Rough Week with Tender Mercies!

Greetings, loved ones. 

1. THANK YOU AUNT LISA AND UNCLE KEN AND GEHRIG AND KENYON FOR THE CHOCOLATES. IT WAS HEAVEN SENT AND WITH PERFECT TIMING. CHOCOLATE TRULY IS A GIRLS BEST FRIEND.  

2. MOM! THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS SENDING ME LETTERS! I GOT SOME DEAR ELDERS AND THEY WERE SPLENDID. I LOVED HEARING ABOUT KAITLYN. OH HOW I MISS THAT GIRL!! I AM GLAD SHE IS CREEPING JUST AS HARD UP THERE IN WASH AS WE ARE HERE. 

3. CAN SOMEONE SEND ME A FEW PICTURES THAT ARE PRETTY OF THE SAN DIEGO TEMPLE. JUST THROUGH EMAIL. THERE IS A SWEET SISTER THAT LIVES WITH ME AND HER DREAM IS JUST TO HAVE A PHOTO OF THE SAN DIEGO TEMPLE. SHE HAS 13 SIBLINGS AND SHE HAS HAD A SUPER RESTRICTIVE CHILDHOOD. SHE IS SO SWEET. IF ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE HER DAY YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEND HER A REAL PHOTO IN THE MAIL. OUR ADRESS IS THE SAME AND HER NAME IS LESLI IXCOY. SHE IS FROM GUATEMALA AND IS WOOONNNNNDERRRRFULLLLLL!!!! AND SHE NEVER GETS MAIL. EVER. GRACIAS.

Well family, this week has helped me with my character. It was super hard. We had a total of 4 lessons. How wretched. We even had WONDERFUL plans and WONDERFUL backup plans... but its okay... One night we spent over an hour and a half planning and we had citas fijas for almost every hour of the day and they ALL fell through. It was a bit frustrating. A lot frustrating... but we are still happy.

But I did have a few tender mercies. Although we didn't have lessons this week, we visited some members to make sure we had some super scheduled lessons for this next week. We visited the familia D. They had served as misson presidents in Peru and he is now a member of the 70. We figured they would feel pressured to help in missionary work. We went over to their house, offered to serve them and then asked for references. He straight up called his brother and invited him over to his house. It was great! Then we talked a few more minutes with them and we discovered that they BOTH knew GRANDPA SMITH!!! It was so cool. I dont' really have stories from this week because we seriously just walked, but here are the stories they told me, which are waaaayyyy cooler!

1. Hna D. who's name is Gladys Z., told me that her mother, Guadalupe Z. was the president of the Relief Society here in Honduras in 1972 or something and she was the 5th member of the church here in Honduras and she got super sick and they told her she didn't have much time left. Then Grandpa Smith gave her a priesthood blessing and she miraculously lived 5 more years. The whole family remembers Grandpa for the blessing he gave to that woman. Hna. D. almost cried when she told me the story.

2. Hno. D. also knew Grandpa. His father, Gustavo Barahona, was a temple sealer in Guatemala when Grandpa was there. He had to commute to Guatemala every week from Honduras to fulfill his assignment. I didn't understand completely, but it sounded like Grandpa felt bad that he had to sacrifice so much, so he asked SLC if Gustavo could be removed as being an active sealer, but SLC said no and then Gpa asked him who he knew in SLC because  they wouldn't release him.

3. We always eat lunch with the Familia D. on Sunday. This Sunday they invited  a senior couple. Elder and Sister Amado. His brother is the Area President of Central America. Anyway, they told him that I was the granddaughter of Milton Smith and it turns out they know him too because they lived in Guatemala when Grandpa and Grandma Smith lived there. Joseph Fielding Smith called Elder Amado to be a missionary. But they told me that Grandpa taught a class about Joseph Fielding Smith and it was the best class they have ever had. They thought it was so unique that his son taught the class.

I thought that was super cool. Especially because it was a bright spot in a rough week. Thanks Grandpa for being so cool.

This week we had interviews. They were really good. I prayed a lot before this interview and my mission President said words straight from heaven. I started crying because I felt the spirit so strong. Today I apologized in my letter to  him. I told him that I have only cried 4 times in the mish and he has seen 2 of them. Poor guy. But he asked me a question that really touched me. He asked why I am obedient. I told him I am obedient because it makes sense, and it is habit. and I have seen the blessings in my life from obedience. He then explained that someone had asked him and he had said he is obedient because he loves God. So simply, but so powerful. There is a reason  the first commandment is to love God. It is the motiviation to keep the rest of the commandments. I am trying to show my love for God through all of my actions. It is super hard, but super rewarding.

We had 4 people at Church.

I am learning Kiche from Hna. Ixcoy. Kin Ki Kotic. That means I am happy. I am making progress.

I helped the sisters on their English books this week. It is helping my Spanish so much. I said, Make me sound like a Latina. And it is working. 

Well, I have officially spent all of my time writing this letter. Love you ALL

Michelle