"You still work with lots of animo"

Hello there family!

I would like to start of with a quote of the week. A new bishop was  just barely called and I was talking to him while waiting to get my special recommend for the temple dedication. I told him that I was going home next month and he said something like "really? I would have never guessed that you are about to finish your mission. I wouldn't give you more than a year" I was kinda hurt and offended until he explained further. "because you still work with lots of animo" umm I think that was a compliment, but I'm not sure haha. [animo = valor, courage, zest]

This week sure has been such a blessing. We talked as a district about how we need to change because of Elder Pipers visit. Here's the thing, in the last year we have baptized enough to have 2 new stakes, yet the attendance every week is barely increasing. We really need to make sure that we are not just getting people to the waters of baptism, but really teaching in a way that these sons and daughters of God will be converted! We have really tried to adapt our teaching method, to really let the spirit be the teacher and not to impose our will on them when we invite commitments. It really has worked really well! One thing that Elder Piper said that really impacted me is that we should only speak when the spirit AUTHORIZES us to speak. haha i am learning to do a lot less of the talking.

I have also learned a pretty profound lesson this week. This whole transfer, I have been trying to help my companion the best I can. Every morning, we had been studying a part of chapter 10 of PMG andpracticing and re-practicing and I was just not seeing improvement. I was starting to really wonder what else I could do to help him out.

Well this week i was able to realize that before going to chapter 10, we need to go back and spend a little bit more time on chapter 3. So I learned a profound lesson this week - to not be so stuck on doing things "my way"! I had a similar experience a few weeks ago. As missionaries we use the  formal "usted" form instead of speaking in the familiar "tu" form. Well he was always speaking in tu and i kept reminding him to speak in usted but he just kept speaking in tu all the time.

I finally found out that he never even learned that conjugation! So there I was getting frustrated over something I didn't need to be. Now that i understand the real problem and am able to help, we are seeing some real progress :)

Kimberly got baptized! What a great service! I love this ward! they are so supportive! Also a Hermana bought me a new pair of shoes. She noticed how worn out my mr. mac ones are that dad and I bought 3 years ago. they are the only ones that have held up, but i was starting to get worried. haha a nice thought. They are size 11.5 though haha so they are huge, but very needed! love you all! have a great week!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!
Elder Smalley