I got my travel plans! Whoo! I got them last week Thursday, I am actually leaving Wednesday May 5th, not the 4th, so they changed the date on me again but that's okay. I report to the Travel Office at 5am Wednesday morning (not as bad as 2 or 3 in the morning like some missionaries have to) and there a bus will shuttle me to the Salt Lake City airport. By 12:58pm I'll be in Houston Texas where my Mission President will be waiting to pick me up. AH, that's exactly 7 days and four minutes from now!!! Can you believe it? I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my brain around it too. But let the good times roll.
Speaking of good times: Elder L. Tom Perry spoke at the Devotional last night! Can you believe our luck? Two Apostles of the Lord spoke to us since we have been here. I feel very blessed. His wife spoke first and it was about taking Missionary Work seriously, it was exactly what I felt I needed to hear before heading out into the Mission Field to teach and help people for real. Elder Perry spoke about the Book of Mormon and its great significance to our Church, and especially to our work. And how important it is to be a Witness of its truthfullness. It is the single greatest tool that we have for conversion. If anyone, and I mean eanyone, reads the Book of Mormon with a heart that sinscerely wants to know if it is true, and also with the willingness to change if they do know it is true, then the Lord with manifest the truth of it unto them by the power of his messenger the Holy Ghost. I know this to be true. And if the Book of Mormon is true, then that means that Joseph Smith really is a Profet, and that means that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored at this time and the Fullness of his Gospel and Priesthood are present on the Earth again.
I said it last week but I'll say it again: I am so blessed, so lucky, so privlaged to be a part of this work of bringing souls unto Christ. Thereby allowing them to repent, recieve a remission of their sins through baptism by one holding the true authority from God, recieve the Gift of the Holy Ghost to remain in their lives as a blessed guide and comforter, and then help them to prepare to Endure to the End so they can earn the Fullness of Joy that will come to all Saints who remain obediant to the laws and commandments of God and Jesus Christ.
I am a Missionary. I am happy.
Thank you again to all of the lovely people who have been sending me letters and DearElders and packages. Though do keep in mind that DearElder won't work anymore once I'm out of the MTC, so if you wanted to use it, you have just a couple more days! Letters sent to the MTC I think will be sent back with my Mission Home address on them. My Mission Home address is on my blog, and sending letters there will always be assured to get to me, though I might get them only once a transfer (every 6 weeks) but while I've heard that, I've also heard that the Mission Home will forward them on to the missionaries. I'll have to find out once I'm down there how my mission runs the mail. I will not be living at the Mission Home, but in other places around the area. Either an apartment, or in a Member's home. I've also hard some rather terrible stories about Missionaries living in chicken coops or sharing their homes with cockroaches. BUT: I think that since I'm in the States and also I'm a Sister Missionary, my chances of decent living quarters is higher.
Also remember: if you have any questions about what I'm doing or things I mention, or a question about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) in general feel free to post questions here (with your name preferabley) and my Parents can answer, or forward the questions on for me to answer (if you don't want to write me a letter for some reason) And also the Church website www.lds.org is a wonderful source. I've gone on there and found my own answers for questions I've had. There are past General Conferences recorded on there in text, audio, and video form. Also news about the activities of the church. The Book of Mormon is all online (though you can order a copy for yourself for free in the mail as well!) and answers to many issues going on in the world today.
I love you all! Good luck in your lives, I am praying for many of my family and friends and I also appreciate all the prayers that I feel given on my behalf.
This is a wonderful work I am engaged in, and no matter how often I become depressed, or discouraged, or frustrated with myself and others, I knwo that they will pass. Because I am on the Lord's errand I am entitled to share in his strength. I have not been sent out to fail. There is every reason I should succeed, blessing my life and more imporately the lives of those precious Children of God who have been prepared to recieve the Message of the Restored Gospel.
Buenos Suerte y Amor en Sus Vidas!
~ Hermana Smart
~~~~~~~
Speaking of good times: Elder L. Tom Perry spoke at the Devotional last night! Can you believe our luck? Two Apostles of the Lord spoke to us since we have been here. I feel very blessed. His wife spoke first and it was about taking Missionary Work seriously, it was exactly what I felt I needed to hear before heading out into the Mission Field to teach and help people for real. Elder Perry spoke about the Book of Mormon and its great significance to our Church, and especially to our work. And how important it is to be a Witness of its truthfullness. It is the single greatest tool that we have for conversion. If anyone, and I mean eanyone, reads the Book of Mormon with a heart that sinscerely wants to know if it is true, and also with the willingness to change if they do know it is true, then the Lord with manifest the truth of it unto them by the power of his messenger the Holy Ghost. I know this to be true. And if the Book of Mormon is true, then that means that Joseph Smith really is a Profet, and that means that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored at this time and the Fullness of his Gospel and Priesthood are present on the Earth again.
I said it last week but I'll say it again: I am so blessed, so lucky, so privlaged to be a part of this work of bringing souls unto Christ. Thereby allowing them to repent, recieve a remission of their sins through baptism by one holding the true authority from God, recieve the Gift of the Holy Ghost to remain in their lives as a blessed guide and comforter, and then help them to prepare to Endure to the End so they can earn the Fullness of Joy that will come to all Saints who remain obediant to the laws and commandments of God and Jesus Christ.
I am a Missionary. I am happy.
Thank you again to all of the lovely people who have been sending me letters and DearElders and packages. Though do keep in mind that DearElder won't work anymore once I'm out of the MTC, so if you wanted to use it, you have just a couple more days! Letters sent to the MTC I think will be sent back with my Mission Home address on them. My Mission Home address is on my blog, and sending letters there will always be assured to get to me, though I might get them only once a transfer (every 6 weeks) but while I've heard that, I've also heard that the Mission Home will forward them on to the missionaries. I'll have to find out once I'm down there how my mission runs the mail. I will not be living at the Mission Home, but in other places around the area. Either an apartment, or in a Member's home. I've also hard some rather terrible stories about Missionaries living in chicken coops or sharing their homes with cockroaches. BUT: I think that since I'm in the States and also I'm a Sister Missionary, my chances of decent living quarters is higher.
Also remember: if you have any questions about what I'm doing or things I mention, or a question about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) in general feel free to post questions here (with your name preferabley) and my Parents can answer, or forward the questions on for me to answer (if you don't want to write me a letter for some reason) And also the Church website www.lds.org is a wonderful source. I've gone on there and found my own answers for questions I've had. There are past General Conferences recorded on there in text, audio, and video form. Also news about the activities of the church. The Book of Mormon is all online (though you can order a copy for yourself for free in the mail as well!) and answers to many issues going on in the world today.
I love you all! Good luck in your lives, I am praying for many of my family and friends and I also appreciate all the prayers that I feel given on my behalf.
This is a wonderful work I am engaged in, and no matter how often I become depressed, or discouraged, or frustrated with myself and others, I knwo that they will pass. Because I am on the Lord's errand I am entitled to share in his strength. I have not been sent out to fail. There is every reason I should succeed, blessing my life and more imporately the lives of those precious Children of God who have been prepared to recieve the Message of the Restored Gospel.
Buenos Suerte y Amor en Sus Vidas!
~ Hermana Smart
~~~~~~~
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