December 8, 2014- Week 18 In Atlixco! (And the best week so far!!!)

Hey everyone!

So this week was fantastic! By far, the best moment was Jeronimo's baptism! Everything went super great this week with him. His interview went great, the baptism was perfect, and yesterday at church, he bore his testimony about his conversion story! It was the most perfect moment ever. I was crying like a baby. To be honest, I think everyone in sacrament meeting yesterday was crying like babies. Sometimes I how I was so blessed to be here, right now, in order to meet and teach this wonderful man. He has changed our lives, and we're never going to forget him :)

Good news! My little Hermana Traylor is pregnant! Haha she's going to start training a new hermana tomorrow :) (In the mission, I'm her "step-mom" so I'm going to be a "step-grandma"!) I'm super duper excited for her. And we're happy that after 7 1/2 months here in Vista Hermosa, she's finally leaving! As for me, I'll be staying in Vista Hermosa for at least another transfer! I'm pretty sure I'm still going to be a sister training leader...so yay! I can't wait for tomorrow to find out who my new companion is going to be :) We're going to have a great 6 weeks! And I'm so happy that I'm still going to be here for Christmas! 2 members have already promised us turkey for Christmas Eve and Christmas, so I'm super excited :)

Karla wasn't able to get baptized this week due to complications with her school schedule...but we're going to work really hard with her these next few weeks so that she can be baptized soon :) She was feeling ready when we saw her this week, so I don't think it'll be too long :) 

Miracle story! So, before I came to this area 4 months ago. Hermana Traylor and Hermana Jones received a reference from a member...but all they knew was that the woman teaches english and lives in Casas Geo. We didn't even know her name, except that it starts with an A. The member who gave us the reference doesn't know the woman very well, but told us that she saw her and felt that she needed to send the missionaries to her. Since then, we have searched and searched for her. About 2 months ago, we found a woman named Adriana who teaches english...but when we showed her a picture of the sister who gave us the reference, she had no idea who she was! So we kept searching. Anywho, on Saturday, we were sitting, waiting for the combi, when a woman, leaving Casas Geo, asked us if we wanted a ride. (People normally don't do that.) She had her kids there too, so we got in. I sat up front with her, and she started talking to me in English! In that moment, I felt in my heart that this was the woman that we had been searching for! I asked her what her name was...and it's Ana! Then I asked her if she knew Claudia (the member) and she said YES! She told us that we could come visit her whenever we were free, and that she would gladly listen to our message! After 4 months of looking, we found the english teacher that lives in Casa Geo!!! When we told Claudia, she was so excited! Once again, it strengthened my testimony that God knows each one of his children, and he guides us to those who need us, in the exact moment that they need us. Actually, this week was full of God's "tender mercies" and I know that He loves us, and is aware of us and our needs.

​As we have been studying Christ this last week during our personal study, I have just been moved by how great of a person Christ really was. His life and mission was so great, and he did everything that our Father sent him here to do. And the way that we can find peace and happiness in our lives is if we apply His example to our lives in a "moving, dynamic, vitalizing" way. That is definitely something I haven't been able to accomplish yet, but I hope that I can soon! I've been thinking a lot about that this week, and really, being on a mission is the perfect opportunity to be as Christ-like as possible. Being a missionary has been such a blessing, because I have felt a grand change in myself over the past year. Maybe others can't quite see it, but I can definitely feel it. But this is definitely not the only time period I have to be more Christ-like. It is a life-long journey, and it's never going to end. And maybe the thing I've learned the most here is exactly that: that being more Christ-like should always be our goal, and that through the Atonement, we can do it.

Well, I love all of you so much! You're always in my heart and prayers :) Have a fantastic week!

Love always,

Hermana Smith

Photos:

The Baptism!!! Jeronimo's little granddaughter came to support him, and so did Hermana Ramirez! 

-Happy Birthday to Hermana Traylor on Saturday!!! We had a lot of fun :) It was a great day!-One hermana in the ward, Norma, is from Peru and she always makes us food from there! This week was the best one yet! I loved it!

-Karla, Ximena and Carlos :) This family is so great, and they help us out so much. They always accompany us when they can and they're always willing to give us/our investigators rides. 

-Left to Right: Leo, Elvira, Jose and Dionisia :) These members have saved our lives here, and I love them so much! Especially Elvira! (She's the cute one with her hands up) She is like our mom :)

-We helped them decorate the tree! (Elvira and her sons Uri and Irvin)