Week 74 - First Zone Conference with the Smiths

Hi family

This past Tuesday we had our first zone conference with the Smiths.
Our zone rented a gua gua (bus) as always and we headed out early to get to
the conference by eight-thirty. The majority of the trip was pretty
smooth, then we hit some heavy traffic upon entering Santo Domingo.
Hermano Ramon was maneuvering pretty well. I was riding shot gun with
him. But as we slowly squeezed our way onto a street, we collided with
a sedan that magically appeared on our right-hand side. I didn´t think
a car would be there seeing we were only a few feet away from the side
walk, but there is was. Nobody was hurt we were almost at a standstill
but we had to go to an insurance place and in the end, we arrived a bit
late to the meeting.

The Conference was great. The Assistants gave a training on the
importance of working with the members. After which President Smith
addressed us. The main message he and his wife shared was the
importance of obedience. We talked about the different reasons as to
why we are obedient. Out of duty, because we love God, because we know
that obedience brings blessings, because we are afraid. There are many
reasons to be obedient. Sister Smith suggested another one, being
obedient without a reason. Sometimes we can choose to be obedient even
though we may not know why it is important.
We talked about different examples in the scriptures of people who
exercised obedience even though they didn´t know the reason why they
had to do it. We talked about Adam who was commanded to offer
sacrifices, which he did so even though he knew not why. We talked
about Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his beloved son Isaac as
a sacrifice, even though this commandment seemed to contradict the
very promise the Lord had given him, that his seed would be more
numerous than the grains of sand on the shore of the sea. For me,
Abraham's trial of Faith was super hard.
The last example that was given was the Savior's. President read for us
in Matthew when the Savior was in the garden of Gethsemane, and he
asked his Father if there wasn´t another way, we talked about how the
atonement was an act of faith. Jesus exercised a lot of Faith too,
even he didn´t have all the answers. But he went and did what God
commanded him. I am grateful for the examples of these great men, and
women, in the scriptures. People who help us to understand that
sometimes we simply need to trust in God, even if we may not know why.

I love you guys, I hope you are all happy and well and are learning
every day to trust in our loving Father in heaven.

Love,
Elder Call
Pictures
Zone conference
Pictures of us. We found a parrot!

Week 73- Hola Familia

Dear Family,
The area is doing well. Elder Ortiz and I found some great new
investigators, actually cool story. So months ago I meet a less active
sister in the ward and her daughters. We tried to work with them but
they weren´t really interested so we left them for a time. This week,
I don´t remember which day, Elder Ortiz told me he felt like we should
go visit this family, entonces fuimos (we went.) I believe it was Tuesday when
we went. We arrived to find the husband of the daughter home, whom
I had never met. We share with them and then made a return appointment.
Later this week, we were walking down the street and saw them outside a
house. We went over and met the mother of the Felix, the husband. She
was super nice and we made a cita (appointment) with her. I also found out that her
husband is a man named Jesus, a great guy I contacted months ago but
never found his house! Then after all this we go visit some old
investigators named Jose and Juana. We arrive at their door and are
talking a bit with Jose. Then Elder Ortiz asked Jose if he was related
to Jesus. Jose responded that Jesus is his brother! It was awesome how
all of a sudden all these people were connected, it was like a really
cool domino effect and in the end, I´m like wow. I feel like we made
these connections for a reason, I don´t know if all these people will
accept the gospel now, but I feel that God is preparing this family,
for this reason, he allowed us to find them.

 This week I had a great intercambio with Elder Williams. We read in
Ether twelve twenty-seven about how God gives men weaknesses that we
may be humble. It also says that HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT to all men
who come unto him and says if we do so, these weaknesses can become
strengths. Elder Williams and I talked about how it´s a blessing to
recognize our weaknesses. It´s an opportunity we have to improve.
Personally, I think sometimes it would be nice to forget my weaknesses,
forget my many imperfections, but it doesn´t really work like that. We
are here to be tested after all, and these challenges each of us face
are chances we have to trust in our loving Father in heaven and
experience his power in our lives. I am thankful for our loving
Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for his tender mercies he gives to
me and to each of us.

I love you guys, I am thankful for you all. I pray you're all doing great.

Love, crazy Elder Call

Picture. We went to a waterfall as a Zone today, there's me being a
goofball, didn´t fall in, in case any were concerned.
 (I think he is trying to be the Karate KID)

Week 72 Farewell to President and Sister Corbitt, welcome to President and Sister Smith

He is ALIVE!  And finally wrote this week!

Dear Family,

Buenos tardes aya en Washington, I hope you all had an exceptional
week and are enjoying to warmth of summer. Well as the title says, this
week we said goodbye to President Corbitt and his wife. We will all
miss them. President Corbitt is an inspired man and has humbly led
this misión to accomplish wonders. I don´t know how it is in other
missions, I´m sure they have incredible misión presidents, but it is
difficult for me to imagine anyone who could surpass President in
humility and extraordinary faith…Maybe sister Corbitt. We enjoyed our last visit to the temple with them this past Wednesday morning, that's the picture. After the session, we met together in the cafetería, the Santo Domingo temple has a cafetería and talked a Little bit. Then they both thanked us all, and quietly left first. President Corbitt is
a great man, I am thankful for his help and guidance and shall try to
continue to apply his teachings and now those of President and Sister
Smith.

The Smiths arrived on Friday. They made a video which President showed
to us at the last zone conference. They seem like a great couple and
are excited to be working with us. One of the Assistants told us
President Smith is super spiritual! We are all looking forward to
meeting them.

This past week we baptized Camila. Camila is eleven and we contacted
her near the beginning of June. We worked with her through June and
this last Sunday she was baptized, the Little girl in the yellow
dress is her sister.

The other pictures is pizza which a sister in the Ward made for us and
a picture from today, we went to a mall today, it was cool.

I love you all and  I pray for you

Have a great week

Love Elder Call