August 4, 2014- Last Day in Ameyal!

Well, it's official: We definitely have transfers tomorrow! It will be exciting to see where we go next!

This week was good and also pretty different! No worries, we didn't end up in a different area for 1/2 the week, but Hermana Slack ended up staying with us for 3 days! Her companion has been having some health problems and hasn't been able to work very much, so President put her with us for a few days so she could continue her training. It was super fun being with her :) 

Something super awesome that happened this week is that Hermano Juan received the Aaronic Priesthood! We have been working super hard with their family since I got here, and Hermana Rookstool started working with them when SHE got here 4 1/2 Months ago. When they first started visiting, Juan didn't even want to talk or look at them! He wanted absolutely nothing to do with the church after they stopped attending several years ago, back when all of their daughters were teenagers. But we have been able to see him grow in so many ways. Yesterday, they were able to start taking the sacrament again, and he received the Priesthood :) Next week, he will bless the sacrament for the first time :) Yesterday, we talked to him, and he told us that they "have never been better" and that every day they "learn and change more". I know that the Lord can change peoples hearts, even the ones who seem impossible. :)

This week,I was able to do a lot of reflecting about the last 6 weeks. Even though they stretched me in ways that I didn't think possible, they made it so I had more room to grow. My testimony has been strengthened every single day, and for that, I am grateful. I'm definitely never going to forget Ameyal 2! Even though we didn't see any baptisms, we only ended up with one investigator, had unexpected trials and we walked a lot... it was worth it. And I know that it all comes down to the effort we put in. There is a quote that I really like, from Sister Linda S. Reeves, which says, "When all is said and done, what will matter to our Heavenly Father will be how well we have kept our covenants and how much we have tried to follow the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ." And that's what we did our best to do, and for that, I can leave this area with peace and gratitud in my heart for how much the Lord blessed us while we were here.

I love all of you so much! And I hope you all have a great week!!! :) 

Love Always,

Hermana Smith

Photos: 

- Hna Rookstool and I with our sticks...we walked with them everywhere!

- Sunrise from our house

- The GIANT NASTY beetle that was in our house!!!!!!!!