Miranda's off to Michigan : MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Hey Everyone!!!

I hope that you are all doing well today!! I hope that you are all able to enjoy this holiday season because it is a wonderful time to be with family and remember the importance of our Savior, Jesus Christ! This season really is great when you get the opportunity to remember the true meaning!! It was crazy cause we were shopping this morning and it was packed at the grocery store and all I could think about was how crazy this wonderful holiday season has gotten! I was standing in line buying my things and all I wanted to do was say it doesn't have to be this way!! I didn't, but I did start singing a Christmas hymn and well I wanted to sing that a little louder also, but I didn't. I really hope that you remember the importance of this holiday and why we have it. It really is a wonderful time of year!

Well this is what happened to me this week!!!

Monday- We had a totally crazy P-day meaning we were super busy trying to get everything to fit with our time. It amazes me how even on our P-Day I still am running around trying to get things ready for the week. No time to rest, oh well!

Tuesday- We met a young family!!! It was sweet! They let us in and they talked with us for a while. We talked a lot about church and what we do at church. I just have a love for church since I have gone on my mission and it is so wonderful and I just love it!! We are hoping that we will be able to teach them. As of now they are a potential, but at least they have potential!!!! And it is a family!!!

Wednesday- We had a really awesome District Meeting about prayer!! We talked a lot about how we need to help our investigators understand how important it is to pray. We also talked about how they can receive an answer that the Book of Mormon is true. It was really great because I was able to look at what we I need to do to better help our investigators so that they can come closer to Christ. I love that we have this gospel and that we get the opportunity to strive everyday to make ourselves better at sharing it with others!! I also get to learn so much on the way which is really amazing!!

Thursday- Something I love about the Midland Ward is that they are so missionary oriented! They love missionary work and they are always looking for ways to share the gospel! We had dinner with the Jones family and they were telling us about all the ways they are trying to share the gospel!!! The thing is though not a lot of people are receptive, but they still keep trying and praying for opportunities to share which I just love and appreciate so much! They are wonderful examples to me of what I want to do when I get home from my mission.

Friday- Nothing totally amazing happened this day, but I want to tell a cool story that happened earlier this past week. So we were out finding and we have been really trying to improve on listening to the spirit to tell us what to talk about at door steps. Okay so we knocked on a door and a young man answered ( he is about our age) and I just had this thought to talk about prophets so I did and he was like "I really am interested" and he put shoes on and came outside to talk with us. He was so interested in prophets and that we have one on the earth today. They crazy thing is that a man drove into the drive way and he told us that we needed to leave like right now. I am sorry, but I was not moving, so we stayed. The guy was just really freaked out and really wanted us to leave. The man in the car got out and just walked past us and said nothing. Dillion the guy who answered the door opened the door for him and he went inside to open it and the man from the car slammed the door. Well Dillion was now inside and we didn't really know what to do, but I didn't want to leave so waited a bit and dillion came back out!!! We asked him if he wanted to learn more and come to church. He said that now wasn't a good time, but that he was really interested. I am just still thinking about him and that he just needs this gospel!!! Well that is my story, it's probably a you had to be there moment.

Saturday- AUSTIN WAS BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!! It was so great!! It was a little stressful cause Sister Whip and I didn't really know how to get a baptism organized, but hey it worked out!! Sister Toronjo and Dakota and a member named Anna all played a special musical number and it was amazing!! It was "When I am Baptized" and the spirit was just so strong! I loved it!! Also their dad who is not a member was there which is wonderful!!! I really hope that he felt the spirit and really felt the love that everyone has for he and his family. It has been so fun seeing him progress into where he is at now! It is such a privilege to teach someone the gospel!!!!

Sunday- We had an amazing lesson on Joseph Smith, by the way his birthday is today the 23rd. It was wonderful and I know that he was a prophet of God and that he was the instrument in God's hand to bring forth the restoration. I love that fact that God works through imperfect people, but also that we strive so hard to be like our Savior Jesus Christ.

I love you all and I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas!!! Don't forget to remember Christ!!!

Love Always,

Sister Miranda Smith

p.s sorry for the long email.