I am officially in Derby, KS just outside of Wichita with Sister Hannah. We are serving in the Ridgepoint Ward and also (found out last second) we cover the entire YSA stake.. the Rock Road Branch. Oh and they took away our car last minute soooo we have been biking our booties off this week haha. Hence, the "thelma's baaack!!" (Sis Murphy and I named our bikes Thelma and Velma).  We live with members here. (The Swopes) she is the RS pres. And their house is super nice. Derby is a pretty nice area... like the
houses are suuuper new/nice. Our ward boundaries are pretty nuts and it is definitely not an ideal biking area. it is like a strip of land horizontal.

Leaving Topeka was again one of the hardest things I have done. Saying bye to everyone we were teaching there was seriously heart wrenching... especially because that area is on fire right now! BUT I do trust that the Lord has called me here. I don't fully understand it yet but I am giving Him my all to figure it out.

Tender mercies galore this past weekend. The Lord is truly spoiling us and helping me big time with this hard transfer. Our first day out working we talked to sooo many people! Mainly just street contacting and it was
awesome. On our way to check up on a potential investigator, we met Megan and Kadesha at the park. Megan is 13 and Kadesha is 19 and they are sisters. We got to know them a bit and testified to them of the restored gospel and how it has blessed us and our families. Kadesha had actually just gone to the meeting with Elder Bednar with a friend!!! SO prepared. We set an appointment for the following day and taught them the Restoration and invited them to be baptized. They are now preparing for April 12th!  Also, we set up a church tour that very next day. Kadesha bailed but Megan came and guess what? Miracle of a teamup. We invited Rachel in the ward to come with because they are the same age and they ended up already being
besties!!! Soooo perfect. Megan came to church on Sunday and LOVED it. I am super excited to continue teaching them.

Church yesterday was great. Met lots of people and it is pretty awesome attending two sacrament meetings.. (we have to leave the ward during sunday school to get to the branch on time) Goal for the week: get to know the ward, make them LOVE us, and work with them as much as possible. Sister Hannah has been out for one transfer but she is a very powerful missionary and we are going to see sooo many miracles this transfer!

I am so grateful for the restored gospel and this time as a missionary to share it with everyone we possibly can. I know that our Father in Heaven truly knows me perfectly and I am soooooo beyond grateful for the guidance He gives me in my life. Especially recently. I know that He loves each of you more than you know. And I know that His church has been restored. Yesterday Elders Pack and Hamelwright taught in the branch for Sunday school.. and they compared Joseph in Egypt to Joseph Smith (specifically referencing the Liberty Jail) and man it made me miss that place so much. I know without a doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he truly was an instrument to restore the fullness of the gospel back to the Earth. It is almost too good to be true.

I am so glad to hear jen is doing well!!! miracles! And I will definitely keep Aunt Kristine in my prayers.

I love you all!
Sister Smartt