Hermana Katelyn Nicole Smith : January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Second Week in the MTC

So this week I received another (tender mercy). My mom's really good friend works in the travel office at the MTC. Katelyn's district had to come into the office and Katelyn said is Sharon Murano here. A young man said "Sharon someone wants to see you." She walked out and said "I know who you are your Katie Smith." Katelyn said " I usually go by Katelyn but today I'll be Katie. Sharon told her she looked just like her mother. Katelyn said "nobody ever says that." Sharon said "you have your dad's coloring, however you have your mother's eyes and her smile. So Sweet!! So Sharon called my mom Grandma Worthington and my mom called me to tell me. Sharon had told my mom that she looked so shiny. So happy and that she is doing really well. We also found out after a small hiccup in the mail room that Katelyn is now receiving all her mail!!!!!!

HOLA FAMILIA!!!!! :) COMO LE VA?!?!? Como fue su semana?!
:) :) :) :) :) :)
I honestly don't think I could have been blessed with a more supportive and encouraging family! I am so grateful to you guys and for EVERYTHING you do for me constantly. Getting support, letters, prayers, packages from everyone is seriously such a blessing. That you ALL for your amazing support! Mom, the cinnamon rolls were PERFECT. Everyone about died when they heard the word kneaders cinnamon rolls. The fathers blessing and that missionary talk were also so inspiring! Thank you mom for being so in tune with the spirit to know exactly what I needed to hear. And the birthday package for my companion was absolutely incredible. She loved it so much. Thank you for putting all that work in to do that! I really really appreciate it. Her birthday was so great because of you! :) AND the purse thank you SO MUCH! You have quite the style mamasita :) It really is so helpful to carry a lot of my stuff around!
So this week, like the first was filled every day with many ups and downs. Added up though and looking back, I only remember the good times! All those hard times and cries are definitely worth it! The MTC is truly such a humbling experience and really has made me rely on the Savior and his Atonement. Outside of our room there is the picture of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane Before I go to bed each night I pass it. It gives me a constant reminder that he has felt what I feel. He did it so he would know how to succor me. How to succor all of his children. This picture keeps me going! I am so grateful for the Saviors Atonement and I have truly come to know the affects of it when we apply it to our daily lives. We got two new investigators this week. One is named Joanna. In our first lesson with her on Monday we tried to just get to know her a little bit. She doesn't think God loves her, she hates her family, and has no hope. It honestly broke my heart to see her like this I wanted to bad to just speak to her in english and just tell me everything was going to be alright. The Savior suffered so we didn't have to! Hopefully we will be able to focus on the Atonement and apply it to her in our next lessons!
Our district is absolutely amazing like I said before. We are all becoming so close! The boys.... are boys and can be so rowdy at times but everyone has really strengthened my testimony! Our Branch President is President Jolly. And the rest of the Presidency all lives in highland. Lisle's, the Day's! Oh p.s. hope you got the picture on Sunday of us from President Jolly's wife. :) And to answer your questions YES I have heard and gotten a BILLION and 5 packages from everyone! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I truly do feel all your support and love! :) :) :) THANK YOU THANK YOU! I love you guys so much! You are constantly in me prayers.
SO this week with the hard times there also comes very funny and happy times. HA so my companion absolutely loves Diet Coke (MOM) ha and she got a bunch for her birthday. So everyday she puts her diet coke out in the snow to keep it cold. So she can have a nice ice cold diet coke at the end of the day! hahahaha There are little secret snow banks filled with diet coke around campus. Funny girl. hahaha. Also I thought I would just share with you a couple of funny things we said in lessons this week. 1. Jesus Christ can take away our fish. 2. Do I believe in God? (Creo en Dios? Was supposed to be asking if they do. fail. hahaha) 3. In the middle of our lesson my companion just says, Jesucristo es my amor... (our investigator looked at us very strangely. Jesus Christ is your love??? Poor investigator that has to endure our Mal Espanol) hahahaha Oh the things we say! Espanol is coming along slowly. I feel like the first week we learned a lot and now it's kinda just a plato. I feel like I should know more by now. That I should be able to get some point across. It is called the gift of tongues. It's a gift and the Lord gives us gift's when we are ready for them and in his own timing. I have to be patient and remember that. Some days my brain just feels like mushhhhhh. ha It's coming though. Still it's so discouraging and so hard teaching lessons in a language we still are learning. It's hard to convey feeling behind the words, when right now the main focus is just remembering the words. We pray constantly that the Spirit can continue to teach us and guide us. :)
Angie sent me some lyrics to a song that says, "But an unseen power will aid me and you in the glorious cause of truth." I have truly seen this in the short time I have been at the MTC! I am strengthen every day. Especially when I have a positive attitude and have faith the Lord strengthens me to continue onward. On sunday in the devotional we sang onward christian soldiers. What an amazing opportunity to sing with 5000 missionaries onward Christian soldiers. The spirit here is so incredible! :) :) I love feeling it in my life!!!! :) :)
The inversion has been so bad lately that we have not been able to see anything. It's been kind of a blessing because I almost forget sometimes that I am just 15 min from home. But today the fog all lifted and walking up to the temple the valley was gorgeous. As much as it makes me miss everything, It helped me to really realize the BEAUTIFUL place in which we life. All this fresh snow on the ginormous mountains. It's incredible!
I had so many amazing and spiritual experiences this week. On sunday we had an incredible devotional and we watched the Joseph Smith movie afterwords. HONESTLY, it's SUCH AN AMAZING MOVIE. The prophet Joseph Smith was an incredible man. The line at the very end of the movie really hit me. Can we go on in such a great a cause? My face,blotchy and covered in tears, wanted to jump up and exclaim YES WE CAN!!!!! SI SE PUEDE! :) But that would've probably attracted some unwanted attention. That line seriously hit me so hard. The Lord as entrusted us as missionaries with his most prized possession. HIS CHILDREN. I must go forward in this work! Missionary = "A servant to others in behalf of Christ." How privileged I feel to be a representative of our Redeemer and Savior. To wear his name with mine on my heart EACH day. For this is His work and in Him I know I can be molded! :) I was really struggling on Tuesday but I know the Lord was really looking out for me. I got a billion packages that day. I LOVE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I know that takes so much thought and time. I can't thank you enough for your love.

Amy- That balloon I wanted to pop because you should have seen the stares I was getting and the people screaming happy birthday. BUT HONESTLY I LOVE IT! :) It's our district mascot now :) Pescada the fish. Not Pecado that's sin in espanol. Mixing the two will result in a confused investigator! ;) Your work out and all your advice has been so extremely helpful.
Angie- Amazing donuts! EVERYONE loved them. Especially my companion. She felt right at home. She was wondering if you guys new a Vickie Maag or a Gentry Maag- she said they live by you.
Christy- Kneaders brownies. SERIOUSLY. I think you guys are trying to make me turn into a OOMPA LUMPA ;) But i'm totally okay with that because I will know i'm a very loved oompa lumpa. :) :)
Grandma W- Your letter was so sweet. Sharon Morano called me into the travel office yesterday to check on me. Hopefully she told you guys I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
Everyone thank you for your LOVE AND SUPPORT. I wish I could express my love for you in a better way. but right now all I can do is say THANKKKKKK YOU!!!!!!! :) You're incredible.

Also INCREDIBLE friends :) :) :) Cassidy, Jordan, Taylor.... YOU ARE ALL PHENOMENAL ;) :) I'm so grateful to hear form you and am so GRATEFUL for your words of encouragement and packages!!!!!!!!

Mom, i'm so proud of you making a blog. And with Amy's help! That's incredible! I knew you could do it. I bet it is just the best blog around town. I have no doubt all your hard work and time that has gone into it! Thank you mom for being so amazing, thoughtful, and loving. You are my hero and I love you so much!! Thank you dad so much for your letter as well. I hope you all know the love that I have for you. You are my heroes! The boys sound like they are having a great time. Tron all day every day ;) I would love to hear from them. Conners poor toe :( Probrecito. Lo siento! Conner- I know the just how that feels. It stinks huh. Just think of me with my broken toe along with a baby.... and crutches. It's quite the sight huh!!?!?!?! hahahaha ;) kisses from me to your toe. Hopefully it gets feeling better soon. Tanner love you too buddy! Hope school is going great. Austin and Lauren. Love you to death! I would love to get your address so I can right you or email you or whatever! MOM AND DAD you are amazing parents thanks for all you do in my life. I would not be here if it weren't for you! :) :)

Remember life happens on the hills. Don't be afraid to face the storm. Like a buffalo. Remember everyone... don't be the COW! ;) I seriously look at that little buffalo some nights and want to kick it across the room. hahahaha just kidding. One of my roommates the other day was like what in the WORLD is that?! Ha she thought it was like a little terd. hahahaha. No... it's actually my encouragement. Thank you Levi! I told her the story. :) Happiness is a choice. Face the storm. Find joy in the journey. Growing pains hurt. But the Lord has a better plan for us. He knows what we can become. trust in Him. For you might just want to be made into a quaint little cottage but the Lord has a different outline in store For he is making you into a PALACE! :) :)
Trato a mejorar cada dia. :) :) It's coming. It's in the Lord's timing. You are all in my thoughts and prayers! I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!
Please let me know if I can do anything for any of you :) :) I'm here :) Just a letter away!!!!
Te AMO MUCHO :)
Con AMOR,
your missionary Hermana Katelyn Nicole Smith ----(Almost forgot my name. Around here it's just Smith ;) )
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

So one of the sister's in the district wrote this:

I absolutely love my district. We are all SO different, and yet we get along so well. I'm going to attempt to describe them, so that you can get a picture of the hilarity of our days when we have short breaks between studying and working:

Elder Anderson: He's probably the most hardworking and obedient among us, which is why we were so heartbroken when he had a seizure last week. Luckily he was able to get a priesthood blessing from his roommates right away before the paramedics came, so he was perfectly fine by that night. No one knows why it happened, but we're glad he's alright! Also, he looks EXACTLY like Rennes Bodily. I keep doing double takes all day.

Elder Bloxham: He comes from Burly Idaho, and is SUCH a cowboy. He's also the jester of the district. He's missing the top half of his middle finger, and we have so much fun with that. He also can impersonate Smegle (sp?) from lord of the rings perfectly. So sometimes when we're all stressed out from studying, he'll pull it out to make us laugh. Such a character.

Elder Sheffield: He spent 8 months living in South America with his family, just traveling around, so he's by far the most fluent. He and I usually study together since I have a decent background in Spanish, so we can challenge each other. He's also balding a little bit, so we rib him about that too :)

Elder Close: So. Tall. He's Elder Sheffield's companion, and those two are a hoot together. He also has little to know coherence of his limbs sometimes, so you have to be careful of flying elbows. Great at basketball though. All of our elders are. The hermanas just run around the track upstairs and watch them. They get so into it, lol.

Elder Page: He is by far the quietest and most reserved. We hadn't really heard him talk for the first week or so, but one day we look over during study time and he's just doing the craziest dancing in his own little corner. We request the shimmy from him now all the time!

Elder Newby: He's our district leader, and such a sweetheart. His uncle was my bishop back at Purdue. He gets our mail for us, and he's always so sad when some of us don't get something that day. He was also pretty quiet, but we got him out of it.

Elder Henderson: He's from Georgia, so we all call him Georgia Peach sometimes. He gets really loud when he's excited, so his testimony is always very memorable.

Elder Gillespie: According to Hermana Smith, he looks like Mario. He's a sweetheart too, but definitely has a streak of crazy in him. All of the elders do. Sometimes they record the crazy things they do at night in their residences and show it to us hermanas the next day. CRAZY! Our favorite was when they hid the other district's district leader in elder Bloxham's bed. Well, apparently Elder Bloxham says super long prayers at night, so the district leader was hiding there for FIFTY MINUTES before he got in bed so he could scare him. Apparently, the look on his face was priceless, lol.

I'm running out of time, so I'll describe the hermanas next week. But yeah, never a dull moment in our District. But we're all really close, and can depend on each other.

This is the lunch room that we eat in everyday!!

Ahhhhh Sweet soft drinks!!

Some Cinnamon Rolls and Sister Pendleton loves Beef Jerky

Beautiful Sister Missionaries!!!

Elder Bloxum is from Idaho, when I wore my rain boots he was like those are irrigation boots!! hahaha

Yipee, we are going on missions!!

Chocolate covered strawberries, from Taylor! Yum, Yum, and did I say Yum!

Treats are so sweet!!

Our new mascot!!! It says on it you are now o "fish"ally a Missionary!!!

My Knee, I've been praying really long!!

Maybe some knee pads would be good!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

1st Week in the MTC

We left the MTC with joyful hearts. She looked so happy! She jumped out of the car and said okay I'm here! (like put me to work) So on Thursday Curtis and I received an e-mail that Elder Alex Giles our daughter in law's brother had seen Hermana Smith at dinner and she looked so happy. Then Thursday I received a random telephone call from a very kind stranger that had meet Katelyn and her companion and sent me a picture of the two of them. (Tender Mercies) Then on Friday I get another e-mail from Sister Davies (One of Katelyn's best friends) that she is on the same floor as Katelyn and they see each other often. (Tender Mercies) So we've been so excited for her 1st letter home...and here it is. Enjoy!!

HOLA my DEAR SWEET Family!:) :) and Friends, :):)
Still have got my arms and legs, so... i'm doing FAIRLY WELL! :) :) :) :)
So sorry it's been over a week, but our P day is on Thursdays so we had to wait A WHOLE week before we have had the chance to email! Lo siento! But I did send a quick letter the day after I got here to let you guys know that i'm alive, so hopefully you guys have received that :) ...if not. Hey, I'm alive. :) Well I don't even know where to start! This past week has felt like 5 years. It honestly feels like i've been here my whole life. So i'll just start off at the begginning. The drop off, was hard! I think my mind was in about a billion places. I was anxious, nervous, exited. I wish I would have held on a little longer to you guys. Looking back now I so wish I did, because I MISS YOU! But I would not want to be anywhere else. I know this is where the Lord wants me to be! :) My companions name is Hermana Pendleton! She is about 5'2 long blonde hair, outgoing, chill, funny, she turns 22 on sunday, she loves diet coke just like you mom, she is from Kaysville and we get along so well. Coming into this she did not know ANY spanish! I'm so proud of her and the progress she has made. She makes me laugh a lot! My nickname for her is mi Madiposa bonita (my beautiful butterfly) yeah don't ask me why! ;)
They really do throw you right into it here! On Friday we taught our first lesson IN SPANISH with our investigator Erasmo. hahahahha. What an experience that was. We prayed before to have the spirit be with us, and we really did try our hardest. All that I really knew in spanish is the little I learned it high school (wish I would have payed more attention now ;) ). So pretty much our lesson was how are you?, flipping through our little red spanish books finding anything and everything to read, and the rest of the time was spent in a staring contest. ha. After coming out of that lesson, I am not going to lie but I was very discouraged . My companion knew nothing and I didn't really either. Talking with many different people here they say try to go in with the least amount of notes as possible and let the Lord do the rest. For me that was a very hard concept because I like to have everything planned out. But I have noticed with the less notes we go in with the better it goes. Our lessons have still been OH SO SIMPLE, but we are trying our hardest. Spang-lish and sign language might be a huge part of our lessons as well! ;)
The MTC really is a humbling place I can attest to that. It MAKES you search for answers, it MAKES you rely on the Atonement. We cannot do this work without Him! I have had to drop to my knees many times each day when I feel like giving up. This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life!!!! Thinking about that statement, in my life I have truely been so blessed . I have not had to deal with many problems. You guys are incredible and so supportive, and everyone is healthy! I know i'm so blessed. I don't know how to explain it though. This has been a different kind of hard. It's such an emotional roller coaster . One second I feel the spirit so strongly and then the other second I have never felt so alone. But I have learned in this past week that the Lord is always there no matter what! He has been my strength this past week , and I couldn't have made it without Him. Seeing many of my friends here has been very encouraging. Having Kaitlin be in here doing this is so comforting. We were so blessed to get put on the same floor so I get to see her some nights! :) Through many breakdowns I constantly heard just make it till SUnday. And I did! Sunday was absolutelyl INCREDIBLE. Learning spanish the days before had been discouraging, but having the lessons and feeling that spirit on Sunday was incredible! :) Sister Wixcom the General Primary President spoke in Relief Society and it was incredible. That night we had a devotional and the family of the MTC president all got up and shared a musical number. It made me think of my amazing family! I LOVE YOU! :) We then listened to a talk called characteristics of Christ by Elder Bednar. That talk was DEFINITELY needed. The spirit spoke some very important things to me in that meeting. He said, stop complaining this work isn't about you. You all sound like the cookie monster... I WANT MY COOKIES NOW. I WANT TO LEARN MY LANGUAGE NOW...(Bednar does a great impersonation of the cookie monster). But it's so true. I need to stop thinking of myself develop Christlike charity and look outside myself. This work is HIS, not mine. I need to lose my self in others. As I have done this these past few days, I have noticed how easy it is to be HAPPY! :) My natural man wants to turn inward and give up, but I must press forward with firm faith in my Savior. I need to turn outward as the Savior did. The Savior always turned outward. Even after preforming the Atonement, what did he do? He healed the soldiers ear that was cut off. Only a minor superficial injury to what the Savior had just preformed. But the Savior didn't say woe is me. He healed and blessed and never once thought about himself. He was constantly doing the will of the Father. I want to develop this attribute to constantly turn outward . :)
Esopanol is muy deficil. But it's coming along. I can bear my testimony and pray (both in a very simple way) but still that's something! Every day we pray for el don de lengas. Our teacher only speaks in english for like 10 min a day! It's a little overwhelming, but I am learning. It's so hard to find time to study everything that they teach you! haha still trying to figure out time management. :) We work out daily! My companion was the cross county coach at Davis high school so she is teaching me how to long distance run :) Tuesday night was also incredible. It was a devotional by Elder Evans of the 70. Our whole district sang in the choir. LOVE my district there are 8 Elders and then 4 of us Hermanas. :) We all get along so well. It was such an amazing opportunity to be in the choir and sing. We sang the song lead kindly light. Which is now one of my favorites! :) I will send the lyrics to you guys and tell you how I applied this song to me. Elder Evans talked about that we have the ability through faith to preform miracles. It was such an amazing talk that really strengthened my spirits. We must have faith. I have a testimony that who the Lord calls, he WILL qualify! I hope to become an effective instrument in His hands. I feel already like my testimony has grown SO MUCH here. I have needed to rely so fully on my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I know this gospel is true. And I know the people in Chile are needing to hear it. I have felt your prayers. They really help!!!! :) So please feel free to continue. ;) I am praying for you guys as well. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Thank you so much for your love and support! :) :) :)
I haven't heard from you guys yet so hopefully ALL IS WELL! :) I constantly have a prayer in my heart for you. Listen to any sad songs driving away from the MTC mom?! ;) Let me know how your past couple weeks have been. Boys, I hope school is going well and Tron hasn't sucked you in to much! ;) MOM and DAD hope work and everything is great :) Austin and Laur hope my little Rhea is doing well ;) I have seen Alex lots here. He seems like he is happy and doing great :)
Please tell Christy i'm eating my veggies and fruits :) thanks for the advice, Tami i'm doing FAIRLY well still have my arms and legs ;) , Amy P thanks so much for her love, and the Bishops for there love.
There is not a lot of time to email. But i'll be sending more your way! :) Hopefully you are getting everything!
Things I need: Maybe like a shoulder bag purse sort of thing. Just cheap, I just need to have something to put my scriptures and notebooks in while walking around from classes to devotionals! :) That would be helpful. Also maybe some diet coke for my companion since it is her birthday!? Just like one?!?! If that's possible! I totally understand if not! :) :) I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I'll be sending you my journal entrys and i'll try to send some pictures today as well if I get the chance! I LVOE YOU ALL SO MUCH! I would absolutley love to hear from you. Letters are everything here! Dear elder is the best way to go because it gets here same day and we already don't have a lot of time to be on the computers to read emails AND write back. I LOVE YOU GUYS! Also if you could send me some peoples addresses--- like Taylor's, Jordan, Cassidy, our extended families... just cause I don't have any! IF you could send some just in a dear elder letter today or tomorrow that would be wonderful! Thanks so much! Sorry if this letter is a bit all over the place it's hard to try and cram everything that has happened this past week into it! :) My prayers are with you! HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK! Let me know if I can do anything for you guys. Yesterday seeing all the new missionaries It was so weird thinking that was us a week ago. So fun saying Bienvenidos a la CCM to all the NEWBYS!!!! ;)

xoxoxo
Love this gospel. Love being a missionary. Never knew it would be this hard but I know that with the strength of the Lord we can do all things. :) Not a coinsidence that the first day I got here my reading in the scriptures was Alma 32. ;)

LOVE HERMANA KATELYN SMITH :) :) :)