“Do you like Polar Bears?” “I don’t know, I have never talked to one before.” 90 Year Old Man in Colorado

Monday: Well, what happens when you feel super sick and members are totally willing to help you out? You take a nap during your dinner appointment by the fire... no joke it really happened!  The P family was so nice, and our investigator was there... He pulled up the armchair and put it by the fire, and while they had dinner, I slept. I felt a little better, but still not great. Being sick on a mission is no bueno!! But it is a part of life. Getting a priesthood blessing is very comforting, and I love them!!

Tuesday: Well, I slept in and was going to take a chill day to get better (and just go to the lessons we had scheduled)... well Heavenly Father had a different path in mind. I got out of the shower and my companion handed me the phone with two unopened texts on it from one of the sets of Sisters I am over. Oh no... well, all I can say is that I did not have a relaxing day! It went something like this.
Me talking to one sister, then calling the zone leaders that are over the set of sisters, trying to contact my co-sister training leader, and then getting my things together and meeting up with Hna. S, and then road tripping it up to visit these sisters to let them "hash it out." haha Well that's pretty much what we planned, in a way. So we get there, pick them up and then go to the stake center, and we all talk it out. Communication is SO KEY to missionary work, and LIFE!!! If that is the only thing I learn from my mission, well I guess I can go home now because I TRULY, TRULY understand that! haha But nope, Heavenly Father still wants me to learn things because I have 9 months left :) They pretty much worked things out, but I could still tell that they were not happy with us,nor did they want to be together. I really needed to let one of the sisters trust me, because she really wasn't... and pretty much didn't want anything to do with us. So it is life I guess... well since we were in one town we visited another set of sisters! SISTER K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love that girl so much! After we visited these awesome sisters, we went to the mission office to get some things and got to talk to President and Sister Brown for a bit. It was so fun!!! I love that man! I have grown to love him, which is good I was talking to him about transfers and telling him that transfers were inspired, but I mentioned Laramie and he usually jokes around with me when I talk about Laramie because he knows that I love it and miss it so much!!  He brought out a bat, because "I can't bring a gun" (on the mission). HAHAHA   Ok, the gun thing sounds pretty serious, but it was just a joke and he had a smile on his face! He is great! Got home just in time to have a lesson with one of our investigators and taught the 10 Commandments with the hand signals which was fun! Her one month old son is so cute!

Wednesday: Had a lesson with our progressing investigator and I asked him if he would be going to Fort Benning. Well guess what? HE IS!!! Guess what? My dad is there RIGHT NOW, for work. He leaves on February 4th and I am so excited that they could possibly MEET, and maybe possibly my dad could baptize him!! Dad, please find him!!!!!! We then had to rush off to our next lesson with two new investigators!! A member of the Spanish group had two referrals for us and met us at the appointment and pretty much led lead the discussion, which was fine, but we watched one of the most cheesiest church movies I have EVER seen!!! So funny, but we taught the Plan of Salvation! I am excited to see them this week :) Then we had a lesson that night with another investigator, and we narrowed down his baptism. February 15th (my 9 month mark) he is getting BAPTIZED!!!! I am so excited!!! We read Mosiah 5, love that chapter! The Book of Mormon is just incredible!!

Thursday: Interviews with President Brown. Ok, so interviews scare me... I wasn't too worried about this one, but oh well. they are over! haha I am fine with me initiating a conversation or if I just want to talk to him or something, but interviews are a different story! I just feel like a horrible missionary every time, and that I have so many things to improve on, but I have noticed the difference between the first interview I had with him and now... He wants to help us get better and improve, and I am really grateful for that!! He truly is incredible and he prayed for me which was really nice and comforting! We received another referral which is great! We have been receiving a lot of referrals recently which has been wonderful!!

Friday: Well, long story short it snowed a lot and we weren't able to drive. so what do we do?  Oh, you know, just walk 6 miles on a country road, shoveled some snow, and luckily got a ride home (since we live in the country, it isn't safe for us to walk home, and it take us HOURS to get places). We didn't have much success that day.

Saturday: Another no-drive day and we got rides into town, so that was nice! Right before we had a lesson, President Brown called us. He asked companion if she would finish the training of a sister. Sister P started crying and to me was like, "I don't want to leave you." So sad, and yet I felt so good. It is nice to know that your companion loves you. We had a lesson with a less-active elderly lady and 2 laurels came with us. They are helping her with Personal Progress and are on the first one! She told us that she didn't really have much faith and asked us some crazy questions. It comes down to the basics. Believe that Heavenly Father loves you. Believe that Jesus is the Christ and YOUR Savior. Dinner was so fun, but full of dairy... luckily Sister M had some essential oil that worked! I felt way better afterward! Met with the Relief Society President, and while we were at her house transfer calls came in... I am staying in the same ward, and my new companion has been out for 3 transfers... I am also the ONLY Sister Training Leader in my zone. Oh and I think my new companion might have a slight case of autism. If you have any conference talks on patience, love, how to communicate with people with disabilities in a close relationship (since I will be with her 24/7) please send them my way!! I have never worked closely with someone who has autism, so I would love some advice and help! I am grateful for the chance to serve with this sister, and it will be a time for me to stretch and grow. Me and Heavenly Father will be pretty close this transfer! I am grateful to know that my Savior is right beside me!! He can be with me constantly!

Sunday: Oh yeah it was the Superbowl... the Denver Broncos lost. haha I am really not into football, but since the Broncos were playing it was pretty big here! It didn't really mess with our schedule which was nice. My companion and I went around saying goodbye to people (because she is leaving).

Well, this week has been kind of crazy, more crazy than I think I can even begin to write about. I know that transfers are inspired, and I know that 90 year old deaf men are really fun to talk to! haha  The man we live with (and his wife) is 90 years old, and as we were having family prayer sometime this week I asked him if he likes Polar Bears because he had a blanket with Polar Bears on it. His response, "I don't know I have never talked to one before."   It was pretty funny! Then he asked me if I liked polar bears, my response, "I don't know, I have never talked to one before." He is a funny guy, and I love him! It is fun and also weird to yell at him so he can hear me. Oh we live with Nancy and Charles... weird because my Grandma and Grandpa are Nancy and Charles! Meant to be :) haha

I love missionary work and I am excited and nervous to see what this transfer brings :)

Love you all,
Sister Kelly Smith