I enjoyed the phone call muchisimo and only another 5 months till the next one

Hey what is up guys, I enjoyed the phone call muchisimo and only another 5 months till the next one. It was great to hear y’alls voices and to hear that all was going well. I had a good Christmas week, it is a little weird going into full gear after the Christmas week and talking to y’all, but I got to do it.

This week was fun, but the past 2 weeks have been some of my more spiritual weeks of my mission so far. I have fasted 3 times in the past 10 days, and I have learned the power in the fast, and I have seen the Lord’s hand in my work for the past couple of weeks. We are really working hard with the families we have, and especially with Raulin and Andeti. Monday we put a baptismal date for them in February, but if all goes well they could do it in a couple of weeks, but you know how people are about picking their baptismal dates. But one of the things I have fasted for especially is that they can give up their drinking habits, and they didn’t drink anything during the Christmas week and they have a desire to get rid of it, so it is cool to watch them as they overcome this. We are still working on finding people and contacting everyday so we can continue to have a pool of people to teach. This week I think I came to the conclusion that Satan has power over little children and little dogs. During our lessons this week it is so frustrating and hard to teach when kids go out of their minds and way just to test the patience of their parents and us. Oh well, everything else seems to be going good.

Things are pretty chill around here now as normal, but we will see what happens in the New Year. I just know right now I can’t feel my body, we went over to the other side of Cotui and played some basketball with all of the elders in our district and some members from their side. It got pretty intense as it usually does with Dominicans. Dominican Ball is something else, but I made it out alive. We played for like 3 and a half hours and I thought that was demasiado - too much.

I hope all continues to go well at home and that y’all are enjoying y’alls vacations.

Love, Elder Smith

Since I couldn't send him Dr Pepper in a package, he got a DP shirt for Christmas

Family he is teaching. They had Christmas Eve dinner with them

Pride of the Dominicans.

They like their loud music 

Won't complain about road around here again

Glad that's peso's and not dollars!!

Companionship Study- Lehi's Dream