Happy Easter!

We saw an Bunny on Easter!

On exchanges with Sister Wilcock,, Sister Clark, ME, and Sister Escalante!

What a wonderful Easter week we just had!

This week we had exchanges with the spanish speaking Sisters that cover part of our area. I got to stay here in the University ward with Sister Escalante for the day! We were able to go write a scripture in chalk on campus. The one we chose was 2 Nephi 27:23 which says "For behold I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith." This is one of Sister Escalantes favorite scriptures and one that had never really stood out to me before but I really love it. The message is simple but SO powerful. I know that God is always the same; if we have faith He will always help us.

Carlos was not able to be baptized because he went out of town to visit his Sister for Easter but hopefully he will get baptized soon.

I have felt the Holy Spirit work through me a lot lately. It is really powerful to be in a lesson, not know what the person needs to hear, say a quiet prayer, and suddenly know what you need to do. It's interesting that sometimes I feel prompted to speak and other times I feel prompted to be quiet which allows the Spirit to speak.

This weekend was our stake conference so Saturday night we were able to go to the meeting with all of the adults for the Las Cruses area. The message was really powerful. They talked about how we all pull our own hand cart, never knowing what those around us might be pulling. The challenge of life is to help one another, to lift and to strength so that we all can make it back to the presence of our loving Heavenly Father.

Easter Sunday was my favorite day of the week. We were able to read and watch the talk by Elder Jeffery R. Holland entitled "None Where with Him" from the April 2009 general conference. It has been one of my favorite talks for quite awhile and throughout the whole week my thoughts kept turning to it's message. Then Sunday morning Sister Yenchik and I were looking for an Easter message to share at dinner when we found the exact talk that had been on my mind all week! Our Bishop invited all of the single adults who didn't have somewhere to go for Easter dinner to his home and we were invited as well. After eating we watched the talk together and the Spirit filled my heart.

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from that talk:

"That the supreme sacrifice of His Son might be as complete as it was voluntary and solitary, the Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone. But Jesus held on. He pressed on. The goodness in Him allowed faith to triumph even in a state of complete anguish. The trust He lived by told Him in spite of His feelings that divine compassion is never absent, that God is always faithful, that He never flees nor fails us. When the uttermost farthing had then been paid, when Christ’s determination to be faithful was as obvious as it was utterly invincible, finally and mercifully, it was 'finished.^' Against all odds and with none to help or uphold Him, Jesus of Nazareth, the living Son of the living God, restored physical life where death had held sway and brought joyful, spiritual redemption out of sin, hellish darkness, and despair. With faith in the God He knew was there, He could say in triumph, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.^'"
"Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel."
"Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are."
"May we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear."
"May we stand by Jesus Christ 'at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,^' for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
In conclusion I would like to add my testimony to that of Elder Hollands. I know that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. I am so grateful for His sacrifice that allows me to over come all obstacles. I know that Christ church has been restored to the earth today. I love this gospel and I am so grateful for the blessing it is to share it. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love,
Sister Lexy Smith

I forgot to post this last week Sorry

Hello!

This has been yet another fantastic week!

We went on exchanges Wednesday so I stayed in our area and worked with Sister Fields. Because we work with the Institute here at NMSU we are allowed to do fun things on campus so we got to use sidewalk chalk and write about the Easter Celebration that happened on the 13th. It was a really fun activity and we were able to talk to several students as we worked. It has been really amazing to see how the Lord puts people in our path as we walk around campus. We have already started teaching 4 new people just since I've gotten here! Because the students are at a major decision point in their lives a lot of them are sincerely searching for the truth and it is amazing to help them find it.

We are excited for this up coming weekend, not only for Easter, but also for Carlo's baptism! He has such a strong testimony of Christ and has been wanting to get baptized for about a month but the last time he was preparing for it he had a bad fall while he was running and landed in the hospital the day before he was supposed to get baptized. He is now doing great and is ready to get baptized this weekend so pray that nothing goes wrong before then and I will send pictures next week!

The Easter Celebration this weekend was one of the highlights of my week. The music was so inspiring and the Spirit was strong. I am so grateful for this time of year that helps us to focus on what is most important in life and to remember all that Christ does for us. As I have been on my mission my relationship with Heavenly Father and Christ has become so much stronger and I have gained a great sense of gratitude for everything that they do for us. This week I would invite all of you to pray about and ponder how Christs sacrifice affects your life and how you can try to become more like him. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that He lives. I know that if you will earnestly seek Him you will find peace and joy that will fill your soul(Ether 12:41). I know that the Book of Mormon truly is Another Testament of Jesus Christ because studying it has helped me to gain a better understanding of His atonement and love for us. I know that God loves each and everyone of His children including you(John 3:16).

They played this video during the celebration. It touched my heart and I hope that it touches yours as well.

https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/for-god-so-loved-the-world?lang=eng

Have a wonderful Easter week!

Love,

Sister Lexy Smith 

April 8th

Hello Everyone!

It was so good to see Sister Stuart!

This week has been crazy but super exciting! I am now in the University ward of Las Cruses NM. It is very different from a family ward but it is defiantly a fun experience to get to work with people closer to my age. My companion Sister Yenchik is awesome. She has only been her one transfer but she already knows the area really well. She actually came out with me!! So she has also been out almost 9 months. We have seen tons of miracles this week. It is amazing to see how much Heavenly Father cares about each of his children.

The first day that I was here, Tuesday, we had a crazy miracle. Eating with members can be difficult in a singles ward because they are college student and because there has to be either 3 females for 2 males or 3 males to us. So when we showed up for dinner that night, the guys we were eating with didn't realize that there would just be two of us (the sisters here used to be in a tri-companionship). We tried to call a couple of people to have dinner with us but no one answered so we said a prayer and then felt prompted to invite their neighbor over. She ended up being super sweet and accepting! It was so awesome to see that she has had interactions with members of the church before and was open to talking about religion. I know that is wasn't just a coincidence that we got to have dinner with her.

We had a fantastic lesson with a girl named Roxy. Her best friend is a member of the church so she has had some experience with the things we believe. It was amazing to see how accepting she was of our message because she had seen the difference it has made in her friends life. After teaching her about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon we invited her to be baptized and she accepted! She is set to get baptized on May 3 so I will keep you updated on how she is doing. Please keep her in your prayers!

Also this past weekend was General Conference. General Conference is where the Prophet and Apostles speak to the world and it is one of my favorite times of year. Although I loved all of the talks my favorite would have to be President Packers talk on gaining knowledge. He has such a strong testimony which always invites the spirit. I would encourage everyone to watch it and ponder/pray about the things that he had to say.

I love being a missionary because I know the church is true and I love getting to share it with others. I hope you all have a fantastic week and don't forget to pray.

Love,
Sister Lexy Smith

Saying good bye to Vee-vee and her family was so hard.

I love these Sisters, Sister Nye and Sister Fallentine

My new district on p-day at the White Sands!

White Sands

TRANSFERED March 31

My district in El Paso

Hello!!!!!!!!!

So some exciting news, I'm getting TRANSFERED and I will be an Sister Training Leader! Although I will miss everyone here in El Paso I am excited for this new adventure!! I can't wait to get to know some more wonderful children of God!

Also please don't write to the El Paso address anymore. I will send a new address next week once I've got it but for now you can write to:

4400 Presidential Dr. NE Ste. E.

Albuquerque NM 87109

So this week has been another great one and we have seen many miracles!

Wednesday on the way to an appointment with Angela and Chris we were walking and saw a girl outside her car on the other side of the street. We could have easily kept going but I felt prompted to stop and talk to her. She told us she was having a terrible day but after getting to know her you could tell she felt much better. It is amazing to see how Heavenly Father works through us to help those we don't even know.

One of the most awesome miracles happen this week too! We have been trying to teach a family that used to meet with the missionaries but about a month ago they moved so we thought we would never see them again. One day we had been walking down their street and were able to talk to their neighbor who said they moved a street over and that their truck was parked outside the house. So this week we decided to go and see if we could find them. After identifying all of the houses with trucks we started trying all of them to see if any of them were the family we were looking for. About half way down the street I was ready to give up because it was hot and we weren't even sure if this was the street they lived on but we felt like we should try one more house. The house had all sorts of decoration outside and didn't look like someone had just moved in but we tried it anyway and guess who answered the door... their grandma!!!! She looked very surprised and excited and said "You found us!!" Haha it was so funny! She invited us in and told us what has been happening with their family. I am so glad we were able to find them because I just know that they need the gospel in their lives. It is amazing that Heavenly Father was able to help us find them so that we could help them have the gospel.

We also go to watch the General Women's Broadcast Saturday night and it was fantastic! The spirit was so strong as we listened to our leaders and learned more about the importance of our role as women in the church. I loved when they said "Oh how we need one another" because that is something that I have seen on my mission so much! We really do need each other and when we let fear, pride or anything else get in the way of our love and friendship we are just letting ourselves miss out! I am so grateful for the revelation that our leaders receive because it was exactly what I needed to hear.

Even thought I can't write about everything I want you to know that we have been having some great lessons with our investigators. It is wonderful to feel the spirit as we teach the gospel because I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children. I am sad to leave so many wonderful people but I know that they will be just fine without me as long as they hold fast to the gospel. I love love love being a missionary because this truly is the Lord work. Whenever you are struggling with anything take it to the Lord for he will direct your paths for good. Proverbs 3:5-6

I love all of you and hope you have a fantastic week.

Love,

March 25

My district in El Paso

This week has been pretty great. We have had several miracle stories so here you go:

 

Tuesday: For about the past month I have been feeling the need for a priesthood blessing (A worthy priesthood holder lays their hands on your head and gives you a blessing as the Holy Spirit directs so it is basically what God wants you to hear. They can be for health or comfort but I had been feeling the need for one of comfort.) but I have been putting the feeling off because I was too embarrassed to ask for one. As I was praying Tuesday morning I was again impressed to get a blessing so I mustered up the courage and asked our zone leader if they would be willing to give me a blessing. Without even knowing what I was going through one of the Elders gave me a blessing and said exactly what I needed to hear. The spirit testified to my heart that God loves me and that the gospel is true. I am so grateful for the priesthood because it is so humbling to know that God can speak through his servants. If nothing else I am so grateful that the Lord showed me that I need to humble myself and ask for help sometimes.

 

Wednesday: We had an awesome lesson with a new investigator, Monique. She is a working mom and works for a member of our ward so they invited us to meet with her in their home. They also invited the Spanish elders so it was a neat experience to get to teach with them. I feel like I always learn something new from other missionaries. I love that we can grow and become better teachers each day. As we taught Monique about the Restoration of the gospel the Spirit touched our hearts and she accepted the invitation to be baptized! She wants all of her family to join the church and right now her husband isn't on board but hopefully as she sets a righteous example he will feel the Spirit and want to follow. We also go to help the youth with their missionary night. I remember being in their shoes and not knowing how to share to gospel with others so it gives me a lot of hope to know that as we study the scriptures and rely on the Lord anyone (including me) can become a better missionary.

 

Thursday: Thursday we had an awesome miracle. A while back we had been teaching a guy named Donald and Sister Tucker had come with us so when she came out with us Thursday she asked how he was doing. We told her that his mom said he went to Arizona and we hadn't been able to teach him in awhile. She said she felt like we needed to go over there and although we were a bit hesitant at first we decided to go give it a try. And guess what, it went great!! He was home and talked with us for awhile. He has some family that has questions about the church so he wasn't sure if he wanted to keep going but as we talked to him he agreed to come to our movie night at the church on Saturday and then to meet with us again Sunday night. I am so grateful that Sister Tucker followed the prompting of the spirit because now he is doing great (read Sunday for our lesson with him).

 

Friday: Funny moment: As we were driving to the church for our meeting we saw a young man jogging down the side of the road, rocking out to him music and kick boxing the air... It was hilarious!! Both I and Sister Carpenter laughed all the way to the church :)

 

Saturday: Some of the Elders from the other English ward near us had 4 baptisms so we were able to take a family we are teaching (Natalie and the kids) to go watch them. I want everyone we are teaching to be baptized because I know that is the way that is the only was to return to God again.

 

Sunday: Awesome lesson with Donald!! The Stranges (a couple from our ward) came with us when we visited Donald and taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end). The Spirit was strong throughout the lesson but when he asked us why he needed to be baptized again we had a hard time explaining it. Brother Strange bore his testimony of priesthood and the need for authority. I am so grateful that they were able to come with us because that was exactly what Donald needed to hear. Afterwards Donald said that now that he understands he wants to be baptized!

 

Monday: We had dinner with a family that has recently started coming back to church and are doing awesome. The oldest daughter is heading to BYU-I pretty soon, the younger daughter is the president for the girls that are 16-18 (laurels) and the mom is in charge of the nursery at church. It has been a miracle to see them come back because people have been trying to get them to come for several years with no success. I have a strong testimony that if we never give up on someone they will eventually feel our love and the Saviors love and want to return.

 

It was a great week. I love being a missionary and seeing the Lords hand in my life. I know the gospel is true. I know the priesthood has been restored to the earth the same as in the days of Christ and prophets of old. I love all of you and hope you have a great week!

All my love,

Sister Lexy Smith

 

P.S. Did you hear that my brother got his mission call to Japan Sendai!!!!!!!! I am so excited for him, he will do great!

 

Pictures around town.