December
21, 2015
Hello
wonderful family, and a very merry Christmas to all of you!
This
week has been a tad bit crazy I honestly cannot believe all that happened
in just a week! I am still so in love with this cute little city and this
ward!
Tuesday
we had our very first district meeting together. Here the district is
split pretty weird. We are actually in the district with the people from
Cadiz and we are just a 6 person district with another set of Hermanas.
Definitely different but I like it. We had a great meeting about lessons
zero which was perfect because we are trying to teach new people this
week. The first couple moments you spend with these people are so
important. So Hermana Peters and I was to perfect lesson zero so we can
help everyone learn of the importance of what we do.
Tuesday
night was actually kind of a rough night but funny. Here is how it went.
We have really been focusing on finding people so we went through all the
futures that we had and set up citas with as many people who would meet
with us and then because our cute members were so excited to work with us
we brought them along with us. Maybe not our best call.
We
go to the first lesson and sit down with our cute member and the man
starts off with, well I already know that your church is completely false
and what you believe is just silly. And I was like, okay awesome. I'd love
to know why you think that, but can we pray, hoping that I could bring the
spirit and we could make some progress. Well I prayed and then he said,
alright now I'll pray. And I kid you not, he started out asking that God
would take the devil out of our hearts and we could see the error of our
way ex. I honestly had to try so hard to keep it together and not laugh,
but I did manage to keep a poker face. But the lesson just kept going downhill
from there. And I honestly don't mind when people yell at just us, but
when we have a member there it makes the whole thing a little different, but
that's okay we left the cita on a good note and I don't think we will be
going back for a while.
Anyway
we went from that cita to another one with someone we had never met, same
member. This one actually went really well and we set a baptismal date! It
was awesome. We finished the night going with our ward mission leader to a
member who has recently gone inactive. Well the cita.... Man. So many
things happened, it just didn't turn out the way we hoped at all. Which
was made worse because we had our ward mission leader there with us. But you
know what, I'm sure reading this, it sounds super negative. But I honestly
learned a lot about patience that night and really just loving people.
We
ended up in a sprint back to Pizo so we wouldn't be late, and I mean sprint
from across our area. It was awesome :) when we got there Hermana Brown
and Hermana Stephens were there with pizza to help cheer us up. We had a
sleepover because Wednesday morning Hermana Brown and I had to go to Fuegirola!
Alright
so Wednesday morning we woke up at 4:35 and headed to the train
station. Hermana Brown Elder Meredith and I. We rode trains all morning
meeting people, trying not to get kicked off because my ticket wasn't
valid, you know the normal. Then we made it to Malaga. I was literally
shaking I was so excited to be back in the city I love so much! Only to be
made better when we got off the train Elder Rivero and Hermana Rollins
were there waiting! It was the happiest of reunions. Then we all headed to
the mission office to pick up our DNIs. We now officially have
documentation here in Spain! After we stayed in the mission office for
just a little bit because President Anderson was on his way. We got to see
him and the ayudantes as well.
President
Anderson and I talked about our Smalley scripture. He loved it so much and
thought it was just the cutest thing.
I
don't know if I mentioned that Elder Johnson became an ayudante, so it was
awesome to see them and just talk for a little bit. Then it was off again
with a challenge to invite someone to baptism during a contact from Elder
Johnson. Well it happened. Hermana Rollins and I went up to someone and
she said she didn't even want to talk to us, but we talked to her anyway;)
and we finished with a baptismal invite. She still wasn't interested but
we had a great conversation. On the way home we set up some perfect
contacting traps. Meaning we sat down in different spots and anyone who
sat next to us got a contact. It was so fun to contact with Hermana Brown
and Hermana Rollins. I love them so so much. They are such a strength to
me. On the way home with Elder Meredith and Hermana Brown we had some
awesome conversations about dedication to the work and obedience. We also
got to teach a lesson together and contact a bunch of people on the way
home. We made it back to San Fernando at 9:30 dead tired but
super excited to work :)
Thursday
morning we had weekly planning per usual. And Thursday night we had one of
those nights as Elder Adcock called it. All of our citas failed and all of
our backup plans weren't home or wouldn't let us in. And despite all of
this it is just impossible to be discouraged here in San Fernando. We were
happy and smiling trying to talk with everyone. Under the magical lights
of Christmas that line the city and to the tune of our favorite Christmas
songs, seriously this city is like straight out of a postcard. However
funny story. By the end of the night we were beat. Apparently I didn't
realize how beat, we were walking and I didn't see a dip in the road. Well…
Slow motion fall to the ground by Hermana Smalley. My legs literally just
gave out and I ended up flat on my back. We laughed pretty hard about that
and were super happy that no one was there to see us ;)
Friday
was just more citas and lots of time out on the streets looking for people.
We had an amazing lesson with a less active member, her son hasn't been
baptized and she has been slowly progressing back to being active :) but
we were teaching a lesson with her son. And she bore such a sweet
testimony to her son about baptism and we were able to set a date with him
as well. And now they can work together. It was such a tender moment.
Saturday our
ward had a huge Christmas dinner. So we invited the whole world of course.
And it was awesome! There were so many investigators and less active
members there. The ward provided the food for everyone and we got to set
up citas with new investigators and then everyone got together to sing
Christmas carols ex. We had to leave early because of bedtime blessings
but it was so much fun :) the ward put together the cutest video for
everyone i want to find it and send it to you so you can see just how
wonderful they are!
Sunday was
a little disappointing because our investigators didn't show up:/ but we
will try harder next week:) during second hour two members came and got us
and told us the bishop needed to talk to us. And our ward mission leader
told us that we were in trouble. I honestly was terrified because I have
been trying so hard to make a good impression! At the same time I was
thinking. I have only been here a week! I can't have messed up that badly.
Well we went into a room and all the adults were in there and bishop
called us to the front and hands us s huge basket full of presents and
thanks us for all we are doing. It was honestly the sweetest thing ever.
They could never have known that both Hermana Peters and I haven't gotten
our packages because of customs.
Sunday night
we met with a less active member who has been really struggling with
smoking. He has been getting so discouraged because he can't seem to stop.
But when we went over he asked if he could share a scripture with us. He
shared 2 Nephi 22:1,2:
1
And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou
wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
2
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord
Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.
It
honestly was such a spiritual moment. To see how the scriptures had comforted
him and helped him through. This gospel is so true and is here for
everyone.
Working
here with Hermana Peters has been such an adventure. We both just want to
do everything right and be the perfect missionaries. Which of course is
impossible. We have a companionship saying, "rookie mistake"
because we honestly have PME
and the white handbook and that is what we are going off of. We mess up
all the time but keep trying. I honestly love it. Because neither of us
know what everyone else is doing, so we just go with what feels right and
what we have been told we need to do in those two resources.
We
were both really struck by Christ introduction of himself to the Nephites.
He basically said. "I did what I was supposed to do" aside from
all the miracles and the wonder of the atonement. All he could have said.
He just said that he did the will of the Father. I think the same is true
for missionary work we get to do a lot of amazing things and see miracles
daily. But I honestly hope that when I finish I can say the same. I did
what I was called to do. Because when we Do what we should the blessings and
miracles follow.
Wow
sorry for this beast of an email!
Anyways
we are all super excited for Christmas. We honestly have had a couple hard
days here, and I'm sure more will come. But the Lord has blessed us so
much! Tomorrow we head to Sevilla for a Christmas conference and I am so
excited. I love you all and I also have the cutest nieces! Thank you so
much for those videos!
Much
love, Hermana Smalley
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