"It is good to finally have time to write to you. Our p-day was switched because we went to the zoo for a zone activity and it is closed on Mondays. It was so much fun and I am exhausted, but I will still try to send a good letter home."
"This week went by really fast. I can hardly believe that it is already over. It was a good week. We went to work and everything just kinda worked out. I am excited because we have a lot of people that are progressing and that are really close to a baptismal date. I fasted for them this last Sunday. The Lord works in mysterious ways. It is interesting because we started to teach another one of Paula's friends. She came to church last Sunday and the Alarcon family already asked for permission for her to be baptized. So we are starting to teach her. Her name is Veronica and she is 11 years old."
"We also are teaching a man named Felipe. He is progressing but it has been an interesting challenge. We are doing our best to help him stop smoking. I have been studying a lot about addictions and how the gospel can help us to be free from them. He loves having us over. He feels he has no hope without us. I am praying that he will pull through."
"Elder Izelo and I teach really well together. He lets me lead and always adds something special. I like teaching with him because the spirit is always so strong. We have been having a ton of success."
"I got sick this week. We went to a members house whose kid had the stomach flu or something and I got it. It was HORRIBLE!! Francisco went with me to visit them and he got sick too. I didn't stay in the pension, but worked through 3 days of doom! haha Elder Izelo and I had to go to Independencia this week and we always take the metro. It is about an hour ride. Elder Izelo fell asleep and at first I was sitting next to him, but then I gave up my seat to a lady. I had to stand behind Elder Izelo's seat and my stomach was not happy with me. I started reading the Book of Mormon and all of a sudden everything starts turning black and I got a cold sweat. I was trying to keep my knees bent and everything but it wasn't working. I had to sit right then or I knew that I would pass out. By the way, it is illegal to sit on the floor of the metro. Everyone is looking at me like a crazy person and all I could think about was not throwing up. I had a mini panic attack at that thought and eventually was able to gain my composure. I sat for a long time and Elder Izelo finally woke up. I was down behind his seat so he didn't see me. He thought I had ditched him and he had a mini panic attack. Again the people around were looking at him like a big crazy. haha He finally found me on the floor and it was actually a funny experience, but at the time, it wasn't really. We finally made it to our stop and got off. My legs were asleep and I was walking like a drunk. haha I was not the best representative of Christ in that moment. On the way back, I ended up sitting on the floor again. It was not a fun day, but a fun memory. haha"
"A really cool spiritual experience happened yesterday. There is a woman that I found earlier with Elder Wilcox my first day in Rinconada. Her name is Rosa and she is a tough lady, but really cool and funny. She always loved us from the beginning and calls us her elders. We were able to teach her and invite her to church. She said she would go and she did! I was excited to see her there. Well yesterday, we had a couple unplanned hours so we decided to pass by her house. By some miracle, she was with her husband, so we were able to teach her. We started talking about the church because she had some questions about fast and testimony meeting. We shared more about the Book of Mormon because that was what everyone was talking about. Then we started teaching purely by the spirit and talked about faith and repentance. The spirit was so strong. Rosa started to cry at one point. In the end, I was able to invite her to be baptized and she said yes! She said that she wanted to change her life and that she wanted to do it now. We placed a date with her for December 3rd. It's been cool to see the change in her already. She told me that I am a special elder with something special. She and I have become good friends. She also has a gangsta son that has become one of my pals. I call him Flaco, which means skinny. haha Rosa will bring a lot of people to the truth and I am excited for her."
"We also had a huge mission conference with Elder Snow from the Seventy. I loved that he spoke about being good missionaries and he was truly inspiring and fun to listen to. I also got to see all my friends again. It was so packed that we were dying because the bench we were sitting on was so full that not all of us could sit back at the same time. We had to take turns going forwards and backwards. haha It was hot too. The missionaries from the Chile MTC were there too. We had a good time though and we all got to greet Elder Snow. I got to see Elder Gomez and he's doing great. I found out that three of the people that I had taught have baptismal dates! That is great news and I am so happy for them!"
"Anyways, all is good. It's all up hill from here! I am excited and I like working. We've been getting a lot done and I love how fast the weeks fly by. I can't believe that the end of another change is already coming. It goes by far too fast. Oh, one last miracle. We are teaching a really cool family that is reading the Book of Mormon together. The other day we went to teach them and the mom said that she received an answer that she needs to listen to us. She had prayed about it and then in the morning when she turned on the tv, a lady was talking about how being a mormon had blessed her. We have a cita with them tonight and I am hoping for the best! Please pray for my investigators. They all need miracles. I hope you like the zoo pics!"
Elder Dallon Smith
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| The Maipu Zone at the Zoo |
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| A Zoo attraction! |
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| Elder Smith and Elder Mackie |
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| The District just monkeying around |
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| Elder Smith and Elder Izelo |
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| "Do not feed the animals!" |