Week 8

Hello my wonderful Family!!!

It has been an exciting week!!!  We got our flight plans this week!!! I am leaving Tuesday.  My plane takes off from Salt Lake around 8.  So I think I will be able to call before eight or when I get to New York around 1 or so.  Please stand by :) I'm not sure how to work out the calling cards or what the best way to go about that is.  I will figure it out.  I'M GOING TO GERMANY!!!! ICH WERDE NACH DEUTSCHLAND GEHEN!!!!!!  I really can't believe it but I am so excited!!! I know I won't understand anyone for a while but I am ok with that :)  I'm excited to say what I know and share the Gospel!  

It has been another rough but exciting week for Sister Browne.  We are now on 9 trips to the ER... (I'm not sure how many this week...2-4 I think. They all blend together).  Her allergy is so severe they almost sent her home.  But they sent the decision up and it got all the way to the first presidency to be decided.  Pres. Eyring said that she wasn't going home, he said, "We need that daughter of God to bring Ireland home."  She is such an amazing missionary and I know she'll do so many wonderful things!  But he also said that she should be reassigned.  So yesterday she got another call, there were butterflies all over again!  And her new call is to Leeds, England!  She is very excited to be in a culture similar to hers and closer to home.  She is in isolation so she can't come out of the room except for every now and then.  It has been tricky to juggle all of the sisters staying with her so I can do what I need to do as well.  She also can only eat prepackaged food, nothing that is made here at the MTC.  I'm glad, she's had some pretty crazy episodes this week.  One was in the middle of a district testimony meeting.  She had already had an epipen but the doctor gave us another and some benedryl and she insisted on going back to testimony meeting.  When she got up to bear her testimony in front of the class she was tipsy.  So I was ready to help at any moment.  In the middle she started to collapse so I jumped up and caught her and helped her sit down.  She kept going but said she would need her other epipen.  Then she couldn't sit any more, I caught her again and layed her on the floor as she started having a hard time breathing.  The Elders didn't know what to do.  I told them to call the front desk and I gave her her second epipen and coaxed her through calming down her breathing.  Our branch Pres. came in and was helping me out.  Then they wanted to take her to the ER.  So I helped her down the stairs and she collapsed and I was holding her up.  Pres. Curtis noticed and picked her up and carried her to the van with a few other guys.  She didn't open her eyes the whole way to the ER but I made sure she was breathing fine, and she was.  When we got there the nurses tickled her eye lashes and she opened her eyes and was fine after that except a little shaky.  It was quite the adventure!!!

Other than that my week has consisted a lot of personal study in my room while my companion slept :) I have been excited for Christmas!!! We are supposed to have a wonderful program and Elder Nelson is supposed to be coming!!!! The spirit of Christmas is here in abundance!  I'm so excited to be a missionary!  I can't wait to go and share my testimony with everyone I see!  I know with all my heart that this is the true restored Gospel upon the Earth.  I know there are people in Germany waiting to hear my testimony of Christ and the restoration through Joseph Smith.

Our District President told us that Satan doesn't want missionaries in Germany.  Our zone has more injury, depression, illness, and hardships in general than any other zone.  We need to stay strong for there is a great work to be done in Germany!!! I love being a missionary!!!

Until next week, I love you all!

Liebe,

Sister Smith

The following email came yesterday from Tonya's MTC mission president's wife, I thought I would share it too because it is so sweet.

Dear Sister Painter,

I have had the great privilege of knowing and loving your sweet daughter the past 9 weeks in the MTC.  My husband is the branch president of the German branch.  We love all of our missionaries, but some, like your daughter, are truly outstanding.  I just wanted you to know how much she has grown and how much service she has given to the other sisters of our branch.  We appreciate her so much!  She has especially been wonderful to her companion, Sister Browne.  Sister Browne's mission call was changed yesterday to the Leeds, England mission.  A few weeks ago I was thinking about Sister Smith and how much class time she has missed by going to Dr.s appointments and the hospital with Sis. Browne.  I was filled with a peaceful feeling and the message "she will be compensated" came to me.  I thought I would share that with you.  Your daughter is a wonderful missionary and will do so much good in the mission field.  If you forward her emails to family and friends I would love to be added to that list.  I would love to know who she is serving with and where and hear her successes and adventures.  Thank you for sharing her with us. 
Have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy your phone call soon!

Sister Curtis