Feliz dia de accion de gracias!

Querida familia,

I have about one minute to jot a quick note. I had to follow-up with President about an exchange I went on last week, and that stole all my time. This past week I went down for the count. I've attached a few photos that Scott should consider not looking at unless he wants to tear up. I was sick with a cold the past week and didn't really do anything special to take care of it except eat Vitamin C drops. Eventually the sore throat went away, but I got slammed with an eye infection. I got home from my exchange to Sacramento/Elk Grove on Thursday night and woke up Friday morning to a very gloopy eye. My eye was red as we did weekly planning, and I was rubbing and scratching and doing everything you shouldn't do. I thought I was just tired, so I took a quick nap during lunch and woke up with stuff in both eyes and two red eyes. I had red eyes for three days straight. I went to our ward Thanksgiving dinner with Sister Marroquin's sunglasses, and people thought I was trying to be cool like a celebrity because I was strange and wearing sunglasses inside. I ended up working with the mission nurse, the mission doctor, a former mission doctor in Utah, and eventually a real live eye doctor on Monday until I go the eye drops that did the trick. I'll be infected for two weeks, but now my eyes are white. :)

We have an investigator who has asked us some really good questions about the Plan of Salvation (she's been studying with another religious group...), so I've been having great personal studies in the morning. I've been reading Jesus the Christ. I am really grateful that Heavenly Father created a perfect plan for us. Even though we won't understand everything or have physical evidence, I'm thankful for the principle of faith--the very first principle of the gospel. I know that Christ was chosen as our Savior from the foundation of the world. I am grateful for His love, His example, and His atonement that gives us the hope to be forgiven and to move on and progress. I've expected a lot of myself as a missionary, and maybe I haven't seen as many baptisms as I imagined, but the mission has changed me. I am grateful to be truly converted and to have the desire to become more like my Savior. We just got the conference issue of the Ensign--I was reminded about how much the apostles spoke about becoming a more Christian Christian.

Love you,

kates