Transfers are crazy, but they are a lot nicer if your new
colega is one of your companions from the MTC. It's a lot easier that way. When
we called each other last night it was so nice to talk to her. I had the
thought the other day that it was possible that I would be with Sister Mills,
but I really didn't think it would happen. Well, miracles happen when you're a
missionary!
This last week was one of the hardest and one of the best
weeks of my mission. Heavenly Father really does love me. Now I can look back
and see that He let us have so many miracles so that I could leave Viseu
without any regrets. There were so many people that we found. It was a week
full of miracles!
On Monday we were tourists... it was kind of fun. We went
and visited the cathedral and then we walked through Rossio. The cathedral was
so cool, but I'm pretty sure Sister Bender got sick of hearing about Mr.
Haroldsen's history class. I was having fun though. Tuesday we had a fantastic
Conselho da Ala and then on Wednesday we had adventures missing buses and then
walking along the higway to get to appointments. We were kept safe though.
Thursday we had an awesome lesson at the capela with a man we found street
contacting. Sister Bender and I had been contacting so many people on the
streets and now there are some incredible investigators that are going to get
baptized. Sunday was the best day of my mission. Heavenly Father put so many
people in our path that are ready for the gospel and it was the best possible
way to end my time in Viseu. |
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Sister Smith with the Bishop and his family in Viseu
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When we got transfer calls I just started crying. I knew I
was leaving Viseu, but at the same time I didn't want to. I love Viseu so much
and it was so hard to leave the members and my recent converts. We all took so
many pictures together yesterday after church and they all gave me their
addresses so that I can write letters. Once the members found out I was getting
transferred some of them called. Bishop didn't want me to leave and the ward
mission leader and his wife called me and said that they loved me and were sad
to see me go, but at the same time they said it's better that the missionaries
move and get to help other areas. Leaving Viseu I had the same feeling as when
I left home for the MTC and then when I left the MTC for Portugal. I knew that
this is the way things are supposed to be, but it helped me realize how whort
the time as a missionary is. We really aren't missionaries for very long. 18
months is not a very long time! The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel
like days.
I had a four hour bus ride from Viseu to Lisboa this
morning, but when I saw Sister Mills at the estção dos autocarros it was so
nice to be with her again. It's so different to be in southern Portugal. I was
joking with Sister Mills that we're in Africa.... there are not Portuguese
people here. That's the weirdest part to me. There are lots of Africans, but I
haven't seen any Portuguese people yet. We'll give it a few days and we'll see
if we can find any.
I don't have much more time, but I love you all. I have the
best family in the world and the best mission companions too. I'm going to miss
Sister Bender and our casual conversations about calculus (yes... we had those
almost every day) but I'm so grateful that I'm with Sister Mills again. It's a
little scary because we're both in our third transfers and I have no idea what
I'm doing, but I'm pretty sure everything will work out just fine. Yeah, I've
got faith. It will all be good.
The church is true! I love you all!
Sister Smith
P.S. Pictures are of me in front of the cathedral and our
last district photo together before transfers. I have too many pictures so I'll
send them in other emails and Inette can put them on the blog.
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