Hey guys! Man another week come and gone! This week has been ridiculous haha! It was good to start the weekend with some great emails from you all! You’re the best! Y'all are starting to speak trunky. Stay with me family, you can make it! Let’s just say, it really set in this week giving my dying testimony at Zone Conferences. It was the worst. Because these are the last Zone Conferences until December. It felt like a waste because I don’t feel like I’m “dying” so it was just a normal testimony. But I have to give it 5 times, once at each Zone Conference. The good news is, it doesn't ever set in so I’m doing great! We are still baptizing!
I was happy to hear everything went so well with Marivi and her family. I’m glad her Mom still loves me. We were pretty close, but our last lesson was kind of a throw down, and I wasn't sure how she felt about me. Sometimes it’s tough to be firm with people you love, but sometimes its necessary. Glad all went well, thank you so much!!
This week has been pretty wild. We spent as much time as we could with O. and S. Cantu getting them ready for their interviews, which are today and their baptisms tomorrow! Unfortunately, we had almost no time in our area, not in Mcallen. Monday was our only day of proselyting and then Tuesday we headed to Laredo for Zone Conference. It was super funny because we almost ran out of gas and I got pulled over but I put on the puppy dog face and he let me of. I put on my Nacho Libre voice and told him that “this is the Lord's car”. He bought it:) It was strange being in Laredo. I gave a testimony there about 20 months ago as a new missionary and then this week I gave my last one. Kinda bitter sweet. Conference went really well though. We got back pretty late and the next morning we woke up really early to head to Harlingen for Zone Conference. It was a GREAT day and it was really special for me. I talked to the Sisters who served in part of my old area in San Benito....They told me the family that I found and taught that couldn’t get baptized (Minerva and Ramiro) are finally getting baptized. They got everything figured out for their marriage and wedding. It was the best news I’ve heard almost my whole mission. They asked if I could come down for the baptism but Orlando and Stacey get baptized at the same time Sunday. I donno what I’m gonna do, but it'll work out. The other cool thing is a guy I taught there that got baptized 2 weeks after I left, has received the Melchizedek Priesthood and is gonna baptize them all. SO COOL! The other cool news was another family we found in Brownsville got baptized last Sunday. Super cool stuff!
So after that, we booked it back and had an awesome lesson with the Cantu family. They are soo amazing! I know I always say this, but literally, they are the most prepared family I have ever taught. SO PREPARED! They are in Mosiah and read as a family every night. They are super excited about baptism. When I asked Stacey if she was ready for her interview, she said "I’m just nervous because sometimes I forget Nephi’s 3 brothers’ name. "Don’t worry Stacey, they won’t ask you that.” haha! They are great. I really love them! I am willing to bet that in 2 years Orlando will be an Elders Quorum President. He's a boss.
Then late that night we left to go to Rio Grande City for an exchange. We got called half way through the exchange on Thursday and had to go pick a missionary up and drive him to Laredo, then take another to the airport in Laredo Friday morning. I was SO sick of the car at this point haha! But we made it alright. We got to play some Laredo volleyball early Friday morning after about 4 hours of sleep and then got him to the airport and got on the road back to McAllen. It was our P-day so we spent half of it driving and the other half napping haha! Then last night we went to a fiesta to celebrate Mexico's Independence! It was boss!! Man, we had a ton of fun. We had a bunch of investigators there! Santi (Santiago), Orlando and Stacey’s son was the star of the Primary’s dance and they loved it. I was so proud! It was great to see the Aguas family perform too and Emmanuel got up and danced haha! Brother Rodrigues was there with the priesthood putting everything together. ALL boss members! I was so proud and we laughed and sang and had a great time with the ward. I really love it here:)
So today we are running all over with the interviews, a training, and lessons, and it’s good to be back home. I’m not looking forward to next week’s Zone Conferences a ton, but we are ready to go. We will hit up Corpus next week and then be here in McAllen for the other. IT’LL BE GREAT!
It’s good to stay busy, but sometimes I wanna slow down to just enjoy the mission. Unfortunately, the only way you can really enjoy it, is if you’re running around crazy teaching, chasing people down, yelling at them, and baptizing. Unfortunately that’s what makes the time go faster. But I do love every moment. The mission is the greatest thing that has every happened to me. I realized that this is very much home for me now:)
But, we are gonna hit it hard next week once again! Finish this week with 2 amazing baptisms and keep them coming! There’s too many prepared people and not enough time! I love you all so much and I pray that you are all safe!
I LOVE YOU! So much!
Elder Smith
