2 Nephi 4:2

"As a missionary you have a lot of feelings, and emotions all the day. One minute you are on a high because someone says you can come back and the next a low because 9 people ditched on their lessons. I thought to switch things up I would write about all the different feelings I have. 

Shocked: I am shocked daily when: with how many people think they are prophets, when a 96 year old Catholic takes me on a tour of her house when I just meet her on the street,when a man who I've been teaching since October thought my name tag said "Ester Smith," 

Happy: when my investigator who I've been teaching since September quit smoking for over 2 months, and got baptized,when my companion, and I talk to every single person that we see, when we bust out our bikes, and talk to everyone we see,when the members tell me that they love me, every Monday my favorite Hawaiian family feeds us and now I call P-day by their last name because I am more excited about going to their house then about P-day, when a member buys our investigator church clothes.

Awkward: when a Hindu man won"t stop calling me Sista', when my companion, and I have to spend 10 minutes trying to understand the difference in pronouncing whore and horse. 

Disappointed: when people tell me their wrong address or give me fake phone numbers, 

Confused: when people say "yeah, I believe in Christ, but it's not your Christ," or when people say "I'm never going to quick smoking, so no I won't be a Mormon," and I'm thinking "umm all I said was hello," 

Stressed: when I think about I literally have no idea where I am suppose to move after my mission, when I think that 9  months is a short time, when I binge on chocolate,when we have to teach in Relief Society about the priesthood, when none of my whites are white anymore. 

I should have thought about this all week because this was really funny. It was a great week! My investigator got baptized! Hip hooray for fulfilling my purpose! Life is great! I love being a missionary! Life is funny, and great, and perfect. LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!" 

D & C 60:2-3

"This Sunday one of the speakers had a baby so the Bishop had extra time on his hands so who did he call? The missionaries! I was shaking I was so nervous, and my voice cracked when I tried to sing. As everyone knows I love to be the center of attention but I love to prepare to be the center of attention. I don't like to just be thrown into the center. He wanted us to introduce ourselves and bare our testimonies. I wanted to be funny and lively because it was near the end of the meeting and that's usually when people nod off so here is a recap of my testimony 

"Hi, I'm Sister Smith, I've been out for 9 months and I'm from a small town in Alberta, Canada, called Raymond, where the people love the Lord, love sports, and love to gossip. When I was born my Dad had just finished school after going back for the second time and my parents bought a pharmacy when I was a young child so I was raised on hard work and patterns. I'm grateful for a family that taught me about how to live the gospel on a pattern of prayer, a pattern of attending church, a pattern of reading the scriptures, and a pattern of service. To emphasize that my family was a family of patterns my Dad would often says "What's the point?" If I'm going to church, and not feeling the Spirit, well what's the point? If I'm going to school, and not learning, what's the point?, or if you are going through life, and no one likes you, well what was the point? I want the point of my life to be that I love the Lord and served Him with all heart and that I became the person that He wants me to be. I love the Lord and I am so grateful for the Atonement that refines us everyday." 

So that was basically my testimony and then I shook all the way to my seat. It was a great day. I always want my family there when I talk. I never feel that homesick; sure there are things that I miss like: flirting with boys, and hugging my mom, but really I just want to look into the crowd and see my family. Nothing will make a person feel good about speaking in public like looking out and seeing Norma S.'s smiling face, and seeing Wayne S.'s mustache. 

When you are a missionary every second they tell you to talk to everyone. Open your mouth. Street contact. Talk to people. Find people through talking to people. Talk, talk, talk. This weekend I really learned that as a missionary if I talk to every person that I see then I will be home. I don't think I've ever been offended in my life. I've been shocked and taken back, but never offended so I doesn't bother me when the people say "NOT INTERESTED!" I just say " Christ suffered for you anyways." Just kidding I say "well we know Heavenly Father loves you!" and flash my smile.
I got a fortune cookie 3 months ago that said "In three months you will receive pleasant  news." I always wanted to remember my fortunes so see if they are true so I marked it on my calendar, and pleasant news I did receive. 

-We street contacted 16 people in 1 day

-I got to see the dermatologist to fan my vain flame

- We taught 2 great couples!

-We rode our bikes

-We set up lots of return appointments

-Our investigator had a dream he got baptized, and now he wants to get baptized

-My mission President said "Sister Smith you are a blossom of friendship, and everyone wants to be your companion."

The longer I am out the more I love to be a missionary and the more I love this perfect gospel of ours. Half way to the rest of my life!" 

1 Kings 3:25

"So I've been on my mission for 9 months. Yup 9 months. I'm half way. I don't know if that seems like a big deal to anyone but that's a big deal to me. A sister missionary has 13 transfers, and I am on transfer 7. That means I'm right in the middle. I'm at the top of the hill. It's all down hill from here. In honour of being out for 9 months I'm going to share a couple of things that I've learned in the past 9 months.(Also I think that I am so funny for putting 1 Kings 3:25 for the title.)

Things I've learned in the past 9 months:

-Christ lives. I thought I'd start out super churchy but I really learned that on my mission. I always thought it because who doesn't want to believe that but now I really really know it.

- I learned that I am really more patient then I thought. Being with one person for 4 and a half months teaches you patience.

-I understand that the Lord really does love me right now. Not when I am more obedient, or happier, or anything but He loves me completely now. That was a a big deal for me to learn. My whole life I thought that people would like if I was just more. Boys would like me more if I was skinnier, girls would like me more if I was funnier, my parents would like me more if I actually woke up. But now I understand that the Lord loves me just now.

-I really learned that prayers are work and they are answered.

-I learned that when you are completely obedient to the gospel then you are the best version of you. When I am completely obedient my spiritual gifts are strengthened and my personality is better and the blessings flow.

- You can be funny and spiritual all at the same time.

-I also learned that true happiness comes from being obedient not from the blessing that comes from keeping the commandments.

Pretty much everything that I knew before I really, really, really know now. The mission is the greatest. I've learned so much. 

Also my parents are probably overjoyed because my companion doesn't speak much English so I have to think about everything that I say. They've always told me to think before I talk and now I really, really have to do that. So that's a blessing for them. Happy 9 months everyone!"

LOVEYOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

1Nephi 3:7

"So I chatted with my friends, and have no time to email but this is the gist of the last week.
I went on the greatest exchange, and pretty much told everyone that I met that Heavenly Father loves them. I love telling people that. 

I went to the temple again. But sadly there was a family emergency with a companion so she had to leave a couple days early. I cried! We were together for 4 and half months. She wrote me a poem about all the things she loves about me. She's the nicest! 

A member drew a cartoon of me as a missionary. It's so cute! 

I had to be companions with a member for about 6 hours. We drove all over Vegas because my companion needed a ride and then forgot things and then because I had nothing I really had to get done. We ate spaghetti and played ping pong. I promise I work as a missionary. 

My new companion is 19 from Mexico and hates speaking Spanish. We are going to have a blast together. I am suppose to help her learn to be more confident. I told the Pres, well if she was born a Steed women she would be fine. Just kidding, but who would have thought that me my vanity would be a help in my mission. So that's a treat. 

I woke up at 3:25 a.m. to go hiking. I have a policy that I don't hike without my Dad because then he just holds my hand and pulls me up the whole mountain, but instead I just took it slow and steady, and made religious jokes out of my dying lungs. Laughter helps everything! We then had a dance party to some wholesome music on the top of the mountain. 

I am really excited for this next transfer. It'll be great to change things up and help the area. I love my area so much.  New companion, new transfer, new year. Yeah buddy....yeah Sister?

Heavenly Father answers prayers, the church is true, families are forever, and I love you all."