June 30, 2025

From Abby - God Be Thanked

Hi allllll
I don't even know what this past week has been and part of me knows that I will NOT be able to articulate all of my thoughts.. The other part of me is going to try really hard

So going off last week (which.. I sent this week) I cried myself to sleep and had a VERY somber attitude following me around. When President texted asking how I was feeling my response was lengthly and filled with compaint and HIS response to that was something like "You're circumstance does not decide your joy." 
Lack of empathy.. True principles.
He's speaking my language

I woke up monday morning and recieved a voice message from my dear friend Nikkei and this was the first sentance:
"I just wanted to send youa voice message and tell you that I love you"
GIRL. I know that God works through people and this was one of those moments

For the Pday activity we went to a MEGA rich members home in someones area and ate delicious food. It was the nature of activity where everyone is signing everyones transfer journal and theres an air of sadness (At least for me) Being launched out of a zone that you love is pretty much a vial experience 
Elder Cease has been in my zone for FOUR transfers, like how am I supposed to see someone multiple times a week for 6 months to NEVER SEEING THEM AGAIN (Thats dramatic you get it) 

I also am mourning not being able to be with Sister Dimitrov, Harris, and Peterson. SO SAD. SO. SAD. 

This was the facetime call with my sister Last week:

Monday evening we walked into this member message to discover an ANCIENT black lab. Sister Peterson and I love dogs so we both sat on the floor and started giving him loves and pats.. We're visiting with the daughter as we do so.. When the mom walks in the room she thinks its SO SWEET that we were sitting ont he floor and we start chatting about the dog when Sister Peterson starts CRYING AHHH it was so sweet. (Childhood dog memories) we sat and patted this sweet old dog while both sister Peterson and the mom cried XD 
You just never know what people need. 
God is in everything 

Sister Peterson convinced me to go running again and did SO MUCH better. Who knew not being able to breath properly would hinder you're running!
We did like a mile in 20 minutes.. I was content :))) (that could be a total lie we were guesstemating)
This is the end of my running phase because I don't have a running comp to hold me accountable. Drink it in all my running friends!

The rest of tuesday was packing (SAD) and saying goodbye to people that i've grown to care so much about. We chatted with Sister Kemp for EVER because we love her so. 
She gave me the mom hug I needed 
Its actually torture that my new apartment is 2 minutes down the street from my old one. :D 

Wednesday was TRANSFERS. 
We spent the morning at Sister Dimitrovs and Sister Harris's for breakfast and personal study.. I loveee them. we got to sign eachothers transer Journals and theres no sweeter feeling than writing and recieving kind words from people you love. 

TRANSFERS 
We had a mission transfer meeting and Prez dropped some lines. heres  a few:
"If your mission ended today.. Did you do it? One day the church will call home 84,000 missionaries.. If that was today, did you do it. Did you accomplish what you came out here to do?"

"You have a natural man problem.. Do you have the courage to become intentionally uncomfortable?"

"I will be DEAD before I stop. Dead."

"a team of coaches can't win a championship"

Anyways you get it... He chastized and motivated and then the entire mission reshuffled all over again!
I got to give BIG hugs to Sister Atwood, Sister Christiansen, Sister Dimitrov, Sister Bowser, Sister ORTIZZ
YES GUYS 
ORTIZ IS BACK IN MY DISTRICT 

and I got my new comp! Sister Moleni 
A cutie lil Tongan Trainee 

#Stepmom 

FIRST evening on a bike with her we biked to the TIPPY TOP of our area 
and what do I discover!!?!?? THE LINDON TEMPLE (I def knew it was in my area because Sister Harris told me.. but i forgot until I biked right up to it) 


YES  the lindon temple is in my area.. What the heck. 
Spoiler but on sunday the first meeting of the day they announced the OPEN HOUSE!? August 30th - September 30th! 
And it'll be dedicated on Sister Atwoods birthday! October 12th! 
Anyways.. is the temple at the very top of the gruelling bikeride uphill? yes. Is it lowkey worth it? Absolutely.

We had the first ZDC of the transfer and it was CRAZYYY Elder Jenks and Johnson brought some definite hype and our dictrict council was awesome XD we Did roleplays and at one point Elder Johnson was the reciever (Ortiz and Moleni teaching) and they start talking to him and hes SPEED WALKING.. as the roleplay goes on Sister Ortiz is like "We'll walk with you!! "we pulled the whole classroom to the center so that they could walk without obstruction and It felt like I was back in drama. Scene building is SO FUN (Even if its for missionary roleplay)

We also got to celebrate Sister Ortiz's birthday AHH
Happy Birthday SLA

^Cutie Girl. 

Honestly having Sister Ortiz back in my zone somehow makes everything okay. I love that girlllll SO much. I think her and Sister Ellis Brainwashed me into being obsessed with them because it's on another level.

We knocked this one potential named Tristan and SHOCKINGLY him and his aunt let us in!! After chatting for a bit his aunt mentioned that they joke about him going on his mission (To help with Army stuff) which launched us into a conversation about the church and he was like "Oh i'm not a member" and we basically were like "Would you want to be?" and he basically was like "I'll think about it" 
We learned that bro goes to church every week and also PRAYS!? and believes in god 
Why do people do this. They live the life and love it but wont make the promise. 
Or parents encourage their kids to be kind and loving, they let them go to church with the grandparents, they want them to be well rounded responsible people yet they don't want them to be baptized!?!? They're already living the life
I think theres a comitment crisis FR

It was good to state our purpose and invite him to come unto christ... Thats why we're here :)

Someone we're trying to teach in the area.. Her name is Fatuma and she's from Africa! She speaks Swahili.
If you couldn't guess I do not speak Swahili 

but that's why we have RM translators. 
First of all we murdured ourselves biking up the hill to the lesson and then this super stereotypical blonde Perfect teeth RM pulls up (yes.. He can speak swahili) 
we had a crazy time trying to teach Fatuma about the restoration and the need to be baptised again (She doesn't understand the priesthood and how her priest didn't have the power of god) Basically Sister Moleni and I sat and listened to them have a question and answer session in Swahili.. It was crazy. 
RM is a king. 

On saturday we went to visit with the 2nd councellor in the stake presidency (the one over missionary work) and when we enters he says "Please sit at the counter..don't mind me i'm just kneading out some sourdough bread" As we chat and visit bro is absolutely DEVOURING in front of us..
He said he learned during covid and for 5 years has been experimenting until hes firgured out the perfect italian sourdough bread recipe. KING. He said he would call himself a breadmaker. 
Literally if my husband doesnt-
We also talked about the missionary work in the stake but MAN I was impressed 
Go President Winters. 

Two of the people I was teaching in my last area got BAPTIZED 
Austin and Brooklyn (Saturday and sunday)

Literally slay :) 

Both were special. I'm so happy I get to be a part of the lords work. I GET to teach people about Jesus Christ!

I also got to see sister Peterson (yay)

This week has been insane for heat and it's only going to get more hot. I don't think i've had so much sweat exist on my body consistantly..my whole life. and I think i'm accomplishing higher levels of endurance as I press forward.. and basically upward on these endless hills

First world problems 
But- its fine. 

I wanted to share a paragraph from the living christ: A decleration from the prophet and apostles of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints! 
They bear a solemn testimony about Jesus Christ and his life. Anyone who thinks that the members of the church of Jesus christ... aren't Christian are GEESE 

 ANYWAYS heres the last paragraph:

"We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."

I need to be better at relying on the savior in my hard weeks. 
reading this was the reminder that I needed. Christ is what matters. The happines that he brings is what matters. 

Only through him can lives be changed, and the most evil be redeemed, and the forsaken to be loved and remembered.

I love my Savior! 
I think that everything that I am has come from what he has taught me :) 

Okay 
Two emails later..
Make this week a great week
Onward and Upward,

-Sister Smith 

From Dad - Living after the manner of happiness

Despite all the challenges and struggles I go through and the stress I sometimes feel from work or my calling I can truly say that I feel like we are living after the manner of happiness. 

I enjoyed listening to a podcast on the subject and read again 2 Nephi 5 and did a little mental inventory:

• Keeping God's commandments and covenants in all things = Trying my best!
• Working hard, laboring with my hands and being Industrious = Have you seen the greenhouse :)
• Temple Attendance = Check - Thanks Mia and Hinton Branch!
• Prepare for and defend the well being of my family = Trying. Haven't fashioned any swords lately but I think paying off debt, budgeting, storing food, gardening etc are all defenses against the craziness of life.
• Family and Community service and support = Yes! Thanks family for all  your support and the opportunity to serve in my calling.

And so I ask myself, am I happy? A resounding yes, and in no small part due to our amazing children and grand-children.

News of the week:

1. We redid our driveway. Nick the neighbor fixed us up so no getting stuck in the driveway in the spring anymore (fingers-crossed)

2. I finally fixed the chainsaw. Only took two carburetors, 20 YouTube videos, some fine tuning and only a moderate amount of swearing. Now I can finally be Mom's manly man and clear out the forest pathways!

3. We enjoyed a temple trip on Saturday with members from Edson ascending to the temple together. Best part was seeing our new convert, Eric Roberts, nervously performing baptisms at first then confidently as he gained experience. On the way out he asked me what he needed to do to prepare to go through the temple for his endowment. Maybe I'll send him Mia's way. Mom and I went for supper at the Keg on the way home. Lots of good memories at that classic restaurant.

4. Mia got a 4th job at Boston Pizza thanks to her best friend network. Let the money tree start sprouting! She is a resilient girl despite a few tears, just like both her sisters.

So there's the update for the week. Sure love you my girl. You are part of my happiness equation.

Love,

Dad.