Kari's in a New Area!

Date: Mon. 07 May 2007

MI FAMILIA, Yes I am indeed in my new area...it is called Carson and is pretty Latino as well. I'm in car, which I was honestly really sad to leave my little bicycle, but it's getting real hot real fast so I am quite grateful for my air-conditioned Malibu! Today it's 95 degrees, which means no nylons! yay! Things are quite different here. They didn't have any investigators really when I got here so we are doing lots of knocking and looking for people to teach. We taught more than 30lessons in 4 days, but no one is really interested- just polite. So the search is on! As I told you, we made a mission goal to have 97 baptisms this transfer in honor of President Hinckley's 97th birthday and I really REALLY want to be a part of that. I love him so much and want to contribute to his birthday present. So, I KNOW that we will have baptisms. We had 2 investigators at church yesterday, which isn't much, but for the last 3 months they have had zero, so it's an improvement. I think that the Lord was holding back some people until this transfer so that they could be a part of the 97. I'm really excited for this transfer. I made a goal as well this transfer to be exactly, 100%, almost to the point of being annoying, obedient. My comp. is also working on it and so we are going to bound the Lord; "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have to promise". We want to have some baptisms! I know we will and that the Lord really will bless us for our efforts and desires.
Another thing that is REALLY different about this area is the fact that I am assigned to the English Single's Ward! It is so much fun though! The ward has a lot of returned missionary girls and just a really good group of cool, young adults. Here I was thinking that after 8 months on my mission that I'm not different or weird, but come to find out yesterday at church, I am a little bit socially awkward! This will help me though to constantly be mingling with the single young adults here and not be so nerdy! I'm pretty sure that the Los Angeles mission is indeed the coolest mission- it's just so varied. I get to serve in little tiny Spanish branches, Large spanish wards, as well as English family wards and Single's wards too! Not too many people get such a variety of experiences on their missions. I am so blessed to be here! So we go to church at 9 am to the Spanish ward, which is really good and pretty much runs like a normal ward! Quite different than my beloved Maywood Branch! There are a lot of solid, dependable families in the ward that are excited to help. Afterwards at 1:00-4 we go to the singles ward. They were all so nice yesterday and the bishop had me get up in sacrament and introduced me. I think it will be lots of fun to work with them- I'm just not quite sure how to yet! My area Is quitesmall and my companion claims that they have literally knocked on every single door already (she's been here for 3 months). Even if she has, we don't have many other choices and we will be re-knocking them all. Supposedly though it takes an average person to have 17 contacts with the church before they join. I don't know if that's true, but we'll be making a few over again! My companion's name is Hermana Schiffman from Orem, Utah. She has been out for 3 months and struggles a lot with her spanish. She is also quite shy and is content with me doing all the talking and teaching and door approaches. As much as I truly do love teaching and talking, I think that this transfer will be good for her to grow and get out of her comfort zone as well. I think that I can help her some to accomplish that. She's very sweet and laid back and excited to work hard. My big focus this transfer is just going to be to completely forget myself and go to work. It will be good!
So what's this about Elder Utchdorf coming to Eagar?!? How did that happen! That is so amazing! I bet it was just so inspiring, and I think our dear little town probably needs a little extra boost. I have recently received my general conference Ensign and have been awed and amazed for the second time at the words of our beloved leaders. There is no doubt that their words are indeed the Lord's words and are straight from our loving Heavenly Father. I feel inspired, again, after reading Elder Ballards talk about the Bible to feast more upon the Bible. I'm ashamed to say that I have never read it, not even half of it. I know that in order for me to truly love it as much as I love the Book of Mormon, that I must read it and spend time studying it- after all, you can't really love something that you aren't familiar with. So, that's another goal that I have for myself.- I have so many things to work on! I'm happy that I'm here though at a time where I can focus more on those things!
Next Sunday I get to call for mother's day, in case you don't know! I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to it! Since we are at church until 5pm or so, I won't be calling until the evening-between 6 and 7 probably. I'm allowed to talk to Reed as well, but I don't know how we would arrange that- too bad. I hope that I will get to talk to a few of you, but at least I'll get to talk to my mommy! we didn't get to talk much at Christmas and so I am looking forward to some juicy conversation time! We don't have a time limit either so that's good!

I'm excited to talk to you so soon! Until then, much hugs and
kisses! Love, Kari Lynn