A Week of Miracles

Querida familia,

Well this week has been going great. A lot of the elders in our zone and district and sisters in our apartment were sick. We've been fighting it, and we ended up adding 8 investigators last week. That's right--count it up. That was a miracle! We actually had five in one day, which was amazing. Our goal for a typical week is usually to add three new investigators, so we're really excited to get our investigator pool moving a little bit more. We have a few investigators who are turning into what seems like "eternals," but President Lewis reminded us in his weekly email to "be bold because you love." Each of our investigators' situations is so unique, but ultimately it comes down to keeping the commandments and following Christ. I have been really bold with them, but I'm going to try to be more bold because I love them. I want to see a few more miracles before I leave Stockton. (She thinks she'll be transferred on November 28th).

Something neat that we get to do here is go on Mormon.org for two hours a month, so we're getting on for 30 minutes per week at the Family History Center in our Stake Center. We invite everyone to visit our website every day, so as missionaries we get to scope out what they're going to see. It's very well made with great videos. Y'all should make Mormon.org profiles--I actually got to see Stacy's profile the other day; that made me really happy--especially because she talked about her reactive arthritis and how the gospel of Jesus Christ has helped her cope with the challenges of this and everything else in her life. I know that this is the way--that what we teach every day is true. The gospel of Jesus Christ really does help physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I'm grateful to be engaged in so great a cause. I'm grateful for my testimony of such simple things--of faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, the power of prayer, keeping the commandments, the Book of Mormon. This is so missionary of me, but I'm sad in the morning at the end of my personal study when I have to stop reading the Book of Mormon. I wish I could read that book for hours and hours. It means so much more to me on my mission--I'm grateful for the application it has for me in my life and that I can teach others how it applies and can bless their lives.

So... Jo. We went to church with him last Friday. Yes, we got permission from President to drive to Lodi to go to church with him and his family because he invited us. It was great--different from our church. It was like a great Bible study. We got there and people were praying all over the room and crying and singing--that lasted for about an hour and then we all got in a circle and read from John 12. The person in charge had Jo introduce and Jo was so excited to introduce his friends--I am Hermana Brinkenfort or something. :) So typical. I really have resorted to introducing myself as Hermana Brinca. And then they always to tell me to jump ('brinca'). We then went to Jo's mother's restaurant the next day as a district and he said that 9 angelitos (angels) were in the restaurant that day. :) Half of the congregation of his other church works at his mother's restaurant. Yikes! But they're all so nice. I pray we'll see a miracle with him!

Let's see--right now we're working with a lot of people, but I'll name a few. Na and El are sisters whose mother is a member in Arizona--they want to be baptized. Ma has had the Book of Mormon for over 20 years--we need a miracle with him! Pe has an adorable family and we have an appt to teach them Wednesday night. Then there's Au who we taught the Plan of Salvation and sang 'Familes Can Be Together Forever' the first time we met her--yeah... sisters do that. Ya has been an investigator for over a year but we just picked her up again to start teaching her. La just needs to get married and then we can baptize her! She wants to get baptized! We're working on the marriage part. Jo--you know him. And I have a pic of him I can send home this week! Ma and Ca--we haven't been able to teach her because she got about five spider bites... And Ve whose husband is a member--a little less active, but he's going to return. And then there's Je who's on vacation in Mexico right now, but we'll get him when he returns.

We're so excited for all these people and are praying to find those who are truly prepared and ready to accept the gospel. We still have a goal as a mission to baptize 101 truly converted people in December to finish out the year with 800 baptisms. Thank you for your prayers for me and for all the missionaries. I love you! I hope you are well. Que le vaya bien. :)

Love,

kates