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