Sister Carlee Jacklin: Love From Minnesota!!!

Hey Family!

So, I have some good news and I have some bad news! But of course, we always like to give the good news first! As of May, the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission will be getting I-Pads!!!!!!! That's right! Ipads!!! We are so pumped! It's going to be such a great missionary tool! And Sister Forbes told me that each missionary will purchase their own and then they will let us keep them at the end. But yeah! It should be great! Bad news, for the last week... well two weeks, the President, Sister Forbes, and I have been fighting like lions to keep Sister Lacanienta out on the mission, and the fight is officially over. Sister Lacanienta has decided she is done. It has broken my heart because I got along so well with her! But it's okay. The Lord knows what is best and He has a plan for us. But yeah. It has been quite a struggle knowing that she is done. We went on a blitz last night with the STL's so that helped me out with facing this challenge but yeah. She is done. We just need to figure out if she's going to go early or finish out the transfer.

Minneapolis was great! I love the city so much! The art was beautiful and I enjoyed all that I saw! I really want to take you guys back to see it when I am done! It is sooooo cool!

I have a funny story for you about getting my call! So, Sister A is a sister in our ward whose daughter H is serving in Logan Utah. Well, she showed us the video of her getting her call and she was very similar to me. She did NOT want to go foreign. So, picture this, I read my call and shout YES! at speaking English. H reads her call and starts crying saying, "NO!" and reads that she will be speaking the Spanish language! It was so funny! :) I was laughing so hard! And I was brought to the reality that in one month, I have hit my hump day.... I think back to the beginning of my mission and how I never thought I would be in that position and now I'm like, "What???" It's pretty great! I was talking to an elder today at Zone Training who is leaving soon and he shared some pretty awesome insights with me on what to do to continue staying strong through the mission. I'm pretty sure he was inspired to say those to me because it has been quite a challenge staying strong while my companion is going through what she has been going through. But I know that it will all work out good! So far, I have gotten along with every companion that I have been given so I am happy! We are going to stay in touch too so that makes me happy. Not super happy because I would rather she stayed but I am happy that we got along. She's a great sister.

We are going to our Relief Society celebration tonight with our Recent convert Sister B (aka Sister B). I am so excited about her. She was really struggling with being socially active in the ward. She is super shy. I heard from previous missionaries that she would refuse to wear a skirt to church and now she is wearing the cutest dresses and she is going out of her way to speak to people and participate in every church meeting! It makes me so happy!

I liked your email about driving to school instead of the church. I have done that so many times out here! We get so used to going to certain places that I get into the habit of driving there so partway there I will realize that we are going in the opposite direction! :) Oops!

By the way, I am so sorry about money again.... I have not been good about budgeting and I am trying to do better. With everything that has been on my mind, money has been pushed to the back of it. So has my health. We have eaten out so much and I need to stop! We run every morning like clockwork but it will do nothing because I have been eating like a pig! Because of that, I have not been spending wisely either. I am going to make that my new goal for the rest of my mission! I need to be better about budgeting!!! :) Thanks for helping me out and being patient. I just let too many things stress me out and I end up losing my mind and letting things go that I really shouldn't! But yeah.... I will do better!

And, I would have pictures of Minneapolis for you but I left my camera in the wrong bag and I got pictures on Sister Laca's camera but she forgot her card reader so I will get those from her and send them to you next week, I hope.... I am sorry! I won't forget it again! :( I am so sorry! I am really over the edge right now but I will get my feet back on the ground eventually! :) Sorry for the craziness!

Well, I can't think of anything else to say... I am sure that I will think of it when I sign off! I love you so much and you are in my prayers every day! I hope that by the next time I write, I won't be this insane! :) I love you!

Love,

Sister Carlee Jacklin

P.S. I remembered!!! I have a "My Family" book to use with family history and I need to know when all Grandparents were married and sealed and when your birthdays are! I can't keep them straight so I need some help with that! :) Thanks!!! LOVE YOOOOUUUUUU!!!!!

Oh! That includes Great Grandparents too!