Sometimes COLORADO Missionaries Get Creative

17 Months on my Mission!

I realized that I didn't even really explain "JOB UP!" from last week. So Hot Rod, a recent convert, likes to say JOB UP instead of Buck Up! So basically that's where that comes from. We have to literally JOB UP and become more like our Savior Jesus Christ. We have to persevere through many of life's hard things, but it is all worth it in the end.

Monday: Sister P and I decided to not eat sweets this WHOLE transfer to better help our investigator, D. He has Word of Wisdom things to work on, and this might help him. I also selfishly want to eat better and/lose some weight before coming home... We got to teach FHE at the park, and it was FREEZING!! But there was an investigator there, D, and a recent convert, L. They are so great! We got to talk about Enduring to the End. Enduring to the End, or Enjoying to the End is one of my favorite topics. I love how we are able to live the gospel of Jesus Christ over and over and over again. It's fantastic! We get to keep increasing our faith and holding on to the power of the Book of Mormon and feeling the Spirit that can continue to flow from the wonderful book of scripture.

Tuesday: Transfer day... I said goodbye to some friends but it was way easier than in the past because I will talk to them in a few short weeks, so it's ok! We were able to teach M, another recent convert about faith and he said faith is a verb (which we tell people a lot) but he just said "Faithing." I LOVE IT!!! FAITHING!! We have the opportunity to keep on FAITHING through life! It truly is a verb, an action word, so we need to be doing things to increase faith. FAITHING!! Sister P and I have now set an hour aside each day with no plans except to go FAITHING. Basically it is a miracle hour where we are just going to let the Lord take the lead COMPLETELY and we will go wherever we feel we need to be, and walk wherever we need to go, it will be great! GO FAITHING!! Strive to increase your faith EVERY SINGLE DAY. That can either be through the scriptures, through prayer, going to church, listening to uplifting music... you take your pick! Or all of them everyday!! That would be ideal :) We tracted in to a house that didn't seem interested at all, but then when we asked if they knew anyone we could give service to it made them think. It was cool to see their countence change. Then as they were about to close the door the wife stopped and asked us a question. Althoguh I don't think they will listen to the lessons soon, we talked to the wife and son for at least 20 mintues on their doorstep. It easily could have been a 1 minute converstaion then on to the next door, but nope! Because we asked a question which made them think, it opened the way for the wife to ask us a question. We gave a Book of Momrmon to the teenage son which was awesome!

Wednesday: I hit 17 months on the mission... this is getting real, people! I'm coming home soon! AAAHHHHH I got my travel info this week... I know what time I will be in California -- that's CRAZY!!! We met with D, a NEW INVESTIGATOR!! We found her name on the potential investigator sheet last week and she said we could meet that day! PERFECT! So we started teaching her and she just started crying by the time we reached the second point in the first lesson. We taught about how God loves us and we are His children and then how the gospel blesses our families. TEARS! Ok, now tears for a missionary are usually REALLY GOOD! This was one of those YES THEY ARE FEELING IT MOMENTS! I usually don't want to make people cry, but this was AWESOME! Wow, I sound like a terrible person... She told us that her husband is no lnoger here and that she is really lonely. D, we can help you! This gospel will help you! I'm stoked for her to read the Book of Mormon and we are meeting with her again this week, YES! I felt the calm peace and warmth that come from the Spirit in that lesson, it was wonderful!  We also played dominoes with older people, wow that was fun! Two people thought Sister P was my daughter... uh NOPE! One of the guys at my table took out his dentures cleaned them a bit then put them on the table... 2-5 minutes later he looks at them and asks me, "Are those mine?" BAHAHAHA yes, they are sir! TOO FUNNY!!!

Thursday: Met with Y, our investigator that can't get baptized (she is on hospice and her daughter won't let her get baptized). But she is sweet and funny! A potential investigator painted our nails... I hope we get to teach her soon. We had dinner at her boyfriend's house that night, but they didnt' want to join us for the lesson part, NNNOOOOOO!!!!!! We met with some other people that night which was great.

Friday: So we went with the Elder's Quorum President (EQP) to visit Y's daugther (the one that won't let her get baptized) WOW that was CRAZY!! It is really interesting to see people's excuses/reasons behind why they don't like certain things about the church. Her arguments were crazy. Yes we understand why you don't want your mom getting baptized (she is 79, but she has already been interviewed and found worthy to be baptized) but we are going to respect the daughter's wishes, even though the converstaion we had with her was just crazy, no other way to explain it. We went to visit a man who has been less active since he was 12 or 13. Bro. B (the EQP) went with us.  The wife OFFERED to say the closing prayer in front of her husband. She is more active. We talked about the Atonement and how it relates to the Restoration and then on to have them understand why we are here for them... to go the TEMPLE! I would love to see them sealed some day soon :) They are just so cute and I love them! The temple is the BEST PLACE EVER! I know that the peace that we can find in the temple can not be found anywhere else, except maybe sometimes our homes. We all need to be striving to live worthy of a temple recommend and going often! Bro. B taught the C family a really cool anology for how the Atonement works. I can't really describe it over email... but basically that because Christ has already paid for us the only thing he expects in return is for us to live His gospel, over and over and over agian! Faith, repentance, baptism (taking the sacrament), and recivng the Holy Ghost, again and again and again and again... ENDURE TO THE END!!! back to one of my favorite principles!

Saturday: I just love, love, love Weekly Planning! I can't tell you how great it is to plan for your next week. We had lunch with recent converts L and S. Ok, this ward has so many recent converts it's awesome! I'm hoping we will add to that :) The evening session of Stake Conference was good, hastening the work, it's real! Don't forget to let the hastening work in YOU!!!

Filling the Font with Buckets, Pots and Pans

Sunday: Stake conference! We got to listen to the regional broadcast, and it was AWESOME!!! I love talking about the hastening of the LORD'S work! We don't do the hastening, but He does. We just need to be prepared for it and pray for missionary opportunities. D got baptized that evening!! YEAH!!! We got to the Stake Center about 30 minutes early... and the Elders should have been there a bit before and a member of the ward should have been there MANY HOURS BEFORE... this is what we ended up doing....  FILLING THE FONT WITH BUCKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES, for reals!! Six missionaries and a couple members filled the font with pots, buckets, bowls... CRAZY!! It was so fun and funny!!! We had the font on, the sinks on in the kitchen, the janitorial closet faucet on, and the showers in the bathroom. Poor D, the water was so cold! Her fmaily came to suport her and I hope they felt the Spirit. I got to bear my testimony. I know that this gospel is true and has been restored to the earth AGAIN. The priesthood is REAL! I know that comfort comes through the gift of the Holy Ghost. It's the best thing ever!

Love you all,
Sister Kelly Smith

JOB Up in Colorado

"JOB Up," my new motto! Job (the wonderful example in the Bible of patience and diligence, no matter what).

Monday: We got to teach D, the less active that we found (the hose miracle from about a month or so ago). She is so nice and her life would just be so much better if she did those small things that would help her. CPR (Church, pray, read) saves your soul! We also got to teach C. She was the one that called us the week before saying she wants to come back because she knows that this is what Heavenly Father wants her to do! I know that Heavenly Father knows each and everyone of us, and wants us to continually pray to Him!

Tuesday: We had a FANTASTIC day!!! It was awesome!!! We did service for a less active in the morning and got to meet with B late that evening. We taught B with a different approach which was super cool! B is an artist and he gets easily distracted. Our ward mission leader had the brilliant idea of having B draw what we were going to talk about! So he drew the First Vision while we (Sister B, Sister J, Brother H, and I) sing songs from the hymnbook about the Restoration and First Vision. It was INCREDIBLE!!! B stayed way more focused and it was just powerful!!!! We got home that night to see three missed calls, a voice-mail, and a text from President Brown... oh no this couldn't be good. So I called him back. It's 9:15 at night at this point.

President: Hi Sisters, how is it going!
Me: It's going well, sorry we didn't call you earlier, we were in a lesson.
(He goes on to small chat it up about the lesson, but also with concern in trying to better help us help B.) Then jumps right in with...
President: Sister Smith how fast can you pack your bags?
Me: (On the verge of tears)... How fast do you need me to pack President?
Pres: By 9 am tomorrow morning.
Me: (crying at this point) Ok.
Pres: A Sister is going home tomorrow and her companion needs you.
Me: Alright, can do.
Pres: Thank you!

Yeah.... I was a part of what we call an EMERGENCY TRANSFER!!! So, I'm really sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to people in my awesome ward in Fort Collins! I miss you all dearly and will see you soon, hopefully! I had less than 12 hours notice, but that's ok. I packed up late that night and then left in the morning!

Wednesday: I got my new companion, Sister P. She's super sweet and she has been in this ward for three transfers. We both served in the same ward in Fort Collins, so that's been fun! We had district meeting and talked a lot about how WE ARE THE MESSAGE! I got to meet with one of the investigators here, D. Invited him to pray for a desire to change. He knows that this is true, he just doesn't want to quit some of his bad habits that will prevent him from getting baptized, and ultimately from going to the temple. His wife is a member and they have three kids, I'm stoked to keep working with them. I know that they can do it, and that he will soon see the desire to change is worth it and that through the Atonement he can do all things!

Thursday: AMAZING DAY!!! We taught 7 lessons together! Sister P hasn't been able to work as hard as she would have liked this past transfer or two because her companion who went home was sick and didn't have much energy to work all out. It was fun to work hard and just get to know people. This ward has caught the vision for missionary work and I'm excited to keep it rolling and add to it!!! We met with Y, a sweet elderly lady who wants to get baptized! She wil be soon, so happy for her! We met with a recent convert and she just loves the gospel! Her faith is incredible!

Friday: Weekly Planning is the best! I was able to obtain more info on different people and where they are in their progression toward accepting the gospel. It was a little difficult to just jump in and we both are starting from scratch a little bit so that's awesome! we have a solid week set up and I'm excited to meet more and more people in this ward! I met the Young Women President and she's fantastic! I just love meeting people and getting to know the ward and those we get to teach! We got a lesson set up with a potential investigator!

Saturday: We went biking for awhile and we got another lesson set up with a potential investigator! We are working on finding people this week. We stopped to get gas (when we were using the car) and just talked to a man outside, it was AWESOME! Lesson with him, but passed him off to the YSA Elders here. It's just the best to say hi to everyone and say who we represent! I can't imagine my life without my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives and that He truly lvoes us! I am honored to represent Him! WE found out transfer info that night (we didn't know if I was styaing for a week, or what was going on). I get to stay with Sister P in this little town in Colorado for my last transfer. We saw a lot of miracles so I'm glad I get to stay to see them through!

Sunday: I loved being able to take the Sacrament after not being able to take it last week since it was General Conference! I know that this ordinance is sacred and definitely needed in our lives! We got to go to an old folks home. They asked us to visit some people and just share a message with them. I sat on an elderly lady's bed who can't talk anymore. we read 3 Nephi 11:1-17 with her. I just thought while reading, "WE ARE THE MESSAGE!" I almost cried I was so touched by this expereince. Here was this lady who would soon meet her Savior and gets to hug Him. I know that He is always there for us!

Love you tons,
Sister Kelly Smith

The Power of the Holy Ghost

I was studying Preach My Gospel this week, chapter 4 and came across the activity to read Moroni 10 and write down all of the exhortations he gives. So I did! It was AWESOME!!! I love diving into the scriptures! In verse 4 and 5 it talks about the POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, not the gift, but power! Those who have not yet received the GIFT of the Holy Ghost can still feel of the POWER of the Holy Ghost. It just hit me in the face with that scripture. I know that the power and gift of the Holy Ghost are different but to find that phrasing the scriptures was just AWESOME!!! This is Moroni's promise that is here for every single one of us!! I recently finished the Book of Mormon as a missionary and it's the best thing ever! I have truly come to LOVE the Book of Mormon and have been praying to know it is true. We can always pray again and again to know it is true, to reaffirm our testimony of it. YEAH!!!! Those who do not yet know the Book of Mormon is true, I beg you to pray and ask for yourself. Through the POWER of the Holy Ghost you can know, and if you have already received the GIFT of the Holy Ghost you can know as well! This week was a testament to me how the POWER of the Holy Ghost works through people and helps them have a desire to know more and change their lives!!

Monday: Lesson with C was fantastic! We talked about the Book of Mormon. WOW, WOW, WOW!!! She has been prepared like crazy. I can't begin to describe how much I learn from her and the love I have for her! She was saying that if the Book of Mormon is false then the church is false...FACT.  But if the Book of Mormon is true, then the church is true! FACT.  It was incredible to see her put the pieces together! A member was asking her, "So if it's true, what else is true then?"... the CHURCH! I invited her to be baptized when she came to know the Book of Mormon was true, and she said YES!!!!! It was just so cool. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!!!!! You literally can just SEE her FEELING the Spirit! Her eyes just penetrate with the Spirit! She wants to read the Book of Mormon and it's awesome!!!

Tuesday: We did service and cut apples! It is apple season and finally finished helping someone with their buckets of apples, it's been great! We had some extra time so we helped weed her garden... in skirts. No big deal! We got muddy, but it's ok! I also ran into my companion on my bike, oops! Crashed, but we're all good! Even Sister Missionaries can be clumsy (no worries, I didn't visit the ER)! I also got to have a lesson with a member family and wow it was awesome! Their oldest boy wants to give a Book of Mormon to his friend, SWEET!!!

Wednesday: Got to go on an exchange with... Sister C!!!! It was awesome, I love my old companion :) haha So funny to think that we actually got to be companions at one point! That night we had a lesson (we were in her area) and she was telling me about this awesome member family. I didn't think anything of their last name because it just didn't ring a bell. We walk in and I pretty much just stop in my tracks. I was standing in a town I have NEVER served in, in a house I have NEVER been in, in a WARD I haven't served in yet.. here I was in the home of a family I love!!! I got to visit with the C family (they lived in my second area but moved while I was there). I thought they had moved to a different ward in the same town, nope a different town, different stake) and here I was. Heavenly Father truly loves me! It was so great to see them after months (they thought I had gone home by now, haha that was funny). A wonderful miracle! 

Thursday: Exchange continued. I got cheese-less pizza, it was great!!!! We did some service!  When we got back to my area I found out that less active that has wanted VERY limited contact with the church wants to come back and meet with us and knows that this is what Heavenly Father wants her to do. It was A MIRACLE!!! I love this lady and have only been able to meet her a couple times but every time we ride past her house and she's outside, I say “hi.” She's awesome! I'm excited to help her! Had another lesson with C, it was AWESOME! She just feels the Spirit and knows this is good and right! She read the Book of Mormon and didn't want to stop reading! It was great to hear! She said she had been praying, WOW!!! Before she wasn't really praying and hasn't prayed with her own words before she met with us (she has tried but now it works)! BEST!!!!!!!!

Friday: Dinner with Sister L! She came to church the past week which was awesome! We watched Elder Hollands "A Testimony of the Book of Mormon" with her, POWERFUL!!! I love his talk that this Mormon message is based off of! She's great and is conitnuing to change!

Saturday: GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers! He hears you too! I've been blessed to keep the family tradition of cinnamon rolls for General Conference weekend! Our members (the family we live with) got them :) YEAH love them! 

Sunday: We watched Conference with the M family.  They are less-active so this was awesome. Then we watched President Uchtdorf's talk from Sat. morning with C that night; she cried during it and it was PERFECT for her!!! 

I love you all, I know that this church is lead and guided by Jesus Christ! He leads the church through prophets and apostles! Listen to them, they are fabulous! They are speaking by the Spirit--the Holy Ghost! Let their messages into your hearts!

Love you all,

Sister Kelly Smith

Oh How I LOVE Being in COLORADO

Let me just say combining 2 weeks worth of miracles and experiences is going to be hard! These were also some of the BEST TWO WEEKS EVER!!! 

We had zone conference, WOW! It was one of the best zone conferences of my whole mission! We talked a lot about repentance. I think we overlook the power of repenting a lot of the time. Repenting is powerful! We are able to feel of the love our Father in Heaven has for us and of the power of the Atonement! I know that through repentance we are able to feel JOY! This is a gospel of JOY! This is a gospel of repentance! This was also a hard zone conference for me. This was my last one as a missionary.  When it is your last zone conference you get to bear your testimony. I gave my departing testimony. It was so great to be able to be with so many of my good friends who are also leaving at the same time I am. It was a weird thing to be the one bearing my testimony. I am used to looking up to those that give their departing testimonies and this time I was in their place. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that every time I read the Book of Mormon it brings peace to my soul! 

We got to have a zone meeting with Elder Rhoades (the area 70) and it was great! I will be working on my planning more! After that we had a quick lunch and then we got to see Meet the Mormons!!! I know it is supposed to come out on October 10th, but as missionaries we got to see it early. Ok let me just say it's like the BEST THING EVER!!!!!! First off,  to everyone back home: KATE HARGADON is in it!!! I got SO EXCITED when I saw her! It was really fun seeing her in it. Take everyone you know to see it! It is not a documentary in the sense of kind of boring (sorry, that's how I feel about most documentaries). It is POWERFUL! It doesn't present any doctrine, but testifies of the CHANGES that people make because of the gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives and I know it! I have seen it! Please, PLEASE take your friends to see Meet the Mormons!! It will be a blessing to your life and those you care about. I wish I could see it again! 

We had a lesson with a 13 yr. old boy this week and is dad. Z (the boy) went to a mutual activity with a friend (who happened to be in the ward that I served in last transfer so that was REALLY COOL. He had already read through 1 Nephi before we even met with him, wow! I was so surprised and amazed. Z has such a nice heart and wants to come to church and meet with us again! Unfortunately his dad said that they will have to talk about it... I don't know if we will be able to meet with them again, but I hope so! 

We got to teach C at a different member’s home this week. It was awesome! We watched The Restoration with him, and his 6 year old son watched too! It sparked a lot of questions from C, which was great! Brother R ended up answering pretty much all of them. It was great to see Bro. R testify to C! I love working with members! 

R got baptized this week :) YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited for her! She was baptized by her boyfriend, C. R's dad hasn't been too supportive of her and she wasn't even going to tell him. The morning of her baptism we found out that her dad was COMING to her baptism! We were shocked but so excited!!! We invited President Brown and he ended up coming too!  She was SO HAPPY!! One of my favorite parts of the entire thing was actually watching her older sister. R's sister is 21 and you could SEE her feeling the Spirit. WOW!! It was incredible to watch someone and just know that they are feeling the influence of the Holy Ghost! We talked to her afterwards and she was just crying. We were able to testify to her that what she was feeling was the Spirit and that this is what Heavenly Father wants her to do with her life. She made the comment "It would be really cool if my future brother-in-law could baptize me!" WHAT?! YEAH IT WOULD BE!!! She was already talking about getting baptized!!! SWEETNESS!!! The Spirit is the one that teaches. The Spirit can touch hearts through the noises of children and people rustling in their chairs. The Spirit touches hearts and testifies to our souls that this is true! R was confirmed yesterday and her sister came too! WOW, WOW, WOW! She was feeling the Spirit again! I am in awe at how quickly she is progressing, and we haven't even taught her yet! The Lord prepares His people! R is fantastic and I'm proud of her decision to be baptized. I knew that she was going to get baptized and I just love her! After church we asked R’s sister if she would be interested in meeting with us and she responded excitedly with: "How about tomorrow!" Uh YEAH!!! We can meet tomorrow!!! So we have a lesson with her tonight, SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!! 

Saturday the 27th was the BEST P-DAY EVER!!! I got to go to the temple. Because we were going to the temple our P-day was moved to the day we went to the temple! BEST THING OF MY LIFE!!! I was excited and freaking out a lot!!! It was surreal!!! I had the opportunity to go to the temple with C from my Laramie days. This is the very same woman that got baptized a YEAR AGO. I can't believe it has been a year since she was baptized, but it has! The temple is the ultimate goal for everyone! It has been such a joy to continue to stay in touch with someone I have grown to love by teaching them the gospel. C has changed my life. Honestly I feel like I did nothing when we taught her. It was the Spirit! The Holy Ghost is the true teacher. We invited, and she accepted. It had been MONTHS since I last went to the temple. I'm grateful for the chance I had to go and to be with C and the L's (also from Laramie).  It was the best thing ever! Hna. S (my companion in Laramie) and I looked forward to it for months and months hoping and wishing and praying that we would both be serving in Colorado so that we could go to the temple with C. Heavenly Father truly blessed us with the chance to go. I know that Heavenly Father knows us and is concerned with us and what we desire in this life. The temple truly is the place to be. There is a wonderful Spirit in the temple. It is the House of the Lord. I am grateful for the covenants we are able to make and the opportunity we have in life in continue to strive to keep them. This truly was the most wonderful time of the past year! It shocks me a lot to think that it was been a year since C got baptized. A year ago I was companions with Hna. S. A year ago I was still pretty new. A year ago I was in my first area. A year ago I learned on a more deep level the excitement and importance of hard work. A year ago I gained eternal friends. A year ago my testimony of inviting grew. A year ago I felt the Spirit directly guide this work for individuals. A year ago I was beginning my mission. One year later I received the peace from Heavenly Father as I looked down the row and saw C in the temple! I saw C in the Celestial room. It felt completely normal. It felt right. The temple is where we can feel of our Father's love for us on a more profound level. Will we always feel that? Maybe not, but as we RECEIVE and DESIRE that Spirit, it will come! I know that the temple is where we need to be. The General Women's Broadcast (which we got to watch right after getting back) was all about the temple! That's where our focus needs to be! Making and keeping covenants that will enable us to return to live with our Father in Heaven. Not only live with, but BECOME like. We have the chance to BECOME like our Father as we first strive to BECOME like our Savior. This gospel is all about BECOMING and CHANGING.

Yesterday was fast Sunday. Fasting WORKS! I know it does! I am so grateful for the blessing of fasting and the power and inspiration that we can receive! I know that we can receive personal revelation through church attendance! This next week we get to watch GENERAL CONFERENCE! We have a living prophet on the earth and we get to hear him. WOW we are blessed! Go with a question and pray that it will be answered! I am grateful for the things that I have learned on my mission and throughout my life. Jesus Christ is always there and so is our Heavenly Father. If you get anything from this email, know that Heavenly Father loves you and is COMPLETELY aware of you and your desires. I am blessed to be serving in the Colorado Fort Collins Mission and to have met so many people that have changed my life. 

Sorry I'm getting sentimental.... I have been having a lot of "lasts" as a missionary. I got my "trunky call" this past week. A sweet Sister in the mission office called and confirmed with me which airport I am flying to. I will be in the Sacramento International Airport on November 25th... 8 short weeks away. Don't worry though, I am not "trunky." I am still working and loving it!

Thanks for everything!

Love you all,

Sister Kelly Smith