Birthday Week And Still Positive !!!

I find it rather difficult to accept that this is really my daughter speaking, but in a good way of course...

“ Good morning!!

Sam, who almost dropped us last week but we managed to get him back is ploughing through the Book of Mormon and he understands the Gospel very well. He has so many amazing questions! He has a baptismal date for 15/02.

Jamie is still doing really well but unfortunately he didn't come to church this week as he was unwell. He is working 14 hour days with 5 hours sleep and his body has just about had enough... Oh and he still runs for pleasure most days. I keep telling him that he is a NUT JOB!!!!! I believe that this is Heavenly Fathers way of telling him to slow down.

Sister Brown is amazing... We get on so well and laugh so much! We had exchange this week. It was strange... Sister Brown stayed in Yeovil with Sister Cowley and I went to Bridgewater with Sister McKay (she's from Scotland). Sister McKay and I got on really well... We have similar backgrounds so we understood each other really well. Unfortunately I didn't feel like I was on top form at all as a missionary so I wasn't pleased with the first impression that I probably gave her. I have since been diagnosed with Labrynthitis so that explains a little of why I wasn't on top form. I learned from her and that's what exchanges are all about so I feel it was successful.

Heavenly Father has blessed Sister Brown and I the last couple of days. I have felt awful... Labrynthitis!! I feel dizzy, sick and I keep toppling over because my balance is off. We have had amazing lessons and I feel like He has been rewarding us for our efforts. I went to the walk-in-centre and the GP gave me a very thorough examination and then diagnosed... I've been taking pills and I'm starting to feel better :)

I had the realisation that this week could possibly be the last full week that Sister Brown and I spend together. Today could be our last P'day together but it's my birthday tomorrow so we're going to make the most of it... Even with Labrynthitis. We're going for a walk after emailing then we're having Chinese food :) birthday treat! It has gone very quickly!! We have had our ups and downs but on the whole it has been amazing. I will miss her when we do get transferred, whether it be this week or not.

In general I can't believe how quickly time goes as a missionary. I was told to expect this but it's going a lot quicker than I anticipated... I'll be home before I know it!

Being on a mission is just something only those who have been/are on can comprehend... I've never experienced anything like it! I love the work and serving the people. Heavenly Father is moulding me and I am excited about who I will become.... I'm still very much me (Sister Brown tells me everyday that I have "spunk" :| I've told her she needs to be careful saying that over here!!) but I look at things a little differently, I know the person I want to be and the life I wish to lead.

Take care and remember who you are!

Love, Sister Smart

Prayers Really Do Get Answered !!!

Well another week bites the dust, they just fly by so fast, Sister Smart is as positive as ever! Long may this continue...

“ This week has been a good week! It was Zone training on Wednesday... Sister Brown and I were very much looking forward to it and it was all we hoped it would be. We were part of a musical item... I'd just about gotten over my chest cold so it was all good. Guernsey and Jersey are in our Zone so we had to Skype into them which was a bit weird. President was there and our Zone leaders are amazing so it was a good day!

To get to District/Zone Sister Brown and I leave at 6:45am walk for 40 minutes to the train station in Yeovil. We take a train to Upway (close to Weymouth) and change there onto a train heading to London Waterloo but we get off in Bournemouth and then walk for 15 minutes to the chapel... This takes about 2 1/2 hours. This past week we were running a little late so we had the quickest prayer ever as we left the flat asking for safety and to get to Bournemouth on time. Everything went swimmingly until we got off at Upway. Our second train was cancelled!! We spoke to an operator and they told us we could get another train in an hour which would make us 30 minutes late for Zone training. A nice man that was in the same situation offered us a lift as he couldn't be late. Obviously as Sister missionaries we couldn't get in the car with him alone... Sister Brown and I shared a look and before we knew it a lady popped up and said yes... Our look quickly changed to "Now we can go with him!!!!!!!!!" We had a lovely chat with them both about the gospel... He is a Doctor and was going to uni for part of his GP training and she was a Physiotherapy lecturer. We were 30 minutes early for Zone training!!!! PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED !

We have a new investigator with a baptismal date. His name is Sam and he is 18. He is very interested in the gospel and he attended church with us this week which we were very pleased/excited about. Unfortunately he text Sister Brown and I yesterday evening to tell us that he didn't want to progress any further... Being dropped is one of the most depressing things as a missionary!!! After another text he explained a little more and he expressed that he wants faith in Jesus Christ and God so he will meet up with us tomorrow so we can help him. Satan is at work so Sister Brown and I are working very hard to fight back at him.

Jamie is still amazing. He received the Aaronic Priesthood this Sunday and I'm so pleased for him. He expressed that he feels like all of his prayers are being answered and that he is extremely grateful. He has bought a house in South Shields so I'm excited about being his friend after my mission.

Sister Brown and I are getting along just great, I love her !!. Obviously we have our moments but I believe it would be the same in every companionship/relationship. I asked Sister Brown a (apparently very funny) question one day this week just as she put a chocolate in her mouth which she soon inhaled! When I realised she wasn't going to die it was very funny!

I laughed in a ladies face the other day :( it was awful!!!!! We were knocking doors and we came to this one house that had a bell... I rang it without hesitation and nearly fell over because it made me jump so much. It was the weirdest sounding bell I've ever heard in my life and it vibrated all down my arm. Sister Brown found it hilarious and then we both got the giggles and couldn't get it together before the lady answered the door. She was not impressed! I think we will go back to apologies!

I can't believe how fast my time as a missionary is going. I'm just about two weeks away from my 3 month mark and it feels like I've only just gotten here even though I can't remember much about my pre-mission life... Time is a very odd thing!

Transfers are on February 5th... It's a 5 week transfer as the last transfer was 7 weeks due to Christmas. We think that I will probably stay here in Yeovil and that Sister Brown will probably move as she will have been here for 6 months then. I am extremely grateful to be a missionary and to be a part of this great work. I'm so thankful to have the Gospel in my life. To receive/see others receive blessings through living the commandments is amazing.

We know that life is full of trials... We receive trials to help us grow and to make us be the people that God knows we can be. We can also trial things... Do an experiment! Often we "try before we buy"... Well, try before you disregard. I challenge you :)

Just like Jamie, all of my prayers are being answered. Ask in faith with an intention to act on the answer and I can promise you that your prayers will be answered.

Love, Sister Smart

Baptism No 1 In The Bag --- Cha-Ching!!!

Well. Her prime investigator took to the waters of Baptism on Saturday, so needless to say, she is absolutely over the moon and on top form, Quite rightly so I should add.

“This week has been a much better week... It was amazing!! Jamie was baptised on Saturday... I still can't believe it. It feels so surreal!

Yesterday in Gospel Principles the teacher asked Jamie what "being called of God" meant to him. He expressed how he felt that him being taught by Sister Brown and I was a calling from God.

His testimony strengthens mine. I know that I was called to serve in the ELSM for Jamie, I know that I was assigned to Yeovil for him and I know that I was inspired to knock on his door. The Lord's hand is at work here in Yeovil and I am excited about what is to come.

Jamie's Baptism almost went without a hitch... Ed, our ward mission leader was taken into hospital on Wednesday evening with stomach pains and they soon diagnosed appendicitis. He had surgery and is very much on the mend now but not having contact with him to know if assignments had been made, if refreshments had been bought and if programmes had been printed was worrying. We managed to contact everyone, buy refreshments and print out programmes so the service went well.

When we arrived at the chapel we were told that the water may be a little cold!!! Jamie wasn't phased as he's tough and had great confidence in Brother Matt Conway to get him under the first time. Thankfully the water was warm(ish) and Brother Conway succeeded on the first attempt... Is was pretty much a slam dunk! It was a very nice service and I am so happy that I could be a part of it.

The spirit was there and our investigator that came to witness the baptism felt it. Jamie's Confirmation was on Sunday and I felt the Spirit stronger than I did at the Baptism... It was amazing!

Witnessing the Priesthood at work has strengthened my testimony so much. I am so grateful for the Priesthood in my life and that I can be around worthy Priesthood holders on a regular basis. I have set a very high goal for the Priesthood holder that I want to marry. I want my family to be blessed by the power of the Priesthood on a daily basis.

Sister Brown and I have been getting on a lot better... We do have our differences but I think that will be the case in every companionship. On the whole we get on extremely well... We are very unified, we teach well together, we testify of each other and we laugh every day.

In companionship inventory this week Sister Brown set a goal for me to scare her/make her jump before the week is over as being scared makes her laugh. I succeeded this morning! I was cleaning and she was lay on her bed with her eyes closed... I sneaked up, screamed and smacked her on her tummy! Her face was hilarious!!!!

If you've seen the video on YouTube called "Vacuum face"... A girl sleeping with a red hoody on and a guy vacuums her mouth! Well that's just like Sister Brown's face besides her mouth was open screaming instead of stuck in a vacuum!

It was very amusing and I'm glad we have the relationship we have. She also scared me earlier on this week... I laughed a lot! She was wise and wasn't too close to me when she did it as she knew I'd probably hit her :)

I've been a bit unwell this week with a chesty cough... I bought some cough medicine that didn't come with a spoon, so I had to swig it from the bottle. I felt like a drunk... Walking down the street swigging from my bottle! The medicine helped so I'm kinda feeling better!

We had our first District Meeting with our new District Leader this Wednesday... It was really good. I was his scribe! Not cool with my dyslexia but at least my spelling made the Elders laugh. He based his lesson on "Finding" and it was just what Sister Brown and I needed. We had an amazing day on Thursday and we are very grateful for his leadership!

I don't know if I mentioned that I bought an expensive umbrella the other week... Well I did and this week I lost the cover for it! I was not very happy so we retraced out steps... About 3 miles!!! Haha! We didn't find it but we did have some good chats on our travels that evening.

I have recieved photo's of baby Oscar!!!!!!! AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH He's so cute! I'm so excited for Craig and Gem!!!! On the other hand... I'm very jealous :) I miss babies! We're not allowed to hold babies/children as Missionaries, in case something were to happen. I want to hold a baby and I want to hold a baby NOW!!!!!! :O Haha!! :)

I am excited to see what Heavenly Father has in store for me next...

Be the person that Satan fears!

I love you all... Remember who you are!

Love, Sister Smart.

Left to right: Matt Conway and Jamie.

Left to right: Me, Matt conway, Jamie and Sister Brown

I look awful and not very happy but I was very happy!!! My camera was the last so my smile was old :)

Effective study!!!!!!

Our matching coats! 100% waterproof!!

My Extra Shift Is Nearly Through Now!!!

I'm determinded to get this blog up to date before I retire tonight (oops this morning).

“ This week has been a good week! We haven't been able to teach very much as it was Christmas and some people weren't very pleased to see our faces... Even though they were smiling and wishing them a lovely Christmas! When we did teach, the lessons were really productive/effective.

Our progressing investigator, Jamie is still amazing and is definitely preparing himself for his baptism on January 11th. We have been teaching him in members homes as he is single so we can't visit him at home. I really enjoy teaching in their homes and it brings such a wonderful spirit to the lessons. I am very excited for him but a little apprehensive as everything has gone so well so far. I pray for him every day (in every prayer... Even when I pray over my meals) and I don't think I will ever stop praying for him.

Sister Brown and I really do get on well and I enjoy growing with her and learning from her. Companionships can be challenging but I know I have been blessed with Sister Brown... Heavenly Father knew that I needed her. We laugh a lot... Sometimes when we're not suppose to :| haha, every Sunday evening we account for our week to our District leader...( Elder Hilton my first DL is being moved!! :( ) when we accounted last night we were in a fit of giggles. He claims he enjoys out phone calls but I'm not so sure... Haha!

I can't believe it was Christmas this week... Christmas is very different as a missionary. I very much enjoyed being with the members for dinner and spending Christmas morning with Sister Brown. The Yeovil ward spoilt Sister Brown and I so it took quite some time to open all of our gifts... I think we have enough chocolate to last all year.

Skyping home was amazing... It was so good to see all of your faces!! I love this time of year and the spirit that is around us all as we remember the birth of our savior.

On Christmas day we received a phone call from our Zone Leaders... Elder Fingerle and Elder Christensen. They claimed they were just wishing us a happy Christmas but they were asking a few too many questions like "where are you going for dinner?" and "What time are you going to the Hazells? It was the Hazell's right?". When we got to the Hazell's for dinner they were there... Dropping off our Christmas packages!! Thank you soooo much to everyone who sent something. Sister Brown didn't get half as much as me so I'm sharing. Christmas was very different as a missionary but it was cool... I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the next one :)

We have a lot of people that have requested for us to come back in the new year so we're looking forward to teaching them soon... A very busy, happy new year!

It is transfers this Wednesday, 01/01/2014 and they have already been announced! Sister Brown and I are both staying in Yeovil. This was a seven week transfer due to Christmas. Honestly I would have had a dicky fit if I was being moved before Jamie's baptism!!! :) I think the next transfer day will be 12/02/14.

I love being a missionary and I'm so glad to be in the UK... Even though we get drenched (I'll send a photo). The friends I gain and the relationships I make will not have to come to an end.

Thank you so much for your support!!

Love and miss you all,

Sister Smart

This is what we do while we wait for the PCs to turn on at church :)

This was the worst rain we'd had until a couple days ago.... Drenched!!! I'm going to buy a rain mack to wear over my normal coat. My clothes were just as wet underneath my coat :

This is our Christmas tree... Sister Brown's mum sent it. All the decorations are notes to her from home! Pretty cool! We set it as we dried off from the rain :)


Wrapped gifts from the Yeovil ward....

Unwrapped gifts from the Yeovil ward with a few thrown in from Jae, Rae and Abe and Ashton and Manchester YSA... Spoilt Sister Smart!!

The Hazell family on Christmas day... They really are amazing!!!

Left to right... Mark, Ron, Lauren, Ellie, Ange and then Sister Brown and I at the front.

The gift we all got from President and Sister Millar... I love it!!!!!

Christmas Day Call !!!

It was lovely to have a Skype Call with Jess on Christmas Day, the rumours were right though, we only got 40 minutes, not quite sure why, but we did.
The call was marred by the fact that we experienced technical hitches and ended up with two 20 minute calls, half an hour apart, which kinda broke up the flow a bit.
But nevertheless she was on top form and is thoroughly enjoying herself and is totally engrossed in the work.

We were very disappointed to learn that her Christmas package had not arrived on time, foolishly I sent it though my works system and so didn't have access to a tracking number till work reopened on 2nd Jan.
When I made enquiries they said it was at a depot in Yeovil because they could not find the address?????, but miraculously they managed to deliver it the very next day...Go Figure.

If You Thought I was a Slacker Before, Well Look At Me Now!!!

I have a lot of making up to do, I've found it so difficult over the Christmas Holiday break to keep up with the blog, so I am actually working overtime to get back up to date.

“ Well... You were wrong about the storm coming in at noon... It's been crazy out since early this morning. We are soaked!!!!!!

Plus the ceiling in the Family History Centre is leaking so we can't use the computers :| We're using Bishop's but that means we only get about 45 minutes each.

We were told this morning that we only have 30-40 minutes to Skype on Christmas Day, not 1 hour like we were originally told... We're pretty sure that was just gossip as that was what they had last year. Ah well... I was wondering what I'd say for 1 hour anyway :)

The work is a little slow at the moment as everyone is so busy leading up to Christmas... Everyone wants to be taught in January so we're looking forward to that!

We were also told that transfers will be 01/01/2014 instead of 25/12/2013... I'm pretty sure I'll be staying in Yeovil and we think Sister Brown will too but we'll find out soon enough!

We went carol singing with the ward at a hospice the other day... It was lovely! And afterwards we had an unscheduled dinner with a family from the ward. It was a really nice evening and the members really are looking after us.

Yesterday I spoke in Sacrament Meeting on the Prophet Joseph Smith... I really enjoyed it and loved learning about him. I got quite a few good comments from the members so I hope it went as well as I was told.

We had a munch an mingle after Church yesterday and then the R.S. President and the Ward Mission Leader presented Sister Brown and I with a huge gift bag each of Christmas gifts. Seriously... We must have about 30 gifts each from the members alone! We'll be there forever on Christmas morning :)

I wanted to send photo's but I haven't got the time even though I brought my camera... I'll send them next week!

Christmas eve we're going to the Hull family for dinner then carol singing at church...
Christmas day we're going to the Hazell family for dinner and fun!
Boxing day we're going to the Wiltshire family for dinner...

We're very excited but still very focused! MERRY CHRITSMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all...

Sister Smart