Miranda's off to Michigan : New door knocking approach that works!!!

Hey Family!!!

Can you believe that I have been out 13 months!!! I know neither can I!! I only have 5 months left that is just crazy to think about! I can't even begin to think about how fast the time has gone!!! I love my mission so much and I love the person that I am becoming because of the things that I have learned! If you have the opportunity to go on a mission go!!! It will change your life, if you let it!

Here's my crazy week!

Monday: We had a lesson with my investigator in Williamston, Sandy. She is awesome and I love her! I really hope that progresses and will be baptized! I was sad to leave her! It's just sad leaving an area that you love! Also we were with Sister Powell who was heading home the next day! She was a great missionary and I'm sad I only got to know here for a day!

Tuesday: This was seriously one of the longest days of my life! It was weird because I was in my old area, but I knew that I would be transferred to my new area in 2 days. It was like I was on middle ground, wanting to be in Williamston but, wanting to be in my new area in Bay City with my new companion. It was strange and I'd rather not have another day like that!

Wednesday: We were with Sister Anson who was also called to train a new missionary so I was in a trio for a little more than a day which was great! She had previously served in Williamston so it was pretty good! She was super happy to be there!

Thursday: I finally got to pick up my new companion!!!! I was so nervous waiting to pick her up and to find out who I'd be with for the new 3 months! My new companion is Sister Jordan! She is from Layton, Utah and boy does she have greenie fire!!! She is great and is training me very much! She will be a big part in helping the work move forward in this part of the vineyard!

Friday: We weekly planned for a good part of the day! Planning when you don't really know the area makes it a little bit more complicated and longer, but we managed! (We are still working on learning the area and the members. We've only been here not even 5 days I think we should probably give ourselves a little break! We really both have a desire to work hard and hasten the work here so it's exciting)!

Saturday: Now this is the best part of the entire week!!! HaHa! We planned to go door knocking til about 1 and then go home and have some lunch. Today was a pretty hot day and decently humid. We were at our 3rd door and this lady named Gloria was going to turn us away but then started talking to us which was awesome! We talked from like 11:30 to about 1:00. While talking we shared scriptures from the Book of Mormon and she practically quoted Helaman 5:12! Anyways, while talking I started to feel hungry and little sick. I hadn't really eating anything since about 7:00 and we were standing on her porch in the hot sun. All these things combined into me getting light headed and well I actually passed out!! I know crazy right! The craziest part is that I passed out off her porch! No worries though (dad) I'm okay! If I wasn't you probably would have gotten a call. So yeah I fainted off a woman's porch. I fell down about 3 steps and hit my head on this plastic turtle. I opened my eyes to Sister Jordan praying over me and all I could think was "Dang it! Did I really just pass out!" They called 911 and the fire department came and the ambulance as well...... haha! They came walking up and I was laughing. I couldn't believe that it had happened and I still don't! They asked if I wanted to go to the hospital and I said "Not really..." only a missionary. Don't worry we called the elders and I got a blessing and everything is all good! Oh the Zone Leaders called and Elder Tuttle said that I was boss and that everyone should work as hard and me and that I was his new favorite missionary. It was pretty funny! Also we had to call the office and they asked how the contact went and I said "Great! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said that we could come back!" I wouldn't recommend trying it, but hey it's a new door approach and it works! But you have to stay inside the rest of the day so that is a negative of this approach.

Sunday: I love the Bay City Ward!!!! It is super small and practically a branch size but I love it!!! The bishop is wonderful and we are striving to build trust with the members! Also I bore my testimony and the bishop said that he could tell who I was because of it! I'm glad that I bear a testimony that builds trust! Seriously, I am super excited to be here and to work hard and to have been trust with this part of the Lord's vineyard!

Spiritual Thought: I have been thinking about what I want to talk about and I feel like obedience is a great topic of today! I am so grateful for commandments! I have a testimony of keeping them and living them. I know that the Lord gives us commandments to bless us and to make us happy as we live them! Our mission president and past mission president are and were very set on exact obedience and nothing else and I love it!!! As I live the commandments and mission rules I have seen my life be so blessed and my happiness levels exceed anything that I could imagine! One of my favorite scriptures is Mosiah 2:41 which talks about the happy state of those who keep the commandments and that they will be blessed temporally and spiritually. I know that it is hard to keep them sometimes, but I know the amazing feels that you get when you do keep them! When we are disobedient we are captive to the devil and when we choose to keep the commandments we are free and will have eternal life! We choose whether or not we want to be happy. Happiness is a choice and so is following the commandments! Life is meant to be joyful!!!! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all!!!

Love Always,

Sister Smith