December 9th letter - GRATITUDE

hola!

my gratitude for the Lord is overwhelming this week. i was so nervous to be spending all my time in the VC and not see my investigators but the Lord is well aware of our struggles let me tell you. let's start with Xiomara...she is just the cutest thing. i love her to death and she is just a sweetie. the YW have taken her under their wings and loved her. in a way i feel like she's my little sister cuz im not too much older then her. she was so nervous about us talking to her parents about her baptism because they are really catholic...well we said a little prayer together right before we talked to them and let me tell you prayers are answered. it was such an easy thing to ask for permission...they said yes without hesitation. it was incredible...even sis colon and i were nervous about talking to them and it was easy. so she will be baptized on sunday at 5:30....let me just tell you she has completely changed her life...its like night and day and that's what the gospel can do. well as if that wasn't enough of a blessing the Lord just keeps sending His blessings our way. we found an incredible family...they cried through our lesson and even told us they want to be mormon. they came to part of church on sunday and participated in class....WOW! last night sis colon and i did splits because we had too many people to teach. she saw luis...one of our investigators that has a date for baptism but still wasnt really feeling ready. well she went over the interview questions with him and when she asked if he felt the church of Jesus Christ had been restored he said yes and that he believed Joseph Smith was a prophet and everything. then he explained why. we have been praying for sooooo long for this! plus he said he felt ready to be baptized...this is like the biggest miracle of my mission!!! the Lord is blessing us and i dont feel like i did anything to deserve it. we've had some really remarkable experiences. ill share one that happened yesterday. we street contacted this guy and honestly i didnt think he was going to listen, i guess its because english people usually reject us right away. well we asked him if he believed in Jesus Christ and he replied that he did before he joined the military. well come to find out he served in iraq...it really messed him up the things he saw. i just testified of the hope we have thru our Savior. i never felt the spirit so strong during a street contact...it was incredible.
i know that the Lord puts us in the places He needs us to be so that we can bless His children. we are instruments in His hands. its incredible to see His hand in the work...after all these are His investigators. i feel the love of my Heavenly Father more and more each week.
yesterday i had to opportunity to meet an man that my friend Kevin Kundis baptized. he came into the VC just visiting from Page where kev is serving. i so wanted to see him before he left from his mission in feb. well it doesnt look like it will happen but it was just as neat to meet one of his converts. i almost cried...the lord answers prayers even when we dont expect him to or not in the way we think. it is amazing.
Heavenly Father loves each of us and if we will come to Him in prayer He will bless us. i love you all. the church is so true! hold on to the truths that you know because the Lord wants to bless us but if we don't first do what is right He can't. have a great week.

hna smith
ps- we will have 2 baptisms this week luis and xiomara!!! yeah!!!!