Hello.
Lots is changing in the mission in the coming months. Let me
quote my mission president's email to give you an idea.
"Over the next few weeks and months our mission will grow
from about 205 missionaries to 285 missionaries. That growth is unprecedented
and exciting but it will require the help and cooperation from everyone in the
mission...For example, the church has not had enough lead time to order the new
cars needed to accommodate the additional missionaries so for the next 5-6
months, and probably longer, many areas that have had cars in the past will now
be walking, biking, busing, or sharing a car....We will be opening up about 40
new areas....Due to language, gender, or other issues, we will have some
missionaries training after being in the field only 5 weeks. We will also have
some trainers training more than one missionary at a time."
Goodness!
It is an extremely, extremely exciting time to be a missionary.
I am so grateful to be serving and to be where I am. So first up is transfer
news. I am sure you are all dying to know what is going on:) Elder Wendt is
going to leave Windsor to serve in North Bay. He, like me, loves the snow so he
is very excited to go up to the "True North" and see a real Canadian
winter. :) He is such a good missionary and will do great work up there.
I am sad I only got to spend 6 weeks with him. Such is the life of a missionary,
eh? I am staying here in Windsor and will be training again! I am excited. We
will drive to Brampton (Four hour drive...woof) tonight and I'll get my trainee
tomorrow. The new companionship isn't coming until next transfer so we will be
working with all the same investigators and that is really awesome in some ways
and...less in others. It will be an exciting transfer in Windsor.
It was a great week, but I forgot my planner back at the
apartment and that is the only way I can remember all that happened. All the
days just blur together. Highlights: Dinner with a Sudanese family while on
exchanges in Leamington where I had more foofoo and....cow intestines...tasty
but hard to get over what it is...I would eat it again but definitely not very
often....*shudder*....Two great lessons with our Chinese investigators. They
are the best. Both of them just have such a sincere desire to change
and to come closer to God. I love it. One of them, David, said the best
prayer yesterday after we taught him the Plan of Salvation. He said
"Thank you for this plan. I think it is a good plan. Help me to work
hard to make this plan to come true." It was such a spiritual, tender
experience. If we had Mandarin speaking missionaries he would have been
baptized months ago. It just takes us a little longer to help him
understand. He is great. That is really all that I can remember from this
week. I just love being a missionary and I am so excited to continue to grow
and to learn and to gain a stronger testimony of the things I have know all my
life. I love to see the changes the gospel makes in the lives and
countenances of the people that we teach. What a blessing to be a
missionary!
I love you all very much and I keep you in my prayers.
Work hard, study hard, pray hard! Do good things!
Love,
Elder E. Smith
PS: GREAT NEWS! I
beat Elder Wendt in tracting soccer!!!! 2-0!!!! We played with a
little metal bell we found and I did so good! Be so proud of me
:):)
luvs!
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