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."