best week of my whole mission!!!!

Hey family and friends!!!
This was definitely one of the best weeks of my whole mission!!!! Basically Hermana Cutler and I are just kicking bum here. Okay well its ALL pure mercy from the Lord, but we’ve been seeing SO many miracles and I’m soo grateful.
Before I begin to tell some, let me tell you a little more about my companion. She’s so great... probably one of the best sister missionaries I’ve ever met. I have so much to learn from her. We’ve made it a goal to be perfectly obedient and I absolutely know that’s what has given us the success we’ve seen. She’s been out 13 months so she’s kind of on the down hill. Oh! And she has a brother serving right now in guess where… Yekaterinburg Russia! Ha! The same mission that my brother served in. Crazy huh?
Anyway when we went to the change meeting NOBODY believed us that we were companions.. and when they finally did all the north americans were so jealous. We’re definitely breaking the ice with this one and we’re going to be a companionship that everyone watches… especially president. Haha. But we’re determined and excited to prove to the mission that 2 north americans can totally do it! And I think he’ll be excited… because just in these 5 days we have been contacting the whole world and we’ve found SEVEN new families… 4 of which are married.. Which is the biggest miracle in the world because NOBODY is here. We’ve made it our theme to contact families. Our philosophy is: if we look for families, we’ll find families. So literally we look for only a mom and dad and kids. And we’ve found them!! Just last night we walked out of the house of a new family that was golden and we just looked at each other, kind of laughed and said, ¨we are so blessed!!! What is going on???¨! hahaha just everyday we come home, look at all we did during the day then fall on our knees in gratitude… because its all the work of the Lord. Even our district leader keeps asking us what we’re doing to find so many families! Its incredible and I feel so blessed in this week!
We’re totally hoping to have 2 changes together and I have a feeling there’s a chance we could. Pray for us that we can so we can help a ton of people here in Talanga! We both just know we’re going to see a lot of baptisms! Wahoo!!!
Because of this miracle I’ve seen in my mission I’ve definitely increased my testimony that the Lord knows what we need. He sent me my companion in a time I really needed her. I know He answered the prayers I didn’t even realize I was saying. He knows my heart and my mind and what I need to be happy. It’s incredible.
The church is absolutely true and the best thing we could share with everyone. SHARE THE GOSPEL. With members, non members, your family, and yourself. Live it and Love it.
Love you all so much! thanks for your support and prayers.

Love, Hermana Smith

Ps. One funny: right in front of our house there’s this stadium type thing where they have chicken fights…Like they let a bunch of drunk guys tie sharp stuff around the chickens legs and let them kill each other…For fun! It is so weird. It’s like chicken colosium. Haha.

making history

AND WE JUST FOUND OUT THE CHANGES.... you'll never believe it.. i'm still in shock.

This wednesday i'll be recieving a new companion named Hermana Cutler... yes, a northamerican! two white girls together!

hahah we're totally gonna ROCKK this town of Talanga. She's totally awesome and we know each other really well. In fact, she's the sister i've stayed with twice when we've had to stay with sisters. both times was with her. anyway, i'm super excited!!!! wahoo!! oh and we have a mutual friend (shout out for you, Amanda!) because she's from Draper Utah.

well, apart from that theres nothing much too exciting. haha. but here are some funnies for you:

1. I've noticed lately i'm totally turning into a honduran. I clean, eat, cook, wash clothes, tie bags, speak, do EVERYTHING like a Honduran. just need to get a little more tan and put in brown contacts and i'm set! MLIAIH

2. So turns out Latins are extremely superstitous. ive heard a lot of philosophies, but this is one of my favorites... if you slurp your drink from your spoon when you're old you'll have a double chin. my companion rebuked me last night for doing that then rebuked me for laughing my head off when she explained why. MLIAIH

Well this week was pretty hard, not gonna lie. i got sick this weekend because it suddenly turned extremely cold and i got stuck without long sleeves. just caught a cold but we couldnt leave all weekend, so it kind of stunk. but its all good. im super excited to start fresh this week with a new comp and lots of success i know we're going to have. yeah!

but being sick i got the chance to read through my journal from the beginning of my mission and i feel inspired to share something i had written that really hit me hard again.

¨ Its my philospohy latley that the mission is a constant fight for time. In the beginning, you're fighting or it to hurry up, by the end for it to slow down. And in the moments in between you cant figure it out... what time it is, where its gone, and how you're going to try to adjust it. But really what we have to do is let it happen. Time is time. Its constant and fair... we all have 24 hours each day. its up to us to figure it out how we're going to use it, then let it be. There's no changing time.¨

anyway that's my thought for the day. I'm grateful for this TIME i have in my life to learn and grow and give to others. there's nothing like it.

well, love you all. gotta jet!

hermana Smith

lots of funnies and lovelies

Wow, sorry this is a day late but we had a fun adventure in Tegucigalpa yesterday.... and we just got back this morning. but im here, alive and ready to tell you about my week!
This week was pretty normal... lots of work, lots of life lessons, etc. .... lets just jump right in to what I know you all want to read:

Funnies:
1. I found a gecko in the shower the other day. luckily it was dead. mmm! MLIAIH
2. my companion offered me a smoothie the other day but for the first time, I denied. why? it was made of tomato, lemon, onion, water, chile, salt, ice. DIS... GUSTING. MLIAIH

3. we were with an investigator who we've been teaching a lot and she was saying the prayer. ¨ please bless the sisters that have been visiting me. bless hermana Cruz with her hurt foot, and the other hermana who has a strange name and I can’t remember it... but I know that thou rememberest it.¨ MLIAIH
4. My companion had me come out and look at our water the other day because she found a surprise.. about 20 tadpoles at the bottom!! yep, the same water we do EVERYTHING with... I’m going to be buyin a lot of soap this week. MLIAIH

We had lots of Lovelies this week too, that I wanted to share with you. Last night we got stuck in Tegucigalpa so we stayed the night with some other sisters. so we got to go on divisions and it was super fun! I went out in a trio with another north American sister! anyway we were in my old area, La Vega so we wanted to go visit some old investigators of mine because the sisters didn’t really have any plans. so we went to go visit these 2 young girls.. like 14 years old. they were outside with about 5 other friends hanging out and studying. when they saw me they shouted. ¨look! the gringa!!¨ I was excited they remembered me after 6 months! anyway so we chatted and they were SO excited to be talking to TWO white girls. then we entered the house with all their friends and one of their moms to watch a short video. we ended up watching 2 short videos and it was a miracle because the mom had SOO many awesome questions about the 2nd video (about how she can see her family again even though they've died). suffice it to say it was so powerful. so we explained that yes she can depending on her obedience here. then Hermana Cutler invited them all to pray and know if it was true, then be if they got an answer, she invited them to be baptized. and all 7 of them said yes! haha!!! it was a miracle! so they're going to go back in a few days to keep teaching them. I was so excited to see that miracle!!

anyway, I gotta go but I wish I could just write all the miracles that happen. I’m so grateful for the spirit that guides this work.. it’s impossible with out it.

thanks for all your support and love. keep praying hard and looking for missionary opportunities.. they're everywhere!

With lots of love,
hermana smith

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

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

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