!!!<br /><br />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!<br />Stay Strong.<br />Keep the Faith.<br />Love Elder Jordan SmithLesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01008780456923132000noreply@blogger.com0