Recent Photos of Hermana Smith......

Here are some recent photos that Brittany has sent home.... I know that what she is doing is HARD WORK however, some of these photos look like they are having a bit of fun and being SPOILED along the way.... :0) However, there are great rewards in serving a mission and quite a few "MIRACLES" along the way as Hermana Smith says!!!

Francisco Arus, Hermana Smith (L) & Hermana Bingham on Franciscos baptism day!

"Sometimes you have to beat people up to ge them into the font.... whatever it takes."

I bet you didn't know I tried out for "so you think you can dance?" this year.... unfortunately I was declined due to the fact I couldn't be transfered to L.A....

"I bet you didn't know I had super hero powers such as flying!"

I went on a training with Hermanas Colon & Parkus for my Birthday and look what they gave me..... a bed made from couch cushions, my pillow and a bag of dirty laundry... :0)

These are called Pupusas.... they are from El Salvador and YUMMY!

"What meanth the iron rod..? It was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish, neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindenss, to lead them away to destruction." 1 Nephi 15:23-24

This is Hattie.... She is such a cutie! I wish you could see her 2 missing teeth!

Sister Valentino likes to make cake for us .... it's GOOD!

Sister Valentino didn't want us sleeping in HOT clothes so she bought us all pj's.... (Hermana Smith and Bingham live in an apartment at the Valentino's home!!!) They are truly spoiled there.

I have conquered the WORLD! ......

"Lovest thou me..... Feed my sheep." John 21:17

One day we all must die on the mission.... But I'm still kicking! 6 months to work soooo hard!

"And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump, both day and night. And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men." D&C 24:12

Irrigation football.... the closest thing to swimming I could get. It was dirty and I'm pretty sure we ruined their lawn!!!

L-R Hermana Smith, Sister Smith (English speaking) Sister Beazer, Sister Tomoser and Sister Bird - Irrigation Football..... Looks like alot of FUN!!

Irrigation Football - Missionary Style!

irrigation football...it got drity but so FUN!!!

(Brittany (aka Hermana Smith) is second from the left)

Transfer #8

Hola!!!

well can you believe it tomorrow starts transfer #8...im sure you're all dying to know what is happening with me. Well i will be staying in my area...thank goodness...and receiving sister avelino. That's right another latino:) im so excited because i will have to speak more spanish. She's from dominican republic. For any of you whose ever talked to a dominican in spanish well you know its a little different from mexican spanish and really similar to puerto rican spanish. It will be a good transfer. She is a really hard worker and will help me to get back into gear after “killing” a sister. If you dont know when you are the last comp of a missionary its called killing them. No violence involved just a little bit of chocolate and tears.
This week has been ok. We didnt teach nearly as much as we should've but we did have a BAPTISM!!! they make me so happy. On saturday francisco was baptized into the only true church on the Earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There were a few bumps along the way but we got there just fine. The branch presidency is already planning on giving him the priesthood next sunday and a calling ASAP. I think they're really excited because he is the first baptism of the branch.
So this is my 4th transfer here and that makes it 6 months here. Im actually quite content to stay. Im determined to have a transfer of miracles. Pretty much every transfer has its miracles but this one will be extra special.
On thursday june 4th i will be celebrating 1-year as a missionary. It is soooooo hard to believe that its been that long. It feels like yesterday i was saying goodbye at the MTC. That means i better work extra hard...this time is so precious and i dont want any regrets. Today is a little sad for me because my comp sister colon will be heading back to puerto rico...i can hardly believe it!!! i dont know what i will do without her laughs and crazy spanish. But the work goes on and i will survive as always.
I forgot to mention i will be back in the VC and Elder Burke couldnt be happier. I talked to him yesterday and the first thing he said was we get you back. I do miss my little VC family but it is nice to have the freedom of doing missionary work all day everyday....i want to be 2 places at once. Anyways...we are still searching for new investigators and its coming slowly but surely.
We talked on sunday which is a little terrifying due to the fact i had to speak in SPANISH...but i did alright. We talked about missionary work so we are hoping little by little the branch will get the fire going and we will just have so much success.
I hope this email finds you well...until next week.

I love you all!
Hna brittany smith

happy summer:)‏

Hey family and friends!!!

its hard to believe but this is my last week of transfer #7...sister bingham is preparing to go home and its just been crazy. Today we are having a party with sister valentino for all the sisters who are going home. It will be way fun!!! we get to eat home-made burgers....YUM!!!
its been kinda a crazy week...the stress of a sister missionary is just unreal. Let me tell you a story...we have an investigator named Francisco..you might remember him because i told you about how he is getting baptized on saturday. Well we had a little scare. Last saturday was suppose to be him interview so they could announce it at church on sunday and everything. Well i was getting ready for the day on saturday morning and there was a phone call. I answered and it was francisco...he said “sister i have something to tell you but i dont know how you will take it. Ive been up all night thinking about what is going to happen tomorrow and i just dont think im ready for baptism yet.” well i didnt really know what to say. The first thing i thought was how am i going to tell sister bingham its her last baptism...i tried to talk to about it and decide whether it was that he's not ready or just satan trying to stop him. Well there was nothing helping he had decided. Well we took him to the Joseph Smith movie that night and he just loved it. After the movie one of the other sisters that had taught him started talking to him about his baptism and that he already knew sufficient that he needs to make a decision and he turned to me and said “ can i still do it?” i wasnt sure if he was kidding or not but the next day at church he asked us if we were setting up his interview. So long story short...tonight is his interview so let's all pray he stays strong and saturday will be his baptism. He is amazing and will be a strong member. He's kinda like Luis Lugo...im so excited for what the future holds.
So saturday we will find out what will happen...who my new comp will be. Im not sure if i will be going back to the VC or not. It depends if i end up training or not....we will see what the Lord has in store for me. We are hoping to find some new people this week and have sister bingham go out strong. We had a cool experience this week. We starting teaching a lady named Rosio. It was pretty normal lesson until the Joseph Smith story. Sister bingham did the account and after we asked how she felt. She basically started crying...its the first time that's ever happened to me. The interesting thing is that at first she was like “no im catholic” but when we explained who we were and what we had to offer she let us come back.
I pray the Lord will guide me because im not super-missionary. Without Him the work would not function with my mediocre espanol and teaching skills. Im ready for a new adventure in transfer #8. its gonna be my transfer of miracles:)
speaking of miracles let me tell you a story...i have many this week. We have a less-active named lucia who has been really sick. She has a tumor growing on her uterus. About 3 weeks ago she went in because she was bleeding a lot and the doctor told her that she had to abort the baby she was carrying because it would put her in danger and basically bed-rest for 8 months. Well they did the abortion and she was on pain pills and medicine to keep flushing the baby out. Sunday morning they took lucia to the hopsital she was bleeding again a lot. In fact she fainted from lose of blood. Now they still havent taken out the tumor because she has no insurance to pay for it. Well on sunday when they took her in the doctor told her she is still pregnant...tell me how that happens? The baby seems to be healthy and everything!!!
God is a god of miracles...he doesnt forget His children ever. Its still really scary because we dont know what will happen but hopefully it goes thru fine. They are so happy because they on have one child and wanted more. WOW!
Well i hope you are all doing well. Thanks for the birthday wishes and all your encouragement. Keep the letters coming:)
i love you all.
Hna brittany smith

Hello!

hey!!!

well i am doing well. i got to talk to the family on sunday which was GREAT!!! its always nice to hear familiar voices.
im now one year older...im not sure about the wiser part but im definately older. i spent my b-day with sister colgan and parkus on exchanges. it was really fun!! i even got roses from one of their members...so nice. no really crazy stories im sorry to report but...the place they live at is a mansion. that is not an exaggeration...they actually have a slide that goes down to the basement. i wish i wouldve gone down it but i didnt get the chance.
i tried a new fruit called papaya...i dont know if youve ever gotten that chance but it was an experience. it kinda tasted like rotten food...i kinda hated it. but hey i tried it. it was really fun to be with my mtc companion again and see how much she's changed. she is a good missionary...i learned a lot from being with them and i feel like i have so much to improve on. i guess its good i have 6 months left to improve. I need every second of that...im trying to work extra hard because i dont want any regrets.
Today we are celebrating my birthday in the VC. The burkes(the directors of the VC) called and sang happy bday on our phone. Elder burke just loves me...im so lucky to have the VC its like my family i would go crazy if i didnt have it. Also we are going to be eating hamburgers with sis valentino today and she made me a huge cake and we're eating chocolate cake with her. I might just gain like 20 pounds this week...i hope not.
I dont have too much to update on my area because i havent been in it for 2 days. But as far as we know francisco is doing really well. He's coming to volleyball tomorrow...we are starting to play every thursday as a branch....i couldnt be happier!!!! :) so that's the updates for the week.

Im hoping to find new people this week...we really need it. So when you pray for me and my comp pray that we will be able to find those searching for the gospel.
I hope to hear from you all soon. Thanks for all the bday wishes.

I love you all!!!
hna brittany smith

REMINDER!!!!!!

MAY 12th is BRITTANY"S BIRTHDAY!!!!
Just putting a bug in everyone's ear!
She would LOVE to hear from all of you! If you are reading this take a minute and slip her a card, note or even an email.....

HAPPY MAY DAY!!!‏

Hola!!!!

wow...time is flying like you wouldnt believe. We had our training on monday and tuesday which was pretty fun. We had sis. Epps with us who was companions with sis bingham before. She is a really good missionary and i learned a lot. I hope by the time i get ready to go home the sisters will say that about me.
I know im working as hard as i possibly can. The Lord has always blessed me with a positive attitude and boy has that been important as a missionary. Some days are soooooo hard! This area has been such a challenge but im starting to see the fruits of our labors. I think the Lord is trying to humble me...i guess He does that sometimes.
We have been finding new people to teach which has been great. Sunday we fasted to find a family in this area...we're still looking but i know the Lord is preparing a family in this area. I felt the influence of the Holy Ghost more in my life these last 2 weeks then ever. I know that the Lord is guiding this work.
This week we were able to set a baptismal date with a new investigator named fransico. He is so neat...he's 25 and single. He went to church on sunday and loved it! The best part is a member family invited him to dinner with us on sunday and he came!!! i just keep praying he can continue to grow in the gospel and that he will be prepared for the 30th of may. We have found some other promising people this week and im excited because we have people to teach and less tracking(as much fun as that is).
Im getting along with my comp fine...we have different personalities but it all works out ok. She is nervous about going home so kinda freakin out but ill probably be the same.
Im LOVING full-field as much as i miss th VC...they may have to drag me back. Its just freedom to be out with people all day long...its glorious.

Last night we were talking to this sweet little lady from memphis. We had a really good talk with her and then gave her a hug...she then says in a whisper i have to tell you something... “ i use to be a hooker” wow!!! my first encounter with a hooker..she seemed like a normal person that was the freaky part. People tell missionaries EVERYTHING!!! i just love the gospel.
I hope you all know that. I am the happiest i have ever been and i know its because i am here serving the Lord. He has blessed me richly and everyday i have to opportunity to change people's lives. I know coming home will be an adjustment so im glad i have several months to enjoy paradise:)
well i love you all soosoooooooo much! I hope you have the best week ever and happy mother's day!

Hna brittany smith