Week 17 (Sept. 12, 2016)

Edith (convert) got a pet bunny and its adorable!

Erica and her two daughters

With Celeste - She's 20, investigating and is super cool.

Hno Miguel, the ward mission leader and convert of 2 years, and his brother who just started investing the church! 

Anonio and Sara bought Surri which are WORMS that they fry and eat. We didn't eat them but we had to take a picture. So gross.

Hola!

This week was my last week of training which is kind of scary because that means this next week I will have more responsibilities and be a normal missionary! But I know that even though it will be scary or stressful, I can do it. Only with the help of Heavenly Father to calm my nerves.  We haven't found out our new transfers yet but will do so today! But I will most likely stay here in Canto Rey (My zone is Canto Grande) and my comp Hna Chiguano will go. She has been here 6 months. 

On Monday for Pday we went to Plaza Norte again! It is the big mall and it was fun to walk around with the other sisters.

Also 2 weeks ago I contacted this mom Erica and her 2 daughters (ages 10 and 12) in the street and we finally taught them 1 time on Saturday. Well, we invited them to come to church and on Sunday about 40 min past, they CAME!!! I was so excited and happy for them. Usually, the people say yes and then don't come so it was so amazing when they actually came! They seemed to really enjoy it and so I am excited to see what happens.

I know that even though I may experience ups and downs, it is all part of the learning process. When I get down I just need to get rid of "Thoughts from Satan" as Hna Prado from Colorado in my zone put it. Because really they are just thoughts that Satan puts in your head. He is working hard but God is working harder.  I love this Gospel and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here! I know this church is true and I know this gospel is true! I am learning something new every day and this gospel really is so amazing.

I love you all! 

Love, 

Hna Smoot

Week 16 (Sept. 5, 2016)

Hola de Peru!

First off, I finally took a picture with the local llama Pepe. She is in the gated park and is kind of like the neighborhood pet. So crazy and fun.  Also, we started teaching Emilio, Sara, and Antonio´s son! who is about 21.  It is so exciting what the gospel can do. Also as we continue to teach Antonio I can see how the gospel has affected his life and he seems so much more happy and has the light of christ in his eyes. So amazing.

Well, this week I made some progress with the language, the lessons, everything but only slightly.  I can feel Heavenly Father´s helping hand in my life and have  faith everything will work out.  I fasted this week and last week and last Tuesday my Zone Leaders had a meeting with us and told me that for the last 2 weeks of my training I would be in charge of EVERYTHING. I began to panic a little because honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. But everything went ok.  I realized that sometimes the only true way you can learn is by learning the hard way which my whole life I have always tried to avoid.  So as I am learning how to do things by messing up, feeling down, then fixing them and feeling better, through patience and prayer I have faith I will be able to do this.  God wants me here so I know he will provide a way.  It's kind of like right now I am in a deep river, swimming upstream. It's difficult but if I stop moving I will go down stream and I don't know what is at the end, but I know Heavenly Father has something grand in store for me and for each and every one of us. So, for now, I keep enduring and keep swimming. ¨Just keep swimming¨ as Dorry puts it.  One lesson this week was with a recent convert of almost a year who is 10 years old.  I was in charge of starting etc and it was on Service.  I was nervous but just kept breathing and as I shared, my Spanish wasn't perfect, but it was better than the time before.  I had studied this in English so I knew what to say and I was able to give the lesson!  It was amazing.  I know this church is true and I know heavenly father loves and knows each and every one of us!

Love you all!

Love, Hna Smoot

**This was Aunt Kim's response this week to Meg's Letter. Thanks Kim for this insight and for your love. 

Sister Smoot's quote applies to every single one of us that ever done anything hard or worthwhile: "I was nervous but just kept breathing."

And then she shared her message in Spanish, "it wasn't perfect, but better than the time before."

(Wow. So much wisdom and humility in that beautiful girl.)

THANK YOU for sharing, breathing, and keeping us all on track, Sister Smoot!!

Everything you write, applies to us here at home. I'm scared and nervous too, every time I'm asked, or volunteer, to do something hard. But now I'm just going to think of your sweet message and keep breathing and even if it's not perfect, maybe it's better than the time before! I love you! We are praying for you!!

Aunt Kim and everyone❣

Pepe the Llama! I love Peru! 

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This week we tried this... Not sure what it is called or what bird it caomes from but it's a baby hard boiled egg. A chicken egg is on the right. 

This is a cool fruit we got for breakfast. Not sure what it is called but you only eat the seeds. So cool. 

Week 15 (Aug. 29, 2016)

HOLA de Peru!

Well, this week was interesting as always. On Pday we played basketball and soccer as a zone which was really fun and we will do the same today. It's just on the little basketball cement court at the church.

Then every Monday and Wednesday night the Family History Hermanas in the mission, there are 2 sets, come to our zone. 1 companionship is in my zone. So we went with some investigators, and one Hermana had to go teach a lesson in the other room and asked if I could help enter names for another investigator.  I knew how to from before my mission but not in Spanish. So my comp helped me with the Spanish and I navigated and we entered in the names.  It was so much fun. I forgot how amazing Family History work and familiysearch.org is and how fun it can be! 

I also tried an empanada and they are actually really good! I also forgot to mention 2 things before. First, before my mission, I didn't like herbal tea, and now I do. Second, before my mission I had never consumed my own cup of soda with caffeine only a sip from others, and well, they serve it here. So I have officially drunk Coke with sugar and caffeine which is actually not bad and Inca Cola which is Peruvian coke that is yellow.  I still don't like soda or caffeine and it hurts my head a little and makes my stomach feel weird, but you have to drink it when they give it to you or else it is rude. 

On Monday I also finished rereading His Grace is Sufficient and realized that nobodys opinion matters except Gods. So if my comp gets frustrated that I don't know something or I get frustrated with the language, it doesn't matter. Because as long as I keep trying. God does NOT expect me to be perfect, but he expects me to keep trying and to keep working. And if I mess up then that's ok. I just have to learn from my mistakes and keep pushing forward. If I just have to keep trying and never give up. Even though I am scared for when my comp leaves and I am expected to navigate the area and know all these things, I am just going to keep pushing along and pray that I can do this.  I also realized that a lot of times I was scared to mess up, but that is how we learn. It's like the quote from one of my favorite movies before the mission. :) "Don't let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game." Yes, that is definitely from A Cinderella Story. But it's true.  I just have to keep playing the game and with enough practice. I will get it. It's just really hard.

I also fasted yesterday for everything that I could have confidence in myself and that I will be able to learn the language quickly and just everything and I have found a lot of peace.  

I love this gospel so much and I know it is true!!! I know that everything will be ok.  It will just take some time. So for now, I will keep enduring until enduring becomes easier.  I know without a doubt I am supposed to be here and I know heavenly father loves me and you and everyone so much.

I love you all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

Love, Hna Smoot

In the Stake Center for Family History at the computers with Antonio and Sara.

I had another work visit with Hna Adams the other Gringa and my sister trainer leader and we caught a butterfly!

For service on Wednesday night this week, we went and helped a less active with cooking. I think she owns a small business but it was so much fun to bake agian. 

My companion Hna Chiguano and I

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