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!"