Yikes

Another transfer has come and gone, but for this one I won't be staying in Guayama. Honestly, I'm a sucker for a toxic relationship and kinda miss that place. Come back, Guayama, we can work through this 

The good news is Caguas is going to be just as toxic. My second night, I had a gun pulled on me! Well, maybe not pulled on me, but just "brandished" in my direction. Very quickly declared my missionary purpose (I am here to help you get closer to Christ, NOT vice versa, if you catch my drift), and he wasn't even interested. Tranquillo, tigre!

July 20th, 2026

Saying goodbye was hard, I spent the last 4 months in Guayama and met some pretty cool people. I did have the privelege of being invited to Mario's birthday party on my last day, we got to sing happy birthday and his mom even got him a cake. It was a very exclusive party, just us missionaries, him, and his mom, were invited. And they got me a Borricua hat, so it's official now. 

I'm in a trio now. We've got one elder with us thats almost done with his mission and is gonna leave in a few weeks and he's a *bit* socially awkward (if that's coming from me, it's not good). 

I'll be doing all the driving cuz awkward elder said he has been "strongly discouraged from driving unless absolutely necessary" (and I am dying to ask for the backstory to that) and the other elder is from Guatamala and doesn't have a license. 

~•~•~

I want to share a snippet from a poem I like. Picture a weary traveller crossing a large river at night. A ford is a shallow section of a river that you can cross without a bridge.

     It darkens. I have lost the ford.

     There is a change on all things made.

     The rocks have evil faces, Lord,

     And I am sore afraid.

I am not yet a talented enough writer to explain exactly why I like this poem, but something about it speaks to me. I picture people lost in darkness, scared about their futures, disappointed in their present, or with pasts they regret. I picture people who feel alone, who are losing hope and don't think they can get back up again.

When we are lost in the stormy sea, when we are sore afraid, when the rocks have evil faces and we have lost the ford, there is a solution. The High Priest of Good Things to Come. The Son of the Living God. Jesus, the Christ.

John 8:12 "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Please turn to Christ. Exercise faith in Him, repent and return to His presence, follow His example and be baptized in His church and recieve the gift of the Holy Spirit. Endure all things and focus on Christ. Love God and love all His children, your siblings.

I have felt the saving power of Jesus Christ. I don't think I could possibly still be on my mission without Him. I love all of you and pray everyone that reads this can feel His love for them perfectly and personally 

DTB,

Élder Smith