Hello loved ones.
It´s so funny how much you can change in a week. Heavenly father just makes us grow so much in all the little things that we do. I´m so excited about christmas! We got a little tree and our new christmas pass along cards that we are sharing with EVERYONE we see. Except for those that dont celebrate christmas.
LOOK UP THE VIDEO IF YOU HAVEN¨T ALREADY. (A savior is born) (Funny side story, we kept contacting people in the street and handing out the cards and all of the sudden we talked to this lady who said, "I´m jehovas witness and i don´t celebrate christmas. Then she chewed us out for not following the bible. We walked away chuckling a bit and then about 10 minutes later we asked another guy, "Hey can we give you a card about christmas?" and he said "I´m jewish, i don´t celabrate christmas. Bye." Ok fine christmas haters. We got a good laugh out of it though. :)
I think the biggest lesson I learned this week came from an inspired companion that told me an experience that changed my whole outlook on my mission. I got really tired this transfer. But REALLY tired. Tired in a lot of different ways, not just physically. I just felt like I´d been working so hard for so long and my battery was running really low. I went a few weeks like that, trying really hard but just dragging. And finally one day while we were planning I just couldn´t feel the spirit and couldn´t make decisions and just felt like a zombie. But my companion (who finishes her own mission in 2 weeks) told me a story that really helped me about 2 different missionaries. The were both great missionaries. And worked hard. One of them however, her last transfer was really tired. And let that overtake her. Every day she told her companion just how tired she was. How she was so utterly exhausted. How much she had given. How much her body hurt. And that she just couldn´t any more. And she ended her mission, but ended up wishing those last 6 weeks away. The other missionary was tired too. Really tired. and ended as a trainer. But she did everything in her power to focus on other people. To never dwell on her exhaustion or her problems. But to always look on other people. And she ended well and satisfied with the work she did. I thought about that good and hard after she told me. And i realized that, like we always say, happiness is a choice. Sometimes that choice is a lot harder than we´d like, but it´s always possible. I´ve tried really hard this week to implement that into my life this week. To really try to think of others. And more importantly to think about the atonement. Christ was much more tired that I will ever be during his mortal ministry. I can choose to be happy about my circumstances and choose to focus myself in others. It´s been incredible to do it this week. And i really haven´t been perfect. And i´ve still had moments of exhaustion. And hard and frustrating things have still happened. But i feel energized in a really cool way. I think i´m finally beginning to understand that attitude really does determine altitude.
Sorry for all my rants. Andres the guy we found in the phone is doing well. He hasn´t accepted a baptismal date yet becuase he has SO many doubts. He´s a very proof based person. But we are praying and fasting that he will find an answer to be able to make that covenant with god and recieve a remission of his sins. Ah. What a blessing that is.
I really love you all. If you haven´t had the chance to watch the Christmas devo, it was amazing. Remember christ this year and everything that he did for you. My comp and her family have a cool tradition where they write down something they are going to sacrifice or do better for christ. The write it down and put it under the tree and it´s the first gift they open. I INVITE you guys to do it. :)
Sorry these thoughts are all over the place. Know that i really do love all of you and I´m deeply grateful for the love and kindness and caring that you have given me. I wish you the very best week!
LOVE,
Hermana Smoot
PS. I want to ask all of you if you could try not to mention the time i have left in the mission or what might happen after. I know being trunky is a choice but hearing about it doesn´t help very much. Help a poor missionary wouldnt ya? haha thank you!
Pics!
Our 3 dollar christmas tree and a ginger candle. YUM. #slybyupride
Remember Hna Harvey?! (the trio last year) Old compy. We had a little get together with 6 other sisters today. Pizza! (that one´s only christmasy for our family haha)
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