4April2011
Hello!
So I love love loved this conference weekend। It was amazing. All 2000 of us packed into the auditorium (gym) to watch conference together. Our zone all sat together and it was really fun to talk to everyone while anxiously waiting for the sessions to start. I went into conference with a list of questions that I've been thinking about lately, personal questions, gospel doctrine questions, and missionary questions. I fasted both days and it was incredible to see the way the Lord answered each of my questions, whether through the talks themselves or through other promptings from the Spirit. One thing that I thought about a lot throughout the conference was that I need to be sacrificing more. I feel like I'm doing a lot but I don't necessarily feel like I'm going without, and I feel like I should be devoting more time or more focus or more energy to what I'm doing until I do feel like I'm going without something, but in a good way because it will mean I am really giving my all to the Lord's work. I missed being at home and going on a convertible drive with the family, but it was fun to think that for those 8 hours we were doing the same thing at the same time, and it was really cool to think about that. I like the idea- knowing the people you love, even though they're far away, are there with you in spirit.
Last night our fireside was by Vai Sikahema, a BYU football player who was/is a newscaster in Philadelphia. I will write you more about it in a letter, but he shared some really neat experiences from his mission and showed us how he has continued to be a missionary by finding ways to share the gospel through his work, with stories about LDS activities in the area or other simple things. He brought with him a man who he baptized while he was on his mission, as well as that man's wife, kids, and grandkids who are all now sealed in the temple. Really cool.
I love the new room- I have a top bunk this time, which is awesome. It's like living in a fort. The funniest thing that happened this week..... hard to say because there are just so many funny moments. One funny thing is that our elders learned some cool tricks with their name tags from some of the elders going to Brazil. They learned how to make them into harmonicas and how to play ping pong with them. I have videos, I'll send my card home this week so you can check it out. They're pretty great. It's fun to have the new missionaries here in our zone, and it makes the fact that I'm leaving in 29 days seem just crazy. I've kicked things up a few notches with my studying and my focus, and I know I just have to give it everything I've got for the next month.
I am so glad that Ava remembers me! I will send home my tape hopefully this week and maybe a few videos on my camera so she can see me and hear me at the same time. I sure miss that cute girl lots! I miss all of you. I talk about you all the time and I make everyone look at pictures of you like I am a grandma. Speaking of which there were so many beautiful old ladies at the temple this morning. They are so sweet and I love how dedicated they are to going every week. It reminded me of the talk President Monson gave about going to the temple. I think that is one of the things I'll miss most about being at the MTC.
The language is... good. It really is. Some days I feel like I learn so much and other days I feel like I know nothing, but at the end of the day I just have to look back and see how much the Lord has blessed me to learn as much as I know now and just have the faith that as I continue to study as hard as I can and rely on Him, He will help me to learn what I need to know and remember enough to serve His children. I think one thing about learning Chinese is that it is truly humbling. I am so grateful for the experience and that it has taught me so much to rely on the Lord and have faith and better understand that this is His work and we have to do it in His way, and He will make sure it works. I love my investigators, they are so great. Each time we visit we can see them believing more and more and developing more faith as they read and pray and keep their commitments. We learned a lot about commitments last week and how exercising the faith needed to keep those commitments is what lets investigators come to feel the truthfulness of the message and become converted to the gospel. I would love it if you could remember them in your prayers as well.
I have learned so much this week. I have learned a lot about myself, the things I want to do and the kind of person I want to be, and especially the importance of the little decisions we make every day. I know that people can change and become better, but it comes little by little as we make simple choices. I am so grateful for the blessing I have been given of being able to serve a mission. I am so grateful for this gospel and the happiness it brings and the direction it gives me in my life. I am so grateful for my family and I'm grateful for everything that you guys do for me, you are the best. Seriously, the very best. Thanks for all of your letters and your prayers. I love you.
Love, Sister Smith
So I love love loved this conference weekend। It was amazing. All 2000 of us packed into the auditorium (gym) to watch conference together. Our zone all sat together and it was really fun to talk to everyone while anxiously waiting for the sessions to start. I went into conference with a list of questions that I've been thinking about lately, personal questions, gospel doctrine questions, and missionary questions. I fasted both days and it was incredible to see the way the Lord answered each of my questions, whether through the talks themselves or through other promptings from the Spirit. One thing that I thought about a lot throughout the conference was that I need to be sacrificing more. I feel like I'm doing a lot but I don't necessarily feel like I'm going without, and I feel like I should be devoting more time or more focus or more energy to what I'm doing until I do feel like I'm going without something, but in a good way because it will mean I am really giving my all to the Lord's work. I missed being at home and going on a convertible drive with the family, but it was fun to think that for those 8 hours we were doing the same thing at the same time, and it was really cool to think about that. I like the idea- knowing the people you love, even though they're far away, are there with you in spirit.
Last night our fireside was by Vai Sikahema, a BYU football player who was/is a newscaster in Philadelphia. I will write you more about it in a letter, but he shared some really neat experiences from his mission and showed us how he has continued to be a missionary by finding ways to share the gospel through his work, with stories about LDS activities in the area or other simple things. He brought with him a man who he baptized while he was on his mission, as well as that man's wife, kids, and grandkids who are all now sealed in the temple. Really cool.
I love the new room- I have a top bunk this time, which is awesome. It's like living in a fort. The funniest thing that happened this week..... hard to say because there are just so many funny moments. One funny thing is that our elders learned some cool tricks with their name tags from some of the elders going to Brazil. They learned how to make them into harmonicas and how to play ping pong with them. I have videos, I'll send my card home this week so you can check it out. They're pretty great. It's fun to have the new missionaries here in our zone, and it makes the fact that I'm leaving in 29 days seem just crazy. I've kicked things up a few notches with my studying and my focus, and I know I just have to give it everything I've got for the next month.
I am so glad that Ava remembers me! I will send home my tape hopefully this week and maybe a few videos on my camera so she can see me and hear me at the same time. I sure miss that cute girl lots! I miss all of you. I talk about you all the time and I make everyone look at pictures of you like I am a grandma. Speaking of which there were so many beautiful old ladies at the temple this morning. They are so sweet and I love how dedicated they are to going every week. It reminded me of the talk President Monson gave about going to the temple. I think that is one of the things I'll miss most about being at the MTC.
The language is... good. It really is. Some days I feel like I learn so much and other days I feel like I know nothing, but at the end of the day I just have to look back and see how much the Lord has blessed me to learn as much as I know now and just have the faith that as I continue to study as hard as I can and rely on Him, He will help me to learn what I need to know and remember enough to serve His children. I think one thing about learning Chinese is that it is truly humbling. I am so grateful for the experience and that it has taught me so much to rely on the Lord and have faith and better understand that this is His work and we have to do it in His way, and He will make sure it works. I love my investigators, they are so great. Each time we visit we can see them believing more and more and developing more faith as they read and pray and keep their commitments. We learned a lot about commitments last week and how exercising the faith needed to keep those commitments is what lets investigators come to feel the truthfulness of the message and become converted to the gospel. I would love it if you could remember them in your prayers as well.
I have learned so much this week. I have learned a lot about myself, the things I want to do and the kind of person I want to be, and especially the importance of the little decisions we make every day. I know that people can change and become better, but it comes little by little as we make simple choices. I am so grateful for the blessing I have been given of being able to serve a mission. I am so grateful for this gospel and the happiness it brings and the direction it gives me in my life. I am so grateful for my family and I'm grateful for everything that you guys do for me, you are the best. Seriously, the very best. Thanks for all of your letters and your prayers. I love you.
Love, Sister Smith
posted by Sister Smith at
6:42 AM
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