OPEN HOUSE!!!!!

Hermana Smith returns from her *mission on Tuesday, November 17th at the Great Falls Airport.

Date - Wednesday, November 18th from 7-8:30 p.m.

Location - LaQuinta Inn & Suites (GTF) in the "Missouri Room"

Please stop on by to welcome Brittany home from her mission. We look forward to seeing you!

*Mesa Arizona Spanish Speaking Mission

THE FINAL LETTER!!!!!!

Hello-

This feels a little weird...many of you may think you have one more chance to write me but actually i will probably not check email next week. I have to be in the mission home by 4:30. i feel a lot of emotions and its just really surreal that i am actually going to be home next week. Im trying to work hard but at the same time preparing to go home...i have to pack someday.
This week has been so long and crazy...but time is flying by. I feel like i just get up and go back to bed a few minutes later.
There is all sorts of goodbyes this week. Friday i will be going to lunch with the Burke's along with all the other sisters that are leaving. Saturday we have our farewell in the VC as well as my interview with President Bassett. Then sunday is my last spanish fireside.
Many of my converts have come to see me at the VC and pleading that i stay (i told them i would have a sad mom and boyfriend)...i just love the people i have met here in mesa and its so surreal that i will be gone...in a cold cold world again. Its still like 90 degrees everyday here.
I am so excited to see everyone i love though...ive missed you all. I hope you are ready to hear my stories, see my pictures, who knows maybe shed a few tears with me.
Let me update you on my investigators...its been really interesting. We are working on finding people because we have big goals for christmas in our mission. We actually dropped a family last night...well they dropped us. Its a shame that they dont recognize the truth...unfortunately they are catholic and dont want to change. But the good news is that we picked up an investigator named israel... he was taught by other sisters but we decided it was best to let him have a “break”...well he decided to meet with us again and we are so excited!!! im sad i wont get to see some of the fruits of my labors but i know that ive been a part of something much bigger then myself.
I mostly feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father for granting me the opportunity to teach the gospel. My testimony has grown and my desires to follow Him have been strengthened. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth today. We have a living prophet today. Joseph Smith was a prophet and he restored to the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth by divine revelation. I know that as we follow the Savior there are great blessings that await us and i want to have those blessings. I hope that we are will. I love you all so much!
You could never know how much your letters have meant to me. Many times its been the strength that i needed to get through the week. I have felt your love and your prayers. I look forward to seeing you all soon. Be safe and remember i love you.

Hermana Brittany Smith

Coming to a close......

HOWDY...

i guess i have to gear up to head back to montucky and trade in my spanish for hillbilly...just kidding. Well it has been a week of miracles thats for sure. We have been fasting and praying a lot as a mission and as a companionship to find new people to teach. The Lord is answering our prayers and we are so grateful. I just want to leave my area better then i found it and so i have to work extra hard this week. I can't believe that it is november...that is just wild!!! where did the time go? The best news of the week is that eveyln franco entered the waters of baptism this week. I am so grateful that i had the chance to be a part of the process. She was beaming all weekend. Its interesting before her baptism she was kind of quiet and not really smiling...i think she was nervous...but after her baptism i asked her how she felt and with a huge smile replied “great, i feel different” i know that she was washed clean of her sins. That is why she felt different. Then on sunday she was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wow! That is so powerful! She was again beaming. Her blessing was beautiful...her husband is not a member and really not too interested at the moment but in her blessing it said “I bless you Evelyn that you might be an example to your husband, so that one day as a family you can enter the temple and be sealed for time and all eternity.” i know that it will come to pass one day. That is so exciting! I love this aspect of missionary work and would do it for the rest of my life...of course its not possible to be a full-time missionary forever but i sure pray those experiences continue to come. We found a really neat lady this week. Her name is araceli. When we met with her last night we set a baptismal date...of course i wont be there but she will be baptized december 12th...so exciting! She really just absorbs everything like a sponge and wants to know the answers to many questions of the soul. She is incredible and im so excited to see her progress. Life is so good. This sunday of course as you know was fast sunday...i had to get up seeing as its the last fast sunday i will have on the mission. Of course i cried a little but it was so nice to testify to these people i have grown to love for the last 5 months. Its been so great to get to know the members and the people in this area. I just feel a love for each of my areas and Mesa will always have a spot deep within my heart. I hope that all is well in all parts of the world where you might be.
Remember i love you all dearly. I miss you and i hope to see you soon.
Take care this week.

Hermana Brittany Smith