Emails from April 5

I am way behind on posting to Sami's blog - something to do with all the last minute details (and genealogical research) for my trip to Europe in 2 weeks. I have asked her sister Jennie to help keep up the blog, so hopefully between the two of us we can do so - even on the 5 weeks that we are having our own adventure in Europe visiting some of the areas that our ancestors came from.
April 5 was Sami's 22nd birthday!
First her very very short letter to us!
Thanks so much for the videos everyone!!! I couldn't really understand your video, Mom, but I will try again next week on a different computer. This will be short. I went to the mission office to drop off letters and they gave me cake (look how well the mission takes care of me). Everyone there (including Presidente Chavez sang to me). AHHHH. Speaking of President Chavez, I haven written him and I am running out of money at the computer.

I'm sorryyyyyyyy....
Goodbyeeeee........
love,  Sami

p.s. Thank you Mike and Jeannie!!! Replies next week!!!!!

Now a rough translation of her letter to President Chavez:
President Chavez,

First, thank you very much for singing at the office. What a blessing to be so close and able to eat cake. Some days ago I realized that my birthday was very close. I began to ponder where I was a year ago and what I've achieved this year. A year ago I was waiting to get my mission call and was very excited and somewhat anxious. Most of this past year I spent on my mission, and that has been a blessing to me. I am firm in my belief that I have learned more in these last eight months that in all my life before, or at least more about the things of God and how I can apply them in my own life. That is why I am so grateful and would not change anything.

Something that I felt this week is that I have to improve my organization. In the Scriptures it says that God organized the material to carry out the creation. Being an attribute of the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and one that I have problems with, I felt a distinct impression that if I want to be prepared to teach the sector and help another missionary to the transition between the CCM and the mission field, I have to start right now to become more organized.

I feel this sector will improve my faith and diligence and my dependence on the Lord, something I've wanted to learn from the beginning of my mission. I'm ready for His guidance. I'm trying to make the necessary changes so that He can guide me better in his way.

I know we could have no difficulty is too big for the Lord. That gives me comfort and courage to go forward with faith in the mercy of his arms.

I hope to continue to learn even more in this next year of my life.

with love,
Hermana Smith
And finally her letter to Jennie:
 Jennifer Lynnette Smith,

Thanks for the birthday message and little chicken. ! Thanks for liking my song! General Conference was awesome! Really though, I think I was the most attentive and have gotten the most out of these past two conferences than in all my time before. I got to watch them in English which = big blessing. Have you tried to watch them in French? Definitely not the same.

They talked so much about the family, inspired you to do something about it? hehe...just kidding...hehe. I started to see my investigators as my children and then I thought, "if this how I did with my investigators, how much more am I going to mess up my real kids?" Aww, not really. But it is a lot of responsability and that thought hits you every once in a while.

have an awesome week and enjoy the last session of General Conference, don worry, I won tell you how it ends. :)

love,
Sami