Hi! (From Grandma)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Cris Rivera <ctrivera5@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Aug 23, 2018 at 3:40 AM
Subject: Hi!
To: "smoot.megan@myldsmail.net" <smoot.megan@myldsmail.net>


Dear Megan,

How are you doing in Mindoro?  I haven't been there but I heard it's beautiful there.  I'm sure the traffic is better  than what you have in Quezon City, so that's a plus.  I enjoy reading your emails and glad you're able to practice your piano skills. 

I know it must be hard to be in a different country when everything seems different, the language, the people, the culture.  The food may not be a whole lot different since you have been exposed to my cooking before, but I'm sure mahirap pa rin.  I pray for you everyday that Heavenly Father will guide, protect, and give you strength as you go through and try to adapt to these changes.  When we first came to the United States, we had some adjustments to do also.  We had to stay as a family with one of your grandpa's brother's place and things were hard.  I had to learn how to drive and adjust to my new surroundings and people and we left behind family members and friends.  I had to work and go to school at the same time and your mom, as well as Cherry and Perry, had to go to a new school and learn the language.  Your grandpa left a good job with IBM in the Philippines and find a new job, support the family, etc.  Our church members were different but the gospel was and is the same everywhere.  We had adjusted and we were able to grow with the challenges with the help of God so I hope you will eventually be able to do the same.  You are there for a reason.  There are people there who will come to know The Lord through you and it may not be readily apparent right away, but you will find them.

At the temple today, when I was doing my initiatory assignment, one of the patrons talked to me after the ordinance and asked me if I was filipino.  She said she just came back from her mission in the  Philippines and she served in San Pablo City.  It is in Laguna province where I was from and we briefly talked in Tagalog.  She spoke it really well, like Dave Castleberry.  Makakapagsalita ka rin ng mahusay Basta mag-praktis ka lang.  Just keep talking in Tagalog even if it's not perfect yet.  That's how you learn.  Don't be embarrassed because the Filipinos will appreciate your efforts and will love you for trying to learn their language. 

I will ask my sister to send you some pesos.  I have a bank account there and I'll have her send it to you by one of the carriers like LBC, so I need your address there.  Buy something you need especially food.  So send me your address so I can give it to my sister.

Gotta go for now.  You take care always.  "Stand in holy places" and may The Lord bless you.

Love,

Grandma

week 3?

Hello friends and fam! i think im on week 3? haha im so sorry my brain is mush.

the days are getting better and better each day. Ive been trying really hard to appreciate my area and the philippines and to love the people!! it just takes a lot of patience and faith. the language is a huge barrier for me right now, but just give me a few months and ill get it ;) 

we have 3 baptisms for this saturday and I AM STOKED. ill write more next week because i have no time :// heres some pics though. 

read The Book of Mormon everyday. PRAY EVERYDAY. Heavenly Father loves youuu. This church is true and idk what i'd do without this gospel. \

love you all, 

sister smoot

week 2 sa field

hey everyone! Im in the philippines. i have literally NO time to talk to people, so if you sent me an email, i take pics of them and read them when I get home. I'm so so grateful for all of you. 

Here's a quick update: 

I am MINDORO!!!! This is the place that I guess all the missionaries in the field pray they will get transferred to. I got super lucky with that. Its a province close to the beach! Heavenly Father blessed me with the beach so close :,) i know i say this in every email, but i miss hawaii so badly its weird. 

My comp is sister marcos! She is from the ppines and has a little bit of broken english, but we still get our messages across to each other haha. She is the sweetest and most patient human being and a literal answer to my prayers. 

This area is awesome. But, it has been super hard adjusting to living here because it's so different, but Heavenly Father has been aware of me and provided SO many tender mercies. I wish I had time to tell you all some of the stories. The Book of Mormon has also been a HUGE and POWERFUL resource I've been relying on these past 2 weeks. Whenever I felt homesick or sad, I'd read the Book of Mormon and it gave me strength for the rest of the day. Especially in first Nephi. Nephi and his family seriously went through sooo much, it is truly humbling!!

Our branch is big! Sundays are different, but the spirit it definitely there. I have to play the piano in sacrament and its so rough haha i wish i didnt quit piano... twice.. i'll be a pro when I get home ;) 

the people here are so loving towards me and help me out when I don't know how to say things haha here in mindoro, people understand less english than if i were in the city which was a blessing in disguise from Heavenly Father so that I can learn the language faster. 

i gotta go, but i love you all so much!! 

love, sister smoot 

heres some random pics from the past two weeks that should suffice you all ;) hehe mahal kita

You're Never Alone, Baby Girl!! ❤

Hi Megs!! 

I had to change the font because 

1. The default one can get boring to look at all the time, right? 

2. This is the closest thing to me pretending to hand write a letter you. 

I have been thinking about you and praying for you constantly. You said you wished you could go to the temple. So I went for you. I actually went with Sis Clarkson on Wednesday. A member drove her and her comp. Sis Cole,  down from Hopkinsville, KY. I hope this week was better than the last with even just a spiritual moment or understanding just even one more Tagalog word. That's a big deal!

Emily Mount reached out to me to ask how you were doing. I told her the hard week you were having and she said: "Robbi had a really hard time at first too. I think it's harder for those who leave the country and also that have to learn a new language, nothing is familiar to them. But it's also a rare opportunity to completely trust in the Lord and lean on Him. Please let her know I am praying for her."

She also said: When Robbi first arrived there in Manila, he was terrified to go to the islands, and I think it was six weeks into his mission that he was sent to the islands, after arriving on the island he never wanted to return to the city again. The islands are what hold his heart."

Then the next day, she sent this little quote to me by Jeffrey R Holland (1st pic) and said: For Megan

She's so sweet!! 

I was reading this morning and found some clarity and understanding that I think pertains to you right now. It also has helped me too or anyone else that may be struggling with different things at any point in their life. 

So let's talk about Lehi and his dream in 1 Nephi 8, there's the part where Lehi follow the man in the white robe and immediately enters into a mist of darkness. Why did this happen? Shouldn't following Christ and doing what we're supposed to do make our path clear?

Why do bad things happen on days I tried the hardest? That is the burning question I think we all have. Sometimes, even when our daily efforts are on point, we are still in the hands of the adversary and wonder why. Unfortunately, we are not immune to hard times. But instead of doubting our efforts, God or the Spirit, think of how you were guided that day to be better or do a little more. Then we can think about how much more difficult the situation would have been had you not tried harder that day. 

The gospel is not there to prevent hard times from happening, but to make those hard times doable and easier. You are an amazing girl and are so capable of more than you think you can. 

So now, if you go to Ether 12:27, we read that when you come unto Christ, He shows you your weaknesses... He doesn't comfort you, He makes you face what's weakest in you and then strengthens you as you pass through adversity and as you choose to be humble and trust Him. 

You will always have what you need to make it through ANYTHING! He knows the way because He is the way. When you have times of darkness or discouragement cross your path, just calm your thoughts in a quiet place and listen for Him. "Behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we shall fall; then let us go forth." Alma 56:46

If you can just get over the "mist of darkness" portion of your trials these next few months, the path will become much more clear. You'll be a better and stronger missionary. Just keep going! 

I love you so much!!

I hope that these quotes help you and remind you to keep going. You're never alone!!

Love, 

Mom

Philippines Quezon City Mission

 Attached is a letter from President Koster regarding your daughter, Sister Megan Lindsay Smoot and her arrival to the Quezon City Philippine Mission.

Thank you for sharing her with us!


Warmest Regards,

Sister Ferney 
Quezon City Missionary Secretary
2012049@ldschurch.org
900-4720

the people have asked, and i have delivered

surprise 

i found a way to send all you guys pics 

sorry they suck lol this camera is horrible

walang anuman 

also you guys probably wont appreciate this, but the last district photo we all took was organized by elder willden (the crazy elder who says my social skills make up for my intelligence. i wish so badly you guys knew him because then you'd understand how nuts he is) 

 look how staged it is ahhaha 

luv u guys

make sure indie doesnt die because THE POOR THING 

We out here in the PH

these past 5 days have honestly been mushed together so pasensiya (sorry) if my email is everywhere. I am still jet lagged and tired 24/7, but I mean whats new? haha this might be a long one, and google drive is blocked on these computers so sorry because no pics to skip down to instead, this week :/

okayyy so everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong when it came to all 111 missionaries at the airport trying to fly internationally. To be honest I thought it was actually pretty hilarious haha. Half the group had a layover to San Fran and once we got there we legit had no idea where to go to get to the international flights. Just imagine 60ish eighteen and nineteen year olds wandering the airport with a ton of luggage dressed up in church clothes hahaha I was lowkey laughing to myself because everyone was so stressed, but I was just straight chillin. I kept on saying," Wow this is a mad house". Don't worry, after flying for 15 hours, we made it to the philippines and wowzers thats a whole other story. It feels just like Hawaii. I MISS HAWAII SO MUCH. Thats all.

When we got to the Philippines, they took us on this bus to get to the Manila MTC and THE TRAFFIC WAS INSANE. There's no speed limit and the people here are straight savages. They will merge into what should be your lane, but i don't think lanes are a thing here either?? its terrifying. After a good hour or two on the bus we got to the Manila MTC and everyone was so dead from traveling for two days and getting no sleep. The jetlag is insane & hits everyone mostly at night, so we legit look like walking zombies after 7pm. Perro, okay lang. Oh, the MTC here is SOBRANG MABUTI (really really nice). Like, I seriously think it is nicer than the newest part of the Provo MTC. Our rooms are like hotel rooms and the AC is cranked 24/7 everywhere haha. Lavish living I tell ya.

The other day we were able to go proselyting with other missionaries already out in the field. I LOVED IT.  We went on exchanges with one of the sisters and had to go to her area that was a little ways away. We took 3 jeepneys, and a tricee to some place in manila. I felt like I was in a dream hahaha. Those suckers are so small, idk how some of my elders who are over 6'0 are gonna fit in there. 

After an hour and a half of traveling, we made it to the other side of town and were able to teach a lesson about the Book of Mormon to a little family. The sister walked into this alley and I was so confused as to where we were going but we went to this little room under these stairs in the dark, and it was like the bottom of their home. We straight up taught a lesson under a staircase to three little girls and "nanay" (grandma/mom). It was really humbling to see how these people were living, yet they were so loving and welcoming to us. One thing I have already noticed about the filipinos is how selfless and caring they are towards others, when they have nothing. They will literally give you the shirt off their backs for you. 

We started off the lesson with the hymn "Families can be together Forever" and had the three little girls sing with us. The spirit was sooo strong and I could not stop smiling. It hit me that I was going to be able to do this everyday for the next 17 months, and how privileged I was to be apart of this experience. How did I get so lucky to be here at this exact moment, able to feel a glimpse of the love Heavenly Father has for each of his children?? I said a prayer in my heart thanking Him for everything that has brought me to this exact point in my life.

 I definitely do not know any tagalog. Whatsoever. I had no idea what anyone was saying when they spoke. But, being in that lesson hearing the other sister missionary testifying of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, you could feel the spirit and ah I wish I could describe it better, I loved it so much. It's so amazing to think that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the same all around the world. I was able to share my favorite scripture (Alma 26:12... check it out ) and bear my testimony in taglish, so I mean, little by little I'll get there haha

It started pouring by the time we finished and it got me stoked for the next 17 months being able to trek through this rain lol joke lang. The presidency at the MTC told all of us to not walk through the water because there's rat pee and sewage in it that have killed 10% of filipinos. They ended with "The Philippines is trying to kill you". Me: great

Tomorrow is balut night hahaha rip. If you don't know what that is, look it up and try not to gag :)

I love you all. Count your blessings. Say your prayers. Remember who you are (& as mom would say, don't let that get ya down hahahaha) okay for real choose the right and tell everyone you love them. 

mahal kita

Sister Smooty

Tender Mercies ❤️❤️

Hi Megs!

I had to share this perfect quote with you!! All day on Weds I was thinking about you and your flight schedule. I knew you’d be at the airport a bit early and was so worried about how you were feeling. I wanted to know if you were happy. I wondered if you had everything you needed. And as I’m looking at your flight schedule and checking the flight status with the phone in my hand, I get the text and pic of you from the sweet stranger. 

WHAT A TENDER MERCY!! At that very moment I knew Heavenly Father heard me and answered my prayers. 

Just as you asked in your email to pray for you, I’ve been praying for you with the language. In just these few short weeks you’ve already learned so much!! The gift of tongues is real!!!!!

In your blessing when you were set apart, you were blessed  “that as you begin your missionary service here at the MTC, particularly, that the gift of knowledge, that as you study the language, Tagalog, you’ll be able to quickly learn and understand, that you’ll be able to be a wonderful missionary, being able to communicate with the people in the Philippines.” So continue to have faith and listen to that still small voice. 

We love you!! Can’t wait to hear from you soon!! 

Love, 

“Mother”