Hey Family!
This week was a great week and very interesting as well!! Can you believe that I just started week 13? I've almost been out 3 months (week-wise I have!) and that means that 1/6 of my mission is over!!! Can you believe that?!?!?! Didn't you just drop me off at the MTC yesterday??!?!! You know... some days go really slow, but some days go really fast and then I wake up (or go to bed) and think...wasn't I here just a second ago?!
Well, to start out I'll do a day-by-day play and then I'll tell you some other things I've been wanting to...
WEDNESDAY - We had district meeting for the first time this transfer!! The zone leaders (Elder Lysynko and Elder Miller) are in our district and they did a wonderful training on leaving commitments. I think that this was also the day that I took a 3 hour nap!! Sis. Allred was sick all last week with a bad cold, and I was sure that I wasn't going to come down with it, but I did!! Luckily it's almost over thanks to you mom!! It's moved really really fast from a sore throat, to a stuffy nose to a bad cough... but like I said it's almost over! The annoying thing is that I have occasional coughing fits that last for a couple of minutes and then when I'm done my lungs hurt so bad! That night we had a lesson and dinner at a member's house with Janna and Tom, it was on the gospel of Jesus Christ and there was a little mix up on what part I was teaching and so I taught a part that I'd never taught before!! I was totally winging it and feeling TERRIBLE (head cold feeling), but I tried to do my best and I hope that they felt the spirit. One cool thing is that we were talking about light in people's eyes with Janna and Tom and he said that when Sis. Allred was talking that there was really anything in my eyes because I wasn't feeling good (in fact it was terrible!!), but when I starting talking or testifying "it was like BLING" (in his own words!!). It was a great reminder that how we feel has a huge effect on how we look and we need to be constantly striving to be filled with the spirit so we can look like messengers of CHRIST!!!
THURSDAY - we had weekly planning and a bunch of random appointments. BUT, the highlight of the day was going to GREAT HARVEST BREAD!!! They have one in our area and it's my new favorite store!! I liked it when I was in Utah, but now it's my favorite place... the warm piece of whole wheat bread is heavenly!!! And I LOVE the smell.... I think I might work there when I get back!!!
FRIDAY - we tracted, had an appointment with a CHAIN smoker (she smoked in Sis. Allred's face!) and when we left that appointment we both felt so sick!! I can't understand how anyone could have such a disgusting horrible habit!! There is nothing attractive about it and I can't believe that people spend such money on it! It's about $5 a pack now!! Anyway, sorry to get so worked up about it, but it's just mind boggling how people could do that to their bodies!!! OH, the HIGHLIGHT of Friday was going to help Sis. Price cook a meal for about 20 people. Here in Lafayette the churches are part of a program called "Family Promise" that helps homeless families get back on their feet again. Many of the different churches house the families each for a week and provide meals and activities for them as well. Sister Price is a young mother with a 3 year old and an 11 month old so we went to help her. In about an hour we made 2 soups, frosted brownies, made French bread and washed grapes for 25+ people. Sis. Price made the French bread from scratch and it is TO DIE FOR!!! We are getting the recipe from her soon and I will spread the wealth. It was the best French bread I've ever tasted and it only took about 1 hour to make!!! Sis. Allred and I couldn't stop talking about it! We also had a great appointment with a lady named Graciela (I'm going to name one of my kids that!!). She is a Catholic, but she said the reason that she invited us back is because she has doubts and questions about her faith and wants to understand things better. She has a lot of potential and we are going to visit her once a week to study from the Bible and of course talk about our church as well!! THEN, we had an appointment with a investigator named Donald. Since we can't teach in his house we were teaching outside, but by the time we were done it was pitch black outside!! It was kind of scary because we weren't in the best development... in fact one lady we know there was telling us that the other night she heard gun shots and such. Drugs are so big in that type of neighborhood... we try not to be there past dark, but sometimes we can't help it!! You all would probably die at some of the neighborhoods that we go in... but the Lord is with us and we are protected!!
SATURDAY - um... I can't seem to remember what we did most of the day even though I have my planner right in front of me. Family - beware - when I get back I'll be in the habit of planning every moment with a plan, back up plan, and sometimes a back up plan for that just in case it all falls through!! It's a great way to live and I know that I'll be able to accomplish so much more when I schedule my time wisely!! I probably won't schedule every minute, but I've realized that I wasted a LOT of time at home that could've been used better!! Oh, but the highlight of the day (and possibly week) was us finally being able to contact a media referral named Patricia. When we walked in to sit down she said "I've been waiting for you to come so I can come to your church!" I have never heard that before and was rather surprised!! We had an AMAZING first lesson with her and apparently she studied with the missionaries a long time ago in Gary, In. (please resist the urge to sing! ;) but stopped because life was too crazy and there were too many distractions. She had (I think) forgotten a lot, but when I started sharing the Joseph Smith story her dark eyes lit up with such brightness that it was like someone had turned a light on!! It was SO cool!!!! Are you ready for SUCH a cool story!!? Patricia is amazing Bible reader and she was quoting verses right and left and she told us that right after study (I think... I could be wrong about that) she prayed and said "Lord, I know that you must have a true church somewhere on the earth. Please show it to me!" Then she had the prompting to go and turn on the gospel channel. GUESS WHAT CAME ON! An ad for "The Lamb of God" DVD!!! She already knows that the prophet IS a prophet of God and that the Book of Mormon is true and on and on!!! Sis. Allred and I walked out of there and looked at each other and said that she's the most golden person we've ever met!!! PLEASE pray for her!!! I know that she needs the gospel, and that she'll have trials... but she has some of the most amazing faith I've ever seen... and it will definitely carry her through.
SUNDAY - what a crazy day!!! Patricia came to church (YEAH!!) and Sacrament Meeting was a ZOO!! She is a VERY reserved and quiet person and I can't read her, but she seemed to be listening intently. Then I about DIED when we walked into Gospel Principles... the lesson was on EXALTATION!!! That is one of the most controversial topics with investigators and I was praying SO hard!! Then as if that wasn't enough... R.S. was about temple work and Baptism for the Dead!!! BUT Heavenly Father does answer prayers and she said that she understood what they were talking about and how obedience would be necessary to go to live with God again. I asked her if she liked church and she said that she did... she even gave her ride a dollar for tithing because she wanted to contribute to our church!) She is amazing and I'm so excited for our next lesson!! Oh, then that night we had a most wonderful dinner with some members named the Merrill's. They both went to USU and he was from Richmond and knew the Whites! They seem like very "natural" people and we had a WONDERFUL conversation about life. They are homeschooling right now and they have 6 chickens in there backyard!! It was so cool!!! Oh, and we also had a talk with an investigator about if she really wanted to learn... and when we were scheduling an appointment she said "I like God first in the day, everything else can wait". I thought that was great advice!!
MONDAY - was a great day!! We go every week and visit an elderly mother of a member who is currently in Germany and she is SO much fun! She is 87 but doesn't look a day over 75! She watches a lot of TV and gives us our weekly world report which is always fun. We also watched the J.S. movie with Janna and Tom, but I'll have to tell you more about that later because my time is up!!!!
Thanks for everything my fabulous family!!!!!!! I miss you all so much and love you more than I can say!!! Have a great week and remember you are always in my prayers!!!
Love from Indiana,
Sis Alex Smith
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