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

Happy Monday Yall!

This week was so great! We taught Jessica again! She is amazing! She read all of first and second nephi and all of Alma before we taught her the second time. We are teaching her the plan of salvation tonight. And Remington is still struggling to receive (well- recognize) his answer. But he is slowing progressing in the right direction! We are also teaching a few foreign students, and the cultural difference is so hard to get past, but they all have a strong desire to find truth! Its so cool! So pray for all of them:)

So my lovely comp (whom I love dearly) ate broccoli for the first time! And I made her try a teeny leaf of cilantro and then her stomach hurt the rest of the day. Im calling the bluff:) but whatevs:) Shes the best even if she doesnt like veggies.

We also went tracting with the elders! Cause I wanted my greenie to see new approaches- so that was interesting. But we all learned from each other! I will probs never do it again tho:) it was just weird.

Love yall!!

Sister Smith

HAPPY FATHERS DAY YALL!!!! Shout out to all the wonderful fathers everywhere!

This week was amazing! We just found out about transfers and both me and sister hanson are staying!! I am so happy! We have too much fun:)

We have seen so many cool miracles this week! We started teaching Josh, and he comes from a tough background, and is curious about this gospel! I am so excited to see the power of Jesus Christ flow into His life and help heal him as he progresses. We are also teaching a girl named Jessica, who wanted to know why we believe the way we do. We were able to share our testimonies and the spirit was so strong! We are excited for Stillwater in the next 6 weeks! We know there are great things that await us here!

Love yall! Hope ya have a great week!

Sister Smith​

Happy Monday!!

This week was amazing! I wish I could describe to yall the incredible spirit that was with us this week. We had a mission conference, and Elder Echo Hawk (a seventy) and his wife came and spoke. I was able to receive exactly what I needed. And I feel like my spiritual horizons have just become unlimited! I thought for a quick minute that I had done pretty much all my growing on my mission and now I was just gonna use that to convert people. Thats definitely not true. The growth never ends!

Well, we didnt do any crazy stuff this week like dance in the rain with rats or have to catch lizards (like hannah) and we definitely didnt see anyone who was naked (like mckay). Sorry. But me and Sister Hanson are best friends:) and when you are with a best friend, life is just good and happy.

I know that Christ lives, that He is there for us, that He is going to help us if we let Him. Romans 8:31 says, If God be for us, who can prevail against us?" My prayer is that we will forever let Him be for us, because then nothing can stand in our way. We can trust Him, we can have hope in Him, we can live and be happy and not have to feel empty with the Savior.

Love yall, hope ya have a great week!!!

Sister Smith

Hello!!! This week has been so great! More and more people are coming back to campus, so thats been exciting! Weekends are a little rough cause there are like zero people on campus, but then we just get to talk to literally every single person we see!

We had such a cool experience this week! We needed to find new solid investigators, and so we were sitting on our porch swing finishing up companion study and decided that it was time we find some new people to teach. So we said a prayer, and then started walking to campus. And we talked to this girl named Aaliyah! Shes so cute and so prepared! And the next time we met with her she said she had been going through a hard time and last week had started to read her bible and pray and that she knew meeting us wasn't a coincidence! We will let yall know how she progresses!!

We are going rock climbing today as a zone! Ill send pics next week hopefully hah:)

Love yall!!

Sister Smith

mouse attack!!!

This week was so wonderful:) It is definitely getting warmer here:) and more humid, but I love it! I am just getting some awesome tan lines! We are biking everyday and I don't think Ive ever been more exhausted in my whole life, but I wouldn't change it for the world. The work we are doing is so worth it!

So this week we saw a mouse run across our floor!! So we put out a trap and put a huge dollop peanut butter on it. And over the next few days we didn't catch anything- but we definitely started noticing the peanut butter was disappearing! And then we put a goldfish cracker on the trap and the next day it was gone! So here we are, trying to catch this thing, and really we are just feeding it. So gross. So we got a sticky trap today. Hopefully that works. But so gross right?

Recently I have been studying the conference talks, and one of Elder Eyring's talks about peace has this wonderful quote in it, "You will at times have your faith challenged by Satan; it happens to all disciples of Jesus Christ. Your defense against these attacks is to keep the Holy Ghost as your companion. The Spirit will speak peace to your soul. He will urge you forward in faith. And He will bring back the memory of those times when you felt the light and the love of Jesus Christ." Keeping the Holy Ghost with us at all times will help us to remember. When we forget, we become like all the people in the Book of Mormon that missionaries preach to. So just remember all the tender mercies He has shown us- because this gospel is so true.

Love yall!!! Have a great week!!!

Sister Smith

Hey Friends!

This week was so much fun!! I cant even tell you how much we have laughed the past couple of weeks together:) I love sister Hanson!

We were able to help out with the special Olympics this past week, and we had a blast! The theme was Sailing for the Gold (so pirates) and the community could see us, so we got even more opportunities to do service later in the summer!

Remington is doing well- he loves the gospel, just needs spiritual witness that this is true (which he has already had a million times so now he needs to recognize it!). We met a new guy named buddy- and he is hilarious! he comes from a tough background, but is so chill and came to church! So pray for them:)

Hope yall have a great week!!

Sister Smith

This week has been so great! I love my little grean bean:) Shes just the best! We have been doing a lot of biking and a lot of role playing:) 

2 Nephi 9

50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

God doesn't care where we are at in our lives. He bids us to come to Him. We can choose to continue to be parched and without water, or we can choose Christ, and be forever satisfied. He doesn't ask much, just for us to try. His love us endless and all encompassing. 

I love yall! So great to talk to yall yesterday! Keep reading the Book of Mormon every day!

Sister Smith

Best week ever!!

It has been the absolute best week ever!!!

Remington is coming along great. He came to every activity this week and to church and to the worldwide devotional and hangs out with the ward members frequently. (perks of being in a ysa ward- you dont even have to ask for fellowship). He loves what is being taught, now he just needs to recognize his answer!! 

We also just got transfer calls! I am staying at OSU! And I am training again!!! I am so excited!!! Training is the absolute best thing ever. I cant wait! Definitley a little nervous cause campus is gonna be deserted so its gonna be a lot of tracting but we will get to learn how to work with members more!! 

One area that I grew so much in was Ada (well- ive grown in every area haha) but I think specifically in that small, hick, redneck town. I love that place. I learned so much how to listen to the spirit and receive revelation. I distinctly remember a time (i know each of us has had or will have this experience) when me and my comp werent really getting along. And I had no idea what to do. So I prayed. I dont think I have ever prayed with more sincerity or intent then I did at that time. I had direct thoughts as to what I needed to do to change and to implement. And as I did those things, revelation would come more and more frequently, like when we were driving in the car and we would be listening to hymns or whatever! I know God wants to direct our paths even more than He is now, but we just have to open ourselves and let Him. 

I love yall, thanks for your support!

Sister Smith​

Hello!!!!! This week was awesome!!!

We have been focusing on having more quality conversations with people and talking more about the gospel with them before inviting them to learn more and we have definitely seen the effects of it! We have so many more solid people to teach and are excited to see this continue.

Some of our investigators are getting so close to baptism! Please pray for Remington- he really wants to know, just is having a hard time recognizing his answer. But we had such a cool lesson with him this week. The spirit was so strong! We watched the restoration video with him and then answered all his questions. And this week he came to a baptism and he loved it!

Campus is getting very interesting because this upcoming week is dead week (the week before finals where teachers aren't supposed to give any more huge assignments) and then the next week is finals! so idk if anyone will talk to us!!

Hope yall have a great week! Love yall!

Sister Smith

ps- this is when we did service a few weeks ago when we were doing splits in Ponca City. And this lady had a bag of deer that her son had shot and it was rotting and so smelled so gross!!! Also Elder Lloyd who went to LP is serving in Ponca- so fun #LPOD

​

Happy Saturday!!

This week has been the greatest! We have talked to so many people and walked so much and got so sunburnt- oh my goodness. I love it!

One of my favorite scriptures is in Enos! We were teaching an investigator about the holy ghost, about how he would receive an answer. And I think we all will have a similar experience to Enos. None of us are perfect, and sometimes we see so many around us who are happy, and we ask ourselves, "Why am I not happy?" Once our souls hunger for joy, for that peace that the world so easily takes away, we pray mightily. And God will always be there and say to us, "its okay. come unto me and find joy." I know God is waiting for us to come to Him. So that's my challenge this week- go pray. Find a secret place and pray and then listen. He will answer.

We saw such a cool miracle the other day! So we were riding buses and talking to whoever sat next to us and met a girl named Madison! And then she got off before we could get her number, so we went back a couple of days later at the same time on the bus to try to find her and we did! And the first thing she said to us was, "I was hoping I would see you again! I forgot to get yalls number!" So yay! We are meeting with her on Tuesday!

Love yall!!

Sister Smith

Hello!! Happy Easter!!!

So this week has been a lot more successful in getting new investigators! I feel like for every 10 new investigators we get, only 1 of them is solid and will text us back and actually be interested.

I think a lot of people are scared to find out if this gospel is true. They are comfortable where they are at. That's one thing I have really learned this week. Satan has all the people on his side as well as the fence sitters. Gods whole plan is progression, and so when we aren't progressing, we are letting the devil win. So continue to read your scriptures and study and learn so we can be on God side.

We also went on exchanges this week to Ponca City! It was so great! Mostly though, I just love the sisters there. They make it so wonderful! I love that I am able to be so close to a bunch of sisters. What a great opportunity to learn from all of them!

And the best part about our week- we got soaked in the rain:) Love the OK storms!

Love yall!!

Loving the mission life:)

OSU IS THE BEST EVER!!!

 I am the happiest I've ever been on my whole mission, and I know I'm just gonna get happier!!

Me and my comp are already best friends! Sister Atkinson is so great. Shes only been out for a transfer, so I get to finish her training. Shes from West Jordan, is into dance, and has a great desire to get out and work and not waste time:)

We spend the whole day walking around campus and talking to kids my own age. Its so much easier to relate to them, and its not weird to talk to people. Its awkward for the first like 5 seconds, and then were just friends and its so chill!  

The only hard part is the weekend, when like no one is on campus, and at night everyone goes to the bars and gets drunk. So that can be kinda crazy. So normally we have p days on Saturdays here! So I will be emailing then from now on:)

Our investigators came to conf the sunday afternoon session, and they were just glowing after and saying how much they loved it! And I loved that they listened to Elder Costa's talk about missionary work and how the best thing they could do would be to get baptized! So were gonna set bap dates with them this week!

Love yall!! Follow the prophet and read the Book of Mormon every day:)

Sister Smith

ps- we found this bug in our kitchen. so gross.

OSU is the bestest!!!!

Hey yall!!

I am loving OSU more and more as I talk to more and more crazies every day! Hah I totally forgot that colleges bring in all types of people, and sometimes we are just dying laughing on campus seeing these children of God. I love it.

We had such a cool lesson with one of our investigators! His name is Ali, and we have been trying to help him feel the Holy Ghost and come to know for himself that this is God's church. So we read 3 Ne 11 with him and talked about why we leave commitments, how we feel the Holy Ghost, and then just testified! The Spirit was so strong, and after this incredible lesson, he texted us and said that he knew the spirit was there! It was great:)

Me and Sister Atkinson are just having a ball together. I just love her!

This week I was studying, and lately I have had to give so many trainings and so I just felt a little tired physically, emotionally, and spiritually. As I was reading in 1 Ne 17, and verse 3 really stuck out to me. "And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God, He doth nourish them and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they may accomplish the thing which he has commanded them." I know that in times in our lives, we get tired. But I also know that when we keep the commandments, God will be with us and give us the strength that we need to continue!

Love yall! Thanks for all your support and prayers!

Sister Smith