Changes to system running in ram such as /etc/locale.conf and everything but /home require you check box "Save filesystem using compression" in logout box or at terminal command prompt "tazusb writefs lzma" as root.This makes new rootfs.gz of complete filesystem minus /home which is a mounted folder that lives on your usbstick.Changes to /home user folders,files, and configurations automatically persist since they are written to the mounted stick.