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