March 9, 2026

 ¡Hola amigos y familia! I hope you are all doing great and had a wonderful week! My week was very eventful as I am now a real life missionary in the field!! 

The AP (assistant to the president) told me to do a tortilla count. I thought that was a great idea so each week I'll put a count for how many tortillas I have eaten. 

Tortilla Count: 8 

Tuesday I finished packing and got ready to leave!

Wednesday was INSANE. We got on a small CCM bus that took us to the airport. We then got on a bigger bus that took us 2 hours northeast to PACHUCA! When we got off the bus our Mission president's the Morales's met us and took us to the mission office. I had a interview with the mission president and then met my trainer! Her name is Hermana Pale, she is from Veracruz México, believe it or not she is 2 inches shorter than me AND she doesn't speak any English... 

After meeting my comp, she called a taxi and we drove to my first area. It's a town called San Agustín Tlaxiaca about 1/2 hour from the city. We got to the apartment, I unpacked and then we immediately went out to knock doors. 

My Spanish is SO BAD. But it's okay, I always find something to say to every person we talk to. 

Let me just tell you about some things: 

- I am taller than most of the women and half the men (I'm 5' 1") 

- The showers are cold.

- I wash my clothes by hand.

- I don't know what anyone is saying to me.

- I haven't seen another white person in 6 days. 

- The portion sizes are HUGE. I feel bad because the members give me so much food and I can't eat it all. 

- Can't drink the water here. 

- There are soooo many stray dogs in the streets. (I keep a rock in my pocket in case one tries to attack me). 

- I walk an average of 18,000 steps every day. 

- The branch president asked me to teach English classes so every Thursday from 6:30-7:30 come to the La Iglesia de Jesucristo en Fresno Calle for free English classes! 

-and I LOVE IT! 

Thursday, Friday and Saturday were all very similar. Lots of door knocking, street contacting and going to lessons that people don't show up to. The members are so kind and they feed us lunch every day! There was a giannnt rain storm on Friday. We ran 2 miles home in the rain. When we got home I wanted to take a video so I opened the door and a dog ran inside. Her name is Daisy and she doesn't have rabies so we let her stay inside until the rain stopped. 

I am serving in a small branch with about 30 members, 15 of which of youth and kids. Hna Pale and I taught the Relief Society Lesson yesterday to 4 sisters. 

Pensamiento Espiritual: 

This week has been a lot of just trying to understand my companion, the branch members and the people I talk to. It's hard because I have so much I want to say but I don't know how to say it in Spanish. One thing that has helped me is knowing that I have other spiritual gifts. My grandma sent me a list of spiritual gifts that we can have: 

Showing compassion.

Noticing people who are overlooked.

Finding reasons to be joyful.

Being a peacemaker.

Noticing small miracles.

Giving sincere compliments.

Forgiving.

Repenting.

Enduring.

Explaining things simply.

Helping others know that they belong.

 

A lot of these gifts don't require me to know Spanish. I encourage each of you this week to think of a spiritual gift that you have and look for a way to use it to help someone else. Remember that when you serve other people the person who benefits the most is yourself! 

I love you all so much! Keep me posted on what's going on in your lives!! 

Hermana Smith