Sister Amanda Marie Smith: Day 439 Tacloban, Philippines MLC, Kiribati, and banana cake :)

My dearest family,

I love MLC (missionary leadership council) so much! It's nice to be with all the mature missionaries in the mission and have super spiritual discussions with President and Sister Maurer. We changed a few things: we no longer have 6pm curfew! We just have to stay in lighted areas and be smart. Also, for our exchanges we created a new form of how to evaluate how the exchanges went. Also, we're no longer over Carigara for exchanges, which is a bummer :/ But it'll be nice so we won't be so busy! Instead of 7 companionships we now have 5. I love playing on the piano at the mission home! It's actually in tune, haha.

We had a Sisters' Devotional last night. We had a get-to-know-you at the beginning and we had an awesome discussion about patience. We focused mainly on the new sisters and how to get through the hardest part of their training. In preparation, the sisters had studied patience and then each shared experiences thus far in the mission. A common theme was faith and charity. The more we realize the mission isn't about us, then it doesn't matter if we think we are qualified or whatever. God qualifies those whom He calls.

I've noticed that I'm quieter in large groups of people, so being an STL has really helped me to go outside of myself and stop being content with keeping to myself. I've learned how to reach outside my comfort zone. This gospel is not a comfortable lifestyle. We must be continually stretching and growing! :)

Random: Do you have any awesome cake recipes that you can send me? like Grandma Lamb's chocolate oatmeal cake? There's a member here who loves baking cakes and wants to collect recipes from America. Maybe a lemon or carrot cake too. (She's going to make them for us if we give her the recipe, haha). She made the best banana cake for us the other night at our FHE. i need to get the recipe still. :)

I had a cool experience while teaching some members and less-actives about missionary work. I shared with them my own experience in the healing power of missionary work after Typhoon Yolanda. After the typhoon, I honestly didn't feel like going back to work. I just wanted to spend a day or two to write in my journal, sleep and recover. But things didn't happen that way. And there was a reason it happened that way. I was able to learn this way how to reach outside myself and help others even though all I wanted was to think about myself. I was able to recover so much quicker as I immersed myself in missionary work and helping my companion through her own trials. There is true healing and enabling power in missionary work!!

There's a new senior couple here from Missouri in their early 50s. They aren't even retired yet, but they felt very strongly that this is what they need to do. Elder Anderson's story is incredible! He's only been active for the past 7 years. He bore his testimony in sacrament meeting about how he used to be an alcoholic drinking 18 beers every night, and two packs of cigarettes a day. He got to the point that he wanted to just end his life, unless God could heal him. The answer came to him that he needed to do missionary work and fast. At first he was shocked by the answer. "Wait, so I"m supposed to hand out a Book of Mormon in one hand, with a cigarette in the other?!!!" But he did it! And after a year, he decided to start fasting too. And his desire to drink went away and he hasn't had a drink ever since! His wife has only been active for maybe 3 years i think so this will be a big trial of their faith.

Thanks so much for all the conference talks again! i have another request, but i don't know the title or author. . . but it's about the gifts of the spirit that usually aren't talked about or mentioned specifically in the scriptures (ex; the gift of weeping). If you could find it that would be awesome!!

Scripture of the week: 1 Nephi 21:16
I love how this scripture reminds us of the Savior and how He continually remembers us because of the tokens in His hands. Whenever I read this scripture, I am reminded of a memorable YW lesson by my old YW leader, Linda Bowles. I can't remember what she said, but she made me feel the love of the Savior and how real the Atonement is. And it's stuck with me forever since. :) I know God is real. And so is the celestial kingdom. It is a real place with real people. It will actually happen someday!

I love you all! Stay strong and read ;your scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon) daily--personally AND as a family. "Scripture power keeps me safe from sin! Scripture power is the power to win! Scripture power! Every day I need the power that I get each time I read."

Love always,
Sister Amanda Smith :D