I'm going on a MISSION!!!!
As you all know I will be serving for the next 18 months in the Arizona Mesa Mission. My mission not only includes proselyting but also the Arizona Temple Visitor's Center. The best part is I get to learn Spanish! I'm so excited for the experiences I will have over these next 18 months. I would love to hear from everyone...seriously! I will write back those who write me so keep those letters coming, I know I am going to need them! Missionary work is tough. Once I leave on June 4th I will most likely not be able to keep up on the blog so I am putting my mom and sister in charge of that. They will post pictures and hopefully any emails I send. So keep updated on my crazy life these next 18 months. I'm so excited to get out and teach the gospel, it is going to be amazing! Thanks to everyone who has influenced my decision to go or who have supported me in my decision. You guys are awesome. I love you all!
Brit
hola!
i am whitewashing....but luckily im not training too. my new companion is sister lopez. she is a total sweetheart and im excited to work with her. though im sad to leave my area and my comp. if you want to know more about sis lopez look online for rebecca lopez...she's a singer and has made a cd for the church. so she's a pretty big deal...haha.
its been a week filled with adventure. now you might want to be sitting down for this one...i ate something i never thought i would before. have you ever heard of menudo? well to tell you a little bit about it, its a soup that contains the inside lining of the cow's stomach. lets just say i almost threw up in my mouth. not that it tasted bad its just the fact i knew what it was. on the bright side...i learned how to make tortillas and sis colon also taught me how to make tostone. its made from platanos(kinda like banana but more starchy) and is really good.
i also discovered a new fruit called kumquat. they grow on a tree like an orange and we actually have a kumquat tree on the temple grounds. if ever eat one make sure its really orange and just pop the whole thing in(peel and all). they are a little sour but i like them.
the highlight of the week was saturday and sunday. julia was baptized on saturday and she was soooo happy. on sunday she was confirmed in church. she just loves the gospel and i have no doubts she will be firm always. last night we went over there and she was like i havent slept but 2 hours because i was worried sis smith was leaving because i offended her. she didnt understand that i had to leave. so we explained it to her and then we ate donuts and milk together. she's so cute.
also on sunday my recent convert luis was given the priesthood and ordained a priest. i was filled with so much gratitude for my Heavenly Father because i got to be a part of these conversions. i really dont feel i did anything...the Lord has allowed me to sit in and see these people change.
the bishop asked me to get up and bear my testimony on sunday...talk about nerve-racking....it was the first time ive ever born my testimony in spanish in front of that many people. it was fine though.
this next transfer is going to be CRAZY!!! we have to learn the area and get to know the people together. the Lord will help us i have no doubts about that. im doing so well...i cant imagine what it will be like to leave for good because leaving my area is breaking my heart. but i know it is time and im ready. at least people can come visit me in the VC.
before i forget...L. Tom Perry is coming tomorrow. im so excited to hear what he has to say to us. i really am lucky to have these rare opportunities to listen to an apostle of the Lord.
well i love you all. i will let you know how this week goes. take care!
hna smith
Hermana Smith and Hermana Colon walking to church in the cold!!! Porvositas..... Good thing Sister Colon had gloves on - she could have gotten frost bitten!!!! LOL
The grounds of the Temple are so beautiful! We are hoping to see it for ourselves one day.... It is so good to hear Brittany's voice and be apart of her life... I think we miss her sense of HUMOR the most!!! She is a Loco Senorita!!!
Brittany has sent us (through Paul) some videos of her and Hermana Colon. They are quite hilarious! Who knew that serving a mission could be so much FUN!!!
We never found out if baby Jesus was ever found - However, the text book missionary answer is
"He can be FOUND in each of us"
hola!!!
so this week has been pretty good. we had exchanges this week and sis rincon came to my area. she is from columbia and last transfer we joked that we were gonna be companions...well that didnt happen. she is actually with sis colgan my mtc comp. this week we are preparing julia for her baptism. she is so excited to get baptized and says shes been looking for this for a long time. her ex-boyfriend on the other hand, pascual, we found has no real interest in the church he just likes to listen to us because julia is there and wants to get back with him. pretty funny story. we went over interview questions with him and we ended up asking him if he thought we were prophets...he said YES!! bet you didnt know that i was a prophet...well either did i. anyways it ended in us dropping him. he still continues to go to church so maybe one day he will actually want to join the church for himself.
last night luis lugo...my recent convert, bore his testimony at the spanish fireside we have once a month. it was so amazing to hear him talk about his conversion story. he even wore a white shirt and tie to church...BIG step for him.
now i bet you all want to hear about my meeting with elder bednar. let's just say its a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a question and answer session with an apostle and a seventy,elder snow was there too. it was so neat! i learned so much...basically ive come to the conclusion that i need to stop worrying about how weak of a missionary i am and just do. elder bednar just told us to go and do and that the Lord would use us. it shows our faith when we just take action and do something because we can't sit around waiting for things to happen. i wish i could just sit here and write everything he said...but i have no time for one and i cant even remember it all. the spirit was strong though. elder bednar is definately an apostle of the Lord. in a week and a half we will have the opportunity to meet with L. Tom Perry. im pretty excited!!! its the perks of being a missionary i guess.
next weekend we will find out what is going on with transfers. most likely i will be saying goodbye to my area and moving to somewhere new. i have been in liahona 3rd for 6 months now so its time.
we had interviews with president this last week and he joked "maybe we'll have you white wash and train" for those unfamiliar with mission lingo white wash means to open a new area or both missionaries are new to the area. that's kinda like my biggest nightmare!!! but i will do what the Lord has in mind for me. i just know i need to learn and grow.
we are receiving 6 new VC sisters...should be fun. i think i need a companion that speaks less or the same amount of spanish as i so that my skills can increase...its hard when you have a native. so thats basically my life for right now.
im alive though ive got a bit of a cold at the moment...mom remember when i had that terrible cold a few summers ago and i talked like a man for 2 weeks...well i kinda sound like that. i feel fine just sound bad.
well i love you all!!!
have a great week and write me:)
hna smith
hey everyone!
well its been a loooooooong week. i dont know why that just happens sometimes. today we start week 5 of the transfer meaning next week is the last week. crazy, i know. tomorrow are interviews with the president which is always fun. im lucky to have such an amazing mission pres. also for big news on saturday elder bednar is coming along with elder snow(seventy). so we get a special missionary fireside with them on saturday. then on the 28th elder perry is coming. its quite rare to have so many general authorities but im not complaining. they are even shutting the VC down during their devotionals so all the missionaries can go. so ill let you know how that all goes.
its actually been quite nice here is AZ...not to rub it in but its like 70's right now. i kinda love AZ winters.
i have had some interesting experiences this week...for example a half naked man answered the door the other night....talk about awkward!!!
oh the new sister smith finally got here from the MTC. she is a sweetheart and just doing great!!! so im going by hermana smith and she is sister smith...though she is determined to speak spanish. sister colon and i have something up our sleeves for the farewell in 2 weeks. lets just say we will be wearing old lady clothes. i will send pictures dont you worry.
as for my investigators...they are doing really well. julia is pretty much set for her baptism on the 24th. she is just AWESOME!! the ward has taken her in and just really loved her. this week we had the rare opportunity to teach the word of wisdom to a doctor. usually we dont meet many professionals but he is the husband of one of our investigators and he was visiting from mexico. it was neat and he basically just backed up the whole lesson with facts.
oh i found an interesting fact that many of you may not know...Jesus was an illegal immigrant. i know it was suprising to me too but my investigator from guatamala told me that he was...talk about a weird lesson. we taught this man miguel last night and he told us that Jesus was a immigrant. we tried to relate it back to the restoration but it was hard. after it was over sister colon and i laughed and we're like wow that is the most ridiculous thing ive ever heard. i think ive heard it all now.
the VC is extremely slow now that christmas lights are down. the other night we had 124 people come in during the whole day...compare that to 4000. just doesnt compare.
a few sisters are going full field this transfer...maybe i will go who knows. im nervous about training so hopefully i dont train this transfer but anything is possible.
keep me in your prayers...haha. well that is my week. hope all is well in all parts of the world.
remember i love you all.
hermana smith
ps- when you send me letters(hint, hint) please put Hna Brittany Smith...it will make life much easier for me:)
hola!
well i had a good week...it was really long actually for some reason but it was good. a little stressful but hey that's my life for awhile. i completed 7 months on sunday...don't even get me started on how crazy that is. we are definately on week 4 of transfers...which just blows my mind!!! we have 2 more weeks and then im pretty sure im leaving this area...its bitter sweet really. i dont feel like i can progress as a missionary until i have a new area and a new comp. dont get me wrong i love both but its time for a change. though who knows with pres bassest anything goes. we are recieving 6 maybe 7 VC sisters this transfer and losing 2. the sister smith from australia is still in the mtc. she dislocated her knee cap....OUCH! anyways.
we are back to normal life...we actually have time in our area and we go to bed and get up at a normal time. its great....plus we get a full p-day! thats incredible. so let me tell you the crazy thing i did this week. on the 31st the mission sang for the concert at the VC...well one of the sisters in charge of it asked me to do a duet. i said sure no big deal i can do a duet...well i got up on stage and there was 1000's of people...i was a little scared. but i got thru the song and it went well. well afterward everyone was like i didnt know you sing...i was like i dont not in front of people like that. it was quite humorous. but people liked it...i guess my soprano voice over took the other sister's alto voice so you could really only hear me...not my intent but hey can't do anything about that now. but i wish i had a video of it for you all to see but i dont..just imagine me singing. funny!
we've been finding some really good people lately. last night we had an appointment and the husband was like "yeah i heard there was a prophet...i think his name is like thomas"...i was in shock!!! it was so neat and they are this cute young family. i was reading in PMG yesterday that you should strive to teach families...then we found one that day. so neat! little miracles each day happen. if you want to see that hand of God in your life then go on a mission because there is NO WAY you wont see miracles. we're still working to get luis the priesthood. he's ready for it...the other day we asked him if he wanted to serve a mission and he said yes. too bad he's too old because he would do amazing! so we just take him with us and so do the elders. its neat! xiomara is doing well...she's gotten a little lazy with scripture and prayers and it shows. we talked about it yesterday and she is suppose to read and pray everyday! satan tries to get these new members of the church so much!!! that's why it is so important to do everything you can to fight him off. she will be fine just has to get back on the ball.
the VC is definatley different now...its much quieter...so crazy! but its nice to be back to normal. before we know it easter will be here and then we have the easter pagent. ive just heard amazing things about that so i am excited! i guess its been a boring week because nothing too exciting happened.
i hope that you all are doing well. i miss you tons! cant wait to hear from you all next week.
i love you.
hna smith
ps- i definatly am wearing short sleeves in january...jealous?
