Something
really crazy has happened in the last week since Sister Hale arrived: I seem to
be a missionary and not just a trainee.
Hm. Yes, all of a sudden I've
been a bigger part of the planning process, teaching process, laughing
process...Hahaha. All of these changes
are great!! I feel so blessed that there
are three of us in Ithaca now! I felt so
overwhelmed most of the time last transfer because there was so much to learn,
and now (literally since Sister Hale arrived) I feel like I have accepted my
calling and am receiving the blessings of that acceptance. Having someone new in Ithaca also helps me to
feel like I need to step up, speak up, and serve. When there's someone else hanging onto the
line, I find I'm more inclined to hold tight for the both of us. I probably should have been experiencing this
with Sister Takapu because we ARE companions, but she is so able and such a
good missionary that I think I just took it for granted that she could handle
everything. Pff. How ridiculous of me. Anyway, that is the largest miracle I have
seen in my life this past week, and large it is, I'm telling you. I'm an able missionary of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and I can do His work because He has called me and qualified me for
it! Yeah. :)
It is kind
of tricky having three of us, but we have been trying to find ways to involve
ward and branch members in the work for a while and now we have a great way to
do that--"doubling in." We can
go on splits with a sister from the branch or ward and meet with double the
amount of people we normally could! It's
GREAT! Unfortunately, this means I won't
be able to teach with or be with my trainer (Sister Takapu), but it's a
wonderful opportunity for the work and also my own personal growth as a new
missionary (very self-centered of me, I know).
A less
active sister from the branch made it to the ward meetings yesterday!! She really is active except in church
attendance, because she's had to work every Sunday for about...a year or
so. But we encouraged her to come to at
least Sacrament meeting every Sunday to renew the covenants she made at baptism
and feel the Spirit in greater abundance, and she finally talked to her boss
and now she's able to come for a lunch break!
Little steps. I think I may have
told you about her already, but...I forget.
Anyway, she's going to buy another sister's car in a couple of weeks so
she'll be able to get to church more easily!!
Woo hoo! It's great.
I can't
believe it's February! THIS IS
INSANE. And I can't believe Matt will
get home at the end of March. Or that
Dallin is already home. Wow. Oh, guess what--the new elder in the area,
Elder Cutler, went to BYU when I did and he lived in Maeser Hall which is where
most of my buddies lived (Dallin, Matt, John, Davis, Blake, James, Shawn,
Bryce, etc.)! Haha. Yeah, I saw him and I thought, I know
him. And then that night I was still
pondering this puzzle--why do I know him, how?
Then it hit me: he lived in the basement of Maeser Hall. The next time I saw him, I informed him of
this connection. Let's not call me
creepy, okay? Anyway, it turns out he
had gone to EFY one year with Davis, and he home taught...erm...Blake,
maybe? It's such a small world! He has been serving for about 17 months
now. We went to the Family History
Center this week with a lovely lady, Suzie, from the Food Pantry this week, and
we had a blast. She is so so funny. And so loving--seriously, she's very
lighthearted, but you always know that she really cares.
Anyway, I
don't have lots of time left--we want to get back and write some LETTERS. Woo woo!
I'm quite behind, you see, and we have had VERY busy P Days for the past...transfer. Hahaha.
I love you so so much, and I'm sorry this is relatively short, but I'll
write some letters and look forward to reading your emails next week!!! Oh, and THANK YOU for the cds and the book
and the letters!! You are so kind to me,
the strange Smith in 'York. Hem hem.
Oh, one more
thing--I climbed a tree in Sapsucker Woods!
I love you!
Sister Smith
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