Sister Smith: Week 47!

Goodbye President & Sister Kuceki

Week 47—June 13, 2016

Okay, this week felt like a year because LOTS of things happened! First of all, I got a new companion and she ROCKS!! It was so cool because we met each other in the MTC in Sao Paulo and we were automatically best friends the first day, because we were both serving in the same mission. She was there the same amount of time as me because she is Hispanic and from Mexico and was also learning Portuguese!!! It’s awesome because we are already tight and best friends and have the same amount of time in the mission, and….we will hit our 1 year TOGETHER!!! We laugh so much together and she is such a good missionary, its going to be a good transfer, let me tell you right now(:

So this week we had a reunion with the entire mission to say bye to President and Sister Kuceki!! Sister Vital and I got to Goiania Monday night and we passed by Maura´s house (my Brazilian Mommy) she made yummy food for us! Sister Matos and Sister Kendel were also at Maura’s house. I WAS WITH ALL MY COMPANIONS!!! It was so special to be in Maura´s house with Sister Matos, it brought so many memories back teaching her and all the memories making cookies in her kitchen! I have pictures of us all. I will send them next week!! But then we spent the night in the apartment in Goiania with 36 other sisters....I slept on the hard tile floor, my collar bone was killing me and it was cold...yes Goiania is starting to be super freezing at night and I didn’t bring a blanket on the mission or warm pj´s...WHAT WAS I THINKING???!!! It was an interesting night! Then in the morning, I went with some other Sisters and Elders to get our Visa´s renewed and that took about 3 hours, and at 2pm we were starting the devotional and farewell for Pres. and Sister Kuceki! So, while we were waiting there for our Visas, one of the assistants called me and asked me if I could bare my testimony at the devotional...I was like WHAT??? ME??? Yes, of course I will.(: You don’t know how nervous I was! I felt so honored that they chose me to share at their last meeting with all the missionaries...but I was nervous. I was asking all the Sisters I know if they got asked to bare their testimony, and none of them had been asked. I said about 200 prayers and practiced what I was going to say in my head about 20 times hahaha (family you know me.) So, when we get there I notice the WHOLE mission is there, 140 missionaries, our President, and his family. He said we have 5 missionaries that will share their testimonies. Sister Terial the (Sister Training Leader) and Sister Smith and 3 other Elders (Zone Leaders). You guys, I can’t tell you how nervous I was, but I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help me and give me confidence and the gift of tongues. I stood up there and it went so good! Heavenly Father never lets you down, he is so good!! It was a super big growing experience for me, and I felt so honored. I shared in my testimony about how grateful I am for President and his wife and how I know that he receives revelation from God for every area we are put in, and every companion we have. He sends us there because God told him to, and because God is preparing his elect children for us to teach and baptize. Then I talked about how God knows each one of us better than we know ourselves. He knows our potential and what we can do! It is us who have doubts and fears about ourselves. It went so well! When Sister Kuceki shared her talk with the whole mission, she talked about me and the lesson I gave in Caldas Novas last Sunday!!! People came up to me after and said “wow, your lesson must have been good.” I was at a loss for words but said that experience was super special, because it really was! (:

AHHH, yesterday I was giving a talk in Sacrament Meeting and a lizard fell from the ceiling, and everyone was screaming, and I didn’t know what was happening...I thought it was a rat, so I panicked…….it was so funny!!

We´ve got more baptisms coming up!!(: The people here are amazing and Heavenly Father is so good, I love him!!

Wellington’s baptism was so spiritual and special. He had to get dunked twice because Rodrigues said the words wrong (; it was cute because it was his first time baptizing someone!

It was a great week! I love you guys!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE!

I LOVE YOU!! XOXOX

-Sister Smithie