Oldies But Goodies

Buenas!   heres a little miracle from our week-

Hno C- So two weeks ago we were walking all over and no one was home.  I was tired and thirsty and I wanted to sit down so I pretty much forced this little old man to let us into his house to teach him and his wife.   While we were waiting for him to open the gate my comp gave me a little eye roll and I looked at her and told her that this guy was going to get baptized ( a little sarcastically because this guy did not look interested at all!)   But then we taught the lesson and they are this cute little couple from the interior- humble, cant read, cook lots of rice:)    They know nothing about God, just that everyone talks about him but they have no personal relationship.  We were able to teach them about how God really is their loving heavenly father and that they really can pray to him.   Yesterday was the Hermanos 2nd Sunday at church and he loves it!!   He was waiting for us ready to go and climbed the lomas faster than we did even though hes got a good 60 years on us.  We teach them simply and go very slow but the desire that Hermano C has to come unto Christ is powerful!   

Willie- A few weeks ago we met these two girls who told us they were less-actives and they started coming to english class.  This week we went to go visit their family because they told us that their parents werent members.  When we got there the mom was working so we taught the dad and the girls and the grandma about faith.  We put cookies on the counter and talk about how faith can move mountains and then we ask them to move the cookies with their faith.  Normally it takes a while for them to catch on but Willie (the dad)  was quick.  He jumped right up and said ´ima eat my cookies´ and grabbed the cookies from the counter.  PREPARED!  He was so ready to act on his faith and not just with the example, he was so willing to read what we left him and he wanted to come to church but they already had plans to travel this weekend.   We met the mom on saturday and she is just as ready.  They already have family prayers and want to be an eternal family.  

Thats all, love you lots!!

Hna Smith

Back To The Miracles

So I realized I havent been telling you as much about our missionary miracles and honestly I havent been looking for them as much as I used to but this week I decided to change that!  So here are some awesome miracles from this week in Burunga-

* Elder Christensen and Elder Alonzo came to Panama!   We had an awesome conference and I am the official piano player, wahoo!   Every single talk had something that I needed to hear but especially President Carmacks when he talked about the Spirit and recieving revelation.  I realized that I could do better about seeking out the Spirit in everyday decisions and I also realized that God probably trusts me more than I realize to make the right choices without any big signs or directions.  Definitely something I am going to apply this week.

*I did divisions this week with Hna Vasquez who is just too cute.  I learned a lot from her about humble service and hard work.  We went to a noche de hogar at her recent converts house and there was a member from Biancheri there! He said that Carlos is still going to church every week and that tomorrow is temple day for Chorrera and guess who else is going to the temple tomorrow....US!!   So I should be able to see a whole bunch of people from Chorrera:)

*Victor walked in to church yesterday with a white shirt and tie on and he looked like a future missionary.   He is still excited stubbornly set on being baptized the 22 of Feb!!   

* We have another investigator named Victor who is really really old and really really sick...not sure if Ive mentioned him before.   He has already read and marked the Book of Mormon throught 3 Nephi and he loves it.   He wants to be baptized so badly but first he has to quit smoking.  Not that easy for an 80 year old whos been smoking 2 packs a day his whole life.  Yesterday after church we were able to go to his house with the bishop and elders quorom pres so they could give him a blessing.  He shared with them his love and testimony for the Book of Mormon and they gave him an awesome blessing of strength and health.  I asked him how he felt afterward and he was just beaming.  Normally he responds to that question talking about how tired or dizzy he is but he just looked and me and said ´i feel so happy and, i dont know, theres just something here in my chest and I feel so much joy!´    I am so grateful for the Priesthood and for priesthood leaders who serve willingly and lovingly.

Hope its a great week for all!!

Hna Smith

Photos

Just Another Week In Panama

It was a fun week with lots of different kinds of days.  We had a few days that were just lessons non-stop, boom boom boom, other days of pure contacting, and then another filled with members and ward activities.  Makes for a good week!

We did two different divisions with hnas from the zone to help them reach their goal of contacts so it was just hours of straight walking and contacting and guess what...I loved it!!   I dont know where it changed cause I used to really not like contacting but I actually really enjoy it now!   One of the divisions I was with a sister who got here like 2 weeks ago from the MTC and doesnt speak a lick of spanish and it was a tiny fulfillment of my dream to train and we had a ton of fun together!   The other one we were in the city and literally just contacted bus stop after bus stop.  I am really grateful for my area, even with all its hills:)

In a month a kid from our ward is leaving on his mission to brazil so to help him raise money the ward had a fiesta!!   All of the members donate a plate of food and then the whole ward and people from the stake come and buy food and dance!   I really wish we danced more in america.  Like why dont we ever have parties where the whole family goes and dances to fun salsa music?  lame.  We even got the abuela to dance but she would only dance to typical music which sounds like a dog barking but she was loving it!  We made no bake cookies (they were a hit, obviously)  and everyone bought us like 8 plates of food!   

Victor came to church and is progressing really well and we had a few other investigators come to the noche de grupo (its like family night but with the whole ward).   There are tons of good things happening in these next few weeks so im sure Ill have something more exciting to write about:)   Love,

Hna Smith

Weavels And The 7 Dwarves

Awesome week!

So this week we were actually able to teach some lessons and feel productive after the holiday slumps.  Tuesday was an awesome day of lots of lessons and on wednesday we saw Victor and this kid is loving the Book of Mormon!   We were planning on finishing the plan of salvation but then he started talking about the small plates and large plates and Lehis dream and he totally understood all of it and had read it all by himself cause we didnt assign it to him.  Awesome kid.  

On Thursday we ate our normal dinner with our very favorite family and we ate fried rice and salad and then went home and slept until 12 when we were woken up again by a million fireworks!   Friday we knew was going to be a bum day because everyone was either hungover or drunk all over again so we decided to make some no bake cookies for all of the members who give us lunches and dinners so we spent the whole day making cookies, walking our whole area, and running away from drunk men!   And it was a success because everyone loved them!

On Saturday we had a day full of plans but then we somehow got caught up in the middle of the primary activity taking care of kids which is definitely not what we are supposed to be doing and I was a little frustrated.  Then a couple little girls come in and tell us that there are boys throwing rocks at them through the gate so we went out to investigate and there was a little band of 7 boys on their bikes teasing the primary girls.  We talked to them for a little while and told them to come to english class and church.  They left and we didnt think anything more of it.  until.....

About halfway throught sacrament meeting I looked out the window and saw 7 little punks ride up on their bikes.  The 2nd counselor also saw them and hurried out to make sure there werent any problems and then he came back in and 7 little boys between the ages of 10 and 13 filed in behind him.  The whole ward just turned around and stared haha.   They told hno otero that they were there for english class and that the blond  and the short haired girl had told them it was today!!   So we taught them a little English class during the second hour and then for the 3rd hour they went to ym and primary and they loved it!!   They actually live in the area ofthe elders so the elders will go start teaching them an their families this week!   It was a sunday we (and the rest of the dos mil ward will never forget)

Waiting painfully for transfers so I will update you next week!

Love you lots,

Hna Smith

Santa Brought Us Rice

I hope you all had a very merry, white, jolly, Christmas!   We were dreaming of a white Christmas and santa answered our dreams by bringing us 20 pounds of white rice!!  We ate sooooo much!  

Panamanians celebrate in a pretty simple way.  There arent a whole lot of gifts or crazy parties.  They set up a cool nativity, a real tree, and eat a really good dinner on the 24th.  Then at midnight all of burunga explodes with fireworks!   We were already sleeping and for about an hour I was awake listening to all of the fireworks going on outside!     

Yesterday we were really able to get back on our grind and start teaching because most people were back from travelling.  Victor came to church and we found a couple who are really interested and they are legally married!   We are going to work really hard this week because transfers are coming and we arent sure whats going to happen with us....hopefully we stay together but anything good happed this last transfer!  

Happy New Year!!

Hna Smith

Christmas Time In Burunga

Ok so this week was a little bit just lost because EVERYONE and there dog goes to the interior for Christmas so we didnt get to teach a whole bunch but we did have a couple insanely awesome moments-

- THE ABUELOS GOT SEALED!!  So remember the abuela that I told you about a couple weeks ago?  She and her husband got baptized about a year ago and on saturday they got to go to the temple to be sealed!   We got permision from president to go to the sealing and it was amazing!!   It was my first time going to a real sealing and it was so cool and also crazy funny haha the abuela was SO excited and she had all of us laughing the whole day.   They got sealed at the same time as another couple from our ward ( the famly that made us arroz con marisco last week)  and they were both just so happy.  I know they arent my converts but I was so happy for them and for the missionaries who baptized them cause that really is the dream, to see your converts sealed in the temple.  We went right after the sealing to get some big pictures printed out for both couples because I was the designated wedding photographer and then we went to the abuelos house for a big food fest!

-  Last night we went with a few families in the ward to go sing Christmas carols to the less actives and it was maybe the funnest night of my whole mission.  We all piled in to hno Barrias little pickup truck and drove all over Burunga singing and laughing and I just really love this ward and these people and I am so grateful to be here in Burunga, especially for christmas!

so thats all I got time for but its fine cause I will just tell you all about it in 4 days!!!   cant wait to see you and talk to you all:)   eat a really good fish taco for me!

Hna Smith