Monday, October 25, 2010

down the slide!

Hello everyone!
I can't believe how FAST this week went. it flew by and i feel so scared because this week I celebrated my 9 months to go mark. I feel a little kid who just climbed the little latter to get to the slide. now im on the downhill and it goes faster every day! I think its funny the Lord prepares us so that we're really good missionaries.. just in time to leave. I have so many things to learn and improve that I'm afraid when I finally get it down I'll be on a plane home. but I guess you can never have too much preparation... I'm so grateful for the things I'm learning htat will serve me the rest of my life.

Funnies:
1. The other day someone asked me why I had fake teeth if i was so young.. she thought I had dentures because they were really white. MLIAIH

2. I swear nobody here has ever seen blue eyes.. which is why they all stare wide eyed... all day long. MLIAIH

3. I'm excited to be normal again.. someday when Im back in the states. MLIAIH.

I've been super excited lately about this work! Okay, i've always been excited about it, but really its been hitting me just how little time i have left and all the things I want to do. I'm so excited to be seeing changes in my life and in my heart. I know I've never been closer to the Lord as I have here.

Something that has really been wonderful is something I applied to my life lately. In conference Pres. Uchtdorf talked about the 4 fundamental relationships we should analyze and refocus regularly. I was getting all frustrated and worried the ohter day for al the things i want to change and improve but i felt like i could never reach my goals and change my life. but then i remembered this talk. so i knelt down and talked with the Lord about it and i felt strongly that to be happy and successful i need to be focusing on these relationships. with god, with family, with others, and with yourself. i pulled out a paper and pencil and wrote down one thing i want to do to refocus and improve each of these relationships, and i was just going to focus on those for the week. and it worked! I felt such a peace in my life the next two days. i felt happy and successful 1. because i was finally changing and 2. because i had applied the words of an apostle in my life.

I challenge you all to do the same if you feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Read this talk, its amazing!

well times up, gotta go.
Love you all!

have fun. be good. pray hard.

love, hermana smith

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

a whole new world

Here are some pictures of Alex's living conditions. She sends these pictures, not to
scare away future missionaries from serving, but rather to help us remember to
count our blessings and realized how truly blessed we are.

The toilet- outside.

The sink used to do everything- wash clothes, dishes, face, brush teeth, etc.

(Not pictured is the bucket used to pour water, notice- no shower head)

October 18, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX, Here are pictures of her birthday gifts and
celebrations with the Cruz family.






hey everyone!

phew what a week.. glad its over and I’m starting a new one!

We had some funnies this week!
1. walking down the street normally and all of the sudden i saw a car.... with a monkey riding on the hood. no big deal. haha MLIAIH

2. we came home the other night and as i was trying to open the door i looked over and saw a drunk guy sleeping on our patio. hahahahah. it scared the daylights out of me and my companion just laughed. we called papa cruz to come save us. MLIAIH

3. I totally bought a blender last week.. naturally. i miss jamba! MLIAIH

Anyway still dont have much time, but i thought i would share a story with you.. i decided I don’t do that often, just share my boring thoughts .haha.

Anyway so this week we were visiting this inactive sister who lives in a wheelchare because she lost her leg a few months ago. Anyway we were singing lots of hymns because she loves them and i just had the strongest impression we needed to leave and go contact. it was almost the lunch hour but not quite. We could have killed time singing more hymns then entered the house perfectly in time, but i just knew we needed to go contact down this one street. i had to convince my comp a little but finally she gave in. contacted one house. nothing. then we kept walking and i saw this lady sitting outside of her fruit stand. i told my companion lets go talk to her and she said she was about to say the same thing. we gave a quick little lesson outside with her and her nephew who ended up being really interested and excited to learn more. it was such a great experience. its something simple but really got me excited about following the spirit. I’m so grateful for the spirit in this work... Its the only way its possible.

Anyway, life is good. hope everyone who reads this is happy and healthy and praying lots. Thanks for all the support and love!
hermana smith

p.s. moroni 7: 45 to 48

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALEX

hello family and friends!
i'm happy to be writing you from a place i didnt know i was coming to. haha.

so last week i said some pretty sad goodbyes all monday and tuesday (broke my heart.. but i was strong! :) and on wednesday morning showed up to the transfer meeting and started talking to some of the other sisters... when they informed me that i wasnt going to Jutkalpa because they closed that area like 3 weeks ago... too dangerous for the sisters. but i was going to Talanga! dont know where i heard Jutikalpa, but now all my people in Marcala think I'm there. oh well.

anyway, here i am in Talanga enjoying the same weather as in Marcala but without rain!!!! loving it! its a little pueblo town pretty much exactaly like Marcala. i'm likeing that because i dont like the city at all, but i still miss my little home in Marcala. It was super hard to say goodbye, but i'm hoping to go back.. alot of the sisters here have returned to old areas because there are so few of us, so we shall see.

Talanga is awesome with 2 branchs... and 2 chapels! dont know why they dont just make one ward, but its all good. we are 6 missionaries here, 4 northamericans and 2 latins.. we win! my companion is hermana Cruz from El Salvador.. its her last transfer so weve got a lot of work to do! haha. she's way funny and we get along really well.. even though i think shes the most stubborn and strongest willed central american woman ive ever met. haha. but shes awesome and ive already learned a ton from her.
we live with a family named the Cruz family (mere coincedence) and they are the most wonderful people i've ever met. they insist that we call them mama and papa cruz and their 13 year old daughter is our lil sis. they are so awesome and support us in every way. tomorrow for my birthday we're going to make a cake and ice cream!

okay a few funnies
1. the other day was the best day of my life because i called an investigator. after a few seconds of talking he interupted me and asked if i was me or my latin companion... meaning he couldnt tell because i sounded latin!!!!! i was going to cry i was so happy. haha. mliaih
2. in marcala it was so humid that a lot of times the ink in my journal and my agenda bled through the pages. MLIAIH


anyway just as a quick spiritual thought i just gotta say, WASNT CONFERENCE AWESOME!!!! i loved it soo much. (p.s. mike, tami, faith, grace... you looked awesome!!!.. totally saw you and wanted to give you all big hugs) you know how like every confernce has a running theme? well idont know what you all got out of it, but what i got out of it i loved, that was that we must make CHOICES in all things we do. we must take ACTION to be able to change and better our lives. i loved it and got so many good things out of it. I know that is the way to change. i liked what someone said that we have to LISTEN, LEARN, REPENT, GO AND DO. so awesome! so my challenge is that you all can look back through your confernce notes in stead of just throwing them in a shelf for 6 months like i always do. look back, pray for inspiration, and make a choice to make a change.

thats my challenge for you.. its what i'm doing to!

the chruch is true and lead by inspired men. time is short so lets shout it to the world!

love you all so much!
hermana smith