Sister Smith: Week 59

Coming Full Circle

Week 59--September 5, 2016

What a wonderful week it has been my friends and family! I love you alll soooo much! Thank you for all your letters and emails, I love to hear from you guys!! You all are my rocks and are such good examples to me! I am so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends! I am sad to say that my President at the MTC in São Paulo died this week. President Swenson! I was literally in shock when I heard! He was such an amazing and inspirational person! I’m grateful I got to have him and learn a lot from him in the MTC. He´s going straight to the Celestial Kingdom, that´s for sure!!

We had transfers and Sister Ramona said, your going to train. I was like, I don’t think so, I’ve already trained and it´d be hard because of my calling as Sister Training Leader. They announced transfers in our zone meeting and they said I’d be staying in Novo Mundo and I’d be training!!! WOOT! WOOT! I was shocked but excited!! I’m going to be a mom again!! Being a mom is fun, but it’s tons of responsibility!! My companions name is Sister Gonzalez and she is from Guatemala, (I asked her if Elder Josh Smith baptized her, but she said Elder Brown did.) She speaks more Spanish than Portuguese right now but is a whole lot better than me when I got to Brazil. She can speak pretty good because Spanish is similar to Portuguese but she doesn’t understand what people say. I have had to be super patient and it reminds me of my trainer Sister Amaral. I´ve remembered all the times when Sister Amaral was patient and taught me and trained me. I’m trying to do the same with Sister Gonzalez. She is super shy and calm but has a testimony that glows so bright. She is so delicate with the things she does, its super cute. It’s funny because I’m at the exact same spot my trainer was when she was ending her mission. She was Sister Training Leader and training her first American companion that doesn’t know Portuguese. It’s helped me remember how much I’ve grown out here and all the things I’ve learned. Every companion, area, and investigator has helped me and taught me something different. I’m excited for Sister Gonzalez to start it all too!

Yesterday was one of the most special Sundays in my mission. It was Fast Sunday and I being like my mother (Amaral) said to Sister Gonzalez, we are going to bare our testimonies because we are missionaries and we have to. She was like super scared and nervous and when she got up there she bore the most beautiful humble testimony and was so happy I made her do it after. I told her that every fast and testimony meeting in the mission she has to bare her testimony because it will help her have more confidence and will strengthen her and other people. Then when I bore my testimony, I said in D&C 62 it says that every time we share our testimonies we receive forgiveness of our sins....10 seconds after I said that 3 people stood up and walked to the pulpit it was so cool! Then in one of the members testimonies he said after Sister Smith said that I knew I needed to get up here....it was such a neat experience!! At church Joana was there and she will be getting baptized on the 17, they announced it in Relief Society and everything...its official! I’m so excited for her!! She is the one that had the dream about the fruit!!

I love you all! It was a special week!! Hope you all have an awesome week! Keep being examples and missionaries to everyone around you!!

-Sister Jessie Smith

Quotes of the week...

“You can have what you want, or something better.”- Elder Holland

“The next time you will grow after your mission, is when you get married.”- Idk

Pictures 1&2: My new companion Sister Gonzalez

Picture 3: I love visiting new cities!

Going on splits is fun! I love visiting other cities!

Look! Sister Ketlin my other daughter (Filha)

Bye Sisters! Good luck at home!

Yum.....Pizza Hut pizza!!

The trainers eating Pizza Hut with the new-b´s!!!

Sister Gonzalez!! My new filha!! She is from Guatemala!!

The mission office....I waited 3 hours to get my new companion because they took a lot of time at the presidents house with testimonies and dinner and stuff. haha