I love my GREENIE!!

I LOVE MY NEW COMPANION! Her name is Sister Whimpey. Poor girl gets so much hassle because of her name. But she is such a good sport about it, and I LOVE HER!!  

She came to the mission so prepared. She has the spirit so strong with her and is such a powerful teacher. I am constantly learning how to be a better missionary from her. People always talk about a greenie fire that comes with a new missionary and she definitely has it! I am such a proud mother! I LOVE MY BABY!

These are all the new missionaries with their trainers. This transfer the mission went from 30% sister missionaries to 40% sister missionaries! There are so many sister in our mission now it is incredible.

Familiar face from Calgary!!

LOOK WHO IS IN MY MISSION NOW!!! ^
This is Elder Jordan Taylor, I grew up with him in Calgary, Alberta and haven't seen him in years and now he is in my mission!!!! I flipped out when I saw him! The coolest thing that we found out too is that he has a friend who lives in my area who he has been trying to share the gospel with and it turns out that he is the same guy that my companions and I have been trying to teach as well. I freaked out when he told me the name. It is such a small world! 

Elder Taylor has an AWESOME trainer, Elder Johnson. So if Elder Taylor's mom is reading this, don't worry, your son is in VERY good hands!

I still have yet to see my other friend Elder Bryson Prince from Victoria, BC and it's killing me that I have to go another 6 weeks knowing that he is here and not being able to see him.

Well a midst all the excitement there have been a LOT of miracles, and there has been a LOT of stress. Training is hard work. Not because my companion is a challenge in ANY way, but because I now have to teach, train, lead, drive, call, plan, smile, pretend I'm not sick, and NOT pull my hair out all at the same time.

I saw an interesting miracle the other day. So you know how in the scriptures it talks about leaning on the strength of the Lord and not the strength of man. Well, I had a testimony building experience with that. We were going into a lesson that I was SO stressed about. These particular 3 investigators are incredible and terrifying all at the same time. They know their Bible VERY well and are very devout Christians. But for some reason they keep coming back to learn more about us peculiar Mormons. Whenever they ask their super deep intense questions there has always been at least one of the three of us in our trio to address the question or the member who is with us will address the question. Well, I was pretty stressed because Sister Whimpey is super new, and I felt super inadequate. So I figured the best thing to do would be to fortify myself by having a few really awesome members at the lesson who I figured were bound to be able to address their crazy questions, if my companion and I couldn't. Well we got into the lesson and it was a complete and utter train wreck. The lesson came to the end and I felt so overwhelmed. I prayed and prayed so hard the whole time and nothing seemed to be working. Then finally a miracle happened. I felt like the only thing I could do was to testify. So I did. I shared with them what I knew to be true and the feeling in the room completely changed. You could actually see their hearts softening... As a little back ground information about them: they refused to meet one on one, and would ONLY meet all together. It made it really hard because they would have so many questions and different concerns and we just could address all of them personally. It was hard. Well, after I testified and could see their hearts changing, one of them said, "you know, I think it is time to start meeting one on one" and then they all agreed. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. It was a miracle. What was even more of a miracle is they actually wanted to meet right away even after that train wreck of a lesson.
The next night we taught just one of them. As we were preparing for the lesson I recalled how I had trusted so much in the arm of flesh and knew that I needed to rely on the arm of God. I needed to have faith. I felt so incredibly inadequate but I prayed so hard and studied so hard that I would be able to have enough faith to chase away my fears. 

That night was such a miracle! The lesson was beautiful! Somehow the lord put words into my mouth, and helped me to recall scriptures that I never could have done on my own. The spirit was so strong and so profound as we taught. I believe in miracles because the Lord can take someone like me and use me as an instrument in His hands. I am so humbled by that experience. there truly is nothing greater than serving the Lord.

Well I need to go. But all my love to all who will be reading my email.
Love,
Sister Carter