So first off, Addi, you looked stinkin' beautiful! Sounds like a fun week with skiing and all! And I love the joke Mom and Dad! Haha And Chan you are nuts! I was laughing out loud in the library and everyone was looking at me! And Alex I hope you are tearing it up on the hill and I know you got a b-day coming up!!!! Next week I’ll have an email just for you!!
So this week was tough...on Tuesday night me and Elder Stevens got back to our apartment at 9 and Elder Papa our senior missionary was there waiting. He told Elder Stevens that his father had passed away that night and to call President. He spent some time on the phone with President and then I talked to him for a few minutes. My heart was just aching for him. That night he asked me to give him a blessing, which was pretty amazing.... The next morning we had some french toast and eggs to cheer him up. He is absolutely the most amazing Elder. That morning he woke up with a smile on his face and just knew that he was going back to work. The famous Elder Steven’s quote is, "Everything happens for a reason." And so that’s all he said and we got back to work and had the best week ever! We exceeded all our goals and found tons of new people to teach and set a bunch of B.D.s! I just love that kid!
So everyone says Laredo is the most evil place in the mission. Satan has a pretty good grip over these people and it’s pretty sad how much sleeze and temptation is all around. It’s hard to work through all of that but its amazing that the Lord can still soften and prepare the hearts of these people for this gospel. We still haven’t had a baptism, but we know we are going to baptize. We have a lot of B.D.’s set we just need to keep them progressing! These people are hard to get keeping commitments!!! But it’s funny because my first week it was all about numbers to me but now it doesn’t even matter because I just want to see these people changed and coming to Christ. And I want to see them in the waters. And I have faith that it will happen soon.
Just a quick example, one of our investigators Angel (Spanish) has a smoking problem so we had a fast with him. Angel’s only 22 so he’s pretty young but he has shown so much faith and since our fast he hasn’t even had the desire to smoke. It has been such a miracle.
So my last funny story! We got in kind of a sketchy situation with this guy and let’s just say he didn’t have a very good spirit about him. And he was short and had a pretty creepy smile! haha And he had a beer in one hand and we could tell he was wasted. And so he walks up to us like he is gonna do something and stops when he gets to us and just smiles and says in a raspy voice, "Are you Christians?" Us: "Well yes, we believe in Christ." Him: "Can a Christian kill another Christian?” And then he takes a step towards us and we’re both like, WOW! haha So I like hop off by bike and step back...and the first answer that came to my mind was, "Wwwelll, they probably shouldn’t!" haha
But it’s all good in the Dirty South! I’m safe, happy, and I miss you all a heck of a lot! Well my dear family, that’s all for this week! I hope you know how much a love you!
Until next Monday,
les amo, Elder Smith
