Follow the Spirit

Happy Thanksgiving this week!

We had an amazing week. Especially on Thursday.

So Thursday:

It started off with Zone Conference which is always good. It was especially interesting because of some of things that were covered are things that Sister W. and I have already been doing/changing. For example, President gave a little speel on planning and confirming with the Lord, etc, when last Friday before Zone Conference Sister W. and I tried to improve our planning. As a result, we felt that more of our week was going well and we were able to handle everything that would happen throughout the day. Then President talked about how we can go on lds.org under "Gospel Topics" and look up information on polygamy, Book of Mormon and DNA, Race and the Priesthood, Becoming  Like God, etc. and how we should look at those to make sure that we can respond positively to people who have questions about it. Well, last Monday Sister W. and I looked almost all of those up on "Gospel Topics" and printed them out so we could study them this week. There were also a lot in Zone Conference that inspired me to push myself more and "try a little harder to be a little better." It was an excellent Zone Conference. I definitely felt the Spirit. 

We had to leave Zone Conf. a little early, during the testimonies, because we had a lot of appointments set up for the night. The first one was at 3:30 with Barry and Brother Wernli as our team up. We didn't have a way to contact Barry to let him know that we would be coming, but Bro. Wernli already said he could come, so we had the lesson as an act of faith. As fate would have it, Barry was home and we were able to have a wonderful lesson with him. It was amazing because Bro. Wernli talked to us afterward and said that him and his wife have been praying for an opportunity to help someone out with the same things that Barry needs help. It's amazing how the Spirit works for finding the right team ups and stuff. 

Then we had an appointment for 4:30, so we left right on time to get to our next appointment promptly, only to see a man in a wheel chair that looked stuck. Sister W. turned the car around, we parked and went to go see if he was okay. Turns out that his wheelchair had run out of energy, apparently when it's colder the battery needs more charging for which he didn't account. There was a little store right there, and he asked if we could go in and see if they had an extension cord so that we could charge his wheelchair. We ran into the store, the lady responded quickly and came out to help us. We devised a plan to roll him onto the porch while she went to go get an extension cord. We rolled him up, there was an outlet on the porch, and got him all charged up. In the meantime we were talking to them and told them about who we are and what we do. Unfortunately the man wasn't too interested, but he took our card and was thankful. The lady was open and very nice, she doesn't personally know very many members, but she's into scrapbooking and knows a lot of Mormon women on the internet as a result. She talked to us for a while and asked about our missions and such, she informed us that she wasn't intersted in our message, but we gave her our card and hoped for the best. 

Finally, 15 minutes past the original time for the appointment, we rush to our next lesson. We're teaching a little girl who's mom is very less active. I only say very because she doesn't know a lot of things that a typical less active would know. We got to the appointment at 5 and taught her daughter. It was good because the next day we went and saw the Primary President who told us that she met the mom at a school things and the Primary Pres. does not think it was coincidental that they met. She said that it felt like it was fate that had them meet and talk about the church and stuff together. Hopefully we make some good headway with that!

Then we had a delicious dinner, omletes, with an awesome family. Then we had an appointment with members and did a practice lesson. Then we had a team up take us to an appointment with our 14 year old investigator. He wasn't home, or was asleep or something, but I had this prompting that we should go see this other lady we tracted into in that same neighborhood. We knocked and she answered. We talked to her for a bit, shared a scripture and got her phone number, she said that she did actually want us to come back, just after Thanksgiving. She was sincere. It was cool because the first time we met her she wasn't interested and she didn't give us her number, but this time she was open and willing. It's amazing to see to witness the workings of the Spirit on people's hearts. 

Needless to say, we were happy and exhausted to have such a wonderful day. Barry came to church on Sunday, which was stake conference, which they hold at a Junior College campus because the stake is so big. Barry told Bro. Wernlie that he felt that all of the talks were directed to him and that this was something he's been looking for his entire life, and he can't believe he found it. It was amazing! Nothing could come together more smoothly. Though it hasn't been super smooth, he met opposition from the first time we had a lesson with him, but still, he's pushed through all of it!!

I love being a missionary. I love having the chance to truly follow the Spirit, even though sometimes it doesn't always make sense to do what the Spirit is directing, the Lord is ALWAYS right.

Love y'all 

Sister Smith

New Dog Named Jewel

Dear Family and Friends!

This week has been good. 

On Tuesday we had Zone Meeting and I got a lot out of it. The Zone Leaders are in our ward and they asked a member to come and talk to us about planning by the Spirit. Well, the guest speaker didn't even bring up planning, but he did focus on receiving revelation by the Spirit. Something quick and cool that he pointed out was emphasis on "return and report." He said that in his studies, as he is seeking and receiving inspiration, he returns and reports to the Lord and asks if there is more. Typically, there is still more to be learned. It was cool because that's obviously something we learn about, but I think I've always just assumed the Lord knows what I did and that's it. But the idea of return and report is a chance for us to receive even more from the Lord than we were originally expecting. I don't know if I pointed that out well enough, but I hope y'all get the picture kind of. As a result, after we do things or after my studies I've made it a point to tell the Lord what I've done and then to ask if there is more to be done. Thus far, it's been pretty cool, and I can see how this will not only help me now as a missionary, but later in life as well. 

We had exchanges after Zone Meeting and Sister Nelson came with me to our area. We first went to do a practice lesson with the guest speaker because we asked him and his wife to be our team ups for a church tour the next day. Can I just say we basically know who a future prophet will be? Just kidding, but this man was a bishop, in Utah, where there are many a Mormon, when he was in his TWENTIES! That's not normal. He's sooooooooooo spiritually strong and intelligent. 

But anyway, Wednesday morning, we're still on exchanges and our investigator, Barry comes to church to have a tour. We show him around and end in the chapel. There we planned on talking about the Restoration, which we did, but we also somehow basically touched all parts of the first three lessons in thirty minutes. Don't ask how it happened and how it went so smoothly. It's simply because of the Spirit. Barry expressed different things that he has come to know and learn in his years, and a lot of them touched with the doctrine that we teach. The Spirit has been preparing him to learn these things, so that finally, when the time came, he could participate in sacred, saving ordinances to help him progress and make covenants with his Heavenly Father. The Spirit was so clear and so real during the lesson. He said that he was excited to come to church on Sunday. 

Unfortunately, potentially due to nervousness, Barry didn't come to church. However, Wyatt did, he's the teenage kid that we're supposed to be teaching but haven't had the chance to, but he's been coming to church and young mens pretty consistently. It's a good step in the right direction, but we do need to teach him the lessons hahaha. Also, the kid Gabe that we're teaching wasn't able to come to church either, but he informed us of that ahead of time. His friend who referred him told us that we just need to take it slow since he's never had any exposure with religion, so we're going to break up the lessons and teach them more like a class because that's how he learns best. 

Everything's been going well. We're still searching and practicing lessons and doing the best we can. We're hoping to find a family. We'll take all the prayers we can get :)

Love!

Sister Smith

 

PS

Also, the title of the subject is because the people who's home we live in got a dog that they're fostering for a time that ran down into our apartment and jumped on Sister Winegar's bed and took her mittens. I was dying I was laughing so hard! I was safe from all the mess. But this morning when we went up to do the laundry the dog ran down the stairs and we were basically the fighting the dog to get it back upstairs and not let it in our apartment. It's been an interesting experience. 

More Pics from Jocey in GA

 

 

Sister Jocelyn with Sister Winegar selfie

Hello Family and Friends!

This week was great. I might not type a ton today. We're emailing early because a lady is taking us to Amecelola Falls (I have no idea how I'm supposed to spell that). We'll be finishing our studies and stuff later.

But anyway. This week. 

Last Sunday Sister W. and I were tracting and met this 14 year old boy who gave us his number and we invited him to mutual that week. Monday night we text him reminding him about the activity and he said he would come. Tuesday we go to mutual, they were combined and did a talent (someone did the EW! Skit and I died.... Love Jimmy Fallon) and he liked it. We met his dad, who is super nice and probably would come to church but he's a truck driver and is gone all the time. But he came to church yesterday and enoyed it and we had the chance to meet his mom who will be coming to the Relief Society Activity this week. Hopefully she likes it and we'll be able to teach his family. He has awesome parents. He's pretty shy and awkward, but we're excited for him. Our Ward Mission Leader said that teaching the youth is so special because if they're baptized now that means that they could serve a mission, get married in the temple and have an eternal family. 

It's also cool because last Sunday we taught a member's friend during church. He has a hard time meeting with us throughout the week, he's 16, so he's busy. Yesterday we had the opportunity to teach him. It was good because he's never really grown up with any religion so we had him pray and we knew he felt slightly awkward, but since his friend is our team up, she encouraged him and he felt comfortable enough to do it. I will say, it is a beautiful thing to listen to someone's prayer when it's probably their first one to their Heavenly Father. I love that we have the chance to see and experience that. We do have the chance to teach him this week because next Sunday he won't be in town. Those two are our most promising investigators right now, and I'm excited to see how the gospel will change their entire lives, their future especially. It's going to be wonderful.

We also have that one gentleman who was in the humble circumstances who called us and said that his life is feeling lost. He was supposed to come to church yesterday, thankfully we stopped in on him on Saturday to arrange the ride and stuff. He informed us that he wouldn't be able to come, but he did say that he would love to have a church tour. So we set up a time to have a church tour with him this week and we have a GREAT team up lined up. That will be nice. 

We also followed up on a potential with whom we had an appointment but she had an emergency. Well, we met her roommate, turns out that she's in the air force so she's gone a lot as well, but that she really did have an emergency and that she is interested in learning more. Her roommate sounded sincere and said that she would make sure her friend would call us. This lady also was taught a while back because she talked about meeting with the Elders and how she has a Book of Mormon. I believe that she's been prepared, but she is just busy. Hopefully we'll get in at the right moment!

This week was good, continually working and striving to find the elect. 

Love you all!

Sister Smith

It's Chilly

Last week was just great for appointments. We had seven lessons with investigators lined up. Six out of the seven we had team ups ready and prepared to come out with us. Six out of the seven were cancelled the day of and one out of the seven was cancelled the day before... Needless to say, we tried to keep the faith. All seven were scheduled for the first four days of the week as well, and we thought "What an awesome way to start the week!" Then they all cancelled. Thankfully we were not too discouraged. I had read Monday morning in Preach My Gospel about not getting discouraged so that we can feel the Spirit, which at the time didn't seem applicable, then the next three days happened and I realized that the Lord was prepping me. But that's perfect, I was slightly forewarned, without knowing it, and Sister Winegar and I just kept working.

We did have a miracle though. WE HAD AN INVESTIGATOR AT CHURCH!!! It's been a while now. On Wednesday we were supposed to have a lesson with this guy named Gabe whose friend, Mallory, is a member. She invited him over for a "bon fire" lesson and asked us if we could come over and teach him. When we got there they informed us that he couldn't make it, his mom had just called right before we got there and said he wouldn't be able to go. Thankfully, his parents didn't mind him coming to church yesterday and we were able to teach him a lesson yesterday during third hour. We're having him and Mallory do the assignment together and then next Sunday we'll do another lesson. Also, next Sunday is primary program. I'm stoked! FYI, his parents are completely fine with him meeting with us and such, just so long as they don't have to attend church and stuff. 

Thursday we did a practice lesson with a family who felt like they have friends they should share the gospel with. Apparently they had this family over for dinner and the wife said that she noticed something different with the members' family. The way they interacted with each other was more loving and seemed right. Thus, we told them to set up an FHE and dinner, so next Monday we're having an FHE with the members' and their friends and we're going to share a message and stuff. Also, we have another FHE planned tonight with another family whose friend they invited. Thankfully all those are happening!!! So that's good. 

Friday we also had a lesson and it was forever long! This man we had tracted into invited us to come over the next day. We went over and this man basically told why what we believe in isn't true. It's sad because this man does not believe that praying and feeling the Holy Ghost is a valid way to come to know truth. He believes that it's all just feeling. That one must go based off of facts. He was very well versed in the Bible, but also quite bias. He only payed attention to specific parts and completely seemed to disregard all of the scriptures that mention the role of the Holy Ghost and ask God for faith and such. As a result I studied receiving revelation and learning by the Spirit the next day and my testimony was strengthened. I know that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and that through him, Jesus Christ restored His church onto the earth. The only way I know this is through the same way that I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. From the Bible we know that the Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ. Thus, it is only through the Spirit that we can learn God's wisdom. 1 Cor. 2 perfectly describes my feelings on this subject. I know that there are different accounts of the First Vision. Because of the opportunity I've had to serve in the South, I believe that we become more aware of the anti information that is out there. Thankfully, I rely heavily on the facts that God can give me, rather than the shifting philosophies of men, that are ever-changing. It was an interesting experience and one that has made me thankful to serve where there is so much opposition against the church. It helps me realize just a smidgen of what the Lord endured when He was on the earth. It helps me check and make sure that I truly do believe in these things. I think people expect us to believe in it because we're brought up in it, if that is the case, then everyone would live a half-hearted lie. With the trials that come from being a disciple of Christ, it is not worth it to only rely on the testimonies of those before you, in order to create a rock solid foundation, one must seek truth for herself. That is what I've done. I do not rely on others' testimonies. This is my testimony. 

Anyway, sorry for the bold rant. But it's true. That's how I feel. 

Love you all,

Sister Smith