The Blessing of a Baptisms and chewing gum

Loving Service

Man, this has been a HARD week. I wont get into the details but out of it I have learned that Heavenly Father is there, that he loves me, that I need to be patient, that prayer is real, and that the Book of Mormon is inspired.

I had two favorite moments this week:
First, we went to the hospital to go pay a visit to an elderly man from our ward who is very ill. His name is Brother Gleave. He's been in the hospital for weeks and should be there for a while longer. When we got to his room we found min happily lying there in his bed. We introduced ourselves and had a great visit with him. I then asked him how much longer he thought he would be in there. He said, "oh not long. I just had surgery that wasn't too bad, and they said I should be out of here by tomorrow." We were pretty surprised by that, then we asked him when he got into the hospital. "Yesterday" He said. Sister Buckner and I both looked at each other, just about burst out laughing and she mouthed the words "This is not Brother Gleave." We quickly wrapped up the conversation and just as we were leaving two of the mans family members walked in looking confused at what we were doing with him. I can imagine what they must have been thinking seeing two mormon missionaries walking out of his hospital room. We got out of the hospital and laughed so hard!

Second, While weekly planning this week Sister Buckner found a piece of chewed up old gum stuck between the cushions of the couch. It was gross. I dared her to eat it and she said said "NO WAY" Then I remembered she was tight on money so then I changed my dare. "I will pay you 5 dollars if you chew on this for a full minute."
"NO WAY" she said. then I pulled out the 5 dollars and waved it in front of her face.
"FINE!" she said.
Haha it was so hilarious! She got her money, and I got my entertainment!

I found out yesterday that my investigator from Davis, got baptized on Saturday!! I was SOOOOO happy! His story is amazing. For lack of time I will have to save it...
TOMORROW IS LAI'S BAPTISM! She is an amazing woman! I am so touched by her story too! The church is true people.

Well, I love being here. If you are thinking of serving a mission and have that option. TAKE IT. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

Love,
Sister Carter.

A meeting in the beautiful California Redwoods

We've been sticky noted!

Old Friends and Innocent Criminals

MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE BOOK!

This morning for studies It was my turn to choose which song to sing, and I chose "The Star Spangled Banner". I almost felt like I was an American. My companion loved it! Little does she know what I am choosing next... "Oh Canada."

LAI PASSED HER BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW AND IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON THE 24TH! I'm flipping out! This will be the first baptism that I have had some part in teaching, and actually get to be at. 

We had a half mission conference this week in Santa Rosa. The other half was the next day. We got to hear from Elder Falabella of the Seventy. and guess who I ran into?! ELDER PRINCE! I about flipped out of my mind... Seeing friends on my mission is the strangest experience! 

LOOK WHO I FOUND!!!!

My dear ole friend Elder Bryson Prince!!

     


   I seem to have started a pranking war here... Hermana Whitely's bed got short sheeted. The elders got nesquik in their shower head, pillows in their freezer and switched desks. Then we found their car unlocked and sticky noted the inside of their car... I don't feel very safe anymore.

Hna Whitely switched the salt for sugar and I had some very sweet eggs for breakfast. The Elders also keep threatening us, and I am getting a little nervous.

One lesson I MUST tell you about. We went to go teach our 90 year old investigator and his niece happened to be there. She sat in on our lesson and nodded in agreement the entire time. Her face was so bright and happy, and there was a special feeling that we had about her. Finally we found out that she was an inactive member of the church who had been inactive for about 60 years. She left the church when she was a teenager due to drugs and other things but has long since been clean. As we talked to her the spirit was so strong with her. We finished the lesson on the Restoration and she told us that she knew it was all true. She said that she has been very lonely and has been praying for some friends. She told us that she knew we were an answer to her prayer. She asked us for a Book of Mormon and what time church was. She told us that she had a wonderful warm feeling in her heart and was so touched and knew what we told her was true... It was a miracle. The spirit makes all the difference. I felt so honored to be used as an instrument in the Lords hands to answer a precious prayer. 

Moment of the week:

Last night the last person we contacted told us we probably recognized him because his name and face have been all over the news for convicted arm robbery and kidnapping... He said that the news forgot one minor detail... He didn't do it... That was comforting.
We got out of there pretty quick. Especially since he wouldn't stop hitting on us and telling us that he would come to our church if we would be there...

Good ol' Eureka

Love,

 Sister Carter

Old Friends from home!

Falling in Love with Eureka

If I come home fat, this is why:

More caramel and chocolate than apple.

Our apartment is on what we call the fight for fit program. We are getting VERY WELL fed here.

Here are some of the highlights of my week:

-Turns out, I love Eureka! I am beginning to fall in love with the investigators, the ward, and even the grungy little town that goes with it.

-Apparently we had more lessons this week that this area has seen in a long time. That was exciting.

-We started teaching a 90 year old man who is so cute I could probably crush him if I were to hug him.

-I gave a talk this Sunday in sacrament meeting on my current favorite topic: Missionary work. 

-A whole bunch of us missionaries got together for a monthly festival down town Eureka called "Arts Alive" and sang hymns among the other music and activities going on. around us. That was fun!

-We brought birthday cupcakes and a picture of Christ for our investigator Lai who is getting baptized this month on her husbands birthday.

Here are some of my not so highlights of the week:

-I got a nice warm welcoming from some guys driving by in their truck screaming, "GO HOME YOU UGLY W****." Wasn't that sweet?

- A member told me I was too intense in a lesson in front of the investigator because I invited the person to be baptized. That hurt... a lot... After the lesson I had a good cry. Sometimes members don't realize how prayerful we are about invitations like that. We take them very seriously. And we realize those individuals might not be ready to be baptized yet, but giving them something to work toward is important... The hardest part is that more than anything us missionaries want our members to trust us so they can help us. We need them. But it's okay now. I'm a big girl. 

-This is good and bad. The good news is that after last weeks email about no sun, the sun came out and it has been out since. The bad news is though the air is cold and often windy, the sun is feisty, and I have gotten burnt about 3 times over!

Love you all,
Sister Carter

Lai, our dear sweet Investigator who is getting baptized on her deceased husbands birthday cause he had wanted to join the church first.

Some more of the people I just Love!!

Eureka!! Get it??

Eureka! What a place! I haven't seen the sun since I first got here, and most people we talk to on the streets are flying pretty high. It is a very green town in every aspect. I keep forgetting it is summer here because it is so cold. I busted the tights and cardigans back out. Didn't think I would be seeing those in a while. Everything about my new area is completely opposite from my old area. But I am happy to be here. There is lots for me to learn, and lots of growing to do! 

Fun facts:

-The last ward I served in was all under 30, and this ward is close to all over 70.

-The last zone I was in was almost all sisters besides the zone leaders and district leaders. This zone only has 4 sisters. I feel completely outnumbered! Now I know how the Elders felt. It is so weird. 

The day after getting here I had to sync my ipad to get the information for this area which meant loosing the information from my last area. I had a mini panic attack and burst into tears. Pressing that button was a lot harder than I ever expected it to be. But I did. And I'm glad I did. I have loved reading through the teaching records of the investigators in this area. I am learning to love them too. 

One lady here who has been taught for a long time just recently lost her husband in a motorcycle accident a couple weeks ago, leaving her with 2 kids under 8. Her husband wanted to be baptized but she didn't. The accident completely changed her and she has grown an extremely strong testimony of the plan of salvation. She now is preparing to be baptized on her husbands birthday this month and plans to take his work to the temple for him to be baptized and sealed to her. She is incredible.

THIS Church is true! Kay?!

Yesterday I met another lady and her 2 kids. She is CRAZY! And I LOVE her! Haha I could have sat and listened to her for hours. I could hardly track her thought process, but I enjoyed every moment of it. She has a little girl and a  little boy and her little boy is blind from having brain cancer twice. I LOVE her kids. They are the sweetest little kids. Her son and I have a new special hand shake that he taught me. as we were driving away I watched him go for a walk around the block with his little stick. It was so fascinating to me. He flew down the street all by himself with no help. I love him!

I keep seeing chubby kids around here, and I've decided that I think chubby kids are SO cute!

Nuff said. 

Love, 

Sister Carter

PS. I just realized I never got a picture with our 6'9 investigator in Davis. He was so tall! Oh well, One day. 

Here is a few of my last moments in beloved Davis!

My very own Greene!!

One Last Goodbye

Turning the Keyes over to my Greene!!