I promise I won't stay here forever, but I'm really liking
it here. I love the people... most of the time. In all honesty there are times
when I have to say to myself, "He/ she is a child of God..." but some
of the people are the most amazing people in the world! They say that the
missionaries are good examples, but I learn from the people we met. They are
amazing examples to me!
This week I got to experience cold winter rain. It was
cold... and very wet. I was cold... and very wet, but I kept remembering
something Elder Bednar said at the Thanksgiving devotional. He said, "The
Gospel of Jesus Christ is energizing. You're never too tired, you're never too
cold. With the Gospel of Jesus Christ you can work every day." Spiritual
smack. I was thinking about that after I tripped into a puddle and was ready to
give up for the day. Then I started thinking of "Singin' in the Rain."
The best thing to do when it's raining is to sing "Singin' in the
Rain" as you walk down the streets. I'm pretty sure people thought I was
crazy. I wasn't singing it obnoxiously, but I was happy and that's what made
people stare. People here don't smile, so when you smile it's strange, but you
sure do meet a lot more people that way! Happy missionaries share the gospel
with a lot more people!
This week I got to go up to Porto for a training with
President Fluckiger (perks of having a Sister Training Leader as your
companion) and it was so cool! First real rain since I've been here, but now
all of Portugal is rainy. Porto is so cool! I loved all the buildings and it
definitely feels like Europe. I loved walking around in Porto and going on the
Metro. Lots of people stare at you on the metro, but it was so cool. We almost
got lost... almost, but we made it to every place we needed to go. Porto is so
beautiful. I kind of hope I get to serve there at some point. Who knows? With
the mission dividing it's kind of up in the air, but oh well. Heavenly Father's
plan is better than mine.
This week Bruno left for his mission in Greece and everybody
got sick. Sister Hirschi and I came up with a great little quote this morning
in the middle of companionship study: "The mission is like a crockpot and
the missionary is the meat inside cooking. By the end, you're so worn out that
you just fall apart." She was laughing so hard. Seriously though, she was
practically in bed for two days straight. We were also out of area again.
Sister Hirschi went out to Leiria for divisions and I went to Coimbra to stay
with the sister there. Oh my goodness! There were so many miracles there!
The sisters there are teaching a family of gypsies and I got
to go teach the family with them. Most amazing family ever. They are elect!
They met the mom in the road on Sunday and during their lesson with her she
just cried and cried. The next day they went to find her house but knocked on
the neighbor's door. The woman, Mariana, came out of her house because she had
been praying for the missionaries and knew that they were at the neighbor's
house. They started teaching her and she wanted to be baptized. She wanted to
pay tithing and fast offererings with anything she could because she and her
boyfriend don't have jobs but they still want to help people. They were both
addicted to heroin and the boyfriend is on house arrest (he's actually a menos
ativo... a less active member. He was baptized when he was 9 ou 10), but
they're trying to change everything so that she can be baptized and then they
can go to the temple after they're married. They're oldest son has cancer and
they want to be sealed. They are such amazing examples and the Spirit is so
strong in their house! There's another lesson on never judging anyone! You
never know who Heavenly Father is preparing and you never know what is going on
in the lives of other people! Miracles happen everyday if we just listen to the
Spirit. and trust in Heavenly Father's plan!
I am almost out of time, but I love you all. Seriously. I
have the best family ever. I can definitely feel your prayers and your emails
are so inspired! Even if you didn't know it, they are and I love reading your
emails. I love you all and I'm so grateful that I have my family! The church is
true!
Sister Smith
P.S. The first picture is us with Bruno's family before he
left for the MTC in England. The second picture is me... on the stairs that we
climb up to get to the internet café and to the chapel. There are 90 stairs...
not that I've counted multiple times. I'll send more pictures to Inette and she
can put them up. I love you all. Tell the ward I love them and give out my
weekly hugs for me. :)
When I was in Coimbra with Sister Donahoo and Sister Mancuso
we went to this special little chocolate waffle shop... it was heavenly.
And then there's me and Sister Hirschi. We need to take more
pictures.
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