Sister Ellie Smith England, Manchester Mission

WHAT IN THE WORLD. My very last email. WHAAAA My heart is absolutely exploding. It's really hard for me to express my gratitude in this email so I will keep it short. WHAT A RIDE it has been to serve the Lord here in England the last 18 months. This has been the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. The people here have brought me closer to Jesus Christ more than anything in my life. I AM SO GRATEFUL I CANT SAY MUCH MOOOOREEEE  Thank you all so much for being such rockstars and cheering me on each and every day. I have felt your love and prayers every time I am on my knees praying for more strength. Also, thank you for all the emails, especially this week! I have received and read every single one of them even though I haven't been able to respond. They have carried me and lifted me more than you will know.  Just want to share how much I love the Savior of this world. I have such a strong testimony of this work. I've come to know this really is the most important t...

Wowwww great great week!!! So many good highlights. Such a bittersweet week with a lot of goodbyes. I'm going to miss these people so much.  Sister Warbrick and I knew that there's not much time left so we really gave it our ALLLL. And man it was good. We were able to go out and find for such a long time which I've missed a whole lot. There is something so special about talking to everyone and recognizing their true identity. Sister Mund (THE GOAT) and I always talk about how when we meet people and share the gospel with them it's not new to them but it's just a reminder of what they've already known in the premortal life. What a blessing!! Makes things a lot easier.  I'm sorry I have noooo time. I wanna write down a lot more thoughts but I will next week for my last email.  Last thing, I sang in my last Christmas concert this weekend and I want to share a really special experience I had. First of all, sharing testimony through song is the BEST thing in the ...

WOOOOOOOWOOOWOOOOOWOOO another week chomped.  This week was so very not that awesome but lit at the same time.  New comp is HERE. Reveal....... She is her. Sister Warbrick is awesome and it's been an absolute blast. I am so luuuucky to end my mission with her. God is so good. We are still running up the referrals and to be honest it's making me go a bit crazy. It's hard not to wish to be out in the streets buttttt this is where the Lord wants me. So I'll take it! It was Thanksgiving this week???!!! Did you know? Sister Warbrick and I have been talking a lot about how much we love gratitude. Why does it get so overlooked? We have SO much in our lives to be grateful for. I'm so grateful for everything in my life, even the smallest of things.  It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful!!! Learned that one this week. Eeeeooooo so good huh Love you all! See you in literally 2 weeks what the flip... so nuts!! Cheeeeeers Sister Smith

Wow. I am so proud of Sis Christensen. This email goes out to HER. I feel so beyond lucky to have been her trainer and it's been the biggest BIGGEST blessing to see her grow and become such a strong missionary. She always taught me how to keep going and not to be so hard on myself. Everytime I messed up with something she would just say, "It's okay! Maybe God just wanted you to learn from it." And AMEN I have learned so much. She is going to wiiiiiiiiigan, such a promised land. It makes me so excited to think about all the adventures and people that lie ahead of her. I'm honestly so jealous. Like super jealous.  Sister Souto is soooooo stinkin lucky to have her. She's gonna do so great. I love you Sis C!!!! This week zoomed by once again. Shocker! It was so good, we had an amazing chapel tour with our friend Chris, called 92749372 referrals, and even had thanksgiving dinner today. Let'sgetitttttttt. So good.  So this is it! I'm ending my mission in Cho...

  WHAT THE FLIP CAN WEEEEEKS SLOWWWW DOWN!!!! Gosh dang. Great week though! Some highlights... - Had exchanges with SISTA CORTEZ. She is actually incredible. She's from Argentina which has a huge special place in my heart. God's fingerprint right there! I love her so much and we had such a good time together. We chatted about a looooooot of things... lol. We had such a good talk about integrity and consecration and how important that is in our lives. Especially on a mission! She invited me to read one of the best talks ever. It was exactly what I needed to hear. Highly recommend! "Reflections on a Consecrated Life" by Elder D. Todd Christofferson. Here's a fire quote from it: "In like manner, future generations will take courage from your consecrated life, acknowledging their debt to you for the possession of all that truly matters" Don't forget how much your integrity and faithfulness blesses others too, not just yourself! - Yep. Sister C got comple...

Wow. This week was incredible. A good friend told me about God's fingerprints and how if we look we can see them everywhere and let me TELL YA I SAW THEM this weeeeeek. It was amazing.  First of all, this week I tried my very hardest to give it my absolute all, it's been a lot harder to do that recently because the end is soon! But I know it's what God would want me to do. So I'm here for it.  Here's the highlight of the week: (Back story we have been trying to find just anyone SOMEONE to teach in Chorley for so long) We got a referral for Chorley this week. His name is Alan!l. I taught him over the phone about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He is going through a really hard time and is confused why his life feels so messed up. We set up a chapel tour for Thursday...and he never came. This happens quite a lot in Chorley  so we weren't shocked, just sad. Yesterday in the middle of ward council we got a call from Alan!! He said he's gonna try his best to make ...

Help!!! Do you think I will survive???  President Goode and some of the mission are doing no sugar November so pray for us!! We will see who lasts. But this kinda goes into what I want to quickly share and that is the POWER of sacrifice. These last two transfers have been some of my hardest but it still shocks me every time how close the hard times bring me to my Savior. Something that I've learned a lot is how the spirit speaks to me. Now this is something I have struggled with my whole life and I'm sure a lot of you do too. It takes experience to be able to feel the spirit direct you and a lot of the time it can be from doing the wrong thing so that you know what is right. There have been so many times I have fallen short on my mission but HEY we all do. I realize now if I had never messed up I would never feel the power of the Savior's Atonement. There is nothing more special than feeling that power. I am so grateful for Him and for the countless chances he gives me to b...

Time just seems to be flying. I can't believe it's already been another week! This week was a very good week. I have been praying and seeking miracles and God showed them to me!! It was awesome. One of my highlights this week was having a day with Sister Mund. We went on swaps together and it was so much fun. I love Sister Christensen so much but it's always nice to be with a missionary that is a bit more experienced for a day. Sister Christensen and I have been DYING for a new friend. All we wanted more than anything is just to have a new friend here in Chorley. It is so hard! Mostly it is just so hard to find time. But God astonished me that day. We envisioned an African wearing red and black and the first person we talked to was BOOM. Amanda. Wearing red and black. I've never seen more Africans in one day in Chorley than on Thursday  we talked to so many people who were in the right place at the right time. God really was looking out for us. We got to extend and prac...

This was a week of gosh dangs. Poor Sister C has been super sick so we have been partying in the flat!! She's such a trooper though and I am so grateful for her strength. I'm so lucky to have her!! To be quite honest I don't have much to say at all this week  butttttt I still LOVE ENGLAND. Gosh dang! So that's good. Recently I have just been overfilled with gratitude for my mission. It's genuinely so hard to describe how much I love it and the friends I have made along the way. The spirit has been super strong with me these past few weeks its AWESOME. I am just so grateful for the spirit and the things that just remind me that God is there!! He is too good.  Excited for a new week, 2 months left??? What the heck. No idea where time went.  Listen to "New Beginnings" by Patrick Kearon from this past conference because it ROCKS and it's my favorite.  I love you all!! Sorry but also not sorry for this short email. PEACE Cheeeeeeers Sister Smith 

HELLO!! I had a lot of spiritual highlights this week. Here are 2. First, THE TEMPLE. Sister Christensen was sick this week so it was the first time on my mission where I had to stay in the flat all day. It was tough but I'm grateful because that meant we got to go to the temple, just the two of us on Friday. It was probably the most special experience I had in the temple ever. The spirit was so strong and everything resonated with me. I read the scripture in D&C where it says that after we leave the temple, we are armed with power. That's exactly how I felt. There was so much this transfer that I could've done better and it was weighing on me so heavily, but when I was in the celestial room I got the strongest feeling that I have been forgiven and still a faithful servant of the Lord. It became another day of recommitment and since that day I have felt so much peace. I have felt a fresh new start and I am so excited to continue this next transfer.  The second experienc...

 Hi!!!!  I felt so much strength from the Lord this past week. I have really focused more on my personal connection with my Heavenly Father and reminded myself of his great love and plan for me. I felt strongly that he knows the deep desires of my heart, which is such a comforting thing. First resonders is STRESSFUL but God is just tooooo good too us.  I had a very special experience calling a referral this week and I don't think I will ever forget it. His name is Richard Clarke. I decided to call him during my lunch time. This was my last contact with him before sending him to Preston. I started talking to him and he sounded very nervous and distraught. Turns out he is a less active member. He has a disorder and half of his brain doesn't work properly. He expressed to me the pain he has felt as he lost his best friend (his mom) due to cancer a few years ago. He told me about stories of past missionaries coming over, him becoming a deacon, recieving a patriarchal blessing...

This is what I've been saying every 5 seconds recently..  No worries! Or alllll is well!! Or it's okay everything with be fine! Or we just have to keep going! It's been a stressful week... but it has really helped me ponder on the definition of hope and faith.  HOPE. Is my favorite thing. Hope is something that I cherish and feel very grateful for because I've developed it a lot throughout my life. It's natural for me to just keep saying "this sucks BUT everything will be okay eventually" as you can tell by a lot of my emails I'm sure. It's one of my favorite sentences actually. But it can still be hard in that in between stage where you're waiting for that "good ending." It can be hard to stay strong 24/7. Sometimes we crash and sometimes that's what we need. I've experienced this a lot this week but I've learned one of the most important things. Everytime I crash, that is where I find the Savior. To pick me up and remind...

Hellllooooo family and fabulous friends. Thanks for the all the prayers I could really feel them this week. This week was full of stress but BOOM. MIRACLES TOO because God is too good and will never slow down his work. We have started a new program called first responders in my district. Still haven't escaped from social media yet but hey! It's brought me so close to Jesus Christ so I won't complain. Basically we are responding and teaching online referrals allllll day. You know when you stare at your screen for so long your brain begins to rot? Feeling that a bit recently but all is well. I've talked to some of the coolest people. It's beautiful to see the prepared souls that are just ready to soak in the gospel and change their heart. There are so many people out there, especially right now in the world! Sometimes all we need to do is invite them....  Went to freshers this week to find all new Uni students in Liverpool and that was FIIIIIRE. Saw some of my favorit...

What a wild first 2 weeks for Sister Christensen!  We have had the weirdest things happen to us. Here are a few.... 1. Saw a guy screaming at the top of his lungs in the air while flipping off nothing. It was spectacular and terrifying. Thought that was gonna be the last day of our lives 2. Taught our first lesson to Sabir at the chapel.... he had absolutely no interest in the church and tried to convert us to be muslim. Then walked around the temple grounds, smoking a cig yesssssssss 3. A bird flew into the chapel, smashed into the window, and BOOM DIED. Crazy 4. Everyone in the whole Chorley 3 ward is getting engaged and Bishop said we are next so be careful.... This week was AWESOME. I learned so much more about God's plan for me and continue to find different ways he is helping me learn different things. Most of the time it is through hard times and challenges but hey! What's new, I feel like I am used to it by now. I kinda love challenges now? I don't know. It i...

Howwwwwzit. Back with another week. Here in CHOOOORLEY. Crazy.  I guessed it...I am officially a trainer. Got a daughter yeeeeeayyyy! Sister Christensen is so amazing. It is such a blessing to serve with her! She's gonna rock it.  Gonna make this quick but HUGE miracle. Our mission leaders announced that England is just doing incredible. Apparently it hasn't had this much succes like actually ever before. I immediately wanted to cry. There is no other feeling than participating in this work and seeing the Lord magnify your efforts. The EMM has changed my life forever and it was so special to hear that the Lord really is carrying and prospering this mission.  Miss you all and looooove ya dearly. Keep my comp in your prayers. Being a new missionary is tough! She is killing it. PEACE. Go crazy says PG Cheeeeeeeers Sister Smith 

Quickest update ever..... I must smell too much because God never wants me in Chester for more than 6 weeks BYEEEEE! I am going to Chorley and training a brand new missionary! Hope she loves me!!!! This transfer has been a rollercoaster ride. I have never been more refined in my life. But wow God is just too good to let you fail. I can see how he slowly works with me to help me become more like Jesus Christ. I loved every second serving here and being with the amazing sisters in my flat. Especially Sister Crowton!!! She is just a powerhouse. I am so proud of the missionary she is and continues to become. I would've died without her. I'm grateful for all the amazing members and people I taught and it really breaks my heart to leave but what a comforting thought that the Lord is always with them.  I love you all!!!! Hope you're doing well  Miss you Nosuyi! Cheeeeeeers  Sister Smith

Hi!! Back at it! Ready for the quickest update ever? I am about to fall asleep. AMI GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! YAYY! It was such a special day for her. She felt so much love and joy and said she couldn't even sleep that night YEEEWHOOO! We are so happy for her. She is such a strong member and has always just fit right in. God was so aware of her that day, the ward made her baptism SO special. I love Ami so much. The Lord is blessing Chester in many ways and I am so grateful that He is in control. It makes my heart hurt to think that there will be an end to my mission, and I have been trying not to think about it, but God has really helped me feel excited this week about being able to apply all the life lessons here when I get home. And.... I got into BYU Hawaii so I am grateful for that miracle this week and I am excited to go back and live there YEEEAZZZZ so if you are still there lmk  Also I am turning hungarian because the food is so good I love it. Judit is the BEST and keeps maki...