Wk 54- I LOVE THIS CHURCH!! IT's SO TRUE!!!

Area: La Castellana
Companion: Sister Dequina

where they meet for church
while their church is getting worked on!

Sister Smoot & Sister Dequina

Lets just say, i love this work! I feel like I am on a spiritual high just reading emails, which is funny because it wasn't like much difference other than some conference quotes, but I haven't watched yet, but I think it was because of a friend, who's going through a hard time but emailing him and just talking about Christ and how we can all turn to him helps so much. And thinking about our family and how we are so blessed. and Kaycee getting married in the temple!!! and Tanner going to get married in the temple!!! I miss the temple but we are so blessed where we live!! Ah!! I LOVE THIS CHURCH!! IT's SO TRUE!!! I never want to do anything to loose it! Then of course we have trials to make us stronger and to help our faith grow, but we always come out stronger and closer to Christ. I want to just become closer to him. This is just what's on my mind right now. I am so grateful for this Gospel.

I also loved MLC this past week. It was amazing!! Then the training on wednesday was amazing too!! I can't wait for conference!! Even though there's been ups and downs I feel like it's getting to the point where there's a lot more up's then downs. We have more miracles happening to us and things that are coming. Everyday we are going and meeting new people.

Sister Dequina and Sister Smoot

All the Sister Training Leaders with Sister Lopez

The other day we went on splits with 2 members and walking around everyone kept looking at me and I had a hard time teaching them because they were so distracted by my appearance. I was thinking about it and yes i am white but they all said I was different then other American's, or in other words white people, but i realized this morning it's not because of how I look, but it's because I was filled with the spirit and just happy that they saw the countenance of Christ in me. I wish i wasn't so distracted at the time that I could have told them that!! But I love how much Christ helps us!!! If i'm here everyday thinking about the heat and thinking about the baby crying the loud music next door, I'm not focused on my purpose. There is beauty in everything. The heat!! There's people freezing somewhere else!! We have heat!! God's given us a sun!! WOW!!! The baby crying!! There's a gift God gave to someone and he's alive! He can cry! The music... someone is enjoying themselves with the music!! Why not just look at it the good way and the way Christ would look at it!!

 here's a little more detail :) and reply to dad-  sorry not a ton of detail just late today and little time.. but yes we have members just randomly referring people to us and it's happened a few times. We walk down the street OYM people and you can just tell they're amazing. The other day also, when we were on splits, we decided to look for a member on a street and we never found them, but we found someone who has been to church before they started fixing it so we were able to tell them where church was and they showed up!! They were little kids but they still came!! They want to come again also! And I just love it!! That's a couple. but I will be more specific on people next week. Also Willa Marie!! I love her so much!! She's amazing!! She was taught a year ago or so by missionaries and she is so interested!! Had an amazing lesson with her last night that she felt the spirit!! She speaks more english then ilonggo. that's hard for me, but doing okay :) i usually teach in more ilonggo but threw in english too for her :) It's weird speaking english to them, but I love it!! But She is amazing!! She was one that while we were at a members house they said hey she's been taught by missionaries before and she just walked in and came out of no where but she's golden!! She even came to church, but she came yesterday!! We had only taught her once but she said she missed us :) She's adorable!! I love her! She's like 14 or 15 i think :)

I am so grateful for this work and for the many blessings we have in this life!! I love how happy people are and how i have this chance to realize all of this for myself and become closer to my Savior to be able to let him help me through everything!

This week so many things have happened too, God has answered my prayers and he's helping me and Sister Dequina in this work. He's doing his work through us!! It's amazing!! He does it all over the world!! I love this work and I am so grateful for everything God has given us!! I love becoming closer to my Savior and to learn what we really need being here so we can become even happier and learn the true happiness. I never want to leave this place or this work because I love it too much!! It's the best thing ever!! And I know because I have these spiritual highs, Satan will try to pull me down but I know God's more powerful so I'll just turn to him :) 

Thank you for everything you've taught me and for everything you do for me!! :) I love you all!!

Love, Sister Smoot