Hey guys,
August already? Mom, you are right time is going too fast! It's fun being at this point in my mission because I can look back at journal entries and see what I was doing as a missionary one year ago. One year ago today Katarine came to church for the 1st time when I was in the Centreville 2nd ward. That really feels like yesterday. One thing that really caught me off guard is when I got my trunkie letter. This letter just needs information so that the mission can set up my flights for when I get home. Don't you worry family. I am still completely dedicated and consecrated to the Lord and His work.
This has been a week full of meetings and events. We had Mission Leadership Council (MLC) on Wednesday, Mission Conference on Friday, and the Nationals game on Saturday. During MLC we talked more on how to influence the missionaries in our stewardship for good. One of my favorite things that we talked about was how all leaders are teachers. Our most powerful teaching comes from our personal example. I need to continue to check myself everyday to have the moral authority to help my sisters. This was my 10th MLC. I really am a rare soul who has this opportunity. This was most likely my last one. My goal after this transfer is to become a regular missionary on bike for my last two transfers. It would be a dream...
The mission conference talked all about consecration. We focused on the title of liberty from the Book of Mormon. All of the missionaries brought a shirt to rip in half and write our name on it pledging to be a consecrated missionary. It was also fun to go to the mission conference because I got to see all of the sisters I have been on an exchange with. They are all turning into amazing missionaries!
Nats WIN! I am such a lucky missionary. I have now been able to go to the Nationals game twice. They beat the Phillies 11 to 0. We were there along with all of the missionaries from the DC North mission. We had long metro rides because I live in the boonies but it was a great opportunity to talk to others about Jesus Christ on the Metro. I ended up talking to over ten people about the gospel and gave away two copies of the Book of Mormon. That was the most rewarding part of the game.
Sister Schramm and I have been finding a lot this week. From our finding efforts we have been able to eat dinner with a family from the south. They fed us fried chicken, fried ochre, homemade bunt cake (she gave me the recipe). We are also really good friends with them now and will be having a family home evening with them sometime next week. We also went to a Ghanaian and Haitian party this past Sunday. We met lots of great people and set up solid contacts. This afternoon we had fufu, peanut butter soup, and rice balls with a Ghanaian woman named Comfort who we met at the Gainesville BBQ last week. We talked to Comfort about the temple and introduced her more to the church. We will be teaching her after August 16th. We will also be eating dinner tonight with a Brazilian lady we found street contacting and will be eating dinner with a couple from India next week. Sister Schramm and I decided that the way these people will listen to us is if we eat food with them first. Jesus Christ even broke bread before He taught His gospel.
The Stake President in the Centreville stake is in my ward here in Gainesville. We are really close to him and his family. They were the ones who had Sister Lindmeir and I over for dinner on my birthday. We ate dinner again with them last night and we talked all about how their daughter Renee will be leaving on her mission in 15 days. This family is really missionary minded and we have definitely earned their trust. They will be having a huge get together with all of their nonmember friends the day before Renee leaves. The Stake President wants us to teach the Restoration at this get together. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to earn the trust of the members so that they will open up and trust us with their friends.
I am really looking forward to our next Skype lesson with Justin. Can we plan on this coming Sunday? Message me on Facebook and let me know what time will work. Jake and Josh I am happy that you both had so much fun at EFY! Smith family, I will be missing two of my really dear friends weddings before I get home. Can you go to Ham's and Hannah's wedding? Hannah's will be in October and Ham's in November. Give them a big hug for me and tell them that I love them.
Also, can you send proactiv? I also bought something for Jacob and Josh at the Nats game. I will send them home when I have time. Hopefully they will fit!
Love you all and have a great week!
Love, Sister Smith
August already? Mom, you are right time is going too fast! It's fun being at this point in my mission because I can look back at journal entries and see what I was doing as a missionary one year ago. One year ago today Katarine came to church for the 1st time when I was in the Centreville 2nd ward. That really feels like yesterday. One thing that really caught me off guard is when I got my trunkie letter. This letter just needs information so that the mission can set up my flights for when I get home. Don't you worry family. I am still completely dedicated and consecrated to the Lord and His work.
This has been a week full of meetings and events. We had Mission Leadership Council (MLC) on Wednesday, Mission Conference on Friday, and the Nationals game on Saturday. During MLC we talked more on how to influence the missionaries in our stewardship for good. One of my favorite things that we talked about was how all leaders are teachers. Our most powerful teaching comes from our personal example. I need to continue to check myself everyday to have the moral authority to help my sisters. This was my 10th MLC. I really am a rare soul who has this opportunity. This was most likely my last one. My goal after this transfer is to become a regular missionary on bike for my last two transfers. It would be a dream...
The mission conference talked all about consecration. We focused on the title of liberty from the Book of Mormon. All of the missionaries brought a shirt to rip in half and write our name on it pledging to be a consecrated missionary. It was also fun to go to the mission conference because I got to see all of the sisters I have been on an exchange with. They are all turning into amazing missionaries!
Nats WIN! I am such a lucky missionary. I have now been able to go to the Nationals game twice. They beat the Phillies 11 to 0. We were there along with all of the missionaries from the DC North mission. We had long metro rides because I live in the boonies but it was a great opportunity to talk to others about Jesus Christ on the Metro. I ended up talking to over ten people about the gospel and gave away two copies of the Book of Mormon. That was the most rewarding part of the game.
Sister Schramm and I have been finding a lot this week. From our finding efforts we have been able to eat dinner with a family from the south. They fed us fried chicken, fried ochre, homemade bunt cake (she gave me the recipe). We are also really good friends with them now and will be having a family home evening with them sometime next week. We also went to a Ghanaian and Haitian party this past Sunday. We met lots of great people and set up solid contacts. This afternoon we had fufu, peanut butter soup, and rice balls with a Ghanaian woman named Comfort who we met at the Gainesville BBQ last week. We talked to Comfort about the temple and introduced her more to the church. We will be teaching her after August 16th. We will also be eating dinner tonight with a Brazilian lady we found street contacting and will be eating dinner with a couple from India next week. Sister Schramm and I decided that the way these people will listen to us is if we eat food with them first. Jesus Christ even broke bread before He taught His gospel.
The Stake President in the Centreville stake is in my ward here in Gainesville. We are really close to him and his family. They were the ones who had Sister Lindmeir and I over for dinner on my birthday. We ate dinner again with them last night and we talked all about how their daughter Renee will be leaving on her mission in 15 days. This family is really missionary minded and we have definitely earned their trust. They will be having a huge get together with all of their nonmember friends the day before Renee leaves. The Stake President wants us to teach the Restoration at this get together. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to earn the trust of the members so that they will open up and trust us with their friends.
I am really looking forward to our next Skype lesson with Justin. Can we plan on this coming Sunday? Message me on Facebook and let me know what time will work. Jake and Josh I am happy that you both had so much fun at EFY! Smith family, I will be missing two of my really dear friends weddings before I get home. Can you go to Ham's and Hannah's wedding? Hannah's will be in October and Ham's in November. Give them a big hug for me and tell them that I love them.
Also, can you send proactiv? I also bought something for Jacob and Josh at the Nats game. I will send them home when I have time. Hopefully they will fit!
Love you all and have a great week!
Love, Sister Smith