My new companion is Sister Remund. She is from St. George Utah, has red hair, and came two transfers after me so she is the same transfer as Sister Natarte. Her family owns Great Harvest in Southern Utah and she is very athletic... haha, It's weird having an American Companion. She is my first one and i have been out almost 10 months! I'm not used to it yet and it is distracting for the people we teach, but I'm sure we will get the hang of it.
Yesterday was full of MIRACLES!! I think this whole letter just might be about Sunday because I could write a separate letter for each day. But yesterday was spectacular... so I'm going to focus on it :) First of all, we had 21 investigators at church!! WOW, that is the new record:) I know it is not all about the numbers, but think about the 21 souls who got to come closer to Christ :) It's really beautiful. Also, apart of the 21 was a family we have been teaching for a while. I found them with sister Fotofili and they have a large family. Six of them are investigators, but there are 9 people in the family. They haven't ever been able to come because it's so hard with so many kids, plus financially it's hard to pay to get everyone to the chapel, but yesterday they ALL came! One of the members who had taught them with us, came up to me in the middle of switching from relief society to gospel essentials class. Everyone was seated and we were getting ready to start, but Sis. Remund and I slipped out to find them. They were all walking down the hall and when they saw me, all of the kids started running towards me yelling "Sister Smoot!" There were 6 kids surrounding me and hugging my legs and I've never felt such a full heart of love and gratitude. I literally felt as if the Savior was there too and I was just hugging them for Him. I know hugging is against the rules but I made sure I wasn't hugging them, they were hugging me and I was just smiling and shaking their hands :) It was a really special moment that I hope I never forget!!
Also, we had three interviews for baptism. They will be baptized March 8 and they are all excited. Sister Irene and Arvalyn are both in the same family and then a little orphan girl. The little orphan is Sister Melrose. She has been taught by missionaries for almost a year, but has never had school so she doesn't know how to read and can't afford fare to get to church. She has learned the lessons again and again and is very smart. She has everything practically memorized. She finally made it to church the ammount of times needed, but we were still worried that after her baptism she would just start coming. She is 12 years old, lives with her drunk dad who is abusive, and finds her food each day from begging. We contacted the young women president who miraculously lives pretty close, and she an the other young women are watching out for her. Also, remember the two sisters who always come to church, Razel and Mia (Razel is the one who looks like Ally)? They are getting baptized on March 15, but sister Mia said that she wants to be a teacher when she gets older, so she will teach Melrose how to read. I just started crying again last night after all that had happened. I love melrose so much, and now the whole branch is working together to save her from a horrible situation. I'm so excited for her baptism too on Saturday.
Last night, we were walking down a street looking for a lady we had contacted earlier in the week. She told us the street name, but it is a huge street with not too much hope of finding her. We were just walking down when we heard someone calling out to us. It was Sister Juliet, the sister we were looking for! She invited us in, gave us food, and wanted to hear our message. At the end after talking about Joseph Smith, she was in tears and shared how God has blessed her too in her own life. I am so grateful for the guidance of the spirit and also for the help he is giving us everyday! I'm just overwhelmed by how many blessings and amazing things are happening, and I know that it is only because He is giving us these opportunities. I'm grateful for this gospel and for the hope it is giving to everyone. I still had 3 other miracles I wanted to write about, but don't worry, they are in my journal for when I get home! I love you lots! I know this church is True and this is the Lord's work. Only through Jesus Christ can we be saved, and He is helping and guiding us to Him! How glorious is this hope!!
Love, Sister Smoot
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