Coming Home!

 

Just One Week More

Dear Family, 

I can't believe that in one short week I will be with you again. My mind is yet to fully comprehend that my time in Buenos Aires will come to an end. I love the people here and I love the calling that I've been given to serve them. I pray that God will continue to send the gospel to all of them.

Update on Jose Leon Suarez

This Saturday, Joaquin, Nicolas, and Elizabeth were baptized! Their father and a few of their siblings came to the service along with a good number of members. Despite flooding the baptismal font (whoops), the service was a great spiritual experience. I always feel so happy in baptismal services! Joaquin, Nicolas, and Elizabeth were super nervous but enjoyed being dressed all in white. 

The Gonzalez family came to church for the first time this week (Cristian, Mariana, Marcela, and Valentina)! We've been teaching them for the last month and they were finally able to come! Pedro attended as well and is excited to get baptized! He's unsure when because he wants his Dad to be there, so we'll see if that's this weekend or further in the future. 

Joaquin, Elizabeth and Nicolas Gauna

The Gauna Family (well, at least some of them. There's 16 kids in the family but not all of them came

What I've Learned

The power of agency and responsibility have been strongly impressed on my mind over the course of the last two year. I've learned that faith and desires and repentance are all things that depend on my decisions. 

Faith: Every day as a missionary, I need to believe in what we're doing in order to keep moving forward. I choose to have faith in things that I've never seen, trusting on my past experiences and the experiences of others. 

Desires: Good desires come from God. Bad desires come from Satan. Both exist. The desires that grow inside of me are the ones I choose to act upon. I become what I choose, good or bad.

Repentance: Repentance is the acceptance of my imperfections and the choice to change (very hand in hand with desires). When I repent, I choose to trust in Christ's promise that He has the power to cleanse me of sin and make me a better man. 

Elder Silva, Elder Mitchell, Elder Smith, Elder Chapman

Conclusion

Serving a mission is easily the best thing I have ever done with my life. I have felt immense joy as others have received the gospel. I have realized how much I love my family. Greatest of all, I have recognized how much I need Jesus Christ. He is at the head of this great work.

I know that God loves us and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His kingdom here on earth!

With much love,

Elder Cameron J Smith

Two short weeks left

Mon, Jan 7, 6:14 AM

Dear Mom,

I liked the 2-hour church meeting. Having everyone together in Gospel Principles class will take a little adjusting to (people that come to the church for the first time understand a little less than people who have gone to church for the last 40 years in a row), but I think it will be good. That way the new people can learn from those with experience. About fasting, we actually forgot it was fast Sunday, whoops. I'll be fasting during the week. 

The Gauna family came again! Carlos didn't stay but 4 of his kids did. Nicolas, Elizabeth, and Joaquin are getting baptized this Saturday! Our biggest challenge with them has been helping them make friends. They are all really really shy and don't like talking to new people. With us, they never stop talking but if someone they don't know isn't there, they don't say anything. 

We had a good week working with the members. We've been inviting them to go on splits with us more and they've responded well. 

I've been working on having more meaningful prayers and truly listening for answers. As a result, I've felt spiritually refreshed. I always think about that children's book "You Are Special" with the carpenter and all the wooden dolls. Spending alone time with God is important. 

It's crazy that in two short weeks, I'll be on a plane ride home. It seems like it's coming so fast! I'm going to make the most of every day I have left. 

Thanks for all your love and support!

Love,

Elder Smith

On the home stretch

	Mon, Dec 31, 2018, 8:43 AM

Dear Mom,

Wow! That's crazy that both Kaitlin and Kiersten are getting married. And Ammon. What? Kaitlin told me that they're getting married in June in Kennewick. I'll be able to go and see them get married. 

This week was good. We kept teaching all of the people from last week. On Saturday, we taught Mariana and Cristian about the law of chastity and they said they'll "talk about it." They didn't go to church so we think they were all little shocked by the lesson. We'll keep teaching them. We're praying that the Spirit softens their hearts.

The Gauna family went to church on Sunday. Their Dad, Carlos, went too for the first time in years! Yea! 

So, about getting released, I'm pretty sure I'll cry. It feels way too close so I avoid thinking about it. 

I got the flight plans too and wow, that's a lot of layover time. Fortunately, Elder Mitchell gave me a $10 bill for Christmas with a note that says "Dear Elder Smith, buy yourself lunch in the airport, love, Elder Mitchell." Haha, that's the only American money I have. But, I think my debit card will work in the airport. 

Do you think you could put around $250 in my checking account? Next week we're going to capital to buy souvenirs. (don't remember how to spell that)

Thanks for answering the questions about Grandpa Garth. I've already read it numerous times. I love learning about Grandpa. 

Sorry for the short email. I love you! Thanks for your help with Sadie's Christmas gift. 

Love,

Elder Smith

Cristian and Mariana

Cameron James Smith

Mon, Dec 24

Dear Mom,

This week was incredibly successful and really really tiring. I'll start with the good:

The Gauna Family

Last Monday we were planning in the morning and felt the impression to go visit an elderly member whose name we found in the ward directory. I ignored the impressions because she lives in a rather dangerous area and we would have to visit her late at night. And she lives far away from the other plans that we had already made. 

BUT, the impression came again so we wrote her name as the last thing on our agenda. 

We went to her house and were surprised to meet the Gauna Family, a family of 18, half of which are members of the church who haven't attended in years!!! They cheerfully received us. 

Four of the children (Nicolas, Elizabeth, Juaquin and Kiara) came to church on Sunday and LOVED IT! We're very excited for them and how ready they are to receive the gospel! I can tell you more about them tomorrow. 

Work, Work, Work: Cristian and Mariana

We've been trying really hard to give everything this Christmas season! In all of the buses, we've been sharing our testimonies of the Book of Mormon with everyone; in all the trains, we've been singing Christmas hymns and inviting everyone to learn more about Christ! 

Although we've never actually taught anyone that we met in the trains and buses, God has guided us through the people that receive us there. On Wednesday, we went looking for a young family that we talked to on the train. All the neighbors said, "oh, they live in the next house. No the next house. No the other next house." Ah! Never found them. It was a fake address. 

BUT, we did find Cristian and Mariana. They are the happiest couple that I have ever met in my mission!!! We knocked on their door and they let us right in! They're very interested in the church and the Book of Mormon! I'll write more about them as they keep progressing!

Tarjetas

On Saturday, President Smith challenged us to invite 300-500 people to church on the 23rd. We worked liked crazy and invited 400 people to church!

The Sun

So, like I said, on Saturday we worked like crazy. Thanks to my good friend, the sun, this Sunday was possibly the sickest day of my mission. Sunburn, headaches, muscle aches, weakness, and exhaustion (I think I was really dehydrated).  But, I got a good nights rest, drank lots of water and now I'm doing well. 

So yep, that was my week!

I love you! Talk to you tomorrow!!!

Elder Smith

Finishing my mission in Saurez

Dear Mom, 

Yep! Still in Suarez!!! Elder Dominguez was changed to another area. My new companion is Elder Mitchell from Connecticut (not the Elder Mitchell that I was in the offices with). He's really happy and easy to get along with. We've been working a lot. The train singing hasn't been too successful but we find lots of people on the buses! This week we taught a young man (José) that we ran into while we were looking for the house of another guy I had talked to on the bus. We scheduled an appointment with Jose and when we went his first question was, "I've always wondered, did Jesus ever come to the Americas?" uhhhhhhhh, what? Who asks that kind of question? We gladly answered him yes and proceeded to share a Book of Mormon with him. The Spirit was present in the lesson. We're excited to see how he progresses!

The other people we are teaching are doing well. A few little hiccups with opposition from family members but we're hoping on some Christmas miracles.

Being in Men's Chorus again would be great, but I need to practice a lot. My voice isn't as strong as before. 

Joining the Lord's Youth Batallion has been fun! I love feeling part of something bigger than me and my life. Praying every day that all of God's children can receive the gospel has made me think differently during the day. It's easier to find the motivation to talk to everyone that I can. 

I'm pretty sure that we'll do the video call on Christmas day. I'll be able to write you about it on the 24th. I'm thinking it will be good to have a call with just our family. 

Favorite Christmas song? Probably We Three Kings. My favorite Christmas Hymn is O Little Town of Bethlehem. 

Elder Stokes told me that the package got to the offices. I'll get it on Thursday when we have our mission Christmas concert!

I love you! Talk to you in a week!!!!

Elder Smith

Light the World

Dear Mom, 

I too am amazed at how fast the days are flying by! This week felt like nothing! We've been enjoying the "Light the World" campaign! We've been singing Christmas hymns in the trains (I was really nervous at first but it gets easier every time we do it). No one has accepted us in the train yet but I trust that we are planting many many little seeds every day!

This week we had a great zone conference. We gathered together with the stake and ward leadership and were taught by President Smith, Elder Batalla (area seventy) and President Foti (stake president). It was a very different feeling to be taught with the members but it makes so much more sense now that I think about it. We have to work together to have success!

On Friday, I read the youth devotional from President Nelson and his wife. The first time I listened to it I thought, "meh, I'm not a youth. I can't do these things." Rereading made me see that I can do almost everything that President Nelson asked of the youth. I decided to join the Lord's Youth Battalion!  So, yes. I made a little plan for what I'm going to do and I'm going to do it!

As for Christmas plans on the ward's part, we're having a ward dinner this Friday. I don't remember anything else. 

Transfers are coming tonight! I'll find out if I'll end my mission in Suarez or somewhere else. Ah! It's so crazy to think that I only have one transfer left. I hope it's the best one yet. 

I told Dad today that I would like to work for him when I get back in January. What questions or suggestions do you have for me as far as plans that I need to make before I get back?

I love you!!!!! Enjoy the snow!!!!!!!!!! (I hope more comes :)

Love,

Elder Smith