Letter 62: 1 Year Dedicated to the Lord

Dear Family and Friends,

Can you believe it's 2015? How crazy that 2014 has come in and then just flown away! While we were celebrating a new year (even if we went to bed at 10:30) Sister Haun made a comment, "We've been serving a mission all of 2014." WOAH. How cool is that? There is a year in which missionary serve an entire January 1 to December 31 serving the Lord (unless you're a cool Elder and get an entire 2 of those because of the day you go into the MTC. ahem. Elder Dutson.) 

It's just so mind blowing to me that I just gave 2014 to the Lord. It's definitely a  cool part of my life, I must say. :) Just think, this time next year I'll FINALLY be a freshman in college. hahaha. We told our housemates our New Years Resolutions, and my housemates informed me that I need new ones. (apparently missionary goals like "Be more obedient to missionary standards" don't count when only 1/3rd of the year is in the mission.)

Anyway. The members here are so nice, I've never been fed so much in my mission! it also helps that a lot of the members here have some VERY nice houses. Goodness it's rich here. of course there are still the poor, but this is definitely the most rich city I've ever served in. It actually gives me some culture shock sometimes. I'm like, "Woah, you have a WORKING shower head?" "Woah, your silverware is so nice!" "WOAH. A Laptop computer!" 

Basically that's life. Food. (but that will soon be over now that the holidays are over) Walking. Teaching A LOT. (Sister Crisanto and I are working hard here!) 

Speaking of Sister Cristano. I would just like to say right now just how privileged I am to be the companion of the Dedicated Servant of the Lord, and Woman of God. Tuesday some stuff happened in her life and family (they texted to inform her. They had our number from Christmas calling) and rather than be in a ball of "Self" we had some of the best lessons, a lot of hard work this week, and the numbers to show it off . 

Love this Sister!

Seriously, I've learned so much from this Sister this week, and I truly hope we get 2 transfers together. (here's to crossing my fingers) She really showed me what it means to have "an eye single to the glory of God." 

I think I'm really, truly starting to run out of things to write about. Our investigators are good. At one point in the week most of our investigators with a date had a super big struggle. Loren smoked for the first time in a month on the first, Bonnie says she doesn't want to feel pressured by a date, and Rene said he wanted to get baptized so we wouldn't come visit him anymore. (OUCH! But that's all resolved. he likes us, and really does want to get baptized for the right reasons, it's just that his Aunt doesn't like us very much. . .) Some of our In-actives are progressing up to "Less-active" and our Less-actives up to "Almost all the way active." 

Can I tell you how much I love the Deaf Members here? Probably NOT. Here's a few of them. (there are some NOT in this picture.) 

Jhonas, Michelle, Me, Angelo, Joven, and Michael

The Church is true! 
Palangga ko kamo!

All's well in San Jose, 
Sister Smith

ps. Not that I'm counting. It's just a little fact that I have 100 or so days left in the field. just so you know. (I'm really not counting. it's just that my ZL is counting and said he has 16 days left, and I was like. Hey, if you add 84. . .) 

Isn't it Beautiful? 

Look what I opened, by myself, with a kitchen knife!