September baptisms

Querida familia,

Well we didn't have any baptisms this week. The cool news is that we have a baptismal goal of 67 for this month in the mission, and last week (two days ago--Saturday) we had 66 either baptized or with dates. President asked us to fast as a mission so that we could reach our goal of 67, and there are 69 planning to be baptized this month. Although we weren't able to have any in July, we have a few lined up for September! Yeah, we need to work on August still.

We're teaching an English woman, Re, who lives in Rancho Cordova. We actually got to go to her ward yesterday before our ward at 11 am. She accepted a baptismal date of August 4 but had to change it since her daughter is having an operation that day (and her daughter was the one who hooked us up with her mom--she wants to drive in from Idaho for the baptism, so we pushed it back to Labor Day weekend, September 1). Looks like I'll have at least one English baptism on my mission--I'm really excited! I love Re so much. She's really cute--she went to D.I. and bought skirts and tops for Sunday and scriptures. She then went to Deseret Book and bought a scripture case, a bookmark, and a hymnbook. (I forgot to mention that her husband is a member.) She is really getting into this! It's amazing to see the change.

I have a lot of cute pictures I want to send but don't have time to upload those today. I actually don't really have more time to write. This week I got to go on exchanges with the sisters in El Dorado Hills. It's really fun getting to go to areas of the mission that I would never get to serve in because they're English only. The hills are incredible! And the houses are ENORMOUS! And there are so many gated communities. Wow--that was a fun day. Because the companionship is a trio, I didn't want to walk around with them in a group of 4. So we split up the day, and I went out with each sister one at a time to tract and teach. I was nervous our little Toyota wouldn't get up some of the driveways--they went on forever and were steep! And I didn't know if my legs would make it up to some of the houses. We went to dinner with a member couple--the wife has been in about 30 movies and lots of commercials and magazines. She was a nun in Sister Act 2! haha and sadly I can't remember all the other movies she's/they've been in. They live in a beautiful home with a view of the gorgeous lake, and we got to see a family of about 10 deer! She fed them corn tortillas. I almost died. 

A member in the ward made a dress for me and I wore it yesterday. We got a picture together and I got a LOT of compliments on the dress. It is too cute! I wish I had time to send pics. I love this ward and this area so much. Just when I said that last time (in Manteca), I was emergency transferred, so I need to watch what I say! But East Sac has become a very special place to me. I love the investigators, the people, the Spanish members, the English members--I love it all. I like it when people say that the areas you serve in during your missions become sacred ground--that's really true.

Love you all,

Kates