Not really sure how to react...

Hello beautiful family,

Well, I'm not really sure how to share this. Some pack blue- and pink-wrapped kisses in a box for Christmas, but I don't really have time to come up with a creative way to say that... I'm pregnant. Before you all freak out, remember that there are weird mission terms that I still don't like using, like pregnancy and dying at the end of the mission. **(Pregnant - she is going to train another missionary, being a Mom - means you've trained someone, like a child and dying at the end of a mission - means you're leaving the mission field and going home).

We got transfer calls last night. I had a few thoughts about what could happen but in the end decided that I didn't want to guess because anything could happen really. For one thing, there's a new sister coming tomorrow, we already have a trio of Spanish sisters, they were thinking about opening a new area--a little this and a little that make it hard to guess what's going to happen. Plus, the Lord works in mysterious ways. In the end I decided that Sister Ashton, who's 3 transfers older than me, would be coming to Manteca (and be the coordinating sister) and that Manteca would be split between two sets of sisters because this is such a happenin' place. I was right about the Manteca-split part, wrong about Sister Ashton (whose Spanish rocks and would just really help a sister--me--out). I wrote to President Lewis two weeks ago about how my Spanish is not where I'd want it to be. I know you're all thinking, yeah, yeah, this is Katy we're talking about; she's fine. False. It turns out that Sister Fernandez will continue to be the coordinating (now called 'exchange' sister) in East Sacramento and that we will have an exchange sister here in Manteca who will go with Stockton and Manteca sisters. No, I am not the exchange sister--I thank my lucky stars for that.

But I'm a trainer.

Yikes. Can we all stop and say a prayer right now? When the assistant called last night, he told us that our area was going to be split and then he said that I will be training a new sister. My first reaction was to laugh. I apologized to the AP for laughing (it was for a brief moment)--he was my first zone leader, so he'd understand. And I accepted the assignment and didn't ask any questions. I have to be in Fair Oaks (I'm in the very south and that's in the very north of the mission) tomorrow at 8 am until noon. I am hoping and praying that my companion speaks Spanish. :) If not, it's okay. I read in a talk *** this morning about 'looking up.' I knew that's the talk I needed to read--about the Seventy who was in an elevator looking down at the floor, overwhelmed with his calling when President Monson came into the elevator and told him that it's better to look up. In the talk he says that most of the worries we have are not of eternal significance, so don't stress out about it. That made me chuckle. This has everything to do with eternity. And then he said that if it does have something to do with eternal significance, the Lord will strengthen you.

Now more than ever I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Elder Holland has said that there will be times that we will experience our own Gethsemanes. I have been there recently, and I know there will be more to come, but at this point I am happy and hopeful for the future and trust the Lord with the decision he's made to make me a trainer in my 5th transfer. I feel so unqualified, but this is the Lord's work. I know that he will shape my back and give me the strength I need to bear the load I will soon be carrying.

I am grateful for missionary work. I am grateful for the miracles I have seen and will continue to see. Now more than ever I will focus on being exactly obedient so that I can be worthy to receive blessings. What a humbling experience. The gift of tongues is sounding better and better every second!

As for the week... Elder Piper from the Seventy came to Stake Conference--his talk was excellent and just perfect for the two families we had at conference. The Ca family said they have chosen a date to be baptized (we challenged them to set a goal to work towards), but they won't tell us the day! It's going to be a spontaneous baptism (7 baptisms) I suppose. We are teaching a family with 5 boys (one died of Leukemia). After teaching them twice last week, they came to Stake Conference. They are very humble and open and love what they're hearing and feeling. I am grateful for the Spirit and for the truthfulness of the gospel. I am grateful for a knowledge of prophets and that we have a prophet on the earth today who helps us prepare and be worthy for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for temple work and that we can be sealed as families for eternity. How special it was for me to hear O(whose son died) pray and thank Heavenly Father for answering her prayers and giving her peace and comfort in her heart. That was a very tender moment for me. I know the Plan of Salvation is real. My testimony sinks deeper and deeper every time I learn about it and teach it.

All my love,

Kates

**Missionary Terms Defined :)

*** It is Better to Look Up - Carl B. Cook