TRUST in the Lord.

(delayed post from Jan. 7, 2019 - so sorry)

TERE!! 

It was a great week here in Tartu! Thank you for all your prayers! We are, "Happy, happy, happy," as our mission president says! :) 

First off...Abraham, my brother, and Annie just got ENGAGED!!! Congrats you two!! :) 

The work:

Well, you all remember the young girl and her boyfriend who we met with last week? Well....we met with them again this week, and it was super rough. That was the first time I have ever cried in a lesson. They had searched the internet about the Book of Mormon and found all sorts of things that made them have lots of questions. They asked us question after question, and we answered some questions and encouraged them to ask God their questions, but they were not accepting any of our answers. I cried while testifying about the Book of Mormon and our Savior, Jesus Christ. I explained through tears how important this gospel is. They shoved the Book of Mormons back to us. At the end, they were very confused as to why I was crying. I was so distraught that I couldn’t really explain myself before they left. I was kicking myself that I hadn’t been able to explain that I wasn’t crying because I was mad. God saw how sad I was, and guess what happened three minutes after they walked out the doors? They came back because the outside building door was locked, and we needed to unlock it. Miracle!! I said a prayer of thanks in my head that I would get a chance to explain myself a bit. As we unlocked the door, I explained through tears that I wasn’t crying because I thought they were bad people. I was crying and so distraught because I knew that there was so much more joy and peace they could feel, but I was so sad they weren’t listening and ready to accept that. I said we all are striving to follow Christ, and they agreed. The good thing is that the girl wanted to be on our daily text list (we send out a scripture every day). I hope and believe that one day, they will remember meeting and will remember how much this gospel and the Book of Mormon means to me and us, and hopefully they will desire to meet and talk with missionaries again. Until then, I gave it my all, and God sees that and magnifies those efforts. 

Õde Lighten was here with the other two trainees this week to work out their Estonia living permit. It was super fun to go with them to the police station and be their translator haha.

Funny:

One night, we updated records for about 3 hours, and Õde Nelson ended up on the FLOOR because she was so tired hahah. 

Also, Õde Nelson found a candy bar under her desk that expired in 2014...yummy! 

Culture:

The older people here look really intimidating on the outside because they don’t smile. BUT even though they look cold on the outside, they have the warmest hearts! Countless times, I have started talking with older babushkas with frowns on their faces...those frowns quickly turn into smiles as I compliment their hat and ask them about their grandchildren! I love these babushkas :)

I saw little glimpses of the sun (or something close to it) TWICE this week...glorious times. 

Spiritual thought:

I am learning a lot about trusting God right now. There were many moments this week when I got discouraged or sad, and I would pray and ask for help. In those moments especially, God sent something or someone my way to help me out. One time, His hand came through a call from Sister Goodell (a sister missionary in Tallinn and my dear MTC friend). Another time His hand came simply through a feeling of reassurance and peace. 

This week, our mission president invited us all to read the 33 General Conference talks from October 2018 in 33 days. Every day, I write down the question, "What can I do better to come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?" Then, I read a talk. I write down 2 impressions I feel Heavenly Father needs me to know and learn from that talk. At the end of the 33 days, I will have 66 thoughts and impressions straight from Heavenly Father to me. I will then review prayerfully those 66 thoughts over the course of a couple days, then make plans and create 5 goals of things I want to change and do. When April 2019 General Conference rolls around, I will be ready to receive more revelation and learn more because I will have made myself available to the Lord. I am trying to say, "OK, God! I am your investigator! Teach me with love, please!" :) I am grateful our mission president has invited us to do this, because already I am learning so much! This morning, I read Elder Bednar’s, "Gather Together in One All Things in Christ." (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/10/gather-together-in-one-all-things-in-christ?lang=eng) I had tried to read this talk before, and it didn’t make sense to me. But when I read it this morning, it all clicked! The gospel of Jesus Christ consists of faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. From his talk, I learned that faith=trusting in God. Repentance=relying upon God. Baptism=following God. Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end=pressing forward with Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit every day of my life. 

I am grateful to be learning more and more that when I trust in God, He leads me to ultimate happiness and complete joy. I love God! I love being a missionary! I love all of you!

Trust in the Lord. Choose joy. Find peace.

Õde Smith-Driggs

2 Nephi 33:10 - And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ.  And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.

P.S. Shout out to Elder Matt Spataro who told me about the talk, "Joy and Spiritual Survival" by President Nelson (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/joy-and-spiritual-survival?lang=eng). I studied it this week and learned so much about joy. Read it!! :)