I'm leaving tonight!

I'm leaving tonight!! (since we leave at 3:30) I will be a great big part of it...NEW YORK, NEW YORK!! Wow this is so crazy that the time has already come to say goodbye to the good old CCM. I'm definitely going to miss all the people hear but it will be nice to get back to the good old USA and also not be in such a bubble :) We got to Mexico and it was sunshine rain (tears of joy) and now tonight it is all dark and cloudy with rain, I think Mexico is definitely going to miss this ginger Hermana ;) Well this week was pretty good! I'm going to do a spiritual thought and then a quick review of the week. FIRST. There was SO MANY amazing spiritual thoughts this week but mostly I really loved relief society and this old MTC devo from Elder Scott. In relief society we talked about the differences between testimony and conversion and that obedience is the link between them. As we become more obedient for the right reasons we have a change of heart. We become people who turn outward instead of inward and selfish like the cookie monster. As we feel the true change of conversion we constantly want and desire to be obedient. WE no longer want to do wrong, and blessings are just a secondary benefit. We obey because we love. But this change of heart requires action, we must have faith and repentance. Also good to remember that conversion is not a one time event. It is a lifelong journey to become more like Christ. Elder Scott talked about missionary work and that we are called to succeed not to fail! We need to rely on the Lord. Also as a district we talked about that our message as missionaries needs to be simple and lead by the spirit. It is such a blessing to have a language in the mission so that we don't go overboard with information about the gospel. The most important thing to learn for me in Español is to bear a strong testimony. I'm just so excited to get out and serve the people of Nueva York! I know my spanish isn't anywhere close to perfect. But it's crazy how much I have learned in the 6 weeks that I have been here. The Lord has truly blessed me! Okay heres some things for this week, sorry if it's scattered I'm running out of time, but there important CCM things before I leave here :) -Our district is seriously the best we have so much fun and we've really bonded. -Hosting this week was the best, and we got legit badges and took a sweet picture with Elder Jones' golf cart. haha I'll for sure attach those pictures! -The elders in our district pulled a prank on Hermana Smith y Alexander and wrote fake package slips so they went to the post office and really had nothing...haha even the post office lady was in on it. too good. The things we do for entertainment in the good old CCM -two of our elders decided everyone's spirit animals...apparently I'm a red panada? haha -CHOCOLATE CEREAL made a reappearance after like 3 weeks for two days and it was seriously an answer to prayers. -Elders are seriously crazy. I think we definitely got bored this week. They've done everything from pretending they were blind with sticks, to weird games with sound effects. It's all just hilarious. Gotta love high school kids. -Friday night the power went out when we got back to get ready for the night. Luckily for me I had taken only half my makeup off and was getting ready for the shower...haha much panic when it was COMPLETELY dark all of the sudden. Luckily it turned out to be a fun moment with the hermanas in our casa and the lights finally came back on after 11...definitely not in bed on time that night. Gotta love crazy Mexico. At least we didn't have any earthquakes while we were here! -Sunday was also amazing and guess what....I gave a talk in sacrament meeting! We always have to prepare talks and never know when they will call on us, luckily I got the last sunday, haha I actually talked WAY too long. We're only given 5 minutes but I talked for 10 minutes! All in spanish. About patience (and how you need faith and diligence too) and I think it went pretty well. So crazy to think it's only been 6 weeks since I knew NOTHING! -We were finally the ones in the slideshow after the video! SO cool! I think they'll eventually send the powerpoint to mom so she'll have to show y'all our picture was pretty great. I took a picture of the projection, but it didn't turn out too good. haha -after the video we finally got to know what the secret meeting for leaving missionaries was! A testimony meeting....IN ENGLISH! haha it was really powerful and amazing we got a minute or less and less than half got to bear theirs but it was just a simple what we know and it was amazing. Farewell for this week, next week you'll be hearing from me in NEW YORK!! xoxo Hermana Smart