Sister Smith: Week 22

Parties, Prophecies, and Peace!

Week 22---Dec.21, 2015

This week was one I will never forget for various reasons!

To start off, I had the craziest dream this week!! I had a dream that I got sent home at 5 months into my mission. The whole time I was so confused asking everyone why we were all going home (all my friends that came in the MTC with me were leaving too)! When I get home, dad is sitting on the couch watching TV, with his arms folded behind his head. “Dad! I left my mission way too early!” He was like, “You had 5 months, you’re fine!!” I’m like “No, Dad, I need to learn more, there are more people that need to be baptized! I have to stay longer pleeeease buy me a ticket to go back to Brasil!” I woke up panicking and super stressed out!! When I realized it was just a dream and that I still have over a year left in my mission, I felt a lot better...hahaha(: I think I kind of like my mission ;)

Okay, lets get to the Mission Christmas Party. It was off the CHAIN!!! It was insane!! I’m not kidding the decorations were awesome. They went all out. Mom, you would have loved it!! We ate at the most delicious Brazilian resturante, it was good(; Then we had a talent show, oh man, those are always entertaining!

President Kuceki talked about so many incredible things and told stories and motivated us AHHHH! He has got the perfect balance of being hilarious one minute and bringing the spirit the next, I love him. Sister Kuceki shared a quote for the sisters, I don’t remember it word for word but it went something like this...Sisters don’t have to serve missions because they can’t get married, or because they have nothing better to do...blah blah.. sisters serve missions because the spirit confirmed to them that they should go. The Lord is preparing the world for the second coming of our Savior. The Lord is preparing his soldiers (mothers) to raise an army that is ready to receive the Savior at the second coming…..by Pres. Hinckley. After Sister Kuceki read this, all the elders were cheering, it was awesome!

The next day we had a zone conference and holy cow, it was a day I will never forget. Pres. Kuceki showed us films of the Savior and I have never in my life felt the spirit so strong as I have here in the mission! The spirit was radiating in the room! I know my Savior loves people, he is my joy and happiness. I feel honored to have been called to serve a mission and even more honored to have been called to serve in the Brazil Goiania mission. Pres. Kuceki said that because we have chosen to give up a lot of things back home and sacrifice a year and a half preaching and teaching in the hot sun and rain, we will be eternally blessed in this life and for the rest of eternity. He said "and for you sweet sisters, it's not a commandment, and yet you have chosen to serve the Lord." (These are his exact words.) "You will be blessed with handsome husbands, that are worthy, returned missionaries, who are strong in the gospel. This mission is preparing you for when you and your spouse will serve as mission presidents"...AHHHH!! He said so much I don’t have time to write it all!! But holy cow! It’s moments like these when the spirit confirms in my heart and mind that the decision I have made to serve a mission is the greatest decision I have ever made and what I learn and do in this year and a half will shape my life now and for the rest of eternity. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!? I love my mission so much!!!!(: I have never been so happy, felt the spirit so strong, and loved people so much! The mission is the happiest place on Earth!!! It's the Lord´s work, how can it not be insanely WONDERFUL?!

Maura got Baptized! I am so proud of her for choosing to be baptized even though her daughter Stephaney has chosen not to be baptized! Maura was so happy after her baptism! We are still fasting and praying for Stephaney.

So although this week was extremely wonderful I did have 2 rough days. I want to share how I found peace and happiness through this week! So we had emergency changes this week and Sister Matos and I got put in a trio. Now this happened in the Provo MTC and so I was like, “I have done this before, I will be fine.” It wasn’t as easy the first 2 days. Our new companian is Brazilian and loves to talk with Sister Matos and I felt a little left out because it’s harder for me to communicate. But the next day in personal study, I read in St. John when God washed his disciples feet and he said I am no greater than you and you are no greater than me, therefore, "I command you that ye love one another." If the world hated you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. One of the apostles of Jesus Christ betrayed him, his own friend that he loved. Christ was crucified by his own people that he helped create. I can not explain the sorrow I felt in this moment when I read this...my pain of feeling left out and kind of pushed aside was nothing compared to what happened to our Savior. Whenever we go through hard times, feeling left out, not accepted, made fun of, whatever it is, just know that our Savior has already gone through it. He has gone through more than we can ever imagine, and he knows what we are going though. I love him. I know he lives. He loves you, Never Forget It.

Feliz Natal!

-Sister Smith