Dear Family,
My heart is feeling really heavy right now. Thank you for telling me about Grandpa. Its not exactly what I wanted to hear but its good to know what is going on. Please tell him that I love him, that I will pray earnestly for him and Grandma. I didn't know Mom was going to be starting treatments so soon. Well I guess its better to just get started, the first step on the road to recovery.
Well... I'm actually not quite sure what to write about. I have some stories but those don't really seem important anymore. I think I just need awhile for all this news to sit and process through my brain and then things will become more digestable and I'll be able to think more clearly. Right now I'm not so sure what to think or feel. Everything is kinda confusing. I guess we can't expect life to be full of all green lights, right Dad? :) So I will leave you this week with the few things that I do know and are always clearly lit up in my mind:
I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know He hears us, and not only that but that He answers every pleading of our heart or uttered prayer. When we speak, He listens. And because He loves us more than words could ever express, He knows what is best FOR us. He knows the Sons and Daughters He created and who they can become when we put out lives into His hands. He loved us enough to send His only begotton Son. The only perfect man who ever walked the earth. The One who came, not for Himself, but for others. Who taught us the way to live, to act, to treat others. He showed us how we could find peace in this life and how we can be with our Father again in the next. He provided the way. He waits with arms wide open, always. No matter what we have done in the past or where we think our future is headed. He established His church to help guide us and help us find refuge throughout our own personal storms. That church is led and guided by a Prophet and his 12 Apostles. I know that Joseph Smith was the first Prophet, called again to restore that church, in this last dispensation. Although he was an imperfect man he did all the Father wanted him to and sealed his testimony with his own blood. President Thomas S Monson is that chosen prophet today. He speaks what God would want us to know, he will never lead us astray. When we listen and apply the things that he admonishes us to do we will always be in accordance with the Father's will. I know that the Book of Mormon not only clarifies doctrines, but that it heals the soul, it answers our deepest soul-hungering questions, it testifies of Jesus Christ. I have a hope and belief that families can be together forever. That our family unit will always be connected... no matter what side of the veil we're on. It makes no difference. We're forever. I know that God keeps His promises and that the Atonement is real.
Being out on my mission for almost 8 months now I've seen that my tesimony hasn't changed much. I knew all those things before I came out here. The only difference is that now it has been more rooted within me. That when Satan's whirlwinds come, because they always do, that testimony will keep me solidly standing on the rock of Israel, our Reedemer, and He will never falter. I know Heavenly Father give us hard experiences in our lives to turn us into the people that we need to be and I'm grateful for them.
I love each one of you so much. I'm excited to be out here on a mission. If I've learned anything lately its that work cures grief :). I pray for you each, every day.
Love always, Sister Carter
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Zone Conference with Elder Scott February 22, 2011
Dear Family,
Well hello! As you noticed, I didn't email yesterday. With Presidents Day and everything, things just got crazy busy but here I am now. Plus I'm not sure what to really say.... President Christianson came to my apartment Monday night to tell me about Mom. For some reason I couldn't have been more shocked. That was the last thing I expected him to tell me (I actually thought he was going to tell me to stop talking on the phone so much because sometimes I can be a little chatty :)). Needless to say it has been a very hard week for me. I think somewhere in the back of my head I knew that this was coming but I really didn't think it would be coming for awhile. I wish I could be there with you all. That is what has hurt my heart the most. I just want to talk to you, know how you're feeling, grieve with you. Every morning I plead with the Lord to send angels to care for each of you. I'm comforted knowing that they will do more for you then I ever could. I just want each of you to know that I have a witness that this work is absolutely true. Every piece of it. If it wasn't then I would be on a plane ride home right now. There is nothing more important to me than my family... but the Lord is Who lets us be together forever, and for that reason I will serve Him till He tells me to stop. I won't quit going "however long and hard the road may be". He is my anchor is this storm that has hit our family. He'll keep us safe. President Christianson was able to give me a blessing before He left, in it he told me to trust what is going on and to "Be still, and know that He is God". Heavenly Father loves Mom, even more than I do. He'll take care of her.
We were able to meet a servant of God this week! Elder Scott came Saturday morning with President Jay E Jensen, from the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder Cook, who is apart of the Area Seventy here. You could feel the power as Elder Scott walked into the room. It was so tangible! Then he had each of us come up and introduce ourselves and shake his hand and tell him where we were from. He's much shorter in real life! He's got such a gift of looking into people's eyes and just KNOWING things about them. There is reason he is called a "seer". It was such an incredibly humbling experience. I'm never going to wash my hand again!! (Don't worry, just kidding. I already have). It was so great because we were so ready to be taught the most profound uplifting missionary message and guess what he talked about..... MARRIAGE. Marriage!? What the? That is something that didn't even cross my mind. I think all of us were a little in shock even thinking about that. Ha! What an interesting topic. It was amazing though. He is such a sweet man, especially when he talks about his wife who passed away awhile ago. He just admonished us to go home and get married! Alright! Sounds good, Elder Scott! At the end of the meeting he bore simple sincere divine testimony of the Savior. My whole entire spirit was on fire! The room was like electric! He finished by saying, "I know He lives because I know Him." There is no doubt in my mind that Elder Scott is one of those special witnesses on this earth today. That he is God's instrument to relay the messages that we need to hear. What a great time period to live in! We are so blessed to get to have living Prophets and Apostles today!
Another thing that is happening to our mission that is kinda cool is that we are now online proselyting missionaries. So I will be getting a Facebook soon. You can add me if you want but please don't post anything to me because I won't be able to talk to any family and friends from home. The purpose of our Facebook is to add people in our surrounding area (ex. Investigators, less actives, recent converts, ward members) and then to link them to a blog that we create and the websites: mormon.org and lds.org. So I have decided that since I already have a blog, and since I pretty much write everything to you that I would put on my blog, that I will just refer to my rochesteramanda.blogspot.com on Facebook. If you could do me a favor and put the links mormon.org and lds,org somewhere on my blog so that people can access that I would appreciate that a lot. I'm really excited for this! So if I start explaining what fasting is or what Sunday School is in any of my emails home, you'll know why. Satan is using the internet for bad so its about time we start fighting him off with the good. Hopefully it all works out, you know how computer savy I am :).
Well family, I really love you. I really do. I think about you now more than ever. Kyle, I can't wait to hear where you are going to be going. Kris, I am so happy you got a new job and that you send me so many pictures of cute Atreyu. Kreigh, I wish I could see you being a Dad, I know you must be the best. Mom, I really love you, you're everything to me, I hope you know that. Dad, thanks for being a pillar of strength, I don't know what any of us would do without you.
I will leave you with my quote of the week "Nothing very valuable can come without significant sacrifice and effort and patience on our part" -Elder Holland.
I love you all.
Love always, Sister Carter
Well hello! As you noticed, I didn't email yesterday. With Presidents Day and everything, things just got crazy busy but here I am now. Plus I'm not sure what to really say.... President Christianson came to my apartment Monday night to tell me about Mom. For some reason I couldn't have been more shocked. That was the last thing I expected him to tell me (I actually thought he was going to tell me to stop talking on the phone so much because sometimes I can be a little chatty :)). Needless to say it has been a very hard week for me. I think somewhere in the back of my head I knew that this was coming but I really didn't think it would be coming for awhile. I wish I could be there with you all. That is what has hurt my heart the most. I just want to talk to you, know how you're feeling, grieve with you. Every morning I plead with the Lord to send angels to care for each of you. I'm comforted knowing that they will do more for you then I ever could. I just want each of you to know that I have a witness that this work is absolutely true. Every piece of it. If it wasn't then I would be on a plane ride home right now. There is nothing more important to me than my family... but the Lord is Who lets us be together forever, and for that reason I will serve Him till He tells me to stop. I won't quit going "however long and hard the road may be". He is my anchor is this storm that has hit our family. He'll keep us safe. President Christianson was able to give me a blessing before He left, in it he told me to trust what is going on and to "Be still, and know that He is God". Heavenly Father loves Mom, even more than I do. He'll take care of her.
We were able to meet a servant of God this week! Elder Scott came Saturday morning with President Jay E Jensen, from the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder Cook, who is apart of the Area Seventy here. You could feel the power as Elder Scott walked into the room. It was so tangible! Then he had each of us come up and introduce ourselves and shake his hand and tell him where we were from. He's much shorter in real life! He's got such a gift of looking into people's eyes and just KNOWING things about them. There is reason he is called a "seer". It was such an incredibly humbling experience. I'm never going to wash my hand again!! (Don't worry, just kidding. I already have). It was so great because we were so ready to be taught the most profound uplifting missionary message and guess what he talked about..... MARRIAGE. Marriage!? What the? That is something that didn't even cross my mind. I think all of us were a little in shock even thinking about that. Ha! What an interesting topic. It was amazing though. He is such a sweet man, especially when he talks about his wife who passed away awhile ago. He just admonished us to go home and get married! Alright! Sounds good, Elder Scott! At the end of the meeting he bore simple sincere divine testimony of the Savior. My whole entire spirit was on fire! The room was like electric! He finished by saying, "I know He lives because I know Him." There is no doubt in my mind that Elder Scott is one of those special witnesses on this earth today. That he is God's instrument to relay the messages that we need to hear. What a great time period to live in! We are so blessed to get to have living Prophets and Apostles today!
Another thing that is happening to our mission that is kinda cool is that we are now online proselyting missionaries. So I will be getting a Facebook soon. You can add me if you want but please don't post anything to me because I won't be able to talk to any family and friends from home. The purpose of our Facebook is to add people in our surrounding area (ex. Investigators, less actives, recent converts, ward members) and then to link them to a blog that we create and the websites: mormon.org and lds.org. So I have decided that since I already have a blog, and since I pretty much write everything to you that I would put on my blog, that I will just refer to my rochesteramanda.blogspot.com on Facebook. If you could do me a favor and put the links mormon.org and lds,org somewhere on my blog so that people can access that I would appreciate that a lot. I'm really excited for this! So if I start explaining what fasting is or what Sunday School is in any of my emails home, you'll know why. Satan is using the internet for bad so its about time we start fighting him off with the good. Hopefully it all works out, you know how computer savy I am :).
Well family, I really love you. I really do. I think about you now more than ever. Kyle, I can't wait to hear where you are going to be going. Kris, I am so happy you got a new job and that you send me so many pictures of cute Atreyu. Kreigh, I wish I could see you being a Dad, I know you must be the best. Mom, I really love you, you're everything to me, I hope you know that. Dad, thanks for being a pillar of strength, I don't know what any of us would do without you.
I will leave you with my quote of the week "Nothing very valuable can come without significant sacrifice and effort and patience on our part" -Elder Holland.
I love you all.
Love always, Sister Carter
Monday, February 14, 2011
Baptism and Love February 14, 2010
Dear Family,
Happy Valentines Day everyone! I was a little bummed when I thought today couldn't be full of watching a million chick flicks and stuffing myself with lots of candy but I realized that there is so much love to be found in this work! And not the depressing "I don't have a boyfriend" type love, but the real kind. The eternity-lasting type of love. Its the best way to spend the day! Sharing God's love, which is infinite and eternal with people... beats sitting around, increasing my waistline any day!
It sounds like everyone has had a great week! No news is really good news. I love that Celsie applied to be on "Survivor"! That is totally on my Bucket list as well. She would make a very interesting competitor! Ha! I would die! That would be so great if she made it! I'm crossing my fingers! Kyle's papers go in TOMORROW! Hip hip horray! I love it. I'm so excited! I live in a house with a Sister who's parents are getting their mission call, to be Mission Presidents, this week (they actually live in St. George- the Holms). It has been very exciting around our house and has reminded me a lot of Kyle. He's going to be amazing wherever he gets sent. I just wish I could be there when he opens up his call.
So it was a great week this week. WE SAW THE SUN! It was glorious, marvelous, beautiful, stunning, enchanting, delightful, and so much more. Only downfall was that with the sun came the wind, that whipped something fierce as we walked around the city. But I'll take a frozen face any day, as long as I can see the sun. The other amazing news.... Bernard WAS BAPTIZED! Yes! It was a good moment to have someone actually show up to their baptism! It was such a wonderful service. There were amazing talks, the Bishop gave him a really warm welcome, Sister Gines and I sang the song "I heard Him Come" which is one of my favorites. It was funny though because the water was SO warm. When Bernard and Bro. Nunez walked into the font you could tell from their faces that it was HOT! It ended up being 106 degrees! Poor Bernard was pretty much boiled when they immersed him in the water :). It was such a great day, though. The spirit was there so strong. You knew that Heavenly Father and His angels were smiling down on Bernard and the decision that he made.
A lot of other cool things are going on in this area right now. The ward is really responding to our efforts to get them involved in missionary work. We told the ward council to start using and abusing us to help them with the ward and they are! Its great! We are getting to know so many new people and people are really responsive when we ask them to do things. We have meals with members every single night for the next two weeks, Sister Van Den Berge (one of the Webster Sisters) and I were asked to speak yesterday in church. We're getting out there! Another cool thing that is happening this week is that.... drumroll.... Elder Richard G. Scott is coming! An Apostle of the Lord is coming to talk with all of us missionaries this Saturday. YAY! So excited to get to meet him and listen to his counsel. Its going to be amazing. What a great privilege it is to be here on a mission. There is nothing like it. I've never been able to feel the forces of darkness and the forces of light so much in my life... I'm not going to lie. I'm no perfect missionary. I make some stupid mistakes, but the bright side to that is that I'm getting to be really close to the Savior because I need Him so much! He is so patient with me and His kindess and love never ceases. I'm so blessed to get to wear His name every single day.
Well I hope this Valentines Day is a good one for all of you. I love you so much... I had a Sister tell me the other day that she can tell how much I love my family by the way I talk about all of you. You're my strengths, my anchors. Thank you for loving me exactly as I am. I will always be indebted to you for that. I love you. Have a wonderful week.
Love always, Sister Carter
Happy Valentines Day everyone! I was a little bummed when I thought today couldn't be full of watching a million chick flicks and stuffing myself with lots of candy but I realized that there is so much love to be found in this work! And not the depressing "I don't have a boyfriend" type love, but the real kind. The eternity-lasting type of love. Its the best way to spend the day! Sharing God's love, which is infinite and eternal with people... beats sitting around, increasing my waistline any day!
It sounds like everyone has had a great week! No news is really good news. I love that Celsie applied to be on "Survivor"! That is totally on my Bucket list as well. She would make a very interesting competitor! Ha! I would die! That would be so great if she made it! I'm crossing my fingers! Kyle's papers go in TOMORROW! Hip hip horray! I love it. I'm so excited! I live in a house with a Sister who's parents are getting their mission call, to be Mission Presidents, this week (they actually live in St. George- the Holms). It has been very exciting around our house and has reminded me a lot of Kyle. He's going to be amazing wherever he gets sent. I just wish I could be there when he opens up his call.
So it was a great week this week. WE SAW THE SUN! It was glorious, marvelous, beautiful, stunning, enchanting, delightful, and so much more. Only downfall was that with the sun came the wind, that whipped something fierce as we walked around the city. But I'll take a frozen face any day, as long as I can see the sun. The other amazing news.... Bernard WAS BAPTIZED! Yes! It was a good moment to have someone actually show up to their baptism! It was such a wonderful service. There were amazing talks, the Bishop gave him a really warm welcome, Sister Gines and I sang the song "I heard Him Come" which is one of my favorites. It was funny though because the water was SO warm. When Bernard and Bro. Nunez walked into the font you could tell from their faces that it was HOT! It ended up being 106 degrees! Poor Bernard was pretty much boiled when they immersed him in the water :). It was such a great day, though. The spirit was there so strong. You knew that Heavenly Father and His angels were smiling down on Bernard and the decision that he made.
A lot of other cool things are going on in this area right now. The ward is really responding to our efforts to get them involved in missionary work. We told the ward council to start using and abusing us to help them with the ward and they are! Its great! We are getting to know so many new people and people are really responsive when we ask them to do things. We have meals with members every single night for the next two weeks, Sister Van Den Berge (one of the Webster Sisters) and I were asked to speak yesterday in church. We're getting out there! Another cool thing that is happening this week is that.... drumroll.... Elder Richard G. Scott is coming! An Apostle of the Lord is coming to talk with all of us missionaries this Saturday. YAY! So excited to get to meet him and listen to his counsel. Its going to be amazing. What a great privilege it is to be here on a mission. There is nothing like it. I've never been able to feel the forces of darkness and the forces of light so much in my life... I'm not going to lie. I'm no perfect missionary. I make some stupid mistakes, but the bright side to that is that I'm getting to be really close to the Savior because I need Him so much! He is so patient with me and His kindess and love never ceases. I'm so blessed to get to wear His name every single day.
Well I hope this Valentines Day is a good one for all of you. I love you so much... I had a Sister tell me the other day that she can tell how much I love my family by the way I talk about all of you. You're my strengths, my anchors. Thank you for loving me exactly as I am. I will always be indebted to you for that. I love you. Have a wonderful week.
Love always, Sister Carter
Monday, February 7, 2011
Hope for a Baptism February 7, 2010
Dear Family,
Wow. Little A is now a blessed baby. I wish I could have been there more than anything, I think Sundays are where I miss home the most. I love Sundays when we were all together for dinner and a movie, my favorite time of the week. That is so neat that there were so many people at his blessing. I'm sure Kreigh did a wonderful job with it. I love that picture of Kreigh, Dad, Grandpa, and little A- the four generations. That is something very special. Kyle submitted his papers!?! What the!? That seemed to go by so fast! I can't believe that I've only got a couple more times emailing you before I know where he's going! My guess is Japan... I'm plugging that in right now. Kyle would do so well there. He'd get to eat lots of rice :). I will be anxiously awaiting the news...
So I feel like I always start off my emails by talking about the weather... and I will do the same this time :). Its cold-sauce here. Street contacting really isn't that effective because there really aren't that many people outside, and when we do start talking to them, and they find out who we are, they duck their heads and try to run away quickly. At first this really use to bug me, and it still does, but its all about finding confidence in the right person. I get rude comments or doors slammed all day long but when I lay my head down at night, the rejection starts to melt away into a peace that strengthens my character and makes it possible to wake up and start all over again. Sometimes I just wish I could see THE SUN! I try to not be dramatic about it, but lets face it... I'm a dramatic person! It would be nice to see the blue sky again someday! I had a ward member tell me yesterday that they actually have a crayon named "Rochester grey" because of our weather. Great. I have tried to find comfort in the quote I remember hearing from Elder Wirthlin many conferences ago "In the depths of winter, I found within myself an invincible summer". Pushing my dramatic-side away, I know that the sun is always shining on the other side of the clouds, I just have to wait patiently until I can see it again.
Lots of great things are happening here in Irondequoit! We have a baptism happening this week! We're teaching a black man right now named B. He's about 33, lives alone, wears these coke-bottle thick glasses, and after ever questions he mostly just mutters "Mmm hmmm". At first I wondered how accountable he was, but he really is amazing. He has quit smoking and he's already to Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. He doesn't talk much but he has a love for this gospel that you can always see. He is the type of person who is always seeking after good. I'm so excited for him to get a new start at life and make those covenants with God. Its going to be a great day. Sister Gines is great. We get along well. We're still trying to work really hard with ward members and we're already seeing some success because have dinner appointments all this week. Yay! We're going to get fat!
So yesterday I thought a lot about fasting (mostly because my stomach was grumbling ever two seconds). Fasting has always been really hard for me because, lets face it, I love food. Fasting is not something that I really enjoy to do but I do have a stong testimony of the blessings that come from fasting. When I was serving in Henrietta we had a woman in our ward who had a "critical medical issue". Together, as a ward we fasted for her and a couple weeks later she came back to church. In Relief Society she got up and explained all the things that had happened to her within the last couple months. They found a tumor on her brain, a really serious case, and they told her she would most likely pass away within the next year. Well, the week after we fasted for her she went back for a check up and the doctors could find no trace of the tumor. Nothing. It is gone. Completely.
We have this fight between body and spirit every day of our lives. When we choose our spirit we are able to receive those blessings that Heavenly Father wants for us, but often time we choose the body because it brings the instant gratification. I love fasting because it is the chance we have to pick spirit. And because we do, Heavenly Father rewards us openly. I know thats true.
Well I love you all. I hope you all have the most amazing week! I think and pray for you everday.
Love always, Sister Carter
P.S. Thank you so much for the "box of love"! It really made me smile (especially the random play-doh in it :))
Wow. Little A is now a blessed baby. I wish I could have been there more than anything, I think Sundays are where I miss home the most. I love Sundays when we were all together for dinner and a movie, my favorite time of the week. That is so neat that there were so many people at his blessing. I'm sure Kreigh did a wonderful job with it. I love that picture of Kreigh, Dad, Grandpa, and little A- the four generations. That is something very special. Kyle submitted his papers!?! What the!? That seemed to go by so fast! I can't believe that I've only got a couple more times emailing you before I know where he's going! My guess is Japan... I'm plugging that in right now. Kyle would do so well there. He'd get to eat lots of rice :). I will be anxiously awaiting the news...
So I feel like I always start off my emails by talking about the weather... and I will do the same this time :). Its cold-sauce here. Street contacting really isn't that effective because there really aren't that many people outside, and when we do start talking to them, and they find out who we are, they duck their heads and try to run away quickly. At first this really use to bug me, and it still does, but its all about finding confidence in the right person. I get rude comments or doors slammed all day long but when I lay my head down at night, the rejection starts to melt away into a peace that strengthens my character and makes it possible to wake up and start all over again. Sometimes I just wish I could see THE SUN! I try to not be dramatic about it, but lets face it... I'm a dramatic person! It would be nice to see the blue sky again someday! I had a ward member tell me yesterday that they actually have a crayon named "Rochester grey" because of our weather. Great. I have tried to find comfort in the quote I remember hearing from Elder Wirthlin many conferences ago "In the depths of winter, I found within myself an invincible summer". Pushing my dramatic-side away, I know that the sun is always shining on the other side of the clouds, I just have to wait patiently until I can see it again.
Lots of great things are happening here in Irondequoit! We have a baptism happening this week! We're teaching a black man right now named B. He's about 33, lives alone, wears these coke-bottle thick glasses, and after ever questions he mostly just mutters "Mmm hmmm". At first I wondered how accountable he was, but he really is amazing. He has quit smoking and he's already to Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. He doesn't talk much but he has a love for this gospel that you can always see. He is the type of person who is always seeking after good. I'm so excited for him to get a new start at life and make those covenants with God. Its going to be a great day. Sister Gines is great. We get along well. We're still trying to work really hard with ward members and we're already seeing some success because have dinner appointments all this week. Yay! We're going to get fat!
So yesterday I thought a lot about fasting (mostly because my stomach was grumbling ever two seconds). Fasting has always been really hard for me because, lets face it, I love food. Fasting is not something that I really enjoy to do but I do have a stong testimony of the blessings that come from fasting. When I was serving in Henrietta we had a woman in our ward who had a "critical medical issue". Together, as a ward we fasted for her and a couple weeks later she came back to church. In Relief Society she got up and explained all the things that had happened to her within the last couple months. They found a tumor on her brain, a really serious case, and they told her she would most likely pass away within the next year. Well, the week after we fasted for her she went back for a check up and the doctors could find no trace of the tumor. Nothing. It is gone. Completely.
We have this fight between body and spirit every day of our lives. When we choose our spirit we are able to receive those blessings that Heavenly Father wants for us, but often time we choose the body because it brings the instant gratification. I love fasting because it is the chance we have to pick spirit. And because we do, Heavenly Father rewards us openly. I know thats true.
Well I love you all. I hope you all have the most amazing week! I think and pray for you everday.
Love always, Sister Carter
P.S. Thank you so much for the "box of love"! It really made me smile (especially the random play-doh in it :))
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