Week 30, Officially SIX Months Out! - Goals and Blessings

HI!

So it's been a much better week than last...Thank you so much for the love and prayers. They were definitely felt this week. I received a blessing after hearing of Grandma Barker's passing, and felt the love and strength that was sent from home. With it came greater patience and peace than I'd had in a while.

Sis Hermana Mitchell fell out of a tree...We're all good :)

Sister Mathis and I are getting along much better. I have felt an outpouring of love and gratitude for both her and all the missionaries I get to serve with. I do believe that some of my frustration was from feeling overwhelmed with the bad news from home and Corinth. In fact, I have learned so much from Sister Mathis this week. She takes EVERYTHING to the Lord, and I admire that so much. She is willing to strengthen my testimony by sharing hers with me.

P-Day Hike

Sister Mathis and I made a goal to learn to love tracting! Haha.. We had some amazing experiences because of it, and I know the Lord is providing opportunities because we set a goal, and began working for it. The other night we ended up with a handful of new potential investigators, and even tracted into a man who knows a memeber in the Hoover ward. They have some classes together, and have talked about the Gospel a bit, from what it sounds like. Last night was very sismilar as we were searing for some less active members. We would try to tract a bit in each neighborhood we went to, and again had great success talking with people. We met a young man at one house, who seemed very interested, and asked a lot of questions. I got the feeling he'd been thinking about looking for a church. I think that sometimes we can almost sense from the spirit, those who the Lord is preparing. He took a Book of Mormon, and wants us to come back. I'm grateful for these experiences.

I hope everyone is doing well, and knows how much I love them!
Xoxox Sis Smith  

Prologue

1. Mom, Crazy thing! While on an exchange, I met Riley's wife's Dad and
step mom! I saw their wedding announcement hanging on the wall of a home we
were at, and was like I know them... Turns out I was at Sariah's Dad's
house haha. They live in the STL's area.

-Sister Training Leader's are like the female equivalent of Zone Leaders.
We go on exchanges with them once a transfer.
-How am I related to Riley? Is he your second cousin? I just call him my
cousin...
2. Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers on Saturday! Totally made my
day brighter. Was thinking of you all at home, and sending my love as
Grandma's life was celebrated across the country :)

It also rained like crazy on Sat, which made everything look beautiful. I
don't mind tracting in the rain. Sister Mathis hates it will all her heart.
She's from St. George.
3. Mikaela and her two girls Periana, and Olivia! They have been coming to
church with us for three weeks now! Guess which one is Liv.... haha. Sass!

They are so sweet. Mikaela has a lot of faith, and reads everything we give
her. It's been so amazing to see her humility as she works through the
questions she has, and seeks for truth.
4. While on exchanges, Hermana Sheffield and I went visiting teaching with
Sariah's Step Mom. We drove way out into the woods. Alabama is so crazy,
because you can't see anything past the thick forests. We were in trees,
and then we were suddenly in this beautiful little cluster of homes on the
Banks of the Hurricane Creek, and Black Warrior River.

There is hidden land

like this everywhere, so it's not coveted property, like it would be back
home. The houses aren't big or necessarily nice. But they're so cool!
Probably little old fisherman homes, expanded.