Sometimes people say I look like an "artista." I was kindof confused for a long time about why they would think I was like an artist. Then finally this week it clicked. I remembered that artista means actress.... so that was funny.
Also, everyone, the sunsets are great here.
Also, cows look different, I don't know if I've told you that.
One day we had a rainstorm. It was pretty sudden. Earlier that day I broke yet another umbrella from the wind. So we hurried and went home to get an umbrella. On the way it stormed and the rain was sideways so it was useless anyway. But later that day I was actually cold for the first time. The air was cold, we were kindof wet. It was a weird thing to feel chilly. haha.
Something they focused on a lot at church yesterday was seminary and institute. I want to encourage all of you to participate. It seriously is such a blessing.
2 thoughts I had this week during studies:
Most of our greatest examples in the scriptures, especially of missionaries, were not always perfect or ever perfect people. Alma, Alma the younger, Paul, and latter day missionaries in the D&C, even Corianton, were very imperfect and even evil people. What does that teach us? We can change. That means that every one of us, whether just a little bad or maybe living a life of rebellion can accept the invitation to Come Unto Christ and become like Him. Of course we will make mistakes. But our Father in Heaven only has imperfect children. And He works through them perfectly.
Second, I thought about how the gospel relates to a pool. I was a lifeguard for a long time and I observed a lot of things. Here's what I thought. We have Christ who is like our lifeguard. When we make mistakes, when we go too deep, He will save us. The water can represent the trials and experiences of mortal life. The pool is the world. Satan's plan was to have an empty pool. We would all be safe. We wouldn't even need a lifeguard. But we would never learn to overcome. We would never learn to swim. And there would really be no point to the pool, no point to the world. Luckily our Heavenly Father filled the pool. And by our experiences we can learn something that isn't natural for us. Our spirits aren't quite made for this world alone, just like as humans we aren't really made to swim.
Well just some thoughts. Love you all. Have a good week.
Sister Smith
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| The worms Aubrey has had a lot of. (shudder) |
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| Aubrey's companion sat in dog poop. :( |
A little from letter to mom & dad:
Way to go Keaton. Returned with honor!
My toe, fine. Actually great. I'll just buy more cheap shoes and leave all my expensive ones haha.
Happiness, up and down, trying to choose to be happy.
Investigators are hard. It is really hard here. But I am doing my best and I know that if I let go of myself, He will work through me.
I'm excited for mail and a package ;) Today Sis. P got a card from you. She was really excited. I got 2 letters from grandma howell and a card from shanna wheeler (i forgot if I told you, but she sends them quite often. she's nice)
good luck with the book of mormon goal. You can do it. read chapter 5 of PMG and it will motivate you to share it even more.
I'm sorry things are slow in Vernal. I hope it gets better. Is there any crazy news in America I should be aware of? I have missed my phone a little lately. I am curious about the weather and news and I want to just be able to snapchat.
I have thought a lot about the sabbath. It is really hard as long time members sometimes to remember how important the sacrament is. We can do a lot more to make the sabbath better. Pg. 74 PMG is the most important page according to my mission pres so we should probably all follow it.
I'm glad church was so good for you. I wish I could have heard Keaton talk. I remember his farewell though so that gives me hope that maybe this won't be so long as it sometimes feels. I'm already to 4 months, and also I have about finished 2 of my 12 transfers in the field. So time really does fly.
Something funny. I just learned last week how to turn on the kitchen water filter. so I wonder how much bad water I've drank/cooked with. We order big 5 gallon drinking water, so it probably wasn't a ton, but still. no one told me.
I got a blessing on tuesday. I felt like I should, even though things were seeming pretty good. last last week I did something cheesy. Someone at the MTC said if you ever struggle to write Joseph Smith a letter in liberty jail. so i did then I kindof just kept pondering joseph smith. in my blessing my DL said "even though you don't understand why all of these trials are happening, know that they will be for your experience and good." it was interesting to get the exact words given to joseph smith. The blessing was a lot of things I have recently personally pondered and studied so it was really good.
I want you to send me in dear elders/letters family history. Mom, you said while i was in the mtc that someone said they help children through trials or something. So I asked the grandparents, but if you could also find some things. even short sayings/tidbits about them. I think it will help me.
I had a dream.
The other morning right before I woke up, I had a dream I was home. I think at first it was jUly 2015. Mom and I went to Emily's house to see it set up for her reception (this is why I think it was 2015) but then we were in a kitchen. and I was talking to mom and then I started crying. I said "my mission was too fast. I didn't get to do everything I wanted. I'm not fluent in Tagalog. I only served in one area, and I only had one baptism." mom looked at me kindof confused. She waited then told me that we were going to go back to the philippines in November to visit and she started talking about some souvenirs and things and we realized that I had forgotten the rest of my mission. She told me before we went back I would have to read my journal for the rest of my mission, because I accomplished a lot more than I remembered.
So although I am confused by that dream, what I learned was that the sadness and regret I felt is really how I would feel if I came home now. Even though that's what I want sometimes. And I realized I"m writing that journal right now. I have to make it to the end because I haven't done enough yet. So I don't know if that really makes sense but it had an effect on me. Earlier that day I had really started to feel like I could commit to Heavenly Father, so I hope that is confirmation and motivation to press on.
Yesterday at a member's house we had like chicken noodles and it tasted kindof like chicken noodle soup. I can't wait to eat food in america again. But mom, if you could try to find a couple simple filipino recipes and send them to me. Here a lot of people just use gross salty seasoning packets so I thought maybe you could find some recipes.
Well I love you. I miss you a lot. I know I'm missing a lot, but then again, weeks and days and hours just go by and I might as well use them the right way.
bye.
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Sister Smith
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