I hope to Tainan!!!

Dear Family,

This week we have been able to improve in a lot of areas, but always more to do! I found out today (a little early, so it might not actually be true...we will see) that I will probably be moving and Sister Lethco will be going Senior in this area. So I get to move again....I hope to Tainan!!! I have always wanted to serve there...hopefully! Keep me in your prayers. Moving is always a bit hard, so I am glad I get a little extra time to start packing. Since I have been here for three movecalls...that is a lot of stuff. Anyway, fun part of the Mission life.

This week we also had sister exchanges...a little earlier than normal. I took around a Sister from the North District (Beiqu) named Sister Hancock! She is Sister Devictoria's trainee (my old companion). It was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much fun. Sister Hancock and I helped three potential investigators become real new investigators! It was so amazing! No one stood us up and we felt the spirit soo strongly. I had such a great time being with Sister Hancock! She is amazing---definitely a great addition to our mission family. So from that one day we received three new investigators! The adding trend kept up for the rest of the week too. Definitely a miracle since we hit quite the slump after our baptisms. Heavenly Father is definitely blessing us!!

In the recent convert/ less actives area, we had such great success working in unity with the ward. Our ward mission leader, wife and two children spent about five hours with us visiting less active members. It was soooo great!!!!!! We were able to travel soo quickly (since we were in a car) and really help out. First we had a great lesson with our new member that just switched wards. Afterwards they took us all out to lunch--she really felt the love. Then we helped clean a friend's house and visited some of the lonely elderly members. It was such a great day of service and love. We have also been able to meet with the relief society presidents and a Bishop to know the needs of our wards better. Since we met with them we were also invited to sit in in their bi-monthly correlation meetings! It will be so great!!!

On the study bit, I have been reviewing mission goals I have and re-adjusting to be able to accomplish them before the end of my mission. It is so bizarre to think I only have six months left....so strange. But I still have plenty of time left to do what the Lord wants me to do---and that is baptize and rescue! Will do! I am currently serving with three Elders who will be on the same plane ride home with me. Today we had a surprise birthday party for my companion---soo hard to do, but I was successful :)--and we all played frisbee and went out to a nice lunch. It was pretty funny being with those other three Elders and making jokes about how we only have four transfers left (four in Chinese is commonly associated with "death" since it sounds like the same word in Chinese) and how it means we are "dying" soon. I can't believe I have become an "old" missionary! What the heck?!

Anyway, due to the birthday celebrations, time is on the short-side, as usual. I don't think I'll be able to send personal emails at all actually. I am sorry!!!!! But I will write more next week...after I move!! It will be the Chinese New Year on the 22nd, so it is a little hard moving at this special time, but it'll be ok! It will be a great way for me to meet my new wards since we usually get treated out to dinner quite a bit. It is like our Christmas season basically.

Well, all for now, but I love you all and will be hailing from a new home base soon!! Woot!

Love,

Sister Brooke Smith