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