No Church in the Wild

June 8, 2026

Wepa,

Still in Guayama and still with Elder Gillins. Walking everywhere, there is so much humidity and heat. My brain started vibrating the other day, I'm pretty sure I'm melting from the inside out.


We did get chinese food in exchange for helping paint a fence, what a bargain!

We have a new hater, Luis. Everytime we see him run by we say "Luis! We love you man!" And he flips us off and curses us out as he continues to run. I know he goes to bed sething that there are two white kids in "his" town. 

Lotta crazy people out and about in this town. I think the heat is getting to them. It's getting to me too. My comp refered to this place as the "armpit of Puerto Rico" which I have to agree. It is hot and smells bad and is so humid. Sometimes all that keeps me going is thinking "God sees effort and I will be blessed for this." I hope so at least.

Elder Heaton left. My goat. The funniest missionary I've ever met, now he's finding green dots in Wyoming ;) 

Gone too soon

The people here need the gospel. They need it so bad, they are lost, dazed, confused (movie reference), depressed, and angry. I feel a weight of responsiblity to be in this town. It's humbling to think that the Lord trusts me to do everything I can to help lift the cloud of darkness here. 

We met Q, short for Quin, short for Quintus, the other day. He was cool (not really, but he was nice) but he could not accept the concept of ongoing revelation. His tragic world view is the bible is the complete word of God and there can be no more scripture or revelation. 

I love the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ. That because God loves all of us, and because He is unchanging: He has, He does, and He will continue to guide our lives. We do not face the same challenges the Ancient Jews faced (surely there is overlap and we can learn from them) and having a living prophet and a open canon of scripture is amazing.

Why wouldn't you want to hear MORE from your Creator??

“It is my duty to say to you that the need was never greater [for] new revelation than now. The doctrine of inspiration is lost. … Miracles, prophecy, … the holy life, exist as ancient history [only]. … Men have come to speak of … revelation as somewhat long ago given and done, as if God were dead. … It is the office of a true teacher... to show us that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, speaking to Divinity School at Harvard 

What a privlege to know the heavens are not shut and God wants us to return to him. 

Missionary work isn't easy but it is worth it. It has and will continue to bless my life. 


Feel free to email if you want, I love you all 
Élder Smith

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