HOllabACk (4/11/11)

Hi family!

this week seems like it was just a blur and now that i sit down and think about what to write you -- BAH! i can't remember anything! i am pretty sure that is a major reason that the first presidency makes us use our planners and write EVERYTHING down -- yeah we need to plan, but i probably wouldn't remember that i had GONE on a mission without looking at my planner :) kidding.

a really sweet miracle of the week happened on wednesday. we had the whole day planned and we were thinking of people that we might need to call and check up on. well, sister johnson came to mind and so i called. she had triplets (i may or may not have mentioned her -- sorry i obviously have amnesia today or i'm just losing my brain.... one of the two :) ) her triplets are about 6 months old and she has a two year old too. yeah. it gets pretty crazy at her house. when i called she sounded pretty sad and so i asked her when we could come and clean her house this week -- she said oh anyday, it doesn't matter. well, miraculously we had a free hour and a half that we were going to be looking people up RIGHT in her area (coincidence? i think not) well, we went and just got to work and we were able to clean up the kitchen and bathroom and living room while she fed the babies. when we finished and we were sharing a quick scripture with her she told us that morning she had been praying and plead with Heavenly Father to send her someone today - she just couldn't do it and she didn't know who to call because her kids had been sick with colds and she couldn't call people and get their kids sick too. and then we called. it was so sweet to hear and so sweet to know that Heavenly Father cares for us SOOOOOOOOOO individually.

another miracle -- we have been trying to get a hold of all the russian members, former investigators, and less active members because well, it's not very often that we have a russian speaking missionary here and she is leaving in two weeks (sister mamon) we have been trying to get a hold of this lady named Malika and haven't been able to because she works 20 hours a day (that's including her commute) and works 7 days a week. well, we were in her area and our plans all fell through. she was our back up to the back up plan and we went to see her because nothing else worked. well, for the first time in FOREVER she got off work early and had gotten home ten minutes before we got there. it was really sweet to be able to have sister mamon talk to her again (i'm not sure if i already told you -- sister mamon started her mission here over a year ago so there are a ton of people that know her) so yeah. it was really sweet for them to be able to talk and malika bore her testimony and said she wished so bad that she could come to church - she just works ALL the time. she hasn't had a day off in three months. yuck.

we have a baptism coming up this sunday -- destiny. she is the granddaughter of a member. she is only 8 and the only reason missionaries are teaching her is because neither of her parents are members of the church. she is really cute though and it has been so good to be a part of her life to give her some of the love that she craves so bad. their situation is one that is pretty rough - she and her two siblings are living with their grandma because they just don't have parents that can take care of them. their grandma does the best she can -- but she doesnt even speak english very well and the kids don't know spanish. so it has been really cool to teach destiny and we are excited for her to be baptized on sunday.

ruby is still doing great -- she called us today and it was amazing. we couldn't meet with her this week because her schoolwork is going crazy. but her daughter loved LOVED church and has had a 180 degree attitude change towards the church. they are both coming to church on easter! ruby said that she has to read the scriptures every morning to get her through the day. she apologized because she is still in 1 nephi because she only reads a little each day. WHAT?! no need to apologize!!!!!! getting people to read every day is like pulling teeth most times! and ruby just does it. she is AMAZING. absolutely amazing. i'm kind of hoping something happens with her school so that she will be more freed up, but patience is a virtue i guess.

anyways, that's about it for my scattered brain today. i love you all so dearly family. thank you so much for the support and love that you give me. i honestly am the luckiest person alive :) i love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sister m. smith