Saint Pablo

June 29, 2026

Que lo que?

We've got a new mission president now! But his name is still "Paul H." He landed last week, and has hit the ground running. We had zone conference and interviews with him on Thursday, and true to form, I made a terrible first impression!

I was on an exchange with Elder Mancía and we were in charge of getting to the church early to set up for ZC. So it's 8am, I'm looking like a bum in shorts and slides, haven't showered, already sweaty because the humidity doesn't quit in pr. And our new mission president and his wife pull into the parking lot, and see us in all of our unprepared glory. Rough introduction, but he was nice. 

After saying hi, we SPED home and got ready as quick as possible (sometime Puerto Rico driving is nice, the speed limits are very optional). Interview and ZC went well though, hopefully he forgets about our first interaction. 

Other than that, it's been a cool couple weeks. We put our friend Michael on date to be baptized, he is very elect. He does sends us a lil too many gifs of a certain german dictator to ignore... but he gave me some cambodian currency (I guess he collects forgein currency) so I'll let it slide.

"Salt Lake City!! SALT LAKE CIITTTYY!" is what a guy yells at us every time we walk by him in the streets. Glad I'm from the east coast!

~•~°~•~

"One set of footsteps, you were carrying me" - Ye

~•~°~•~

We were talking with a man this week and he asked, with such earnestness and sadness, "Why did Jesus forget about us?" It was heartbreaking to see a grown man, who had just claimed to be a devout catholic, feel so abandonded by his Savior. I do not want ANY one in ANY church/denomination/sect to feel like that.

Family and friends: Christ has not forgotten us. He suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was crucified, and He was then resurrected. Christ Jesus overcame physical death (seperation of body and spirit) and spiritual death (seperation from the presence of God, as a result of sin).

Because of His Atonement, he understands our pain perfectly. Because he perfectly understands us, he can perfectly help us. I've never had the exact same life experiences as any of you. I might relate, and I can try to sympathize, but in the end, my efforts are going to be imperfect. But Christ felt perfectly what we've felt and he can perfectly help us.

Alma 7:12 explains: "And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities... that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."

Noun: succor

|sú-kur|

 Assistance in time of difficulty

Because He suffered for and with us, He is able to help us! 

Nunca olvides esto,

Élder Smith