best week ever!

hi hi hi

This week has been so awesome!! Sabbaychet (happy heart-trying to romanize characters is hard so sorry!)

The best thing that happened this week was during TRC (when we teach members in cambodia over skype). usually trc isnt my fav, cause skype always has the worst connection so your trying to speak all in khmae to these members, but eveything keeps cutting out, and the calls always drop and the volume is super wack. so when you add all of that to the already existing language barrier, its pretty frustrating, and ususlly you just end up guessing what they are saying, or just laughing cause no one understands anything. but this week-all of that was happening but super increased! so the girl we were teaching just decided to get off, cause it wasnt working-which kinda left us in a weird spot-cause now who do we teach? lolz. but then our teacher skyped one of his converts and we have heard all about this kid-hes 18 years old, and such a strong member! so we got to talk to this kid we have been hearing about for weeks! it was such a tender mercy to see the fruits of someone elses mission, and what a reminder of what we are sent to do. so so cool. 

another way cool thing about this week was THAT WE GOT OUR FLIGHT PLANS. guys. cambodia is so real. i literally walked (and jumped and ran and shouted for joy) the entire rest of the day hugging my flight plans. SO HAPPY. also stoked cause we get to leave in the middle of the day, so we are planning to feast on all the good food at the airport! 

one of the coolest things i learned this week was during my study of the tree of life. I love how in 1 ne 8:33 it says "but we heeded them not". this is such an important thing to remember. people will always make fun of, or judge, or persecute those who follow christ, but as we "heed them not", and keep our eyes focused on the savior, and know that his opinion is what matters, then we will not be swayed from following christ. because we know in who created us and we know in who we trust. 

i love the gospel with all my heart! so happy to be going to cambodia! have a safe and happy week!

love sis smith​

in which we suddenly become the best zone in the ENTIRE mtc

hi hi hi,

its been another INCREDIBLE week here at the mtc. actually-probably the best one so far. because GUESS WHAT?!?! we're actually the coolest zone here, and this week we proved it:) dallin h oaks came to the devo on easter morning-which of course was incredible (more on that later), and THEN HE CAME TO OUR SACRAMENT MEETING. OUR sacrament meeting-out of everyone in the whole mtc. it was the craziest cause theres like 20 of us missionaries, and then the branch presidency, and then the Oaks!! so amazing. they didnt address us, but they sat with us, and listened with us, it was (slightly nerve-wracking, but mostly) so cool!!! after, he shook all of our hands. i have never seen anyone so full of light. then he took a couple minutes to talk about how mission calls are assigned, and what a testimony builder it was to be reminded that they truly are from God!! it was cool+reassuring to hear that they do not take any calls lightly, esp the ones that are sent to southeast asia. so basically, love love love the Oaks. They are the cutest!!

the worst part of the week: realized that im already sick of all the clothes i have lolz. LUCKILY Im HEADED TO CAMBODIA IN 11 DAYS (so thats the craziest thing i think ive ever heard), and can get more clothes there (#missionblessings #senioritisisreal) 

one of the coolest things i learned this week was during my study. i focused a lot on the atonement and the resurrection of Jesus Christ (because easter), and learned some amazing things. but one thing i noticed that i havent ever before is what christ focused on after his resurrection-when he visited his apostles. in the short amount of time he spent with them, he emphasized sharing the gospel to every people. "teach all nations" "preach the gospel to every creature" "repentence and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations" and my fav: "feed my sheep". That is his commission to his disciples, after all that happened, in spite of anything else he could share. and the cool thing is that we dont have to serve missions to do that-we can do so much wherever we are, doing whatever we are doing! 

The language is super hard hahaha but wow the fact that i know anything at all testifies that Christ is real, and is aware of his children, and he truly blesses us with the gift of tongues. I have been able to study more and learn more this week than i have any of the other weeks, and i know that as we show God something is important to us by giving all of our effort, he will bless us with the ability to learn/be able to do it. 

Have a great week!! Praise God because he is so good:) love you all:)

sis smith

weekly idk but closer to cambodia:)

HI EVERYONE! This has been one of the happiest weeks of my mission so far! Everyone always told me how hard the mission was, and how much I would grow and learn. But no one ever told me how happy it is here. How happy it is the learn the gospel. How happy it is to work through the Holy Ghost. How happy it is to see investigators change and grow and come closer to Christ. If you ever want to be happier, let God in. Let the Holy Ghost be your constant companion. 

One thing that I loved learning this week is about how no one can do happiness like Heavenly Father. Everything he does is so that we can be happy, because he loves us more than we can imagine. What an amazing thing to know that we have someone-all powerful, all seeing, all knowing, all loving-who literally has a plan for each one of us that can make us happier than we can ever imagine. All we have to do is trust and follow Him. I have felt his happiness more than ever as I have given up myself to Him and completely immersed myself into His work. I think that often he tests us. He gives us hard things that arent instantly happy. That seem difficult, and unnessecary, and so often we ask why. But he knows. And the why is always because he wants us to be happy. So let us trust him in ALL. Let us lean not unto our own understanding (Prov 3:5-6). 

The other happy thing I am continuing to learn is that the Spirit is our friend. He is always reliable. He is always trustworthy, and leads us to be better. He the the most loving, the most kind, and the most patient. As we give our all-in whatever we are doing in our lives-at school, at family stuff, at missions, etc-he works through what we give, and he is the one that conveys the messge our investigator/who ever needs to hear what the HG wants to tell them. Its BEAUTIFUL. 

One of the funnest things that happened this week was that we got a new sister in our district! Shes headed to mongolia, speaking mongolian! HOW COOL??! Shes amazing. I love all the sisters here:) Also the language is definitely coming. Guys. The gift of tongues is so real. Gifts of the spirit are amazing (read through your patriarchial blessing and study the gifts God gives you). So many times as we are teaching our investigators, i know what i would say in english, but i dont know how to explain it in Khmae. But the HG knows how to explain it, and the spirit conveys it perfectly. The spirit speaks universally. and its so cool. 

Alma 37:36-37 I invite all of you to let god be a more active part of your life. As you open your heart to him, and let him guide you, you will feel the holy ghost respond actively to you and your concerns, you will have an increased perspective and you will find more happiness. 

I LOVE this gospel. God is so good. God is so happy. I hope you all feel God's spirit more abundantly. Praying for you all!! Thanks for all your prayers and support. 

Love, sis smith

HI HI HI!!! Everything is going miraculous here at the MTC. Basically have the best district and teachers and i love the gospel so much!! 

This has definitely been my favorite week so far, cause 1. Gen Conf is incredible and 2. God is so good. I have learned and grown so much this week!! My favorite conf talk (ok they were all the best), was by Sabin and how we can stand up inside. How beautiful that when we center ourselves on Christ, we never need to be worried about failing permanently. As He is our focus, when we get tired of walking, we can always run. It was such a powerful experience to be sitting with hundreds of other missionaries listening to prophets speak. What a wonderful opportunity it was to hear Pres Monsons testimony & invitation. Loved, loved, loved conference.        
                                                                          

God is so good. Our teachers (seriously they are the best ever) told us about their most meaningful convert on their mission. These stories about Bong Vong and Om Toam are some of the most beautiful stories I have ever heard. A mission is about love. A mission is about serving. Its not about giving them a gift of the gospel all wrapped up nice and fancy, and expecting them to love it because we gave it to them, it's about helping others. it's about guiding others to the happiness and love and peace and forgiveness that can only come as we serve them through means of the gospel. we all walked out of class singing Scripture Power, reverently, of course:) 

The language is going very well. so far i can say hello in Cantonese, French, Thai, and Cambodian! it's actually the funnest cause we have our different groups of friends that teach us so it's never boring:) And really, the gift of tongues is so real. I'm pretty sure i say that every week, but i could not be more convinced of its truth. I am so not able to learn this language by myself and definitely could not sit in class and study all day long, but God is able to do all things. The atonement of Jesus Christ covers everything, even when our everything is nothing. Its amazing how he can carry us, how he can hold our hand and give us the love and strength to keep going. 

One thing i am realizing is how the mission is the time that i am applying everything i have ever learning, and actually understanding it. I have all the words to describe what i have learned, but God is giving me the experience and the changed heart to understand all  

that I know.

One of my favorite scriptures this week is alma 37:6-7. he calls us in our weakness, in our simpleness, and qualifies us to be a part of his great work. what a pleasure it is to serve him, to serve his children. 

K love you all!!! 

ps pics of the random girl in cafeteria costume is McCall!! She served in Cambodia and is our source to the outside world and basically we're all besties:) shes amazing!