How are you all!? Its so good to be able to respond back to you. Thank you so much for sending me so many letters and packages! My District has this game where they all guess how many letters Sister Carter will get that day. I feel very loved and I appreciate it very much.
Well this week has been a crazy one. There have some pretty amazing experiences and some really humbling ones. I'll tell you about the really amazing one first. So last week, on Thrusday, we had to go back to the TRC and teach another "investigator" the gospel. This time my companion and I had a couple named Anna and Arnold. I'm not sure what we expected but once we knocked on the "door" (Okay it really was a door but its suppose to be the door to their house) the cutest old couple opened it. They led us right in and we sat down and just chatted with them for awhile. They were Catholic but Anna's daughter, from a previous marriage, was killed in a car crash 12 years ago and she just didn't think that Catholism had the answers she needed. She held on to a lot of grief because she and her daughter had gotten in a fight and her daughter had driven away and was killed in a car crash. So we taught them about the Atonement. Anna wanted to be forgiven so bad for what she has been holding onto for so many years. We bore witness to her that she could receive the peace that she sought after if she let the Savior take her burdens from her. We also taught them about the Restoration. After we told them the story of Joseph Smith Arnold looked at us and said, "That is one crazy story... but it rings true". I know that this couple have already been converted to the gospel but this was their real story. They really had these tragedies happen in their lives. This was one of the most spiritual experience I've ever had in my life. When we left, Arnold got a little out of character when he shook our hands and told us that some mission president out there is lucky to have us. He was very sweet.
We had such an amazing experience with them that we've gotten discouraged over the other lessons that we have taught. A memeber from our Branch Presidency had Sister Anderson and I teach him a lesson and he ripped us apart. He did it in a loving way, yet he ripped us apart. So we've been a little discouraged ever since. We have had many insightful teachers, though, that have reminded us again that the Lord is the one who is in control of His work. When we doubt ourselves we are doubting the power that He has. I need to keep having faith that he will teach me the things that our investigators need to hear and that I will heed the promptings of the spirit.
Other than that everything has been well. I LOVE my companion! She is the most amazing person. She knows the scriptures so well. We make the dynamic duo. She brings in the doctrine with the scriptures and I bring in the testimony and experience. I need to start working on learning the scriptures better though, she won't be my companion forever :(. There have been lots of new missionaries today! We got two new sisters living in our room with us. They are going to Bulgaria. They aren't in our District though so we probably won't see them more than just at bed time. The Elders from our District are leaving on Tuesday. All six of them are headed to Vegas! I'm excited for them but also sad. They're such great guys and they're going to do such amazing things out in the field. Once they're gone Sister Anderson, Sister Trujillo, Sister Stewart and I will be doing Visitor Center Training for a week. We have class all week until the last day and then we head up to Temple Square to shadow the Sisters up there. I'm very excited to see how its done! Time is starting to go by very quickly!!!!
Hermana Jardine and Sister McGuire are headed out on Tuesday, as well, which makes me sad but I'm grateful for the chance that I've had to be with them for the amount of time that I have had.
It really is amazing here. I feel like the spirit is converting me all over again. This gospel is so true. Its the REAL DEAL. I know there is a Heavenly Father that is up there that loves each and every one of us. I know that He wants to bless us. I've often wondered how I'm being so blessed. I do miss home but I'm not homesick, when I have a bad moment I'm bouyed up in the next, when I get on my knees all of my sorrows are washed away. I could never be doing that on my own. There are angels all around this place.
I've reflected on that story in Matthew a lot this week. Where that man comes to the Savior, having lived a good life, having done all the things that he knew were right in his life and then asking Christ what else he could do. When the Savior told him to sell all that he owned and come follow Him the man thought that was too hard and left. The Savior sometimes asks us to give up all that we have, but I have a testimony that what He gives in return is way more than what we gave up. I am already a living example of that.
I love you! Thank you for being the most amazing family ever. Have a great week.
Love always, Sister Carter
