Wk 52- New Change!! :)

Area: San Carlos

Companion: Sister Lara

 

San Carlos and Escalante Zones

The trainers at the zone conference- the zone leaders,
sister training leaders, and assistants

(President Lopez posted some information on Facebook this week about the mission boundaries changing for the Bacolod and Cebu missions. San Carlos- where Jenna is currently serving, will become part of the Cebu mission- so she will be moving in order to stay in the Bacolod mission)
The old boundaries of the Bacolod mission:

The new boundaries of the Bacolod mission:

Answers: 
I don't know where i am going yet. They will let us know on Friday when we head back to Bacolod. We are touring the missionaries from Cebu of our area on Thursday and then Friday morning heading back to Bacolod. We will probably not be staying with our companions or as an STL. They aren't making any new zones is what they said so everything will change, but we find out probably on Friday when we get to bacolod. Thursday we have to have everything packed and an over night bag for that night and yeah!! That's pretty much all I know. I know President Lopez will be here and we are doing breakfast which will be put together by me and sister Lara. Just pastries and bananas is what president said. I will write a letter- you just both had the same questions :) did i answer all of them?? Yes it removes all cebuano, we are only ilonggo now. Lucky me i got to try cebuano no? :)

Well, as I sent you the other email and as you know from President's Facebook, there is a change this week. We are transferring out of Cebuano. Cebuano is going to Cebu mission now. We don't have any new zones, just new missionaries in each zone. So everything will change. We were told, most of us will change companions, and most of us won't have the same callings we do. So this will all happen on Thursday. Oh! We almost also got pulled into Cebu mission is what was said, but Sister Lopez begged for us to stay in Bacolod, so I'm happy about that. :) Now that I've told you that I can tell you more about this wonderful area that I am going to miss a lot.

Let just say, I love this area!! It really is amazing! I can see it's potential and even though I didn't see all the baptisms that I know will happen, At least I got to know the people here. And got to learn a little Cebuano. But this area is amazing!!

Now my thoughts are a little more organized because we've had to organize them so we can be ready to tell the new missionaries on Thursday. But We did have a baptism last night and it was amazing!! It was Nenita, the grandma of Abigail a few weeks ago!! She was so happy and had an amazing feeling!! :) I love how happy she is and how much the spirit lifted her up!

Last Thursday, we had zone conference!! Which was also amazing!! We had Trainings by all the leaders. Yes as a sister training leader, I gave a training. They just gave us a time limit and said STL's have 45 minutes. So we (with Sister Lara) split the time. I can't believe how fast 20 minutes really does fly!! Holy cow!! But it was amazing!! I taught about Showing Christ's love through Patience. I talked about the Christlike attribute in Preach my Gospel Chapter 6 about patience. It was incredible how, again, I wasn't given the training. I prayed to hope to find something that would help the people there. Most of them were previous zone leaders and elders. We only had 6 of us sisters including me and sister Lara. It was incredible though!! I gave it in a mixed Cebuano/Ilonggo/English. Haha. We were told to speak as much of Cebuano as we can, but i'm still between cebuano and ilonggo, plus the little english that I didn't know for training missionaries. I only know the simple language, not deep. :) But it was amazing how the spirit helped me to say what I needed to in each language. Elder Rasmussen (not sure the spelling of their name) one of the couples who doesn't speak ilonggo, came up to me and said you were right on the dot today, I was not patient at all today. I was like oh good!! I helped someone different than i expected, but still helped at least one person. God really does help and support us. I also know it wasn't me that helped him, I was just the lucky one to have the opportunity to be his mouth piece at the right moment. That's why it's so important to be in tune!! I love the Spirit!! :)

Ok, so I guess my brain is really not that organized, sorry, I just have a lot of information going through my head. Haha. But we do have a lot of people prepared for baptism here. Rolley is one and he is amazing!! Sister Lara totally followed the spirit on this one to go find him and he's come to church the past two weeks now and is so ready to be baptized. He serves his family like none other and his mom died about 2 years ago in 2012 of cancer, and he's incredible!! Like he's been looking for something in his like, like to make him feel important. I wish i could continue to teach him! He reminds me a little bit of Matt. I shared about Matt to him also and how the Plan of Salvation really helped him through the trial and I think it helped him a bit. He's 21 and I love the spirit and how incredible!! We started in our first lesson with him about the restoration, but something changed it to the plan of salvation, just in what I said, sister Lara even switched pamphlets while I was talking. It was an incredible spirit led lesson the first time we met him and it just continues!! He's also good friends and neighbors with recent converts, so that helps. :)

Then we have Eugene that is amazing too!! We met him on the sea side. And just started talking to this big group of people and he ended up joining them. He was the only one who accepted the invitation and actually came to church! Late, but at least he came!! These past two weeks!! I was like wow!! He also showed up last saturday right after the baptism because we invited him and we just taught him a lesson at the church and in his prayer he asked to be baptized in the church!! It was amazing!! I love it!! So powerful ang spirit! :) I want to keep teaching! but at least the next missionaries will have something good for them to harvest. Even through the pouring rain these two came to church!!

Church... so funny!! We had a brown out so no electricity. Windows open and a farewell as well. Not very many people were there when church started. Sister Lara and Elder Crossland were speakers. And Guess who played the piano?? ME!! hahaha... i played simplified hymns... I am so working on that when i get home! I want to gain that talent. I enjoyed it though and messed up the first one a bit, but i prayed and God helped me remember a bit and I received his help as I played the piano! It was incredible!! I was told good job after too!! haha The Elders were surprised with how good i was (on the simplified hymns) hahaha i was told right before it started. Our pianist is on a week long short term mission in bacolod 1st ward :) My first area!! But they actually came yesterday for her graduation and it was amazing having Sister Fenne, who was her companion, stay with us last night. She brought such a sweet spirit and I love the love she has for our Savior and the gospel!! She was sister Neis' companion in the MTC and also was assigned in Provo mission for a while. I think in our area somewhere until her visa came. She said she was with Lacey Monson. But anyways so cool!! :) I loved it so much and she's very talented at singing! :) I loved it!!

Also, the investigators who's house burnt down. Carlos and them. Carlos knows it's true but wants more time to feel ready. He didn't come to church, but he will get there :) I KNOW HE WILL!! He is amazing!! And the rest of them know the same thing. They know it's true and I wish we could keep teaching them and help them! But at least, again, the next missionaries have something to keep them busy ;) I love this area!! I love the work and I am so grateful for every opportunity I have had to be here!! :) I love you so much!! Thank you for everything!! :) Have a wonderful week!! :)

Love, Sister Smoot

singing: I Stand All Amazed

training- patience

San Carlos Zone

i don't remembered if i answered you mom, yes i did do a musical number also at zone conference. :) and also president pulled us up in his training who all sang and gave us parts and told us to sing and then we sang and i miss that so much!! I was almost in tears!! I was alto and the only sister too. then he pulled up people who don't sing and told them the same thing. gave them parts and they sang not in tune but they sang. Then president related it to companions and how we aren't always in "harmony" with our companion but the important thing is to be obedient do what is commanded and finish it. Don't stop. I loved it!!! It was my favorite thing ever!! I forgot to add that to my letter :) haha but I love it!! best analogy ever!