A Trio and the Temple!

Hola :)

Well....this week has been a little bit crazy! So our roommate, Sister
Ralston, ended up going home. It was kind of a crazy weekend (I had a
cold too during it all ) and so we ended up having to drive to
Scarsdale immediately following conference saturday night. And now
we're in a TRIO! (Me, Sister Marriott, and Sister Brower) We're
covering both the English and Spanish Ward! Luckily it's the same area
but covering two wards that don't meet in the same building should be
a little interesting....but hey it should be fun! AND we can teach
anyone (always a third female, and both English and Spanish)
Whitewashing just got more interesting :)

We also got the huge blessing to drive with one of the members here
that work in the temple and go to a session today! (And of course got
a Levain cookie and walked back to the temple through Central Park)
I'm convinced that this is the greatest mission in the world!! The
beauty of conneticut in the fall, and the city...I just love it all!!

This week, besides all the craziness, we had a really good week. We
served at Waveny (the care center) and I got to hold hands and sit
with this adorable lady at a musical concert. So precious. I love
those old people so much! AND we got to go over to a few of the
Spanish members homes it's been so good getting to know them all
better. AND we also had a few really amazing lessons. One of which was
with a new investigator, Catherine. She's about 16 and so receptive!
It was one of the best first lessons I've had with anyone. It just
felt so natural and she's so close to our age it was fun- I'm so
excited to see how things go!

OH and general conference!! Wasn't it the best general conference
yet?? I loved how much they focused on the family, and women, and the
sabbath day! I received so many personal answers to prayers. Combined
with our zone meeting on Monday I just felt so spiritual uplifted and
it came at such a good timing! I can't wait to go reread all the talks

The biggest tender mercy of the week too was that Rachel & Luisa (the
first lesson I've had in the mission) GOT BAPTIZED!!! We were going to
skype in for it....but we were at the mission home instead. But it's
just so amazing to hear small stories of the fruits of your labor.
While I was there they weren't super close to baptism, but the members
really embraced them and loved them and now they're members :-)

Well I don't have a ton more time (the member that drove us down is
taking us to get some food before we head back to Connecticut!) But I
just wanted to end with the scripture I chose to PONDERIZE for this
week :-) I hope you all just loved that talk and have all chosen to
pick scriptures to "ponderize" for yourself. This week I chose Luke
9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."  I just
love that imagery of daily having to chose to follow the Savior. To
forget yourself and realizing that "it's not about me". We talked a
lot about that in our zone meeting and I just love that so much. Daily
trying to do more to turn outward and do things for others, and
ultimately for our Savior Jesus Christ!

Well I love you all so much, I hope you can jump in some leaves, drink
some leaves and have an awesome week :-)

Con Amor,
Hermana Smart

 PS: did anyone catch the shoutout to the New York New York North

Mission by Elder Rasband?? So awesome :) I loved it and was so honored
to sustain THREE new apostles