It is Christmas time!!!!!

Hey Hey Hey Family!!!!

What up everyone!!! I hope that you all are doing well and that you are enjoy the new Christmas season! 

Monday- This day was a pretty crazy P-day. We were every where just out and about and I wrote like 6 letters which is the most I have written in a while. We had a pretty great time though. Sister Whipple and I chilled in Meijer for like an hour and we printed out some great pictures of us. 

Tuesday- We went and visited a less active woman named Cheryl and we invited her to the Midland Nativity Exhibit which is this huge thing the wards in Midland put on for the community. They set up like 600 nativities from around the world and you walk through and look at them. I hear the it is so great and that the spirit is really strong there. It is a great way to start off Christmas. Sister Whipple and I also got lost on our way to a dinner appointment because we do not have a GPS. Also when you drive in snow at night is looks like you are driving through space at high speeds which I think is pretty awesome!! 

Wednesday- We have Zone Training!!! I love zone training's!! We talked a lot about having faith, which is something we can always have more of. We also talked about new ways to approach doors like saying we are disciples of Jesus Christ and that we are representatives of Jesus Christ. This gives us more power and authority at door steps which is pretty awesome if you ask me!! We are starting to see a difference already which is really great! 

Thursday- So it snowed on Thanksgiving which is epic!!! Snowflakes actually look the way they are drawn!! I saw my first snow flake!!! So cool!!!! Also we door knocked into this family and they were kind of laughing at us. They told us to wait and they went and got their Grandfather. Their Grandfather then came up to us and looked me dead in the eyes and told me that I was not Christian. I politely told him that we know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, then he told me I was wrong and that I am not a Christian. It was interesting because when he told me that I was not Christian I really stood a little taller and I was not going to be shaken. I know what I know and I will stand up for what I know. Sister Whipple and I walked away from the door and started singing 'I Believe in Christ'. It was one of those doors that help strengthen your testimony about the gospel. We also had Thanksgiving! We ate at a members home and it was so fun because they had a lot of family there and it was like being at home, just with another family. It was wonderful!!

Friday- We had a service project which was fun because we got to tie fleece blankets together for a firehouse. Also Sister Whipple and I were walking home from door knocking and it was like 23 degrees and there we are laughing and having fun. We passed a sign that told us the temperature and I said I never thought I would be this happy and it be this cold. It was pretty great!

Saturday- We walked a ton and my body was sore, but you keep on keepin' on!!! The work must never stop! 

Sunday- Sister Whipple and I were knocking apartments and we met a man named Brett!! We set a return appointment with him and we are so excited to teach him. We did not talk with him long, but he seemed like he was pretty interested so we are looking forward to see where this goes!! 

So for my thought I really want to talk about how God loves all of us. Yesterday in Relief Society we talked about this and something that stood out to me was the tender mercies that we receive from out Heavenly Father to let us know that he is mindful of us. This week Sis. Whipple and I were walking and we were tired and wanted to find a bench. There was no bench in sight so we kept on walking. I said a prayer in my heart just asking to find a bench so we could sit and find a place for us to go door knocking. Well just a few minutes later I look over and there is a bench!!! I was so excited!! It really was a tender mercy from the Lord that there was a bench there. He knew how much I wanted that bench. To some it may seem like a coincidence, but to me it was a witness that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know me as an individual and that they are mindful of our needs. I am so grateful that I have opportunities to recognize Gods hand in my life. My challenge to you is to notice all the little tender mercies that you receive this week and write them down. I promise that you will feel Gods love for you as an individual and you will be happier!!!

I love you all and I hope that you have a wonderful week this week!!!! Keep Moving Forward!!!!

Love Always, 

Sister Miranda Smith    

Midland: This was my last district!!! We decided to take a picture in our Gentile clothing!! Haha missionaries, we are hilarious!! 

                                                           Look it is my zone!!!! 

Look it is super cold!!! 

Look I dunked the ball!!! 

I am so Cool!

Mustaches!!

We found them at Target for like 3 bucks!! 

We had a nerf gun war with our district and we totally killed it, but we were the only ones with guns!!! HaHa!! 

First day of snow!!! 

It's a winter wonderland here!!!

Hey everyone!!! 

Sorry I wasn't able to email last week, the power went out because of a huge storm and we were unable to email for a long time. 

So last week there was a big storm so we had to have dinner by candle light at a members home, it was pretty awesome. We got a sweet video of it!! We aren't fully sure if it was a tornado or what, but all I know is that power was out for some people for like 4 days and it was freezing. 

So for this week!!! 

Monday: The power was out so we went and chilled at the mall for a while and then the church got power so we went over to the church and had a nerf war with our district. Sister Whipple and I totally dominated because we were the only ones with nerf guns! Haha!! :D 

Tuesday: We went and saw our investigator Eulene! She is great. She has two little kids and they are just so cute. Sometimes it is a little hard though to have lessons because they are so distracting. We are trying to figure out a way to make them better and more spiritual. Also we had dinner at Olive Garden so I got to eat yummy bread sticks and I got left overs which is great as a missionary cause then you have to buy less food! 

Wednesday: So Wednesday I was sick so we didn't really do much. We sat in our apartment and watched all the videos that are approved. Also Sister Whipple made me chicken noodle soup!!! :D 

Thursday: We had a lesson with our investigator Dakota. She is 14 and I just love her. She is so funny and acts just like a 14 year old. It makes me really enjoy teaching, but then realize how much work it will be, but it will be rewarding for sure. We are really trying to make the lessons interactive because it keeps their attention better and we like giving those lessons! 

Friday: We had a lesson with Ben. This last week Ben told us that he didn't want to be baptized which is super sad cause Sister Whipple and I were just so excited for him and we really see him as our brother. We were able to set up this lesson with him and see why he no longer wanted to be baptized. It was the first lesson where Sister Whipple and I were really bold. The thing is though it was all out of love! We love Ben so we want him to have what we have and enjoy the blessings. We have another lesson with him this week so we hope it goes well! 

Saturday: So we were out door knocking and we met this super nice woman, but she told us straight up that our religion is made up and that it isn't true. It was pretty sad to hear because I have a testimony and I know that this can bless her life and she isn't ready to accept it. I have found that when people tell me that I'm being told lies and that I should rethink what I have been taught and have come to know is true that is only gives me the opportunity to solidify my testimony of the gospel! I know this church is true and I know it blesses people's lives! 

Sunday: So we had a lesson with Austin and it was awesome! It was the Gospel of Jesus Christ lesson and we were able to make it an object lesson! We played Hot and Cold to show how the Holy Ghost speaks to us and we were able to check his understanding. I just love giving these lessons. It is hard to teach teenagers, but it really is so fun! 

Oh side note Sister Whipple and I were at a dinner appointment and members from the ward needed to be some where and so they left. Just like a minute after they left they came in and said "We hit the Sister's car". They had backed up into our car. Sister Whipple and I laughed. We're like "we are prepared for this!" I love that the mission is just so prepared for everything! I get to learn so much about being prepared for anything that may come!!! 

So I've been able to read a few conference talks and study them and it is wonderful. When I got conference it was like getting a Christmas present!! I loved it!!! I really just want to challenge all of you to read a conference talk and really study it. Take notes in the margins, highlight things you enjoy and really get something out of these talks. They are modern day scripture and can teach us so many things. I know that as we take time to study these talks and apply the things we learn that we will be able to have our testimonies strengthened and that we will be more confident in sharing the gospel with others!! 

I love you all so much and I hope that you are enjoying the nice warm weather! Oh did I tell you it snowed, well it did and it is cold, but I am still loving it!!! I hope that you all have a wonderful week and don't forget that you are all amazing people who are loved!!! 

Love Always, 

Sister Miranda Smith :D