¡Cien Dias!

Hola hola famila!

I would just like to apologize for every complaining last week about it being cold here. This week has been HOT! Like really hot! The thing that scares me is that people are walking around in hoodies in the blazing sun, so I know I'm in for it...on the bright side my collar tan line has developed quite nicely this week!

Tuesday, we had a mission wide training. Bishop Dean M. Davies of the presiding bishopric came and talked to us. Sister Davies spoke too, but she doesn't speak Spanish so she had to be translated. 

we also had another training with the president on valentines day. By the way, valentines day means absolutely nothing on a mission haha. But that's pretty much what I expected. Well on Friday I finally got the adjusting to missionary life booklet. I think it would have helped A LOT if I had it sooner. Basically it has everything I needed to hear when I first got here about how to not break down hahaha!

I just want to express again how much I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD! I really just cant say it enough. Oh yeah guess what! I finally got the Christmas card from the bishopric and stake presidency haha! They sent it internationally. I still enjoyed it though!

Well this week I started out optimisticly, really optimistic. I don't think I was prepared for the counter attack that the adversary hit me with haha, but I'm doing alright. I can't do everything, and I'm learning every day that there is really isn't a whole lot that I can do without the help of a Savior! I just really need to learn how to let him help me instead of relying on my own strength, which as I've learned, is not a whole lot (Alma 26:12). Well I'm sorry its so short this week! 


The picture is with Elder Meldrum. He is Ciara Kilingbels cousin! Make sure she sees it! I have met him before, we were in the same Sadie Hawkins group my sophomore year!

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
Elder Smalley

Temple, Power

¡Hola familia!

I am happy today because two separate investigators came to church for the first time after we having been trying for WEEKS! Well I have been a missionary for 3 months. Wow. By the way, I know its super cold in Utah, but just be grateful you have heating systems. There is nothing here. It is just as cold as it is outside as it is inside, if not colder. It is freezing cold in the morning. Nothing quite like seeing your breath during personal study haha!

Well I am officially not the newest generation [of missionaries] anymore! Everybody is excited that we got more american Hermanas. 

Every district meeting someone shares a thought about an attribute of Christ. It, as well as both prayers, are done in English so that the native missionaries can learn English. (its a commandment to learn English on the mission) Well guess who was chosen. My companion! He was really nervous! But he did really well. Proud moment for me haha.

The most exciting thing that happened was that we lost power Wednesday night. All of Lloma Dorada-where we live. We were teaching investigators when it happened haha that was interesting. As we walked home, we stopped at a tiendita to buy candles. We had WAY to much fun that night. luckily, the power came back by morning so that our electric boiler worked in the morning!

So our president has stressed the rule that we cant enter a house if there is not an adult of the same sex. I didnt even know about it before. Its been really hard to follow, like super hard in the middle of the day, but the Lord has provided a way this week. Its been a really cool miracle to see how it has all worked out.

Our ward mission leader got released (I wont say anything), and they called a less active member to be the new Mission leader. We still don't have a bishop yet. But two new counselors were called yesterday.

I took a picture of the temple, so you could see just how close it is to my area. Like super close. It is just to the left of my shoulder.I am near Boulevard Federico Benítez López


Love you guys a lot!
Elder Smalley

Mas fotos, comida Mexicana!

Hola Familia,

 Eating my first Mexican tamale (a while ago,
Oh my goodness you guys, I really love Mexican food!)

Como han estado? I am doing much better, and so is Tijuana! It has actually been kinda cold this week. And if it's cold for me, just imagine how the people feel. We have actually had rain! Which actually isn't fun because that means walking in mud all day but oh well! Oh yeah Wednesday & Thursday the water in Tijuana was turned off. That was horrible. "Luckily", my companion had to milk cartons for lifting weights that were filled with water. Pouring freezing cold water over my head for a shower is one experience I will never forget. Ever.

An Elote!  They are actually real things ...
not just in Nacho Libre, haha!

Well our teaching pool has shrunk this week. We have dropped investigators, but I guess we could have been better at finding new ones. It's really hard to see people not progress, time and time again. On the other hand, there have been quite a few investigators that have now begun to progress, ones that I really wouldn't have expected! We have one investigator that has already read to Alma!

The Sombrero pic, a rite of passage ;)

This week I have really been grateful for personal revelation. For quite some time, I've struggled a lot with a few personal contentions. This week has really been a pivotal week, where I have finally let the spirit guide me. I won't go into details, but there is just so much power that can be accessed when you humble yourself! I came across Proverbs 13:10. That scripture has really made the difference. I've been focusing my personal study on developing the Christlike attributes that i need to get over this, and the peace that i've felt has been so comforting! The more I learn, the more exciting I get to put into practice what I have learned. Well that probably made no sense, but this has really turned out to be a great fin de semana.


I promised that I would take more pictures, and I did not disappoint this week! Today are transfers, I'm staying in Reforma obviously. Here is a picture of (most of) my district this last transfer.


Con muchisimo amor,
Elder Smalley!

Of Baptisms and Bashing

¡Hola familia amada!

How is the united states? I'm doing alright, but oh my goodness this has been a long week! It started off really well. A lot of our investigators are progressing and keeping commitments! I was so excited! I didn't realize how many investigators we actually had until we held our weekly planning session on Thursday. Lots, and it has kept us really busy! 

If everything goes well, we will have a baptism this Sunday. If she can keep the word of wisdom it will happen! Also we have another baptismal date that hasn't fallen yet, but she needs to get married first. She has been in un unión libre por 14 años and has two kids, and her husband doesn't want to get married, and is very catholic. She has a very strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and wants to get baptized. Well we had a great lesson with her about faith. How the Lord will always provide a way. Well she took that promise very well, and completely changed from discouragement to excitement. I have never prayed for something harder in my life. Still waiting to hear from her.

The flu is going around really bad here, so the President made us all get flu shots. That was really funny. All the american missionaries had no problem with it, but a few Elders and Sisters really didn't want to get vaccinated. Hahaha one Elder kept running away from the needle haha!

Well I had two kinda bummer experiences as well. First, we received a referral from the district of someone who spoke English. All we got was a name and number. I called the number and spoke to the guy. He said that we could come in 30 minutes. We had an appointment that had just fallen through, and I was really excited to teach someone in English, so I said that would work. He gave us directions. When we got there, it was a church. There were two men waiting for us. For the next hour, they began attacking Mormon doctrine and trying to use the bible to discredit us. It was completely a rehearsed  monologue. They did not allow us a second to get a word in. After a while, we just left. That really hurt me, that people could be so contentious over something so sacred as the bible. 

Also, I REALLY tried to get our investigators to church this week - like REALLY. I thought there was no way the same result would happen. Only two came. That kinda sent me into an emotional breakdown. Why is this just so darn hard? Haha well I've pretty much gotten over it by now. The scriptures really are great at comforting me!

Well I need to apologize because I didn't take a pictures this week and I know that nobody likes an email without pictures. I promise to do better this week.
Con mucho amor,
Elder Smalley!

A Roller-Coaster ... and the Duck

Hola muchachos!
If I had to say one thing about this week - its been a roller-coaster. There have been a lot of little things that have been tough. Every day I ask for comfort, and lots of it. The Lord has not given me everything I've asked for, but He sure has given me everything that i need! That is such an amazing blessing, I wish I could go deeper into that, but I don't have very much time haha!

BTW, you asked if we've had any more tangles with the duck ... actually yes. We walked by this week and he (the duck) was directly on the path. My companion wanted to go all the way around through the other side of the complex. But instead we crept by really slowly. I was terrified :)

Our progression with our investigators has also had its up and downs. Again, we made arrangements for all of them to come to church, we sent reminders and everything, but once again, only one investigator actually made it. WHY IS IT SO HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO CHURCH??? I'll keep working with that one. We were teaching a lesson to two hombres that we contacted in a store. One of them owns the store so we teach him there with his friend. While we were teaching, a man walks in, he asked a bunch of questions that I answered and I invited him to listen to the rest of the lesson. He then went on for about 30 minutes about how he was Catholic and a bunch of stuff trying to discredit Jose Smith as a prophet. That was fun haha. Even after he left, we had a good rest of the lesson. I hope so anyways. 

So last día de preparación we played volleyball and it was really fun! Tuesday was my first Zone conference. It was a huge slap in the face of things that I could work on. Walking out of that meeting I was so excited to do better, but I found out it is MUCH more easily said than done. That's what missionary work is in general! 

On Friday we had a training with the President. The Area presidents of Mexico have really stepped up the expectations. They expect each companionship to teach 40 to 60 lessons a week, not leave a members home without a referral address, 2 new contacts every day, and to baptize every week. My first thought was that it's impossible. Oh me of little faith!!! How could I forget that the Lord ALWAYS provides a way to accomplish His commandments??? So there, I KNOW its possible, now I just gotta do my part. 

Oh! and I got to see Elder Hesterman again! That was fun! I've been kinda sick this week, but all the chilies that I'm eating have really kept my immune system kicking. REALLY haha! Today we are going to play basketball as a district. I'm excited. Well take care and know that I love you guys. Like a lot!

Con muchisimo amor,
Elder Smalley

Teaching is Growing ... Like my apartment?

Hola mi familia amada!

This week has been a lot better! Not nearly as many appointments have fallen through, and we have 14 new investigators this week,  yeah! (Granted we received a referral for a family of 9....haha, but we taught them L1 last night and it went really well!)

I've been studying the Isaiah chapters this week. Is it just me, or are they all about missionary work??? So how do you like my apartment ... well at least the front of it from the street?

We have taught a lot more lessons (a lot for us, a little compared to any other companionship) and they have been some pretty powerful lessons! It feels so good to recognize the spirit again! I think all the fear and anxiety I was having was driving it away. In one lesson we introduced the Book of Mormon. We read with her Moroni's promise and I'll never forget her reaction. She said they were the most beautiful words she'd ever read. She explained how she felt. It was perfect! We were then able to explain to her that it was the Holy Ghost. Gah! It was just awesome!

We just had stake conference. It was a broadcast from Salt Lake. A president of the 70 spoke, also Elder Christopherson, and Elder Hales spoke too. Who knew Elder Christopherson could speak such good Spanish? I was really excited to invite our investigators, since we teach about the restoration of Prophets and Apostles. We arranged rides and everything for the 4 investigators we had at that point, to come to the conference. But only 1 came, darn. It's really a bummer because the president just changed the rules. Now investigators have to come to church 5 times before they can be baptized. So basically all our baptismal dates fell this week. darn.

On a better note, our ward has resolved to do a better job at working with the missionaries, and it's really been amazing! Everyone is getting excited about it and has really been helpful. Well, everyone except our ward mission leader, but i won't get into that....

So my trainer always makes me talk at least 50% of the lesson. Most trainers don't do that, but I'm glad he's been pushing me. I haven't struggled with that, I just need to develop my teaching skills. I've noticed however, that speaking gets so much easier when the spirit is there. hmm... :)

I just gotta say, I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD! I am in heaven! I really am! Even though it's super spicy. McKay would be proud. I LOVE spicy food now! I don't know why I hated it before. basically, the more salsa, the better! Every time I eat I just think to myself, Dad would be so jealous! haha


Well my district is going to play VOLLEYBALL today - yeah! Can't wait. So my companion hasn't worn shorts since he was 12 ... I know! But I am letting him borrow some, and he's super excited about it. Love you guys!
Con mucho Amor!
Elder Smalley

Feliz Año Nuevo!

Hola mi familia!
Happy new year!!! How did it go? Mine was pretty fun! Guess what my district did. Guess... BOWLING. We went bowling! I was so excited. And guess what else. I won haha. that never happens! Bowling isn´t very popular here. (Note: new years eve-day bowling became a family tradition of ours, years ago with dear New Jersey friends.)

Today I have been out here for 2 months. I´m not gonna say it´s flown by, but two months! That´s a twelfth of my mission. It´s interesting, I have really gained a lot of excitement this week. I´m really trying to learn to care less about myself and more about these people, and it´s really helped me get over all the discouragement! But the adversary is not cutting a break. This week has been tough. Almost every visit we have scheduled has fallen through. We barely taught a few lessons this week. It´s been hard because we don´t know what to do when our plan falls through, and so does our backup plan - for almost every hour. I hate feeling like I´m wasting the Lord's time. 

We have however seen SO MANY miracles, it´s unbelievable! I wish I could tell you about all of them. I am just so happy here! I love this work, and I love this opportunity! One of them was on Saturday. We had intercambios because my district leader wanted to see how our area is doing. I was sent to the Area Pacifico with my district leader's companion, who has been here the same amount of time, and speaks NO Spanish. yeah. While I am understanding more and more each day, I was still pretty nervous about it. I asked the Lord for a miracle, and I definately recieved one! I had almost no problems communicating. I don´t know how, maybe they just talk slower in Pacifico. There was one time, where a woman asked if we baked with wheat in the US. But I could not understand "wheat " from her description until she showed it to me haha! 

Well that same woman asked us for a blessing for her mother. A blessing of health. Elder R anointed in English and I sealed it in Spanish. Way cool! Yesterday was pretty cool as well. Never have I sat in a more powerful fast and testimony meeting. Even though the ward has so many struggles. These really are great people, who serve the Lord so faithfully! I cried, really hard haha.

The Spanish is coming pretty well. Like I said, they can understand anything I say, and I can express almost everything I want to say. I´m still struggling to hear and understand what they are saying, but it is getting a lot better. I´m becoming more and more involved in conversations. I´ve had some problems being timid-imagine that! But I´m working hard to get over that!

I don´t have anything else to say other than it is really hot here! Can´t wait for summer.
Con mucho amor,
Elder Smalley