Gladys Knight and another very special guest

Family,

I don't have a lot of time to write, but I do have exciting news from this past week!

We worked at the Gladys Knight 'firesides' Friday (Stockton), Saturday (Sacramento) and Sunday (Sacramento) nights, which was incredible! Gladys put together a choir, called the Saints Unified Voices and they go all over the country putting on these firesides. Gladys and her husband William McDowell share their testimonies and there's other speaking parts and then she directs the choir to gospel music. I'll have the song "We sing glory. We sing glorrry. We sing glory. We sing glory unto God" song stuck in my head all week. It was really fun. There was a lot of "amens" and clapping and cheering. We had a really good time and got 777 referrals for the mission--that's about 3 years' worth of referrals. Now we have to visit all those people within 48 days!

The other exciting thing is that each missionary in our mission got to meet an apostle who came for a special mission conference (last minute) on Thursday. He probably came to talk about the organization of the mission president because President Lewis is sick. Have I mentioned that? Yes, President Lewis has had two surgeries since Christmas and is very ill and is now in Salt Lake. I think he was released from the hospital last week and is now at home in Salt Lake, so our first counselor, President Weston, is the acting mission president for us. We've been fasting and praying for President Lewis a lot within the past month.

So the apostle who came was Elder Holland. It was amazing. He shook each of our hands and asked where we were from. When he asked where I'm from, he responded "Well hello Arlington." :) He told us that he interviewed each of us when he shook our hands. He looked into each of our eyes and told us that he is very impressed with our mission. He said that he's grateful for people in the Church who know what they need to do and do it. It was incredible because Sister Fernandez is in love with Elder Holland and she was asked to say the opening prayer. She prayed that we would have more urgency in the work, and he said that was the first time he'd ever heard a missionary pray for urgency. He mentioned Sister Fernandez about 6 times while speaking to us, and she was absolutely elated. I thought that it was interesting that he said: too much of my youth I spent in athletics. I should go back and repent. I should've been studying my scriptures. I thought that was really interesting. I think it's so true--I wish I would have studied my scriptures more in high school. Obviously--I'm a missionary now. :) He promised we would have a lot of success over the next few months as a mission and missionaries far down the line will talk about this time in the Sacramento Mission. It was wonderful.

Love you,

kates

A week to remember

Hola querida familia,

This week was amazing! Alright, so we didn't do so hot on our weekly goals in contacting people and inviting them to be baptized. The number of lessons taught wasn't stellar either. The standard of excellence as a mission is to extend at least six baptismal invites a day; we failed that big time. But, we were successful on actual baptisms!

The Ca family was baptized! We baptized six truly converted people, and it was a beautiful thing. One son was not baptized because he's not quite ready, but he will be ready soon! The baptism was definitely a highlight of this transfer.

On Wednesday night we had a lesson with the family. We talked about this and that and we wanted to focus the lesson on service in the church. We went with a member of the ward, Hermano V (the member support in this ward is unheard of), and by the end of the lesson, I shared Mosiah 18:8-10 about our baptismal covenant--about how we covenant to bear one another's burdens, mourn with those that mourn, and stand as a witness at all times and in all things and in all places. We talked about a baptismal date with Pa and Vi (the parents) and they said Saturday would not work. The next weekend wouldn't work either. The thought popped into my mind, "Will they even be there on Sunday to be confirmed if we have a baptism tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday or Saturday?" So naturally I asked them and they said, "Sunday could work." Wait a sec... I wasn't referring to the baptism, but we'll take it! So Sunday it was.

I called the whole world between Thursday and Saturday. The first counselor from the Mission Presidency, President Martinez, came to the baptism. (He and his wife had gone to a lesson with them at their house.) A counselor in the Oakland Temple Presidency, President Lopez, came to the baptism. (He and his wife went to an FHE with them at Hermano Velasco's home.) The stake president, President Crockett, and his family came. LDS neighbors of the Ca came. The whole ward was there basically. It was well attended, to say the least, and very powerful. The missionary who wrote Pa's name on the potential investigators sheet last April is back in Manteca, so she was at the baptism. Sister Betancourt who finished her mission in December flew back, and Sister Fernandez traveled back from East Sac. Seeing each of the family members baptized was so amazing--when Pa came out of the water, you could feel the power of that sacred ordinance. You could see and feel the burden that was lifted from her. I almost cried when Vi came out of the water. I did the missionary moment and passed out blank notecards so everyone in attendance could write down their testimonies for the family. They were confirmed that night by Hermano Lopez of the temple presidency, and I was so touched when he blessed the boys and talked about preparing for their missions. The family shared their testimonies at the end, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude for their perseverance in seeking an answer. I have no doubt that they are truly converted.

One of our investigators, A, was there for the baptism. I invited him to be baptized February 4. I think he's very close--we've taught him about the Book of Mormon probably the past 10 times we've taught him, so it's time to try something else! (He's been meeting with missionaries since last June.) He said he was trying to write down his feelings on the notecard to give the family but he couldn't express his feelings, which was clearly the Spirit. I am so grateful he came and recognized the Spirit. There's something impeding him right now from taking the next step toward baptism, but I have faith that we can pinpoint it soon. He wants an elder from last summer to baptize him and that elder goes home at the end of this transfer, so that's good timing!

We have been asked to be 'traveling missionaries' for each of the Gladys Knight performances this week. There are going to be performances Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, so we've been asked to block off time Thursday night for training and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from 1 p.m. to the end of the night. This week is going to be crazy busy and not a lot of time to teach and find new investigators, but what a great opportunity to work at each of the performances!! I think they asked all of the sisters in the mission (maybe) to work at each performance and a few of the elders. I'm really excited to do that--they're going to be long nights.

Love you all,

Kates

Buenas Noches, Mi Madre

Hola familia,

My new companion is Hermana Beale from Chicago, Illinois. She is 23 years old and graduated from BYU in English last April. She took some Spanish classes in high school and three Spanish classes in college (you have to take another language as an English major), so she has a good start with the Spanish. It's been interesting being the one in the companionship who understands Spanish, and I understand exactly how she feels because I was just there 5 months ago. Also, it's been interesting pretending I understand everything, staying calm, and acting like I know exactly what I'm doing. :) If only she knew. She's really quiet and doesn't interact a lot with people, so I'm going to be the cheerleader trainer! She's very easygoing, though, and ready to work.

I'm thinking, if I'm supposed to take the lead, I'm the one in charge of making progress in this area, of bringing new people to church, of baptizing. Yikes! The good news is that I think the Ca family will be baptized this Saturday (keep your fingers crossed! More like say a few prayers.) In our lesson Friday night I asked them if they'd chosen a date yet to be baptized and E (who's 11), spilled the beans that it was January 21. They haven't officially told us yet and don't want to let us know until about 4 days before the baptism because they don't want a huge event. The whole ward is keenly aware of them (family of 7), so I don't know how big or small the baptism is going to be. I just can't wait to see 7 consecutive baptisms! I hope I have good news to report next week. :)

Gladys Knight is coming to Stockton January 27 and we get to go. The program is intended for investigators and less actives. You can't attend if you don't bring friends who are not members. This program (we've been told that it is not a concert or an event) is kind of a big deal and brought much success to the Houston Mission. I'm wondering if it was actually the Houston South Mission where my MTC companion is serving. Anyway, that mission had a slew of baptisms as a result, so that's a big focus right now with us. It's going to take place in the Stockton Stake Conference. Gladys Knight has been a member since 1997 I believe and she'll sing and they'll share testimonies and I've heard it's very powerful.

Last week we had a meeting for the Gladys Knight program, and this week I will go to a leadership training and we have Spanish Conference. I feel like there's limited time to actually work. That and we have required two hours of companionship study each day, so that makes 1 hour personal study, 2 hours comp study, 1 hour language study, 1 hour for lunch... every day.

The really neat thing is that ward members are so willing to go out with us. I have to get over the fact that I feel like I'm taking away all their time. :) Oh, so here's a story. I called someone for a ride to the mission office (1.5 hours away) and we ended up deciding that she could pick us up at noon after our meeting for new trainers. I called another girl in the English ward to see if she could take us in the morning and she said that this sister who could pick us up at noon had actually been talking to her mom about going with her and making a play day in Sacramento while they were waiting for us. This story is really long and confusing to write but basically I thought the two women were coordinating with each other but they didn't and both of them showed up to pick us up at noon. Yikes! I felt awful. But some elders in Lodi and Galt needed a ride home because theirs fell though and it all worked out. That was a rocky start for my new companion, but we saw a miracle come from it.

I'm out of time. I love you all. 

Love,

kates

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

Always Love

Hi precious people,

It was a beautiful thing talking to you last week. Thanks for updating me on everything and making me feel loved! Thank you for the presents and for the notes and Christmas cards--oh my goodness, I never thought I'd love looking at Christmas cards so much. I love seeing how everyone looks and how the little ones have grown.

We had another baptism on Friday night! Ra from Peru was baptized and then confirmed yesterday during sacrament meeting by his son who's waiting for his mission call. It was so neat sitting on the stand (piano) and watching Ra's face as he returned to his seat after receiving the Holy Ghost. He was trying to suppress the grin on his face, but I can always tell what that smirk means. He is so neat, and I feel like he's one of the people I am here for. He was a nurse for 25 years, as I learned during his baptism, which sparked my interest even more. :) The families in this ward are so amazing--they are so strong and are excellent fellowshippers. There's a focused effort on the Ca family and the ward has come together and are always asking about them and inviting them to do things and wanting to come to lessons. We feel that the Ca family is really close--we could have at least 7 baptisms in January. That would be a miracle.

Oh dear, I wish I could remember all the questions I was supposed to answer. I started reading the Book of Mormon over again--I don't know how I missed everything last time I read, but I'm learning so much more. Missionary work is interesting like that--once you hear all the questions and have a desire to answer everything having to do with the restoration and the Book of Mormon, you start to read with those investigators in mind. I'm grateful that the book is like that--that you can learn bit by bit each time and I can feel my testimony take root even more.

This week was a lot better, being the holidays and everything. :) Transfers are next week, so we'll so how that goes. Don't worry about me--I'm doing great! I have a wonderful mission president who always shows so much charity and love and actually reads our weekly letters and my zone is great, the sisters I live with are angels, and our investigators are a blessing. 

I don't think I've mentioned the wicked fog that's here in the mornings. It's the coolest thing. I can't believe how thick it gets.

Love you all,

kates 

2012 End of the World?

Good thing I'll be sharing the gospel in 2012. I just realized the next time I talk to you will be next year.

Dear Family,

You'll have to forgive me because I don't know how much I'll be able to write. I'm at a member's house right now since the library is closed and am typing on an iPad. I don't know how you do it, Mom; I'm impressed. I just wrote my President's letter so I'm almost out of two-finger-typing steam.

Not much has happened since yesterday. Sister Fernandez is leaving to go on exchanges tonight so I have to find companions for tonight and tomorrow still. Yippee. I got a boatload of Christmas cards yesterday from my trainer Sister Carlos who went home at the beginning of December, my MTC companion Sister Worthen, Malinda, Jordan, Stacy, and Tracy! Everyone looks so great! I'd have to say my favorite Christmas card was from... No, I'm not going to tell you that. They're all beautiful and will soon be on my wall.

After I talked with you last night I put on my new pajama pants, my new mission t-shirt and my ladybug slippers from Lisa Van Gemert and put on some tunes Melissa sent and wrote some letters... While eating my Puerto Rican Taco Bell cinnamon tostadas. :) 

We've had 62 baptisms as a mission this month and have one week to reach our goal of 101! We have R lined up to be baptized on Friday if everything goes according to plan and hopefully the Ca family will be ready by Saturday. That would be a miracle!! A new year's eve miracle.

I love you all. My back is aching from using this iPad. I must be turning 25 soon or something. Next to go is the eyesight. :)

Love forever and for always,

Kates

Merry Christmas!

Mi hermosa familia,

We've been teaching an eternal investigator (his wife has been a member for 8 years) and I had the strong feeling last week that we were going to have 9 baptisms this month. We have one firm to be baptized this Thursday (S--he's 22 and is married to a member) and I talked to R (the eternal) after Sacrament and asked him when he was going to be baptized this week. He smiled and said he doesn't think it will be this week but next week, maybe. I saw it as a good sign with that smirk on his face. Sister Fernandez talked to him after church and he is firm for December 31! I'm really glad I talked to him right after sacrament meeting--the speakers from the stake were phenomenal; they talked about obedience and sharing the gospel and it was just perfect for so many of our investigators. I think we had only 10 investigators to church this week. Only 10. :)

We're still praying for the Ca family to be baptized this month!! They're going out of town on the 23rd and will be gone until Christmas. They're the family of 7 that we were hoping to baptize on Christmas Eve. The opposition is coming but we still have faith that they will be baptized. Sacrament, like I mentioned, was absolutely perfect, but gospel principles and Relief Society/Priesthood were very deep about the Millennium and exaltation. I kept thinking the whole time that Heavenly Father has a plan and that we can't lose faith--I love these topics; they're a little deep and confusing for investigators but I know everything will work out how it should.

We had our ward Christmas party on Friday and it was extremely fun. I played the piano for the program--different programs like the Young Women, Priesthood, a family kept giving me different songs to play at the last minute. I guess they think I'm one of "those" piano players. Well, it turned out fine and there was even a pinata at the end of the night filled with my favorite candy--Mexican candy with chile, of course! I crave that stuff like crazy nowadays. I even stole a little kid's mango gummy pop with chile. It made me smile because we've been having Christmas pinatas the past few years. :) Right? Yeah, I'm pretty sure. The party was very well attended and so beautiful. This ward is amazing. It's actually made up of two cities, Tracy and Manteca. The elders (1 companionship) cover Tracy and we cover Manteca. The leadership in this ward is crazy ridiculous. They support us so well and always have someone ready to go to lessons with us. Everyone loves the Ca family and all of our investigators. It really is just one big family. It's great. They expect and require a lot from us but Sister Fernandez is a champ and we get along and are making a lot of progress.

Stacy wants to know more intimate details about my life. Well, last week was REALLY hard. It was my hardest week on the mission. Sister Fernandez expects a lot and I'm getting frustrated about my Spanish because hers is so beautiful and she teaches and explains so well that all I could do was get frustrated because I didn't feel like I could contribute anything more. I've been able to open my mouth a lot more. Oh, part of her responsibility as coordinating sister is that she has to visit each of the Spanish companionships plus one English companionship in the mission during a transfer. So she leaves me at night and for a day and so I have to find 4 companions to go out with me while she's gone on exchanges with the other sisters. Last week she was gone twice (Monday day and Tuesday day and Thursday night and Friday day). I go out with English sisters and Spanish sisters so I have to rule the lesson and know what I'm saying and control the phone and our plans. It's stressful but I'm hanging in there.

I love you all! I have no time but I will talk to you next week. Drink hot cocoa and look at Christmas lights for me. 

Hermana Brinkerina

new nickname from the zone