January 31, 2012

This week we got to go to Regina for a specialized training. We got to stay with the same family we did last time. They are just wonderful! A couple of their girls were sick this time...but we had so much fun talking with the mom and dad. They are great. Specialized training was so good. We practiced A LOT but we also learned a lot. We really focused on bearing testimony during lessons and the power and the influence that can have on people. It was really good. That night we got back to Antonio and Linas just in time. It was a great time. We took a Spanish family with us and talked more about the plan of salvation!! They really love how the church is so family oriented and how the focus on eternal families is so important. They said they have been receiving answers and feel like they are on the right track and in the right direction. They came to church again yesterday :) :) :) it was great. They stayed all 3 hours and the ward was just so great at fellowshipping them. They are already part of the ward.

We have had a lot of contact with Jelena again lately too!! It has been really good and she went to church as well yesterday. And Meaghan was at church with her fiancé. A lot of great things happening yesterday! Church attendance is soooo important. :) Revelation just flows at church.

There is a little family that just moved here from Regina. The mom got baptized about a year and a half ago...she has 4 kids...who haven’t been baptized. We got to meet her this week and now have the opportunity to teach her two oldest...11 and 9. They are SOO excited. When we went over there for the first time they were like ELDERRRRRRS!!! Then they started calling us elder sisters. Ha. It’s pretty great. They already know so much and they want to be baptized. We are excited to get to teach them and help them understand even more. It will be fun.

The weather has been extraordinarily wonderful. It has been -2 to -4 and this week it is supposed to be in the positives. Sister Roper is a lucky one. :)

Hope you all had a great week. January is already over. I can't believe it.

I love you. Be good. Remember who you are. Live it and love it.

January 23, 2012

WHAT A WEEK! Wow I tell ya. If you've ever wondered if people really survive living in -48 degree weather...the answer is yes...it is true...you can survive…barely...but it can be done. Ha. Monday-Wednesday was super super cold. -48. We had to stay in until it got to -40 then we were out and about and let me tell you...we looked GREAT! Ha. Winter has finally hit...well it did...it is now back to -10. By Wednesday it is supposed to be +3....it’s going to feel like summer. Craziness, but it makes things interesting.

The top story of the week is our Spanish family is back :) :) :) we had a fantastic lesson with them this week! We had a member who served in Mexico to come with us. We had told them we wanted to start from the beginning with them and start over...so we had this return missionary teach the restoration all in Spanish so it was more clear and made sense. IT WAS REMARKABLE!! I have never seen them so intent and listening. The look on their faces was unforgettable. The spirit was so strong! They just kept saying wow...wow...I don’t know all that was said...obviously because I don't speak Spanish. Ha-ha. Buuuttt...that doesn't matter to the spirit. The spirit speaks all languages and anyone could have felt the spirit that night!! At the end...they told the member...how we understand why this is so important to the sisters and why they keep trying. We are so thankful they have tried too hard to help us understand...now we get it. Now we know why it is so important!!! The member asked them when they can remember feeling the spirit so they could recognize the spirit in the lesson. the dad told him that he remembers very distinctly feeling the spirit when he was getting married...and he said I can count on my fingers the number of times I have felt that way...when I was getting married...one other time and when the sisters come to teach us. :) :) :) :) :) oooooh maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan. Incredible!!! THEN, it gets even better...they came to church on Sunday!!!!!! Sacrament meeting had barely begun and I looked over to the door and there they were standing there. I was like WO SISTER ROPER WE’VE GOTTA GO so we went and sat with them...and of course...a new Spanish member of our ward talked in sacrament meeting...coincidence...I think not :) then we pulled together a Spanish Sunday School class so the wife could understand!!! It was so so so so great and their little boy LOVED primary. They asked him if he had fun..."te gusta?" and he said. "SI SI SI SI SI." they loved it. The ward just flocked to them. I think every member who speaks Spanish came and talked to them. We are just sooo excited for them!!!

So to say the least...in spite the cold and peoples hurry to get inside to get warm...it was a wonderful week as always.

We are going to Regina tomorrow for specialized training! That will be fun...we'll get to see all the missionaries in Saskatchewan.

Anyways...hope you all had a wonderful week. Don’t forget to see the little miracles that happen every day...there will always be a blessing.

Love you all.

Be good. Remember who you are. Live it. Love it

January 16, 2012

Well.....

This week was...a big learning experience. It has probably been the most trying but most faith promoting week my whole mission.

On Tuesday our precious Tracy called us and told us she needs to talk to us about something. We met with her on Wednesday when she told us that she overlooked something and isn't sure if she can go through with her baptism. To make a long story short....we pled with her and prayed and cried and read scriptures with her for about an hour and a half...we gave her some scriptures to read over night and we were going to meet the next day. She called us Thursday telling us she had made up her mind and would not be getting baptized on Saturday and she will not be meeting with us :( it was the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with. I don’t' think my heart as hurt so much. She was devastated...we were devastated. Butttt...it's alright. I don't know how to explain the way I felt that day and the day after...but I also don't know how to explain how I felt as I felt the Lord comfort me and give me strength to continue on and push forward. She is so prepared and I know that the Lord is very mindful of her and will help her when she is ready to strengthen that part of her testimony and to allow the Lord to make up the rest and be baptized. I know that when the Lord has a blessing in store for us...he puts a big trial in our way so we can make a great sacrifice.  I know that Tracy will accept the gospel...it may be while I am here...it may not be...it may be in Canada...it may not be...but I know that one day...she will accept it fully and be able to receive the blessings that our Father in Heaven has for her. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to teach her and to learn from this experience. I am so thankful that my testimony of the atonement has yet again grown tremendously and I have been able to see the calming influence personally in my life.

As I had been praying the rest of the weekend I asked Heavenly Father to show us what to do next to allow us to know where to go and that our efforts were not in vain...on Sunday during Sunday School...the Sunday School teacher received a strong prompting to ask one of our investigators how she felt as she had been learning. The investigator bore her testimony about the strength she has received and the happiness that has come into her life and the knowledge that she has of the Book of Mormon. Little did that Sunday School teacher know that she was answering one of my many prayers. I know what Heavenly Father expects us to do...to keep moving. I know where He expects us to go...and I know that our efforts are not in vain...that we make a big difference...if we see it or not. Heavily Father loves all of His children and is so mindful of each of us individually.

In the other ward we are in...during Sunday School we were discussing the first couple of chapters from 1 Nephi. As we were talking I thought a lot about how fast I act to the warning voice of our Heavenly Father. There was a story given about a boy who lived in Idaho when the Teton Dam broke...he received a call that the dam broke and he had but a few minutes to leave...without hesitating...he got the important things and left. Then we read about how Lehi’s family reacted when he...a prophet..."called them" and told them they needed to leave. And then I thought about when the prophet..."calls us" to act in warning of danger...and how fast do we act? He warns us of the destruction of not saying our prayers...not reading our scriptures...he warns us of the people who are in the pathway of devastation who need visiting teachers and home teachers...yet, how fast do we react? Do we act when we are told...or do we wait till it's just about too late when we can see the destruction almost over taking us? It really hit me hard on Sunday as I thought about things I can do better to act NOW when the prophet warns us...when Heavenly Father prompts us...and the blessings and protection that will come from it.

It has finally got cold here! We got a LOT of snow on Sunday!! It’s been crazy. Today it's about -22 without wind chill!! Sister Roper is in for a treat :)

Miracles follow trials. Trials increase our faith. Our faith leads us to act. Our actions show our love for our Father in Heaven.

I know this church is true. I know God lives. I know that my Savior lives and that His atonement is infinite and eternal. I am so thankful for the experiences I have been having on my mission. I wouldn't trade this for anything. It means the world to me.

Make it a wonderful day. The sun is shining...its warmer wherever you are...I can almost guarantee...and we are so blessed. :)

I love you all. Be good. Remember who you are. Live it. Love it.

Sister Smith

January 8, 2012

This week was the prep week for this month...which miracles=miracles. :) I love it.

We really focused on Tracy this week getting her ready for her baptism this weekend!!! She is doing so great. On Friday we talked about the prophet and the importance of following the prophet always. We watched president Monson’s testimony. Afterwards she just bore her testimony for a good 15 minutes about how she knows that he is a true prophet and how she knows that if she follows him she will always be ok and that she NEEDS to follow him. It was so special. She was just so thankful to know that there is a man on earth that can receive revelation for the whole world. She was so excited that now she knows she can have the opportunity to follow him. On Saturday we watched Finding Faith in Christ. She got a bit emotional afterwards and she then bore her testimony about Christ and how she KNOWS who He is and how she knows that He suffered just for her and all she can do is follow Him and do her best. After that appointment she was interviewed. :) Elder Mansfield said it was such an amazing interview. He said it was very special. She is so excited to be baptized. She told us she can't wait to be the new Tracy that Heavenly Father has been creating since she started to meet with us. After her interview she had plans to go help a less active member. She’s already a missionary. Would you look at that! Last night she came to the CES fireside which was so great...all about the Holy Ghost...she said that she felt a very strong feeling and she feels comforted to know about the Holy Ghost and the blessings that will come to her as she receives the Holy Ghost. Oh my. She is just so amazing. We are so excited for her baptism. This Saturday. :) 5 days. It has come so fast. She is proof that if you just do the simple things...if you simply just read, pray, come to church and keep the commandments...you will...without a doubt receives an answer and you will be prepared to make covenants with our Heavenly Father. I feel so blessed to be apart of this and to be an instrument in the Lords hand in helping her receive the restored gospel. It’s very very humbling.

We got to go to Wynyard this week with the Shaws to teach a recent convert that lives there. It was fun to be with the Shaws and learn from them and to also be able to see more of our mission!! That’s always fun.

Miracles still happen. The Lord lives. He loves us and wants each of us to succeed. I’ve really gained a testimony of obedience lately....if everyone is obedient...imagine the world we would be living in. If everyone was even just obedient to the 10 commandments...our world would be so much better. I have seen how other missionaries have been obedient and how we have been blessed because of it. I have seen how we have been obedient and we and others have been blessed and it's not just a missionary principle to live by...its forever. If we are obedient to the Lord and if we live what we say we are...we will be blessed. There are so many blessings that can come to each of us as we are obedient.

It has been sooo nice here too!! It has been +5-+10 this weekend. It is crazy. Everyone is in shirts and pants...no hats...no big coats...nothing. It is just like spring. We are not complaining...at all. We just hope it stays like this till at least June...then it can do whatever it wants. :)

I love you all. Hope you have an amazing week. Be good. Remember who you are.  Live it.  Love it.

Sister Smith

January 2, 2012

January 2, 2012

It feels like it has been forever since I have told you anything!!! These past 2 weeks have been so so fast. It’s crazy. You don't even know about our dear little Tracy. She is the top story of the day :)

The week before Christmas we were about to teach a member at the church and the elders called us and said they met this girl Tracy on the street and she wants to meet right then. So...we thought the members wouldn't mind so we told the Elders to bring her to the church. She came and we taught her right there. She is Chinese and had no previous knowledge about God or Christ. The spirit was so strong. She set a baptism date that day for the 21st of January. She told us that she knew she was supposed to be here. That day she was supposed to be in China. She had a flight from here to Calgary from Calgary to San Fran, San Fran to China...but she didn't have an American visa so they wouldn't let her leave Calgary so they sent her back here to Saskatoon...she was just out walking around and she met the elders. She said I know that God wanted me to be here! I know I need this. :) :) we taught her the next day about the plan of salvation. She said her biggest goal is to be able to reach the celestial kingdom. She is so excited about it. The next time we taught her about the word of wisdom and that day she threw out all of her coffee. She asked us if she could get baptized earlier...so we moved her date to the 14th of January!! When we followed up with her reading...she has already finished First Nephi!!! She says she just goes home and reads and she just loves it. She loves coming to church. She came bowling with us today for p-day and the elders all talked to her about her baptism and she is just so excited about it. She says she knows God loves and her and that she can feel His love for her. So many miracles. SOOOo Tracy will be baptized in 2 weeks! We are so excited for her. She is on fire and is just so excited to know about God and HIs love.

Christmas was wonderful. Thank you all for your kind gifts and cards! We had supper with our new friend and some of her friends and her nun. It was actually very neat. They were very very kind and we were able to answer a lot of questions and set a good impression. It was a good experience for sure.

The weather has been really nice. I guess usually it is in the -30 by now...but this week the low was only -10 so we feel very very lucky. :) can't complain about that at all.

Transfers......Sister Roper and I will be staying!!! We get to work with our 4 baptism dates! We are both very excited to be able to stay here and to work with them! :)

Hope you had a great New Years. Real life is going to start real quickly here soon eh?! I hope everyone is well and happy. I love you!! It’s going to be a great year! :)

Remember who you are. Live it. Love it