Oh Missionaries... we're sure are happy people :)

So last week my trunky call really threw me off. I went into mid-life crisis mode and kind of worried all week long about the future and decisions and normal people life problems.... then, on Sunday in Relief Society the Bishop's wife was teaching a lesson about how we show our faith and she started being really bold and telling us how we need to be doing better about showing our faith in the Savior an trusting in Heavenly Father (guilt..... guilt.....guilt....guilt....). Then she started talking about the Book of Mormon and how we have to be reading and studying the Book of Mormon every single day, and when we finish we need to start over at the beginning. Then she said that if we are doing that we don't actually have to worry about anything... then I started thinking.... and I realized.... I had only read in the Book of Mormon once this last week. I was still having really great studies in Preach My Gospel and I was preparing for the lessons, but I was missing something. I realized in Relief Society that I hadn't been paying attention to how I was using my study time and because I hadn't been reading in the Book of Mormon I wasn't showing my faith nor was I receiving as much help from Heavenly Father as I could have. *Lightbulb moment*

Daily scripture study in the Book of Mormon.... it's important. I felt a difference this morning after reading in the Book of Mormon. It's crazy how you don't even notice that something is missing until you have it again. I bet that's how some people feel when they hear the gospel for the first time. They're still living good lives and being good people but they're missing something and they don't even know it until they've found it, but once they've found it they won't do anything that would make them lose it. 

I don't have a lot of time again this week. We had district p-day today and we went out to Leiria Shopping.... it was fun. :) We've got pretty good élderes here. Élder Ricci and Élder Ward and I have all been here together the whole time and we are pretty good friends. We decided that we are all going to be friends after the mission and we're all going to our homecoming talks.... probably the weirdest group of friends ever seen but it's a lot more fun to serve with people when the work is fun! :) I remember at the beginning of my mission I hated everything.... and every time I heard Elder Nelson's talk about how "This isn't missionary WORK... this is Missionary FUN" I thought that it was the biggest lie in the world. Fortunately, I learned to love missionary work.

We had a worldwide missioanary training this week. It was incredible. They talked about how we need to be teaching our investigators more about repentance and that we need to not tell them that they're feeling the Spirit, but that we should help them identify it for themselves... it was an amazing treinamento. And all the missionaries who are not serving in Asia or in the islands were watching it all at the same time. Awesomeness. :) The elderes from Figueira de Foz watched it in their capela but we watched it with the elderes here. We all crammed into the little attic of the capela to watch it on the computer. It was a lot of fun. 

I just love being a missionary and I love doing this work. There is a weird thrill that comes from doing street contacting (knocking doors is still a bit of struggle for me.... I avoid it if I possibly can.... so guess what we're doing tonight? :D  ) and I love seeing the changes as people choose to keep their commitments. This week Annecy came to church. We arranged a ride for him with a member and he came and he said it was different but nice. We also have a new-ish investigator. Her name is Neuza. She was talking with the sisters several months ago, but then stopped and a few weeks ago she called and asked if we would come and talk to her. She told us that she wanted to baptized, but as we talked to her we found out that she and her boyfriend are separated but still living in the same house because they don't have work and can't afford to move.... so she can't get baptized. We told her that as long as she is keeping her commitments and she is doing what the Lord wants her to do, Heavenly Father will help her find a way to qualify for baptism so that she can be baptized and start a new part of her life. We had some pretty incredible lessons with them. 

This morning we had a thunderstorm. It wasn't anything like the storms we have at home, but the Português people were all scared and several members called us to make sure we were okay. They said that it was a really bad storm and that it wasn't normal, but we thought it was actually really cool. The lightening was pink and it reflected off the clouds and it lit up behind the castle. It was really beautiful and I would have made a video but I was too busy doing my morning exercises. They were good too (the élderes informed me this week that I have a reputation in the mission as "that one síster that's more ripped than the élderes"... that's pretty sad that the élderes are so out of shape ;) ...). 

I love you all and I love it here in Leiria! Don't forget to read in the Book of Mormon evrey day.... seriously. Don't forget. Remember to count all the little blessings too! They make the biggest difference. :) Amo vos!

Síster Smith

 

P.S. There's our little district at the bus stop and then right before the worldwide training in the attic of the capela. :) Happiness. :)