Trilingual ??? 🐨🎄
November 10, 2020
Hola a todos !!
My subject line may be a bit deceiving because I am in no way trilingual, BUT I will hopefully be by the end of this year and a half ;)
1. Obviously I'm teaching in english and LOVING being able to express myself to the people I meet. It's nice to understand what is being said. 
2. I got to go on exchanges with our STLs and teach in 2 spanish lessons! It was literally so so much fun. I pulled on my ~extensive~ vocab (hahah just kidding). No but really I was able to understand and say more than I thought I would.
3. We met the ASL elders at a service activity and they freaked out when they learned I signed. They invited us to come teach a household with like 6 deaf people this weekend because they said it's really hard with just them. I'm so so excited to sign again!
SO that is three languages in one week!! I know that the gospel has no language barrier and I'm so humbled to be able to share in multiple ways with the people of San Diego.
This week has been full and overflowing! I have met the most incredible people and already added some odd stories to my mission folder in my brain.
For example, a friend named Mike (who coined himself the "eternal investigator" #15yrs) had me and my comp sift through his professional photos of koalas to send one to the zoo for merchandise. SO if you buy some merch from the San Diego zoo and it has a koala on it, I picked it out 
He also has some odd advice for us with our future dating choices, but assured me I would be fine because I "have very nice teeth". Hahaha he's a blast to visit with and teach.
There's incredible members who have shared tender life experiences with us, faith filled people from all over the world that we have been teaching, and service opportunities in every single day. I LOVE being a missionary.
We have a member in our ward with an extensive collection of church artifacts including, but certainly not limited to:
Original 1830 Book of Mormons, 1st edition D&C, Pearl of Great Price, etc.
Death masks from Hyrum and Joseph
Egyptian artifacts that are thousands of years old
Swords from 600 bc
Bibles from the 1200s-now
And literally so. much. more. I was blown away and it was so fun to see it all.
The absolute highlight of my week was putting the Christmas lights up on the temple grounds (!!!)
AHH! The San Diego temple is genuinely a castle and it is S T U N N I N G. I felt so so grateful to even be on the grounds the whole time. Our zone laced the branches, bushes, and trees in pretty lights with very close attention to detail. The brothers who were in charge told us every light placement and color was approved by the headquarters of the church. So crazy.
I can't wait to go back to the temple! It really is such a special place.
I have learned two things about myself this week.
1. I LOVE to cook. (Sorry it took me this long to figure that out Mom haha) It is difficult on a mission budget, but we make it work! So send me simple recipes you enjoy and I'll whip them up in the kitchen in the next few weeks.
2. I don't know nearly enough about the bible. This week I have absolutely devoured Genesis and Exodus and am determined to read the bible from cover to cover as fast as I can! It is such a powerful reservoir of knowledge and I wish I knew it as well as the Book of Mormon (which I still love just as much don't worry ;) So many people we are reaching out to only know the Bible so as I study it more, I will be a more effective teacher! Send me your favorite story/verse in the Bible this week!
Genesis 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
This verse says it all! Can we be like Jacob in letting God prevail and access the power he has endowed us with? YES!
Much love always, shoot me an email to tell me how things are going for you :)
Amor siempre,
Hermana Smith
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