Email: March 20th

Hey everyone,

Once again, this week just flew on by. The transfer is already coming to an end! CRAZY! Its a shorter transfer though than all the other transfers due to transfer mess-ups and what not soooo ya!. Ive already been told I will be training for my dying transfer and Im quite glad about that. It will be fun to have some greenie juice as Im slowly going down into my grave here in Bulgaria. Im not sure if I will stay here in Blagoevgrad or not but I really want to! This place is small but its so cozy and I really like it here... its home.

This past saturday we had our big relief society party. It was quuuuuuite stressful for me. Krasi, the relief society president was not willing to help at all. She kept shoving all responsibility onto Sister Tate and I. Sister Tate decided to call Sister Roth about it and see what we could do to have Krasi help us. One thing led to another annnnd Krasi was called by one of the bulgarian church leaders here and was told exactly what she needed to do. I was told that Krasi was willing to be there and lead the entire meeting and what not so that put a lot of stress off my back. Saturday rolls around and Sister Tate and I decorate the church, have chili on the stove heating up that we made the previous night and have our dessert, brownies, all ready to go for after lunch. We got the tv out and set it up so we could watch the leaders of the church speak SPECIFICALLY to the eastern european women. I was really excited! We also put on mormon tabernable choir music on in the background as people were walking into the church. I definitely felt like a relief society woman lol. 10 o' clock rolls around and women are piling into the church and sitting down for the party. 10 was when we had plan to start but there was no Krasi in sight! 10:10 rolls around and still no sign and the members are looking at me like, "Come ooon..." So I decide to give Krasi a call. She answers the phone and in a almost happy voice tells me she cant make it because she has work. HAH. She couldve CALLED me to tell me that. Yaaaaa..... Sooooooo I led the entire meeting. LOL. I got up there, put a smile on and in bulgarian greeted them to the meeting, explained a little about what we would be doing and then started the DVD. Hahaha. I dont know....some people man...some people. Ah well...Im learning how to be a good little member for when I get back home. Ya?

The party actually went very well and the women really enjoyed it. They were excited that we had actually made them a meal and dessert. They couldnt get over it. I think it was definitely a spiritual experience for all of them and it really built their faith.

As service, even though it really wasnt service, we took some toys up to the orphanage kids and played with them for a little bit. They LOVED IT. They also kind of went crazy haha. One kid ran up to me, Tony, hugged me and gave me a big kiss on the cheek. Hehehe. It was a cool experience.

After the party, the elders, Tate and I and 3 members from the ward went to the park for another ward activity. Its a tradition to go to the big park and play games there as a ward. Its a time for bonding. I had so much fun. I was running around playing soccer with them all and feeling like a normal kid. Elder Gardner was trying to go against me in soccer but I cant compete because he played in germany as a soccer player and was asked to sign a professional contract for some soccer team in europe. CRAZY. Hes crazy good.

We had zone conference this week. The mission is becoming more white-handbook and were being given a lot more instruction than what it was like when I first got into country. Its weird but..whatever. I guess its good. I have my own opinions but I submit and do what Im asked to do. One thing that were doing now is receiving certificates with our name on it and with the persons name on that we baptized this year. Eeee-yaaa... awkward. I dont think its a good idea. We should just feel the joy from baptizing someone and knowing that the spirit worked through us to baptize that person....not be called up during zone conference to shake hands and receive a certificate. Ah well...whatever. Zone conference was still good though. Its so fun to come together as a zone and see all the missionaries. Ive made some pretty good friends and some eternal friendships. Its amazing.

Well everyone, I love you! I come home in 10 weeks. CRAZY. Ill see you soon!

-Sister Kinkead