April 25, 2015 Websites and Church Purpose

Happy Preparation Day!

Hello or should I say happy miracle week!  So many tender mercies.  I love the Lord and am SO grateful to be a part of this work.

On Saturday, we got to participate in SVEW which is Silicon Valley Education Week. It took place at the Computer History museum in Mountain View.  We were invited just in case some members decided to bring non-member friends!  We had a booth and everything.  This event was actually just for all of the mid-singles in the Bay area.  So you know how we cover 4 wards, two family wards: Palo Alto I and II, but we also cover 2 YSA's (Young Single Adult Wards): Standford I and Stanford II for the mid-singles 41+ years old. . . Anywho, it was for that mid-singles group that Steve Young from our PAI ward spoke as well as Clayton Christiansen!

Yesterday in Ward Council, I learned something pretty cool.  As we were discussing the needs of our ward members etc and our WONDERFUL bishop mentioned the 4 pillars of faith.  We also met the previous president of the Washington D.C. South Mission.  He was there.  A lot of my friends from BYU-I served in the D.C. mission.  So, it was pretty great to meet him.  Plus, that's where I'm from!

1.  Perfecting the Saints.
2.  Hastening the work of Salvation
3.  Redeeming the Dead
4. Serving our fellow men

Well, from this he said that the Church has developed websites that correspond to these purposes.

1.  LDS.org (for perfecting the Saints)
lds.org



 2.  Mormon.org (for sharing the gospel with others)
mormon.org



3.  Familysearch.org (for redeeming the dead)
familysearch.org 

 

4.  HelpingHands.org which is now called Justserve.org (for serving our neighbors)
https://www.justserve.org/


Now to my point.  How cool is that?  1.  That the pillars and websites coordinate but also 2.  How cool is it to know that I am a part of the pilot program for Justserve.org in the San Jose mission?  Oh, and don't forget that this is in the Silicon Valley.  Tech people are everywhere so the church has been reaching out to people here to help with this JustServe website!!!  Pretty cool, at least to me!`

I love this work!  The church is true.

Sister Carter

P.S. Mitt Romney is coming to Standford on Tuesday.  We plan on finding him.

April 18, 2015 General Conference

Editor's note:  If you would like to listen to an audio recording or read some of the talks from 2015 General Conference that Alicia talks about in this post, go to this link: 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2015/04?lang=eng


Hi!

    
Happy Preparation Day!  I love General Conference!  I love it SO much.  As I watch, I am grateful for my knowledge of a living prophet on the earth today!  This is a testimony which has been in me, but has grown since attending BYU-Idaho but every more since serving a mission.  I am a missionary for the Lord, called by a Prophet of God.  Whoa!  What a blessing, what a thrill.  I had hands laid upon my head and was literally set apart from the rest of the world to proclaim to the rest of the world that He lives!  And that we can all return to Him!  After all we can do of course!  His grace is truly sufficient.

I too am called to declare glad tidings of great joy to the world, to tell them that through faith, repentance, being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, they can enjoy not only this life, but the life to come!  How great is my purpose.

"Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and a way of life in all times and in all places".  

There is a prophet on the earth!  I know this to be true.  I find though I am like Thomas---asking to feel the prints in Christ's hands in order to believe.  Seeing helps.  I've had the blessing on this mission to see three apostles of the Lord in person, as well as shake hands with other General Authorities.

You think they're powerful over the T.V.?  Just wait till you meet one.  The Lord's spirit radiates so powerfully out of these humble God-serving men (and women).  I am grateful for their examples and alll those who lead the church in their roles:  Primary teachers, greeters, Bishops, ward clerks, family history coordinators!  We are all pieces of the grand puzzle that makes up the Gospel.

I had some favorites from General Conference:  
(My ultimate favorites *)

Henry B. Eyring on fasting:  "A simple commandment with a marvelous promise."

L. Whitney Clayton:  "See the light in the distance and keep going."

Wilford W. Anderson:  "I can teach you to dance but you have to hear the music."

 

*Dale G. Renlund: "I was I; tis not I."

*José A. Teixeira: "We will still have pain. . . It gives us a deeper understanding."

*Gerald Cause:  "So many wonders we look but we don't see.  We hear but we don't listen."  "Never tire of discovering or rediscovering."

*Dieter F. Uctdorf: "Salvation does not equal obedience."  "Obey out of love for Him."

Well, I really loved all of conference.  Every talk was from God and each is perfect for missionaries too!

We are truly being proved to see if we will do what we are commanded in our first estate. . .

I can promise peace in this life and eternal joy in the next by heading the council from our living Prophet and his apostles.

Sister Carter

"While they who reject this glad message, shall never such happiness know."

March 30 (Snail Mail letter)

Happy P-day

I LOVE the scriptures!!!!  Last night, literally so about 8 hours ago, I was having well. . . a moment.  You know those moments where you just kinda freak out and get overwhelmed?  Well, that happens regularly on missions.  But, last night I came out of my melt down so enlightened.

For privacy reasons, I will not be too explicit or even use names but we, my companion and I had the blessing of teaching lesson 2 which is the plan of salvation to one of our miracle investigators.  She is a miracle for numerous reasons and we are just grateful to be her guides helping her.

My companion and I were pretty nervous about this lesson.  The first lesson is typically really easy and flows pretty consistently.  But for some reason lesson 2 is sometimes awkward.  Don't get me wrong.  I LOVE it.  I really do, and I have gained an even stronger testimony of my purpose here on this earth but what I know is what I know.  And, I know it because I have prayed and I have asked.  I have searched and thus my testimony has been strengthened.  If I am teaching someone new who has not done that I have to somehow help them understand that by doing so:  searching, pondering, praying etc is the only way that they too will know.

In the case of this new investigator, as well as 99.9% of all of our other brilliant Stanford student investigators, they ahve no trouble with the doctrine.  Crazy, right?  They get it.  It totally makes sense to them logically.  Well that's great and all but not when you're a missionary.  Not when you want them to FEEL something---not ony know it but FEEL it.  That's where the testimony comes in.

Last night/this morning, I was caught up in the lesson that we taught.  I came out partially sad because I didn't do my part enough.  Our investigators need to be taught by the spirit so they can learn by the spirit.  They need to FEEL the truthfulness of the doctrine because acutally who is the teacher?  Not me.  It is the spirit.  That is the converting power.  So, I prayed hard to know how I can have the spirit more with me, to help me find, teach, and baptize.  I got my answer in three different ways.

So, I opened to Alma 29:  But here is the disclosure.  I received some pretty intense inspiriation last night and this morning.  I won't share all of it but will share that of what I hope will be of help to others who hope to have the spirit more with them in whatever capacity for whatever reason.  Again in my case, it is to help people FEEL the truthfulness of this gospel.

Back to Alma 29 (feel free to look these up).
Vs. 1:  "The wish of mine heart that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!"

(that is indeed my greatest desire.)

Vs. 2

 "2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth."

That is my purpose

" 3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me. "

 Whoah! this is where it got serious.  I was being so ungrateful.  Not only was I being selfish and pretty prideful but I was not being grateful.

Vs. 4
"4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction."

I was caught up in my own wants.

I was forgetting the blessing that it was in the first place to be in that home teaching that miracle investigator who will not because of me be baptized but because of what/how she felt through the Holy Ghost.

The Lord knows my desires but I need to remember that everyone has a time table.

I have seen much success on this mission, not by what I have done but what I have been blessed to be a part of.


Vs. 13-15

" 13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them; yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full.

 14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi.

 15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!"

I love being a missionary.

I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ.

I love being able to talk to them and I love even more when they talk to me through the scriptures.

The church is true!!

Love, Sister Carter

March 30, 2015 Google tour, Sister Triana, Baptism

Hello!!!

Today was a fun start to a preparation day because we got a tour of Google! Because this is Silicon valley and we live in Palo Alto everyone works for Google, Apple, Facebook etc.  And being in the type of ward that we are in, we are able to get pretty awesome tours of these places!  I am grateful for the blessings that come from being on a mission.

What a full week! I'm not even too sure where to begin! But lets just start with after I lost my 3 companions to the real world, I was blessed to be paired with Sister Triana who I lived with in the MTC! She is great and we are certainly excited to be together. Sister Uelese is still living with me, but now covers the Samoan branch with her trainee!! No more Samoan branch for me! I am SO SAD. But Sister Uelese will be receiving a new missionary straight from the MTC on Wednesday!!!!! We are excited to have a new greenie in the apartment with us! Especially seeing as the three of us (Sister Uelese, Triana and I) all came out together!! 

Ebony and Savanah got baptized this week! It was difficult to not have Sister Fraser there, seeing as we taught these two girls together from the beginning but I am very grateful that Sister Triana got to join and be apart of the miracle baptism. Despite Sister Uelse now only covering the Samoan Branch she too taught Ebony and Savhanah, while we were in the Trio, she had to be apart of the baptism! She blessed us all by singing I am a child of God during the service :)  Sister Triana and I gave a talk on baptism.  It was beautiful and I loved being a part of this special day!  I am grateful to my Savior for allowing us to be a part of His children's lives in such special ways.  Though I wish I can say my first baptism was flawless, that was CERTAINLY not the case. The morning of the baptism, we got a call at around 8:00am from the Spanish Elders telling us that the power was out in the Stake Center; this was terrifying because the stake Center is the only place that we can have baptisms because they are the only building with a font. After numerous calls between 5 sets of missionaries, the Bishop, the ward mission leader, and the primary president PLUS lots of prayers, the show went on, with no power! And boy was it a packed house. The room was full of missionaries and friends of Ebony and Savanah. I am so grateful for these girls and for their mother! I have prayed for them and will continue to every night that they will have the blessing and privilege of going on missions, attending BYU (sorry Betsy) and getting sealed in the temple! I know this gospel will bless their lives, as it already has. The next day they were welcomed into the ward after having received the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  I pray that they will always listen to that still small voice that will lead them away from temptation and evil.  I know they will always be safe if they obey the voice of the spirit but I also know they will be happy.  This gospel truly does bring happiness.

As latter-day Saints we are a covenant making and keeping people.  As latter-day saints it is also our job to invite others to also become covenant making and keeping people.

When we make a covenant we promise Heavenly Father something and He too promises to bless us.  In the context of baptism, we covenant or promise to keep the commandments in which we are blessing with the Spirit of the Lord (or the Holy Ghost)!  Who doesn't want the spirit of the Lord with them!?  I know I want it.

Commandments are there to bless and protect us my friends. They are given to us from a loving Heavenly Father who wants to see us again.

Mosiah 2:22

 22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

Mosiah 2:31

 31 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should do as ye have hitherto done. As ye have kept my commandments, and also the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you.

1 Nephi 4:1

 1 And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?

I love you all and I want you to keep the commandments!
Sister Carter
_____________

Last night Sister Triana and I were BLESSED with an opportunity to go see the Lamb of God performance at Santa Clara University! This performance meant so so much to me. For 2 months, every single day before my mission, I listened to the Lamb of God soundtrack, so it was no surprise that as soon as the first note was played, tears started coming. I cried from the beginning all the way to the end. Lamb of God tells the story of the final days of the Savior's Ministry, Crucifixion and Resurrection. My testimony was strengthened during the performance. The music, was beautiful and the spirit certainly could not be denied! I invite you all to listen to this performance. You can find it on Youtube, Spotify, and Pandora. 

I am grateful for my beloved Savior, and during this Easter Season I am grateful to celebrate his Resurrection! Truly He lives. I know He lives. The church is launching another FANTASTIC video for the season http://www.mormon.org/easter/teaser on MARCH 28TH. On that day, visit the following website and experience the video for yourself. We were blessed with the privilege to watch it on Tuesday, and just like other previous videos, it truly captures the spirit of this Gospel. Because HE truly does live, I am on a mission. Because he lives, I will keep the commandments. Because He lives, I am preparing to see Him again. 

Happiness is founded on and dependent upon our obedience. A home established on gospel principles is a place of safety a place where love abounds and a place where the Lords spirit is felt. I can promise each of you happiness in this life and joy in the next if you keep the commandments. Life will not always be easy but it will be plentiful. 

Mosiah 2:41: 

 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all 

things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they holdout 

faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things  are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Keep the Commandments,

The Church is True, 

Sister Carter

Here is a picture of Sister Triana and I!!! She's from Greenwich, Connecticut! 

Also, if you haven't seen my blog it's pretty great. Some things may be repetitive, but ultimately, it's me blabbering about how much I love being a Missionary :)

sisteraliciacarter.blogspot.com

I hope you all are having the best day ever. Because, well I am.

I love being a missionary! I love the scriptures and I love my Savior and Heavenly Father.

Last night I had a couple of questions of how I could have the spirit more with me and well, I got my answer! I love how if we ask we truly can receive. If we knock the door truly will be opened to us! When we seek we really can find. 

3rd Nephi 14:7 "Ask, and it shall be given unto you: seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." 

Sister Triana and I had an amazing 2nd lesson with our investigator yesterday. Both of us were pretty nervous about this follow up lesson because we were determined to set a baptismal date with her! We have both come to the conclusion that asking someone to be baptized is just as scary as asking someone to marry you! ha. With that in mind, we went in prayerfully, determined but thoughtful. Ultimately, we, and certainly I, have discovered that it doesn't matter what we say, but really what we feel when we teach, and what our investigators feel when we teach them. That is what will convert them. Sure, knowing the doctrine helps, and we do need to "seek to obtain His words", and they will be brought to us, in the minute and the hour that we need them, BUT if we do not have the spirit, we cannot teach in unity or with the power of God. 

 Doctrine and Covenants Chapter 11 Verse 21 

"Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my 

word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you 

desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea,the power of God unto the convincing of men."

The lesson was wonderful, but I discovered that I want the spirit with me always! More! And in abundance! So I prayed to know what more I could do, and I got an answer. 

For that simple reply from my Heavenly Father, I am grateful. 

We can all receive answers. If we need help, reassurance, a boost of confidence, support or even just the feeling of love we can get it, and it is through our Savior and our Heavenly Father. We just need to reach out. 

So go, reach out! Ask them for help, ask them what you can do to be happier, ask them whatever you want! And then, be willing to search it out, search the scriptures then get on your knees and plead for help to do it. 

Did any of that make sense?, Anywho, just some insights,

I love you all so much, 

And I can testify that so does your Heavenly Father and your Savior!

Sister Carter