The End of an amazing adventure.

Hello everyone, It's me, Hermana Samantha Smith.  I decided I should top off this mission blog with a post-mission entry.  It's been an amazing 18 months.  I can't believe it's already over.  It's a strange thing being an RM.  Part of me feels like I never stepped foot in Vegas - like I just woke up from the best dream I've ever had.  Fortunately, it was not a dream - it was reality.

I was reading a post someone put on Facebook the other day and she mentioned her decision to put her life on hold for 18 months to serve the Lord.  It was a lovely status in its entirety, but I have to disagree with that one statement.  When someone makes the choice to serve a mission full time, they're not putting their life on hold.  There is no pause button for your life.  Every step you take or decision you make is a part of YOUR life.  In the mission field I learned so many things I don't think I ever would have had I not served a mission.  I met several different people on a daily basis who were all fighting their own unique battles.  Some were better at hiding them than others.  I wasn't always able to relate to them, but I knew the Lord could.  It is a remarkable privilege to be able to stand in His place and testify of His power.  On my mission I learned what it truly means to love another person and just how many different types of love there are.  It's a very complex emotion!  Before my mission I never knew it was possible to love so many people at one time.  There were times where I could not settle down at night because of how full I felt inside.  Often times I had to work in order to develop that love.  It doesn't always come naturally because unfortunately, the natural man in us tends to initially turn inward.  Faith without works (and a desire) is dead.  These are only a few of the many things I learned on my mission that have changes MY life.

No missionary should go into the field thinking they're putting their life on hold to serve others.  No missionary should ever think their testimony is already as strong as it's going to get - that they've already learned all they need to know.  A mission is a very real and humbling experience.  Yes, we are there to think less of ourselves and more of others.  We are supposed to forget ourselves and go to work.  However, in doing so, the missionary also changes.  There is always more to learn and space to grow.  I believe our Heavenly Father expects us to go home a changed person - more Christlike.  The blessings of missionary work do not solely effect those being served, but it changes the individual serving as well.  In fact, we can only experience these changes when we practice putting ourselves in the Lord's shoes, which is the whole point of our mortal existence.  

To every missionary, the day will come when you must return to the part of your life outside the mission field.  What you will see is that your life was never put on hold.  The pause button never worked.  The people and circumstances you left behind did not stop moving in wait for your glorious return.  Things will be different.  You will have to adapt and realize that you are not the same person and that the past year and a half to two years of your life was in fact the most real and important time of YOUR life.  More important than whatever else you could have been doing in that time frame.

I feel like the same person I was before I left, but that light of Christ inside me has grown.  I have more peace.  I feel more joy, regardless of my faults or the imperfections that surround me.  I'm stronger spiritually.  Much stronger.

I loved being able to see those changes in my fellow missionaries as well.  The last week in my mission, I went to a Missionary Leadership Counsel... it's a meeting for all the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders and sometimes District Leaders.  There were some elders and sisters there that throughout my mission I had had the privilege of serving beside.  They seemed so much happier, though.  There was a glow about them and I was so grateful to be able to see those changes in them before ending this very important chapter in my life.  I remember one elder in particular spoke to me very briefly after the meeting about how much he had changed.  apparently his mother even took notice of it from his emails.  That to me is just amazing.

I love this gospel and I love my Savior.  I know that if we do all we can, He will provide the rest.  It is through him that we can accomplish these changes in our lives - in our natures.  Not only can we receive forgiveness and become better, but we can be assured that Christ understands the difficulty of our trials.  He has felt them and he can comfort us.  He hasn't just suffered our sins, but also our pains, sicknesses, heartbreaks and shortcomings that we can't always control as mortals.  He has been very merciful to me in my life.  I'm so grateful to Him for that.  Through all He's done for me I understand more fully the love my Heavenly Father has for me as well.  They're on the same team and both just want us to follow them - to trust them..because they want us to come back.  Moses chapter 7 blows my mind and on my mission really helped me see the true nature of God and Jesus Christ.  They root for us everyday and hope that we will choose them.

I want to thank anyone who might be reading this for your support and in being instruments in the Lord's hands in lifting me up when I needed a boost and helping me be able to serve a mission.  Your examples mean the world to me.

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Samantha Smith    

                    

July 28, 2014

We still talk with Gustavo over phone.  Myra's doing great as well.  She tells us some days she feels totally ready for baptism and other days she feels a little nervous.  We advised her to hold on to the good feelings, because those are from the Holy Ghost.  She was supposed to go to the singles ward yesterday, but I guess something came up and she told those sister missionaries that she couldn't...we have a lesson with her tomorrow, though, so we can find out more then.  We also picked up a former investigator named Rafael.  Do you remember Rafael?  He had a baptismal date while sister Hill and I were teaching him, but didn't come to church enough times before his date and started smoking again and said he needed time to be 100% positive this is something he wanted.  Yep, that Rafael.  Well, we stopped by in the beginning of the week and he told us he was 100% sure now and decided that baptism into our church is what he wanted.  He told us it was a sign from God that we came by and that he would be in church every Sunday for all 3 hours (which he never was that committed to before.)  So, we set him with a baptismal date for Aug. 16th along with Myra.  He came to church yesterday and stayed all 3 hours for the first time.  He is ready to change his life. 

We've also been getting a LOT of referrals lately, which is rare for Alta Vista...well, with what we're used to anyway.  Our area may have died last week, but it must have just been to make way for it to be built up again with a whole new teaching pool.  Haha. 

Exchanges are good.  Exhausting, but good.  Haha... only 1 left!  We're doing it tomorrow.  Last exchange was weird with sis Hill in Los Feliz.  We ate dinner with a member couple, but the husband started going off on how he doesn't believe in the Book of Mormon and him and his wife started arguing... none of us were expecting that. Haha. 

As for Gustavo, he texts and calls us from time to time.  I'm really impressed with Gustavo.  He's having a ton of spiritual experiences out there.  The other day he  was having the worst day and didn't have enough money for food and gas, so he prayed and out of no where someone gave him 20 dollars which he used to buy some gas and food and then he went looking for work and made 350 dollars in one day.  Every time he shares those experiences with us, it ends up being the result of fervent prayer and reading in the Book of Mormon.  And he recognized them as blessings from God.  He already has a job as a carpenter and is looking for an apartment over there.  That's super impressive because he's been homeless for a little over a week and now he's barely homeless now.  He's working hard.  If there's a will there's a way... President Pecjak told us he had been praying for him and has a feeling Gustavo's going to be just fine.  That's the feeling I get as well.  Yesterday he asked us how often we fast and we told him and then asked him if he knew how to fast.  His simple response was, "ensenenme como"  And so we called him and gave him a little lesson about fasting.  That's just how he is.  'Teach me how.'  He opened up to us yesterday a lot about his childhood.  He wants to go back to Mexico one day to talk to his dad because his dad was abusive and alcoholic to him, his siblings and mom and he's apparently one of the only kids who doesn't have hatred towards his dad.  It seems he's forgiven him.  He told us he's been struggling his whole life from timidness and low self esteem because of his father.  I still remember one of our first lessons with Gustavo where he told us about the marital problems his sister and her husband were having.  He told us he used to bust out the bible and try to help his sister see how their fighting was influencing their children.  And when his sister told him to leave the house, he told us, 'todo va a estar bien' and that he knew she was just acting on emotions and didn't mean what she said.  Now knowing how he grew up, it really impresses me how he handles things and how he really strives to be the example in his family.  It's all from experience.  It's no wonder the Lord is blessing him.  Keep him in your prayers.     

It hasn't really hit me fully that i'm leaving in a week yet.  I'm not trunky at all...hopefully it hits me soon, though, so I can actually think of something to say for my departing testimony.  Hah. 

July 21, 2014

This week, sad to say, was not the best.  Myra is still awesome and ready to be baptized on the 16th of August.  She told us she prayed about her date and felt butterflies in her chest.  SPIRIT!  She wants to go to the singles ward, though.  Gustavo...well, that's kind of a heart breaking situation.  He's in Colorado right now and homeless.  This past week we called him and he said his sister and brother in law got upset with him and suggested he leave the house.  So he told us he was going to Colorado.  The next day he met us at the chapel after district meeting to say goodbye and he was very emotional about it.  He kept touching his heart and saying, 'it's always in my heart' and even gave us a gift.  A whole bunch of face wash products.  He told us he would continue working hard at going forward with what we've taught him.  He also gave us his business card so we could keep in touch and we told him we'd send missionaries to him when he settled down.  He gave us a hug before he left (what can you do) and took off.  We've been texting him on and off and we're really worried about him.  President Pecjak called the bishop of the spanish ward where Gustavo is right now in Colorado, so we hope he'll get some help soon and find the church out there.  Gustavo is a really smart man, so this is very unlike him to just take off and be homeless.  We pray for him often.  Please keep him in your prayers as well.  It's been really hard for Sister Hutchinson and I because for whatever reason we had a really cool connection with Gustavo.  It's so weird how much you can love people!  I never knew so many different types of love existed before my mission.  Ay, ay ay...

As for the rest of the week, a lot of people either dropped us or we dropped them...so we basically have to start all over again.  Oh, and one of our really awesome recent converts moved back to mexico and her dad went off the deep end and decided he's going to stop going to church for a year so he can do some sketchy stuff to make money and doesn't want to mix the 2 together.  Super messed up.  We testified/warned him of the importance of keeping the sabbath day holy and how he will be blessed temporally by living it, but he straight up doesn't respect us.  Then in gospel principles yesterday the same recent convert asked me what exaltation was and when I explained it to him, he insisted I was wrong and then the whole class looks up the word in the dictionary in their phones and came to the conclusion that exaltation is 'praising and shouting'...  okay, whatever... sure, the covenants we make in the temple prepare us for 'praising and shouting' and NOT the highest state of happiness in the celestial kingdom in the presence of God, Jesus Christ and our families for eternity.  Whatever.  Don't listen to the missionaries who have been through the temple.  Anyway, I'll end this on a positive note, I promise...

We are keeping our heads up and maintaining an eternal perspective.  These let downs are only building me up and making me stronger.  It's just hard when I want to help the branch grow because I love the people here so much, and all these unfortunate things happen.  I won't let Satan win, though.  I won't give up until my mission ends in 2 weeks...and even then I won't give up.  I just won't be involved in the same way I am now.  During interviews President Snow talked about being a Preach My Gospel missionary for LIFE.  That's what our missions prepare us for.  I'm so ready!  Well...maybe. 

July 14, 2014

Well, anyway, I guess I'll tell you how my week was.  Gustavo and Myra both have baptismal dates.  Gustavo for the 9th and Myra the 16th.  They both came to church yesterday.  It was Myra's first time and Gustavo's second time.  We had a lesson with Myra after church and taught her the plan of salvation and set her with her baptismal date for the 16th.  Gustavo seemed to really love church.  One of the talks was all about how to make and keep covenants.  He loved that and even participated in gospel principles.  WE had a lesson with him on Saturday and talked about how to overcome the natural man.  We shared Mosiah 3:13 with him.  He really wants to change and he talks all the time about how it is a process that includes changing your habits and developing new, more positive ones.  Whenever we ask him about the book of mormon he wont tell us straight out that he knows it's true, but he tells us he's reading it daily because he knows it's important and he's trying to make a habit out of it.  We testify all the time of how this gospel can truly bring about that change he wants and how he will notice extra help and hope in his life when he is baptized and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost.  He told us some other things that were cool.  When we asked if he was going to church again, he tells us, 'of course I am!  It's important!  It's a priority.'  In that talk about covenants yesterday, the guy mentioned how important the sacrament is and Gustavo afterwards seemed very determined to come every Sunday.  Because he's so focused on habits and consistency and he has that drive to change, I think he'll stay solid.  He also told us that our presence is very powerful and it brings peace and happiness.  It's a mountain of a difference, he said.  Of course we gave all the credit to the spirit.  He's a very smart dude.  He gave us a whole bunch of health advice and told us all of these interesting things about how the mind works.  He's the kind of person who if he's not at home reading a book or pondering about something or looking for work somewhere, he's at the library filling his brain with more knowledge.  Haha.  He has his own little schedule, too.  He liked hearing about how we organize our day because he likes to do that to keep his mind focused on positive things.  It's all about good habits!  He even walks around with ear buds in his ears listening to inspirational speeches by famous psychologists.  This helps him with depression.

As for Myra, she's just a cute 20 year old girl who's going to be the pioneer in her family.  Her big thing is guidance.  She just wants guidance in her life.  When we invited her to be baptized, she told us her only worry was making such a big commitment and then falling away or not being as faithful to that covenant.  She doesn't want that to happen because as she says, Jesus is someone you do NOT want to disappointed.  I've got to agree with her there.  I think church was very different from what she expected, especially because they talked all about the second coming in the 2nd class, but when we explained the plan of salvation, it answered a lot of her questions.  She accepted the 16th right away. 

Apparently the Pecjak family wants us to eat dinner with them on the 6th or 7th because they're going out of town on the 8th.  Just so you know, we have a dinner apt that day.  The mission office wants me to send baptism pictures for a slide show at the departing testimony meeting, but I'm too lazy...ugh.  Btw, just so you know, Pres Pecjak told me he was proud of me because I'm not trunky at all.  So I'm still working hard! 

I've been on 1 exchange so far and I'll be doing another one tonight.  I'm going to their area.  This morning we got up at 2:30 and drove to las vegas to hike Sunrise mountain as a district.  That was intense.  And afterwards we ate breakfast with a member in the East stake.  Our district leader set the whole thing up, with permission from president Snow, don't worry.  It was fun, but I'm tired. haha.  I took a nap, though, so I have enough energy.  I'm just always tired.  I tell you what, the mission wears you out!  I love it, but now that I'm, at the end I've got like no energy.  I'm running completely on the strength of my spirit.  Haha.  We see lots of blessings, though.  Still haven't found the Ramos family, but Gustavo and Myra are legit.  You guys will be able to be there for Gustavo's baptism, too.  Not Myra's, though. :(  I don't think so anyway. 

Love you all.  I also worry I'll fall into the slug life again...that does scare me.  So I'll need your support, but i'm determined to do something with my life now.  I should keep in touch with Gustavo so I can follow his example!  Haha.  Well, of course I'll do that anyway with all my recent converts.            

July 7, 2014...4 more weeks

Howdy hey!  So far it has been a blessed p-day.  We went to Nelson this morning with sister Ripplinger and let me tell you....that place is impressive!  We had a mine tour and it was the coolest thing ever.  The couple who owns the place are members of the church and have preserved the whole western town look.  It has some really cool history, too.  Typical old western town.  It happens to be a pretty famous place, too.  They've filmed many movies, music videos and TV shows there, among other things.  They have some really cool haunted mine stories, too and shows like Ghost hunters and all those scifi/history shows have filmed there.  Apparently one of those ghost shows wanted to interview them, but they refused because the production crew wanted to them to lie on air and say they were 'concerned' about the supernatural activity in the mines, which is not true and they don't want the place to be known for its spookiness. Haha.  What was really funny is that in the mines, the woman told us to take pictures in the pitch darkness and see if any ghosts pop up, just for fun.  Apparently a lot of people have weird things pop up in pictures.  It was so cool.  These people were even offered their own reality show several times by different people.  Super cool people, really good friends of Sister Ripplinger.  You've got to meet sister Ripplinger, she knows the most interesting people.  Haha, they also have aliens in jars chilling in the gift shop to poke fun at people who think aliens actually roam the mines.  The Colorado river is also over there, so we got to see that.  I have picture proof! 

Over all, this week was pretty good.  In the beginning of the week, we had a funny experience with an older woman named Olga.  We knocked on her door and she started telling us how she was a christian, blah blah blah...  we told her we were, too, but she insisted we tell her who we really were.  We kept giving her the full name of the church and then she asked if we were Mormons.  We said yes and she just started getting all defensive for no reason...going of on all these random things...'I'm a christian, I'm fine'  blah blah...we were just like, 'yeah, that's great, we're not attacking you'.  Haha.  Then out of no where she tells us this story about how she had a really bad accident and was brain dead and then when the doctors put her in a plastic sack, she came back to life. (Sounds like something you'd see in ET or something)  So anyway, she explained to us how she was brought back to life to be a messenger for God.  She then told us God had a message for us and says, "After this, there are no more second changes...are you ready?"  So we said yes and suddenly she gets all weird and closes her eyes and acts as if she's possessed by something and goes, 'I want all of my children to know...that in my kingdom... I will always forgive them... so that they can have a place...in my KINGDOM.'  She went off like that for about 4 minutes and we were trying really hard not to laugh.  THEN as she ends, she almost passed out.  Her eyes roll to the back of her head and she gets all dizzy as if whatever possessed her just fled from her body again.  As she's recovering from that, I go to slip one of our cards in her hand as an attempt to make a quick get away while she's half conscious...didn't work.  She just went on again about some random stuff.  By the end of it she tells us, "I might be brain dead, but I'm not mentally retarded...I'm just slow."  Quote of the year.  Anyway, that was a first on my mission so I thought I'd share it.  Needless to say, we are not currently teaching her. 

Gustavo came to church for the first time yesterday!  We taught Myra again this week, and she's still super prepared and interested.  Said she was for sure coming to church ,but had a family crisis last minute and wasn't able to make it. :(  Gustavo and her should have a baptismal date by the end of this week.  Gustavo is SO legit.  We had a really long lesson with him last week with president Pecjak...president LOVES to talk bastante and went off about temples for a while (which Gustavo knew nothing about), but Gustavo took it well.  We taught the plan of salvation.  Anyway, after that lesson I was praying hardcore everyday that Gustavo would be able to come to church.  He said he would, but I just felt so nervous he wouldn't for some reason and I was even a little scared!  I was just pleading with Heavenly Father... come Sunday morning, we come out of our ward counsel meeting and are waiting out in the lobby for Gustavo...turns out, he was already seated in the chapel.  I had to translate in the corner for the English speakers using headsets, so I didn't get to sit with him, but he told us after church that he really liked it.  He told us something else really cool, too.  One of the other lessons we had with him last week was focused on how to recognize the Holy Ghost, because he's a man who apparently hasn't felt a lot of peace in his life in we testified of how the spirit often communicates with us in very subtle ways.  So on Sunday after church Gustavo told us he was reading the book of Mormon the night before and felt a subtle sense of peace come over him.  I was so excited to hear that!  He is so prepared, I can't wait for you guys to meet him.  It's funny, too, because when I was with hna Hill, she didn't want to ever try him because with the sisters experience with him before was not that successful.  He was rarely ever home.  We were the sisters meant to teach him I guess.  It's his time.  It was actually cool how we first met him because he was a former investigator and we were driving around one day without our traveling area book with all the addresses and stuff, but all of our backups fell through and it just came to our minds to try visiting Gustavo.  However, we didn't know where he lived.  We decided to just go where we thought it might be and we pretty much turned a couple corners and boom, we were in front of his house.  It was a miracle and he happened to be home, we met him for the first time that night and have been teaching him ever since.  We shared that experience with him one night to help him see there really was a reason we had been placed in his life.  He was so happy we shared it with him.  He was like, 'wow, you sharing that with me makes me feel really good.  Wow.  Thank you so much.' Then he opened up at told us that before that day he had been praying for God to guide him.  He's an amazing guy.  He's one of the most sincere people I've taught on my mission. 

New mission president is cool.  I like him and his wife a lot so far.  I met them at MLC and again at our zone training meeting.  We have interviews with them on the 16th.  Looking forward to it. 

I'm supposed to be getting my "trunky papers" today.  We'll see.  Haven't gotten to pick up our mail yet.  

Love you all!  See you in like... a few weeks.  

June 30, 2014

Life as a STL isn't much different.  Haven't gone on exchanges this week, will next week though.  I have 6 to do and I already have them planned out throughout the transfer.  Trade offs with members...you mean splits?  Not lately, no, but I've done them before. 

This week was a very interesting one... the weekend sucked up all our proselyting time, but that's okay.  2 weddings and 2 baptisms, what can you do?  During the day on Friday Sister R drove us down to searchlight so we could visit our old part member family out there and she could tackle visiting teaching at the same time.  We found out that the part member family didn't live there anymore....so sister Ripplinger stopped by the house of some old friends she used to visit when she was in the english ward.  We heard all about this less active member who lives out there named C... C is a woman who lives in this little trailer full of cats, cat poop and pee and food and garbage all over the place.  Apparently some time ago Sister R and the relief society went down there to help her clean up some stuff....amongst all the cat pee and who knows what else, the sisters decided to clean out the freezer... and there was a dead cat inside.  C told them that when it died the ground was too cold to bury it, so they stuck it in the freezer.... 8 months later sister R discovered it in the freezer...  We visited a lady named Carol who pretty much has a pet mountain lion.  We didn't see it, but she said there is a mountain lion that wonders around searchlight and always sleeps on the roof of her trailer.  He stays pretty close by her place and is very protective of her.  Then we met a funny woman named Debby who was quite the character.  Searchlight's a different place... it has its own little odd charm to it...half the trailers out there are vacant, too.  Carol told us that all her neighbors are dead.  On the way to Searchlight there is a little road called "Grandpas road" apparently it's a little road in the middle of the desert with 3 or 4 trailers.  You can live there for free, though.  That is, if you're willing to live there.  Funny stuff.

The outdoor wedding was interesting... Julio, the groom, is very negative and was telling us about how once you're married, you're going to suffer, blah blah.... even though he was the one who proposed to this woman.. I just shook my head and went, "Julio, we want to be happy today because it's a happy day.  Let's look at the good side of things!"  After the little ceremony, though, he was happier.  I'm really sick of the whole, 'oops, I'm getting married, it's all down hill from here!'  The general authorities tell us that marriage is intended to be the most fulfilling, joyous relationship we can ever experience.  Now, of course it's something we need to work at and there will be challenges, but it's in the end up to us how our marriage turns out.  I know I'm not married or anything, but my mission has helped me have a better view of how anything works in life.  Make Christ the center of all your relationships, and you will always have a happy relationship.  Making negative comments about marriage only hurt your marriage even more.  I wish the best for Julio and hna. Shumway, but that all depends on them.  Hopefully they'll start coming to church regularly and Julio humbles himself enough to be teachable again. 

The Lozano baptism went really well.  Renee Lozano came up to us afterwards and told us he loved us just as much as hna Hill and Veazey and that we helped them just as much.  That made me feel good, because I feel like we just stepped in to tackle everything after they had already made the baptismal decision, so it's nice to see they appreciate us for the little we did do.  He's going to make carne asada and pastel the next time we eat with them for dinner. :)

I did know sister Maggert!  She was in my district right before she went home.  Super sweet, from Georgia.  She went home early for health reasons.  It was a shock to all of us.  Hope also met the brother of an elder I came out with, elder Fort.  Small world. 

Chris (an investigator) dropped us on Sunday... we called him right before sacrament meeting to see where he was and he told us he was eating breakfast and decided he was going back to the Christian church like the rest of his family.  It's sad to see how people aren't willing to make the simplest changes in their lives - be a little courageous... they'd rather go the "easy" way when in reality, living the gospel faithfully in every aspect is the easier way and brings about the most joy and happiness.  It's especially sad because everyone born on the earth chose this plan.  They didn't choose the easy way to return to Heavenly Father.  They chose to pass through hardship.  They chose the plan that would require a little bit of effort on their part.  You wanted it, so deal with it and make the most of it.  Christ made it easy for us.. it's called the gospel.

HOWEVER, we have a pretty legit investigator named Gustavo.  He seems very sincere.  A little deep, and so it's sometimes hard to understand him because he goes back and forth on a bunch of different deep thought processes, and so it's hard to follow at times in a different language.  It's all good, though.  He really wants to be a better man.  He told us he struggled with depression before, but his dog helped him through it.  He loves his dog.  The funny thing about Gustavo is that he's very attractive and we want to set him up with one of the recent coverts in the branch, Karina.  She's the sweetest and she should dump her boyfriend and Mexico and come meet Gustavo.  Sometimes you have to flirt to convert here on the mission...as long as we're not the ones doing the flirting.  That's what MPLs are for.  Haha.  Just kidding..

I love you all!  Have you found out if I can get released over skype?         

June 23, 2014...the last and busiest transfer of her mission

Yes, Sister Pecjak told me on Sunday that she sent you a message.  She is super cute.  Actually, we were talking on the phone with President Pecjak this morning and she was in the background going, "She's an STL" and he's like, "

oh, I was just informed by my wife that you're an STL. Congratulations!"  My companion is still sister Hutchinson and I'm staying, but she's not an STL.  Just me.  There are certain companionships that are both STLs, but not all of them.  They're still working on that, I think.  Oh, and guess what?  I'm over the largest group of sisters.  I have 3 companionships and everyone else has only 2 or 1.  That might not seem like a lot, but it's 6 exchanges in 6 weeks... and it's going to suck on miles.  I'm in henderson and I cover Montebello and Los Feliz, which are both up by the temple and then El Rancho which is all the way in North Las Vegas.  It's interesting because they only have 2 spanish STLs.  Sister Webb and myself.  She was put back in Desert Bloom and covers Paraiso and Ensign.  It should be good, I just really hate giving trainings in front of other missionaries...

Not much happened this week other than that.  The Lozano couple is getting baptized on June 28th, this Saturday and our recent convert Carlos is marrying his gf and awesome fellowshipper Diana on Friday....and then one of our interesting on and off investigators who doesn't speak english is getting married to his member "girlfriend" who doesn't speak Spanish and is almost 10 years older than him... they just informed us this morning that they want to get married in her backyard on Saturday in the afternoon.....in 100 degree heat.  Interesting.  Lots of weddings!  Working on the baptisms.  We've been finding like crazy, but we're just trying really hard to work on retaining them.  

Yes, Hope really is a different person!  She doesn't sound shy at all based on the emails she sends me.  I'm very proud of her.  

Hey, can you let the sisters know that I would LOVE to go on splits with them and that I think they're awesome?  Thanks.  Also, does Renee still go out with them?  

Those dinosaurs are from the dinosaur house.  Not a museum.  The caveman is just chilling by the door.  Haha.  No, sister Veazey is not in my zone.  Yes, we did go as a district to those things, and yes, the water is even more beautiful in person. :)  Our district only has 8 people in it... right now 9 because the other sisters have been in a 3 pack for a while, but that will change tomorrow.  

Aunt Erin just told me they'll be in Vegas during the first week of July and want to come to Alta Vista.  That would be cool if it happened.  

June 16, 2014

I'm very excited about that movie now!  How to Train my dragon, I mean. 

Yes, it was so funny because as soon as we get out of our meeting Sunday morning, Sis Pecjak calls us into the YW room, writes "happy fathers day" on a piece of paper, and takes a picture of us holding it.  Totally her idea.  Haha.  She's legit.  I sent a letter today with an SD card in it.  Make sure you send it back because sister Hutchinson wants pictures from it.  By the way, she's from Woodruff Utah.  It's super north, tiny town.  We have a lot of fun times together. 

Yes, this week Rene and Rosario got married and will be getting baptized on the 28th of June.  I don't know if I've mentioned them much to you, but they have been waiting for divorce papers to come since forever and they finally did.  They're pumped for their baptism and can't wait to get sealed in the temple. 

Chris came to church for the first time on Sunday.  He LOVED it.  He turns to me right after and goes, "you know what, sis Smith, I want you to know I really loved that.  It's much better than those churches with the guitars and lights.  It was more spiritual.  I feel good." 

We continue to find new people, we found a new couple named Flor and Eduardo and they are legit.  They had a lot of questions about the BOM and other things...good questions.  Flor told us she doesn't like a lot of the things in the Catholic church, like baptising babies and telling someone their damned just because they're sinners.  She loved our views on all those subjects and loved that we believe in resurrection.  Very excited about them.  Myra is in California until next week, but she's still interested.  Good things ahead, I can feel it. 

7 weeks left, yikes.  Next week will start my last transfer.  I'm going to make it!  Just this past transfer 4 sisters went home early... a lot of them had even been out for a while.  Satan's taking down a lot of people...I think it's because our mission is doing really well... he knows that if he can attack the individual missionaries, he can tear down the success and put a dent in the Lord's work.  most have been going home because of anxiety and depression.  I definitely think the mission is stressful at times and tiring, but I've never gotten to the point where I couldn't handle the stress....I can't imagine getting to that point.  I guess I handle stress pretty well after all.  Who knew!? Ha. 

I love you all dearly!  Happy fathers day!!!! See you in less than 2 months.  

   

June 9, 2014

Yes, I did get the little package!  Thank you!  Is that the bracelet you bought in tarpon springs or whatever?  

Today we went on another district hike.  We hikes around lake mead.  It was really cool, we went through tunnels.  I have pictures of that, too.  Apparently the trail goes all the way to the dam, but we didn't go that far.  

Seeing Tomas in the temple was an awesome experience, by the way.  I didn't say much about it.  The entire session was in Spanish, super legit.  I have just a couple pictures of that as well.  The only reason I haven't been emailing pictures is because this computer is super fancy and I don't know how to...but I'll probably send the memory card this week.  There's some good stuff in there.  

This week was busy.  We had zone conference AND zone training meeting.  Also, sister Hutchinson was throwing up on Friday, so we stayed in for that night. 

 We've been finding a lot of new people, but the problem is retaining them...BUT we had a super awesome lesson this past week with a really legit new investigator named Myra.  She texted us asking if we could meet at the chapel for a lesson and had invited a member friend to come along and everything (setting up MPLs for us).  We taught her the restoration and when we shared the first vision she told us that she felt something super powerful in her heart.  She was like, "I've never felt that before, that's super cool."  And by the end of the lesson she said she was probably going to be the example in her family and lead the way so they can eventually hear the lessons, too.  She was totally fine being the pioneer in her family.  She also had a lightbulb go off in her head over the whole modern day prophets thing.  She was like, "It's so easy for me to believe Noah was a prophet, so why not in these days, too?  That totally makes sense!"  It was super cool.  She's already being a missionary herself, too.  She said she almost brought another friend to come to the lesson who was also curious..  That was one of the coolest lessons I've ever been in.  We were just like, 'wow, is this real life?!  It's never this easy!" Haha. We have another lesson with her tomorrow.  The only down side to this is that she's 20 and might do better in the singles ward... but for now she seems comfortable going to the Spanish branch.  Eventually she wants her family to listen, too, so I think she likes the idea of a spanish ward.  We'll see.    

We also had another cool lesson with some new people that we had been trying to contact for a while.  We street contacted Karen back in April and she's only 15, but we stopped by one day and finally met the mother, Veronica, and got inside.  Veronica was up and down the whole time, but shared with us some insights about how she views God.  She believes that we should not and can not blame God for our misfortunes.  Powerful testimony.  Come to find out, their dad/husband is dead as well as one of their sisters/daughters.  Veronica was all over the place, but you could see that Karen and her little brother, David, really are hurting over the passing of their loved ones.  When we asked them what they would ask Jesus Christ if he was sitting with us, David said, "I want to know why he took my dad."  We testified of eternal families and how God has brought back to earth the knowledge of how we can truly see our loved ones again and live with them eternally.  It was such a cool moment because 15 year old Karen lit up when we testified and tears even started to form in her eyes.  She told us, "I would love to know that."  They didn't keep the return appointment we had, but we're gonna keep trying.  They're worth it!  

I gave my "last testimony" at our Zone Training Meeting...haha.  I didn't get the chance to at Zone conference, so they let me and a few other elders share our testimonies at ZTM.  BTW, it's a tradition that every missionary gets to share their testimony at their last zone conference...I didn't get to because the Neiders spent the whole last hour saying goodbye, which is fine with me.  Ha!  Did I mention that elder Dahneke is in my zone again?   

I love you all SOOOOO much!  Muchisimo!  See you soon.   

June 2, 2014

Hello hello!  Guess where we went this morning?  The hoover dam!  We didn't do the tour, though.  We just walked over the bridge and took some awesome pictures.  Did you know lake mead and Hoover dam are right next to each other?  Both in Boulder City.  About a 20 minute drive from where we live.  We went as a district.  It was one of the sister's birthday and so afterwards we went to Ihop, and then we came here to email. :)  You'll get pictures soon.

This week was a good one, last one of May.  Can you believe it's June again?  Last June I was still being trained.  Ah, memories... I'm starting to forget things about home. :(

We ended the week with 4 new investigators.  Enadina Ramon (actually, it's Roma) said she'd come to church, but she didn't.  We're not really sure how she is.  She said it's best if she comes to church and we teach her in the chapel, because her Husband is really controlling.  Chris and Abraham are cool.  We taught them lesson 1 and watched the restoration movie with them.  They LOVE movies.  It was the funniest thing...he asks us, 'so I heard mormons can't drink coffee, is that true?"  I expected him to make a bigger deal about it, but as soon as we told him it was in fact true, he asks us , 'can mormons go to the movies?'  When we said yes, he said, "okay, we're good then."  They also said they'd come yo church, but didn't show.  We also found a new woman named Maria Lopez and her 2 sons Ricardo (15) and Danny (17).  Danny has down syndrome and loves hugs. Ricardo plays the piano, guitar and trumpet.  They're really sweet.  We're excited about them.  Only problem is they'll be in California for a few weeks. :(  Also, yesterday we visited with Myra for the first time.  We street contacted her outside her house one day and turned out to be legit.  She's 20 and her mom wanted to sit down with us, too, but couldn't because her nephew was throwing a fit.  We'll see them again on Thursday, where we hope to sit down with the mom, too.  Also, we talked to a woman named Flor while looking for her husband, Eduardo (potencial).  She asks us where our church was and said she really wanted to go.  We have a return apt on Tues.  So things are picking up slowly, but surely.  We also picked up a former investigator, Julio, who moved back in with his 'girlfriend' who is almost 10 years older than him and doesn't speak a word of Spanish...and he barely speaks English.  She's a member and he has a lot of potential, so hey, why not?  They're a little cookey, but nice and not hurting anyone, so whatever.  At least they're finally thinking about getting married. 

I know of some movie theaters in Las Vegas, yeah, but I hear they've got some really intense theaters around....I don't know where, though.  Desert Bloom had a regal theater right by our apartment. 

How do you all feel?  Is 2 months a lot of time or not at all?  Are you already preparing?    

May 26, 2014

We're still waiting for that flood of investigators, but we did manage to find 3 new people this past week.  It was still a good week, though.  One of the women we found had the last name Ramon.  Not quite Ramos, but very close.  We did an awesome blessing contact with her.  She felt the spirit and got a little watery in the eyes.  She's got a big family that we're hoping to reel in as well. 

This week was also humbling.  We talked to this guy named Armando outside of his house.  It was interesting because he was given to us as a referral from another set of english sisters, but they never actually talked to him, they just heard him speaking spanish outside.  So we knocked and it turns out he had talked to missionaries before... as we talked with him, it turns out he has a lot of questions about why Adam and Eve had to partake of the fruit and if God is all powerful, why didn't he just make everything better and save us all...also, he went on a while about how the Bible has so many errors, he doesn't even believe Christ was crucified on the cross.  We were able to testify and I brought up the Book of Mormon and how it was brought to pass for the purpose to support and add truths to the Bible the were lost... also about how an organization of prophets and apostles always ensures the doctrine remains unchanged and the one true church has always had a solid foundation because of it.  The humbling part, though, came from the fact that I wanted so badly to answer all of his questions, especially about the fall of Adam and in general the purpose of life, but I just couldn't...I feel it super passionately inside myself, but I don't have the words to express it all - especially in Spanish. Haha.  But I was able to tell him that while we couldn't answer all of his questions in that moment, this gospel has those answers and they're found in the Book of Mormon and words of modern day prophets.  By the end of the conversation, I think his heart was touched.  He lives in a different area, though, so elders will have to go visit him.  It was a cool experience that made me aware of how much I truly love this gospel. And how we don't have to be a brilliant speaker like Elder Holland.  Our testimonies are the most powerful tools we possess.

This week started a little crazy.  On Tuesday we got a call from a less active hermano in our branch.  He was calling from jail...he got arrested and wanted us to go by and let his wife know that everything would be okay.  His wife is a sweet woman, doesn't deserve such a messed up situation.  They have 2 sweet little boys together.  SUPER sweet.  Blessings for her being a good woman, me thinks... anyway, she kind of saw it coming, but it was still hard for her to hear.  She was grateful, though.  We are going to have FHE tonight with her and her boys.  She seems to be doing good.  She came to church with her boys yesterday, which was huge because she hasn't come to church in a while, especially by herself.  It's kind of embarrassing for her, I think.  But she came and seems happy.  We've been leaving little hearts with messages and comforting scriptures on her door. 

Tomorrow at 7pm is Tomas' first temple session.  I'll write about that and take pictures. 

Can you believe it's almost June???  My mission is almost over, yet it feels like it just began.  I love you!      

May 19, 2014

Sweet!  I cashed my government check. (tax return)  Walmart is stupid and were just like, "it's not letting me cash it for some reason, I don't know why.  Sorry!"  So then I went to a grocery store called Smiths and did it there.  The guy there wasn't a member, but has a lot of friends on missions and he didn't even charge me the 3 dollars.  Super nice, right? 

I love my new companion.  Sister Hutchinson and I have a very similar sense of humor, lots of fun.  She's very self conscious about her Spanish, though, which I can relate to... but I hope I can help her because I've been there done that kind of thing. Ha.  So far it's been fun, though.  I hope we get 2 transfers together and she kills me. 

New Spiderman movie wasn't good?  Bummer... who was the villain?  Does Gwen die in it..?  I just wonder because she dies in the comic books.   

I know you'll give a great talk on Sunday!  You always do. 

Well, we're still working on finding that family Ramos!  Ha.  I have faith that something good's happening soon.  This past week we set up a lot of return apts for this current week, so we'll see where that goes.  We met an 82 year old woman who can barely hear or see..but she has interest, so we're going to try and teach her.  Helen and Gloriney, who both live in boulder city, will be going out of town...Gloriney until the end of June and Helen just for a week...Helen needs more time to be baptized.  She said she would like to be baptized, but she wants to continue going to catholic church, too.  She also didn't know why it was something super important to be baptized into our church if she was already baptized in the Catholic church...as a baby.  We brought out Moroni 8 on that one and also talked about being baptized by immersion by the AUTHORITY of the priesthood, which the catholic church does not possess.  She understood and her questions were answered, but she needs more time.  We invited her to pray to know if this church truly is the only one with that authority to baptize and she said she would.  She already loves the BOM, so we testified of that as well being the evidence.  We'll see.  I have no doubt she'll be baptized...it's just a matter of when.  We don't want to baptize someone who will still go around telling everyone she's Catholic.  But she loves the church and thinks it has the best values and lifestyle. 

We found another solid potential investigator my last week with Sister Hill, but she'll be out of state until July...so, summer vacation is really putting a dent in our finding efforts. Ha. 

We also met a former investigator with alzheimer's.  He told us his wife was there and let us in.  Turns out his wife didn't want to come out of her bedroom, he called to her like 10 times.  He repeated the same conversation 7 times.  "De donde vienen?"  and every time we told him, he goes, "Chihuahua?  Juarez?" and after we say, "no, somos de los estados unidos" he goes, "....aqui es su casa!"  7 times.  He also told us, "las dos son bien guapas!  Muy bonitas.  Me gustaria casarme con una de ustedes.  Tenemos un cuarto donde pueden vivir."  Super funny.  We left pretty swiftly. 

We also street contacted the ultimate hoarder.  He had a yard full of stuff and we helped him unload a truck full of more junk.  He goes dumpster diving all the time... my first thought was that he must sell this stuff, but then he told us, "I've got so much stuff, I guess I should consider selling some of it."  He also told us about his girlfriend who currently wasn't living with him...told us all about her disturbing life and how she's lived with old men, rapists and stalkers ever sense she was 15.  Pretty weird stuff.  Then some random guy drives up on a bike, says hi real quick, and then goes inside the man's house.  We then say goodbye to go to our dinner apt next door and he shakes our hands and goes, "I don't know that guy (referring to the one with the bike), but he's got keys to my house."  Super interesting. 

We're working hard, we really are! 

Yesterday something pretty precious happened in gospel principles.  The lesson was on eternal families.  One of the recent converts told the teacher his wife died a little over a year ago and he didn't want to get remarried.  The teacher told him he didn't have to get remarried to have an eternal family.  He told him he could get the work done for his wife and he could be sealed to her in the temple for time and eternity.  He started crying, I'm pretty sure it was the first time he ever heard that.  That same night we went to a "Why I Believe" fireside and one of the speakers shared how her youngest son committed suicide at 15 years old.  He died in his father's arms, putting a shotgun to his head.  Apparently his father tried to restrain him, but it didn't work.  She shared how learning about the restored gospel helped her get through that dark time in her life.  One of the things she shared was that growing up she studied with the Jehovah's witnesses and apparently they don't believe we have souls.  She said that after her son died, she felt his presence at different times in her life and just felt that what the J-witnesses believe wasn't true.  That knowledge of the plan of salvation and a clearer understanding of the necessity of the fall of Adam and Eve and how it was part of the plan all along, were things that drew her to the waters of baptism.  And just last week her son was baptized in the temple. 

What a huge blessing that we have temples in these days.  I'm so grateful for this gospel.  I'm grateful for Joseph Smith and his example of true faith... and to know that through him, the church of Jesus Christ has been brought back to the earth again.  Why would a loving Heavenly Father want us to wander in darkness, anyway?  I've come to really love Ephesians 4:11-14.  That foundation of prophets and apostles truly provides that anchor in our lives...so that Christ's church and God's true nature doesn't get twisted and distorted and we always know to which source we can trust - that same organization that was established from the beginning through that same priesthood authority. 

I love you all!              

   

Cinco de Mayo, 2014

Hey!  I just made a goal to re-due the refiners fire as well!  Wow, you have no idea, but your email was an answer to my prayers.  Lately we've been struggling badly to find.  Everyone has just been dropping like flies and won't keep appointments.  I've seen this pattern before in my mission, where we get stuck in this drought for a while before the rain comes again... but sister Hill and I have been praying a lot to find the elect Spanish speakers.  I've lately been feeling the pressure of where I'm at... I feel like my Spanish is mas o menos and I've been wondering, "why alta vista?"  I've been keeping it all in my head and not letting it affect my work, but I just want to finish my mission knowing I met everyone I was supposed to and learning all that I need to... so thank you for sharing your impressions.  I think your words truly are an answer to my prayers.  I need to trust God's timing more.

We have one sweet little old lady with a baptism date who lives in Boulder Çity, but she won't be coming to Alta Vista.  She wants to be taught in Spanish, but she's going to an English ward in Boulder City, so she'll get baptized over there where her fellowship is.  

We also have one woman who has a lot of potential, named Veronica.  She had been taught by missionaries before, including Sister Hill and Veazey, but wouldn't set appointments with them, so they dropped her.  One day I was on exchanges and we went by to visit her.  Surprisingly, she let us in right away and opened up a lot.  She wanted to go to church 2 weeks ago, but her friend's son died of cancer and she had to go be with her and so she wasn't able to make it at church.  She also told us she is nervous to walk in by herself and there had been times where she wanted to go to church, but chickened out at the last minute.  We offered to go by her house before church, have her follow us, and go in together.  She agreed and she came to church last week.  We went back this week to teach her the restoration and we learned that Veronica is a very complex woman.  She's super nice and sincere, but his cynical and has doubts about the first vision because she can't see God appearing to anyone in these wicked days.  She hasn't prayed out loud in a long time because she used to go to a seventh day of venice (Seventh Day Adventist)  church a while ago where she came to know the bible super well, but her husband cheated on her with another woman in the congregation and it really hardened her.  The thing I love about Veronica is that she is so willing to read and pray about the book of mormon to know for herself.  She's a little rough around the edges, but you can tell she really wants to know.  Yesterday we stopped by for lunch and she made us mole.  She didn't keep her commitments from last time, so we read the introduction with her and left her with some verses from Moroni 7 to read and pray about.  She said she would.  She was like, "I'm confused....I just need to read it."  I have a really good feeling about Veronica.  There's something about her, you can just see the hunger there, even if she tries to hide it.

This Sunday I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting.  There's this couple that don't even have their records in our branch, who looooove to get up every fast and testimony meeting and take up the whole hour.  So, sister Hill and I jumped up before they got the chance, and a lot of people followed us.  Bro Lenny (husband who loves to talk for like 45 minutes) did end up getting up there still, but he only spoke for like 5 minutes.  VICTORY!  Sister Hill and I also taught gospel principles because the teacher was sick last minute.  It went pretty well.  The topic was 'developing your talents.'

Today we are going to the Clark County Museum.  It's super legit and I'll take lots of pictures.

As for mothers day, we are going to skype at the Pecjak's house and there shouldn't be any technical difficulties because they're pros...haha.  They've been the go to skype family for a while now and plus, they have a daughter on a mission, so they know the drill.  Sister Hill and I will be able to skype at the same time because they have multiple computers.  They said anytime...we will be eating dinner over there at 5 my time, but we can work something out if we have to so you (dad) can be there.  What do you think?

No, the meeting where I was at with Gissel was a 'Why I believe' fireside.  or 'porque creo yo'.  President Pecjak spoke.  

The plans for August sound awesome!  I'm excited, but focused....haha.  Tomas said he's going to the temple on May 27th, so I'm excited and looking forward to that as well.  

Yep, that's the lake you described!  I was there.  Haha.  Super pretty.  EVERYTHING is in my area... colorado river, lake mead, lake las vegas, hoover dam, etc...haha

    

PS...last week the Elders in her district taught 20 lessons.  The sisters taught 49.  :)  Sisters rock!

April 28, 2014

Haha....actually, I cut 10 inches off my hair last Monday.  I got a free haircut and it went to locks of love!  It's about shoulder length.  I like it a lot better this way, actually. 

Thomas told me he's planning on going to the temple on MY 27th...but he won't be here to meet you guys because his wife wants him back in Mexico by June 1st.  He's sad about that, but he says that me and my family always have a home in Mexico if we ever decide to visit him and that he hopes to meet you guys on face time or something.  Haha. 

Right now we're really working on finding new people to teach.  Our investigator, Rafael, was supposed to get baptized this past Saturday, but he has only been to church 2 times.  We read 3 nephi 18:11-13 and explained the importance of sacrament and the difference between doing these things (partaking of sacrament) all the time and only sometimes.  Do you want a house build on a rock or sand?  He said he'd come to church, but he wasn't there and we're probably going to have to give him an ultimatum soon.  He has all the desire in the world, but we can't force him to show that desire.  We're not looking to baptism him when he still has such a sandy foundation.  We do have a few new investigators in Boulder City, which we're excited about. 

Oh, guess who I saw at walmart last monday after emails?  Jay Munoz from Ensign!  Remember him?  They moved to North Las Vegas, but he's working here in Henderson.  Blast from my missionary past!  I feel like I don't have any memories outside of the mission....I've been out so long. 

Saturday morning I went back to Desert Bloom for the baptism of Pablo and Kelvia jr.  an 8 and 9 year old.  Before that, though, we ate breakfast with the stake president Steadman with our whole zone.  Guess what I found out?  Brandon Flowers lives in the Lake Mead stake!  In our area...probably the grey area....it's super nice over there...anyway... yeah, he goes to the Calico Ridge ward, which sisters Nielson and Area cover.  They're in our district and I'm emailing beside them right now. :)  They said they eat with him and his wife sometimes.  They eat with his parents a lot, apparently.  Haha. 

On Wednesday one of the members in our branch, Sister Ripplinger, drove us to searchlight.  On our way back, she decided to show us this super intense lake that was in the mountains, so we drove through searchlight down this deserty road until we saw this huge, glorious lake just chilling with huge mountains surrounding it.  Apparently it's right by lake mead... we took pictures with her phone, but I don't have them...:(  It was intensely gorgeous and all still in our area!  Haha.  I'll have to take you guys there and we can maybe even go on the lake. 

As for what I plan on doing after my mission...I would like to study locally before transferring over to BYU.  That way I'll stay busy while I wait.  Although, I'm not sure WHAT I want to do yet.... I feel like I've been able to get to know myself a lot better and am more clearly aware of my strengths and weaknesses, but as for talents that I want to pursue in order to help others enjoy their lives, I have no idea... I want to do something that will benefit others in some way and bring them happiness, because that's what makes me happy, but I don't know how to really do that as far as a career goes.  I'll be praying really hard.  And I don't know if any of that really makes sense, but I have a lot of things on my mind.  Still working hard, though!  No sepeocupe. 

I'm not sure yet what time we'll be on skype for mothers day....sorry!               

April 21, 2014

Sorry we didn't post last week.  She sent a very brief message about some crazy guy who was following them around and texting them.  We were worried and contacted the mission president who assured us that he was on top of it.  

He also bragged about Sam saying that they kept preparing to open doors for her only to find that she has already run through them.  I am not sure what that means but it sounds like a good thing.
BTW  there were 111 baptisms in her mission last month. 

Sam....

Wow!  It sounds like you are having so many awesome missionary/spiritual experiences!  We didn't do anything huge for the "Because of Him" video.  We got permission to look at our emails early just to read the email link for the video and how we could spread the word, but we don't have internet access/ipads in our mission yet, so we didn't have as many resources and we just found out about it in the middle of this last week, so we didn't do any activities... just shared it with some members and investigators who understand English. Hah.  That's super awesome, though, that the missionaries over there are totally legit.

Sister Pecjak told me you found the missionary mama's page and that you talked to her.  She's the ultimate missionary mom.  She gave us a huge basket with all kinds of toiletries in it for easter.  She's awesome.  Pretty much the hispanic sister Neider.  The member we live with, sister Bindrup, also gave us some easter treats and brought us rolls and cinnamon rolls from the temple as a pre-easter treat.  She's also amazing and it's really comfortable living with her.  We ate dinner with the Relief Society president, Hna Limon and watched "because of Him" with her and her family.  Good day.  

WE had a baptism on Saturday for Carlos.  It was awesome.  So many people showed up (which is huge because the branch is TINY) and the spirit was so thick.  Carlos is from Ecuador, but has lived here for 20 years and is a super talented chef.  When I came the sisters had taught him The first 3 lessons, but sister Hill and I taught all the commandments together.  We had one scheduled for this upcoming Saturday as well, but we're going to have to move it back because he didn't come to church yesterday and you have to come at least 3 times before baptism.  His name is Rafael.  Rafael can't read, but he listens to the Book or Mormon on CD and loves it.  His wife just left him and he has a lot of ups and downs. Last week he told us he felt like God wasn't listening to his prayers, but we promised him that if he prayed honestly to God, and share with Him his frustration, he would feel the presence of God in his life.  So the next day we came by and he had a powerful experience with prayer where he really felt like God loved him.  That was so cool.  

Don't worry, Jose Manuel doesn't stalk us.  He only has eyes for sister Jeronimo.  Don't be scared for my safety.  Seriously.  Apparently he's writing a book called, "The book of Love: Another testament of True Love."  Yep... haha.  

I love you all very much!  Today I got an email about my departure.  :(  They wanted to know all my plans and apparently I have to call them today or tomorrow to let them know you're picking me up.  So soon.  :(  Mah!  It's a good thing, though.      

April 7, 2014

Still haven't got any of your package.  :(  But I got a letter from Ben Welling.  Is he in the stake presidency now? 

First week in Alta Vista, whooo.  Did you know the Hoover Dam is in my area?  It's pretty different from Desert Bloom.  It's much more deserty and a little ghetto in many parts.  We're going out to Searchlight and Boulder City tomorrow.  Sister Webb was never my training leader, though...

Ay, that makes me sad to hear that .... had a bad experience.  You definitely don't want to make the members cry or feel bad... why do you say they will never forget who she is again? 

I have to admit, it has been kind of hard for me adjusting to this new area, but it's only my first week, so we'll see where it goes.  Sister Hill is a sweetheart, but it's a little bit hard at the same time because I will often try to start up a conversation with her and she'll just either ignore it just doesn't want to talk about anything.  I want us to have a friendship as well as a companionship and it's just a little harder to be myself around her.  But again, it's only the first week.  It's also kind of hard because they already have like 4 people set with a baptismal date this month and I feel like I don't really know them at all even though they have a strong relationship with the sisters already - well, sister Veazey and Hill.  That's gotten better towards the end of the week, though.  I just don't feel like I'm a part of the area yet, but everyone I've met so far has been super friendly and welcoming.  We ate with the branch president on Saturday, President Pecjak.  They're an awesome, missionary minded family.  He's American, but served his mission in Venezuela, which is where his wife's from (speaks perfect English).  They lived in South Florida for years where he served as a bishop in a Spanish ward full of Cubans. 

We also had district meeting on Thursday and we were given a training on how the elect are connected...basically asking for referrals from our investigators.  The district leader asked us why investigators are a good source for referrals and one of our zone leaders compared it to a woman's period... yep.  He did it in a very classy way, though, if you can imagine that's even possible.  The idea was that people are naturally attracted or drawn to changes that they see in those around them, like their friends, just like a woman's cycle naturally alignes itself to be on track with that of another woman's cycle.  Haha. Anyway... it was a good training. 

How was Renee's birthday?  I need to get her something, but I have no idea what....any ideas?

On the bright side of all this, so far the investigators all like me and think my Spanish is really good.  (Not true, but hey...) I am going to work hard, though, and try to help my companion open up a little bit.  She was trained by sister Veazey and while sister Veazey is obviously a boss missionary, she was also a little hard to feel completely comfortable around.  It's one thing to be a hard working, diligent missionary, but there should always be room to let your companion be your friend and see you as a human being who you can actually talk to as well.  Heh, anyway.. I don't have a lot of time left here on my mission sadly and I want to be the best I can be.           

General conference was amazing as well!  I took many notes and I just loved everything.  That Brazilian elder of the Seventy who talked about the fruits of the gospel being delicious and desirable spoke while I was in the MTC.  He's cool.  He spoke at the last Sunday Afternoon session.  

March 31, 2014

Yes!  Juliana and Isidro both got dunked this Saturday!  Whoooo!  We all waited so long for Isidro to get there so we could start because apparently he rode his bike to the wrong chapel and then upon seeing that no one was here, he rode back to his house.  Our hero, hermano Lopez, went to go see if he could find him, and Isidro was just sitting outside of his garage all confused, so Hno. Lopez gave him A ride to the stake center and everything ran so smoothly after that.  Watching Isidro get dunked was quite the sight, though.  He only had to do it twice, but the first time he didn't cover his nose and lost his balance, so when elder Robison pulled him back up, Isidro looked like a scared little puppy.  He came straight up with his eyes all bulged out.  Also, Juliana's youngest boy, Uriel, had his face up to the glass the whole like going, 'woooooow!' like he was in an aquarium or something.  It was so cute.  Noe, Juliana's oldest son who just turned 8 this past Thursday, wants to get baptized, but he has to get permission from his dad.  After the baptism, Gissel (2nd counselor in primary) gave him a CTR ring and tie, which he wore to church the next day.  That meant a lot to Juliana.  She told Noe he could never take off his ring, so he can always remember to "haz lo justo."  Juliana told us that Noe was telling his dad the next day all about his ring and tie and how he wants to get baptized.  His dad doesn't seem to care, but Juliana doesn't want to ask him directly for his permission either...which we're going to talk to her about later tonight.  

Yesterday was bitter sweet.  My last Sunday at Desert Bloom...oh yeah!  I forgot to mention, I'm getting transferred.  Haha.  I'll be serving in the tinniest Spanish branch in the mish...Alta Vista!  I'll be companions with Sister Hill...who was Hermana Abernathy's companion in the MTC.  Hah.  I'm excited for a change, even though I love desert Bloom to death.  Sister Hill is also a black belt in karate, so maybe I'll actually start practicing it.  Haha.  Just a little info about Alta Vista...I've gone on a hand full of exchanges over there, it's not too far away.  It is HUUUUGE!  Bigger than the desert Bloom boundaries, but what's even better....they recently took the elders out so we're the only missionaries serving there.  2 sister missionaries taking on an area that covers 3 or 4 stakes.  Part of Alta Vista is out of valley.  When I went on an exchange there last transfer, actually, I went out of valley to Search Light.  they have a sweet investigator over there who owns a Mexican restaurant and we get free food.  It's in the Lake Mead zone and covers the other side of Henderson...  the more ghetto side.   I'll be as close to out of valley as I can possibly get....and sometimes even out of valley.  Haha.  I'll be living with a member again who has a cat and dog.  Fun!  I hear the branch is tiny...like, tiny tiny!  Not just a rama, a ramita. It should be fun and I'm pretty sure I'm dying over there.  

Anyway, back to my last Sunday at desert bloom.  I've decided I'm coming back to take you all to Desert Bloom one Sunday!  Presidente Rincon apparently really likes me.  That made my day.  When he heard I was getting transferred the day before he was actually a little disappointed.  He made me count all the baptisms I had here...which was 13.  I was like, no, no, no...it's the Lord's work, not mine.  I don't deserve any kind of praise for it, honestly.  But it made me feel good at least to know that he considers me a hardworking missionary.  After church on Sunday he walked over to me, shook my hand and told me that I have done excellent work here in Desert bloom and that he hopes to see me come back one day.  I told him I'd come back In August and he was super excited.  Then we stuck around a little bit after church taking care of some stuff and every time I saw him he was like, "hermana smith!'  like super happy that I was still there.  Haha.  That meant a lot to me that the branch president considers me a good missionary and actually encourages me to come back.  Hah.  Then I said bye to Isidro, which was really uncomfortable... I told him I was leaving and he got super dramatic and his eyes got really watery.  He was all like, 'porque?!' and 'I was so happy until you told me that, now i'm sad' and just being dramatic.  I let him know that I'm leaving to help other people find the gospel and that it's all part of life, I would have had to leave eventually... etc. and he was just like, 'no, this is your last Sunday, you're never coming back, you'll be gone forever!' blah and I told him that he still has the whole branch to support him, but most of all, the gospel never changes and the gift of the holy ghost will never leave him and that's why he got baptized, blah, blah... and that's why I'm leaving, to help other people with that, but I told him he'd always have my support and I'll continue to pray for him and that everyone I meet on my mission will always have a place in my heart, even if I have to move on to a different area or eventually finish my mission...it's all a part of life... he calmed down a little after that and was like, 'I'm going to miss you so much ,I'll pray for you, too, always!' Also, I added that it's better I tell him now and risk making his day a little worse than just not showing up next week and have him wonder where i am.  He agreed.  Than he awkwardly caressed my hand when I tried to give him a handshake... it was weird... so, i'm pretty sure Isidro's a little more attached to me than he should be, but he'll be fine.  Aracely and Jorge have really reached out to him and even invited him to dinner with us last night.  I shared the scripture after dinner and than Aracely and Jorge almost made everyone in the room cry because they said the most ultimate goodbyes.  Jorge was all like, 'we will never forget you Hna Smith and don't you forget us!' and then Aracely assured me that she will stay strong and keep going forward (I read helaman 5:12 with them btw) and that basically she'll make me proud.  It was so legit, like something you'd see in an inspirational movie.  Jorge was like, 'what about you elders?  Will you miss her?'  Haha, that was followed by an awkward pause and then elder Robison goes, "claro que si!"  And Elder Wareham's just like, 'uh....no comment.'  Haha.  It was funny.  Jorge and Aracely are going to try and meet me for lunch or something sometime.  

Everyone in Desert Bloom is excited to see you all!  We just had lunch with Gissel and her friend today at a Chinese Buffet place and she's totally down for doing something fun in August and also wants to meet up for lunch sometime while I'm in Alta Vista.  UGH!  I love this place!  I'll send you lunch pictures.

Love you all!!!!!  I'm glad to hear you like the 21 day promise!  Also, I did not get your package yet, but I got a dear elder last week.    

March 24, 2014

Sweeeeeet!  Hey, I haven't gotten mail in like, weeks....I don't know what's up, but you all should send me stuff.  

Isidro didn't get baptized this week, but he's scheduled for next week.  Our awesome ward mission leader, Hermano Acosta, stopped by Isidro's house unannounced one day and sat down and talked to him about things.  First I heard he was caught drinking coffee, but then during ward council yesterday Hno Acosta said Isidro told him he had been sober for a few weeks now.  Not sure....he's been coming to church every Sunday, though.  He walks to the chapel.  His leg is soooo much better now.  

I'm so pumped for women's conference/general conference.  April 1st is transfers, so we'll see if I stay for a 6th transfer or finish my mission in another area.  I only have 3 transfers left....that's only 18 weeks.  yikes.  Tell me what you think about that please!  Ha.  Anyway, to be honest, I would like to get transferred.  As much as I love Desert Bloom, I feel like there comes a time when you need a change to keep you motivated 100% of the time.  Plus, I'm starting to get that feeling... the same one I got when I left Ensign.

Juliana is getting baptized on Saturday afternoon before the women's conference at 5.  We reserved the font for 2pm.  She's so ready!  We're crossing our fingers that Noe (her son) will get baptized, too.  It's an interesting situation with him because he will be turning 8 on Thursday...so he's not technically an investigator yet, but we talked to our district leader, and he says as long as Noe's heard all the lessons, he'll be able to get baptized with his mom 2 days after his b-day.  So he'll be an investigator for 2 days.  Haha.  He hasn't told us yet if he's getting baptized with his mom, but we commited him to pray about it with his mom and he's been sitting in for every lesson and FINALLY likes us now.  It's so funny teaching kids... because the ultimate goal is for them to think you're cool.  Normally that wouldn't matter, but for little kids, it's the key to their conversion sometimes.  Ha.  

Speaking of kids, we started teaching 2 kids of a family who's been coming back into activity.  Their names are Pablo and Kelvia Jr.  (the mother's name is Kelvia as well.)  They also have a younger son named Sebastian.  They are SO cute and want to get baptized ASAP.  We were thinking about combining their baptisms with Juliana and Noe, but their mom wants to wait 1 or 2 more weeks to make sure their putting everything into practice, which is understandable, and we need some time to teach everything anyway.  Hah.  These kids are smart as a whip and raise their hands before answering a quesion... they're always asking questions as well.  Usually pretty good ones, too.  The other day Pablo asked, 'are the constellations about Jesus Christ's God or like the Hercules gods?'  Haha.  Their sweet.  Pablo is 9 and Keliva just turned 8.  Kelvia will not be a convert baptism because her parents are members and she'll be 8 when she's baptized.  

Yesterday was an adventurous Sunday... we rode our bikes after church.  We had dinner with Aracely and Jorge, which was BOSS.  We took all those pictures and they gave us all kinds of cool trinkets from Bolivia nad Ecuador.  Jorge thought of dad and thinks he'll appreciate the pictures because he served his mission in Ecuador.  They make the most delicious food.... and we ate outside with the Bolivian band named Kjarkas playing.  Basically it's the same music that dad has... it's instrumental with those cool wooden flutes... I don't even know how to describe it.  Hopefully you know what I mean.  Haha.  Anyway, after  that we rode our bikes back towards our car and had to drive to our next appointment, which was pretty far away.  Sister Abernathy totally biffered it on the way back.  She fell off her bike and face planted onto the rocks...don't worry, she's fine.  We were actually laughing about it.  She lost her balance and grabbed onto the light pole to catch herself and fell.  It looked like she pulled herself off the bike, though.  It was quite a sight to behold.  

 Also, have you all heard of the 21 day promise???          *******************************************************************************************

ps...

speaking of our ward mission leader, Hno. Acosta, he's actually a recent convert of less than a year.  When I first came to desert bloom they weren't even baptized yet.  They got baptized like one of my first weeks there, back in September.  The elders taught them, of course.  He recently just got called as a WML and he's awesome.  You can tell he really thinks about the people we're teaching and goes out of his way to get to know them...for example, showing up at Isidro's house randomly.  He lives like 25 minutes away from him, too.  The other day he even called us just to ask about how Isidro was when we taught him and how far through the lessons we got.  Just trying to understand the situation more and get to know him.  Being such a recent convert, too, he's very aware of how our investigators must feel coming to church for the first time and what type of things are probably going through their heads.  He's very sensitive about that.  On Sunday he personally went up to Juliana to congratulate her and get to know her better and told us to call him with all the program information so he can stay in the loop and make the programs for us.  He's so awesome and since this is his first calling, he's really pumped to do as much as he can.  He even told us to feel comfortable correcting him and giving him suggestions because it's all new for him.  His wife is also a ward missionary and totally boss.  Hna Acosta's been to lessons with us to see Juliana before and when she heard she wass getting baptized, she gave her the biggest, warmest hug.  on top of all that, they're by far the most attractive couple in the branch... well, right up there with Kelvia and Daniel (parents of Pablo and Kelvia jr) the only sad thing is that Keliva and Daniel have marital problems.  Such a pitty.  they're both just so so pretty. :(