We melt frozen hearts. With the gospel. 1/27/14

Well.. We had an AWESOME week. 5 new investigators. Maybe that doesn't sound like a ton, but each was a miracle.

So.. it has been snowing like CRAZY here. We were at a level 2 snow emergency and close to 3. At 3, everything shuts down. You aren't to leave your house. It's bad. haha. Tomorrow is supposed to be -17 degrees and -40 with wind chill. I'm really grateful I learned to drive in the snow.  :) BUT we helped a few people shovel their driveways and that's how we found one of our investigators. :D 

I also... HELD A 4 AND A HALF FOOT PYTHON! Pictures to come. haha. It was pretty sweet. 

So the other picture is of the SUNRISE when we were getting ready in the morning, just out of our apartment. 

We've seen so many answered prayers and miracles this week. It's been INCREDIBLE. I've never seen my prayers answered so quickly and evidently before. I feel so incredibly blessed. Prayer works. And not just for me, or for missionaries. For everyone. Try it, I dare you. :) 

Have a great week! Love you all!

 Outside their apartment at sunrise.

 

The snow right now in Heath, Ohio.

Share the Gospel with Everyone. Even Gorillas. 1/20/14

 The big neon gorilla that accepted a passalong card.

 Her new companion Sister Larsen from Utah. Sister Carter is a trainer now. She says it is overwhelming.

 Sister Carter finally broke down and bought an Ohio State sweatshirt.

 

This was sent via text by the family they made dinner with one night this week. 

Love those kinds of texts!

 

Dear Family,

 

Everyone needs the gospel! Even neon green Gorillas! We tried to give a Book of Mormon to a man in a gorilla costume. haha! He took a pass a long card instead, he was very nice. Apparently though, he said I talk like I'm from Wisconsin?  

The 3rd picture, I finally bought an OSU sweatshirt. Love it. Maybe I am turning into a Buckeye fan..

Well this week sure went by fast! We're still getting settled in and meeting people here. Holy Cow, we have a fantastic ward. It's great! I don't have a whole ton to report, we've just been trying to find and visiting less actives and former investigators. BUT we have a goal to find 4 new investigators this week. Not just any investigators, awesome ones.

The most difficult thing has been just managing everything on my mind. There's so much to always be thinking and praying about that sometimes I forget the little important things. Example, leaving the keys in the door. Just one example of the many silly things I've done, because my mind is processing so much all the time. Sometimes it's hard to not get really frustrated and down on myself, but that would be letting Satan win, and oh heck no, he's not winning. I've definitely needed the Atonement to help me be better every day. :)

Haha. Maybe Sister Larsen was sent to me to teach me to slow down a little. My mind (and body) moves 100 mph most the time, and her little legs have to run to keep up with me a lot of the time. haha. I just... walk with a purpose! But of course, balance in all things. 

Hope you're all doing well! love you all!

Sister Carter

Mound Builders 1/13/14

Woah. So I am now in an area called Mound Builders. I'm about 45 mins from Columbus, and it's a pretty rural area, but it's AWESOME. I haven't studied it yet for myself, but this area has Mound Builders national park, which apparently is where Moroni formed mounds as fortifications.  I'll get back to you with more details as I learn more. But pretty cool. 

Did you know that Nephi's family had a pet? Yeah, in 1 Nephi is says :"Wherefore, we did take our family and flea into the wilderness." hahah. Someone told us that joke a couple days ago. Alright, maybe it doesn't say exactly that, but it was funny.

Let me tell you what, being whitewashed and training, probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. Luckily, the Lord is extending His mercy and helping me through the Spirit, ward members, and other missionaries. Not to mention, helping me not explode from being overwhelmed. 

So my new companion and trainee is Sister Larsen. She's from Pleasant Grove, Utah. She's awesome. She's 21 and speaks German and a music major that plays violin. I can see some pretty awesome musical numbers in our future. haha. She's also probably the most polite person I've ever met. I don't think I've ever heard "please, thank you, I'm so sorry, You're wonderful," etc. so much in my life. Probably an indicator that I have a lot to learn. 

So we met an investigator last night. Sherry. She's awesome. She shared her testimony of the Book of Mormon. Her 2 daughters just got Baptized 2 months ago, and she knows the church is true.Only hold up? Coffee and Smoking. 

Another funny story: Our first night in the apartment, we were just falling asleep, when we heard a crashing sound downstairs (we have a 2 level apartment). We both shot up, terrified. We were sure someone was breaking into our apartment. I grabbed the phone, ready to dial 911, listened for any more movement, then grabbed an umbrella to arm myself and took the terrifying journey downstairs to face to invader. My knees were shaking. We grabbed kitchen knives as better weapons than the umbrella and started searching for... who knows what. Nothing seemed to be out of place and we didn't find a kidnapper, so we went back to bed. With our big knives next to our beds. I kept waking up scared. ha.  Then next morning, we went into our study room and found our big map had fallen off the wall... wow.... real scary. Pretty embarrassing. But really funny now. hahahaha. 

Well... on a more spiritual note. I really have truly been humbled this week. I have no choice but to rely on God, because I don't know what I'm doing. I've seen so many tender mercies as he extends His merciful love and help to me as a trainer in this new area. It's so hard, but I wouldn't change it. I hope we can all rely on Christ and His mercy a little more, and take full advantage of the enabling power of the Atonement. Love you all! Have a great week! 

Sister Carter

Happy New Year! 1/8/14

Well.. This has probably been the most exciting week out of the 12 weeks on my mission. But first things first. I just found out that I'm getting transferred somewhere and TRAINING a new missionary in a new area. Humbled? yes. Terrified? absolutely.  Heavenly Father has WAY too much confidence in me. Either that, or He's confused me with some other red head who's more prepared. ha! I think I'm feeling just a small portion of the inadequacy Joseph Smith felt as a 14 year old, asked to restore Christ's church. But clearly, the Lord has a plan. He always does.

It's been a really great week! Sia, (from Sierra Leon) accepted Baptism for January 25th. We had an amazing family Home Evening with the Sturtevant family, and the mom gave us a soft yes for baptism. Keep sending prayers their way. Such an incredible family deserves the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Well.. We hit record low temperatures this week! ha. From what we've been told, I believe it was about -15ish degrees and in the -30s and -40s with the wind chill. Add some humidity to that, and you get one really cold Sister Carter! Hand warmers are the greatest! :) 3 school days cancelled. 0 missionary days cancelled! ha. It was great! :)

I sang at another Baptism last week. That was fun. I sang "How Great Thou Art," one of my favorites. If anyone feels the urge to send me the words to "I Love the Lord," (to the tune of Be still my Soul) it would be greatly appreciated! (I already sent the lyrics to her)

In the morning, when we get ready for the day, my wonderful companion (whom I will miss so much, I want to cry) and I listen to her General Conference CDs. Something that really struck me this week was a poem our beloved prophet shared:

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees.
The further sky, the greater length.

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men, good timbers grow.

We all have our trials. Just remember why we have them. Remember, God wouldn't give them to a flimsy week tree that he knows will just fall over and die. He gives them to those He knows will one day stand tall and strong. Have a good week, everyone! Love you all!

Sister Carter

P.S. HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)

Merry Late Christmas! 12/30/13

 Christmas Eve Party! Love the christmas socks and their christmas tree made from lampshades and a green skirt.

 Holding her first guinea pig.

 Dressing up for the holidays.

 Making "Buckeyes." It is an Ohio thing I hear. She sent some home. Peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate. Yum!

 Visiting people at the dimensia home. I told her when I want a baby like that when I am old.

She said everyone has ducks in their front yard and they dress them up for game day and holidays.

 

 

I hope you all had a Fantastic Christmas! I know I sure did! It was so great to Skype my family for a little while, but it was also great to be able to visit and uplift so many people on Christmas. There are so many who have to spend it alone, and hopefully a little visit from the missionaries brightened their day!

Christmas Eve, we got to go help out at a home for dimensia patients. It was so fun. I painted a 93 yr old lady's fingernails bright purple. It was the best. They say some pretty funny things, but have such a sweet spirit.

We had Preparation day Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning, so Sister Hunger and I had our own cute little Christmas. It was way fun! We pulled our mattresses into our front room,  with our homemade Christmas tree and had a blast! We finished the Book of Mormon together that night and then read Luke 2.

We spent Christmas day visiting some of our investigators, who asked us to come on Christmas. A member loaned us a guitar, and we got to sing Christmas carols to some people. All in all, it was a Wonderful day.

The Sturtevant family  of 7 came to church this week!! I don't think I've ever been SOOOO nervous in my whole life. It was a really unique 5th Sunday/ end of the year on "Hastening the Work," and we love them so much and just wanted them to love church. AND i had to speak.  For parts of it, I was so nervous, I wasn't sure if I was going to throw up, have an asthma attack, pass out, or all 3 at once. haha. But they said they enjoyed it. Keep praying that they'll want to come back.

I hope everyone is doing well! Thank you to everyone who sent Christmas cards/ packages. It meant so much! Love you all! Remember, If we have a true spirit of Christmas, it will last much longer than Christmas time. Always talk about Christ. What he did was meant much more than to just be recognized one day of the year, but every day our entire lives. LOVE YOU!

Sister Carter