Awww you have just great letters!
 Always words of comfort :]
    

Mom I am so proud of you!!!! Wow way to hit your goal!!!!! We have turned into quite the running family :] So who's up for another race when I get back?  Maybe we can do another race as a family that December!? Lol  We can all do different races in length and just make sure we find a race that plows their streets before we do it :]   I think I'm actually running a 5k this Saturday which will be interesting 'cause I haven't ran long distance since pre-MTC.  In the mornings you can only go running if you have a roommate who wants to run with you. I do have a roommate who I walk with but that's about it.  Its good though 'cause it wakes we up more than just stretching or pilates which everyone else does. No I still do not have running shoes. I forgot how expensive they are.
    

So I'm writing you a day late because every six weeks we have this little thing called transfers! So our p-day changes to Tuesday so we can prep for Wednesday transfers. Usually they let trainers and fresh missionaries stay together for 2 transfers. (Referred to as training 'cause we have additional training time everyday.)  Well because asl has only 4 sisters things aren't quite that convenient. I am being transferred up north to the deaf branch in Carmichael! I will be with Sister Larson. This is her last transfer before she goes home. Meanwhile Sister Wilson and Sister Sellers (deaf) will be teaching in Stockton! I'm so jealous. I want to stay with Sister Wilson and all the people I have grown to love here. 6 weeks is never long enough. Hopefully I will be back though. So when Sister Larson leaves that means a new asl sister comes in next transfer. We will see who trains her 'cause that means we all get flip flopped all over again.

       
Kathy is doing well! We taught her the plan of salvation, but our best lesson this week is when Sister Moore from our ward joined us and we discussed prayer, the atonement, and God's love for us. It was so powerful. at one point we were all in tears as we testified that she too has a father in heaven who loves her. What a simple gospel principle that we are all children of God. And that he loves us. Yet so many do not understand. What power resides in that simple primary song "I am a child of God" that even primary children know. We are so lucky to know.  I think that gospel principle alone can teach us the most. I know i don't even understand what that truly means, but I think the more we grow to understand it the more we change.

        
Lynda has a baptism date for this Saturday,  but she hasn't quit smoking yet so we will have to push the date back. Luckily in the mission I will be able to go to baptisms if i helped teach. So when Lynda or Kathy are baptized, they both will be ;], Ii will be able to come down for the big day! That will be a huge blessing!

Tell Cal "Hi" for me!! And tell him sorry Zina is already married. haha Zina is a little more baptist that Cal is however (however you want to interpret that haha). And she is still learning. Cal has the doctrine pretty well down.

Way to utilize those missionary moments!!!! Keep it up! 4H is such a great place too do that too. Sounds like seminary is keeping you busy. Remember you are blessing those kids lives more than you know. Making the right decision in high school changes your life in so many large ways. They need that spirit everyday to get them thru high school. We are encouraging a high school student here to go. Her family is so great but she doesn't think its possible cause of the early morning time.  I can not say it enough, it is more than worth it! Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven and it would be more crazy to go through high school and those years without seminary. Learning the gospel and drawing closer to our Heavenly Father should always be first on our priority list.
           

Love you too. I didn't get to tell you much about this week but I'll make up for it Monday.

Remember I love you!

Sister Oliphant