hey!

Hello-
well can you believe it today starts the last 2 weeks of this transfer...sister Castillo will be off to Guatemala and she is getting a little nervous i think. I'm just trying to keep her motivated because i just don't want her to regret her last 2 weeks on the mission.
We had interviews with president...he told me i would be getting a new comp...big surprise. Though he told me it is likely i will be getting a brand new missionary...i have a feeling this is gonna be a crazy transfer but i know the Lord won't give me anything i cant handle. Only the next few weeks will show.
We had stake conference this weekend. It was so awesome!!! i never remember stake conference being so awesome...but those of you who have served missions know that general conference weekend is like going to Disneyland for a missionary. I'm so excited actually for conference...only 2 more months. We've been really trying to find people this week. We have one investigator named Juan who is really promising. He is from Honduras...in fact a lot of people we know in this area are from there. I'm starting to think I'm living in Honduras... Juan has been coming to church and keeping his appointments...though we tried to set a date with him the other day and he didn't accept it. I think he's mostly scared that he wont completely change. Juan is kind of an alcoholic so that is something we do need to be careful of. But he is doing amazing.
Its been so nice here in mesa. The other morning we woke up and it was like 80 degrees...i couldn't believe it! Of course by 12 it was 104 but that is 20 degrees cooler and we are just enjoying it. I just wish it would stay this way...I'm starting to miss the snow...i know weird! Today we went and took pictures with another companionship downtown...that was fun. There are some really funky ones...i think some of you have seen the pictures of the fat ladies...haha. I'm learning more and more things everyday. In conference a lady gave a talk about the atonement. She used a story from C.S. Lewis to explain it and it was so amazing! I'm so converted to cs lewis. He should've been a member of the church. But it just talk s about how through Jesus Christ we can change our very nature. I feel so weak as a missionary, believe it or not we are imperfect and even sin just like anyone else. But i know that through the Savior we can truly change, i can truly change.
We got to teach a lesson right after conference about that and it was so neat to share that with 2 men that have drinking problems. The atonement has the power to cleanse, refine and change us...if we let it.
My next p-day will again be on Monday so those who wish to write...please feel free id love to hear from you...i mean i know soon enough you'll just be able to call me but still got a few months. :-)
i love you all. Have a great week!!!
Hermana B. Smith

120+nylons=best friends...NOT!!!‏

Hey all!!!

another HOT week in Arizona...there's been a few nights i just couldn't handle my stinkiness and had to shower before bed just to wake up and sweat lots on our morning run...life is SO hard...no just kidding life is so good. This sister smith is so happy and so busy...ive been trying to work on the slide show seeing as the time is flying fastly by...i feel like ive got nothing done. I was asked to for a new special assignment this week. Elder Burke asked me to be one of the trainers in the VC. That means me and another sister are in charge of doing trainings at the VC and kinda setting the example for the sisters. If i could relate it to anything its kinda like an assistant to the president but an assistant to the director at the VC. Im nervous and excited for this new responsibility. It really wont start until next transfer because the 3 current trainers are going home this transfer. Its been a pretty normal week. There's been so many nights i can barely keep my eyes open as we're planning at night. Its such a good feeling to know i worked hard. One thing we are trying to implement more is using the Book of Mormon in everything. I know there is power that comes from using the Book of Mormon. We are still working with Berta to get her divorced, married and baptized. Its looking impossible but we are not losing hope. This week we started teaching her step-son Cris. He is so smart and basically knows everything he would need to in order to be baptized...the only problem is the mom is very anti...we will pray for a miracle. There was so many investigators at church this week...and one former investigator. The door kept opening to the sunday school class and more investigators were walking in. i almost cried...it was a good feeling. Now we just have to keep them coming. We started week 4 of the transfer today...that means 2 more to go.
Today i complete 14 months on the mission but strangely i feel like a greenie still...i think ill always feel that way. Im doing well and enduring the heat...i keep telling myself it will start getting cooler in a month...i hope thats true.
I love you all. Be good and remember who you are.

Hermana Brittany Smith

HOT!!!

Hey!!!

its another hot week in arizona...the time is flying i just wish the heat would fly away too. We are into week 3 of the transfer that means its half way through after this week. My poor comp everyone is reminding her that her time is running short. At times i even feel like crying because i know it is coming to an end and fast. Ive been keeping really busy with this slideshow i am doing for the sisters who are leaving...im pretty sure ive worked on it for 10 hours this week. Its a big job but it is fun and i know that the sisters will appreciate it. We are working hard trying to find people because we've spent a lot of time this week weeding through the bad ones. For those who went to byu or byu-i you know what DTR means...Define The Relationship...we definitely use the same term here on the mission with our investigators...funny i know. We've found a few new people this week nothing to exciting. I had a really neat experience in the VC the other day. A man came in because he works for sysco which delivers the food to the temple cafeteria and he commented to one of the temple workers that he just loves the way he feels at the temple and that he never wants to leave. So she told him to go over to the VC and take a tour. Thats exactly what he did. I taught him about prophets and showed him a part of Pres. Monson's talk “Joy in the Journey.” after listening to it he said “i just feel a really inspirational feeling when i listen to him.” i was shocked! I asked him why it would be important to him to have a prophet on the earth today and he said “ he is a man and can talk to us today, its better then just reading about it in the Bible.” probably the best answer i've EVER heard in my whole mission. He accepted missionaries really easily and i gave him a BOM which he was so excited to read. I feel so grateful for the opportunity i had to teach this man. He was sooooo prepared! Some missionaries in the tempe mission are gonna be so happy!!! i also had a neat opportunity to translate for a blessing that was given. There was no one who could give her a blessing in spanish so a lady who was with her said she would translate. Right before she said “sister you translate and i will watch the kids.” i was so SCARED! But i was grateful for the sacred privledge to translate the words of a blessing from God to this women. The spirit was strong as i translated the words and it was a feeling i can't describe...maybe its how a priesthood holder feels as he gives a blessing but it was as if i was covered in a warm blanket. I just felt the spirit and it helped me to say the correct words. I remember at one point i couldnt remember a word and i just silently prayed for help and i thought of the word. It was so neat! The Lord has truly blessed me this week with little miracles. I am coming to search for those little miracles each day. The mission is amazing! I am so glad that i made the decision to come. My life would've been fine without a mission but the mission only enhanced my life. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to serve.
Well i hope that you all have an amazing week! It seems like i may not be getting some people's emails. If you dont hear back from me its because i didnt get your email and you can email my mom at smyff@hotmail.com and she will forward it to me.
I love you all.

Hermana brittany smith