Buenas Noches, Mi Madre

Hola familia,

My new companion is Hermana Beale from Chicago, Illinois. She is 23 years old and graduated from BYU in English last April. She took some Spanish classes in high school and three Spanish classes in college (you have to take another language as an English major), so she has a good start with the Spanish. It's been interesting being the one in the companionship who understands Spanish, and I understand exactly how she feels because I was just there 5 months ago. Also, it's been interesting pretending I understand everything, staying calm, and acting like I know exactly what I'm doing. :) If only she knew. She's really quiet and doesn't interact a lot with people, so I'm going to be the cheerleader trainer! She's very easygoing, though, and ready to work.

I'm thinking, if I'm supposed to take the lead, I'm the one in charge of making progress in this area, of bringing new people to church, of baptizing. Yikes! The good news is that I think the Ca family will be baptized this Saturday (keep your fingers crossed! More like say a few prayers.) In our lesson Friday night I asked them if they'd chosen a date yet to be baptized and E (who's 11), spilled the beans that it was January 21. They haven't officially told us yet and don't want to let us know until about 4 days before the baptism because they don't want a huge event. The whole ward is keenly aware of them (family of 7), so I don't know how big or small the baptism is going to be. I just can't wait to see 7 consecutive baptisms! I hope I have good news to report next week. :)

Gladys Knight is coming to Stockton January 27 and we get to go. The program is intended for investigators and less actives. You can't attend if you don't bring friends who are not members. This program (we've been told that it is not a concert or an event) is kind of a big deal and brought much success to the Houston Mission. I'm wondering if it was actually the Houston South Mission where my MTC companion is serving. Anyway, that mission had a slew of baptisms as a result, so that's a big focus right now with us. It's going to take place in the Stockton Stake Conference. Gladys Knight has been a member since 1997 I believe and she'll sing and they'll share testimonies and I've heard it's very powerful.

Last week we had a meeting for the Gladys Knight program, and this week I will go to a leadership training and we have Spanish Conference. I feel like there's limited time to actually work. That and we have required two hours of companionship study each day, so that makes 1 hour personal study, 2 hours comp study, 1 hour language study, 1 hour for lunch... every day.

The really neat thing is that ward members are so willing to go out with us. I have to get over the fact that I feel like I'm taking away all their time. :) Oh, so here's a story. I called someone for a ride to the mission office (1.5 hours away) and we ended up deciding that she could pick us up at noon after our meeting for new trainers. I called another girl in the English ward to see if she could take us in the morning and she said that this sister who could pick us up at noon had actually been talking to her mom about going with her and making a play day in Sacramento while they were waiting for us. This story is really long and confusing to write but basically I thought the two women were coordinating with each other but they didn't and both of them showed up to pick us up at noon. Yikes! I felt awful. But some elders in Lodi and Galt needed a ride home because theirs fell though and it all worked out. That was a rocky start for my new companion, but we saw a miracle come from it.

I'm out of time. I love you all. 

Love,

kates