And Then There Were Two

Wow, this week... um this was a VERY different and interesting week! It felt like it was a month long, and yet it felt like only a few days have passed. There was so much and then so little--it was really weird. Not sure what to think of it. So here goes on trying to explain it.

Monday: We got to meet with R and we taught part of the first lesson and used the apostasy cups (a visual aid that really shows that we have the exact same church again here on the earth that Jesus Christ set up) and talked about the priesthood. It was PERFECT!!! She told us that her dad was worried that this was a new church and because we talked to her and showed her about the church that Christ set up when He lived on earth, it really gave her comfort that this ISN'T a new church at all, but it has been here since Adam’s time.   We also found out her dad's concern for why he doesn't want her to get baptized! WOOOHHOOOO it's not a tough one and just a very dad-like concern. YES!! I love R! She is a wonderful person. Then we met with C, who had another one of his friends over...so we have a new investigator. A is sweet, and during the lesson we talked about temples.  Low and behold guess who's dad poured the foundation of the TEMPLE? A’s dad! What?! Ok, that's SO COOL. 

So, back story from the past few weeks and why I might have seemed more stressed than usual. One of my companions was having a hard time health wise (and she has for a couple of months but has kept pushing through trying to find solutions). Well a lot of things happened and it wasn't good at all. It got to a point where I was so scared that I was seeking help from other people who might know how to handle this type of health situation. Luckily I have amazing family and friends who told me to call the mission president. Well Monday evening it was getting worse, so after our lesson with R, I called our mission president. I was so nervous to call him!  By the way, this is not something the average missionary has to deal with. 

Tuesday: I was able to get back to normal missionary life for a little bit and it was a relief. We stopped by a less active’s home that I haven't met in this area yet, even though we had tried before. She totally let us in and wanted us to help her sometime with cleaning her house, SWEET!!!  We are glad and totally willing to help you!! That was a huge miracle to talk to her briefly and set up a time to come back and help. She needs a lot of help and could really use the gospel back in her life. We also got to help with tying quilts and it was so fun! I love Sister S who we worked on the quilts with! We ended the night by meeting with J (the teenager that came to church last week). It was a fabulous lesson and he totally felt the Spirit! Now we have to use that to help him the best we can. The Spirit is the true teacher and works on both ends. Those who are teaching the gospel and those who are learning or re-learning! Then we stopped by Young Women/Young Men’s, and it was a pool party. The Young Women president asked us to drop by. Obviously, we did NOT go swimming, and it has never really been a temptation for me on my mission, but that looked like so much fun! I enjoyed talking to some of the youth. I love the youth of the church!

Wednesday: Wow, this was a very crazy, weird, "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" type of day! During studies I was thinking, “I wonder if President Brown will call us?”... Well he did, during Personal Study and he asked us to meet with him that night.  I was on edge the rest of the day, so nervous. District meeting went really well. I love feeling the Spirit and being with other missionaries that have a desire to work and love the gospel and want to further improve how to teach and what to do to help those we are teaching. We did some service afterwards, pulling weeds and moving rocks. Then we helped a non-member move a grill, that was cool. Especially since she hasn't liked missionaries in the past and then asked for our help, MIRACLE!! Hearts are softening, it's so great! Then we had dinner with C. She is an investigator I have only met with once since being in the area. She asked us when she could meet with us and wanted to take us to dinner, OK!!! So we testified to her and just talked to her, it was fantastic.  From there... we went to President Brown's house. That was really different, meeting at his house.  I just LOVE and respect them so much! They truly care about each of us in the mission and want the best for us. It turns out that Sister M is leaving our companionship and will get the medical attention she needs.  So now it is just Sister C and me.

Thursday: Sister C woke up sick... haha so it was a good day to rest since I needed to re-group from what had just happened the past few days.  I'm grateful to know that President holds the priesthood keys for us and that the medical team for missionaries around the world help him to know what is best for us missionaries in a medical sense. Sister C had a cold but we still taught B that night. We were able to teach him in the Mc’s home! WWWOOOOHHHHOOOOO! It was PERFECT! He totally understood Faith and Repentance and that we can repent DAILY!!! It was so great to be able to testify to him and for the Mc’s to testify to him and it was just great! Then after the lesson we jammed for a bit (they are a really musical family so Bro. Mc was trying to teach us the guitar).

Friday:  15 MONTHS!!! I got to have my interview with President Brown and we talked about coming unto Christ and the atonement. I mentioned I had had a hard time recently. He pointed out that as I suffer I can better understand what Jesus did for me, and vice versa. Because He suffered for me, He knows how I am feeling. Have I mentioned I love President Brown? The atonement is real, and suffering does help us to know Christ more. Mosiah 3:5-7 and Mormoni 10:32-33!!!

We really enjoyed these balloons!!

The ward carnival was INCREDIBLE!! It was at a park in the middle of our ward boundaries and the neighborhood was invited, WOW!! What an amazing turnout!! There were SO many people there and it was a party!! We got a solid potential investigator and are going to visit them this week :) Helping little children feel loved and helping them smile by giving them a balloon was great! At the end of the night we walked the A's home because sister A was with her kids by herself and her son can't see at night (he is going blind).  :(   We asked her if we could help and she was like “THANK YOU, I was praying someone would help me!” I enjoyed talking to them and just walking them home. As I walked with their 7 yr. old daughter I asked her to help me with my Spanish. I learned how to say “I popped the balloon!”  I would mess up and she would just LAUGH and LAUGH it was the cutest thing!  I will treasure that memory forever!

More fun at the carnival!

Saturday: Got to cook the M's dinner and then stopped by the Mc’s since they said they had non-members there and we could come share a message, Yes, PLEASE!! It was great.  It was like a common thing for missionaries to come by their house and just share messages, yes, yes it is!!! 

Sunday: C and K from Wyoming CAME TO SEE ME AT CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!! Best thing ever to end this crazy stressful week!!!  I’ve run out of time or I’d write more….

Love you all,

Sister Kelly Smith