Satan never quits

Dear Family,


Wow! Your letters were so exciting! I couldn't help but feel the butterflies in my stomach when I saw all of the classes that I'm signed up for! I'm SO nervous, but really happy. I feel good about all of those classes (a little nervous about Biology but I think its going to be okay :)), and I hope that as I get back into school things will start to come back to my memory. YES... I would love that job at the Elementary School! That would be such a neat opportunity, especially if education is what I want to go into. It would give me that extra shoe-in to get into the program I want. If the job becomes available I would love if you put in my application. I might need your help to kind of adjust it to fit more of something that they would be looking for. I want them to want me! :) Those hours would be great as well.

I got a hand-copy of my flight plans this week after site meeting. My whole stomach about dropped. I can't even believe it. I feel such a wide-variety of emotions as the end is coming near. I don't think I've prayed or cried more on my mission. My knees are sore for kneeling for so long, pleading that I can end strong. I have never felt Satan so great. He's such a jerk! He gives me every reason to stop, and I've realized that excuses are easy to find. I can feel like I am entitled to be tired and some-what discouraged but we are asked to "remember him... and not hang down our heads" (2 Nephi 10:20). So... sometimes, 5 weeks seems like a short amount of time. Sometimes it feels like an eternity away. I know that I'm going to make it to the end... I just want to do it well. So every day I need a new "rally cry" to get me up, but I know that the Atonement isn't just there to cover our sins. It is there to to sustain and enable us to accomplish the things that we could not on our own.

There is nothing too exciting happening in our area right now. We're actually just trying to find people to teach. Lots of nice people, just no takers. We got our last transfers this week. I'm staying with Sister Lee in Marion. I'm happy about that. She helps me stretch and grow and she doesn't let me give up. We've been doing lots of service lately with the holidays coming. We helped decorate a Christmas tree yesterday!!! YAY!!!!!! So happy! I sure love Christmas. Mom's going to have to start recording all of our cheesy Hallmark channel shows because guess what?! "I'll be home for Christmas" (I have a whole new feeling associated with that song now).

So to end, family. I just want to say thank you. I thank you for figuring out my resume, my apartment situation, staying up till midnight to get me signed up for classes, helping me find a job. I couldn't have a better family in all the world and I know my words don't do it justice, but thank you. Sincerely from my heart. I love all of you more than I can express. I hope you all have the most amazing week.

Love always, Sister Carter