Mission Home and First Area Arrival!

Hello everyone, I'm finally in Villahermosa! - and when people said that it is super hot here, they were not lying. It is sooo hot.  So far its been pretty good. I only got like 2 hours of sleep last night so I am pretty tired; it is so beautiful here though. It is very, very green and there are a lot of trees everywhere. It's been raining on and off since I've been here. I got here at like 8:30 am Central Time-CT. I got up at 2:30 am so that was awesome. I literally love it here already though. I met with the mission president, Pres. Whitworth for an interview and met his wife - they are both great! I heard that the people here don't fully pronunciate the words when they speak so its a little tricky to understand - but so far it has been awesome.

My companion is Elder Horn, he is my trainer. Elder Horn is from Waco, Texas. I come to find out he has a sister that is very near my home town - lives about 20 minutes away from where I call home.
I have been assigned to serve with Elder Horn in a town on the Gulf of México, northwest of Villahermosa, approximately 2 hrs 13 min. (166.4 km) from Villahermosa.  It is called Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, México. I was able to call via Google Hangouts my family from a internet cafe near our apartment on Monday, Nov. 4th, which is our preparation day and visit with them. It was a great visit!

(Click to view) Location of Coatzacoalcos, México. 

Meeting my trainer, Elder Horn - Monday, Nov. 4th, 2019.

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I walked into our humble small apartment, and looked around, I then sat down and pulled out a cookie I had saved from lunch at the mission home and thought to myself, "I am thankful for my cookie." haha - I am thankful for my cookie, for sure. Elder Horn mentioned that there is no running water and that we buy water to drink and use a well with a 45 pound bucket to get water to take a bath with. Also, what happened that was funny is we have a domesticated cat that likes to live at our apartment. Elder Horn showed me my bed and then the cat jumped up on the bed and did a "poop" - luckily I brought some clean sheets. Sister Whitworth, the mission President's wife talked to all of the newly arrived missionaries, at the mission home, earlier in the day and said, "there are seven diseases that missionaries have to be careful of." I thought to myself, well I am on track to get all seven, haha.

I am grateful to be here and excited to serve the Lord! Tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 5th, this awesome adventure starts.

New missionary training and orientation - Nov. 4th, 2019.

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(Left to Right) Elder Horn, Elder Smart - (Right Photo - Left to Right) - Sister Jennifer R. Whitworth, Elder Smart, Pres. Clark Whitworth.

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D&C 12:3-4

3 Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.

4 Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God.