Guten Morgen!

This week has been fairly exciting--we have 3 new investigators! Isn't that wonderful?? Sister Dittli and I have been praying that we would find more people to teach. We've been somewhat frustrated here lately because so many people are on vacation right now and it's been impossible to set up appointments with people, it seems. So, we're very excited to be able to teach more people. 2 of our new investigators are actually a mother and son. We streeted into Simon, her son, a few weeks ago and so we stopped by their house and were able to teach them a lesson. Simon's mom asked if she could keep the Book of Mormon to read and study. Of course, you may!! When her husband got home, she was really excited, stood up, pointed to us and said, "Look. Mormons!!" Yes, indeed. Our other new investigator is someone we came across when looking through our area book. He had been taught a lesson and that was it, evidently. The missionaries never went by again. Never followed up. Sad. But we're teaching him now, which is was cool. He's a very spiritual man and excited to learn more. It's such a wonderful calling to be involved in this process with people. It's a very humbling experience.

I hope you all are doing well. Life continues on in Frauenfeld. We find out this Sunday if we'll be staying or getting transferred. I wouldn't be surprised, honestly, if I'm transferred. Sisters have been in Frauenfeld for a couple of years and so I wouldn't be surprised if President Condie gave the area to elders. We'll find out Sunday, so stay tuned!

Love,

Sister NeSmith

come what may and love it

Guten Morgen, everyone!

This week has actually somewhat of a bummer for us, to be blunt. It´s summer, which means everyone is on vacation, so it´s been really difficult for us to meet and find people. Appointments have cancelled, doors have been slammed...it can be difficult at times to not get frustrated. Sister Dittli and I hold strong though. We´ve able to just remind ourselves of something funny the other has said or an experience we had together and then we´re good. It keeps us trucking along. We did have some really great lessons last week. I mentioned Alex in my last email, so I´ll mention someone else today. Sister Dittli and I met the sweetest lady from Greece about a month and a half ago and so we´ve been visiting her. Her faith is so strong! It´s remarkable and she´s so sweet to us. She loves having us come over and she just always brings a smile to our faces. The people here are so wonderful. Yes, times may be hard, door may be slammed in our faces (or windows, since everyone generally leans out of their window to see who we are before they buzz us in), and people may reject hearing the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, but then you meet someone that just makes it all worth it. The worth of one soul is indeed great in the sight of the Lord! (read Doctrine and Covenants section 18. Marvelous!)

I´ll be sending more photos soon. It´s a beautiful time of the year and we´ll be celebrating some holidays quite soon. It´ll be wonderful!

I hope you all are doing well. Stay strong and, as Joseph B. Wirthlin said, "Come what may and love it."

Love,

Sister NeSmith

Guten Morgen! I write you today from Konstanz, Germany. We decided to check out other places in our district, so we came here.I promised you all pictures, so I hope these will do. I´m bummed because I have a ton I want to show you all, but I´m having problems with the computer here, soo....I´m afraid I´ll have to print them off and send them home. I may be able to scan some...not sure. We´ll find out.

There is some exciting news here: our investigator, Alex, is getting really close to baptism. Yesterday, he talked to us about setting up a baptismal date! Woo! He said he just isn´t ready for baptism and would decide at some point whether or not to get baptized. And yesterday, he talked about setting up a baptismal date. The ward here is amazing. They´ve helped us so much with Alex, as well as all of our other investigators.
Let me explain the photos before I forget: We got together with some other missionaries and we decided to go on a boat ride in Biel and so the first 3 photos are from that. I´m sad I´m unable to send you more, it was beautiful (and ridiculously hot) that day. The last photo is from our apartment window. Not the most exciting view, but the sunsets here are really pretty.
Unfortunately, I must bid you adieu, so my time is up. I hope you all are doing well. Help out the missionaries in your area. It´s greatly appreciated, believe me!

Love,

Sister NeSmith

Happy belated 4th!

Guten Morgen!

I hope to find you fairing well. We're here in Zürich to play soccer with the other missionaries in celebration of July 4. Sadly, no one here celebrates it. However, I heard fireworks around our area Saturday evening, which made me happy. Here, the big celebration is August 1, so I'm excited to see all the fireworks and displays then. It'll be cool.

Please don't be mad....I even brought my camera and cable, but alas...there's no USB port that is accessible for the users of this internet cafe. Dang. Sorry about that. I even have some really awesome photos for you! Next week. We'll be in either Frauenfeld or Konstanz, Germany for Pday, and I know I'll be able to send them then. Be excited, family and friends. Switzerland is gorgeous!

The work here continues. President Condie, our new mission president, has different ways of doing things (naturally), so we'll see how things change. It's kind of strange, honestly, that our mission is now huge. Southern Germany, majority of Switzerland, and all of Austria...crazy! I'm not going to lie, I'm serving in the most beautiful mission in the world. And the people here are so great!

I've got to tell you...give the missionaries referrals!! I love them! The ward here is amazing, they're really focused on missionary work. We have a couple of members that have given us referrals, others that have been working with their friends and want to turn the teaching over to us...man, it rocks! We now have a new investigator, Jacqueline, that has been going to church for a number of years on her own. She didn't grow up religious, but she recognized the importance of it a number of years ago and so she's been going around to different churches because she just wants the truth. And not just a little bit of the truth, but the entire thing. I think we can help her out there. She's way awesome and she's so sweet! I'm really lucky that I get to teach her.

Alex, one of our other investigators, is doing great. He asked some of his member friends about earrings and men the other day and when they told him that men don't wear earrings in our church and that the women only wear one earring in each ear, he called us right away and asked us. So we explained that the prophet has asked us to maintain a clean appearance and that the men refrain from wearing earrings. So...he took them out! Alex is awesome, everyone. He really is. He keeps commitments and he loves to learn more. So awesome! I love this work!

Leider, I must bid you all farewell. I hope you have a splendid day and that you were able to enjoy the 4th of July. Much love!

Love,

Sister NeSmith