Family and friends,
I hope you enjoy the latest email from Sister Smith. I'll give a short update since that last posting...
I did receive a phone call from Sister Smith at 5:45 am from the SLC airport. We got to talk for about two minutes. It was very therapeutic to hear her voice! She sounded tired but extremely excited and happy. Her alarm didn't go off that morning. One of her companions woke at 3:40 am, giving them a total of 20 minutes to get dressed, brush hair and teeth, finish packing and get out to the curb to meet the airport shuttle by 4:00! She said it was literally a miracle and they somehow made it!
She spent her first night at the mission home and is currently serving in Ithaca, where Cornell College is located. She said it's beautiful and the college looks like Hogwarts!!!! Only Ashley.... Anyway, she is one of 11 Sister Missionaries and they walk everywhere. No snow, but it is cold.
We had a wonderful conversation with her on Christmas. She sounds very happy to be in the mission field and has participated in several discussions already with her companion. The members take such good care of them. There is a ward and a branch for the area...she is assigned to the branch. The elders are assigned to the Ward and have the car! What? That's okay...she's enjoying the exercise!
Sure hope everyone is enjoying the holidays! Only immediate family is allowed to email Sister Smith, but her current address for at least, the next five weeks, is:
702 1/2 Linn Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Love to you all,
Laurel
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Posted by Laurel Smith:
Hey hey,
Tomorrow morn I must wake up at the dastardly hour of 3 to get to my 7:30 flight. Eegad! I LEAVE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO THE MISSION FIELD! New York, here I come! I won't be able to email this week, I'm pretty sure, so I'm sending this out before I go. So a few things to address before time kicks me off...
Thank you for the delicious homemade goods!! Good grief, the banana bread was heaven sent and the almond roca bars were a tasty treat I had never hoped to eat before. The sisters love you, Mom, for your love.:) And the elders love you for the treats! hahahaha For Pete's sake, we have been munching all hours of the day and we haven't had gym time for the past two days...Uh...Oh well!
If I have a chance at the airport I'll give you a jingle, though I'm assuming Mother will be the only one home? Try not to be too disappointed if I don't though, because I will also be calling for Christmas--you'll have plenty of Sister Smith time, don't worry. There's enough of me for everyone (that's a blessing of my calling, I'm sure). So, I get to fly to the Detroit airport and then we've a layover for about an hour, then...ON TO SYRACUSE! Yes. I CANNOT believe it's been 3 weeks and I'm leaving the shelter of the MTC. So strange.
So, so, Keat and Sean come home this week!! What?! That's so crazy. I also can't believe that. Honestly, I'm a bit bummed that I won't be able to listen to them speak in all of their RM glory, but I'm not THAT bummed because I'm heading out into the white fields of New York. This is a good week, right?
I'm so excited for this! I get to take time to pack today, but we also have classes, and I'm so grateful for that little bit of structure. This is something I'll implement when I return; making a concrete schedule for myself, and not allowing tentative schedules to make my commitments, etc. less flimsy.
I hear Mormons have become weirdos recently. Well, I've always known that I'm a weirdo, but I must say that I believe the world is full of weirdos, and if people consider me to be especially strange because I am willing to sacrifice my time and my family for 18 months to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and the people of NY, or because I believe that God is our Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to be happy and also become like Him, or because I live in a way that allows me to feel that love and be happy...then, shoot, I'd like to be the biggest weirdo of all!
Okay, this email is getting out of hand; I should be done. I just want to add before I end that I know Heavenly Father is very aware of me and my needs and He has put, and will put, people and situations in my life so I can keep going. I exercise my faith every day by just doing what He's asked, in the hope that one day I'll know with absolute certainty the truth of all His Gospel. I know this brings me happiness, I know this brings me peace, I know this has blessed my family. What else do I need? Why should I ask for more, except for His promise that He will give more to those who ask for it with faith and an earnest and honest desire? One miracle I saw this week relates to this idea that God places people in my life to strengthen me when I am weak. Sister Murray has been one of my two teachers over the past 3 weeks in the MTC, and talking to her one-on-one this week helped me realize at a time when I really, truly struggled and prayed, that as I continue to do those things that God has promised will make us happy, and be faithful, I will know that I know the truth. The mind and the heart will agree. The confusion will cease. There is great comfort in knowing that Heavenly Father knows me, especially now. My world isn't to small anymore, so I need that comfort :) That is evidence of God's hand in my life.
I'm ready to go out! I'm nervous, but I'm ready! Shoot, I thought I was ready coming to the MTC, but now I know that I am. I have been prepared since before I was born to bring the knowledge of the Gospel, and the salvation of the Gospel, to God's children. I love you all!!! Thank you for your love, your letters, your support! I'll talk to you soon! Dear me, time has kicked me in the pants! Life's tough, but I have a helmet!
Sister Smith
Hey hey,
Tomorrow morn I must wake up at the dastardly hour of 3 to get to my 7:30 flight. Eegad! I LEAVE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO THE MISSION FIELD! New York, here I come! I won't be able to email this week, I'm pretty sure, so I'm sending this out before I go. So a few things to address before time kicks me off...
Thank you for the delicious homemade goods!! Good grief, the banana bread was heaven sent and the almond roca bars were a tasty treat I had never hoped to eat before. The sisters love you, Mom, for your love.:) And the elders love you for the treats! hahahaha For Pete's sake, we have been munching all hours of the day and we haven't had gym time for the past two days...Uh...Oh well!
If I have a chance at the airport I'll give you a jingle, though I'm assuming Mother will be the only one home? Try not to be too disappointed if I don't though, because I will also be calling for Christmas--you'll have plenty of Sister Smith time, don't worry. There's enough of me for everyone (that's a blessing of my calling, I'm sure). So, I get to fly to the Detroit airport and then we've a layover for about an hour, then...ON TO SYRACUSE! Yes. I CANNOT believe it's been 3 weeks and I'm leaving the shelter of the MTC. So strange.
So, so, Keat and Sean come home this week!! What?! That's so crazy. I also can't believe that. Honestly, I'm a bit bummed that I won't be able to listen to them speak in all of their RM glory, but I'm not THAT bummed because I'm heading out into the white fields of New York. This is a good week, right?
I'm so excited for this! I get to take time to pack today, but we also have classes, and I'm so grateful for that little bit of structure. This is something I'll implement when I return; making a concrete schedule for myself, and not allowing tentative schedules to make my commitments, etc. less flimsy.
I hear Mormons have become weirdos recently. Well, I've always known that I'm a weirdo, but I must say that I believe the world is full of weirdos, and if people consider me to be especially strange because I am willing to sacrifice my time and my family for 18 months to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and the people of NY, or because I believe that God is our Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to be happy and also become like Him, or because I live in a way that allows me to feel that love and be happy...then, shoot, I'd like to be the biggest weirdo of all!
Okay, this email is getting out of hand; I should be done. I just want to add before I end that I know Heavenly Father is very aware of me and my needs and He has put, and will put, people and situations in my life so I can keep going. I exercise my faith every day by just doing what He's asked, in the hope that one day I'll know with absolute certainty the truth of all His Gospel. I know this brings me happiness, I know this brings me peace, I know this has blessed my family. What else do I need? Why should I ask for more, except for His promise that He will give more to those who ask for it with faith and an earnest and honest desire? One miracle I saw this week relates to this idea that God places people in my life to strengthen me when I am weak. Sister Murray has been one of my two teachers over the past 3 weeks in the MTC, and talking to her one-on-one this week helped me realize at a time when I really, truly struggled and prayed, that as I continue to do those things that God has promised will make us happy, and be faithful, I will know that I know the truth. The mind and the heart will agree. The confusion will cease. There is great comfort in knowing that Heavenly Father knows me, especially now. My world isn't to small anymore, so I need that comfort :) That is evidence of God's hand in my life.
I'm ready to go out! I'm nervous, but I'm ready! Shoot, I thought I was ready coming to the MTC, but now I know that I am. I have been prepared since before I was born to bring the knowledge of the Gospel, and the salvation of the Gospel, to God's children. I love you all!!! Thank you for your love, your letters, your support! I'll talk to you soon! Dear me, time has kicked me in the pants! Life's tough, but I have a helmet!
Sister Smith
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Buon giorno, to you!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Holo Family!
Times moves too fast; I only have one week left in the MTC! The time I've spent in this super-spiritually charged boot camp has been incredible and trying. I think one of the hardest parts of the MTC is not having the benefit of focusing wholly on others (I'd deluded myself into thinking this would just come once I was set apart as a missionary, or something)--it's all about training yourself to be able to discern the needs of others and listen to the Spirit, but then there are 6 hours of class every day, devotionals, firesides, meetings and more. These are all WONDERFUL things, but even with 6 investigators I seem to have too much time to worry about myself, doubt myself, work on myself, and such. I guess I need to improve a lot, work a lot, in this area. I know that I made the effort, control it, so I just need to take control, lose myself a bit more. There are still the elders and sisters around that I can focus on, no?
That being said, I really do still love the MTC. These keyboards are not my favorite to use and spell check is silly so please forgive my errors. Anyway, do I get tired of food here? Yes. But they change up the menu every day so I can be adventurous and try those mediocre meals. Wow, does that sound petty and unappreciative, or what? Look, it's incredible that the cafeteria is able to feed so many people 3 times a day, with DIFFERENT meals. How awesome right? And not everyone is as accustomed as I am to eating 5-star food daily. I am thankful for the variety and the hard work.
I leave the MTC at about 4 am on Thursday, Dec. 20. Yup. It'll rock. Everyone will LOVE being around me that early in the morn. Sister Waterworth and the Elders in our district leave to the airport at the same time Sister Horne and I do, but obviously we'll be saying farewell at our separate terminals. Boo. All of our elders, plus one of our companeros (or companeras?--I don't speak Spanish). There's another district of elders going to the NYUM, but we haven't met them, so hopefully they're swell. I'm sure they are. Oh, and I'd probably fore go sending letters to the MTC after...Thursday? Yeah.
This weekend I had a minor breakdown after teaching our teacher, Brother Shumway, in his investigator guise, Matt...It was a TERRIBLE lesson, the result of a kind of unstructured lesson plan, plus I was holding my silence a bit to give one of my companions more opportunity to speak...We just didn't get to "Matt's" needs; we didn't teach a person, we taught a botched-up lesson. Thank the heavens it happened in the MTC! We learned a lot from that experience, but it was a humbling and scary moment when I thought I didn't have what it takes to do this work as it needs to be done, the Lord's way. Don't worry, the next day was fabulous, and the next and so on. It was a great experience for me to have. A bombed lesson. All you've to do is pick up your feet, shake your head free of self-doubt, and pray for strength and focus, and ta-da! You're back! Sis. Murray, our other teacher, always asks us what miracles we've seen in the past day--evidence of God's hand in our lives--and I count the day after the disaster as a miracle. Heavenly Father wants us to succeed in this work. I mean, for Pete's sake, it's our duty to do it! As we do it the Lord's way, we will be strengthened, we will be blessed, we will be supported.
Let me say, it's such a blessing to teach with a companion. Well, I really have two companions, but it's reassuring to have someone speak up when you falter. On the other hand, it's proven more and more to be a struggle to teach with 3 sisters in a companionship. They are both wonderful, strong, and great assets, but having 3 of us means that we have to be conscious of giving time to each during lessons--a pain, no? It's somethings I've struggled getting used to, especially because I tend to dominate the lessons. Sis Horne is really great at empathizing with the investigator (she can really use the waterworks of womanhood to effective and spiritual advantage); Sis Waterworth is really great at coming up with analogies and stories that are applicable to the principles we're teaching and the investigator. Sis Smith can teach the facts and summarize...Uh...I know, I'm a great asset. Hahahahahaha. I'm working on it, and I'll improve. This is a place of miracles.
Sometimes I just want to take a nap. Ha! There's no time for it. I am on the Lord's time and how fantastic that is! I am truly blessed. I went to a musical fireside by BYU Men's chorus on Sunday--yes, they came to the MTC!!! And it was incredible. So rejuvenating. It's hard to be without music.
My very first ZL's, Elder Fonda and Elder Openshaw, left yesterday to NM. It was sad. I think they're great missionaries. Oh! Elder Zach Fonda (I'd the list of ZL names because I'm a Coordinating Sister) is from Jacksonville, FL! Does Marques know the family? The missionary?
Mom, I'd love for Bishop Beardall to hear of my doings--forward on! Those blessed Missionary Prep classes did wonders for my time in the MTC--really. I would've had serious anxiety within the first few days had I not been blessed with an awesome teacher and awesome partners. Josh and Bosten will be GREAT. I've no doubt about it. They already are!
Love!!!!!
Sister Smith
(Re-posted by her momma)
Holo Family!
Times moves too fast; I only have one week left in the MTC! The time I've spent in this super-spiritually charged boot camp has been incredible and trying. I think one of the hardest parts of the MTC is not having the benefit of focusing wholly on others (I'd deluded myself into thinking this would just come once I was set apart as a missionary, or something)--it's all about training yourself to be able to discern the needs of others and listen to the Spirit, but then there are 6 hours of class every day, devotionals, firesides, meetings and more. These are all WONDERFUL things, but even with 6 investigators I seem to have too much time to worry about myself, doubt myself, work on myself, and such. I guess I need to improve a lot, work a lot, in this area. I know that I made the effort, control it, so I just need to take control, lose myself a bit more. There are still the elders and sisters around that I can focus on, no?
That being said, I really do still love the MTC. These keyboards are not my favorite to use and spell check is silly so please forgive my errors. Anyway, do I get tired of food here? Yes. But they change up the menu every day so I can be adventurous and try those mediocre meals. Wow, does that sound petty and unappreciative, or what? Look, it's incredible that the cafeteria is able to feed so many people 3 times a day, with DIFFERENT meals. How awesome right? And not everyone is as accustomed as I am to eating 5-star food daily. I am thankful for the variety and the hard work.
I leave the MTC at about 4 am on Thursday, Dec. 20. Yup. It'll rock. Everyone will LOVE being around me that early in the morn. Sister Waterworth and the Elders in our district leave to the airport at the same time Sister Horne and I do, but obviously we'll be saying farewell at our separate terminals. Boo. All of our elders, plus one of our companeros (or companeras?--I don't speak Spanish). There's another district of elders going to the NYUM, but we haven't met them, so hopefully they're swell. I'm sure they are. Oh, and I'd probably fore go sending letters to the MTC after...Thursday? Yeah.
This weekend I had a minor breakdown after teaching our teacher, Brother Shumway, in his investigator guise, Matt...It was a TERRIBLE lesson, the result of a kind of unstructured lesson plan, plus I was holding my silence a bit to give one of my companions more opportunity to speak...We just didn't get to "Matt's" needs; we didn't teach a person, we taught a botched-up lesson. Thank the heavens it happened in the MTC! We learned a lot from that experience, but it was a humbling and scary moment when I thought I didn't have what it takes to do this work as it needs to be done, the Lord's way. Don't worry, the next day was fabulous, and the next and so on. It was a great experience for me to have. A bombed lesson. All you've to do is pick up your feet, shake your head free of self-doubt, and pray for strength and focus, and ta-da! You're back! Sis. Murray, our other teacher, always asks us what miracles we've seen in the past day--evidence of God's hand in our lives--and I count the day after the disaster as a miracle. Heavenly Father wants us to succeed in this work. I mean, for Pete's sake, it's our duty to do it! As we do it the Lord's way, we will be strengthened, we will be blessed, we will be supported.
Let me say, it's such a blessing to teach with a companion. Well, I really have two companions, but it's reassuring to have someone speak up when you falter. On the other hand, it's proven more and more to be a struggle to teach with 3 sisters in a companionship. They are both wonderful, strong, and great assets, but having 3 of us means that we have to be conscious of giving time to each during lessons--a pain, no? It's somethings I've struggled getting used to, especially because I tend to dominate the lessons. Sis Horne is really great at empathizing with the investigator (she can really use the waterworks of womanhood to effective and spiritual advantage); Sis Waterworth is really great at coming up with analogies and stories that are applicable to the principles we're teaching and the investigator. Sis Smith can teach the facts and summarize...Uh...I know, I'm a great asset. Hahahahahaha. I'm working on it, and I'll improve. This is a place of miracles.
Sometimes I just want to take a nap. Ha! There's no time for it. I am on the Lord's time and how fantastic that is! I am truly blessed. I went to a musical fireside by BYU Men's chorus on Sunday--yes, they came to the MTC!!! And it was incredible. So rejuvenating. It's hard to be without music.
My very first ZL's, Elder Fonda and Elder Openshaw, left yesterday to NM. It was sad. I think they're great missionaries. Oh! Elder Zach Fonda (I'd the list of ZL names because I'm a Coordinating Sister) is from Jacksonville, FL! Does Marques know the family? The missionary?
Mom, I'd love for Bishop Beardall to hear of my doings--forward on! Those blessed Missionary Prep classes did wonders for my time in the MTC--really. I would've had serious anxiety within the first few days had I not been blessed with an awesome teacher and awesome partners. Josh and Bosten will be GREAT. I've no doubt about it. They already are!
Love!!!!!
Sister Smith
(Re-posted by her momma)
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Dear family,
My P-day is today!! On Tuesdays! In the MTC, at least. Thank you so very very much for the emails and the love--I get a little homesick every time I read one of your letters or silly cards, but I think that's a good thing. :) Oh, Christie? Thank Corky for the letter, will you? And give him a few pets for me.
It turns out that the email program thing on the MTC computers only allow you 30 mins a week to do emailing, and I already logged in so I could print your emails, construct appropriate replies, and then hop back on to email them to you in a timely manner. However, that has proven to be a bit difficult, because the program continues to count down my emailing time even when I log out and exit out of the program. So...This will be a crazy and probably lame email/letter. Don't worry, I'll just hand write a better one later on today.
Sister Horne and I will be going to the New York Utica Mission together, but Sister Waterworth is going to the Georgia Atlanta North Mission along with the elders in our district. There are only 9 of us in the district, and things started out kind of stilted because the new elders were nervous about interacting with sisters...Hahaha. I understand the need to be careful, it has just been quite an experience letting them know that they can talk with us and eat with us without putting themselves or us in danger. Life is quite different in the MTC, but I like the difference. I have been adapting well to the schedule, even though I am like a hibernating bear every night, as you very well know. The first night in the MTC, it took me about an hour to fall asleep, I think, so I was EXHAUSTED when the 6:20 am alarm blasted through the "residence" (that's what they call our little apartments on "campus"). But the inability to fall asleep hasn't really lasted because I am just s'dang tired when I lay my head to rest at the end of a constantly scheduled day--I'm not sure if that is an accurate phrase, but please, my mind is trying to move fast.
I saw Sister Mckell Forbes on the second day I was here!! She is Sorella Forbes, because she's Italian-speaking, and she is super happy and energetic and optimistic as always; this place hasn't beaten her down. :) I see her basically every day now in the cafeteria for our meals. It's lovely. Oh, speaking of the cafeteria and meals...yes, I have had the runs a few days ago, and I'm fairly certain it was due to the food I'd eaten; though, I can't remember what it was that I'd eaten to make my stomach rebel,so it will be shoot-and-miss figuring out what not to eat. Mostly I just eat what sounds good and deal with the consequences later. Last night, for instance, I ate black beans, rice, chocolate cake, and salad. Yes, I wrote beans. So toward the latter end of the night I needed to visit the restroom every so often to appease my rumbling tummy. Will this deter me in the future from eating beans as I was so wont to do before? Eh...maybe. But I doubt it.
Walking into the MTC...Well...the elders taking me to a sister who'd show me my room were really nice and talked to me, so I had to keep my descending tears in check. You didn''t see me cry, I don't think, Mom, but I was. Don't worry, I pulled myself together, and all is well now. Actually, all had to be well in a matter of about 30 minutes, because a sister from Pakistan was taking me to my room and having a hard time finding my building, and then I was with my new district and everything has been in hyper drive since then. The MTC...Not another place in the world like it. Except maybe the MTCs around the world...
Let me quickly tell you a funny story about two elders in our district before I finish this, and I'll tell you other things when I write that letter later on...Elder McGary is from Idaho and his companion, Elder Christensen is from AZ. Yesterday Elder M and Elder C were talking at dinner (we were all there, eating together as a district--there's strength in numbers) and Elder C told Elder M that he was a hick. Elder M was all offended and said, "What? I'm a farmer, not a hick! I have all my teeth! I have clothes!" It was really funny. Hahaha. Oh...the elders in our district are peaches. Absolute peaches, with a few sour strands that you just learn to eat through. Bad analogy. Anyway, that's the story. Okay, I'm going to leave some time for later in case this decides to actually close down and stop my emailing time. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! Oh, and Christie, thank you for your email, really! I will try to email you back later, but as I said, it may be tricky. If I can't, you can look to the mailman for the deliverance of personal correspondence. :)
I LOVE YOU!
Sister Smith II
My P-day is today!! On Tuesdays! In the MTC, at least. Thank you so very very much for the emails and the love--I get a little homesick every time I read one of your letters or silly cards, but I think that's a good thing. :) Oh, Christie? Thank Corky for the letter, will you? And give him a few pets for me.
It turns out that the email program thing on the MTC computers only allow you 30 mins a week to do emailing, and I already logged in so I could print your emails, construct appropriate replies, and then hop back on to email them to you in a timely manner. However, that has proven to be a bit difficult, because the program continues to count down my emailing time even when I log out and exit out of the program. So...This will be a crazy and probably lame email/letter. Don't worry, I'll just hand write a better one later on today.
Sister Horne and I will be going to the New York Utica Mission together, but Sister Waterworth is going to the Georgia Atlanta North Mission along with the elders in our district. There are only 9 of us in the district, and things started out kind of stilted because the new elders were nervous about interacting with sisters...Hahaha. I understand the need to be careful, it has just been quite an experience letting them know that they can talk with us and eat with us without putting themselves or us in danger. Life is quite different in the MTC, but I like the difference. I have been adapting well to the schedule, even though I am like a hibernating bear every night, as you very well know. The first night in the MTC, it took me about an hour to fall asleep, I think, so I was EXHAUSTED when the 6:20 am alarm blasted through the "residence" (that's what they call our little apartments on "campus"). But the inability to fall asleep hasn't really lasted because I am just s'dang tired when I lay my head to rest at the end of a constantly scheduled day--I'm not sure if that is an accurate phrase, but please, my mind is trying to move fast.
I saw Sister Mckell Forbes on the second day I was here!! She is Sorella Forbes, because she's Italian-speaking, and she is super happy and energetic and optimistic as always; this place hasn't beaten her down. :) I see her basically every day now in the cafeteria for our meals. It's lovely. Oh, speaking of the cafeteria and meals...yes, I have had the runs a few days ago, and I'm fairly certain it was due to the food I'd eaten; though, I can't remember what it was that I'd eaten to make my stomach rebel,so it will be shoot-and-miss figuring out what not to eat. Mostly I just eat what sounds good and deal with the consequences later. Last night, for instance, I ate black beans, rice, chocolate cake, and salad. Yes, I wrote beans. So toward the latter end of the night I needed to visit the restroom every so often to appease my rumbling tummy. Will this deter me in the future from eating beans as I was so wont to do before? Eh...maybe. But I doubt it.
Walking into the MTC...Well...the elders taking me to a sister who'd show me my room were really nice and talked to me, so I had to keep my descending tears in check. You didn''t see me cry, I don't think, Mom, but I was. Don't worry, I pulled myself together, and all is well now. Actually, all had to be well in a matter of about 30 minutes, because a sister from Pakistan was taking me to my room and having a hard time finding my building, and then I was with my new district and everything has been in hyper drive since then. The MTC...Not another place in the world like it. Except maybe the MTCs around the world...
Let me quickly tell you a funny story about two elders in our district before I finish this, and I'll tell you other things when I write that letter later on...Elder McGary is from Idaho and his companion, Elder Christensen is from AZ. Yesterday Elder M and Elder C were talking at dinner (we were all there, eating together as a district--there's strength in numbers) and Elder C told Elder M that he was a hick. Elder M was all offended and said, "What? I'm a farmer, not a hick! I have all my teeth! I have clothes!" It was really funny. Hahaha. Oh...the elders in our district are peaches. Absolute peaches, with a few sour strands that you just learn to eat through. Bad analogy. Anyway, that's the story. Okay, I'm going to leave some time for later in case this decides to actually close down and stop my emailing time. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! Oh, and Christie, thank you for your email, really! I will try to email you back later, but as I said, it may be tricky. If I can't, you can look to the mailman for the deliverance of personal correspondence. :)
I LOVE YOU!
Sister Smith II
Hi friends and family! It has almost been one week since we literally dropped Sister Smith off at the MTC. Such a bittersweet day to know she is doing one of the greatest things one can do while on this earth, yet...difficult as a family to send our missionaries on their way. When we pulled up to the curb, an Elder walked up and welcomed her, waited for Kevin to pull out her suitcases. I told her I wouldn't get out of the car (they ask you not to) because I may just never let her go and I was a blubbering mess! She gave Robbie and her dad a quick hug as the tears began to well up in her beautiful eyes. She waved to me in the car as we quickly pulled away. I watched her walk away until I could no longer see her... she was wiping her face and smiling at the same time. I miss her presence but am so very grateful for Ashley's willingness to serve our Lord and Savior in a full-time capacity.
We received our first letter from Sister Smith last Saturday, which she wrote shortly after waking up the first day in the MTC. She sounded tired but extremely energetic about all the day would bring. She has two companions: Sister Horne from Centerville, Utah and Sister Waterworth from Hisperia, California. She loves them both and reports that she is the loud one, Sister Horne is 'medium' and Sister Waterworth is 'quiet'! She assured us that she is learning and on her mission for good! "Ready to sacrifice in my calling!" That's a relief. Course, I've learned through this process that I'm quite a selfish mother...what I wouldn't give for one more hug and to hear my little songbird singing in her room.
Our first email came this morning! I will share it with all of you. Before I do so, please know how grateful I am to each of you, family and friends. She is tender in her feelings toward her family and loves and adores her friends. You have impacted her life in all the best ways and I know that she wishes she had more time to write you all individually. Much love to you!
We received our first letter from Sister Smith last Saturday, which she wrote shortly after waking up the first day in the MTC. She sounded tired but extremely energetic about all the day would bring. She has two companions: Sister Horne from Centerville, Utah and Sister Waterworth from Hisperia, California. She loves them both and reports that she is the loud one, Sister Horne is 'medium' and Sister Waterworth is 'quiet'! She assured us that she is learning and on her mission for good! "Ready to sacrifice in my calling!" That's a relief. Course, I've learned through this process that I'm quite a selfish mother...what I wouldn't give for one more hug and to hear my little songbird singing in her room.
Our first email came this morning! I will share it with all of you. Before I do so, please know how grateful I am to each of you, family and friends. She is tender in her feelings toward her family and loves and adores her friends. You have impacted her life in all the best ways and I know that she wishes she had more time to write you all individually. Much love to you!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Dear readers,
I thought I would write the first post for this blog, since my mom will be beholden to it for the next year and a half. Thank you for your support, friendship, and love. My life has been impacted for the good since my wee childhood because of the examples of others in my life; I am so very blessed!
I love Him. I know He lives. I am ready to accept His will and to take the good news of His Gospel to the people in New York! Even if it's not the "concrete jungle" that I'll be paving with gold, the treasure of our Savior's words will be heaped in NY. :) I wasn't built for city life, anyway, right?
We all have the opportunity to act as saviors for others as we take the name of our Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ, upon us.
In 2 Corinthians 5...
Much love and thanks,
Sister Ashley Smith
I thought I would write the first post for this blog, since my mom will be beholden to it for the next year and a half. Thank you for your support, friendship, and love. My life has been impacted for the good since my wee childhood because of the examples of others in my life; I am so very blessed!
I love Him. I know He lives. I am ready to accept His will and to take the good news of His Gospel to the people in New York! Even if it's not the "concrete jungle" that I'll be paving with gold, the treasure of our Savior's words will be heaped in NY. :) I wasn't built for city life, anyway, right?
We all have the opportunity to act as saviors for others as we take the name of our Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ, upon us.
In 2 Corinthians 5...
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
This is the most hopeful message of the Gospel to me--all is not lost when we mess up. We have ample opportunity to accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ and thereby erase the bad in ourselves. Start new. Start fresh. And then we can help others accept Christ and experience the joy of the Gospel as well. Missionary work isn't just for the brothers and sisters who are set apart, and dedicate a couple of years of their lives to this sacred work; as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have all been issued the call to serve. Let Doctrine & Covenants 4 be a theme scripture in your own life, to bring souls to the knowledge and warmth of Jesus Christ.
Sister Ashley Smith
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