Sister Elizabeth Ashley Smith: Days Left 15 Othello, Wa. The first of the lasts

Hello people!

Man. This week has been so busy...which is a good thing!!

We had zone conference this week...and it was my last one :( It was SUPER good. I also got to see Sis Gifford again!!! The trainings were all about becoming converted and how Christ can change our personalities, our desires, our hearts, all of it. It was awesome because I've really been able to experience that on my mission. At zone conference they always have the missionaries who are departing give their final testimony (typically called a "trunkamony"), so it was my turn this go round. And I made it through without crying! *fist pump* ....and then Sis Gifford and I had to say goodbye and the faucets turned right on. Sigh. I hate all these "last" things...last zone conference, last district meeting, last P days, all that. I HATE IT.

Anywhoozle. We helped out at a track meet to do timing and stuff, and a high school from Yakima was there, and I ran into a whole bunch of kids from the wards I served in! That was pretty awesome. PLUS, one of the kids I helped teach and who got baptized in September (Hunter, if you remember that name) is going on a mission soon!! YAY!!! Augh. It's been so cool working with the young women in this ward as well...I've been able to help 4 of them decide to go on missions. :) Good stuff.

We had our ward activity on Friday, and it was a HUUUUUGE success!! We had people make and bring food from all around the world. We had invited Monica to come, and last week she told us she had a confession...she had talked about the activity at work so much that all her coworkers wanted to come, and would that be okay? HA! We were like ummm....OF COURSE! A bunch of members had invited their friends as well, and we had over 15 nonmembers there that night. Which is a huge number for that ward. It was so awesome...we met so many people and have some followup things planned :)

Now I'm sure you're dying to know what we did for our birthday. Well....we ate. A lot. hahaha Monica and Bro Spinelli made us brunch and we had strawberries and omelettes and cake and goodness; we went to the Ramirez family's to see their new baby and they fed us again, and then to the Alvarez family's...and we had a BBQ. Mmm mm good. :) And THEN a lady in the Spanish ward made us chocoflan. Which is basically chocolate cake with flan on top. We got so spoiled. :) OH! And the elders came up with a three part harmony birthday song with my ukelele and sang it to us first thing in the morning. Twas a good birthday. :)

Life is good. I'm a year older, and definitely wiser this go round. hahaha :) Love you all!!

Smithy