"Happy St. Patrick's Day?? haha I forgot that even existed. It's funny when a whole country doesn't celebrate a holiday, you easily just forget it. I hope I was wearing something green anyways. I wish I could of known, so I could have had a free shot at my companion. haha"
"The first thing I want to tell you is that I got your packages!! Whooo hooo!! It was glorious and we rejoiced. haha It was the best and I have to say that those M&Ms have been one of the greatest blessings. However, in just one week, I've almost finished the whole bag. Everything you sent was awesome."
"We are working really hard. We taught thirty lessons and found a lot of new investigators. Nora is getting baptized this Sunday and is super excited. She is golden and passed her interview with flying colors. Her daughter, Johanna, is less active, but is starting to come back. She loves soccer and plays with us every P-day. We also have Francisca who is 23 years old and pregnant. She has a baptismal date for the 7th of April. We went to a baptism and took a few teenagers with us and they have been progressing really well too. A sister in the Relief Society gave me a reference for a grandma named Lucresia. She told me that she thinks that I am the elder indicado or chosen elder for her. Lucresia is reading and praying and we are hoping for the best for her as well. We also are growing in assistance by activating families. This past sacrament meeting, we had 110 people attend. That is crazy for Talagante. Everyone is really excited about it and are getting to work. I think this ward is going to become just like the one in Rinconada. It's gonna be great! I know what Dad was saying when he said that the last 6 months were the best. I feel prepared with all the answers and know better how to help people understand. It's been a great experience and I must say that I really do like it out here. The members are taking really good care of us. They make me foods that I like, which is pastel de choclo, or corn shepherd's pie. Weird right, but so delicious! Country people are so loving and go out of their way to make time for you. They fight over giving the missionaries lunch, especially now because we have activated people and have more investigators that also want to feed us. It's awesome. The Relief Society had a huge party and invited Elder Pena and I to speak. There were a lot of sisters that went and it was cool to get to know them."
"I went on divisions with Elder West in Cordillera and met this guy name Juanjo. He has dread locks and is super crazy, but he is awesome and we have become great friends. We went on splits together and taught a family who asked me for a blessing. They were really grateful and said that I was the angel that God sent to help them at the indicated moment. I thought that was cool."
"The Spirit definitely has been guiding us. People are giving us references all over the place. The other day we had an appointment, but the Bishop from another ward asked us to please go with him to see his sister who wasn't a member. Her husband and mother had recently died and her son has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. We rushed over and started to teach lesson one, but then Elder Pena and I just followed the spirit, which was so strong. We taught and shared exactly what she needed to hear. She cried a lot and the Bishop cried with her. We are also activating a mom and her kids. She has been divorced and has kids from several relationships. She was asking us, why me? The spirit told me to share with her the story of Grandma Capps because their situations were so similar. I told her that I was grateful for my grandma because she is one of my heroes. Her journey gave me the opportunity to know this gospel. She started crying and told me that was exactly what she needed to hear. We gave her a blessing after and the spirit was so thick that everyone was crying. The spirit guides us so much. He is continually helping and the evidence is all around us."
"I guess what I have been learning is that I am more comfortable with myself. My intentions are good and those who gain my confidence really do know that they are loved by me. I can feel something inside of me that is so big for those whom I am teaching. It is a feeling I have only felt for family. The bonds that I am creating with members, investigators and missionaries, means more to me than anything else that I could have gained, if not serving a mission. My heart swells when I talk about my Savior and Heavenly Father or when I teach the gospel in a way that people understand it. I never thought that I would feel the way I do about these people. I am grateful for every person that the Lord has entrusted me to share the gospel with. It is something that I will thank him for forever."
"Don't worry, talking about home and family really doesn't make me trunkie. I don't feel trunkie at all. Seeing pictures of you and thinking about home only inspires me to make these last six months really worth it. I am more focused than ever and am working to the fullest. I know that these last couple months are going to escape me, so I want to make every day count. I know that the Lord is giving you special individual blessings. Service as a missionary blesses all of us. Let's enjoy it while we have it! I miss you all and carry you with me everyday."
Elder Dallon Smith
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| "Elder Blanquito" |
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| Francisca's baby is A OK! |
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| What they want us to see... |
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| What we really see! |