Transfer number 9, trying to stay alive

Mi familia eterna,

Pierce--HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow and congrats on the Sports Illustrated ad!! Wow. Sister Novakovich and I saw the SI with the high school basketball player who's LDS and were really tempted to open it up and read it but conjured up enough self-control to just walk away.

Mom--I was waiting for the scriptures last week but assume they're headed here this week! I died laughing with your Roman stories.

Sorry I don't have more pictures to share this week--I forgot to bring the camera connector because I packed a different bag since we went to the temple this morning! We got transfer calls last night. I thought for sure that I was out of here, so last week I told President Lewis that Sister Schow wasn't ready for me to leave yet and that I wasn't ready either. I loving living in her home too much, and the ward has really grown on me--plus I don't want to leave the familia Rodriguez yet! It turns out that I'm sticking around East Sac for at least two more transfers because I'm training again. I cheated and came to the mission office today and found out that her name is Sister Toro and she's from a small town in Utah, and President told me last night that she was born in Chile (her father is Chilean) and they moved here when she was about seven or eight. Hallelujah for a bilingual companion! I'm still determined to be companions with Hermana Estrana from Peru (of course) and Hermana Romero from Mexico (the one I was originally going to be with last transfer). I think this means that I won't be going on exchanges with the sisters this transfer since I'll be doing the training program (two hours of companionship study each day... not my fav).

I'm sad to see Sister Novakovich go. We really had a good time together, and now she's headed down to Manteca. My dying wish to President before I finish my mission will be to go to Manteca--I'm crossing my fingers! That means I wouldn't serve in the Spanish branch in Sacramento/Elk Grove, but I love Manteca too much that I'm willing to make the sacrifice!

Let's see--our car's broken down right now and in the shop. I went to sleep after midnight last night (just kept thinking and thinking--I did that last transfer, too) and woke up at 5:30 to go to the temple this morning, so my eyes are burning like none other. And we're rebuilding our investigator pool right now becaue we dropped a lot of people this week who aren't progressing--we're on the hunt yet again! But hey, life is good and I'm getting a brand-new missionary who has lots and lots of energy to walk in the sun every day to find new peeps. She might have to start dragging me soon.

Sister Novakovich and I taught Gospel Principles this Sunday--the lesson was on sacrifice. That's a word that's become very common for me on my mission. Sacrifice, patience, love, humility. Those are definitely prominent themes on my mission. The interesting thing is that the mission is always an uphill climb--hike. I thought at some point I'd just start coasting along--nope. But it's been a beautiful climb with lots of little miracles here and there that bring sparks of hope and light that keep guiding my feet along each and every day. The lesson really made me think about how our lives really are not our own. Heavenly Father blessed us with absolutely everything that we have and an eternal promise that we can return to live with him in never-ending happiness if we just forget ourselves and look to Him in everything. He sent His only Son to die for us, so that we can repent and be completely forgiven. He's blessed us with families, with bodies, with brains, with trials, with laughter, with prophets, with the scriptures, with commandments and associated blessings--all for the sole purpose of finding happiness and purpose in this life and an eternal reward in the life to come. It brings me a lot of peace knowing and having the full and true gospel in my life--and the Spirit to confirm the truth.

Love you all,

kates

P.S. P-day next week is on the 4th of July I believe, so you prob won't hear from me until Wednesday.