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
hey everyone!
well this sister missionary is still alive. its been really beautiful the last few days we got a mini monsoon and that cooled things down. im just praying it stays because im so sick of the HEAT!! anyways. i cant lie its been a hard week...
well the weekend let's just say was the straw that broke the camel's back. nobody was home on saturday night because mexico was playing costa rica in soccer so all the lessons we had cancelled...we had a full night but not one kept their appointment. sunday nobody came to church...including our 2 investigators with dates. to make it worse we went over to see juan (who is suppose to get baptized saturday) and he was drinking. i could not believe my eyes i was so disappointed and i just wanted to cry. he felt really bad. satan is working over time and i hate it. when people are trying to do good he just find where he can enter in and gets us when we are weakest. all that caused the onset of a migraine...but its ok because we keep moving. satan can get his few points here and there but he will not win. juan will not get baptized on saturday but he will be baptized. berta our other date is lost in outer space it feels. she wants to get baptized but yet she is not showing that by her actions. so i dont really know what to do.
on the plus side i have had some really neat experiences this week. i know that Heavenly Father answers prayers not only the ones we utter but the ones we keep tucked deep within our hearts. maybe some of you remember my convert julia. well i have just been sick over her. she basically stopped coming to church a month after she was baptized. well the other day we decided to go to the church because they were doing english classes and one of our investigators was suppose to be there. well we went and what do you know there sitting in one of the classroom was julia. she was so excited to see me and ran over to give me a huge hug. i just love her. im gonna get the missionaries to go over and help her get back to church.
the Lord answered a pray i never knew i had and im so grateful. the beautiful thing about this week is i have felt closer to my Heavenly Father then i have ever felt in my life. i know He loves me. my testimony has grown so much this week and im so grateful for the good and the bad. it only helps us to grow. we are working hard and i know the Lord will bless us. i hope you all are enjoying your week and labor day.
i love you all.
Hermana Smith
Hello!!!
well its been quite the exciting week...i sent off a missionary and received a new one as well. Luckily ive got sister decker to keep me sane. Our new companion is sister guzman. She is from washington state and speaks perfect spanish. Its an interesting experience to train. She is a really good missionary but lacks confidence. We kind of have to push her to do things and half the time i think she hates me. I have to go back to my first transfer and remember how hard it was to adjust to life. Poor thing she has 2 ancient missionaries to train her...in fact we go home together. I try not to talk about going home around her because i remember how that was when everyone would talk about going home and i was like oh yeah i have FOREVER!!! its helping me to focus more. I am learning how to be a better teacher and how my trainer probably felt...you really have to teach them how to do everything. But its a good experience.
We are still helping juan to prepare for his baptism and he is so excited!!! he is doing amazing and has gone like 6 weeks without drinking. We continue to pray for him because i know that satan really tempts those who are trying to be righteous. Missionaries included...but he cant win when we are obedient.
The great thing about training is my spanish has to be really up to par because its 2 gringas and a new missionary. So hopefully that will help a lot. We are working really hard to talk to everyone!!! i know thats how blessings come...just when you dont think they will accept they do. The Lord work in miraculous ways. I am alive and well in the 120 degree weather....im so ready for snow...did i just say that? I will be taking that back in a few months im sure.
Well i hope that you all are well. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon.
Love-
hermana Brittany Smith
ps- can you believe its september?? i cant where did august go...
hey all!!!
well its been kinda a rough day...i had to say goodbye to 5 of my bestest friends...its transfers and i cant even believe how fast the time is flying!!! my comp along with 4 others VC sisters left. tomorrow i will recieve a new addition to the VC family along with sister decker. that's right we are going to be in a trio...let the fun begin. sister decker and i were actually in the MTC together so it will be fun. she is a blondie like me so who knows what the mexicans will think...haha.
im nervous about having a greenie but it will be a challenge and help me to keep going strong. for those of you who have served missions you know how demanding it can be on your body. im feeling it but im continuing strong until the end. really this week has been a blur!!! i cant remember much that happened probably because my mind is so blurred with tears but ill figure it out. i hope that everyone is doing well. we are coming to the end of august and i cant believe it though im so glad the cooler season is fast approaching. tonight we have to do some major rearranging in the apartment. its gonna be tight for a little bit...ill have to send pictures.
sister colgan is going to be with me tonight so that will be fun to reminisce about live. she is wanting to extend...basically all the sisters are extending. but dont you worry (Paul and mom and hill) i cant extend because of school.
tonight i have to get everything ready for the new sisters to arrive tomorrow. we decorate their cubbies so they feel welcomed and since my other half sister farr is not here i have to do all the trainer duties. as you can see i am a very busy girl. but im glad it keeps me focused in the work. well i hope that you all have a great week. you are in my thoughts and prayers always. ill let you know how my first week as a momma goes (thats mission terminology for training a new missionary)
i love you all.
hermana brittany smith
Hola!!!!
can you believe it? Its p-day again!!! its a crazy one at that...its sister castillo's last p-day so we ate breakfast with the ogden's (they are one of the senior couples here at the VC). That was fun...they live a little RV that is so SWEET...mom and dad you need one of those when you get old to travel the USA. I feel like ive had no time in my area this week...we've been working at the VC a lot and any free chance i get im working on the slideshow because the farewell will be on saturday. In fact saturday we will find out about transfers...im a little nervous...especially because i will probably be training. I just feel like i have so much to learn still how can i teach another missionary. But i will do what the Lord asks me to do.
They announced me as a trainer at the VC on saturday so im sure elder burke will be putting me to work. Im excited for the opportunity to serve in this way. I know i can help the younger sisters a lot. There are a few that im really worried about...one in particular who really doesnt want to be here. She's been out for 8 ½ months and still doesnt like it. Hopefully i can share some experiences with her and just love her because 18 months is too long to be miserable. I remember so many times ive wanted to give up but i just know if i do i would hate myself and the Lord would be disappointed. When i see my converts i realize...wow! Ive been so blessed. The Lord has put into my hands His children and i cant stop now...we can never stop...but as a full time missionary i have more responsibility to bring souls unto Him.
We have a wonderful investigator named Juan right now. He is doing so great!!! he will be baptized on the 12th and we are so excited. Sister castillo won't be here physically but she will be here with us in spirit. We are finding new people everyday and im just waiting to find my family...i want to baptize a family. Not because of a number or so i can say i baptized a family but because its the whole purpose...to help families be together forever!!! i pray the Lord will bless me with the opportunity. Its been quite nice in Arizona...not as hot.
People always ask me how i like the weather and i tell them if it was winter here all year round i would never leave...lucky for you mom 8 months out of the year its summer. Really thats the only thing i wont miss...nylons+heat=gross and stinky.
But i feel so blessed to be working in the service of my God. I know that it is something i promised to do...there is so much work to be done and i just feel the time is running out quickly. But i will work hard until the end. I love you all so much! You are in my prayers...please keep me in yours. I look forward to hearing from you all in email and letter form:)
Hermana Brittany Smith
