Sister Hinkle, Utah Salt Lake City South Mission: Kerns!

Okay so first I apologize because for some reason I thought I had pday last Monday. BUT! They're regularly on Mondays now, SO now you know when to expect me.

So on Wednesday morning me and like 17 other missionaries hopped on a train and took our looooong looooong long 45 minute journey up to the South Jordan station. Hahaha, then we went through orientation and I got my trainer, who is WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, Sister Swain! She's from Hawaii and we were INSTANT best friends. We are WHITE WASHING in the Kerns Central Stake, it's a mostly Spanish speaking area, we cover two wards. We started getting less lost here like Saturday, haha. The amount of inactive members is INSANE! There are supposed to be over 600 people attending Church in one of my wards, and only 150 come, in the other over 400 and about 200 come. We walk everywhere, which isn't bad because the members here FEED US SOOOO MUCH. Like last night we came up with two giant pieces of cake and a container or squash, and the woman we live with (we call her Oma, which is what her grandkids call her) made banana bread and pumpkin bread and sloppy joe stuff. SO MUCH FOOD!

The woman we live with is named Linda and she's awesome! She used to be a neurosurgeon! And she's got super cute dogs that we get to pet a lot. Yay animals!

We visited a woman last night who has a doll collection and (this is for Mom) she has an original Shirley Temple doll from the 30's!!! I got a picture for you! :) Everyone treats you like you're their family here (at least the members do). Everyone here either is a member and loves the Church or is inactive and HATES the Church...and then there are the ones that have other religions. I love every single person here though, even if they don't love me! Hahaha, some people don't treat us like we're even humans. No matter what though, we still stay happy because we know we're doing the Lord's work. No matter how many time we get yelled at while walking down the street or how many doors get slammed in our faces. We are truely happy. I love this place and I love the people. We teach mostly young children whose parents are less active or inactive. It's great because this way we're teaching the children AND their families and bringing them ALL closer to Christ!

I know that Christ LIVES! He loves each of us! He died for each of us so that we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father. They are the source of ALL joy! Focus on serving others and you'll be able to feel Their love like you've never felt it before!

Provo temple is ridiculously gorgeous inside, I'm going to send pictures from the MTC and here in Kerns. (I'll send more flattering ones next Monday)

I love you! Be happy! I'm going to go buy a bag of oranges :)

My comp and me, my mtc zone at the temple and my mtc district in front of the map, shirley temple doll.