Im literally crying my eyes out right now

How do you even write your last email about the best 18 months of your whole life and keep it short enough that people will actually read it? So here is my attempt to describe my feelings of this life changing mission experience.

The last 18 months have been filled with knocking doors, talking with crazy okies, being chased by so many dogs, being soaked from rain and sweat, biking for days, laughing my heart out, and crying out to my heavenly father. It has been a constant process of refinement and learning to have joy in the midst of tribulation. And the blessings have been innumerable. 

I came out with a hope, a belief that this gospel was from God. I now know with a surety that is brighter than noon day, that all this is true. Every single last bit of it. I know because it has changed who I am into something better, something purer. 

Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak. Therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my god, for in His strength I can do all things; yea behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise His name forever.

So live the gospel. I promise the joy you will feel will be greater than anything you have ever experienced.

Love,

Sister Smith

ps- the pic is of us and Remmy going to the temple to do baptisms! So much happiness!

This was the best week ever!!!!

We had a sisters conference with some of the women general presidencies, and it was incredible! Sister Cordon talked about Matt 14 (best chapter ever btw) and talked about how we need to get out of the boat, rely on our Savior and His atoning sacrifice. When He says "come" we need to get out of the boat! Whether that means come on a mission, come home from a mission, come and go to school, come and further your conversion, we must heed His call and "Come." And sometimes we will be the only one, like Peter, who actually got out of the boat. And even then sometimes we are going to fall, but because we got out of the boat, Christ will help us.

We also found these lovely sunglasses in the van as we drove to Tulsa for our conference. Sometimes its so funny how the smallest things can entertain you when you are with your best friends:) Also the trio life is way fun:) love love love these two amazing sisters!

Every morning we play basketball, ya know, gotta get back into shape! hah So its like 10 missionaries and our 10 members. Its the best thing to be a YSA missionary! You help these friends do missionary work. You get to bring them to lessons and see them develop a stronger testimony, you get to see them breaking out of this shell of fear and giving out a book of mormon. You see them sacrifice to feed you, to come with you to a lesson, driving you places. You see them come to have a desire to do their home teaching and visiting teaching. Love these people so much!

Have a great week!

Sister Smith

Hey fam!! This week was amazing!!! Jessica got baptized! And she was absolutely just glowing!

We got transfer calls! Me and sister Hanson are staying together for the next two weeks and we are getting another sister!! I love this ward! So blessed to be in it!

On Sunday before church we did a church swap! So we went to a baptist church with some kids we met on campus. It was crazy!!! It was so sad to though! I just wanted to share the gospel with everyone. One day tho:) And those kids are coming next week to our church!

I have definitely gained a testimony of doing everything you can- last transfer I really just wanted someone to get baptized before I went home. So my district leader promised me that if I would do everything, if I would go the extra mile and then on to the second extra mile, that's when the blessings would come. So I did! Instead of going to bed early, I stayed up and read my book of mormon, I fasted weekly, I talked to literally every single person, I focused on the area book and so many things. And now I have seen the benefits of doing all that! Remmy and Jessica came to the waters of baptism:) How incredible of an experience is a mission.

If you are thinking about a mission- GO! Its the best thing in the whole world.

Love yall!!​​​​

Sister Smith

Hello Everyone!!! This week was full of miracles!! Remmy got baptized on Saturday and Jessica is getting baptized this Sunday!! We are so happy:)

Quick story about Jessica and how she decided to get baptized: So we met with her, and she knows everything is true, but she felt like something was holding her back. Her friends sat her down and for three hours slammed her with anti mormon info and then the next day her mom took her to a bible camp that she had grown up going to! and huge miracles- god basically spoke to her and told her AGAIN that everything was true! so then she came to remmys baptism on saturday, and after we met, and something was just holding her back! she wouldnt set a date! and so we told her to listen to pres monsons talk on choices. so we were laying in bed just chatting and she calls us and says, "lets plan a baptism!" and she was like, "I was just being stupid. i know this is true!" we all screamed together!! so happy!! and she hasnt stopped smiling since! neither have we!

Hope yall have a great week!! Love yall!!

Sister Smith

Hey Fam!!

This week was so great!!! So we have a couple of investigators getting close to baptism! Jessica has recieved her answer that this is true, but is just scared to get baptized because her family will probs disown her. And all of her friends are kinda being stupid about it. And then theres Remington. And he plays video games and had this huge tournament and so he told us he made a deal with God that if his team won, then he would get baptized. But he was like, "we arent gonna win- we arent that good." and then they ended up winning and so we told him God wants him to get baptized! And he was like IKR!!!!!!! but that was over text so we are gonna talk to him in person this week about setting a bap date!!! (we've done that a million times, but maybe now he is ready) hes crazy tho- gotta love him and his video games! Pray for him! And for Jessica!

This week is also Bike Week!!! So no car for a whole week!!! Haha- I just thought that was funny cause thats what we do anyways... so thats cool I guess for the rest of the mission:)

So this week for p day we are renting hammocks and we are going to go hammocking and have a fire and make smores. (which is gonna be awful cause its already like 100 degrees outside- but whatevs)

Hope yall enjoy the video:) We had a lesson with remmy at the temple:) it went sooooo good!

We also did service for this lady named Sam. Shes hilarious!!!! She asked us to move some of her furniture and then all of a sudden we were ripping out carpet and putting sheet rock on the ceiling. #stillyconstruction #missionarywork 

Have a great week!

Sister Smith​

 DSCF0358[1].MOV

Hey fam!!

This week was awesome!!! I am doing so well and live is such amazing! We had lunch today with Stephanie Jensen, which was so fun!!!!! She is great! Sorry this is so short, but we have fun p day plans (playing games) and I have to do some research for my gators. 

Love yall!!

Sister Smith

This week was amazing!!! The mission life just keeps getting better and better the longer you are out. No joke!

We are teaching Josh, and he used to be so reserved and so unsure about himself and his life, and as he has been reading the book of mormon, he has so much light in his countenance. its truly amazing to see all the wonderful changes brought about by the gospel.

This week w​​e had mlc- and my first greenie is now an STL so that was so happy to see her there, it just made my heart warm inside. It gave me a little sneak peak into true parenthood- when your child is amazing and you are just so proud! Best thing ever. We also had a snowball fight- put flour into thin nylons and tied the ends so they made cute little snow balls and then threw them at each other while running around in a forest. And then we found ticks all over us! SO GROSS!! But worth it. We learned some spanish from the Hermanas when we went on exchanges with them. But I guess overall, it was the same as every other week- pretty darn awesome.

Love yall! Remember to read your book of mormon DAILY. :)

Sister Smith