June 3

I was thinking a lot about the ability to memorize this week. What a gift!! With little effort our brains can keep poems, stories, scriptures, (etc).. forever! Over the course of my mission there have been various verses of scripture that I have committed to memory, and recently my mission president has encouraged all the missionaries to put a special focus on memorizing scriptures. It has been such a blessing in my life!
I invite you all to memorize scriptures! Heavenly Father works with what we have and if you put uplifting things in your memory He will help bring them to you in times of distress! 
In Lehi's dream he explains "And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost." (1 Nephi 8:23) I believe the "mist of darkness" is very very obvious today. And it's only getting darker, thicker & more confusing. "[H]e saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree..whose fruit was desirable to make one happy." (8:30&10) The Iron rod we must hold onto is the word of God. When we find ourselves in the mist of darkness and need relief quickly we can, at any moment, grip the iron rod if we have a pool of memorized scriptures to draw from. It's blessed my life and I know it will bless yours! 

This week has seriously been stuffed to the brim with miracles! ðŸ˜ŠðŸ’›ðŸŒž 
Our friend Steve was so excited at church yesterday! He started to fast cigarettes & was feeling so great! 
Our friend Jennifer brought her mother to church for the first time, and she liked it! 
Our friend Kim is loving to keep the commandments of God and is excited for this turning point in his life! 

Here's a cool miracle! We went to try and find this couple we previously talked with, when they weren't home we knocked the neighbors! A woman named Diana answered! She saw us holding the book of mormon and said "oh my goodness! I have that book in Portuguese!!" Her friend who is a member and knew her in Brazil gave her a book of mormon a few days before! It was crazy awesome! I love being prayed places! 

A beautiful truth that has become very real to me on my mission: No matter how much we  (missionaries) love the people we teach, heavenly father loves them more. No matter how much we want them to live in heaven, heavenly father wants them there, with Him,  more. Whatever sacrifices we send their way becomes completely overshadowed by the fact that they are children of God and He wants them to accept His gospel immeasurably more than we ever could. And that's the hope that makes this work so joyful. That's the truth behind the phrase 'no effort wasted'. It's us and the Savior every moment showing the eternal siblings the light they need in this busy, confusing, self centered world. What an opportunity this mission has been for me. I love love love it out here!

Love, Sister Izzy Smith 


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