Miranda's off to Michigan : Where Does the Time Go?

Dearest Family and Friends!

This week has been quite the adventure! I think all my weeks have been adventures just for different reasons though. This week was hot and I have so much more appreciation for the pioneers and the Mormon Battalion then ever before even after the trek/ exodus! Here is a little glimpse into this past week!

Monday: Haha! We had dinner that the Bishop's home and it was great! We love the Peless family and I think they like us as well! Their kids are so funny! I love being a missionary and learning from so many different people all different kinds of things! Being a missionary and eating in member's homes is the best!

Tuesday: We actually were able to pick up a new investigator which was great! We have been so blessed in Bay City! Her name is Sandra and her cousin is a member of the church and they had us all over for dinner. They lesson went pretty well and we have another one scheduled for this Thursday and we are looking forward to it!

Wednesday: We lost the car this day.... always a bummer, but on the bright side we are blessed with some really great weather to be walking in! I mean it could totally be snowing and it's not so I have nothing to complain about! We were able to have a lesson with the Guiths! They are doing pretty good! Misty said that she would be baptized when she receives an answer that these things are true which is great! There are a few hurdles that would need to be overcome but all things are possible through Jesus Christ!

Thursday: We had the opportunity to have a lesson with Tracy! She is such a sweetheart and I just love her and want her to be happy and have the gospel in here life! She would be just so much happier if she were able to come in full fellowship! We need her as well because she has the most tender heart and so much charity for all of God's children! She really is an amazing lady and I just want her to have this gospel!

Friday: Day number 1 and the River of Time! This day is open to all the schools so we got to play games and stuff with them! I braided a lot of pieces of fabric together and we also played 3-way tug of war! It was legit! Sister Jordan and I played against the Elders and we got creamed...... I also got creamed on all the other games I played against them.... lame. Haha! We play a game called Hunker Down and Haul on the Hauser! You balance on a piece of wood and then hold on to a rope and try to pull the other person off, it is a game of balance and strategy! We also played stick pull which was great! It just reminds me of the Restoration movie and how Joseph Smith always played and that he was pretty much the best at it! I love it! We were so tired by the end of the day! We had been in the sun all day and had been out and about doing all those activities it was insane but so much fun and I have that much more respect for the pioneers and what they did and I didn't even have to walk that much that day!

Saturday: We worked a family history booth at the River of Time and it was quite successful! We had a lot of people come and take a look at it which was wonderful! We had by the end like 140 people stop by and either take a flyer or I think about 60 people sat down with us and looked for ancestors with us! It was great! The spirit of Elijah is really here! It was great even trying to find other people's ancestors! We also worked a little at our Mormon Battalion sight which was fun! We had homemade apple pie that was cooked in a dutch oven! Did you know that the Mormon Battalion was the longest infantry march ever!!!! And they were the ones who found the gold which started the gold rush, but they left it all to return to their families in Utah! What amazing men of God!

We also went to the Women's Conference which was absolutely wonderful! It really is the most wonderful time of the year that we get to hear from the leaders of the church then we get to go and apply it into our lives and become better servants of the Lord! We have a prophet on the earth today how amazing and wonderful is that!

Sunday: We had a really good Gospel Principles class about families and it taught me a lot about how we can create a home that has peace, love and harmony in it! I love how the gospel can truly answer all the questions that we have! It really is amazing how Heavenly Father has created such a divine plan for all of us and that we are able to grow into the children that God knows we can become!

Spiritual Thought: This morning while in my studies I was in my readings in Alma 5 which is the great question chapter of the Book of Mormon. Lately I have been pondering a lot about pride and one of the questions is "are ye stripped of pride?" and I thought about it and I came to the conclusion that I am still very much a prideful person. Upon this realization I thought more about how we can rid ourselves of that pride and become humble and submissive. The first thing that came to my mind was gratitude! What better way to realized how much the Lord has done for you then counting your blessings. I love the scripture in Alma 26:12 which talks about how we are nothing and that we can boast of our God! I love it! There are also other ways that the scriptures teach us about how we can develop the attribute of humility. In Helaman 3:35 it says "Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility and firmer and firmer in their faith of Christ...". We can fast and pray to receive divine help to strip ourselves of our pride! It's great how we have a Heavenly Father who sent His Son to help us in our weaknesses which also helps us to call upon the Lord for help and strength! Blessings of being humble are found all over in the scriptures, but one that I liked was D&C 112:10 which talks about receiving answers to our prayers! I know that it is hard to acknowledge our weaknesses and sometimes it's even harder to call upon the Lord for help, but I know that when we do we will become humble and we will be able to strip ourselves of pride that we may be able to stand before God and be clean so we can inherit the kingdom of God which is the greatest of all gifts! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love Always,

Sister Smith