Hey there family!! Just to start off - you know how people say that "absence makes the heart grow fonder"? Well, that certainly is true!! I loved you all before I came here, but now I love you so much that I don't think I could ever even try to put it into words! I'm so glad that we're sealed together forever and that I get to spend FOREVER with you!!! Thinking about that makes me smile!! Just remember that I love y'all... and I think you are all totally and completely amazing!!
Oh, I realized when Matthew asked if we worked with any elders that I hadn't told you about my district!! Sorry about that!!! I have one of the most fabulous districts in the whole mission - or maybe THE best!! My district leader is a ELDER MILLER from Bountiful. FUNNY STORY - one night when he called instead of saying hello, he said is this (and he quoted my whole name). I was shocked because nobody knows first names here, let alone middle ones too!! Then he said "daughter of (mom and dad's names)" of (where we live)?" I was totally shocked and hoped that nothing had happened to you, and I asked him how in the world he knew that... to make a long story short, he has grandparents that live in Providence and they saw the newspaper clipping that said when I was speaking and where I was going, sent it to him and said that I was from their area going to his mission... and then he ended up as my district leader! Isn't that weird/cool!? I am sending some pictures home today as soon as I get them printed at Walmart - so you can see my entire district... just be forewarned - the light in the bowling alley wasn't the greatest, so everyone has red eyes and looks kind of evil... we're not - I promise! Elder Miller has been out for 18 months and is AMAZING! He doesn't think he is, but he's very cool - he gave us such a wonderful training last week about getting answers to prayers and pondering and then we went into the chapel and had a chance to think for 15 minutes. I got some wonderful answers to prayers that I've been needing for awhile, it was a wonderful experience. Elder Miller's companion is an Elder Bushnell from Utah somewhere and has been out for 7 months. He's the biggest tease ever and you can't really sit by him and not laugh! Sis. Oliver says she wants to put him in her pocket and take him out when she needs a laugh. He has the amazing ability to make friends in a second. When we were bowling, he made instant friends with a little boy in the next lane, such good friends that he pretty much moved into our lane and his grandma was getting mad at him for not bowling. It was funny!! Elder Miller calls us every night to see how our day went and so we know both Elder Miller and Elder Bushnell very well - we'd been singing songs back and forth to each other, and the other night it was our turn and so we sang "Come all whose souls are lighted" (hymn #268) and when we were done Elder Bushnell asked if I was going to record a CD when I got home. ;) The other 2 elders, Elder Limberg and Elder Lewis I've only seen at meetings, and I really never talk to them, so I don't know much about them, except that Elder Limberg only has one transfer left and Elder Lewis is 25. Oh, and I also have 2 awesome zone leaders - Elder Snow and Elder Stranski. Elder Stranski has family who lives in Preston and he's spent every summer there since he was little. He always goes to the Preston Rodeo, and he said that his mom sent him a program and some candy from it that he's going to share with me. Elder Snow knows so much it's crazy!! He was into anti-mormon stuff before his mission, and so he has answers to pretty much every question we get. So, sorry that was so long in coming... but now you know a little bit about them!!
This has been a great week. A little slow, but good!! The biggest thing I've come to realize is that I have way more flaws and weaknesses than I ever realized!!!! It's been kind of discouraging, but good too!! It makes me humble. I was just talking to Sis. Oliver about that and she said that a mission will do that to you. GOOD!! It's just what I needed!! And I say that in all sincerity. The other amazing thing is that I swear my heart has grown about 5 sizes!! Remember in "The Grinch that Stole Christmas" his heart grew? Well, I feel like mine is doing the same!! As you know - I have a hard time opening up to people and loving them, but it's so easy here!! I love so many more people than I ever thought possible!! It is a wonderful feeling and I pray that it stays forever!!
Here's a quick summary of my week.
TUESDAY - we went bowling which was SO much fun!! Sis. Oliver and I bowled with Elder Bushnell who is a blast!! We bowled 3 games and by the time I was done my arm hurt so bad!! I learned that I bowl kind of funny, that my wrist flicks forward instead of my palm... Elder Bushnell is super observant. :) We later went tracting and found this very cool guy name Bobby who's wife's family is LDS and they are both interested in learning more! His son (about 8) was standing outside and told us that none of his neighbors were home, but his parents were and that we could talk to them. Thank goodness for children!!! We also had a great talk with a born-again christian named Nancy. We met her a couple weeks ago, sang her a song and she said that we could come back and sing again. We did and had a great conversation about our beliefs. She made us dinner on Tuesday and it was SO good!! She's probably going to end up being one of those people who never gets baptized, but likes talking to missionaries and is super nice to them.
WEDNESDAY - oh boy, the day that we met with the preacher Tom again. We were there for about 3 hours and by the time we left my head hurt SO bad!! Their doctrine is SO confusing and twisted!! I was confused and asking him a lot of questions, but we're not so good at explaining the things we know and believe... I need to get better at knowing and being able to SIMPLY explain the things I believe and KNOW. It was a huge testimony builder because when we left - I sighed a breath of relief and realized more than ever what an amazing religion we have... the only true one... but it's simple and easy to understand!! Not like the doctrine of the trinity... that is such a hard concept to wrap your mind around!!
THURSDAY - we were supposed to have an appointment with a man named Mike who we met while helping LA move. He said that he was scared of me because I picked up 3-4 vcrs and moved them. I asked him why, and he said that where he's from that only a couple of women are strong, and they are the scary ones!! It was really funny and we had a great time and scheduled an appointment later. He didn't show up and come to find out - he got in a car accident and spent the night in the hospital!! It's crazy the things that get in the way of people learning about the gospel!!
FRIDAY - our fabulous district meeting. I got there without any help from Sis. Oliver, but getting home was another story. We also volunteered at the hospital which is always fun!! I always learn so much from the elderly people... one thing I heard this week really stood out to me. This lady named Ann had a TON of things on her window and Sis. Oliver said that she must have a lot of people who love her, and she wisely said "I've spent my life loving people". I thought that was great advice!!
SATURDAY - was a day of patterns!! We were tracting most of the morning and everyone said that the people we were trying to contact were taking showers!! We're not sure if that was just the excuse of the day, or if it was real - but it was strange!! We also had a great lesson with our 16 year old investigator Ashley. Her boyfriend came out and listened and we had actually met him a couple of weeks ago and he read the pamphlet we gave his uncle!! AMAZING!!
SUNDAY - Ashely and Tyler came to church and really liked it!!! We were so excited that they came and felt welcomed and loved - a huge worry for missionaries!! Sunday was also a kind of hard day, but I came to realize that I need to focus on the good things... if ONE TINY LITTLE GOOD THING happened... then it was a good day... even if 5 million things went wrong. I'm going through so many changes in the way that I think and feel and look at life... it's amazing!! And I can see why people say that a mission is LIFE-CHANGING!!
MONDAY - we were trying to contact an potential investigator and he wasn't there, but his friend was... and he looks a little wild, but I was excited to teach him!! He isn't sure that there is a God, not because he's an atheist, but because he wasn't taught anything about God. He told us that we're going to have to teach him like he's blind... great practice for learning how to teach simply!!
TUESDAY - today is a great day to be alive!! Missionary work is incredible and I'm so excited that I get the privilege of working here in INDIANA. I love it here... of course there are ups and downs, but I am realizing (just like you said Dad) that if I do what's right - EXACTLY - that it will mostly be up!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!! I found it late last night on our porch... and it was like CHRISTMAS! YOU'RE ALL AMAZING AND I APPRECIATE AND LOVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEND ME!!!
I love you all so much and pray for you multiple times a day!! Thanks for everything... you're more fabulous than I can say!!
love ya!
Sister Alex Smith
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