April 22, 2012 "Bruxelles and I . . . We were meant to be"

Bonjour Bonjour!

Well this week started off with interviews with President Poznanski. My interview started off somewhere along the lines of "well Soeur Smith, its no secret that you'll be leaving Bruxelles next transfer"...and then went on for about twenty minutes with inspirational advice to work my hardest for this ville while I still can.

So that's what we've been doing this week! So just when the tough get going, the going gets tough right. We contacted this lady who acted really excited when we said who we were and fixed a rendez vous with us right then. We met with her later that week in a park during her lunch break. She is originally from Sweden, but has lived in Luxembourg and Bruxelles. She told us she has seen elders in Sweden, Luxumbourg, and here and has always wondered why no one as talked with her, and that's why she was so excited when we contacted her. Well, the rendez vous seemed to be going great- she liked the idea of a prophet, and was touched when we gave her a Book of Mormon in Swedish. But then, as we were explaining what exactly the Book of Mormon is, she suddenly stood up, said she had to go, and started walking as fast as possible without actually running away. So- I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and say that her lunch break was over? On verra...

We also ported into this man that was home with his two little kids. He was super nice and liked the idea of prophets as well, but was 'too busy taking care of kids to talk'. Gr...I swear satan's number one tool these days is bussy-ness. But I've been praying pretty hard that he'll have a moment and call us some time...and then he and his family can learn about the gospel and be sealed together forever! Yay...I get giddy these days when I think about forever families. Yup the wierdness has sunk in through and through...

And all my Jeru-training came into use this week. So Soeur Dremeaux and I called this less active lady and asked if we could come by, she was super excited and we fixed a rendez-vous. Well we get there, and she is waiting at the door for us. She then says something to the effect of 'there are people waiting upstairs for you with questions'....and I'm thinking...sweet I've waited my whole mission for something like this, and I'm with a francophone so we're good! Well we walk in and there are three Pakistani men sitting at the kitchen table and the first one says, in english, "so your nuns?"....hahaha I had to keep myself from laughing a. because he sounded exactly like Chrisopher Smith's indian voice and b. because I think its so funny when people think we're nuns. Anyways, turns out they were Muslim and legitamally wanted some answers about Christianity. They really wanted to focus on the similarities between our religions. It was great- they seemed quite impressed about what I did know about the Islam religion. And one of them even came to church the next day with the less-active. Yes, building bridges everywhere we go.

And this whole idea of leaving Brussels has made me realize how much I love everyone here. While talking with a less-active this week I almost started crying with the thought of not seeing her family each week. I mean, I've pretty much known I'm leaving, no one ever stays in one place for 6 transfers...but to hear president say it out loud just kind of hit home...so be prepared for some pretty weepy emails in the next two weeks.

And this Sunday we were going with Kedinnetse to a members home for a lesson, and she was explaining to me how her tribe in Africa's totem is an elephant. I don't know exactly what a totem is...some sort of like sign or representative of your tribe...so if people ask "whats your totem?" she can say elephant, and that means something to people. I dont know...but the point is that elephants are my favorite animal and she is very aware of the fact...so as she is explaining this she looked at me and said "so we were meant to be". Yup...I'm tearing up. I also found out she loves Justin Bieber and country music. What more can I say.

So as I'm preparing to leave this ville, I just am gaining more and more of testimony that "we were meant to be". Im grateful for the time I've had here. I feel like when I look back on my mission I can say I was born in Paris, and grew up in Brussels. Now its time to die...who knows where...but I can promise it will be with a bang!

I love you all! Have a great week!
Soeur Smith

April 15, 2012 "Pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked"

Bonjour Bonjour.

Well this week I felt like a pioneer. The public transportation went
on strike for most of the week. And while I love our new
apartment...it is not in our area and so we had to walk for almost an
hour every day just to get into our area. Then...start walking to our
appointments etc. Needless to say, wasn't the most productive week.
But we did get lots of street contacting in!

Speaking of...turns out Soeur Dremeaux speaks some spanish! We were
contacted by a spanish jehovah's witness...and they talked for an
hour! I sat there and nodded and smiled like I was blue again...all
while thinking 'I wish Chris was here"...he'd know more than I do what
the heck is going on. lol.

So this week was more of a building week...did lots of contacting.
Hopefully these people have potential and next week I can write you
about the miracles we are having! Pray for us.

I hope you have a great week! Love you!
Soeur Smith

April 9, 2012 "The Holy Land"

Bonjour Bonjour!

I know your all sick of hearing me talk about time. But its freaking me out because I remember last easter thinking 'woah, by next easter I'll be near the end of my mission". And voila qoui. Commence freakout.

ANYWAYS how lovely is it that we get a two times of the year to celebrate Christ's life. I have loved studying the last week of Christ's life this week. It reminds me of another easter I spent studying Christ's life in the Holy Land. Studying in Jerusalem is an experience I'll never forget. Studying and experiencing Easter in the Holy Land is an experience I'll never forget. During that week in Jerusalem, we attended many different religious celebrations. We walked into Jerusalem with thousands of people singing and waving palm leaves just like people did to welcome Christ on the donkey. We attended mass. We went to churches and sang. We snuck into the upper most towers of a church to watch a midnight reinactment of people carrying Christ's body into the seplachure. We were at a sunrise evangilical service in the Garden Tomb. And then we went to our sacrament meeting. Where we quietly took the sacrament to remember what Christ did for us.

I've thought about my Jerusalem experiences alot on my mission. I know you don't have to travel the Holy Land to understand the bible...but I am so grateful for how alive the bible is for me because of that experience. But Christ my Savior has because much more real to me this past year. In a year of serving others while wearing His holy name on my chest everyday, I've learned what his gospel really means. Sure it was nice to sit next to Olive trees and compare Christ's allagories to the real tree. Sure it was nice to ponder the scriptures in the Garden of Gethsemne. But those stories and scriptures have come to mean so much more as I, at least attempt, to explain to people how they can bring peace into thier lives.

I don't remember who said it, but one general authority said that where you serve your mission will become your holy land. I feel so grateful to have had this past year to make France and Belgium my own personal holy land. And I know that Christ was ressurected and lives today.

Happy Easter.

Soeur Smith

April 2, 2012 "Scripture Power"

Bonjour Bonjour

Well this week was one of those weeks were I just sit back and think...woah did all that really happen in a week. First off we had transfers. Which required me going to Paris to drop of Soeur Cope, and pick up Soeur Dremeaux. Soeur Dremeaux is great! She is from a small town near Toulouse. She was born in the church, which is a nice reassurrance that multiple generation families do exisist in France! And its going great! I thought my brain was going to blow up....but after I get over the initial shock of having someone say 'ca va' to me at 6:30 in the morning, my brain seems to be adjusting. Its good...I actually really like speak french all the time! Helps me have confidence that somehow I communicate...and somehow she gets what I'm trying to say! My nightmare of coming home from the mission and not knowing any french is gone! Phew....

This week we also had an ami pass away. She's had cancer for along time, and last week we got a call from her friend, a member in our ward, telling us she was in the hospital again. We visited her last week and sang some hymns for her- and this Tuesday we got a text saying she had passed away. She has been in alot of pain for many years- so honestly I know she is in a better place being taught by angels. The miracle was that her family asked if they could use our church for the service. The Bishop said it was fine- and we got to be the chaprones for this lovely event. I know funerals are somber events...but I had to hold back a couple chuckles when the African choir started singing and people started yelling amens. I just really wanted a member of our ward to walk in and wonder why the missionaries were holding thier own seperate apostate congreation Friday morning. Anyways...all chuckles aside, it was nice to know that our church meant something to Murial and her family trusted our church to hold her funeral. Also got to learn many french vocab words related to funeral....

This week I had one of those amazing scripture moments. As I expressed last week, I was little disappointed to be staying in Brussels again. I'm tired. Sometimes I feel like I have nothing left to give to the members of this ward or city. I've tried to serve them, and when you don't see any change it can be discouraging. I just keep thinking, maybe another missionary would know how to serve them and bring them unto Christ better. Obviously, what I'm doing isn't right. Well, as Elder Scott said in conferance, sometimes while helping others, responses to our own problems can piggyback on revelation of how to help others. While looking for something to help a less active I came across Alma 31:31-32. It says

31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.

32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, and also my two sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ.

It was one of those the words lept off the page and spoke to me moments. Really, as I've come to realize, the answer lies in prayer. The Lord can help me not just endure, but enjoy, giving comfort to the people here in Brussels. The day I read this, we passed by a couple of less actives, who were shocked that I was still here...and excited to see me. They didn't just see me as another sister coming by to invite them to come to church...they saw me as a friend. And they felt like my friends. And I really cared for them. And they cared for me. I realize people can't come to church because they love a missionary- but it was different. It was a reassurance to me that I did stick around for a reason. That when you stick around for people and don't give up on them- it means something to them. And the Lord has the power to comfort my soul even if they continue to reject our invititation, and ultimately Christ's invitation to Come unto Him. Oh how I love the scriptures.

And there was conferance! I don't even know where to start. It was my last conferance as a missionary, and Soeur Dremeaux's first. Conferance is just amazing. I loved all the talks. As is always possible, I recieved many personal answers and confirmations I was seeking for, and some that just come anyways. Overall, I just feel so grateful to be a part of this great church, and to have a living prophet. I mean think about it. The rest of the world is trying to define what is right and what is wrong. Many people think its all objective, and that we can just get through life. But we, lucky ducks that we are, have the prophet and apostles. They tell exactly what we need to do, as a church, and through them, the spirit can whisper to us and tell us what we need to do personally. Its just so amazing.

And I won't lie, my heart ached a little everytime a story about a missionary was mentioned- knowing next conferance I won't be a part of this great army. But I did get some comfort knowing there is now Elder Smith and Elder Archie fighting evil for us....
In the end, tout est bien!

Love you!
Soeur Smith

March 26, 2012 "don't have much to say...:

Well I dont have much to write for this week. Mostly Im just going through emotional pains of sending one of my best friends home. Oh well...I know we will one day hang out when in the great P day in the sky...

We've spent lots of time outside this week because Belgium is having a wierd streak of sun...my eyes dont quite remember what it is like to look at the sun...

We've also spent alot of times in hospitals this week. I think Soeur Cope and I have visited a total of four seperate hospitals here in Brussels....I dont know what it is with amis getting sick...

And I turned 13 months old! Super wierd...hopefully that means I have some good luck coming in the next month!

Found out I'm staying a fifth transfer in Brussels. Guess I should just ask them to put my name on the ward list since I feel like I've just lived here forever. And my new companion is from Southern France...first one not from Utah. Its going to be good!

AND ITS CONFERANCE THIS WEEK!!!!! Im so excited.....kind of sad though its my last one as a missionary...But Chris's first! and he's going to love it!

Ok well, I love you all and have a good week!

March 19, 2012 "My Laman and Lemuel tendancies"

Bonjour à tous!

Sounds like this week was amazing for the family (and stressful for mom!). I can't believe that it was Chris's farewell. Won't lie....all I have running through my head is Chris's voice saying "a mission is great for you Courtney Smith, but not for me" when we said goodbye in January 2011... holy cow miracles do happen! I only wish I could have been there...at least I know Im guaranteed front row seat at the homecoming :)

This week I have felt a little bit like a Lamen or a Lemuel. You know, missionary work is hard! I know people warn you of that...but some days its just hard. I feel like my whole mission, I've developed this little 'Lamen and Lemuel cycle'. Missionary work becomes hard ->I grumble->the Lord sends a tender mercy->I feel grateful->all the sudden I feel supper pumped and love missionary life->then it becomes hard-> voila quoi....my little cycle. Ok its not alway tout à fait like that....but sometimes there are days....weeks...transfers.... like that.

So this week we had a lot of tender little mercies. Kedinnetse shows up at church with pages of notes on the atonement because she has been studying all week to prepare for Sunday School. An excommunicated member finally kicks out her boyfriend and starts to put her life together. The elders contact this awsome lady who we start teaching...and then she introduces us to her friends. I go on exchanges and visit an adorable city in the north of france and contact some awsome people. I have the best companion ever who keeps me laughing. Or just little things like while reading the scriptures the Holy Ghost whisper tender things I needed to hear in that moment.

So sometimes I just wonder...why am I so human? Being human just feels so ...weak! I don't want to grumble when things get hard, I dont want to doubt that people will keep their commitments, I dont want to doubt that there are families out there prepared to accept the gospel. But sometimes those little thoughts creep in. I guess that is just where my testimony of the atonement has grown so much this past year. Heavenly Father knew we have human tendancies. He knew we would give in. I mean...He even said he gave us our weaknesses (Ether 12). But he also said he would make us strong. So I guess that is why the gospel is a gospel of hope. We have all these human tendancies, but our loving Father gave us a way to overcome them,through our Savoir Jesus Christ. Christ taught<< These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.>> John 16:33

So at the end of my week of weaknesses and grumblings, Im feeling good cheer...because I get another week to be a missionary and share the good news.

I love you all!

Soeur Smith