Week 56 (June 12, 2017)

We found this at TAMBO which is like a gas station store which sells a little bit of American candy but it always costs a little more. But this was the first time I've seen Reese's in Peru!! So of Course we bought it. :)

Well, this week we are continuing to search for and find new investigators to teach. We have been able to get references from members etc, but we also have been recontacting old investigators in our area book, which we have been able to start teaching them (from other missionaries) again. 

The biggest part of the week was that Thursday we had a lesson with Jhonaton, who basically told us he doesnt want more of the church. He told us he wants to keep listening to learn and going to church - which surprised us - and reading the book of mormon because he likes the story, but he didnt want to get baptized.  He was getting a strong influence from his godfather (cousin) who is very catholic.  Well we also had Interviews with president this Friday, so I asked him and he said to basically focus in on the book of mormon. Reteach the restauration and focus in on how if this book is true, everything else follows.  So that is what we did. On friday night we went to a members house and taught Jhonaton Lesson 1 again and explained and watched the video the restoration.. and well basically at the end he told us he Believes that not only the book of mormon is true, (which he was unsure before) but also the church. He doesnt KNOW, but he believes, and that seed of faith will grow. He also told us that he is going to choose his baptism date, and will tell us this week.. we will see what happens, but we are so excited for him. He also came to church again! 1.5 hours late, but he came!  We have no idea what happened, but the spirit touched his heart.

I know that this church is true! And even though sometimes life can be hard, just remember that that is all part of the test.  We are here on earth to be tested! and to be tested how we handle those hard times. So when we feel like nothing will get better, if we are living the gospel and choosing the right, I promise you it will get better! We have the promise from god that if we obey those commandments, we will be blessed! so lift your head up, smile, and keep enduring to the end!

I love you so much and am so very greatful for this wonderful opportunity to be here :)

I hope all you dads future dads have a wonderful fathers day!!

Love, Hna Smoot

Week 55 (June 5, 2017)

Splits with Hermana Gilson from SLC Utah :) #Gringas!

Well, this week was pretty normal.  Jhonaton came to church!! Which we had been trying to teach him all week with out success. (He had been really busy) but we have a family night at his uncles house (who is a return missionary)  and hopefully we will make some progress with him.  He has so much potential but still stuck on thoughts and ideas from his godfather/cousin and internet... which always goes down hill. But we have faith that the holy ghost will touch his heart and things can become clear.

We also found a ton of new investigators this week so hopefully we will make some progress with them as well.

This saturday we had splits and this time I went with Hna Gilson from Utah to there area! and it was a blast and I also learned a ton! She has a ton of energy and has 2 transfers more than me and so we are kinda in the same boat. but we taught one of there investigators who is really similar to Jhonaton, (Luis) who also has a lot of doubts.  Hopefully we can get there insights and what we should do.

Also Raul already got a calling! He comes to church every sunday and it still reading the book of mormon! He hasnt been set apart yet, so Ill tell you next week. But we are so proud of all the progress he has made!

I know this church is true and I am so greatful for this AMAZING oppertunity I have to be here!!! I love you all so much and I am so greatful for the wonderful examples I have in my life.  Now that it is Summer, you guys have no excuses, I want to challenge you to go to the temple more often. Set a goal and GO!  As you plan ahead you make it a priority and recieve those extra blessings!! Also go as a family because its so wonderful.

I love you tons.

Love, Hna Smoot

Week 54 (May 29, 2017)

My comp and I attempted to make hash browns and scrambled eggs for breakfast. Not the same, but still delicious.

Cutting the onions and potatoes the night before, onions burn your eyes!! Haha, but so funny.

We had a ward mission activity night and we brought an investigator and her brother who really seemed to enjoy themselves and they seemed like they liked it :)

Play lunch with the Hermanas visiting for a doctors appointment. My old comp and my comps old comp! Haha for transfers they literally just switched places and areas! But so fun eating empanadas :)

Well, this week was transfers, but we didnt get transfered! so I am still with Hna Plaza, in Chinchaysuyo! (which I found out its not japanese, but its in Quechua, which is the native ancestor language here..but I think I am ok just learning spanish for now. haha but there are some people who are fluent in both!! they are usually the grandparents/ older people. 

Also we decided with the council from president, not to move houses, but we had the elders help us move all our stuff (beds, and dress) to the living room and they stacked our beds into bunk beds until they fix the cieling, which might be a couple weeks.. we will see.

Anyway, This sunday, yesterday, Miguel got confirmed!! and is offically a member of the church! :) It was so amazing to see his progress because he has come so far! From smoking 2 boxes a day of cigarettes and drinking every so often, to obey the word of wisdom completely!  

Raul is also doing really well and this week he will recieve his temple recomend so he can go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead!

Jhonaton told us he started going back to the catholic church.. so we will see what happens with him.  He has a LOT of influence on him of others and of the internet.. which is just confusing him more. We are trying to focus in on the Book of Mormon and he asked "Im scared that I will get a no for an anwser meaning all of this isnt true." and I testified to him that that will not happen. The book of mormon is true, this church was restored by joseph smith and we have the fullness of the gospel! God always anwsers our prayers, but we need to recognize those anwsers when they come.  The spirit was helping so much as we testified of those things and its so amazing that we are able to testify of those things because they ARE true!

I love you all and I am so greatful for this wonderful oportunity to be here!!! I know this church is true!!

Love, Hna Smoot

Week 53 (May 22, 2017)

Miguel got baptised!! But sunday afternoon, so he will be confirmed next week. So amazing!

Filling the font :) Freezing cold water haha

This is our leaking house.  So much water.  hopefully we will be able to find a new house...

The blue thing is our cieling and the whole.  They think a pipe broke or something above and dont know/can't find the source of the problem. But its still dripping

Wow, well this week was a good one but as always wasnt perfect. But thats the beauty of this life and the mission. We can always learn from those not so perfect moments and enjoy the good ones :)

Well, Jhonaton had his baptismal interview, but we didnt really feel like he is ready, which he wasnt, but it was mostly just too see where he was spiritual.  And well it doesnt look like he will get baptised this month, but hopefully we will see this next month.  He just has a million questions that dont have to do with the gospel simple. but we are working with him and tried explaining what faith is: not to have a knowlegde of all things, but the have a hope in things that you can not see which are true.  This whole life is by faith. So were not going to have anwsers to ALL of our questions, in this life, but maybe the next. but we must trust god in all things.  We are focusing on the Book of Mormon, because if thats true, which it is, then Joseph smith (who translated it) was a prophet of god, who restored this gospel on the earth again. and this church is true!

Claudia, well she disapeared, never home, and we dont know if she really is on vacation, or her family is lying... we will see.

Miguel got baptised this week!! on Sunday at 4 pm was his baptism service. It was going to be on saturday but his son who lives in the US called our bishop (hes a member) and asked if he would baptise him. Bishop could only do it sunday.. so we did it sunday, and he will be confirmed next week. 

Miguels daughter and sister came to the service and his son, in the US made him a video with his granddaughters saying congrats and that they are so happy for him and Miguel was crying through out the whole service from the love he could feel from everyone. What a special oppertunity it was to be a part that process. He was an eternal investigator and finally made it to the water, but I believe that he will be a faithful member til the day he dies.  I am so greatful to be apart of his conversion.

I know this church is true!! I  LOVE and know and the book of mormon  is true!! I love love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!!

Love, Hna Smoot

Ps, We find out transfers tonight!!  and we are planning on moving houses because we have a whole in our cieling that leaks water. we came home about 4 days ago and my comps bed was sopping wet.. and so we had to move the beds and it is still dripping water. we told the land lords, but the people wont come until next week... so president said we could move (there were other reasons too, like parties outside really late at night and yelling etc..) but it was just a funny experience.

Week 52 (May 15, 2017)

ZONE HIKE!

Skyping on Mother's Day :)

Happy 1 Year!!

Well I hope yesterday everyone had a wonderful mothers day! And it was so fun and so amazing to talk to you guys (my family) yesterday! What a special treat.  And well after we skyped we went to work and literally the rest of the night we basically just street contacted because everyone was either not home or really busy... gotta love holidays haha but oh well.

This week was a pretty normal week.

For Pday last week we climbed a mountain! actually it was just a hike up a really steep hill, but it was basically like climbing a mountian! but it was so cool to see all of Independencia, which is the department we are in now (like a city but the city is Lima and has different parts to the city. Its confusing even now haha)

a member this week asked us what we wanted to eat for lunch with them, from any country too, so I asked if she could make chili, and so she looked up the recipe and we totally ate chili! but it was really different with white beans and instead of ground beef was chopped up meat. and she put it with a side of rice haha because we are in Peru.  but thats ok, it was still chili :)  It reminded me of when Ally ate chili in Chile haha, but seriously I am forgeting what we actually normally eat at home.

But this week we have continued to work with Claudia, Miguel and Jhonaton.  Miguel went to church and we had a mothers day activity where actually quite a few people non members came! Including Miguels wife. who is super evangelista but she seemed to have enjoyed the activity, so we will see what happens with her in the future, but I think weve finally gained her trust :)

Claudias uncle past away this week end so she was busy with the funeral and everything, so didnt come to church this week (out of town) which we totally understand.  She will hopefully be baptized May 27 with Jhonaton who is still doing great. He is 15 and thinks a lot. So we are trying to help him recognize that when he feels peace, joy, hunger to learn more ect (which he told us he felt all those things while reading the book of mormon) this is gods anwser that it is true. So we are trying to help him relize that too.

I hope you all know that I know this church is true with ALL MY HEART!  And we have difficult times so our faith can be tested and so we can grow and progress in this life. So keep calm and carry on. Keep going, keep enduring, the lord is on thy side.  And all will be well.  Obedience to the commandments = Blessings! So if you want blessings, obey :) its really not that difficult.

I love you all to much! thank you for your amazing examples to me!!

Love, Hna Smoot