Katy's homecoming talk

Everyone is invited and welcome to attend this Sunday while Katy speaks about her mission, her experiences and Jesus Christ

Sunday, December 16th @ 11 a.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

1500 California Lane

Arlington, Texas 76015

If you have any questions, please email me: stacybthiot@gmail.com

I'll be home for Christmas

Querida familia,

I have a lot of things on my mind with more things continuing to pop up, so I hope I'm able to express myself as coherently as possible. This December we have a Christmas theme of a White Christmas. We all know it won't snow here, but we'll have a white Christmas seeing many truly converted people baptized this month. Because of that, it's also a miracle month, and as a mission, when we experience miracles, we call them in to share them with the zone and the whole mission eventually. (I haven't been the best at doing that, though.) On Tuesday we had a meeting with all the zone leaders (and exchange sisters) where we discussed our mission goals. Our goal is to have each companionship baptize at least one person during December. Our zone leaders called us after the meeting and asked us to call in a miracle that day. I got off the phone and told Sister Marroquin that we had to have a miracle and call it in. She was really confused and said that hopefully we'd get one. I told her that we would get one because we were assigned a miracle and there was just no other option. :) So we were searching for a miracle all day and I was sure it was going to be one of those instances where you work so hard all day and at 8:30 before you turn home you would meet that golden person who want to be baptized. But it didn't happen that way.

We met a potential investigator a few weeks ago who told us that she is surrounded by negative people and that when we knocked on her door she felt hope and peace. Her mom is not our biggest fan (or the biggest fan of missionaries or church or something, we're not sure), so when she answers the door we don't even get a "hi" in before the door is shut in our faces. We have been trying to look for Sandra, and she had told us the week before that she was moving into a different apartment in the same building, and since we can't get any info from her mom we did what missionaries do best and started knocking every door. This building is really funky because there are four hallways (three floors) that meet up in the middle and we got completely lost and forgot which doors we had knocked before. So we started and we ended up seeing a lady from the week before who had already rejected us, and then I remembered she told us the woman across from her spoke Spanish but was rarely home. So after apologizing and saying goodbye we knocked the neighbor's door. Tamara opened the door and told us about how she has been going to various churches and is not satisfied with how people don't even prepare to go to church (just roll out of bed) or they just throw Christ's name out there just for the sake of saying it. We told her how much our Savior means to us and bore testimony that she will be happy and satisfied with the message we share. She let us in, and we met her daughter who's 16 and her son who's 2. Tamara speaks perfect English but is from... PUERTO RICO! We had a great lesson with her--she and her daughter were very receptive and she said she wants her children to be baptized. We told her the little way can wait till he's 8 :) and we invited them to church on Sunday. The next day we went by to ask if they want to go to church in Spanish or English (because her daughter doesn't speak Spanish), and they chose Spanish (I think because they really like us... we probably shouldn't have gone back... but they were our miracle... and we gave them the option...). They came to church! They were excited about it! And they loved it. And they said they will be baptized.

That was our miracle. My last week and we met such an amazing family. We taught about the Restoration last night, and they accepted that we have a living prophet (Tamara said, "I've been wondering where the Noahs and Moseses are now." What?). Tamara's uncle had a Book of Mormon and she never read it and was really happy when I had a copy to leave with them in English. She said that everything clicked during the lesson, that it makes sense and she feels that it's right. We were a little dumbfounded by her response (it's what we pray for every single day, probably 20 times a day) but assured her that it's true. I broke the news to them that I was leaving this week and they wanted to know when I was coming back. :) They were a little confused at church when the bishop asked me and Elder Sarmiento (who's also leaving for Peru) to bear our testimonies.

Oh, that's another story. I got up and of course just started crying. I have been serving in Del Norte for 9 months now, putting all my strength, my heart, my mind into the members here and their neighbors. They are my family, and I am going to miss them so much. If only I could see my family and go to the Del Norte ward on Sunday... When I said that it was my last week on my mission, I heard an "Awww" from the right side of the chapel. I looked over and saw my friend Viri with a sad face. Sister Marroquin said that a lot of the women in the ward were crying--"You even made our investigator cry!" haha and Tamara didn't even know what was going on.

Heavenly Father has blessed me on my mission. I thought I was going to be a wreck during lessons, but I never cried when I taught people. I didn't cry when bearing my testimony. But it's been a tearful week this week. I had my departing interview with President on Saturday and cried through the whole thing. I assured President that I have a very emotional family (sorry to rat you out) and that it's nothing to worry about. At the end of the interview he asked if I had any question for him. I asked him what I should do when I go home, but he didn't have the magic answer. :) He did ask me if he could give me a blessing, and it was a really beautiful blessing. He told me some really special things. One of the most special things is knowing that I was sent to this mission to serve with President Lewis. I'm sure the Jardines (the former mission president) was great, but when I get their picture in my call letter, it didn't feel right. When Grandpa told me that I was actually getting a new president (who I met when I was in the MTC), I felt a lot more peaceful when I saw their picture online. In the MTC I heard that missionaries are often chosen to go to a certain place because of the mission president. And I know that is true for me. Dad, you have some competition because he said if I want to live in Utah he will call some of his sons who have their own businesses. :)

Oh no, too many things running through my head and not enough time or brain power to remember what I was going to say. A lot of missionaries say they are not ready to go home when the time comes because they love their missions so much. President told us a while ago that we can go home either feeling the pain from hard work or of feeling regret. I am going home with the pain from hard work, and I am grateful for that. I have spent my physical and emotional energy, and although I am extremely sad to leave my family here, I know that I am starting a new mission. This was just a spring board, and I don't see it as ending my mission. Tracting is going to end (and for the most part I oddly like tracting), inviting people to be baptized is going to end, the tag is going to come off and I won't stand out anymore. But President doesn't make mistakes--like when he has a read the talk The Challenge to Become by Elder Oaks time and time again. I am converted to this gospel. I know that this is Christ's church, and although I don't know what kind of person I will really be after my mission, I will forever be a missionary. Maybe not a full-time one. But I can't even imagine losing sight of the things I have learned and treasured here--Elder Holland would give me a lecture for that, and it wouldn't be pretty. (He came and spoke to us in January and I was literally on the first row smack dab in front of him when he said you can't even think about walking away from what you have taught on your mission. Got the message!)

Thank you for all your love and support. Your prayers have helped me have the physical and spiritual strength to serve this past year and a half with all my heart, might, and mind. President invited us to read two scriptures every day until Christmas: Luke 2:10-11. And the angel said unto them: Fear not. For I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is CHRIST the Lord. I know that we will have no fear and we will be able to accomplish all our Heavenly Father has for us because of the birth, life, and death of His Son Jesus Christ.

Love,

Hermana Brinkerhoff

Walking on water

Hermosa familia,

This week has been a wet one. Oh yeah, and I went on two exchanges, one of which was on bikes. That was an adventure--squeezing my backpack under my raincoat and not caring one bit about the state of my frumpy hair. And the poor bike I was riding is one of the elder's, and it was all duct taped and one of the brakes didn't work. I was a sight to behold. But the end of the night brought an amazing miracle. That morning during companionship study, Sister Angimarau (from Kiribati) and I role played contacting someone whose husband recently passed away. Well that night I asked Sister A if we could go visit one of her investigators, and on the way she turned to go see a potential that they had been trying to visit. We rode up to the house and they invited us right in and made us some hot chocolate--she felt so bad for us on our bikes. The potential is Jackie, and she told us that her ex-husband had just passed away the Thursday before. It made her think a lot about the purpose of life and where we go after, and she said her daughter has been struggling with the passing of her father. Sister A and I had a flashback to companionship study--it was a little trippy. We taught Jackie about the plan of salvation and she said that this is something she really needs in her life right now. She couldn't stop talking about how grateful she was that we would remember and visit her out in the rain and cold on our bikes. She is excited to go to church and read the Book of Mormon. We invited her to be baptized when she knows what we teach is true and she said, "Oh absolutely." Miracle Jackie. The bad thing about exchanges is that it makes me really sad when I can't keep teaching them...

My other exchange was in El Dorado Hills, which is a ritzy city. The sisters live in a literal mansion. For morning exercise, we played volleyball and racquetball in the indoor gym. They have a theater room and I don't even know what else--it was incredible. I didn't feel like a missionary. That's why they moved in with the Gomms after the exchange. :) And the Gomms--this is a good one. I was roommates with their daughter for two years at EFY BYU. I guess it's a good thing I didn't serve in English work. I also met Kamille's in-laws during the exchange... Oh yeah, so I slept in a queen-sized bed during the exchange (attached pic).

We had a mission-wide Spanish activity on Friday night after zone conference with Elder and Sister Porter. President wanted me to have an interview with Elder Porter, and Elder Porter was probably really confused why because I'm going home so soon. But he gave me soon good tips of what to do when I get home. The Spanish activity was a tour of paintings from the Book of Mormon by a Brasilian artist, folkloric dances from Mexico and Brasil, the missionaries sang a song, President and Sister Lewis spoke, there was a video about the Book of Mormon, a potluck from different countries, photo booth. I got to see people from my first two areas, which was really neat, and one man from Stockton now lives in Lodi, and he told me his daughter (my first convert Alicia) lives in Mexico and is still active. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And it's been raining a ton and luckily I have boots that can withstand anything. I'll attach some pics from yesterday--outside our church building.

Love you all,

kates

Pictures:

Dances and flood and a family I LOVE. Hermana Ramirez was the first person I met in the ward--she went on an exchange with me 3 months after being baptized and now they're sealed! And hermano is really proud that he can say my name. :) He always smiles when I tell him WOW GOOD JOB HERMANO!

Feliz dia de accion de gracias!

Querida familia,

I have about one minute to jot a quick note. I had to follow-up with President about an exchange I went on last week, and that stole all my time. This past week I went down for the count. I've attached a few photos that Scott should consider not looking at unless he wants to tear up. I was sick with a cold the past week and didn't really do anything special to take care of it except eat Vitamin C drops. Eventually the sore throat went away, but I got slammed with an eye infection. I got home from my exchange to Sacramento/Elk Grove on Thursday night and woke up Friday morning to a very gloopy eye. My eye was red as we did weekly planning, and I was rubbing and scratching and doing everything you shouldn't do. I thought I was just tired, so I took a quick nap during lunch and woke up with stuff in both eyes and two red eyes. I had red eyes for three days straight. I went to our ward Thanksgiving dinner with Sister Marroquin's sunglasses, and people thought I was trying to be cool like a celebrity because I was strange and wearing sunglasses inside. I ended up working with the mission nurse, the mission doctor, a former mission doctor in Utah, and eventually a real live eye doctor on Monday until I go the eye drops that did the trick. I'll be infected for two weeks, but now my eyes are white. :)

We have an investigator who has asked us some really good questions about the Plan of Salvation (she's been studying with another religious group...), so I've been having great personal studies in the morning. I've been reading Jesus the Christ. I am really grateful that Heavenly Father created a perfect plan for us. Even though we won't understand everything or have physical evidence, I'm thankful for the principle of faith--the very first principle of the gospel. I know that Christ was chosen as our Savior from the foundation of the world. I am grateful for His love, His example, and His atonement that gives us the hope to be forgiven and to move on and progress. I've expected a lot of myself as a missionary, and maybe I haven't seen as many baptisms as I imagined, but the mission has changed me. I am grateful to be truly converted and to have the desire to become more like my Savior. We just got the conference issue of the Ensign--I was reminded about how much the apostles spoke about becoming a more Christian Christian.

Love you,

kates

The sprint

Hola mi querida familia,

I hope you liked my pictures last week. I know that they were sent/posted on my blog because Sister Fernandez mentioned a few of the pics. Thanks for posting those, Stace!

I got an AMAZING package from Lisa VanGemert this past week. It says greetings from golden state of California and has everything golden in it. At the beginning of my mission she sent me a green package because I was a greenie, and now I got everything you can imagine: golden oreo cookies, Burger King gift card, gold $1 coins, Nesquik, Ohs cereal, ring pops (everything is in a yellow package), lemonhead candies, Juicy Fruit gum, a box of lemon bars mix, Swedish fish. It is INCREDIBLE. The three of us (Sister Schow, Sister Marroquin, and I) have really enjoyed the goodies. Sister Schow has been trying a lot of new things. :) Lisa, thank you SO VERY MUCH for the incredible package. I love absolutely everything in it, and especially your thoughtfulness. Oh my goodness--I don't think she should have put so much time and money into a package for me, but it has made me really happy, especially because it reminds me of the sweet memories I have in California. I didn't even know where Sacramento was before my mission and now it forever holds a precious spot in my heart.

I went on an exchange to South Sacramento/Elk Grove this past week with Hermana Toro. My little Torito. She's going to be training soon--that's just my personal opinion. I counted it up, and I've been to that very house 7 times for exchanges. So even though that's the only area I didn't serve in, I basically did serve there. Oh, and I played the piano at a wedding. That was a first... and probably a last. It was really interesting.

We are going to have a neat activity at the end of this month. All the Spanish wards and branches in the mission are invited to come to an activity in Elk Grove where there is going to be art displayed of Book of Mormon stories. There's also going to be a dance presentation of professional Hispanic dancers and food and I don't know what else it entails. I'm glad it's happening soon so I can go. That's strange... I don't feel like I'm ending. I feel like the mission is going to go on forever, but I know that isn't going to happen.

Our investigator An last night committed to a December 8 baptism. She asked why we chose that date. We told her just because... and I didn't admit because that was my last Saturday. Yikes. But I'm hoping and praying that she will be baptized that day! That would be fantastic.

Love you all,

kates

Fotos

Dear family,

Finally I figured out why my camera was acting up, so now I have pictures from a long time ago. These are all just random.

We had an investigator, Julio, at church yesterday! We went to visit him in the morning before church--good thing because he hadn't started getting ready yet. We told him we'd see him there. When we didn't see him in the chapel at 11, we called him and he said no one was outside to take him. We didn't know he didn't have a car to get there... So we said that it looked like it was going to happen because it was already after 11 and that's when church starts. But then Sister Marroquin and I thought about a member that we could call that lives by him. We called her up and they said that they would pass by and get him. That was a tender mercy. But then we called Julio and he said it wasn't going to go. I told him that they were already on the way, they were they, everything. I couldn't really understand what he was saying. Something about a box they are sending to Honduras. (They've been collecting clothes and things all year to send to their family in Honduras--the box will cost at least $300 to send. It's monstrous.) Anyway, I wasn't going to have any of that and told him to go talk to the ride because they were outside his complex. Next thing we knew, they were sitting next to us at church and Julio was sitting behind us, not a happy camper. :) But I pretended like he was really excited to be there after sacrament meeting and he ended up having a great time at church. He was smiling by the end of it and shaking all the members' hands. We finally broke a very long dry spell, and it feels so good.

This is my last transfer to go on exchanges with sisters in the mission. President said that at this point we can have 192 missionaries in the mission, but come February that number is changing to 250, and more than half of the new missionaries are going to be sisters. So he is putting a lot more responsibility on the exchange sisters--the sisters in the mission will go to us instead of their district leaders and zone leaders for sensitive/emotional issues and things like that so that we don't have 75 sisters all calling President and his wife when things go south. I am also going on full exchanges with 5 sisters and combined exchanges with one companionship, so I will be away from my area 6 times this transfer. It's going to be crazy and I'm going to be tired, but that's how I want to go out. One of my exchanges will be in Stockton, where I started my mission. I haven't served there for about a year, so that'll be good to go back for the day.

I'm going to attach pics really quickly and provide a little explanation.

1. Most of the ward before it split. Hopefully I'll get the real pic soon from bishop.

2. My friend Yeni who the zone leaders baptized in August. She's 19.

3. Bike sister for a day in Folsom with Sister Agavale and Sister Teerime. I came out with both of them.

4. Did I mention I was sore for a week after that? And I think I get to ride a bike twice this transfer.

5. Familia Bustos with a blanket that hermana knitted. She's always knitting. The kids were all baptized this summer.

6. Sacramento sunset

7. Spiderman with our friend Jordy, who's Batman. He's not a boy--he only ever acts like a superhero...

8. Recent convert Gloria laughing with Sister Toro. We have good lessons, obviously.

9. Sacramento temple.

10. Me with my island sisters

11. The elders who gave me a Spiderman doll in Stockton. "head, shoulders, knees and webs" it sings.

12. My "soccer shoes." I played soccer in the outfit I wore to the temple, and my soccer shoes got holes in them. Sister Schow loves my soccer shoes.

13. Sister Toro, Schow, me

14. We were matching at church.

15. Carinia and Freddie's baptism. The APs, Elder Verde and Elder Walker, baptized them.

16. Sister Marroquin and I at our investigator Katia's house. She loves reptiles, especially snakes. I like the bearded dragon, Pumpkin.

17. The group at Coloma--the missionaries who are leaving soon

18. Panning for gold

19. Sister Schow said she had the best birthday in years. :) success!

20. Jimmer

21. This is for Sister Fernandez. Proof I met your family in Sacramento. She baptized the Sanchez family, and I met them on an exchange. Hermano is on a singing show competition, something like "Tengo talento, mucho talento." I have talent--a lot of talent.

22. Kiddos in the ward at a ward activity--multicultural night

23. We dressed up as Nefitas y Lamanitas at the multicultural night--I actually just put it on after the activity

24. Our district at the bishop's house

Happy Halloween!

Querida familia,

You'll never guess. I am staying in East Sac for my last transfer of the mission. By the end of this transfer, I will have been here for nine whole months. That is incredible! I'm staying here with Hermana Marroquin and Sister Schow. Sister Schow told us to call her last night right when we got the call because she was "going to be on pins and needles all night without being able to sleep" if we didn't let her know. She told me yesterday morning that she prayed that President Lewis would be inspired to know where I should go this transfer. She's so precious.

We have about three people who are looking like they have a lot of potential to be baptized this transfer. We met a man last week named J who was supposedly less active but now in our ward's records. The elders in the area before us left us a sheet with his name and address and it said, "Works Sundays." So we finally made our way over there to find the two men (it was actually two men) who were less active and "worked on Sunday" and lived together. It turns out that Julio was almost baptized about a year ago and grew up in Honduras going to our church. We saw him last night and he invited us to come back tomorrow night--Halloween--so we're going to see him Thursday. He said he'll be going to church with us on Sunday! I am grateful that someone wants to go to church with us. :)

And our other investigators are all at about the same point as last week. Our investigator M wants to come to church and asked her boss for Sundays off, but he didn't give her last Sunday. She works at a carwash and Sacramento gets really rainy in the winter, so maybe it will start raining soon. :) But we're hoping that her boss will soften his heart. She had the courage to ask for it off, and we know something good will come from her faith. She wants to be baptized--the thought of being absolutely clean from everything she's done in the past is a huge relief for her. I can't believe the opposition that people face to go to church and be baptized. The world is so overpowering, and I can just imagine how Christ feels--so heartbroken for the sins of the world and that so many don't even pay attention to the real reason why we're here and the gospel that he so eloquently taught.

We went to a stake trunk or treat on Saturday night. Sister Marroquin asked me about every day if we were going to go--so we did. It was advertised in the newspaper, so it was a community event, and it was really fun. I saw the Ramirez family there (they used to go to our ward before it was split, so now they're in the new ward). Hermana gave me a hug and told me that they were sealed that day. I was overjoyed to see the smile on her face and to know that they are going to be a family forever. She was baptized last October (and her husband was baptized a few years ago), so they have been looking forward to this day for a little while.

And the Rodriguez family called me last week. They called our number just to make sure that I was still in the area, even though they know that we can't call or visit them since they're in a different zone. Hermana told me that anytime I want, their house is open--that I was part of the family. I love that family, and I wish I could know more about how they're doing, but I'll trust that Elder Muffler (who I was in the MTC with) is taking care of them. And the Ramirez family since they live a street away.

The mission has treated me well. I have had a lot of little, sweet experiences here. I am grateful for who it has made me become. It's going to be extra hard to leave because East Sac has been my home for almost a year. The members are my ward family. I guess I'll save getting weepy for another six weeks. So happy to stay!

Love,

kates

Happy Pday

Hi family,

This week was good. We are still working away--trying to find those who are searching for the truth. We have a whole list of investigators, and a lot of them are not putting in the effort to progress and receive answers, so we have decided to drop those who are not ready right now. We went to an investigator's home with this in mind and were going to finish teaching her the plan of salvation because we have been on this lesson with her for a long time now. She started asking questions of a "searcher" and was really interested in knowing the answers and finding out that what we are teaching is true. She looked at me and said, it seems like you have a lot of peace in your life. You just seem so calm, so happy. And that's what she wants. I bore testimony to her that I feel peace and happiness only through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the only way that we can be forgiven of our sins and feel light and full of hope. She expressed her desire to be baptized and said that she has been praying lately and seeing answers to her prayers. She feels more joy and said that work has been easier to deal with, although things haven't changed and it's just as hard. She said that her son was upset one day and getting out of control and she quickly said a prayer in her heart and in that moment, he completely changed. She said it was incredible--she didn't think it would be that fast. She looked at him, and his whole demeanor changed. I asked her if she prayed before we started coming over, and she said that she hadn't. She is also reading the things that we are leaving with her and seems to be in better spirits. We invited her to talk to her boss and ask for Sundays off so that she could come to church and keep the Sabbath Day holy. She finally mustered up enough courage and said she was going to do it the next day. We have been praying so much for her each day and fasted on Friday so that everything would go well with her boss, who is a really angry person. On Saturday night we passed by and she said she did it! She will find out tomorrow what he says. I'm grateful to Heavenly Father for the opportunity to see the change in one person. She desires peace and answers in her life, and we get to be part of that process. It feels really good.

In the mission we are right on track to hitting our mission goal of baptisms for the month, if we get 29 baptisms this weekend. That's a pretty lofty goal, but we have that many people firm to get baptized. We are seeing the hand of the Lord being revealed as we're working hard, setting goals, and striving to reach them. Although Sister and I haven't seen any baptisms for a while now, we're still working hard, and I know that effort is contributing to the success of the mission. 

I'm sorry--I really tried today to attach pictures. I have a lot of good ones to send, but my memory card and camera aren't working well, which I hope doesn't mean something is wrong with my hundreds of mission pictures... We had a ward activity on Friday--multicultural night. It was really nice and there was lots of food and clothing and things from different Latino countries--we had Mexico, Peru (I represented Peru in making Mazamorra Morada, which was SO good--I'll make it for you when I get home), Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, and my mind is going blank now and I can't think of where everyone is from. I ate so much food, I didn't look like a lady very much.

Today it's raining. I can't remember the last time it rained. It's really nice, considering that last week it got into the 90s or 100s again. We're ready for the winter! December is coming quickly...

Next week is transfers so I won't be writing until Tuesday.

Love,

kates

Who doesn't believe in Spanish?

Buenos dias familia,

We knocked on the door of a man this week who said he didn't believe in anything we shared. When we asked him if he knew of anyone on his street who speaks Spanish, he said he doesn't believe in Spanish. Sister Marroquin said well that's tough, because millions of people speak only Spanish. I like being able to talk to every kind of person on my mission--I think I'll miss being able to go up to talk to random people. I won't have an excuse to do it and the tag as proof. But it has been fun and fulfilling trying to share more of the gospel every day with people and getting to hear their stories--everyone has a story.

I went on an exchange this week with the sign language sisters. I thought we had challenges in transportation and other things, but boy do they have their work cut out for them. I'm impressed with their tenacity, especially now when I am feeling like my mission is at its hardest--the test of enduring to the end. And I went out with Sister Beale in Sacramento for the day and will go out with Sister Toro tomorrow. I've been keeping busy.

We're doing well in our mission--44 people are committed to baptism this month and 15 have already been baptized. The goal is 65, and the theme from now until the rest of the year is "the field is white already to harvest." I'm sure the field is white in our area of East Sac--we aren't exactly sure where to harvest. But Sister Marroquin has been a champ and is keeping the faith and has been really positive, which has been a great help. Thank goodness for companions.

When Elder Holland came in January, he told us that we need to go home having truly converted at least one person--ourselves. That has been a blessing for me because I know that all the struggles, the pains, the hard work I have put into this mission the past 17 months has made me stronger. I know that I have been truly converted to the gospel and am surprised to see how much it has changed me. It was definitely a very gradual, long process. But I am thankful to my Father in Heaven for answering my prayers, for knowing what is best for me, and for giving me the courage to come on a mission and to bless the lives of others. It's funny because at church yesterday I realized how much the ward members need us, too. I love our ward. I feel like if I moved to northern California, I would want to be in this stake. One of the young women's leaders asked us after sacrament meeting to teach the lesson for her. Others come to us to find answers and to seek direction--read your scriptures, say your prayers, and come to church. :) Sunday school answers but that's about the only counsel we can give--and it's the best kind.

I love you all! Thank you for your prayers--hope you're all doing well.

Love,

kates

Conference

Querida amorosa familia,

I loved General Conference so much this weekend. I had an interview with President Lewis last Friday, and he told me that for some reason he was especially excited for this conference. Maybe it was the announcement of the missionary age changing (incredible), or maybe it was just the all-around quality of the talks. I was deeply impressed with so many of the talks, I can't come close to choosing a favorite. I was mesmerized by Elder Holland's talk (I think my jaw was dropped for most of the talk) about truly living a Christian life. I love that talk, especially as a missionary when I have the chance to meet so many people who profess to believe in Christ and lead a Christian life. It made me think about how I'm doing each day in proclaiming the gospel that he taught every day of his life and the charge he left with us to take it into all the world. I don't want to be the kind of person who with their mouth draws close to the Savior but whose heart is far from him. I thought a lot of the talks were about living a true Christian life of service and love. I feel like they are really trying to bring us back to the absolute basics--the very first two and greatest commandments of love--because we live in such a complex, advanced society where the simplicity and beauty of the gospel is being overshadowed.

Speaking of going back to the basics, I loved the talks about the family, although Elder Oaks's talk about children was really heartbreaking. I went on an exchange with the English sisters last week in Carmichael, and we met a really beautiful woman named Jane. Yes, Jane--and now I love that name even more. She is not a member of the Church, but boy did she sound like one. She was telling us about how everything in society is affected by the unity or the disparity of the family. And how sad it is that Satan knows that simple fact and is trying to break up the sacredness of the family unit (like breaking up families, telling us it's not economical to have children, causing contention and misunderstanding, and even impeding families from forming). As I was listening to that, I was thinking about how overwhelming it is to try to teach about the family when so many families are broken, struggling and desperate. The only thing I can really do is testify of the principles of the gospel that will make families stronger, like having family home evening, family prayers, scripture study, going to church together, and spending time together. And I guess the other thing I can do is have my own family and apply everything I've learned to be true... soon enough...

And how about that talk from Larry Echo Hawk about the Book of Mormon? Those are the people I am teaching! I was mesmerized by that talk as well and actually read in my scripture study yesterday about how the Lamanites will be rejected, smitten, and scourged.

So it's simply this: we are all children of God. Sadly a lot of people are raised in unfair circumstances without a lot of love and luxuries of life. But we can be a truly Christian people as we look past faults and are patient and strive to be like Christ every day. President Monson didn't say a whole lot at the very end (he never really does), but that's the most important part: love, serve, be a little better. That's my hope.

Love you all,

kates

Coloma

Hello family!

I'm writing a little later in the day because at the end of our missions here, President takes us to a place called Coloma where we get to play the whole day--well, until 4:30. A group of us ( who are leaving within the next 6 months or so) got to the mission office this morning and watched a video about the Mormon Battalion who were sent to San Diego to fight in a war with Mexico in 1848--around then. I never knew about the Mormon Battalion before (like I'd heard about it before but didn't know the story). Turns out Mormons were the ones to establish the first post office, the first school, and the first bank in San Francisco. Who knew? After we watched the video, we drove about 40 minutes to Coloma where members of the Church had lived after going to San Diego. There is an old sawmill and a church and a cemetery, a prison and houses and things like that. We had a fun lunch and played bocce ball and horseshoe (which I am horrible at. My teammate kept far away before I accidentally kept aiming the horseshoe at his head.) We got to go to the river, and the water felt so good. It's October, so we thought it was going to be really cold in Coloma, but it was 95 degrees.

We are in serious finding mode right now. We have investigators, but they aren't really progressing. The good news is that we had a goal in the mission to baptize 68 people this month, and we baptized 76. So we have hit our goals 3 out of the last 4 months, which has been exciting. Sister Marroquin and I are coming home every night completely exhausted. I have been having seriously crazy dreams every night--probably from being so tired. But we're going to find them with time.

We're staying positive. Sister Schow keeps things in perspective. Her birthday is on Wednesday, and she will be 82. :) We have birthday surprises in the works. Probably isn't a good idea, but donuts in the morning (that's her weakness), ice cream from Leatherby's in the afternoon (another weakness). And lots of birthday singing, I'm sure.

I'm really looking forward to conference. I liked how President Eyring talked about "What's next?" I felt like that really applied to me, it being close to the end... what's next? And this weekend is going to answer a lot of questions. Hopefully next week we'll have lots of miracles to share.

Love you all,

kates

Fotos!... Next week hopefully

I don't have much time. I'm sorry!! Thank you for all your emails. I loved them!! And responded to them!

Happy birthday, Dain and Malinda!!!!! Hope your day is wonderful. I hear that you're going to Les Mis and Disneyworld. I bet it's more fun being on a mission... :)

Okay, I'm jealous!

We have 3 baptisms this weekend!! One was at 11 am on Saturday, and Sister Toro came back for that. Car and Fre were baptized in the English ward with the APs. They have had missionaries for a long time, and with the miracle of Sister Druyon they are now members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That was one of the neatest baptisms I have been to. The spirit was very strong--it was really peaceful. Maybe because I didn't plan a stitch of the baptism? ;) But I played the piano and Fre chose Book of Mormon Stories for the final song. That was different!

And An who just turned 8 was baptized at 7 pm on Saturday, and Sister Toro came back for that!! That was a wonderful baptism, too. An was so excited to be baptized. I loved being able to prepare her for that.

My new companion is Sister Marroquin. She is from Colorado Springs--the name is from El Salvador.

Sister Schow told me because I liked ironing so much, would I be willing to iron her out? To make all the wrinkles go away. :)

And I was going to send photos, but the card reader isn't working. So this is all you get this week. Sorry!

Love,

kates

Transfer Tuesdee

Querida Familia,

"Transfer Tuesdee" is for Berkeley who taught me the dees of the week. :) I would like Berkeley's address, by the way. She went to Brazil for the summer, and I have no idea where she is living now.

Another week, another transfer! We got our new calls last night. Drum roll, please . . . I'm staying in East Sac! We're going on transfer number 5.5 in this blessed area. I hit my 6-month mark last week. Sadly, my Hermana Toro is going to Sacramento to serve in the Spanish branch. She is going to be serving with my other trainee, Sister Beale! I am a little worried about the horror stories they're going to swap about their trainer. Yikes! But I am happy for them. I think that might be the most Spanish area for sisters in the mission--and it looks like I'm never going to serve there! That's okay. East Sac has treated me really well, and I'm excited to stay with Hermana Marroquin who has been in Stockton her whole mission (3 transfers--which is how I started out).

Let's see. This week is all a blur to me. That's what happens after almost 16 months. The days and weeks and months are all just smothered together now. I feel like September just started yesterday. Time is reaaaaally flying.

This morning we went to the temple. I am spoiled here in East Sac because the temple is a hop, skip, and a jump away. The mission office is in my area. And Deseret Book is right down the street from the mission office. I am staying with Sister Schow--she can never get rid of me! The members in the new part of our area make us cheesecake and offer their services as fellowshippers and for dinner. :) We have some great investigators--and we will get them to church! 

I don't know if I've told you about the mother and son who we were teaching--I probably have. This is a miracle story. I went on an exchange one day with the ASL sisters, and we had a member lined up to go out with Sister Toro for the whole day. She is a returned missionary, so she knows the drill--how this all works! At the last minute she cancelled because she had to take care of her nieces and nephews. Sister Toro sent me a message, and I started rattling off all the people I could think of in our phone that she could call. Couldn't, couldn't, couldn't. I was thinking I would need to tell the sisters that I couldn't go out with them that day (they actually live in our area because our area is huge and covers about 10 English companionships--maybe?). I thought about Sister Druyon who is a senior missionary in the office--she served in France way back when and her first companion was Sister Brinkerhoff. Sister Druyon always wants to come out with us because she is so passionate about missionary work and really loves to be out proselyting. We were able to take her to one lesson with Rebecca, and then she treated us to Cheesecake Factory--spoiled! Well, after thinking about how long she would need to be with Sister Toro and how she needed to work in the office, I decided against asking her. But my district leader gave Sister Toro her number and Sister D went! They went to a few lessons/houses, and one of them was Car and Fre. Sister Druyon connected with Car, offered to completely redo her bathroom amongst many other things. We had been teaching them because her husband only speaks Spanish. But Sister D brought the English elders over who happen to be the APs, and one of them speaks Spanish, and after going to church and knowing a lot of people there and this and that, they're getting baptized this Saturday!! In an English ward!! haha I promise I'm not a bilingual missionary. Sister D has been a dream come true when it comes to fellowshipping and leading others to baptism. We are so happy for Car and Fre--this is exactly what they needed right now. If Sister Toro's companion hadn't cancelled on her, we wouldn't be having a baptism on Saturday morning!

But we do, and we also have a baptism Saturday evening! Ang just turned 8. For the time being neither of her parents are members, so she is a convert baptism. We are hoping to baptize her mom very soon! Our ward is having a temple trip this Saturday, and practically the whole ward will be going, so it wasn't possible to have the baptism any earlier. Somehow Sister Toro will have to figure out how to come for baptisms at 11 and 7. Not a very bad problem to have. :)

As for our other investigators, we have a really great group of people that we are teaching. We visited a former investigator who we were teaching in May and June and was going through some very difficult trials. We just visited her last week, and since then she has been able to find a job (2!) and get eye surgery so that she is not blind (she was going blind from diabetes). She was going to come to church on Sunday but ended up backing out because she was called in to work. :( And we were going to have a less active and her sisters come, but they ended up going to Oregon to visit a sick uncle. Strike two! And someone else was going to come, who didn't end up making it. So we had three strikes on Sunday morning, but the meetings at church were great and perked up my mood again. They will be coming to church soon!

The gospel is a great blessing. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the chance to serve. Although I wish absolutely everyone I talked to would gladly accept this message, that isn't the case. I wish I could stay by people's sides all day and tell them how the gospel would bless them with this, this, and that in their everyday lives. How it brings so much peace and purpose. But even if I don't change the hearts of a whole multitude, my heart has forever been changed. Every day I think about how I will apply this in my life, with my own family, with my friends. This is all that matters. 

Something I did learn this week from a woman that we visited is that I will teach (even force) my children to play piano. :) This 75-year-old woman, Gladys, gave us two pieces of advice. That was the second piece. I thought, "Done!" She said, when they don't want to practice, you make them. They'll say no, no, no, but don't back down.

Love you all!

kates

The field is white already to harvest

Hermosa familia,

That's our mission theme for September until the rest of the year: "The field is white already to harvest." Sister Toro and I have some great investigators and were hoping to have five people to church. That didn't happen, but we have the highest hopes for those we are teaching. We are teaching a woman named T who was a referral from a woman in our ward/an English ward. She switches back and forth, but for the time being she is going to our ward because her father from Mexico is here and was just baptized in July. This member, Hermana C, is hilarious. She was making comments in Sunday school class, and I was literally crying from laughing so hard. Sister Toro said that we can't sit by her anymore because we always end up laughing too much when we're with her. :) T has been reading the Book of Mormon and LOVES it. She told us in our last lesson that she keeps reading and feels like she just can't get enough. She wants "more and more and more." Sister Toro and I were sitting there listening to her, thinking "what?!" We are so happy! Unfortunately there's a little opposition there in that they go to church as a family and her husband doesn't want to come and this and that--but it will be worked out soon. We have faith!

We were planning on having a baptism this weekend for a woman and her daughter, but things aren't looking as bright as they were before. We had a really great lesson with her and her family on Tuesday and talked about faith and the blessings we receive from keeping the commandments. They were actively participating in the lesson and understanding the scriptures we were sharing about Peter walking on water and having faith and not doubting in the power of the Lord and also in Ether 12:18 and Mosiah 2:21-22, 24. Unfortunately we have not been able to contact her, which has been really disappointing! But we have been fasting and praying and know that everything will work out okay. I mean, we taught a lesson on faith and challenged her to have faith to keep certain commandments and to be baptized--we need to exercise that kind of faith, too.

Oh, I forgot to mention last week that I went on an exchange with the sisters in Folsom who are bike sisters. They are from Samoa and Kiribati, so they don't have licenses to drive. President put them on bicycles, and they love it! And I spent the day with them on a bike, too! It was quite an experience and really fun--riding bikes with helmets and skirts and backpacks and flats. I got really bad helmet hair--islanders' hair look good with helmets! And my bones were sore for a week after. I felt so sorry for the sisters, but they have a good time and are able to talk to more people that way. We all borrowed elders' bikes.

And Sister Toro and I were driving from an appointment to the mission office this week and saw a lot of smoke in back of a house. I was thinking, are they cooking something? It was a lot of smoke. So we rolled on by and saw a man walking his dog outside of the house who was kind of checking out the smoke, too. I asked, "Is that a controlled fire?" I don't know why anyone would be burning a controlled fire in their backyard. He knocked on the woman's front door and told her and we noticed the smoke was getting worse and there were flames above the fence. The man called 911 and the Sister Toro held his dog while I took the hose and tried to hose off wildfire in someone's backyard! It was a crazy sight--two sisters in skirts fighting a fire. I told Sister Toro to call the mission office which was across the street to tell them to bring fire extinguishers--I guess they started running around the mission office/church like chickens with their heads cut off looking for fire extinguishers. The good news is now they know where they are! The fire engine came and the fire was put out and we continued on our way to the mission office. Sister Farr in the mission office got a picture of us--the new firefighters. :)

Love you all,

kates

Cooling down, Speeding up

Familia,

We had a baptism on Saturday!!! Sister Toro had her very first baptism (and we were the ones who started teaching her from the beginning, so that was a neat experience), and I had my very first English baptism--Rebecca! Her fellowshippers were all there--it was small, but I thought it was a great turnout. Very intimate! Her daughter flew in from Idaho to come to the baptism. Her husband has been less active for a very long time and her daughter was baptized just last year. Since her baptism, her dad has started coming back to church and received the Melchizedek Priesthood and her mom was baptized. Rebecca's daughter shared her testimony yesterday in sacrament meeting and it was really touching. Sister Toro and I bought Rebecca a CD so she will have pretty music to listen to and are going to make a picture frame collage thing of her baptism pictures and maybe quotes or something cute.

We are hoping to have a baptism in a few weeks for a woman named Ang whose children were baptized in January. Her daughter An turns 8 this month, so they'd like to be baptized the same day. We hadn't really thought through it that much, and the zone leaders pointed out that Angela would be a convert baptism too. Wow--miracles happen just like that! So we are hoping and praying that some things will be sorted out soon and that Ang's heart and mind will be set at ease so that she can be baptized. The whole ward probably thinks she's a member already because she's been coming to church weekly since December. So that will be exciting!!

We were working with some other investigators whose husband/father spoke Spanish. The wife/mother is white but learned Spanish from her husband--hence we were teaching her. Things just fell into place for the APs to start teaching her (one of the APs is a Spanish missionary, so he can teach the husband). We are hoping the mom and son will be baptized in two weeks as well. We are making progress in East Sac! Even though our investigators are going to English wards/counting for the elders! But we're seeing progress in our Spanish work, too. Yesterday at church was the first Sunday that we've been together since our ward split. We were small(er) but I think we had a nice turnout! The pianist didn't show up, so I played at the last minute and bore my testimony while I was there. Wow, I love this ward. I love this area. Stacy asked me how I like Sacramento and my companion and investigators. We have been finding a lot of people lately who are interested in learning more. I think I will be transferred soon, which makes me really sad. I've been here for 6 months. But I feel like I'm leaving the area in a good state (with recent baptisms and a good investigator pool) and in good hands--Sister Toro! We'll see what happens when transfer calls come in two weeks.

I am happy to be a Mormon. I want everyone to know how much I love the Book of Mormon AND the Bible. We believe the Bible to be true--the Book of Mormon is an additional witness that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that this is the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. I am grateful that we can read it, ponder it, and pray to our Heavenly Father to know that it is true. And through the power of the Holy Ghost we can know that it is the word of God. How lucky we are to have more, to know of the restoration, to be living in these days. There are treasures in the scriptures and in the words of the prophets. I can't wait for conference in a month.

Love you all,

kates

Change is good

Mi familia hermosa,

Last Tuesday I went on an exchange with Sister Romero in Sacramento and Sister Beale came to be with Sister Toro (the two sisters I trained served together:)). I went on an exchange with Sister Romero last transfer, too, and it was so great being able to see what changes a few short weeks can bring on the mission. They are a little short on miles this month, so we walked from one house to another (a luxury we do not enjoy here where there are so many English speakers!) and I got a very nice sun burn on my arms, which has now turned into a farmer's tan. I wish I had worn shorter sleeves...

On Wednesday we had Zone Conference! The theme was the Challenge to Become. If you haven't read the talk by Elder Oaks I would recommend it! A few elders shared the talks they had written, and I really liked some of the scriptures they shared. In Hebrews 11:40 it says (in the JST), "God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings, for without sufferings they could not be made perfect." And Ezekiel 36:26 talks about how we will have a new heart and new spirit, and that he will take out our stony heart and give us a heart of flesh. It's only through sufferings and challenges that we can be stretched and grow. Heavenly Father has something good in store for us, even though we don't like the punches and slaps that come along the way. Sometimes when we are talking to people on the street or at their door, we teach about the purpose of life. Some tend to disagree with us--that life is not supposed to be a time of testing because a loving God wouldn't create us with that purpose in mind. But I know that it is and that he sent us to the earth to progress--but he didn't leave us without a Savior and without help (prayer, scriptures, the Holy Ghost). Any loving parent wants his or her child to grow and become better than they are--to leave the home, go to school, become self-sufficient. This morning I was actually talking to Sister Toro about how I have been teaching her everything I know about the mission and have tried my best to prepare her to have a beautiful mission and that I have worked so hard because I want her to be a better missionary than me. I had a strange glimpse into parenthood (but I know that it doesn't even compare). And that's exactly what our Heavenly Father wants of us. I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that helps us on our path back to Father in Heaven.

President Lewis asked us to think about this question: "What attribute will I develop to make me a more powerful and effective minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ?" I chose faith and have been studying faith every day and trying to exercise more faith--faith that as I get up and start moving, I will have the energy to keep going through the day. And faith to find people who are searching for the gospel in its fullness. And faith that as we teach them, they will feel the Spirit and have a desire to make and keep commitments.

President also asked us to review our obedience and worthiness. "What are you becoming and what's the next step for you?" He told us to remember who we are. That we are divine children of a Father in Heaven. He showed a clip from the Lion King--who knew a children's movie could have such a powerful message? Remember who you are.

And I am out of time. Oh darn, and we had Stake Conference yesterday and got a new Stake President. Two members of the Seventy came and talked about really great things. Okay, love you all. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Love you!!

kates

True Conversion

Querida Familia,

We have zone conference this week! The APs asked me to sing a solo at zone conference on Wednesday about Christ's life. Why they would ask me to sing a solo, I have no idea. Little do they know that they are going to get a very shaky rendition of Never a Better Hero. President also asked us to write a talk about the talk The Challenge to Become that Elder Oaks gave in general conference in 2000. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2000/10/the-challenge-to-become?lang=eng It's been really nice getting to read the talk each morning and thinking about what true conversion is. It's interesting that the Savior commands us to become as little children in order to inherit the kingdom of God. We're always trying so hard to grow up and know more and become completely independent, but we are commanded to become more humble, patient, loving and charitable, more obedient and more submissive to the will of God. I'm pretty sure that you've all watched The Ultimate Gift because it's one of Dad's top favorite movies, which means he has shared it with us. :) Elder Oaks talks about a parable in his talk that reminded me of that movie. Our Father in Heaven wants to give us absolutely everything (our inheritance) and He could, but it would do us no good if we just waste it. We have to learn to become responsible, grateful, dependent on Him in order to take advantage of all the blessings He has in store for us. We need to have our hearts changed and be truly converted. I have been thinking a lot about how we were born into this world to receive physical bodies in order to grow and experience different things in life. We are commanded to be born again, which starts with baptism--being born of the spirit. Only then can we  become new creatures in Christ and progress spiritually--essentially being born again. I love the scripture that Elder Oaks includes in the talk about being baptized and then "walking in the newness of life."

Our ward was split yesterday. The remaining Del Norte ward was drastically reduced with the new Rio Tierra ward in the other stake taking most of the members and a lot of the leadership. We have the same bishop, but his counselors and Relief Society president are going into the new ward. One of my good friends in the ward is the new Relief Society president--Amanda! So we are going to be working with her a lot to get things organized in the Relief Society--only a handful of women raised their hands yesterday to indicate that they lived in the Del Norte boundaries. We have a lot of work to do! The Ro Family is going to be in the other stake. :( But I have challenged one of the members who lives in their new neighborhood to love them and watch out for them.

One of our investigators has cancer and started chemotherapy on Friday. It makes her really sad knowing that she is going to lose her hair soon and she is depressed and losing hope. We made her brownies and stop by more frequently para darle animo... to encourage her and lift her spirits. Her daughter told us on Saturday that she wants to be baptized, which was great news! We think she is still nervous and feels like she isn't in the right frame of mind to make a commitment, but this is going to help her.

We are still set on baptizing Rebecca September 1! She bought the plane ticket for her daughter to come in from Idaho. With the change of wards, we lost our Spanish-speaking area but gained a lot more Spanish speakers, so we're excited to start working in that area and finding those who have been prepared to receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this gospel. I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been truly converted and will continue to serve my Heavenly Father for the rest of my life. I know that we teach teach every single day is true. There is hope in this life. There is peace. There is personal revelations and blessings that come from keeping the commandments of God and making sacred promises with him. I know that he has a plan for us and that families can be together forever. I know that there is a living prophet on the earth today that teaches us what our Heavenly Father wants us to know. I know that the church of Jesus Christ was restored by the prophet Joseph Smith--that through a simple, earnest, sincere prayer at the age of 14 he received a witness from the Father and the Son. Because of his integrity and courage, we have the Church in our lives--the gospel in its fullness, beauty, and simplicity. I love my Savior Jesus Christ.

Love,

kates

I'm Melting

Querida Familia,

I think it's getting close to the end of my mission because I don't hear a lot from my family. Thanks for the email, Momma--that's how I know you're all still alive and kickin. 

This week we helped the Ro family move to a different area, which will actually be in a different stake pretty soon, so we won't be teaching them anymore. It was really sad when we were driving away--I was crying and thought "oooh dear. What is it going to be like at the end of my mission with everybody that I've met this last year and a half." But we'll worry about that when it comes. I still have a lot to go.

We met an English woman this week who said hi in passing and after we knocked a door and she ended a phone call she started questioning us a lot and asking if we would really tell her that she could receive an answer to her questions through a feeling. Yeah, that's pretty much it. At first she was kind of hostile/unbelieving, but after talking with her and testifying that yeah, the answer will come through a peaceful feeling, not some grand vision or sign, her demeanor changed. She said that there was something special about us, and I knew she could feel it, but she still refused to have missionaries come teach her, although she asked us to stop by her apartment next time we were in the area... Sometimes I feel like people open up to us and pour out all their frustrations with us a lot more as sister missionaries. I've had a lot of people tell me, "I don't know why I'm saying this to you. I just met you and I haven't even told anyone else."

Like I mentioned, our ward is going to divide next week. We're staying in Del Norte and the other ward is actually going to a different stake. We were talking with the APs, zone leaders, and district leader this week about the new areas, and I told one of the APs that the area left to us is really English. We're going to have to be creative to find the Hispanics in our area, and he told us about his ward mission leader who speaks Spanish. We stopped by his house because we were in the area and found his wife at home. She told us that just that morning she prayed for a missionary experience but was nervous about sharing the gospel in English because she doesn't speak it very well (but they go to an English ward). And then we showed up! We're going to have a family home evening with them tonight and talk about how they can participate more in missionary work. He works with a lot of people who speak Spanish and we invited his wife to be on the lookout for us at the store and around the neighborhood for people who speak Spanish. :)

Pictures:

1) Jonathan with his big (and little) wheel bike

2) Sisters' meeting--we're decorating cards. With permission from President and Sister Lewis I invited Sister Schow because she's a sister missionary. So she joined us for lunch and activities! She loved it.

3) All the sisters in the mission (last transfer)

4) Brother Gomm with a horn from Jerusalem... I think. And Elder Villalva from Ecuador and Elder Harrison

5) The zone leaders serve in our ward and in the young single adult ward. One of the YSAs decorates cupcakes, so we got red velvet cupcakes with name tags :)

6) Turns out Sister Toro and I are now Elder Brinkerhoff and Elder Toro...

7) Elder Muffler and me--we were together in the MTC and have served together for almost 5 transfers I think? It's been a long time. This was taken yesterday after church.

8) The dress that Hermana Gatica made for me! And she has dresses in about 10 different colors for herself

9) View of the lake from El Dorado Hills

10) Downtown Sacramento

I liked this quote President included at the end of his email: “Most of us don’t mind doing what we ought to do when it doesn’t interfere with what we want to do, but it takes discipline and maturity to do what we ought to do whether we want to or not.  Duty is too often what one expects from others and not what one does.  What people think and believe and plan are all very important, but what they do is the thing that counts most.” (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin)

Love you all,

kates