FELIZ NAVIDAD

¡Feliz Navidad!

The happiest time of the year and also the busiest! Sorry if this
email appears to be scattered. Pdays are always a little hectic. Add
some downpouring rain (we're having a wet Christmas instead of a white
Christmas this year), busy grocery stores, a Christmas zone activity
(pretty awesome white elephant exchange), horrid traffic ..... ya tu
sabe. Christmas time tends to make the world a little crazy. I love as
missionaries we are able to simply so much and focus in just on the
real purpose - The Savior's birth. I've been thinking this week about
the end of the "A Savior is Born" video and how they say over and over
REJOICE and REJOICE GREATLY. That theme has kept popping up in my
studies too how we really have reason to be so happy and optimistic. A
Savior was Born! Reflecting on that I choice Philippians 4:4 for my
ponderize scripture of the week "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again
I say, Rejoice"

Last week after pday ended we set out to lookup Johanna because we
haven't seen her in a few weeks. She wasn't home but her mom, a former
investigator, let us in. We ended up having a really good lesson about
the Book of Mormon and even showed her the Christmas video. The
classic question of  "there's only one God" came up and we were able
to testify while that is technically true, we can't just listen to
anything that speaks of God. We have to act and make promises with
God. And we can't just sit and listen to the word of God we have to
follow the one path that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't know
if it sinked in completely....I've tried to find a good answer that
question my entire mission. So if you have any suggestions let me know
I'm sure that will come up again tomorrow and the day after that ;)

Our weekend was pack full of Christmas festivities!

Friday was the long awaited MISSION CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL. After months
of pday practices (and Sister Smith's months of preparing and
directing) it finally came and it was all worth it! The spirit was
definitely felt during the program and the lunch (Christmas dinner
style) was yummy. William made a special appearance dressed as Santa.
And it's always just a special blessing to come together as a mission
and talk to all the missionary friends you've made and hear about past
areas. It was crazy for me because a lot of the senior missionaries
¡Feliz Navidad!

The happiest time of the year and also the busiest! Sorry if this
email appears to be scattered. Pdays are always a little hectic. Add
some downpouring rain (we're having a wet Christmas instead of a white
Christmas this year), busy grocery stores, a Christmas zone activity
(pretty awesome white elephant exchange), horrid traffic ..... ya tu
sabe. Christmas time tends to make the world a little crazy. I love as
missionaries we are able to simply so much and focus in just on the
real purpose - The Savior's birth. I've been thinking this week about
the end of the "A Savior is Born" video and how they say over and over
REJOICE and REJOICE GREATLY. That theme has kept popping up in my
studies too how we really have reason to be so happy and optimistic. A
Savior was Born! Reflecting on that I choice Philippians 4:4 for my
ponderize scripture of the week "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again
I say, Rejoice"

Last week after pday ended we set out to lookup Johanna because we
haven't seen her in a few weeks. She wasn't home but her mom, a former
investigator, let us in. We ended up having a really good lesson about
the Book of Mormon and even showed her the Christmas video. The
classic question of  "there's only one God" came up and we were able
to testify while that is technically true, we can't just listen to
anything that speaks of God. We have to act and make promises with
God. And we can't just sit and listen to the word of God we have to
follow the one path that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't know
if it sinked in completely....I've tried to find a good answer that
question my entire mission. So if you have any suggestions let me know
I'm sure that will come up again tomorrow and the day after that ;)

Our weekend was pack full of Christmas festivities!

Friday was the long awaited MISSION CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL. After months
of pday practices (and Sister Smith's months of preparing and
directing) it finally came and it was all worth it! The spirit was
definitely felt during the program and the lunch (Christmas dinner
style) was yummy. William made a special appearance dressed as Santa.
And it's always just a special blessing to come together as a mission
and talk to all the missionary friends you've made and hear about past
areas. It was crazy for me because a lot of the senior missionaries
this was the last time I will see them before I return home. All in
all it was amazing and we took plenty of pictures that I will send
with this email. Needless to say we were pretty exhausted by the time
we got back from Ossining, but it was all worth it.

Saturday FIESTA DE LA NAVIDAD con Nuestra Barrio. It was a huge
success. The Nativity went well (all the practices paid off). Me and
Sister Fink were shepherds...mostly herding all the children and their
sheep but it was so adorable. We got to eat dinner next to our less
active, Carmen. And then as we went around greeting people we met so
many friends of members! We ended up setting at least 4 appointments
to meet with people. I don't think I'll ever look at Ward parties the
same way, they are such incredible opportunities for finding new
investigators!

Sunday during Sacrament meeting we sang as the Ward choir. Herm Smith
ended up playing the Piano and Herm Fink directed. Then after church
me and Herm Smith and Sister Green (another missionary in our zone)
headed to Scarsdale for the second performance of the Christmas
devotional. This one was all focused on getting less actives and
investigators come, and we ended up filling the chapel. Some of the
members and recent converts from the Stamford Ward came (Sonia came
too!) and there were a lot of nonmembers there. The spirit was felt.
It's just amazing how much of an impact music can make. Also
afterwards we were cleaning up and greeting various people and I meet
eye contact with a Spanish member I don't know that had come. We then
realized that we knew each other! She had been at Jordan Passey's
wedding reception a few weeks before I left on my mission. I didn't
know any Spanish then, but she told me she was in the Newburgh Ward
and to come find me someday! I even ended up serving in the Newburgh
zone but never crossed paths with her again...but somehow she came to
Scarsdale for a Christmas devotional a few weeks before I return home
and it was just the happiest of moments. We took pictures. And I
barely had words, it was just so special. The Lord's hand really is in
his work!!

We also went tracting this week. Not just any kind of tracting. We had
to knock and ask all our neighbor's if they had baking soda we could
borrow. It was hilarious and so ironic.

Anyway I'm nearly out of time but I'll talk to some of you so soon and
I can't wait to tell you of Christmas miracles next week. It's such a
special time of year. As a mission we finished the Book of Mormon
again this past week and I'm just reminded again and again how much
joy comes in to our lives as we focus on our Savior Jesus Christ.

LOVE YOU ALL & MERRY CHRISTMAS

Con Amor,
Hermana Smart