family, you really won't believe what just happened!! The way that you know you are getting transferred is that you get a call from one of the assistants early p-day morning... sis. oliver and I WERE NOT EXPECTING A CALL!! They usually leave new missionaries with trainers for at least 2 transfers and then give them a follow-up trainer. And sis. oliver also said that they try to leave missionaries in an area for more than one transfer... WE ARE BOTH TRANSFERRING AND THEY'RE CLOSING NEW CASTLE!! Sis. Oliver and I couldn't believe it when they called this morning bright and early!! Work is going so well here!! We're meeting a lot with less actives, working on getting them back to activity, doing lots of work for the branch, finding lots of super promising potentials, and we even have a baptismal date!!! I feel like I'm going to leave a big chunk of my heart here!! I LOVE New Castle!! I love our investigators (few as they may be), I love the members, and I've grown so much here!! My heart is crying right now!!! I guess what we need to do was best shown by something funny that happened this morning... we were in our p.j.'s trying to do our weekly cleaning, and everything just stopped when they called. We were sort of whining and talking about how much we're going to miss new castle and everything about the past 6 weeks, and I stood up and said "well, there's lots to do!!" and walked out of the room. It was so funny because I had just been complaining two seconds earlier!! SO, enough rambling... let me tell you about the amazing week I had!! We've been doing a lot of tracting because our potential pool was emptied again and we don't really have that many investigators (3-4). We found some great people! It's amazing to see how when you continue to push the message even if they say that they're not interested or a member of whatever faith (New Castle has over 100 churches!!!!) that people visibly softened and listen and often schedule a return appointment!! Our step it up goal this week was to be SIMPLE, BOLD AND ENTHUSIASTIC in our door approaches - we have such an important message and we need to be excited about it!!... oh, I just can't tell you how much I love this gospel and the church we belong to!! It's so simple and easy to understand!! And I love sharing it with people!! I feel like I'm riding an emotional roller-coaster and constantly going up or down... it's crazy!! It's been a trying week to say the least!!
I just got a new planner, and I left the old one at home, so I'm having a hard time remembering what exactly happened this week. BUT, the one thing that is going to be remembered forever is the first baptismal commitment I ever extended!! We had a lesson with Ashley on saturday teaching the plan of salvation, and we had talked about leaving her the commitment if we felt so inspired and I just couldn't get it out of my mind!! So I looked at sis. oliver and then launched into it and SHE SAID YES!!! Then we asked her to pray about a date, and she said "oh, I've already been thinking about it, and I want to be baptized on my birthday in October!" Ashley is SO prepared for the gospel and so willing to listen and so touched by the spirit... I'm going to miss her!!! She's come to church twice in a row, and she loves it!! And at the end of her lesson on saturday, we asked her who she wanted to offer the closing prayer and she said that she did!! She offered a perfect heart-felt prayer then the cutest thing was that her little cousin who is about 8 (he was sitting with us at this point) asked if we could say another one and he wanted to offer it!! I helped him say it, and it was so cute!! The spirit is so strong in missionary work!!! Remember the story of how Joseph Smith couldn't translate because he had just had an argument with Emma? He was so in tune with the spirit, that even a little argument drove it away, and he could tell!! It's not quite the same here, but almost!!! When I'm not being totally christ-like or thinking negative discouraged thoughts, the spirit isn't there, and I have to plead with the Lord to forgive me and allow me to have the spirit!! It's such an obvious feeling when the spirit isn't with me!
Mom... I hope that you got the pictures that I sent!! Sis. oliver and I have been taking LOTS of pictures, and I'll take a lot more today and tomorrow!! My total of pictures is up to 94. I'm trying my hardest!! When my dl heard that I was in trouble for not taking more pictures... he looked at me, and said "I think I've taken 94 pictures my whole mission and never sent any home" and he's been out for 18 months!!!!!!! But I can always do better and I will!!!
Send my love and give a hug to all the McConkie's... let them know they are in my prayers!!!!! Did you call Emily - she was closer to Robert than any of us... I'm sure that you did, but I just can't get it out of my mind. Good luck with the funeral... I'm sure it will be amazing... because I belong to an amazing family!!!
Thanks for the shirt and pin from ride for the fallen!! I hope that it goes well... I'm there in spirit!!!
OH, and THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGES!!!! I was just wishing that I had some taco seasoning and dip mix!! YOU READ MY MIND!! It's kind of funny, but I don't take everything out of the package all at once, because I was to savor it over a couple of days to a week... so I was in my room while sis. oliver was taking a shower and I was looking at the wonderful package with EVERYTHING that I had asked for (you're amazing!!) and I looked out the window and saw another!! I couldn't believe it!!! BUT it was just what I needed because that was the day I got the call from Pres. Corey and besides that I was having a hard day... I'm trying to have more up days than down... but missionary work is hard and satan is working harder on me now than ever before!!! Personal study is my life-saver!! That and prayer and letters from home!!! You are all the best family one could ever wish for!!!!!! I miss you all and love you more than I ever thought possible!!! know that I appreciate all the sacrifices that you are making so I can be out here... I know that you'll be blessed... and when all of you are out here in the mission field... I'm going to spoil you to the best of my ability!!!!! You're amazing beyond measure!! the gospel is true! God lives and is looking out for each one of us, He is our Father and He sent His Son to die for each one of us... I KNOW THAT!!!!
Have a great week... and I'll talk to you next week from a different area in INDIANA!!!
lots of love and hugs and kisses!!
Sis. Alex Smith
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