Mater the Red Nosed Tow Truck, and Possibly My Last Week in This Wonderful Town

This week was INCREDIBLE!! I have so much to write that I don't even know how I will fit it all!!! As most of you might be aware, or might not be, transfers are this week. Meaning I find out on Saturday where I will be for Christmas, and where I will be for the next 7 weeks of my life. This next transfer is a long one (they are usually for six weeks). I know I always get worried about transfers, but come on, I’ve been here for 7 months of my life. To let you know what that is like, I have spent more time in this ward on my mission than I have in my home ward in California..That's crazy right?! YES IT IS!! I have come to love this ward and these people in WYOMING more than I ever thought I even could! I have been reminiscing a lot recently and I remember back 7 months ago when President Toombs pulled me into his office and told me that I would be going to Wyoming. I thought my life was a joke and that I wouldn't really like it. The beginning of my mission was rough, but guess what?! I LOVE IT HERE WITH ALL MY HEART!!! My ward is THE BEST!!! The people here are so genuine and love the gospel, and they have a desire to share it! I have seen so many missionary miracles with ward members this past week, it has been great!!!! So even though my heart is breaking, I will try to sound positive and excited (because I really am about certain things), just the overall leaving part has me pretty shaken up!!

This week we saw many miracles of people's hearts being softened, becoming more open to hearing about the gospel and wanting to change. Seeing these miracles is a testimony to me that hearts are changing, the church is true, and that I am doing my job!!

We had a lesson with our Spanish investigator. This was the first lesson we had WITHOUT any other Spanish speaking people. so with my limited Spanish and with the Spirit, we had one of the most powerful lessons I have ever had with her!! We watched Finding Faith in Christ in Spanish (with English subtitles) and WOW holy cow it was GREAT!!! Honestly I love Spanish, and I just get to bear simple testimony and in broken Spanish...but I LOVED IT!! She said she feels her faith growing when we meet with her, ok SWEET!! We are doing our job!!

We had a good lesson this week with an investigator on the Plan of Salvation! Oh, I will try to send a picture next week of the awesome Plan of Salvation outline I learned this week. IT IS SO COOL in my opinion!! Then we went to the Relief Society Progressive Dinner in my ward. OH MY GOODNESS IT WAS AMAZING!!! There were some non-members there, but the most powerful thing for me was that my testimony of MY Savior increased so much!! I cannot describe to you how much it grew! I felt the Spirit, and it was perfect! I love the sisters in my ward -- they are so nice, and their testimonies strengthen mine! Sometimes you need to help your own testimony grow so you can help others with theirs!! After the dinner a few of us missionaries got together at the Institute building to practice our song that we would be singing for zone conference. We sang If The Savior Stood Beside Me. Ok, just picture me crying again!! My emotions have been SO CLOSE TO THE SURFACE this past week it's ridiculous, and not like me.

Friday was kind of a packed day. Since we are covering two wards, it was a huge accomplishment to have a day where we only taught lessons in our secondary ward! It was awesome!! We got to go to the Stake Center to look at the Nativity event being held there. GREAT MISSIONARY OPPORTUNITY!!! There was a room with pictures depicting the life of Christ. WOW, the Spirit was so strong in that room, I LOVED IT!! I love being able to relax for a bit, but still be a missionary, and let my testimony grow!! After a lesson with a member who just needed support, us four sisters in this town practiced our songs for the Nativity the next day.

On Saturday, we went down to Colorado for an all mission conference.  It was the first time since the opening of the Ft. Collins Mission that we all got together! It was so cool! The best part, Elder Craig C. Christensen (from the Presidency of the Seventy) came to speak to us! Elder Rhoades (the Area Seventy here was in attendance too).   I was taught spiritually and it was amazing!! We had a Q&A time with President Brown, President Christensen, and Elder Rhoades, it was wonderful.  We rushed home and made it back in time to sing at the stake center for the Nativity event. It was kind of crazy, but we were safe and we made it! haha the conference was so good!!!!!!! I love meeting General Authorities.   We were given a homework assignment to write a one page summary of our understanding of the Plan of Salvation. It was so cool to read and study and write out what I know about it! I basically just testified. I'm out of practice when it comes to homework... Dinner with the L family that night WAS INCREIDBLE!! I haven't laughed that hard in a LONG time! I laughed so hard I cried!  Missionaries: remember to laugh! I don't think I have laughed enough this past week! Missionary work is fun, and I need to remind myself of that more!!

Sunday: AMAZING DAY!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE going to church! I love going to church in a ward where it truly feels like a ward family! I love going to feel the Spirit and to take the Sacrament!! The Christmas Devotional was INCREDIBLE, right?!! If you haven't seen it, spend an hour of your time and watch it! A live Mormon message is what I would call Elder Russell M. Nelson's talk... which was SO GOOD!!! I got to watch it sitting next to a Christmas tree, with an investigator, and with a family I love! Life can't get better than that!!! I got a priesthood blessing that night and sound advice from a very knowledgeable man. Oh my goodness, I didn't even realize how much I have been hurting this transfer, and especially this week. I am so sad to leave this place. I figure I am leaving since I have been here since I started my mission (except the MTC). I have grown to love these people and I feel like my time in running out. So I was a little stressed, and priesthood blessings always help me out! They are great! I rely on them so much!!

Monday: P-Day! I took a while to just write in my journal. It was good. We had a lesson with some recent converts. I LOVE THEM! Ok, the little boy is HILARIOUS!! The Word of Wisdom has now turned into the World of Wisdom with a revolution complete with captivity. haha He is 10 years old and just mixed up some of the words-- it was so cute and funny!!

I learned so much about my Savior this week and His Atonement for ME!! I am excited to start applying it to my EVERYDAY life!! At zone conference, we got to watch 17 Miracles. For some reason I brought my journal to zone conference... I am a missionary nerd and took notes/impressions during the movie! I wasn't the normal missionary who just relaxed to enjoy the movie. I gained so much insight, and the music and movie is SO POWERFUL!   Later that day, we had a lesson with an investigator, who now says she is willing to come to church with us! WHAT? Heart softening. I have seen so many miracles this week it's CRAZY!! This woman was not even interested in meeting with us originally, but due to impressions from the Spirit we went to visit her. I love being her for so long because when I moved into my apartment 6 months ago, my companion and I tracted into her. Yup, she remembered me and was willing to come to church after the holidays, PROGRESS!!!

Moral of the week: Hard times come, and your heart can break! But due to wise people in my life I have learned that heart ache is ok. That it shows I care. I love these people so much! I love my mission. I have had hard times, but everyone does! It is part of life! I love my Savior Jesus Christ and am so grateful for the Atonement! Without it, we could not do a lot of things! We couldn't live! Eternity hung in the balance when Jesus asked if there was any other way. There wasn't, and I am so grateful that He performed that Atonement for me, Sister Kelly Smith. He atoned for you as well! He LOVES us all SO MUCH! So does our Heavenly Father! I KNOW IT!!

Love you all,
Sister Kelly Smith

Quote of the week: "You know it's cold when an igloo can be warmer than your apartment!" Yeah our apartment was a little cold this week... down to -45 outside, well it was about 46 inside (so cold when you should be studying or falling asleep).

Thanksgiving and a Christmas Tree in Wyoming

This week was a weird, but it was an incredible week! Weird in the sense that we didn't teach one lesson to an investigator, yeah, you read that correctly! I think it has been a long time since I went an entire week without teaching an investigator.

On Tuesday we taught two of our recent converts.  His mom is terrific, but her son stole the show.  He is a pro at the Plan of Salvation! It is so good to see that he still remembers it :) When he describes the veil... "It's a big drainage pipe that we all go down through before we get to earth and it erases our memories." Yeah, that works! At least he remembers it, and added his idea :) Way to go my little man!!!

THANKSGIVING. Ok, it was incredible!! I loved it so much! I got to go to my favorite two families homes and it was AMAZING!!!!! I felt like I was with family and it was the best!! We ate a fair amount of food, and everyone should try Sister L's pumpkin cheesecake, delicious!!!!!

On Friday, the AWESOME L family gave us a Christmas tree! AND IT'S REAL!!! Ok, this is a luxury item on a mission, NO JOKE!!! It's AMAZING!!!

We practiced a bit with the other sisters in town on Saturday for our Nativity musical number. We have 15 minutes to fill next Saturday night while people are walking around looking at nativities at the stake center.  :) So we chose which songs to sing, and what not.

This morning we had a MIRACLE, and I am excited to see what comes of it! Maybe nothing, but I am so hopeful.

We received a media referral today, who seems prepared to hear the gospel, so we are going to try to meet with her today.  I wrote her in my planner twice, in case she isn't home the first time we go by, because we want to contact her soon.
                                                                                                    <-----Our Tree!!!!!                                                                  The Elders have their ties back (they let us borrow them), but have a wonderful Missionary Christmas :) Thanks Cox family for your inspired idea through the first Christmas card I received this season :)





Moral: be positive, even if things go against you, remain positive! I think a lot of the morals are for me, so maybe that's why I write them out!

Love,
Sister Kelly Smith


My mom forgot to post my 6 month picture a couple of     --->
weeks ago.

Solar panel van, secret heart attack and the beautiful sky in WYOMING!!!

Well family and friends, I am still kind of shocked that I am already emailing again. Weeks can fly by it's CRAZY!!!

We met with Bishop from my main ward, and he is so great! He gave us a list of members who might need our help (those who are less-active). GAIN THE BISHOP'S TRUST!! If he trusts you, then he will trust you with those he is over!

We taught our investigator this week and it was SO AWESOME!! Her 9 year old grandson was there and MAN the children in this town are so cool!! They are so close to the Spirit it is incredible!! He prayed for the first time in his life, and I was there to hear it -- MIRACLE!! Ok, for real, being a missionary is SO AWESOME!!!! I get to see miracles every single day! But you have to look for them! I get so excited for the little things that are big steps for people! Hearing a 9 year old boy pray for the first time is SO COOL!!!

We had a meeting in Fort Collins on Friday, SO FUN!! I love the trainers meeting :) I have gone every single transfer I have been out and it's great!! I hope I get to go next transfer too :)

On Sunday I witnessed the best thing ever:  Someone I taught, who was baptized a few weeks ago, received the Aaronic priesthood.  This is what it is all about.  People making covenants and receiving blessings, and then going on to help other people :) I love being a missionary!

I LOVE MY LIFE!! Even though it is really cold here sometimes, I still LOVE THIS TOWN SO MUCH!! This ward has become my family, and I couldn't have asked for anything better! It is not a joke where Heavenly Father sends you on your mission.  He knows what He is doing! It took me a while to know that this is where I am meant to be... like I had to be in the field to figure that out!! I love this work!

Moral: Find miracles in the small things, it will bless your life :)

Oh and someone heart attacked us this week and it was INCREDIBLE!! We still have NO idea who did it! I love the scriptures that are on the hearts and uplifting quotes! Thank you to whoever loves us that much to spend time cutting hearts and putting them in our apartment, THANK YOU!!!

Love,
Sister Kelly Smith

This holiday season invite someone to hear the first missionary discussion, DO IT!! It will bless your life; it will help your testimony grow stronger!!!

Solar panel van, NO JOKE!!!!!!!!!    -------->

Two Wards, One Town, and a Fasting MIRACLE, can you believe it?!

This week has been a CRAZY WEEK, but I LOVED IT!! I found out about 15 minutes after emailing home last week that my companion and I would not only cover the family ward that I have been serving in for 6 months, but also another ward in town!! AAAAAHHHHH I was SO EXCITED!!! I thought my companion would like a fresh start, so this is it! We are swept in to a new ward, and we get to serve in my favorite ward! BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!!


<--What you can do with studying the scriptures everyday!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my scriptures! This is only one page. THE SCRIPTURES ARE MEANT FOR US TODAY, and can totally help with teaching, like how to teach!!

Tuesday: Found out I will get to cover two wards, and it was a super exciting thing but that means starting over. It brings me back to six months ago when I first got here and my companion and I were swept in. So I went back to the knowledge of what we needed to do, and what I have learned since being out: contact the Bishop and the Ward Mission Leader. Sweet!  Let the work and fun begin!!


Wednesday: We had dinner with a man who is less-active and his wife who is actively involved with the Church. It was so powerful!  This brother reminds me a lot of one of my Grandpas. I think it would be awesome if my Grandpa (who recently passed away) was sitting and listening in to the lessons we teach him!  My companion asked him if he would come to church on Sunday and I was so proud of her for asking him that!

Thursday: We had a lesson with another investigator, and it went SO WELL!! It was interesting to teach with another set of sisters, but that's ok! This wonderful woman said she would be baptized once she knew it was true, and SHE FELT THE SPIRIT AND RECOGNIZED IT!!! I think it is hard for people to recognize the Holy Ghost in their lives (I mean I even struggle with that). Well, she said she felt all tingly! THE HOLY GHOST!!! That night we met our new ward mission leader, oh man, I am so excited to work with him!! He had a vision for his ward and we get to help out.  I LOVE IT!!!! It will take a lot of help from the members but it is definitely possible!!

Friday: Six months!  I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my six month mark! We went out to lunch with the woman who was the first baptism I ever had here in Wyoming! She is truly amazing and we had a GREAT experience at lunch! I love her, and talking to her is AMAZING!! Everyone should be friends with her, because she is just that cool and nice! Well when we got the bill... there was note inside instead. A member somewhere in the restaurant paid for our meal, and wrote us a note bearing her testimony to us and thanking us for our service as sister missionaries! It was amazing!! The lady who wrote it was a convert herself and her family! It was so nice!! Then I got to meet with another recent convert that night at my favorite family’s house!  I seriously could not think of a better way to spend my day.

Saturday: We did service at the Stake Center in the morning. We helped a mom find her son. Her son goes to church (he is 7) with a member but she isn't. She came to the clothing drive and he got lost so we helped her out!

Sunday: We had two dinners since we are covering two wards, one from each. It was hard, but so good!!! We had a lesson with another investigator, which went well, and man, she is GOLDEN!!!!  Our first dinner was awesome because the six girls in that family sang to us, and it was SO CUTE and BEAUTIFUL!! Then we had our second dinner. We asked our second dinner if they would invite someone to dinner; they did!!! Guess what? A FAMILY!! The same mom (and her three sons) that we helped find her son the day before!! The coolest thing is that the youngest son received a Book of Mormon from missionaries at a park this summer.  Want to know something cool? I am pretty sure that I was that missionary at a booth in a park this summer that gave this little boy a Book of Mormon, which he started to read. Well we asked him if he would pray about it to know it's true, his response: “I already know it's true!!!”  AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH That day we fasted to find a family... this could be that family!! Fasting works, let me tell you!! I know it does! I have a testimony that it works!! Oh in church with our new ward the Bishop had us get up in the middle of Sacrament Meeting and bear our testimonies, OK welcome to the ward! haha It was great! I love bearing my testimony, but over the pulpit is a little harder, but still great!!

Monday: P-DAY!! NERF WAR!!! I LOVED IT!!! SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!! P-Days are so amazing to relax for a few hours out of the week! [This picture shows our set-up before the game began.]  But teaching is THE BEST THING EVER!!! I want to teach all the time, and I really think we can find a family this transfer!!

Love you all,
Sister Kelly Smith

Moral of the week: fasting works!

Baptisms, Transfers, Fresh Starts In WYOMING!!!!

Well... transfer calls came in... I'M STILL HERE!!! Like no joke, for real, this is my 5th transfer in this area, my first area! It's so awesome!! Seven+ months in one ward, I'm down!! Haha I love this town, so I'm excited! It will kind of be like starting over though, because our investigators got BAPTIZED!!! So now we are pretty much only down to one progressing investigator!! NOOOOO

With a new transfer can come a fresh start! I am still with my same companion, so I will finish out the training program with her! Fresh start: how about finding a WHOLE FAMILY that has been prepared by the Lord and is just waiting for the Gospel of Jesus Christ?! I think, yes!!! Through prayers and faith it can happen!!!

I really only want to talk about Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. the other days were great but these just trump all!!

Friday: P got BAPTIZED!!! It was so amazing!! There were so many people there to support her that we had to bring in extra chairs! I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. Ok, I would SO much rather teach than give a talk, but I was honored that I was asked to give a talk! I love P so much and man, her baptism was incredible!!!

Saturday: A missionary’s dream come true!! Who gets to go to 3 convert baptisms and then one 8 year old baptism in one day?!!! WE DID!! It was so amazing!! I love baptisms and to be able to go to 5 baptisms in one weekend was INCREDIBLE!!! Can every weekend just be like that?! Let's just have baptisms EVERY WEEKEND!!!! Members: get to work on inviting your friends to church, baptisms, to read the Book of Mormon, and to hear the missionary discussions! The Hastening of the Work is real!! Your friends are waiting, today is your day, so get out inviting, get on your way!!! (That was a bad
way of trying to re-do Dr. Suess' quote to fit missionary work.) Saturday evening we went to Little B's baptism, and he is one of the cutest 8 year old boys ever! I love him, and he is a good shot when it comes to Nerf Wars! Saturday night we went to have dinner with our less-active who is pretty much active now. He made us steak! Ok, seriously the steak was like as big as my plate! Needless to say I had lunch for the next day, as well.  The steak was amazing though! It had been marinating for like a week, dang it was so good!! After dinner, news of our transfers came.... I'M STAYING!!! I had been so nervous and freaking out the entire transfer! I just felt like a time bomb ready to leave... aaahhhhh, but I get to stay, 5 transfers baby! BRING IT!!! I love this town so much!! Now, I get to experience pretty much every season in this town… crazy, right?!

Sunday: We told people we were staying together this transfer and they were so excited, some were shocked, which it is shocking! I mean I have already been here for 6 months!! The Relief Society President asked us and we told her, and she was so happy she said that it was an answer to prayer! Aaahhhh OK, I feel loved in this ward -- it's incredible! Primary Program in church = AMAZING!!!! I felt the Spirit so strongly in Sacrament Meeting! I love being a missionary!

Missionary life can be difficult, but seriously I feel so loved it's crazy!!! I. Love. Missionary work! I am so excited to find a family this transfer! Through prayers and faith it can happen! Heavenly Father wants everyone to be baptized, so help Him out! Find those people!!

Love you all,
Sister Kelly Smith

<----This is my planner for this transfer! Just something fun to change every transfer! Well, Julie, Nikaela, I love you and you will be with me everywhere I go (since this planner is always with me -- if it isn't, I get kind of worried)! Who knew I would become a planner?! 

The Things You Can Learn in Wyoming!

This week might have been the hardest and best week of my mission.

I did one of the hardest things you do on a mission. I dropped an investigator. We planned on teaching a lesson but just ended up talking and asking him what he wanted to get out of us meeting with him. It turned out he just liked the company.   Well, through the Spirit I realized that he needed to be dropped. So, when he decides he truly wants to learn about the gospel and pray, he can call us.  It was so hard, but sometimes it is necessary.

On Halloween we had district meeting and three of the sisters here in Laramie (one from each companionship, actually) wore granny shirts! We all matched, like literally the fabric was the same, but different styles-- it was so fun! I loved dressing up, even though it was in a missionary approved manner!

Sister L, in our ward, sends us text messages almost every morning with inspirational thoughts.  Friday morning she sent “James 1:5-6. ‘Prayer is the provider of spiritual strength, the passport to peace, miracles are wrought through prayer’ - Thomas S. Monson. Have a miracle of a day Sisters!" I read that and then started crying.  It was exactly what I needed to hear. Heavenly Father will work through other people to bless our lives. As missionaries, we get to be that answer to prayers and that blessing, but we are people too, and I needed that so much that day.  Support from members is huge! I was able to talk to Sister L for a bit and received a priesthood blessing from her husband that morning. It was so key and huge a miracle! I love the L family more than I can say.  On my mission I have learned a couple of important things.  1) Rely on Priesthood blessings and the counsel you receive in them (write down what you remember was said afterwards).  2) Rely on your mission leaders. I was able to talk to one of my Sister Training Leaders (equivalent to a zone leader, but a sister) for a couple of hours and it felt so great! She is amazing and I love her so much! You grow to love people easily and quickly on a mission, I have realized.

We went to dinner at a Spanish investigator’s house... the weirdest thing I have ever eaten on my mission is now Cow Stomach, yes Cow Stomach AAAHHHHH it tasted ok, it was in a spicy broth type thing, but the texture, WOW! It was like a wet sponge in my mouth, weird and not my favorite thing in the world...

This week we had another baptism, someone we have been teaching, actually I’ve been with him for all the missionary discussions. It was kind of a crazy morning trying to get last minute things done, filling the font and what not, but it was great! I got to give a talk on the Holy Ghost, and because of my stress filled week it was really just my testimony on the Holy Ghost. The next day, on Sunday, this brother was confirmed in Sacrament Meeting.  Then during the meeting he got up and bore his testimony.  That’s a missionary's dream right there! I just think it is so cool that you get to be a part of someone’s life, share your testimony with them, they gain their own and then let everyone else know about it! AMAZING!

I got to meet Rulon Gardner, the 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist for Wrestling (I think maybe weight lifting) but still an Olympic medalist!! CRAZY COOL!!!

 On Monday we got to spend the day  being edified by the Spirit through the teachings of a GENERAL AUTHORITY, and it was fantastic!  I got to shake Elder Gay’s hand and he promised us amazing blessings in this area, in our missionary work. I am stoked! It will be hard, but oh so worth it! I love this work.

Well transfer calls come in this Saturday and my time here in this town is limited I know that.  Whether my time here will be for another few weeks or only until next week the Lord knows, and I am in His hands!

Missionary work is so hard, but it is so worth it! I have never felt so happy or stretched (spiritually, emotionally, physically), but it is amazing! I love baptisms and I am stoked for another one this weekend; they are all special, but this one will be particularly sweet!

I love you all,
Sister Kelly Smith

 In the words of Bishop Livingston: "Waapa!!"  He says it a lot, and now we have it in action!!!

Roadtrip and Exchanges in Wyoming

I love Wyoming; that is something that I have come to know! I thought this place was the wilderness when I first got here 5+ months ago, but now, NOT AT ALL!! I love this town with all my heart! The people here are INCREDIBLE!!

Tuesday: We got to go to mission prep class, and it was so fun! One of my friends here is getting her mission call TOMORROW (most likely) and I seriously hope she gets called to California, to my home mission! haha It would just be so fun! I love teaching mission prep, or helping out with the lesson.

Wednesday: Crazy AWESOME day! My companion and I taught 6 lessons that day! This is a HUGE accomplishment for us! We had a lesson with an investigator and we finally taught as companions! I gave her a huge hug afterward because I was so excited! It went way better than I expected! I’m proud of her for stepping it up, and letting the Spirit teach through her! Our investigator didn't read the Book of Mormon since we last met with him, so I was devastated, and I let him know, too.  We need to be devastated and show it when someone doesn't read the Book of Mormon; it is the KEYSTONE TO OUR RELIGION! Later that evening, we got to go to mutual, and it was so fun! A 12 yr. old and a 17 yr. old taught me some things and then I taught them things. We role-played together and it was fun!

Thursday: EXCHANGES with Sister C! She is SO COOL!! I had so much fun, and I learned a lot from her! We got to go to the L family's and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! I think I mention Sister L in every email, because she has made that much of an impact on my life!  We had an opportunity to hear a woman pray in Russian, and it was so beautifu!  I have gained a new appreciation for languages on my mission: Spanish, French, Russian, German, and most importantly the language of the Holy Ghost. That is the universal language! I have no idea what our investigator was sayin, but I felt the Spirit

Friday: We did a fair amount of service, which I love to do!

Saturday: Trip to the small town in our ward boundaries. It was so fun to go on a roadtrip! We were able to contact a less-active family, and teach them a lesson.

Moral of the week: The Holy Ghost is the one that teaches! Invite your friends to activities, to hear the missionaries, to read the Book of Mormon! The Holy Ghost will help you as you open your mouth. Doctrine and Covenants 84:85. I really like Alma 32:21 right now, it’s such a powerful scripture.  I still get kind of shocked that people don't read the Book of Mormon. It is so important and vital to our success in life. We need it to feel the Holy Ghost more in our life. I have loved studying it on my mission, it's incredible!!!

The Holy Ghost is REAL, Heavenly Father LOVES YOU!! So do I :)

Love,
Sister Kelly Smith