Hello family!!!
Can you believe it's almost the end of summer. I feel like I just barely got here on the mission. Time has gone by so fast. I feel like the harder I work the faster it goes too. Please tell Sarah Hoban thank you for sending me pictures from the kids. When I opened the envenlopes I got so excited and showed all the other missionaries around me. I love them! Also, the reason I am emailing later today is because we had to work at the temple this morning. After the temple all the missionaries in the area got together for a volleyball tournament. I'm so sunburned! Fried! But no worries because my team made it to the semi-finals! You should be proud.
This week has gone by so fast! I worked everyday in the temple again. For some reason working in the temple I get more exhausted than doing normal missionary work. I don't know what it is but at least I crash and get a good nights sleep every night. I've learned so much working in the temple open house. I feel like each day I get a new question that I had never even thought about before. Ex. Why do they have oxen around the temple baptisimal font and not any other animal? I'd never even thought about that. I found the answer but let me know what you think! There are protestors outside the temple every day. I love them. I seriously think it's so funny. I say hi to them every day and we've gotten to know each other really well. I could even tell you what time they set up their tents and take them down every day. This last week we talked about how when something good is happening satan is working just as hard. You can see that here with the temple.
I got a phone call from a random number the other day. I answered it and it was a Jewish lady. She said that she went through the temple and said that she thought baptisms for the dead was a hate crime. She yelled at me for like 15 minutes. I kept praying to know what to say to her but the spirit told me just to listen. When she was done I was able to explain and clear some things up. I love when people are mad. I know I'm weird but I love talking to people like that and then calming them down. And by listening to the spirit by the end we were lauging together and it all worked out. I doubt she'll ever be Mormon but at least she didn't get off the phone having hard feelings.
Also, this past week we met a woman and were able to go through the temple with her. She felt the spirit so much in the temple and said she had a wonderful experience. A few days later she texted us and told us that she was going to be in the protestors tent by the temple the next day. She said that she would love for us to visit her and that she was protesting out of love.
I have never seen satan working so hard in peoples lives. I know that he truly is working hard to stop this work from progressing. On the other hand I have never seen so many miracles in my life. Each day we get to talk with amazing people who have a new found peace in their lives because of the temple. The temple has opened so many doors for the gospel. The more I testify of the temple the more my testimony has grown. I know this church is true and I know we're on the winning team. No matter how hard satan tries God will ALWAYS WIN. I'm just glad I'm on the winning team ;)
Love you all so much! Keep fighting for what's right!
Love,
Sister Smith
Can you believe it's almost the end of summer. I feel like I just barely got here on the mission. Time has gone by so fast. I feel like the harder I work the faster it goes too. Please tell Sarah Hoban thank you for sending me pictures from the kids. When I opened the envenlopes I got so excited and showed all the other missionaries around me. I love them! Also, the reason I am emailing later today is because we had to work at the temple this morning. After the temple all the missionaries in the area got together for a volleyball tournament. I'm so sunburned! Fried! But no worries because my team made it to the semi-finals! You should be proud.
This week has gone by so fast! I worked everyday in the temple again. For some reason working in the temple I get more exhausted than doing normal missionary work. I don't know what it is but at least I crash and get a good nights sleep every night. I've learned so much working in the temple open house. I feel like each day I get a new question that I had never even thought about before. Ex. Why do they have oxen around the temple baptisimal font and not any other animal? I'd never even thought about that. I found the answer but let me know what you think! There are protestors outside the temple every day. I love them. I seriously think it's so funny. I say hi to them every day and we've gotten to know each other really well. I could even tell you what time they set up their tents and take them down every day. This last week we talked about how when something good is happening satan is working just as hard. You can see that here with the temple.
I got a phone call from a random number the other day. I answered it and it was a Jewish lady. She said that she went through the temple and said that she thought baptisms for the dead was a hate crime. She yelled at me for like 15 minutes. I kept praying to know what to say to her but the spirit told me just to listen. When she was done I was able to explain and clear some things up. I love when people are mad. I know I'm weird but I love talking to people like that and then calming them down. And by listening to the spirit by the end we were lauging together and it all worked out. I doubt she'll ever be Mormon but at least she didn't get off the phone having hard feelings.
Also, this past week we met a woman and were able to go through the temple with her. She felt the spirit so much in the temple and said she had a wonderful experience. A few days later she texted us and told us that she was going to be in the protestors tent by the temple the next day. She said that she would love for us to visit her and that she was protesting out of love.
I have never seen satan working so hard in peoples lives. I know that he truly is working hard to stop this work from progressing. On the other hand I have never seen so many miracles in my life. Each day we get to talk with amazing people who have a new found peace in their lives because of the temple. The temple has opened so many doors for the gospel. The more I testify of the temple the more my testimony has grown. I know this church is true and I know we're on the winning team. No matter how hard satan tries God will ALWAYS WIN. I'm just glad I'm on the winning team ;)
Love you all so much! Keep fighting for what's right!
Love,
Sister Smith