Dear Family and Friends,
As some of you may know if you read
the letter last week I have been transferred to Williamston which is outside
East Lansing. The crazy thing is that I don't actually live in Williamston it
is like 15 minutes away. I actually like in Okemos in another ward's boundaries.....
it is a little weird, but hey it works! It is pretty different from Midland and
it is a bummer not really knowing my area as well and getting to know a whole
new ward again, but I am determined to get to know the area and ward just like
I did Midland! It is crazy though because I have already seen President Hess
once and Sister Hess twice which is totally awesome!!!! There are a lot of
benefits for being near the heart of your mission.
This past week....
Monday: Packing for transfers has been the
most stressful part of my mission thus far. Sure I can knock on a
strangers door and invite them to come closer to Christ no problem,
but ask me to pack a bunch of stuff in a limited amount of space and I
can't do it. Don't worry I made it to transfers, but it did cross my mind to
call President Hess and say I can't leave Midland because I couldn't pack
all my stuff.
Tuesday: Wake up early, drive to Mt.
Pleasant, leave the area you love, drive to Lansing, meet your new
companions, feel a little lost, but then remember that the Lord has called you
to this new area and that he will help you get used to it. That is pretty much
what this day was like. It is always a little hard the first day because you
have no idea who or what your companions are talking about and you feel a
little lost. I am so grateful I have a testimony that the Lord knows where we
need to be and when we need to be there it makes me feel a lot more
peaceful about transfers.
Wednesday: It was my first day ever taking
public transportation. Yup, I road that bus for the first time ever in my life
and let me tell you this bus route thing is confusing and I was nervous and I
am so glad that I have companions who know what they are doing! We did
however talk to a nice gentleman he wasn't interested in the gospel, but he was
super nice!
Thursday: Whenever you get a new
companionship you have to learn how to make it work and how you can incorporate
all the different ideas together and that is what we did. We meshed 3 different
people's ideas together and we are trying to get this trio thing to work well.
I have great hopes for this area!!!
Friday: We met with our investigator Clair
and she is so prepared! We taught the plan of Salvation and she loved it! She
has a baptismal date for April 19th. We just need to get here to church and to
feel the spirit there then I she will progress even more to baptism.
Saturday: We door knocked all day. I am
finding that all over Michigan a lot of the people are the same... they all
have a church they already attend to which is great, but they don't have all
the truth. I am still trying to figure out a way to teach them this without
getting a door in the face. I'll keep working on that, if you have any ideas
shoot me and email!
Sunday: New faces!!! Before church started
I stood in the back of the chapel and I went through the members with Sister
Flora. I pretty much quizzed myself before sacrament started so I could get to
know the ward members. Like I said earlier I really want to get to know this
area well and the members as well, it makes the work so much better!
Spiritual Thought: This morning I was
studying and I read 1 Nephi 19:7-9 and it talks about how Jesus Christ was
spit upon and ridiculed for being kind and loving the children of men. At first
that made me think that as a missionary it is okay to be persecuted because Jesus
Christ, the very person we represent, was ridiculed and killed for being
righteous. As I pondered a little more I started to think about today's society
and how they believe Good is Evil and Evil is Good. We will be mocked and
laughed at for standing up for what is right, but we must know in our hearts
that what we are doing is right. It doesn't matter what society thinks of you,
what matters is what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ think of you. I know that
when we choose the right and stand up for those things we bring joy to our
Father in Heaven. I know that it is hard to stand up for those things
especially if you are standing up to those you love and if you are standing
alone, but always remember that the spirit is with you and that you are never
alone. Remember the primary lyrics, "He is always near me though I do not
see him there. And because he loves me dearly I am in his watchful care so
I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be if I could see the
Savior standing nigh watching over me." I know that we are always being
watched over and cared for. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love Always,
 |
Sister Miranda Smith
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