I am way behind on updating this. So you are getting the whole month of May at one time. It has been a month with a lot of changes for Sister Smith, but her spirits are high and she is loving it!
May 2nd,
Liebe Familie und Freunden,
It has been an interesting week for sure! I have a few fun stories to tell!
First of all, being a missionary is well...awkward most of the time. You always stand out and you talk to people in really awkward situations, but this week I CREATED the most awkward experience so far on my mission, and Sister Christenson said it was the most awkward on hers as well...so I don't know if I will ever top it! I will try to convey how truly awkward it was. Ok so it was just regular finding time talking to people on the street. There aren't a lot of people in Halberstadt so we can usually talk to everyone we pass. We talked to a couple of old ladies and Sister Christenson had to interrupt them in the middle of their conversation to talk to them. I don't like interrupting conversations, because I always feel rude and I was trying to think of a more polite way to do it. Well not too long later it was my turn to talk to the next person and there were two old ladies standing and talking. I didn't want to interrupt so I thought we could go stand casually by them and when they looked over I could say hello and start talking without interrupting what they were saying....well it didn't quite work out like I had planned...we walked up to them and we were standing obviously close to them and just smiling (I hadn't told Sister Christenson my thought process so she had no idea what I was doing). They glanced over at us but then ignored us and kept talking. So then I thought ok, not quite as planned but we kept standing there smiling, and I tried to say excuse me. After I said it they continued to ignore us, they just kept talking and we just kept standing awkwardly close smiling :) Then they told each other goodbye and I tried again to talk to them. They continued to ignore us, and one rode away on her bike and the other walked in the other direction. We just stood there not quite sure what just happened...and then we started laughing!!! OH wow....I hope you can imagine just a little how awkward it really was! We couldn't stop laughing because it was SO komisch!!! That is one of those times in life that I want to go back and watch it in the next life, and I really hope we can know what other people are thinking :) because they probably thought we were so strange! And I was just trying to be polite! :) It is at least a fun story.
Well...this week was transfer calls and I will be leaving my little Halberstadt. I am going to work in Bielefeld with Sister Hamblin who was also a golden with Sister Jensen! So we have the same trainer! She is a sweetheart and I am excited to work with her! But I am very sad to leave Halberstadt. I have made some wonderful friends here and learned to absolutely love the area! But I had a wonderful Sunday yesterday that made me feel like I had accomplished what I needed to here, and I am ready to go to my next area. We had a wonderful fast and testimony meeting! The Spirit is always so strong in our little branch when we are sharing our testimonies. A few of the members expressed their appreciation to me for my service and I was very touched. I was able to share my testimony and it what ways it has been strengthened since I have been here in Halberstadt. Then our golden investigator got up and shared his testimony in sacrament meeting!!! It was AMAZING!!! He has now not smoked for a week and he is growing leaps and bounds in his testimony of the church. And sometimes we have to be a little weary when investigators bear testimony...and we hadn't explained to him really what a testimony was...but he gave a beautiful testimony! He told everyone that he new the church was true, and that he had felt the power of the Book of Mormon already in his life! He said he knew he was just a beginner but he knows that he prayed and Heavenly Father sent the missionaries to his door and he was eternally grateful! I felt such a feeling of joy and peace! I am so grateful that the Lord sent us to Him and we got the opportunity to work with him! And I the words came to my head, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." I felt that the Lord was happy with the efforts I gave here, I know I could have done better at times, but I was happy to know that I have helped someone! Then after church we were able to see Bruder Lau receive the Priesthood! Again the Spirit was so stronge and I felt so blessed to be able to see him make so much progress in the gospel. He came to me and Sister Christenson and held our hands and said that it was from his heart. I knew he was grateful that he had found the truth and he knows it! Again I felt an overwhelming peace and joy for the opportunity to be a missionary!
Well I've already written a novel, but I have a lot on my mind! I am grateful for the chance to be a missionary and serve the Lord! I know he is in charge of this work and we can be tools in His hands when we are humble and ready to listen. I am excited to go to a new area and meet so many more wonderful people! I love you all and I am so grateful for your love and support! I am excited to talk to you this week!
My new address:
Sister Smith
Kirche Jesu Christi
Voltmannstr 122
33619 Bielefeld
Deutschland
I love you all!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Smith
May 9th,
Liebe Freunde und Familie,
It has been an exciting week! I was so sad to leave Halberstadt...It was really really hard! That is definitely not a fun part of being a missionary. I am grateful for the friendships I have made and I hope I can make many more here in Bielefeld. I made the trip Tuesday to come here to Bielefeld by train. It took about four hours with an hour or waiting in between trains. I got to Bielefeld and met my companion Sister Hamblin (whom I found out is related to Jacob Hamblin which makes us distant cousins). She is from Roosevelt, Utah and such a sweetheart! I am very excited to work with her. She has been on her mission for 10 months, and in Bielefeld for six weeks, so we are trying to figure things out in the big city and how to get around with public transportation! It is all new to me! I do have to say, having a bike and car is very convenient! The other day we missed our bus by a minute or so, so Sister Hamblin said the only chance we had to catch our train was if we ran about a mile to get to the U-bahn and take that to the train station. So...we started running! We made the U-bahn and got on with sweat dripping down our faces (that has got to be quite the site to see two sister missionaries in skirts and backpacks dripping in sweat...yum!). Then we got out an ran to the train station! We got to the train and pushed the button to open the door! ...and the train rode away...shucks... :) so we almost made it... haha the joys of public transportation! So it has been a fun adventure. Bielefeld is really really big! There are people everywhere and you have to choose who you want to talk to! It is a really weird feeling. It is going to take some getting used to. And there are lots and lots of people from other countries here. We definitely talk to more people from outside of Germany than inside. We have already seen some miracles here together! An eleven year old Italian girl decided that she would like to be baptized! Her mother is a convert of about three years and the only member in the family. So she was in tears and jumping up and down because she was so excited that one of her children has decided to be baptized. She will be baptized the last week in June.
We have also been praying to get a hold of one of the less active members and we went by and she wasn't home. So we did some doors and tried again...but she wasn't home. She we starting heading back to the trainstation and we met her as she was walking home! It was perfect! We set up an appointment with her and I will be able to get to know her a little better. There are about 140 active members in the ward and I have heard about 400 inactive members...WOW!!! so it is a little bit bigger than our 11 active members in Halberstadt. And our ward missionary leaders here are 24 and 26, so that is also different than working with a 55 year old man. A lot to get used to here, but so far I like it a lot! I have to get over my fear of talking to people of buses and trains...it can be really awkward because you talk to everyone on the bus pretty much, because it is so quiet. But it is another challenge to overcome and make me stronger!
We had stake conference in Hannover yesterday and because Halberstadt is in our stake I got to see all the ward members and my last companion! That was so fun! And Elder Kehr from the 70 came. He is from Scotland and he gave a really powerful talk (in English)! It was fun to be with so many members here in Germany!
Well...besides that life is good! I love being a missionary and I know the church is true no matter where you are on the Earth! I know Heavenly Father hears our prayers and knows what we need and wants to give it to us. We just have to figure it out and ask for it, and be willing to work to receive it! I know Joseph Smith was called of God to restore his church on the Earth today!
I love you all and it was so fun to get to talk to some of you yesterday! I hope you are all happy and healthy! Love you lots and lots!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Smith
May 16th
Liebe Freude und Familie,
It has been another wonderful week! I am learning lots and lots! I think what I am learning the most right now is to overcome myself...I think it is something I will be working on my whole life, because I have to make the decision every single day to not let my silly worldly fears get the best of me. But every time I go out of my comfort zone and do something I didn't think I could I feel the love of our Heavenly Father and I know he is proud! Being a missionary is fun :) We have had some great success this week! We had a Termin with a girl about our age, and it was absolutely AMAZING! It was probably one of the most spiritual Termine of my mission so far! We could relate to her so personally and understand exactly what she is going through. And then to help her see her trials in an eternal perspective and to understand that she is a daughter of God was absolutely amazing! She told us that she feels like she is in another world when we come, and she asked us why we are always so happy :) it was a great opportunity to bear testimony!
We had some good finding time and we are trying to get what we call Rogens, and we get one when we talk to someone that we wouldn't "normally" talk to. So when we go out of our way or talk to someone in an awkward situation, then we get a Rogen. It has been a fun little incentive to talk to everyone. It does catch people off guard sometimes :) but I have also seen that when we stretch ourselves, that is when we see more success and people willing to listen! There are SO many friendly people here! Some people will talk to us for 15 minutes or so with absolutely no interest :) but its still fun to get to know people and tell them a little bit about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sister Hamblin and I are getting along great! We are speaking tons of German and now it is hard to talk in English without slipping in German words or grammar, I think thats a good thing! I'm still shy around the huge ward. We had church and I think it was louder than my home ward! There were lots of kids then interpreters also talking and I was on the back row with an investigator and I could hardly hear the speakers! But we did have a great lesson in Sunday School. We talked about the importance of personal revelation. I know it is so important that we live worthy and ready to receive revelation when Heavenly Father needs us to do His work!
I am so grateful for my wonderful family and friends. I pray for each of you and I hope you are all healthy and happy! I know with all my heart that the church is true! I know Heavenly Father is our loving Father and he wants to hear about us, our worries, our concerns and our joys. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He suffered for us so that we could all live with our Heavenly Father. I have been reading through the New Testament and I have felt the love and power of the words of our Savior! I know He lives! We have a big responsibility to prepare the world for the Second Coming of our Savior. I hope I can be a wonderful, worthy servant for Him my whole life! Lets not forget that Pres. Monson asked us to pray that the gospel would be able to reach every nation, tongue and people, then let us all be ready to go and do what is necessary for it to happen! Whether that means talking to your neighbor about the gospel or going to a foreign land and talking to people on the street! I love you all! Thank you for all that you do!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Smith
May 23rd
Liebe Freunde und Familie,
It has been a very fun week here in Bielefeld! I think I have made a lot of progress personally and me and Sister Hamblin are working well together! Our mission President had a really cool idea/inspiration! We got new pass along cards that are really simple and have the internet address on them really big. What he said is that we need to not only fish with one pole (one person at a time on the streets or door to door) but we are going to start to fish with nets! The interNET! So we are drawing our own media referrals! We are using these cards and me and Sister Hamblin are giving out at least 50 a day whether it is to people, in mailboxes, or on cars. We are getting creative with it and it has been a fun boost to talk to people! We talked to someone on the bus the other day and right after we talked to them someone else got up and came to us and asked for a card! :) it was so cool! That was one of those times that we were screaming for excitement on the inside but trying to stay calm on the outside. :) its kind of funny what brings missionaries so much joy! Me and Sister Hamblin are working really well together! In our lessons it is like the missionary films you see when we switch back and forth in teaching, share scriptures, ask questions, and bear testimony! It is so fun and I feel the spirit so strongly so often! The time is flying so fast! I can't believe we are half way through this transfer already!
We had Zone Conference in Hannover this week. It was SO awesome! There is a wonderful spirit when missionaries gather together to learn how to bring more people to Christ. I learned so much and it helped us have, again, a renewed energy and desire to help the people in Germany find the truth!
Every Thursday we have the chance to go and help a lady who just had surgery. She has to lay in bed all day so we do her chores for her. It is so rewarding and she is the sweetest lady. She is not a member so occasionally we get to talk about the church. She is really good friends with a member in our ward and she told her that she would like to come to church once she is healthy enough to! Sister Hamblin and I think it is an Ammon story in progress! Service opens hearts for the gospel!
We have found new people to teach and the ones we have are progressing well! There is so much to do here! We are always busy! But it is great! We have fun times and I am making a lot of fun memories! The weather here is absolutely GORGEOUS! We are going today to go play games with some other missionaries in a park! It should be fun! I love you all! Thank you for all of your love and support! It is always wonderful to hear from you! I know the Kirch Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Lezten Tage is the church of Jesus Christ! He leads and guides us every step of the way if we are willing and ready to hear! I am so grateful to our Heavenly Father who loves us so much! We are so blessed to know He lives and to know that we can pray to Him and when it is time we can return to Him and be like Him! What a wonderful promise! I am so blessed with a wonderful family! Thank you again! Bis nächste Woche!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Smith
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