Hello from Centreville!
I love the pictures that you sent me! I hope Jake had a great birthday and I am sorry about the cake. Mom I have never seen The Avengers, but it's fine hahah, keep making that list for me! We will have lots of movie nights for sure! Chelsea's pictures were beautiful. I am all teary eyed now. Ahh, It is just so amazing! I love them. Okay mom when is camp? You will be in my prayers for sure!
There is so much I want to talk about. I really grow every week and I learn so much every week. We had our zone conference this week. I wonder if President Riggs sent you pictures. They might be on the mission website. One of the big topics during Zone Conference was about how we find personal peace. John 14:27, 1 Nephi 5:5, Ether 2:24-25, Ether 6:5-10 all illustrate how we can find that personal peace in our lives. One of my favorites is Ether 6:5-10. I love that If we are constant and continuous with the the Lord, he will literally PUSH us to the promised land. He will not leave us alone when the winds blow. It was a great conference and it was so great being with the other missionaries.
This week we had the weirdest experience. We tracted into this family early in the week and they were really interested in learning more. They had actually just moved to Centreville 5 weeks ago and were curious about the Mormon church which is in back of their house. Anyway we came back on Friday and we gave them the first lesson. The guy Chris was really excited because he loves Glenn Beck and I guess Glenn Beck has talked about the Book of Mormon? Haha I don't know. After the appointment we ran to the church and found a couple trying to get in. The man was acting like a crazy person and saying he needed to feel peace. We let him and his wife in and started talking to them. I guess the guy feels like he is God and he told us all of these other things that really scared us. It was like he was being taken over by demon spirits. Anyways, he was about to confess all of his sins to us when we found our ward members cleaning the church. We went and asked some of the priesthood leaders if they would give him a blessing and they willingly did. After the blessing he became calmer. I have gained a testimony of Priesthood blessings and also Ward members who clean the church. I always disliked having to go but you never know if that experience could turn into more than a cleaning experience.
On Saturdays we go over and help this woman Elaina with her house. This past Saturday though, we asked if we could share a message with her. We asked her about God and it turned into a 45 minute discussion. It was the first time that I feel like I was guided by the spirit. I cried on the way home because I knew that I wouldn't have been able to say those things if it wasn't through the Holy Ghost. When we are obedient we can truly see the blessings that come.
Now I would like to tell you about a FIRST that I have done on my mission. We have a Lady in our ward who loves if we help in her rose garden. After this ordeal I had to use the bathroom really bad. She led me to the toilet and this toilet was a European Toilet. I was too scared to use it so I went back out and the lady showed me all of these buttons and she said it is better than a normal toilet. So yes. I used a European Toilet. This toilet had seat warmers, massage things, and of course the water spraying. I am so sorry for all of the details but after that experience my companion and I just died with laughter.
I am so happy that you all went to the Worldwide Leadership Conference. It is so true that the Lord is hastening his work. We all can be an anchor in the gospel. Our ward right now is having a tough time with member support. We encourage our members every week and try to get them motivated about missionary work. I hope this conference helps and I am excited to see the results from it. Let us be a light and a beacon to all of the Earth. I hope that you can all find someone who you can share the gospel with this week. You will have to let me know what happens. One thing that we like to do with members is Practice Teach. So maybe for Family Home Evening you can practice teach on how to share the gospel with someone. Ask the Bishop for Mormon.org cards. That is an easy way to introduce the gospel to those who don't know much about it!
I love you all so much and I am so glad that you are doing well! Keep me updated! Mom let me know if you can send some CD's out here. I guess there is a new sister missionary one? You will have to let me know k? And also I would love it if you sent me pictures in the mail of our family before I left.
Thanks for all of the love and support. I really feel it!
Ohhh Also I feel like I gave the wrong address to people so my actual address is:
Sister Kelsey Smith
Washington DC South Mission
5242 Lyngate Ct.
Burke, VA 22015
Love your daughter,
Sister Smith
I love the pictures that you sent me! I hope Jake had a great birthday and I am sorry about the cake. Mom I have never seen The Avengers, but it's fine hahah, keep making that list for me! We will have lots of movie nights for sure! Chelsea's pictures were beautiful. I am all teary eyed now. Ahh, It is just so amazing! I love them. Okay mom when is camp? You will be in my prayers for sure!
There is so much I want to talk about. I really grow every week and I learn so much every week. We had our zone conference this week. I wonder if President Riggs sent you pictures. They might be on the mission website. One of the big topics during Zone Conference was about how we find personal peace. John 14:27, 1 Nephi 5:5, Ether 2:24-25, Ether 6:5-10 all illustrate how we can find that personal peace in our lives. One of my favorites is Ether 6:5-10. I love that If we are constant and continuous with the the Lord, he will literally PUSH us to the promised land. He will not leave us alone when the winds blow. It was a great conference and it was so great being with the other missionaries.
This week we had the weirdest experience. We tracted into this family early in the week and they were really interested in learning more. They had actually just moved to Centreville 5 weeks ago and were curious about the Mormon church which is in back of their house. Anyway we came back on Friday and we gave them the first lesson. The guy Chris was really excited because he loves Glenn Beck and I guess Glenn Beck has talked about the Book of Mormon? Haha I don't know. After the appointment we ran to the church and found a couple trying to get in. The man was acting like a crazy person and saying he needed to feel peace. We let him and his wife in and started talking to them. I guess the guy feels like he is God and he told us all of these other things that really scared us. It was like he was being taken over by demon spirits. Anyways, he was about to confess all of his sins to us when we found our ward members cleaning the church. We went and asked some of the priesthood leaders if they would give him a blessing and they willingly did. After the blessing he became calmer. I have gained a testimony of Priesthood blessings and also Ward members who clean the church. I always disliked having to go but you never know if that experience could turn into more than a cleaning experience.
On Saturdays we go over and help this woman Elaina with her house. This past Saturday though, we asked if we could share a message with her. We asked her about God and it turned into a 45 minute discussion. It was the first time that I feel like I was guided by the spirit. I cried on the way home because I knew that I wouldn't have been able to say those things if it wasn't through the Holy Ghost. When we are obedient we can truly see the blessings that come.
Now I would like to tell you about a FIRST that I have done on my mission. We have a Lady in our ward who loves if we help in her rose garden. After this ordeal I had to use the bathroom really bad. She led me to the toilet and this toilet was a European Toilet. I was too scared to use it so I went back out and the lady showed me all of these buttons and she said it is better than a normal toilet. So yes. I used a European Toilet. This toilet had seat warmers, massage things, and of course the water spraying. I am so sorry for all of the details but after that experience my companion and I just died with laughter.
I am so happy that you all went to the Worldwide Leadership Conference. It is so true that the Lord is hastening his work. We all can be an anchor in the gospel. Our ward right now is having a tough time with member support. We encourage our members every week and try to get them motivated about missionary work. I hope this conference helps and I am excited to see the results from it. Let us be a light and a beacon to all of the Earth. I hope that you can all find someone who you can share the gospel with this week. You will have to let me know what happens. One thing that we like to do with members is Practice Teach. So maybe for Family Home Evening you can practice teach on how to share the gospel with someone. Ask the Bishop for Mormon.org cards. That is an easy way to introduce the gospel to those who don't know much about it!
I love you all so much and I am so glad that you are doing well! Keep me updated! Mom let me know if you can send some CD's out here. I guess there is a new sister missionary one? You will have to let me know k? And also I would love it if you sent me pictures in the mail of our family before I left.
Thanks for all of the love and support. I really feel it!
Ohhh Also I feel like I gave the wrong address to people so my actual address is:
Sister Kelsey Smith
Washington DC South Mission
5242 Lyngate Ct.
Burke, VA 22015
Love your daughter,
Sister Smith