Choosing to Take Each Step Closer to Him

Old men cooked for us.

Pretty yard.

Pretty yard.

Weird vegetable we washed our hands with.

Baby bamboo that we ate.

Sunset. 

Helllo everyone. How are you? I am doing pretty good. I love the ups and down. Whether the steps are hard to take or easy, I am choosing to take each step closer to Him. It's the best thing I've done in my life. I would recommend it ;) He is the Way.

Highlights:

I found a handkerchief with tractors on it. I immediately bought it. #remindsmeofutah

One thing I liked was our district meeting. It was based on a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland. When we have uncomfortable or difficult situations in life, we should take it with the attitude of Nephi, Alma, and the Savior. Nevertheless, I will. The Savior didn't let us down, we shouldn't let Him down.

I am blessed with beautiful skies all the time. Thank you Heavenly Father. And when the sky isn't beautiful, it's raining, therefore not too hot. Thanks again Heavenly Father. He loves us!!

We taught some great people this week. I will highlight one. Her name is Ana. She is separated from her spouse and some of her kids. She mentioned her oldest is a girl, 19 years old. the next is a boy, 17. I just thought of my mom and the whole lesson as she told us her story I just thought of how grateful I am for the gospel and at the end I hugged her and tried to say I am 19 too, if you miss your daughter. She is really sweet. She needs faith, but she has a willing heart. 

We also found some families who haven't been to church in years, but I was so happy when I saw them talking about the missionaries that baptized them. They ended up wanting to come back to church. I hope I'm leaving a legacy that someday my investigators will remember the spirit I was able to help them feel. 

Funny quotes: "Abraham is Jesus' father right?"     "Oh we know Jesus and God aren't the same person. It's obvious. Jesus was born in December, and God wasn't born. Right??"

Thank you people who mentioned the conf talk Music and the Gospel. At first I thought, I remember that talk, it's for parents. No, it's for all of us ;) it is so applicable to missionary work. 

Another moment from my studies: Look and Live. I read about Moses and the brass serpent, then the references in the NT and BOM about how Christ is who we need to look for. I then read the talk Choose to Believe.

I love the Savior. Sometimes we don't want to look to Him. Maybe we are angry. Maybe we are ashamed. Maybe we are just afraid. Or maybe we don't actually know He's there. But the way is easy. We just must be willing. He is there. Look up. Look to Him, be willing to believe, and you will be healed. You will live. 

Love you all. Have a great week! 

--

Sister Smith

Letter to Mom: 

Hi mom

I LLLOVEVE You. 

I'm so excited for the packages. I can't waittttt. I want that book so bad ;) My allergy pills made it. We'll see what happens.

Questions.

IS SISTER JENKINS HOME? I heard she was. It added to my hard week. yay. (yes, Aubrey's amazing MTC companion is home recuperating. We are all praying for her to recover quickly and get back out there to Urdaneta!!)

I bought a backpack because my carryon bag broke in the airport and I'm tired of dealing with it. 

I realized I'm addicted to rice. Like when I smell it at people's houses I'm like wow, I'm now rice dependent. I'm craving it.

I got called to be a trainer next transfer. I know I have weaknesses and I'm not perfectly nice, but I am trying to be like the Savior, and that is what matters. I thought I was patient and tolerant and loving before, well now I"m really becoming that. I'm really grateful Heavenly Father trusts me to do that. 

I have an ingrown on the other foot. YAY. :) 

I am also really grateful for prayer and stuff. Part of our callings in the church I am learning is to learn to love everyone, and especially those we serve with.

One thing I have bene pondering still is angels My missoin pres said in our Train the Trainers that angels are there to help us and one thing we need to learn is how to call on them. I thought that was interesting. Then kris christensesn's mom emailed me that angels are there helping me-my great great grandmothers and great great grandaughters. I never really thought about my future children being there, but that is a lovely thought.

well. this is long and stuff.

Okay bye. No time.

LOVE YOU! You're my best friend. (mom tears!!)

Letter to Dad: 

My week was rough but I read the letter you wrote me a long time ago about companions and how you were scared to train and it helped.  

I am glad you saw family. You're lucky. 

I have been loving studying the conference talks again. I've been trying to draw and be creative in my study journal. It's making the ideas stick more in my soul. 

Our baptism is no longer. they aren't ready to sacrifice. But they have a testimony, so someday they will. I know it. 

I am just trying to share the love and joy with them, but not be negative about them. 

I love you. I better get letters soon. Just kidding.  

I'm trying to focus on laughter. It's more fun when you're laughing.

I love youuuu!

Tiring Week

Woooow. I am tired after this week. It was a good challenging week. We moved. Our house is sooooo beautiful. Haha. I hope I don't transfer next week ;)

This week we had some great times. I forgot to tell a story from last week. We have an investigator who is 15. No missionaries had gone to him for a month, but we decided to go on a whim. We taught him a lesson and at the end he said "I have a question! I haven't wanted to listen the whole time!" we laughed and he said, "yesterday at school my teacher said that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are the same person...I was so confused so I came home lasat night and prayed. I asked to know what was right." we waited for a second and he said "I actually know now that God answered my prayer. I got home from school and saw you sitting here at my house and I knew! I knew what you had taught was right." It was amazing to feel the power of his faith and the trust He had that God had answered. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. :)

We also have started teaching the mother of a member. She's pretty old. She told us the first time "You're so lucky. I never ever let the missionaries teach me." But she's continued to listen. Even though she admitted that sometimes she hides when we go there...We'll soften her up. 

This week I would like to share a quote I liked. I have been reading in the old testament and pondering sacrifice and what Heavenly Father wants us to do now. This is by Bruce R McConkie I think...

The real act of sacrifice is not and never has been placing an animal on the altar. It is a willingness to put the animal in us on the altar and willingly watching it be consumed. That is the sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit. 

That isn't exact but you get the idea. He doesn't want part of us. He wants all of us. and if we give our selves to Him, He will return all we gave and more. 

Thank you all for your support and prayers. 

Another thing I would like to reiterate is studying the recent conference talks. I have been receiving so many answers to prayers from my review! 

Bye! Pictures next week maybe. haha

--

Sister Smith

Letter to Mom:

That is amazing about the adopt a missionary. What a miracle. that will be so awesome for them. I am sorry I don't really know what I want for Christmas. Make sure you identify the boxes as christmas and maybe have a don't give to sister smith till christmas or I will open them kaagad (immediately)!

You could send my kasama a letter or something and she'd love it. 

I like what you said about our study being a gift. It is true. 

Shanna Wheeler sent me a good quote something like at the end of the day to tell your self it's okay you didn't finish everything you needed to day. I will find it and send it to you.

I emailed Toni last week and I told her how much I loved her and looked up to her and stuff. I don't know if I have the right email address but tell her that I tried and that she is one of my biggest role models.

Okay I love you a lot. I'm sorry for this being so short. I have had a hard week. I am learning to be humble and last night after praying for days I was able to talk to my companion and told her what a blessing she was to me and we cried. I am glad I prayed about it because I really wanted to tell her how mean she was being. but I think things should be better now. It's hard to explain, it's just the Filipino personality. 

I had exchanges with this missionary whose mom sends her these huge packages all the time. and she brought me chocolate...lots. she doesn't like it. I'm lucky. :0 

I'm struggling to eat good and exercise. My companion said "I'll do all the cooking! I'm a good cook!" and it's not healthy. I'm going to try to stick it out this transfer and try to add healthier things throughout the day. and be more diligent with exercise. 

I found out leaning on your hand (like your chin) is sometimes really offensive here. awkward.

families pg 3 pmg. good thoughts.

love you!

Letter to Dad:

The weeks fly and they drag. I have been doing everything I can to apply your counsel this week (especially about companions) I am at peace because as long as I'm nice and do my best, that's what God expects. I am praying and trying to show her all the love I can.  

I want to play horseshoes. there's a lot of analogies I'm sure.  

I've been loving studying conference. The ones that stuck out to me this week were Latter Day Saints Keep on Trying. And last week Therefore they hushed their fears. They were really good.  

I'm doing pretty good. My companion is okay, I love her a lot and I have a lot of fun. I won't complain about the hard things. I need you to keep praying :)  

I would love surprises for Christmas. Since last year nothing was a surprise ;) 

Scripture for you. 2 Ne 9:40. I like this.  

Something really bothering me is that all my friends are going home sick. It stresses me out. Sis J has been in the hospital I guess. but I guess I need to keep going and work for all of them that don't have the opportunity. 

Love you. 

You're the best. 

You Look Like a Mexican

 According to one Filipino, I don't look American, I look Mexican. I'll take it. haha.

I forgot my list of things to share with you all this week but I guess I'll just try to remember. 

This was a good week. I saw fireflies for the first time in my life...I ate balut (it was better than I thought it would be.) We had Zone interviews. Our Mission President is great. His counsel to us was to always be on the Lord's side.
One funny thing he said. In the missionary handbook it says to not babysit children of any age. He said "so if your companion is acting like a child, you need to right away report it to my wife, because it is forbidden for you to babysit." That is how he is. I love and miss President Monahan, and I love President Deyro. I am so lucky to have 2 presidents in my mission. 

We found 13 new investigators this week. Woohoo! It has been rough to learn a new area and find good times for all the people but I know as we do it by His way and in His power, His work will not fail.

We have an investigator named Helen. She and her boyfriend, Jomar, will be baptized on Aug 29 (Don't worry. They don't live together.) and she in her words, is "an addict to the book of mormon." 

It has been so fun to see the joy in her and Jomar's life as they prepare to be baptized. We can all be addicts to the BoM. To our spiritual studies. I know now that I have studied almost every day I have found that it is a part of my life. It's like eating breakfast, you just do it.

I had a thought today while reading the first part of Latter Day Saints Keep on Trying. He says basically that God doesn't care as much as who we once were as who we are and who we are becoming. I was thinking about how if we see a garden we never think "what an ugly garden. It used to be just seeds. It used to have weeds... they should just get rid of it" Of course we just enjoy and appreciate it. We can share the vegetables or flowers with others. Likewise with ourselves. We don't need to focus on who we used to be. We should share what has grown with others. And of course, seeds come from the things that have grown, so we can give others seeds to plant only by letting our seeds grow. 

Hope that makes sense. Love you all!!!

-- 

Pictures: my mean companion made me eat balut. Just kidding, I wanted to :)

Also there are two pictures of scriptures and the margin notes I made when I was 8. I get a good laugh from them. I don't know what kind of family night lesson could be made from that chapter, and I find it said that the question mom and dad ask us is why we smite our younger brother with a rod. Grabe haha. my childhood. ;)

Sister Smith

Letter to Mom:

Hi, I forgot my list of things to tell all of you so I'll focus on ansewring your email.

1. Pres Deyro emailed us today and reccomended that we read the Infinite atonement. Grabe, I really want to read it and I would like to have my own book...so if it wouldn't hurt you too much ;) I guess I could wait till Christmas but I like what he said about it. "it's a good book to master if you are looking for solid personal conversion." So maybe pray about it and if you want to send it sooner rather than later I won't complain. (note from mom: took it to the post office this morning)

I miss you, like really too. Yesterday I teared up in sacrament.I was like what the heck? I am old enough in the mission to not cry about being homesick. haha. but I'm fine. I'm glad I'm here too.

 

Sis. Untong is in Manila right now getting a check up. So hopefully her arm is good. I have really enjoyed being her companion. :)

Pork blood is actually kindof dangerous so I'm glad I didn't die ;) 

I loved the Liahona. I liked the one about patience. (note from mom: I talked to her about some articles in the Ensign. She looked for them in the Liahona) 

I wanted to tell you my goals for the last year of my mission. I tried to think of them. I think what I really want to do is to become truly happy. I know that is pretty broad but I think you know that that is why I am here. To learn to be happy by helping others. Included in that is the need to become HOPEFUL and patient and kind and to learn more about the Savior. Because He is the Joy to the world.So a lot of things. 

Keep praying for me, fast if you see a need but don't worry :) 

I got my shoe package this week. IT was awesome. The shoes are pretty great until they gave me blisters. I will wear them with socks next time and they should be okay. haha.

The shirt with the yellow flowers was the ukay ukay one. So like 60 cents. Cute right? :) 

I am attaching a picture that is a list of music for tyler to try. some of it's girly but some of it is awesome.

I love you so much. I'm sorry I forgot my list of things to tell you. Oh well. Just know I'm good and I will get better every day. 

Mahal kita, Inay! (I love you, mother)

also my comp gave me a skirt and it looks familiar. like I used to have it before. maybe I'm cray. 

bye.

Letter to Dad:

Hi,

my week was pretty good. I forgot my list of things to tell you so you will get a good answer to your email today. 

I miss family crap. Even though it's always stressful and loud and stuff. I miss the food too. Next year na lang. 

Wow, toilets. Toilets that work. That's a beautiful thought.

I'm glad your calling is helping you see so many neat things and people. I hope I am really changing the world. My focus is changing and I know I'm becoming more like Him. I'm sure mom has had you listen to Someone He Can Count On, but I find myself thinking thoughts like that more than discouragement now. My investigators are okay. We found some new people this week. I didn't see jolimar until last night but I told him we need to meet his familyi so we will go this week. :) I think you could just pray for people to feel the spirit when I teach. I will try to give you more details about investigators sometime. 

One thing that happened this week is my comp and I were walking and all of a sudden she said "I don't want to walk there." I thought she was kidding but when I looked at her I realized she felt something, and when I turned around I was like yeah we shouldn't go that way. Even though it was so close to our LA's house, we walked back to a different place. The whole way I had a scary feeling and this gay guy that was maybe drunk tried to follow us part of the way and it was creepy. But I realized how protected we are as missionaries. I've had a few experiences I don't know if I've told you all yet but I am grateful for the Holy ghost and for my companion to be in tune quickly. 

I'm sorry about that crap about the church. The world is hard today. I never saw anti mormon stuff till I had done my mision papers which makes me see how hard satan tries. but even though it has been hard to overcome those hurdles, i will never forsake the church.  

I will work my whole life every day and every minute because I dont' want to leave. 

I will be good and be happy. And I will laugh.  

You're an awesome dad. You're like the best friend dad everyone wishes they had.  

Love you. Tell the boys Hi. I am sorry it is sooo hard for me to write all of you. It's expensive to send letters too. But I am planning on writing later today. 

K. Love ya. Oh yeah, thanks for the one letter I have received from you since I've been in the field. I got the package. Happy Birthday ;)  

I can't believe you read my journal. What a cool dad ;) haha it means a lot the things you said actually.

Quick Update!

quick update!

this week was good! I learned a lot. 

I was asked what color my skin is. by a very cute kid. I'm not sure. He was really confused though.

I said "wow there's a lot of Utap (a cookie like snack) in the sky!" should have been ulap...

We had a baptism! Ivan is 12 and he is awesome. He knows this is true. He really reads and prays. Lets all try it and remember our feelings when we knew the Savior loved us for the first time.

I'm sister Untong's left arm! It's so fun to help her. It's hilarious to see her try to do things alone. But we have great companionship unity.

I love this work. I don't really like cockroaches. I don't mind lizards. I did not really enjoy my experience of eating pork blood. 

My mission is difficult for me. But It is also the perfect opportunity for me to grow. And I see miracles every day. I love you all. Remember to pray because people are waiting for your help. And you can answer their prayers and obtain answers to your own. 

--

Sister Smith

Letter to Mom:

(side note: Both Brandon and I asked her if she got our emails, since she sometimes didn't say anything about what we wrote... we just wanted to make sure they were going through, so she didn't think we were forgetting her. So, she told us what was what, and wrote us each our own email. ;) Gotta love that girl!)

Hi!

First of all, I get your emails every week. I read them, I try to answer them and remember what you wrote. Haha. But I would like you to try to read around 10 emails, write your mission president, try to answer the people you care about and write a group email and upload pictures and do it all in less than an hour with sometimes stupid keyboards and computers. :) Also I feel like you guys never answer my emails directly either. ;)

I love the things you shared from the ensign. Hopefully I can read all of those. I don't know if the Liahona has all the same articles but I will probably get the Liahona tomorrow. I've been really trying to focus on patience and hope and just letting myself be satisfied and happy. It is hard for me to do but I am seeing huge changes in myself lately. I feel like I am starting to really love the work.I liked how you talked about your attitude. It was something I was pondering about myself earlier this week. Also Me and you have similar personalities. 

My companion is pretty great. She's kindof frustrating sometimes but I like her. She believes in ghosts and witchcraft and likes to talk about it sometimes,and things like apparently there's a sister serving in our mission whose patriarchal blessing says she'll die on her mission (what if she chose not to go on a mission?) things like that. But I just let her chat sometimes and don't really respond because I hate that kind of stuff. I have been trying to not pay attention to the things that bother me but focus on loving and serving and the companionship is really enjoyable like that.

I got a cute shirt at the ukay ukay (like used clothes?) around 62 cents. It's cute. 

I have studied hope a lot this week. I read one talk in the RS session from 1996 Oct conf. It hit me really hard because she said by being hopeless and despairing we are actually allowing the adversary to kill our spirits. It was very direct and bold and then I studied more about itand I feel like I'm starting to really understand hope. 

Keep praying for me and believing in me. I know that if you say the light is coming it's coming. I think a lot about what you said about the sun. I hope someday you can see a sunset here :)

Love your daughter.

p.s. tell cooper that the boy he wrote got baptized. IT is a MIRACLE. He's only 14, so he couldn't be baptized unless a parent was reactivated. his parents were inactive for 30 YEARS. and so I don'tknow the story but I do know it had to have been a miracle. 

p.s.did anyone tag me in a pic on Facebook?

Letter to Dad: 

I don't know if you read my emails either. I always read them I just can never decide or remember what to reply to in the short time I have. 

My new area is okay. The apartment is rough but I will live. I am right in Urdaneta so the air is horrible but other than that, it's pretty in my area. Lots of fields and stuff. Lots of farmers. Farming is a lot harder here. 

The camp sounds like lots of fun. I hope you are feeling better. You should probably stop playing. Almost every time you play you get hurt. 

One thing I wanted to share with you is this. Ashley Hill sent it last week. 

Want to hear something cool that I learned? So when one of the counselors was on her mission Elder Bednar came. On the way to the mission home he told the President to pull over. Then he looked at him and said, "The only way this generation will escape a pornography addiction is through doing family history, because their ancestors know how important it is and will protect them." I thought that was super intense when I heard that. The only way? Makes me want to make everyone do family history. Especially my family! But that is a super good thing to be able to share in my family history class! 

I thought that was pretty cool. Along with the other promises Elder Bednar has given, family history is pretty important.

Oh yeah. My bishop's wife's family lives in Roosevelt. Their last name is Sasser. he's a bishop. THought that was funny.

I read a good talk/article this week I think called "Always Remember Him." It was about how we need to remember Christ's suffering, and that He suffered so badly for the sole purpose of bringing us to repentance. It had some cool insights about the sacrament and stuff. 

My investigators. Helen and Jomar. they are 21. they will be baptized the 29th. they are really excited. they are boyfriend/girlfriend but they don'tlive together. jolimar is tyler's age. We really can't teach him if we can't teach his family. And to teach his family we have to go far in the bukid (fields). But I hope we can find a way. There are 8 kids in his family. They have no electricity. They all have to work really hard to survive. But I hope there's a way. Others Nesty/Jun. Lori/Joshua. A RC-Salmasan family. My ward is URdaneta 2nd ward. 

You can also pray for me to have more faith to find people. 

One story...hmmm.

We were teaching an old man who is less active. He doesn't have a testimony of Joseph Smith or the BoM. But after we battled for a while (we were very nice) and tried to explain why Nephi isn't in the bible, we invited him to pray. In his prayer he asked for forgiveness for arguing the truth, and asked for Heavenly father to lead us to more people. It was a very specific prayer. so I hope he understood more than he let on. I am becoming more and more convinced that you cannot become less active or leave the church if you are truly reading and studying the book of mormon. LIke Jeffrey R Holland said something likeyou will have to go over or around the BOM to get out of this church.

Well.I better go. Now that I answered you and mom I don't have time for the group email ;) I  love you. I am so grateful for you. I can't imagine being in my comp's place. Her parents are muslim still. Thanks for the support and patience.