Doctrine and Covenants 19:36

Well I guess I better wrap this whole mission story up since I've been home one week, and all. Monday was wild, and hilarious. I went crazy packing all weekend so that I could drop all my stuff off at the mission office on Monday. (They don’t require us to have our stuff there until Tuesday afternoon but I didn’t want to waste time packing I just wanted to say goodbye to people.) We got all ready to go to the mission office when they called, and asked if we’d come in the afternoon. Well we got there in the afternoon, and everything was really behind. We ended up staying at the mission office for 5 hours! I had my FINAL INTERVIEW with President.  I thought I was going to be a wreck but I felt perfectly content. My mission president talked to me about dating, praying, reading, the scriptures, the temple, and lots of other things. I felt so loved that he took the time to help me out. He then gave me a priesthood blessing. It was perfect.We spent the evening saying goodbye to all my people. 

Tuesday was wild. First thing in the morning a family from my second area come pick me up to go to the temple. We were running a little behind so I changed so quickly, and was flying into the chapel when I stopped dead in my tracks. There sitting in the chapel was my mom!! The member who brought me was all “are you okay?” I said “That’s my Mom! That’s my REAL Mom!” I didn’t really cry when I saw her. Then I saw my Dad, and I didn't really cry but when they started things in the temple I sobbed hard. I was just so overwhelmed with everything. I think it finally hit me that I was actually going home. I spent the afternoon with my parents, and my MTC companion. It was a perfect ending. We then had the departing missionary testimony meeting. Lots of my favorite people came.  I mostly just bore my testimony about the Atonement. I talked about how life and this gospel is a process. That we aren’t ever going to be perfect and life isn’t ever going to be easy but we just keep trying. I also talked about prayer, and how I’ve learned that prayer isn’t a list of thank you’s, and asking for blessings but it’s talking. It’s telling Heavenly Father what you did that day, and how you felt. The evening was spent at the mission home. We ate supper, and then were able to do whatever we wanted. I totally milked being able to talk to President so much, and asked him so many questions. Everyone trickled off to put on their pjs, and I just didn’t want to miss any of President’s wisdom. Everyone also slowly started going to bed but a Sister I was in the MTC with, and I stayed up ALL night talking. We didn’t sleep one wink. It was a dream.

Wednesday was the big home coming. Since I was riding in the same airplane as my parents it wasn’t as dramatic as most peoples. On my first flight I sat by a member which was boring but the man across from me allowed for teaching moments. Turns out his mom is a member, and he’s never talked to missionaries before. Dreams come true. On my next flight I sat by this super nice Muslim girl who is around my age, and the whole time we just talked about the family, and the deterioration of morals in the world. When I got to the airport my aunts were waiting for me so that was special. When I got home we first went to the graveyard on my request. Then we went to see the Stake President. It was great to be able to receive more counsel from him. Then he invited my parents into the room. I was able to share one experience from my mission that taught me a principle of the gospel, and then bear my testimony. I told them about how I gained a testimony of what enduring to the end really means. I told them about an investigator we had in my third area who had been meeting with the missionaries on, and off for 6 years. The major reason he wasn’t progressing in the gospel is because he didn’t do anything consistently. Not read, pray, or go to church. I realized that enduring to the end isn’t being perfect or happy every moment but it’s being consistent with our obedience to the gospel.

Now, I’m just home. I actually love being home. Its super weird but I love it. I haven’t listened to worldly music, or watched TV yet.  Right now I just feel awkward because I’m in a very transient part of my life waiting for school to start in January but I’m excited to apply all that I’ve learned. I’m SO grateful for my mission. The only time I tear up lately is when I’m telling someone how grateful I am for my mission. I’m just obsessed with it. NLVM will forever live in my heart! 

3 Nephi 5:13

" Well the time has come. This is my very last blog post as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During the middle of the mission I kind of felt like I was born on the mission and that I would die on the mission but now I feel like I've only been here I week. It's the weirdest thing. When I really think about it I know that I haven't seen my family in a really long time but it doesn't feel like that. It scares me a bit. I feel like I'll go home and my mission will feel like just a magical dream. Okay, enough rambling. I love my mission. I'm so obsessed with my mission. I don't even know what to say I am so grateful for this opportunity. Whenever I think about it I just get overwhelmed with happiness. Here are some of the highlights of how Heavenly Father blessed me for my last week on the mission. 

- I was able to bear my testimony in District Meeting. I talked about having courage and to just keeping going on. I think sometimes in the gospel we don't feel the power of the Spirit every second so we start to doubt. As a missionary when you've been out so long you start to forget why you are here and then you doubt it and it gets hard. I talked about just doing the right thing because it's the right thing. Everything works out when we are obedient. 

- Our cute little 11 year old's Mom fed us and we had a great lesson. We are all so sad that I am leaving but it's okay. It was so nice to just be with their family. 

- We had great lessons. We taught so much and saw all my favorite people. I was nervous but everyone is really happy for me to go home and said really nice things to me. When I came I thought I'd hate teaching but I love it. I love listening to the Spirit and helping others learn about Christ. 

- We ordered food from this man who cooks it is his apartment. He doesn't have a restaurant you just call him up, tell him what you want and he cooks it up for you. I love the hood.

- I packed all my things up early and so I have nothing to worry about but just enjoying the last few days of my mission. 

- We had two baptisms. First we had my funny 16 year old investigator. There was some crazy opposition about getting this kid baptized. An alarm at the church was going off, there was no baptismal suits, our ward mission leader got lost, it was insane but he got baptized, got confirmed, and got the priesthood. I love him so much. He is so complainy  but he is good. We taught him this big lesson, and at the end he said "So how do I get out of home teaching and going on a mission. We said "You don't." To which he said "Aaahhhuughhhhh fine, I already have a bike." He just does the right thing because it's right. Then we had the wife of a newly coming back less active member get baptized. She had a baby 4 months ago. They are just the cutest family. When we asked her how she felt she said "Prepared." That is the greatest answer I've ever heard. 

- We street contacted this man as he was coming out of his garage. Turns out his wife is a member who goes to the Spanish ward but he prefers English. We taught him yesterday and he wants to get baptized. He told us how he has always thought he wanted to be a Mormon but never knew much about it. When we taught him he loved it  and said he wants to prepare to be baptized. It was amazing to end my mission with teaching such a great final first lesson to someone. 

I have really grown to love people more than I ever thought. I didn't know it was possible to meet someone one day and the next day be praying fervently for their eternal salvation. I have learned so much about myself and who I want to be. I could talk about so many things about what I've learned but I think one of the greatest things I've learned is that life is a process, perfection is process. I use to think that I was just dragging my feet and not progressing like how I was suppose to but that's not true. We are all in a process of progression. It's not a light switch of change but a dimmer switch. I learned that the Atonement is real and practical and that it changes us. I learned that real change and happiness comes from service and truly forgetting ourselves. Everything that I thought I knew has been had solid. I know that Joseph Smith restored Christ's church to the earth. That the Book of Mormon just makes me happy and that is really is the word of God. I learned that prophets are inspired and Heavenly Father loves us so much to give us prophets and apostles for our day. I am grateful that this is a church where our knowledge leads us to act. We don't really care how much you know but what you do with your knowledge and how you serve with your knowledge. I love the gospel. Life is great. See you soon!" 

P.S. October 20,2014

P.S. We met this member who lives in another stake. We were talking to him and his neighbor. We were talking about the church. This member says "That's what the gospel is all about being cool and helping folks. I just died of happiness. That's what I feel like that church is all about as well."

Ether 6:12

Oh my good word we had a great week. I just cannot explain how great everything is. I know this my sound phony but I am riding high on missionary life.  Haha but for reals. One of my biggest concerns at the moment about coming home next week is that I'm going to talk like a ghetto Baptist. I've served in the hood way too long; everyone is Baptist and now it's how I talk. The other day I told my companion "It's all about God" and then later I said "Jesus will get you through." Oh brother. I'm going to be in culture shock in Canada. This week was so good because: 

Monday: We went to Meet the Mormons with some recent converts. It was so great! I cry every time. We played lazer tag as a District and I bet all the Elders by 500 points. They wanted a rematch but luckily we had somewhere we had to be so we ended it on a great note. 

Tuesday: We did a training in District Meeting about getting investigators to church. I think everyone was shocked because we just told them how we just talk about church a lot and then people bring themselves. There really is no secrets to being a good missionary. It's all just depending on the Lord. A member in our ward took us to lunch outside our mission in a Casino. We were freaking out and told her we couldn't be there and she just said "Well I'm hungry." Our mission President didn't care because she took away our agency. Haha, but he just didn't care cause it was a street over and we are good people. We met a man that owns a nudist colony. I was dying laughing talking to him. How do you talk to someone about Jesus as they are telling you they like to go hiking in the nude?

Wednesday: We had two dream lessons with new investigators. In the first lesson the guy told us that he wants the originals of the Bible so he can know what God really said. When he told him about the Book of Mormon he was like "Yes, this is what I want." The second lesson was just all lead by the Spirit. The man we taught had gone through a ton of really crazy things. We ended up just talking about the Atonement and how forgiving Heavenly Father is. I know if he reads the Book of Mormon he'll get baptized in a second. 

Thursday: A less active in our ward wears a yellow top hat! He let us try it on. We vacuumed a member's house. I love straight up service. We then visited with a newly coming back member. She is so happy because she gets to come to church. Every time she takes the sacrament she cries because it's been so long. 

Friday: It was my 18 month mark! That's so insane. We had interviews with our mission president. I am so lucky to have him. He just told me how he has so much faith and confidence in me going home. I was worried and he reassured me that I'm going to excel. He then told me how he is my mission parent forever so he always wants to be apart of my life. How tender is that? Our 11 year old investigator told us that we are "Gospel Super Heroes." 

Saturday: We took our investigator to a stake activity where they had performers come and put on a Disney montage. After we had already gone to the show our Zone Leaders texted us saying we weren't allowed to go to the evening show. Haha, our bad. A few weeks ago they said we could go. It was already after the fact so what could they do. 

Sunday: We street contacted this lady the day before and she came to church. She loved it and even made comments. It was a dream come true. We went to my very last," Why I Believe Fireside" as a missionary. It was so good. Our newly 16 year old investigator came and at first he was dying but then they sang if the Savior Stood Beside Me and then he loved it. He ate my whole box of Tic Tacs. Besides that we had a lovely evening together. 

Man alive, isn't the mission great. I thought I would be way more scared and freaked out at this point but I feel fine. I have lots of good family, and friends. I've been obedient my whole mission so I can trust that it's been exactly what Heavenly Father wants it to be. I realized this past week how much Heavenly Father trusts me. I always worried that I didn't trust Him enough when in reality I don't trust myself enough. I feel like my whole mission He's been trying to tell me that He trusts me. That I'm fine. I'm doing His will and just this week I realized that. What a blessing. See you next week!

3 Nephi 28:19-22

I hope everyone knows that these are the most boss scriptures in the whole Book of Mormon. Maybe not the whole but I just feel like they are so cool. I just want to smite the earth with the word of God. Man, that's so rad. This week was so great. I probably say the word great more than anyone in the whole blog world but it's such a perfect word for me. 

Monday: We taught our 9 year old recent convert. He is the cutest. We showed him this pamphlet and he was like "I know that guy." Then he thought it was this guy in our ward. We were dying laughing. The picture was clearly of a lot older man. 

Tuesday: Today was our little 15 year old investigators 16th birthday! We had set up a little surprise birthday party for him at the church but sadly they had to cancel. We wouldn't take no for an answer so we just packed up the party and headed over to his house. When we got there it was so sad because it was only 6pm but everyone was in their own rooms just hanging out. When we were singing happy birthday he was tearing up! So tender. I LOVE being a missionary and I love teaching but sometimes it's nice just to help take care of people's physical and emotional needs not only their spiritually. 

Wednesday: We saw our investigator couple. She had her baby 9 days ago! He was SO cute!! She was so amazed that we couldn't hold him. She was like "They don't let you do anything!" We were so sad that we couldn't hold him but we held strong. Guess what? Our investigator committed to being baptized October 25th! The weekend before I leave!. 

Thursday: We had exchanges today! It was fun because the the sister I went with and I were both trained by the same person. It was cool to see what things we did the same and what things we did differently. We had a great day and talked to so many people. I was shocked because she told me that her goal was to work on being more genuine. I was asking her why and she said because whenever anyone talks about you they always say how genuine you are. She said that people always say "Sister Smith with red hair, glasses and is from Canada, oh yeah she is just Sister Smith, she's always the same in private or in public." She also said that that was true. I was so flattered. 

Friday: Today we had a fun, fun thing! We got to go see Meet the Mormons in the theater! It was kind of crazy because the theater was in the other mission and in a casino but we had permission! Don't worry. We got to go with an investigator and our Bishop's family. We saw so many people from both our wards. It was a reunion. It was SO good. Everyone should go see is as soon as they possibly can!

Saturday: Today the dad and son we are teaching got baptized!! It was so great! The Spirit was so strong. We were so happy. They were so happy. It was just a happy fest. Our newly 16 year old investigator came and after he told us that he wants to be baptized on October 25th!! If everything works out we will have 3 baptisms the Saturday before I come home. Heavenly Father loves me SO much. It's crazy how much. 

Sunday: I bore my testimony in church and in the beginning I just slipped in that over the last 18 months I've learned so much. After everyone was like "Wait that means you must go home soon!" Smooth operations. I bore my testimony about how the Atonement does take care of our sins but it's also the good in life. How the Atonement propels us to do more good then we would ever be able to if it was just left up to us. 

As you can see life is the best thing ever. I am completely chill about where I am on the mission. I'm so in love with every part of my mission. It's been the very best thing. I'm just happy. 

3 Nephi 17:10

This week was great as all weeks being a missionary are. I just love doing a list of my highlights from the week so here we go.

Monday: Our recent convert who is 9 years old was talking about this mean lady and he said "I bet she repents a lot." We died laughing. His Mom was really stressed and she told her that she just needs Christ and it'll all be fine. He's the cutest. 

Tuesday: Our 15 year old investigator told us that he isn't ready to be baptized. After talking to him for a while we realized that they reason he didn't feel ready is because he had no idea what a baptism would be like. He thought they'd push him face down into the water and he was really scared. When he explained it he was more excited but still nervous because he doesn't like to get his afro wet. 

Wednesday: We saw the Dad and son combo. They are so tender. We talked about the Word of Wisdom and at the end the 9 year old said "I have a question, so can kids drink tea?" We died laughing. For some reason he thought kids got a freebie on the Word of Wisdom. 

Thursday: We had my very last Zone Training Meeting. It was great! In it I had a suggestion and they made me come up and role play it in front of everyone. So unplanned. Then at the end they made me bare my testimony because it's my very last one. I was holding back tears the whole time. I talked about how living the gospel is like digging a hole in the sand. At first we see lots of progress and move lots of sand but then we feel like we aren't progressing because sand just keeps falling back into the hole. I then talked about how Heavenly Father just cares that we keep digging. We are progressing more than we realize. I don'tknow where that came from; it just came out. 

Friday: We went to the temple! I love the temple! 

Saturday and Sunday: Was blessed General Conference days! I love General Conference. I learned so much. I learned a lot about prayer and agency. I think it's amazing how much Heavenly Father trusts us and most times we just need to learn how to trust ourselves and apply the simple formula that He gives all His children. Pray, read the scriptures, go to church, and keep the commandments  It answers all the questions we have. 

It was a great, great, great week!

3 Nephi 4:10

"I come home in exactly a month from this day! That is mind blowing, but it really doesn't feel real. Sometimes I feel like I was born on the mission and I'll die on the mission. I know that I've been other places than this same valley but it kind of doesn't feel like that. I keep telling people I am from Canada but I almost don't believe it anymore. I guess that is a good thing but it's weird. I love my mission and I am most grateful for it. 

This week was so great! I LOVE my companion. We've been out around the same amount of time. It's so fun to be serving with someone who knows what they are doing. We are so balanced. I've been so blessed to have great companions but with my companion now we both just get to be missionaries. We talked to more people this week then I have ever talk to in one week of my mission. We had more people at church than I've ever had my whole mission. Heavenly Father must love me a lot to let me be in this ward and have this companion. 

Highlights of the week: 

- We started talking to this guy who was telling us all about how he makes gangster rap about drugs and I really have no idea why but I started bearing my testimony to him about how God loves him and that God understands him even when he thinks that no one does. Now keep in mind that this was a thug master and I got all emotional. I teared up a bit and told him to read the Book of Mormon because if he read it he'd know that God knows him. It was kind of funny afterward. 

- The cute, little girl who lived in my second area where I served for 7 1/2 months and who is going to Canada on her mission came out with us for one last time. It was so tender. 

- We are teaching this cute couple who the Dad is less active and the Mom is pregnant. We always say we are giving their son Nephi for a middle name. We taught her the plan of Salvation and she was getting upset at her husband for interrupting. She was like "Let me learn, this is great!" I love when people see how great the gospel is. 

-We street contacted this guy who told me that my ancestors were cave men because I have red hair. He was like "I'm not trying to offend you but it's just a fact that your ancestors were cave men probably Esau offspring. You know the guy who sold his birthright for pottage." I was like "Buddy please, I'm from the tribe of Ephraim." 

- We are teaching a 15 year old boy. During our lesson about the Plan of Salvation when we talked about the Resurrection he was like "So I'm going to be even more handsome than I am now? I'm at 110% handsome now, so I'll probably be 200% then." 

- The little 11 year old we are teaching committed to baptism the weekend before I come home!! I was SO happy! I wanted to cry!When we had the primary program; she sang all the songs and even had a line!! It was so tender. I love my wards. 

-The General Women's Broadcast was the happiest, cutest thing of all time. If that didn't make you want to go quickly to the temple; I don't know what would. 

It was a great,great week. I love my area! I love my companion! I love my mission! I really, realllllyyy love the gospel of Jesus Christ! There is nothing happier."  

Helaman 12:23

I feel pretty awkward right now because there is a sister standing right behind me waiting to use the computer and I'm still just typing away. It's hard when your family and friends are nicer than everyone else and send you emails. Just kidding it is the best though. Since I have no time I will do a quick recap of the week. 

Monday: Our Dad and son recommitted to be baptized on October 11. Apparently the dad was nervous about the interview with the District Leader and so the District Leader told him all that he would ask him and he was then super excited to be baptized. 

Tuesday: I got my new companion! I was really nervous but she is so cool. Her name is Sister Coltrin. She's from Michigan and she's been out almost as long as me. Our first day together we taught 4 lessons, committed a person to baptized and found two new investigators. Needless to say we are really excited to be companions. 

Wednesday: It was my 17 month mark! It was also a great day! We saw the Dad and son again and taught the Plan of Salvation. I just love teaching the Plan of Salvation. It always answers so many questions. It's also the whole point of being here so people really like it. 

Thursday: We had a very busy day! We saw so many people and were able to meet some people that we've been trying to meet with. We taught our 11 year old the plan of Salvation and she thought it was great. She also told me that I sometimes laugh like a goat and that it's weird I'm Canadian. 

Friday: We had a lesson with this lady the Elders taught a year ago. We were kind of nervous but it turns out the lady we brought from the ward and her are friends! We had no idea we just thought we were inviting a random member. This investigator committed to come to church and read from the Book of Mormon all because her friend was there. When we came out of the lesson our bumper was on the ground. Turns out that someone had hit our car when we were in our lesson. So we've been driving around without a bumper all weekend. 

Saturday: Saturday is always great because there is lots of time to work. We talked to lots of people. At the beginning of my mission I hated street contacting but now it's what a live for. We set up tons of return appointments with people as well. 

Sunday: Sunday always consists of church at two wards, meetings, studies and eating. With all that we never have much time for work. We did a fireside with our 11 year old investigator. She is so cute! She was begging us to know our first names and wouldn't settle for the old "It's sister" trick. She guessed my name was Carmel, so I might be going by that when I get back. Ha ha. 

Life is so great! I am so excited to just work, work, work this transfer." 

Alma 60:36

" Do you ever feel like Captain Moroni when he writes that letter to Pahoran and is all jumping to conclusions and telling him how he is wrong. Then it turns out that Pahoran was having a hard time too? I feel like that a lot. Sometimes it's so frustrating how we only see things through our eyes. No matter what we only see what we see and we only know what we know. We aren't going to know exactly what is going on with someone else unless they tell us but even then it's hard. I've definitely been known to get on my soap box and accuse because I only see how I am doing and what I need to be doing. I think that someone else isn't helping me when I fall short but really I need to take a step down and first ask how I can help someone else. I don't know if any of this makes sense but it does in my mind. That's why Christ is our Savior and is perfect because He understand. 

Well, the good news of it all is we found some more youth to teach this week. Let me give you a rundown of things. 

Monday: We played lazer tag as a District. It was funny and awkward because everything as a missionary is funny and awkward. My team won! I think it's because we were whipping out great BofM analogies about how we were Captain Moroni's army. I also saw a girl that I love from my second area there so that made my heart happy. 

Tuesday: We taught the Restoration to this guy who has been taught it 4 times in the past 6 months but at the end he said he learned more that time then ever before. High five for the spirit! An African refuge told me I was beautiful and another man told me he hopes that one day I'll learn that my church is a cult. All things in moderation, eh. 

Wednesday: We taught a 15 year old boy! We told him right at the beginning of the lesson that we help people to get baptized so he said he would get baptized! Yahoo! He also said the closing prayer and it was so tender. A man on the street told me that  I'm only 15 because the first 5 years of my life don't count so I'm only 15. I asked him if wouldn't that mean I'm 17 but he didn't think so. Then he tried to give me a hug to make me feel better. He then told me that he is no mood to listen to a teenager try to tell him about religion. 

Thursday: We are now teaching another 9 year old little boy! I was clearly called to serve in Las Vegas for the 9 year old boys. We just relate so well. He was so cute! He asked us five times how to pray. At then at the end he prayed but didn't say in the name of Jesus Christ Amen so he had us all kneel and he said it over again. I love someone who is eager about the gospel. 

Friday: We took our 15 year old to the youth meeting for Stake Conference. After he told me he was bored but that he cried when a man sang "If the Savior stood beside me." Ahhhhh. 

Saturday: We found out about transfers! I am staying in the area but my companion is leaving. So sad but I am excited about my new companion. Everyone thinks she is so great so I am sure I will as well. We had adult session of stake conference. All of stake conference was centered on joy but let me tell you I cried like a new born baby. It was such a great meeting! 

Sunday: We had to go to two sessions of stake conference so we were at the church for at least 6 hours. We even packed lunches to eat in between sessions. This stake is amazing! They have a stake choir that is amazing! It's very intense! It's a stake calling and you practice for two hours every week but it's worth it because they sound like MoTab. 

So in other news I hit my 17 month mark this week on the 17th. It's my golden mark. That is so mind blowing to me but it's great. I don't have to worry. I can just focus on the work and just loving people so much. Life is the best, eh." 

Alma 44:10

" Captain Moroni is just the coolest. Can I just say how cool he is again. Is it bad that sometimes when we are talking to someone and they tell us that they aren't interested I just want to have them read about Captain Moroni. I don't really know if that will convert them but I know it'll be a good read. Can you imagine Captain Moroni today? He would be going all sorts of crazy about liberty, freedom and his wife. What the world needs now is more Captain Moroni s. 

I have no idea what to write about because I feel like so many good things happened everyday so it's hard to pick what I want to say so I will just go through the week. 

Monday: We got a new investigator! We stopped by a members because we had heard their neighbor met with missionaries and they were like "Let's go over there right now!" So off we went and he wants to learn more. So exciting! 

Tuesday: We talked to a part member family and on the wall was the picture of the dad with Chuck Norris. We were like alright so when do you want to be active again and invite your friend Brother Norris to learn more about the restored gospel? We'd be willing to teach him and have a nice red head bond. A member fed us and invited her nonmember neighbor! That is what dreams are made of. Why can't we all just invite nonmembers to dinner appointments with the missionaries? 

Wednesday: Everyone we talked to let us in their house! It was amazing! We talked to this recent convert who won't come to church anymore because he says there is one verse in the Doctrine and Covenants that contradicts a scripture in the Book of Mormon. He has had it explained to him multiple times but he is just set on it. It's sad. We talked for a good hour about food though. It almost sounded like he joined the church for the food which no one in Utah could blame him for. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father urges us to get a testimony of the eternal principles of the gospel through the Book of Mormon because that will never change. 

Thursday: We get to visit a nice, nice member every week who is home bound and vacuum her house. It's become one of the highlights of my week. She is so nice! We get to do something and then have a good visit about the gospel. What could be better! The longer I am on a mission the more I am realizing the importance of  families. Nothing can fix the problems of this world but families centered on Jesus Christ. Everyone I meet would be a completely different person if they were raised in a Christ centered home. The world changes through examples of good families. 

Friday: We had Zone Training Meeting. It was a good time! We talked a lot about charity and what our vision is. We helped a family move and my companion is about the size of a Polly Pocket so it ended up being just the Dad and me moving all sorts of things. We were carrying dressers and mattresses. I felt a little bit like a boy because of how we were just moving things. 

Saturday: Everyone let us in today as well! Blessings! Thanks for all the prayers on my behalf because they are working really well. A member invited us over and a part member family so we are adding a cute little 9 year old boy into our teaching pool. Give me a 9 year old boy and I will baptize him. Apparently that is my calling in life. I think it is because I am so intense that Heavenly Father knows I won't leave their side until they are returned missionaries who are married in the temple. 

Sunday: Alex Boye came to Vegas and had a great fireside. He sang a song and then told about his conversion. It was funny because he was being taught by some sisters when he was 16 years old and he dropped them. The one started crying and bore her testimony. She told him that nothing matters but the gospel of Jesus Christ. That really hit him. He kept learning and got baptized a couple weeks later. In my last area we were teaching a 16 year old little boy. He wasn't really progressing. Then we found out we were getting transferred so we went to say goodbye to him. I too started crying and saying how nothing matters but the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was at the Alex Boye fireside and before it started he told me that he is going to get baptized. So when in doubt just cry and bare your testimony. 

As you can see life is great. I just love being a missionary so much! It's almost a little unhealthy with how much I love being a missionary but that's okay because my parents are proud of me and that's all that really matters eh." 

Matthew 25:31-46

"Hello, hello, hello. It was another great week in North Town. I am really loving my area. It's a dream come true. We are teaching so many youth. We had a little 9 year old just get baptized on the weekend. We are teaching a funny 11 year old girl who told us "I am looking for a religion that makes me happy and I think Mormons are great." We are teaching another 9 year old boy who carries around a little pocket size Book of Mormon. Then we are teaching a 17 year old girl who has been meeting with missionaries on and off for about a year. I never thought I was a person who was into the rising generation but apparently that's what I am all about. We also ran into a priest(Young Man) in our ward on the streets and had quite the conversation. He told us that he doesn't want to go on a mission and that his life will be just fine without it. Well I just wasn't happy with that answer so I busted out everything I could possible think of to get him to at least think about going on a mission but he straight up refused. I was dying. I think my heart broke a little bit; that someone would just refuse to even think about going on a mission when it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to my life. 

The members in my wards are great! They are always so willing to come out with us and even if it's just to talk to people in the street. We were suppose to have a lesson with a lady in an apartment complex and a member said she'd come well the lesson fell through so the member was like "Well let me introduce you to my neighbors!" She walked with us all through her complex,and we talked to everyone. It helped that she had a solid testimony and would tell everyone that you have to look the doctrine. She said we all get distracted by music and the leaders of churches but what we have to look at is the doctrine. 

We had blessed Zone Conference. It was my very last one so that was weird but it was great. Our Mission President talked about spiritual power and all the different aspects of that. One of the biggest things I took away from Zone Conference is that we are in our own hands. It's up to us to read the scriptures  and to pray. People will notice if we don't go to church but what we do everyday is really up to us. It's kind of amazing how much trust Heavenly Father has put in us. As the Bible says "We work out our own salvation." Heavenly Father trusts us to do that. He also gives us lots of people to be support but it's on us. 

So back to the story of our little 9 year old who got baptized this weekend. It was the craziest thing. So when we got to the area we saw him in our area book so we just stopped by casually  They told us that he has been taught all the lessons 4 times and just needs to get baptized. We asked him all the baptismal questions and he knew the answers to them all. We set him to get baptized in three weeks and that's what happened. We have no idea why the Elders didn't get him baptized and no one in the ward seems to know either so there you have it. We just had a baptism put into our hands by Heavenly Father. 

The funniest/weirdest thing that happened this week is the story that follows. We have a man who lives in our complex who is OCD. I see him all the time out the window and never have a chance to talk to him because we are always studying when I see him. Well the other day we are studying and I see him out there trying to move a massive couch by himself. So I throw on my shoes and fly out there to help the poor chap. We run up to him, and say "Are you trying to move your couch? Can we help you out?" He says " I'm not trying to move my couch, I am moving my couch. You don't have any men in there? I don't work with women." We are standing there just stunned. He then says "I mean there is no point in working with women  it's just kind of a waste of time." He tells us he'll either move it himself or we can do it but we aren't working together. We were so shocked that we just turned around and walked back to our apartment.  

As you can see there is always something going on in North Las Vegas. It's a delight and a pleasure." 

Alma 22:15

This week was so great! I am in love with my new area. The honeymoon stage of a new area hasn't worn off yet. I am more and more grateful that I am able to serve a mission and learn so much. I feel like there is so much that I want to say but to save time I will just tell you some of the high points of this week. 

- We went on exchanges. I went with a sister I was in the MTC with and who I have tons of mutual friends with in Utah so it was super fun. I don't know what happened to the men of North Town that day but goodness where they on something. We are walking down the street and this guys calls after us "Beautiful Mormons!" So we walk up to him and he just keeps saying we are beautiful Mormons, over and over. He poked me in the tummy when he was pointing at me saying I was a beautiful Mormon. So that was weird. He asked if he could marry us because Mormons are allowed two wives. We told him no and no. He then told us that he would give up smoking and drinking to marry us and he'd let us sing on his album. It was too funny. Later that same day we were at the gas station. I was filling up the car and this guy walks by on my left and says "I like your skirt!" I thank him and then a different man walks by my right side and says "I like your smile." My companion and I were dying laughing when I got into the car. She told me it's because I'm a ginger. 

- Our District helped this old lady move. Her garage was full of stuff and we just huddled it into a U Haul and then into a storage unit. It was so hot outside. We all thought we were going to die of heat or from the massive spiders that were all over her things. To lift our spirits we would recite scriptures. You know you are a missionary when a group of 20 something year olds are reciting scriptures to pass the time and distract their minds from the heat and deadly spiders. 

-We taught a lesson to this lovely investigator. It all started out great. We were teaching the Restoration. Then she went off about how there is no true church on the earth, that as soon as it is in the hands of man it is flawed. She said "Not even the LDS church is true." When she said that it felt like the whole world stopped turning. My companion and I just looked at each other. I felt like tears were welling in our eyes because of what she just said. We both just testified that this is the true church it is ran by Jesus Christ and by God's priesthood power. I really don't believe you know how much you believe something until you testify of it to someone who is saying it's wrong. That same day a member told us that she hates joy so we were just going from shocking conversation to shocking conversation. 

-We went to the temple! Can I just say the temple is the greatest place ever! Life can be so confusing. It's like when you throw a rock in a pile of dirt and that massive dust cloud puffs up. Well sometimes I feel like we are living in that dust cloud and going to the temple has that all settled down. 

- We are teaching a Dad and his son. It's the cutest thing! The Mom is a member and they have 5 sons. The oldest two are members and one is baptismal age and the younger two are just little. So we are teaching the two. It's so tender! They all gather around and they love learning together. They want to get baptized on the same day even. Families are forever! 

- For church we went on splits so that is always a good time. I had to teach Sunday School on tithing; also always a good time. 

This week was so great, and to top it all off I will share with you my magical miracle I had at the temple. Monday night I was like "We need to go to temple on Thursday!" I had no reason I just felt like we needed to.  It just felt like my brain was a confusing mess and I couldn't think of what I was suppose to do when I get home. So Wednesday night I just felt like we needed to go to the temple on Thursday. I pleaded with the Lord and told him that I am so confused and I need some direction because I really don't want to go home and just be a horrible RM. I decided that I needed to fast as well. So Thursday we weave our way through all of Northern Vegas and find our way to the temple. We pull up and my companion says "Ahhh I forgot my recommend!! ....and my name tag!" I kind of died laughing; she was so upset. So she hops back into the car and we go all the way back to our apartment and drive all the way back. We had missed two sessions by this point. We almost missed a third session  but they let us in at the last moment. I am just trying to focus so intently so that I could receive my answer but me being me I quickly notice this cute boy who's probably my age. I try so hard to focus but I weirdly keep making eye contact with this boy so I say a prayer "Heavenly Father, I'm here to focus and I'm sorry I'm distracted, please help me,," As I am praying a thought cuts through all my thoughts and it's as clear as day "Talk to that boy." So then I start freaking out because I know that I need to but that's weird so I don't know what to do. After the session. I walk into the room and he is right in front of me but I just stand off to the side of the room because I feel awkward. Well, immediately I feel bad because I know I need to talk to this kid. By this point he is just sitting there praying. In my head I'm like "Open your eyes, I need to act on my prompting!!!" As soon as he opens his eyes I walked right up to him and say "Hey, I'm Sister Smith, I'm one of the missionaries in Vegas and this is weird but during the session I felt like I needed to talk to you." He is so nice and says "Well I'm glad you did. I'm Dustin and I'm actually preparing to go on my mission. I'm from Salt Lake, my family is actually just here for the day as a last family trip" We talk for a bit about just random mission and temple things. Then before he goes he asks if I have any advice so I just tell him to be obedient and I bear my fierce testimony about obedience because I'm well obsessed. He tells me that this must be a sign from the Lord because he was just talking to one of his friends who just got home about the importance of obedience and how he is 23 and that is something he has always struggled with. Then I ask if he has any advice for me going back into the world and he thinks for a moment and then says "Yeah, just have fun. It's just another adventure. I know lots of people freak out because they don't have a plan and because going home is hard but it's suppose to be hard and of course it's going to be hard everything is different but just have fun and take every opportunity that comes your way. Don't waste time trying to get crazy revelation on everything just act. The same God that guided you through your mission is the same God that is guiding you when you are home." Everything that he said was like "BAM!! You need to hear this!" I then read my patriarchal blessing and everything that stood out went along with what he said and then I just flipped open the Book of Mormon and it went along as well. It was if Heavenly Father was like "Here, let me answer your prayers in every possible way there is so you can know this is really your answer." So many things had to line up just right so that I would run into this boy and so we could have this conversation. I don't think Heavenly Father changed our lives so that we could have this conversation, but I know that Heavenly Father did hear both of our prayers and knew that He could use us to help each other. I'm from Canada and am here on a mission. He is from Salt Lake and was just driving through and thought they should do a session. There is no other way we'd ever meet but Heavenly Father knew I was crazy and would act and so He made it work. 

Oh life is great."

Alma 13:27

"Yahhoo! I have been out for 16 months! And I am 22 and a half now! Just celebrated my 16 month mark and my half birthday yesterday! Time flies when you are serving the Lord and going to bed at 10:30 p.m. It was a great week! We got things far more organized and so we were able to work more. I am convinced that the more organized you are the more the Lord blesses you. If you have junk crowding your face then you won't see the miracles so He just waits tell you clear things up a bit. This week was a delight! Let me tell you about it. 

-One thing that I am so grateful for the mission for is teaching me way more about revelation. I felt pretty good about my abilities before the mission but on the mission getting revelation is like your life supply; you need it to do anything. Being so new in this area I have learned even more how to completely rely on the Lord. 

- We met this little 9 year old boy who has been meeting with missionaries for about 2 years. We have no idea why they haven't baptized the kid yet so we talked to Bishop and he told us to get it done. Miracles! 

- We met some less actives who no one in the ward had ever heard of. It was amazing because many of them were going through some hard times and so for us to show up it was a testament to them that Heavenly Father loves them and knows what they are going through. 

- We went on splits with some Laurels. At first I could tell that the girl I was with was freaking out. I went to street contact this man and she hopped in the car! Luckily we have an investigator who is a 17 year old girl; that really calmed her nerves. I love splits! While I had a lesson; my companion and another girl contacted so many people and found some new investigators. 

- In one of our wards there is a couple who have been meeting with missionaries for about 6 months. The husband really wants to join the church but the wife is struggling a little more so the ward is just taking them under their wing. Just about every night in the week that ward is inviting them to do something. I love it! The ward is not waiting but is acting and helping as much as they can. 

- My companion had her birthday! Finally I have been blessed to have a companion who is also 22! It's a dream. It was super funny because on her birthday night we were visiting this member family and they went off about how lucky we were to be serving when we were 19 and on, and on, and on about how it just makes so much more sense to serve when you are 19 because there are very few people who aren't married by 21 so we are so lucky we had the chance to serve before. They never once asked us how old we are. We just laughed after we got out of there. 

- We had a blessed Sister's Conference! Guess what the first sister missionary was called in 1898! I learned that there. I love Sister's Conference! You get to see all your missionary best friends and talk about sister power. There is over 90 sisters serving in my mission! I am so lucky. 

-There was a ward ice cream social and a family of nonmembers showed up! Turns out some member invited them and then didn't show. They were so nice! We talked to them and they said they are really interested in learning more. 

-The Relief Society President told us all about what is happening in the news. Maybe I shouldn't broadcast that to the world but it's so weird not knowing what is happening in the world. People will come up to us and be like "Did you hear about Africa?" and then they will run away. So she was like "Listen here Sisters let me fill you in so can be better missionaries." 

- A nice Philippino lady fed us dinner and said to me "You are a big lady, I have something for you." She gave me these massive floral capris! They are so ugly and they make me so happy. I wear them every night and dance around. Everything is okay when I am wearing those bad boys. My companion thinks I'm crazy! 

-It was a great, great, great, great random week! I love my new area and I love my new companion. She is an angel! She will let me tell my crazy opinions and just patiently listens. I am lucky! Well, the church is true so let's all be active and invite our friends to meet with the missionaries. Sounds like a plan. Love you." 

Alma 1:25

" Well, well, well, I am now in North Las Vegas or North Town how the locals say it. I am loving life. My companion and I are both new to the area. We took over two family wards from the Elders. I wouldn't want to say anything bad about anyone but this place is in shambles. We had to spend two days just cleaning the apartment because it was so nasty. Then we spent two days just starting to organize. There is still a long way to go and I am loving every minute of being here. There is so much work to do that the only way to go is up from here. I am so excited to just work. There is so much work that needs to be done in every area. There are people that need to be taught, there are area books to organize, there is wards that need uniting. There is just so much work to do. I love it. I'm sure Heavenly Father is loving my prayers because I just squeal with gratitude each night.

      My companion is a dream come true. She is everything I am not. I will have a great idea but my motivation to do it will die pretty quick. She says motivated until the job is done. I will be so excited to talk to someone and she knows just what to say. We are the same age so that makes life great as well. I love serving with someone my same age. My younger companions would act like I am an old lady and ask me why I am not married yet and my older companions would act like I didn't really understand sacrifice because I came out when I was suppose to. With her there is really no talking about age. I'm in heaven. She is also from Minnesota and people there talk like Canadians so that a delight as well. 

     We got to North Tuesday night and since being here we have been trapped inside cleaning and organizing. But can I just talk about Tuesday for a moment. It was the funniest day of my mission. There was confusion about our car and so we were stuck at the mission office for 6 hours. At first I was there by myself with a group of Elders who felt bad for me because I had no food so they gave me the scraps of their Wendy's. Then when my companion came we were still stuck there for a while. Because we were there for so long the AP's just had us doing all sorts of stuff. We got to go the District Leaders Meeting because they didn't know what to do with us. It was so funny; they were talking about all sorts of Elders things and talking about how to make a great District meeting. I learned a lot. President was so confused when he came and we were in there. They would have us make comments and be like "Tell us what it's like from a Sister perspective." We then had to go to the AP's dinner appointment because they couldn't go. This member's fiance didn't want her to feed us so she fed us in the park. We were just sweating eating dinner in the park with this random member. Then we got to see all the departing missionaries because we were still there when they were having their fireside. That made me a little sick because I had served with most of them. We finally made our way out to North Las Vegas. On three sides of my new area is the West Mission so we have to be so careful not to the leave the mission. We got a little lost on the way to our apartment so that we didn't even know where we were. We finally found it and went to bed because the apartment was the nastiest thing and we couldn't understand their organizing. It was so funny. We were just dying laughing all day. It really was a great way to start our companionship. Life is great. Heavenly Father answers prayers, and obedience is the key to happiness." 

Mosiah 7:33

" This week was great! Every week is great when you are a missionary. One of my favorite parts of being a missionary is getting to talk to everyone. Before the mission I just seemed nosy and a little too friendly when I'd talk to strangers but now I have the right just to walk up to people and see what's what. I can ask any questions that I possibly want. The Spirit is strong because people always answer any questions that I have. Sometimes I have to restrain myself because it gets to the point where I'm not just learning a little more so I know what to testify about but that I am just actually curious. 

Some highs of this week: 

- We have this nice, nice member who has some mental health problems but she is so kind. We hung pictures with her and she gave us some really conservative clothes from her Pentecostal days. There was one gem hidden in the clothes though. It was some shirt that she wore on her 6 month wedding anniversary. She wanted me to have it. Let me tell you this is a magic shirt. I look like I am 20 pounds lighter in it.

- I've been doing my sit ups every night without counting. The most full sit ups I have done in one night was 122! I was crying the next day but it was worth it. I do about a 100 every night. Here comes my 6 pack. ja ja. 

- All I can say is obedience. Everything is about obedience. We met this man who served a mission for one year and then asked to be release. He told us how he hasn't been obedient to the gospel since the day he came home and he is fine. I just wanted to grab him and yell;"Don't you hear what you just said! You are fine! You haven't been so happy with your life. You don't look back over the years with joy. You look back with regret and shame!" There were many, many, many situations this past week where my testimony of obedience just burrowed more into my soul. 

-My best pal from my last area got her mission call to England!!! I just want everyone to serve a mission. 

-We were walking down the street and we see this lady holding the cutest baby! So we stop and talk to her. We tell her that we are missionaries and she says "Will you say a prayer with us?" Of course we agree readily. She lets us come into her house and then calls like ten people so we just say a prayer with them all and then she tells them all to give us their phone numbers so we can invite them to church. It was so magical! 

- We were visiting with a member and she said the most flattering thing that anyone has ever said to me as a missionary. She was talking about the area and saying how they've had pretty good missionaries there. She said "I think that last Elders here were pretty good but you are great missionaries. You talk to literally everyone you see." I was so amazed.

-We got to teach sharing time. At first I was pretty nervous but then it was such a treat. I don't know why but the thought of a room full of kids just makes me want to die but then when we were in there I loved it. Kids are super funny. 

Everything is great. I find out about transfers this week! Keep me in your prayers! I want a hard area. I really just don't know what I want but I figure if lots of people are praying for me then I will go right where Heavenly Father wants me. Have a grand week!" 

Jacob 6:12

" Hey all my pals, what's up? I hit 15 months this week. That makes me feel a little sick and nervous. I tell myself I wouldn't be so upset about going home if I wasn't going home 2 days before Halloween. I feel like that is a twisted joke. Halloween used to be one of my favorites but two days after being an extreme celibate pioneer for a year and half that sounds a bit like torture. Also, it's like everything I already know is being ripped away from me, even my name, and then the world is going to expect me to dress up as someone else. Yeah, that is going to help with my identity crisis. 

On a more positive note; life as a missionary in Las Vegas is still great. I often feel sorry for all those suckers that get called to other missions. I know the church is true everywhere but missionary work is not equal everywhere. Some highlights of this past week :

- We are having such balanced days! Each day we've been able to see less actives, members, nonmembers, and talk to tons of people on the street. I don't know what they put in the water in this part of Las Vegas but they need to keep doing it. I have never talked to so many nice people in one area before. No one is mean to us. Just occasionally someone just shrugs us off but never has someone been straight up mean. 

- We live at the same apartment complex as some Elders. They left their CD in one of the computers and we did them a favor and got it for them. Well we decided that since we had it to give it a listen. It turned out to be this really great talk all about repentance. I just loved it! So I had it in my purse and we are visiting with this less active and I think of the CD so I lent it to her. My companion was all big eyed and shocked. I was like "Umm this is the Elders but I really think you need to listen to it." 

- One day all of our lessons decided to reschedule so I was just so bored and dying to talk to someone. This less active man opened the door and I thought I was going to hug him I was so happy. My companion after was like "Do you know that man?" I explained that I had never met him and she said "Well I just thought you must have because you could see how much you just genuinely loved that man." Charity never faileth. 

-I went on exchanges to a singles ward! I love singles wards (not that I ever want to attend one again, but you know). The Sister I went with was also named Sister Smith. It was so funny. We'd just race to tell people our name first. It was so awkward being the second person. We told this one lady and she was like "Uh huh sure." and when we left she said "You are going to need to change that." 

- On Saturday there was a Pioneer Parade and fair. It was so fun! They had all the missionaries walk right at the beginning carrying a massive American flag. I felt like an impostor. It was actually kind of a comedy act because there was tons of people at the beginning but the farther we walked the less people there was. We walked for a good 20 minutes without a single fan. We were all just sweating. Some missionaries tried to sing hymns to pass the time, I didn't sink that low. 

As you can see it was a great week. Life is just so satisfying as a missionary. I am just happy everyday. I am learning so much and I love being able to just devote everything to our loving Heavenly Father. Life is easy, too. Nothing else matters but being obedient but I know it's not real. I realize this is an amazing opportunity to give me a solid foundation. This is the best 18 months for my life; not of my life. Love you forever."

2 Nephi 16:10

Hey Pals, what's up? Nothing much, me either. So the mission is still the greatest thing ever. I hit 15 months this week. That's messed up. It's so funny because I don't think anyone actually ever see's themselves finishing their missions because when you come it's the hardest thing and it seems like such a long time and it just doesn't seem like it's actually a human possibility to do that but then you wake up one morning and they want to know what airport you want to fly into. It's a wild thing! 

     Oh, I met my new mission president this week. We got Snow in Vegas. He's from Idaho and he is the sweetest man. I was a little nervous because I was the President of my last mission president's fan club but my new one is just as great. I'm positive that his bones are made of kindness and his wife is just as great. 

     We went to visit my cute little 9 year old recent convert. He says "I have a lesson for you tonight." He grabs this tablet with a smashed screen. It was beyond broken. He says "I loved this tablet; I could play games on it and I just loved it. Well I dropped it and it broke. I was really upset, but I realized something it's just a tablet. It's just a thing. I learned that I need to love God more than anything. I need to love God way more than I love my tablet and more than I love anything. How was that lesson?" He's a little genius. I said a joke and he said "Did you just lie to the Holy Ghost that is in me?" 

     Blessed monsoon season is here among us. I love it! It's hot as an oven but then it pours rain. It's a dream! It was funny because I had to sit in the back seat of the car because everywhere that we parked had a river flowing down the passengers side so there my companion and I are driving around just the two of us and I'm sitting right behind her. 

     Heavenly Father always puts you exactly where you need to be. One of our meetings had run late so we were in this weird in between plans part of the day. So we go to visit a recent convert and she says she is just walking home and to wait for her. We decided to walk around the corner to talk to people well we wait for her. Right around the corner is this man so we talk to him and set up a lesson for that night. We quick text a member who agrees to come. A couple hours pass and we go to the lesson we set up with this man but sadly there isn't a house with the number he gave us. The member says she'll come to someone else with us. So we walk around the corner to this lady we had met briefly the week before. She lets us right in with open arms! Turns out that her husband use to meet with the missionaries and that she's read from the Book of Mormon before and that she has some LDS family members. It was such a miracle. It's so amazing how Heavenly Father always just aligns things perfectly and somehow we meet so many people but we are always lead to one perfectly prepared person. 

     Las Vegas is so hot that it makes the glue on scriptures unstick so most of the missionaries here are walking around with the papers of their scriptures and just use the leather front and back for looks. I have turned into the scripture fixer. Someone told me that gorilla glue was the secret so I've been laboring away this week fixing missionaries scriptures. It's so funny because at the beginning of my mission I wouldn't waste my free time doing anything like that. I would be like this is my one hour so back off. Now I don't care at all. This is one sign that I've been a missionary way too long. I have no personal time anymore. I am confused by personal time now. I'm like "Why would I paint my nails when I could text an investigator or update the area book." I've lost my mind. It's great and perfect and I need to live it up well I can. love you" 

1 Nephi 1:1

" You know sometimes 1 Nephi 1:1 is my favorite verse because it tells us that you can be highly favored of the Lord but still have afflictions sometimes realizing that just makes me feel better about life. 

Do you want to know an amazing miracle? In my last area I met this girl who was 19 who'd come out with us ALL the time. I served there for 7 1/2 months so we just became best of pals. Well this little angel got her mission call this week and you will never guess where she is serving... CALGARY CANADA!!! That is my home mission! I am so happy! I always told her that I will move anywhere that she gets called so that I can help her out like how she's helped me and bam I don't need to move anywhere. Such a miracle!

This week was great and here is a list of reasons why:

-Our 16 year old investigator got a blessing and in it the man spoke about him serving a mission. Our investigator told us that that's the plan. YAHOOO!!

- I had the best 4th of July of my life. I mean I've only had 2 this being the second but it was so fun! A cute convert who is my age invited us to her Mom's party and there was just tons of people there, tons of food, and then they set off massive fireworks in the front yard while we all sat on lawn chairs eating ice cream and listening to some American pride country music. It was perfect! It really was the American dream! 

- We taught Sunday School and Relief Society; haha it was so wild. We spoke in church the week before. We just man everything. 

- We were talking to this boy on the street and he's like I have to take this. We hear him talking to someone and saying "So you want me to sell it?" Then this weird car pulls up. I was convinced we had street contacted ourselves into the middle of a drug deal. I was freaking out I was like "Oh no, we are going to look like super apostates!" Turns out he was selling a quad not drugs. 

- We had zone training meeting and it was so weird. Literally everything that my companion and I have been talking about the last week was trained on! It was so weird. It was such a testament to me that God is my loving Heavenly Father and He really does hear my prayers. 

- A member took us out to eat. I forgot how fun going out to eat is. I felt so cool. My cool standard has really dropped down. 

-My convert who got baptized a week ago; blessed the sacrament this week! It was SO cute to see him up there and all the other priests giving him pointers. I just wanted to cry of happiness. 

Life is always great as a missionary. I am happy!" 

Zechariah 6:8

I miss Canada! I miss Raymond! I miss Raymond summer! I miss Canada Day! Happy Canada Day tomorrow! People try to make me feel better about life and say " You only miss one Christmas!" Little do they understand that Raymond summer is the only thing that makes the world go around especially Canada day. I could do without Christmas but I could never survive without Canada Day. These are true words! I'm not being dramatic. I'm sure my older brother would support that statement; that is that I'm a crazy for Canada Day and not into as Christmas as I should be. 

This week was great! Turns out I didn't end up being in a trio for a week. There was more craziness in the mission and my last companion was needed. My new companion is from Oregon: she's 19, blonde, and she loves theater and science. She is a really good teacher and talks to everyone. I have nothing even remotely bad to say about the chap. I also have never heard her complain so that's always pleasant. 

My sweet investigator got baptized on Tuesday! He's been going to church with his stepmom since he was about 10 and now that he is 18 he was ready to get baptized. He got the gift of the Holy Ghost and the priesthood on Sunday and he's going to the temple for baptisms this week. It's a dream come true. Sometimes I feel really confused with life on the mission because I feel like I'm just there and somewhere along the way people get baptized. I don't understand it at all but I am so glad that I am along for the ride. The gospel is amazing!

Can I just say that it is getting so hot in Las Vegas, Nevada. I forgot how hot, hot, hot, hot, hot it is here? Sunscreen is my best friend; right after the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, and my companion. I also some how have it stuck in my head that I am getting too many freckles so I am applying that stuff every other hour and then some. 

My investigator has read all of 1st and 2nd Nephi in 2 weeks but it's so sad because he said that it just doesn't influence him but he's committed to read the whole book. I saw my cute little 9 year old pal after his baptism. His Dad gave him a playful pat on the back and he said "Dad, you hit my Holy Ghost." ahhh that's so cute. 

I gave a talk in church yesterday. It might have been my finest hour. I told everyone that we need to be more confident like Christ. I said "I promise you that people are only as awkward as you are." I then went on to tell people that at the end of Christ ministry people just expected him to perform  miracles and that is how it is with nonmembers. They just expect us to invite them to dinner, to church, to read the Book of Mormon, to meet with the missionaries. They are just waiting for it. Don't worry I'll quickly put in a request to the Bishop to perform the same talk when I get home. Well, God is good always." 

Mosiah 8:18

This week was so great. I know I say that every week but on the mission so many miracles happen everyday that I usually get overwhelmed with how amazing things are happening. I just love my companion and my area so much. To give you an idea of what I mean I will give you a highlight from each day this past week. 

Monday: We taught a little nine year old about the sacrament and his lip started to quiver and he said "You're going to make me cry." We asked him why and he said "This is just a really good lesson." Doesn't that just melt your heart?

Tuesday: On Sunday I had a feeling to visit a member but I just thought "If we visit her great, if not that's okay." Then when we planned for Tuesday I felt like Tuesday was the day so we stopped by. After we knocked she didn't open the door for a while but we just waited. When she finally came she invited us in and we asked how she was doing she said "Not good but I guess that is why you came." She went on to tell us that they had only been home for ten minutes and that they just got home from the doctor who told them that their little 5 year old daughter has epilepsy. It was heartbreaking. We had a very powerful,spiritual lesson as we spoke about having an attitude of "Thy will be done." 

Wednesday: We taught a whole family the Restoration! They have four kids. It was so fun! We all sat down in a circle on the carpet and talked about how much Heavenly Father loves us and how He speaks to us in lots of ways including: prayer, scriptures, prophets, and through our feelings. 

Thursday: Our investigator read ALL of 1 Nephi! We thought he was joking but oh no, he read it all. He said "Well I would just read it when I had a spare minute; here and there." 

Friday: The members just showered us with love. We had a member take us to lunch, a different member take us to dinner, and then a different member take us out to ice cream. It's just so nice to be loved especially when you are away from home. 

Saturday: A family that I taught for 7 months in my last year got baptized!! The Spirit was incredibly strong and I just sobbed. The Dad's Dad passed away and after the baptism he bore his testimony and spoke about how he felt he was there tonight. I gave the opening prayer and cried, and then I didn't stop crying until the end. We also had an impromtue musical number by me and another set of sisters in the area. It was just silent when they were changing and someone was like "Sisters sing." I don't know what happened but next thing I know I'm up there in a trio. 

Sunday: We had a brief lesson with our investigator who we found last week. We had told her that the Book of Mormon brings peace so after she read what we asked her to read she carried it around all week because she really, really wants peace in her life. 

Isn't being a missionary a dream come true? I am consistently in awe with the work of the Lord. I am consistently in awe at how He hears and answers my prayers ( as little in the world as I am). I am consistently in awe with how perfect His plan is. Everything always works out for us!" 

1 Kings 19:11-12

" Life in Las Vegas is great as ever. It's also as hot as ever. I hit my 14 month mark tomorrow! That makes me feel nauseous and a little excited at the same time. Life is just so safe on the mission and it's so satisfying as well. I know that I'm not going to mess anything up because this is the Lord's work and each day I am helping people come unto Christ so I am just completely content everyday. It freaks me out to think I only have 4 months left but of course I miss my family, my friends, my family, sleeping, my family, and my family. 

We had a magical, magical week. My companion and I get along so well and we are being so blessed for all our hard work. We were able to find plenty of new investigators and teach lots of lessons this week. One of the most magical moments was when we were trying to find a member to come to a lesson with us to teach our investigator who has stage 4 cancer. We asked so many people and finally just an hour before the lesson out of desperation we invited one more member and she said yes. So we go to the lesson and the member says "I think I know why the sisters invited me because cancer has a special place in my heart," and she goes on to explain how her son is a two time cancer survivor and that the gospel of Jesus Christ is how she got through it. I seriously wanted to start crying so hard right then and there because we had no idea. We had no idea that this member had plead with the Lord that morning for an opportunity to share her testimony.We had no idea her history with cancer. We had no idea that our investigator just needed someone who understood her struggle. We had no idea about anything but we just knew we needed a member. But Heavenly Father knew. He knows his children so perfectly. There has been so many times this past week that I just wanted to cry because I feel so overwhelmed with how perfectly Heavenly Father knows his children. We've just said one statement to someone and they ask us how we know that or we will share a random scripture and it just answers their question. At the beginning of my mission I was really worried about losing "myself", but now I see who really cares about yourself when you can be a shiny tool in the Lord's hands. I think that's when I've really loved my mission when I realized that hanging on to "myself" was just not cutting it anymore but when I literally gave everything over to the Lord I became my best self that I could be. So in short everything is great! I am so happy! The work is progressing at alarming speeds. My investigator who is 16 came to church. We found a family to teach and a family in my last area is getting baptized. It's like when I took off "myself" glasses I saw all the miracles that have been happening all around me. God is good, always." 

D &C 1:32

" Everything is crazy. and magical right now! I am just a massive fan of lists, I like making them, following them, and reading them. So I will list all the crazy things and then all the magical things. 

Crazy: 

-My companion got progressively sick and sicker and so she had to go home. It breaks me heart. I'm honestly obsessed with her.

- Las Vegas get's alarmingly hot, alarmingly fast. Let the sweating begin.  

- My current companion was in the Spanish ward in the same stake and President didn't give us much direction about what we are suppose to do but he just kept telling us to "assess the situation." That's vague lawyer talk for you. 

- Because we both got ripped out of our companionship, We have two phones, two apartments, four bikes, and we just gave away our second car. We are pretty much SAP's (Sister Assistant to the President which actually isn't a real thing and maybe that is a scandalous joke to some people.) 

-I've been having crazy deja vu. I would love to poll the people and see what your opinion on deja vu is because my companion tries to tell me that it means I have the gift of prophecy. 

Magical: 

-I've been companions with my current companion twice already, just for a couple of days each time so we are so excited to actually be companions. We love lots of the same things and mostly just talk about the worlds problems and the the gospel all day. 

- We met this man who claimed to be Atheist and we just kept telling him that he wasn't and then at the end of conversation he said "You know I've never met anyone that was religious and as intelligent as you two. I might just read this Book of Mormon and decide to get baptized." 

- I met a Russian women who told me that I look just like a Ukrainian/Russian girl. I felt so connected to my Smith heritage. 

- We are teaching this amazing family that the mother in law has stage 4 cancer and she is living with her daughter in law, little 2 year old grandson, and her son. They all just love each other so much and even though the mother in law is dying they are so positive and upbeat. The daughter in law is my age and she is amazing. She took in her 15 year old niece and raised her for many years,and takes care of many family members who are addicts. They are just a picture book of love. 

-My young investigator who was in the hospital is out and is at home resting. He is the best. He had to cancel a lesson and said "but don't worry, I still have faith and a desire to be baptized." What a dream. 

-We had a missionary meeting where we talked about how we need to have joy everyday. It just made my heart happy. 

I am just madly in love with being a missionary right now. It's so funny because when look back at all I've learned this past year I feel bigger. I don't know how to explain it but I just feel bigger not that my waist line has gotten bigger but my testimony, my heart, my desire, everything has just grown. I'm one happy ginger missionary."

Ether 12:4

Yahoo, how is everyone? I am doing great. I'm just obsessed with my mission, and day dream about ways that I can stay as intense about the gospel forever as I am right now. Missionaries dream big eh? We had a pretty great week. Every week is great when your companion and you are both from Canada and you are both comedians in your spare time. Since I never have any time to email and because I know how much people love to read bullet points I'll give you the highlights. 

Highlights from the past week:

-I ran into one of my favorite less active girls from my first area! Turns out she's a nanny for a family in this area. It was a dream to see her. 

- Some old Hawaiians played the ukulele for us and gave us chocolate. 

- We taught my favorite 9 year old investigator the ten commandments. He told us he was excited to be obedient to Heavenly Father; that makes a heart melt. 

-Our investigator who was sick in the hospital is home and a member gave us a quad to give to him.

- We ate falafels. Jerusalem is forever in my heart. 

- We had a magical, magical zone conference. It was SO good. It was my last one with my mission president and his wife so they told us everything that they wanted us to know! Mostly they warned us against pornography but they talked a lot about learning how the Spirit works for you as well. 

- I had exchanges with a sister I was in the MTC with and we know tons of the same people from Provo. It felt like a slummer party! It was so fun! She's also a ginger. 

- We went to the temple! I saw so many people from my last area. One lady said to me "See you tonight Sister Smith! I was like "..ummm I got transferred." She was  "You did?" Well I was flattered because it's been almost 3 months since I have been gone. I mean I was there for 8 months so she probably thinks I just bought a house there. 

- I just love my ward so much. 

It was a great week, so many miracles that I can't even explain. There are so many sacred things on the mission that I just get to treasure forever. I'm learning endlessly. Life is great. God is good. The church is true. 

Helaman 12:5

"Hello everyone! It was a great great,great week but to be honest every week as a missionary is a great week. Since today in Memorial day and we are emailing at a member's house I need to make this fast; so I am going to do a nice bullet point summery of our past week. 

Monday: We saw the cute little 9 year old who we are teaching. I was busting a gut because last week he gave us a rock to paint for him to be a prayer rock. Then I guess he went to get the rock and it was gone because he gave it to us, but this is how he tells the story: "I came down stairs to get the rock and it's gone, and I say "they stole it?" He kept asking us how come some missionaries steal. I was dying laughing. Just for clarification he gave us the rock;we didn't steal it. 

Tuesday: Today is a little interrupted because Sister Thomas sprained her ankle so we had to go to the doctor. I made her get the shot of drugs into her ankle. She yelled! It was really funny!  (everyone wants to be companions with me!)

Wednesday: Sadly our little 16 year old investigator was in the hospital because of this really crazy story but the long, and short of it was his kidneys were failing so he was getting them flushed. He was there for a week but we were able to visit him. He was telling us that all the nurses liked him because he's nice to them. He's an angel boy. 

Thursday: So there is a boy in our ward who's been coming to church every single week for 8 years, and now that he's 18 he wants to get baptized. He's doesn't really like missionaries for some reason but we told me that we are the gate keepers here so he has to take the lessons. To get back at us he told us we can teach him everything that he needs to know in 3 lessons. Well let me tell you friendships are made when you talk about the gospel. He loves us now and we love him, and he's going to get baptized. 

Friday: We had a sisters conference that was just a love fest of sister power. Our ward mission leader took us to supper and I lost my planner. It was a very eventful day. 

Saturday: We went to a baptism. Baptisms are a dream come true. I think everyone should get baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (see what I did there?) 

Sunday: Church is always a joy, we had supper at the Bishops which is always a joy, and we got 3 new investigators which is always a joy. One of them has been taught by the Elders and just moved into our ward so he's just ready to be baptized. Blessings from above. 

Life is great, being a missionary is a treat, and I love you all! 

Galations 5:22

" So I've been out 13 months! I think that really just came out of no where and punched me in the face. That is so weird. I come home in 5 months. I can count that on one one hand. One hand! That freaks me out! There is still so much that I feel like I need to learn and still so much that I feel like I need to change but I guess that is a good sign of being a missionary and really being a member of Christ's church. We are a church of sick people who are contently trying every day to be just a little tiny bit better. I love that! I love that we are a people about becoming and not just being. 

It was a great week! I gained a great testimony of the power of the Holy Ghost. It seems like just when I felt lost, the Spirit would guide me, just when I felt done the Spirit would comfort me, just when I felt frustrated the Spirit would soften my heart. It was amazing! 

Some highlights from the week:

-We taught a 9 year old about the Law of Chasity and the Word of Wisdom. When I explained the Law of Chasity so awkwardly he goes "Hmmm, can you repeat that to see if I really get it?" "Hmmm yeah, sure." And pretty much when we teach kids we just tell them we have private parts, wink wink. 

- Transfers happened and I get to stay with my dear, dear companion another transfer!! I just love her so much. Companions stretch you and teach you a lot. 

- It got really hot in Vegas and of course we are biking to save our miles. It was a treat to get those happy chemicals pumping because sweating makes me grumpy.

- We had an authentic Hawaiian supper with a super less active family and then they came to church on Sunday! It was a magical miracle! 

- We got cat called when we were walking down the street. Not a shock, you put two girls in long skirts and tags that say Jesus Christ, yeah I'd give them a cat call too. 

- We ate donuts and Indian food this week. Is it sad that sometimes meals are a highlight in my life? I have no shame. 

-I am rereading the New Testament and the Book of Mormon before I go home. I'm learning so much. Knowledge is happiness. 

I'm a happy, happy missionary. Life is great when you are centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Love you long time." 

2 Nephi 2:8

It was a great week, nothing too crazy happened but I was just happy everyday. Here are some of my favorite things that happened this week:

-I attract all the crazy people. We met this man on the street and we were having a nice conversation about the gospel and then he tells us "I love this! We have three vortexes coming at each other and they are meshing and doing well together. It's as if we were 3 Narwhals and our horns touched." He then told us that he has mental diseases. He then also went on to tell us "Why do people complain in this day and age. If you don't like your skin you can go to a tanning bed and change your skin color. Michael Jackson "101" people." Sometimes I don't know what's inappropriate for missionaries to laugh at. 

-We had a training for new missionaries and it was just a love fest of everything that you love about your companion. President told everyone how he just loves my laugh and how happy I am. My companion told everyone how I love compliments. 

- I went on exchanges and my Sister Training Leader who is 28 and a beautiful ginger kept asking me how I got to be so confident. She asked me the whole day. She just couldn't get over it. I couldn't really give her an answer but I was flattered. 

- Everyone we talked to wanted the Book of Mormon. Okay, that's not true they all had questions about why we are here and where we are going and in return we promised them that their answers would be found in the Book of Mormon. 

- I am trying to take the approach of complimenting people. So in a street contact I will just compliment a person to no end and then tell them that we need them in our church. We meet this lady who was honestly so nice and I told her sincerely how nice she was and I told her we are looking for nice people like that to help us build up the kingdom of God. Well, let me tell you people love to be built up and love to feel needed so I'm just honest and tell people that they have special gifts that the Lord needs in His kingdom. 

-We taught an amazing lesson to our 16 year old investigator where we went through the Book of Mormon and talked about the great examples of strength and devotion. So we talked about Nephi, Abinidi, The Stripling Warriors, Christ, and Moroni. You want to feel the Spirit? Just crack open that Book of Mormon. 

-mormon.org/motherhood watch that a thousand times. I love it! 

-We tried to walk to church but the members are way too nice and picked us up. 

I just love life, I love being a missionary, I love the gospel, and I love the Savior.

Moroni 7:45

"Hi pals! I am probably the happiest that I have ever been my whole mission. I have learned so much all before and have been very happy but I am just so happy right now. Here is a list of why I am so happy:

-So weird times. I have been out the longest out of all the Sisters in my zone and so the zone always turns to me as the experienced older sister missionary. Last month our mission focused on the Christ like attribute of humility. Wednesday night I get a call at 8:30 pm from my Zone Leaders asking me if I would do a training the very next morning on the mission Christlike attribute for the next month. They said they prayed and I was the only name that came to mind. I was so flattered and beyond humbled because the mission Christlike attribute for May is charity! I was really, really humbled. So I studied, and prayed, and studied. Somewhere along the way I decided to train 20 other missionaries about how charity is an action learned through the life of Christ. So I talked about the attributes explained in Moroni 7:45, and shared an example from Christ's life. I think I am so happy because I get to be the biggest church nerd as a missionary and it's finally acceptable.

-I am so happy because I love my companion. One night she went to bed early and I was wide awake so I decided to decorate the area above her desks because there was not a picture hanging up and that's boring. So I wrote out all the attributes that I admire about her, stuck them up, and put up a picture of Christ. Little did I know she was super sad the next morning and that made her day. I love that if we are willing to do something a little selfless the Lord makes it the perfect thing to help. 

- I am beyond happy because we are receiving so many answers to our prayers. Coming into a new area we don't know anyone at all so all we can do is pray about what to do and Heavenly Father is giving us exactly what to say, or do to help His children. I am loving coming to this new area, because it's teaching me to rely solely on the Lord. Also He's being a pal and giving me a lot of answers for my personal life. 

- We are talking to so many nice people. Most people we talk to don't keep their return appointments but they are so nice to us when we talk to them. We had four people talk to us about the gospel in the store today! That never happens but people kept coming up to us and saying "So are you the Mormons?" A man even asked me for a Book of Mormon. It's so sad because everyone in this are is so chill about their eternal potential but they are nice to us. 

-My Canadian investigator got baptized! At his baptism his 9 year old son said the opening prayer and in tears he kept saying "Thank you so much that my Dad can get baptized." The Spirit was so strong! 

- I think I am so happy because I am being so humbled. At interviews during the training from our Mission President's wife we were talking about prayers and she had me explain to the group how I pray and how I receive revelation. So I explained how I am so weird and how I pray with a pen so I can write down all revelation and that I pray out loud so I know what I am saying are my thoughts and the thoughts that come into my mind are the Lord. I explained how I pray over my planner so I don't forget anything and how sometimes I just bare my testimony when I pray because I know that will insistently bring in the Spirit and will help me pray better. I felt like a big weirdo but then after she said "Thank you so much! The reason I wanted you to share is because a sister told me how she went on exchanges with you and from learning about prayer and revelation from you she'll be changed forever." Wow, humbling. 

I just love being a missionary!"