14 March 2016

Dear family and friends :) 

Here are a few things I've learned-

I am a terrible speller.

Auto Correct hates me.

I should really read and re-read my emails before I send them.

This week I've decided to send pictures instead to lessen my embarrassment. 

​Zone Conference with some Oldies and greenies in Menlo Park, old stomping grounds.....

The departing missionaries, which includes me for some reason, got to share our testimonies for the last time in front of the Menlo Park, Saratoga and Los Altos zones.

We went on a hike for some zone bonding in Cupertino! Nothing like going to a mountain (actually it was more of a hill) to give thanks to the Lord for His blessings.  

Nephi 18:3

"And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the 

Lord wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things."

And this morning, we had breakfast as Sisters in the north part of the mission! I love serving with them, being with them, laughing with them and certainly learning from them!!!!

The work is good. 

We are blessed with an opportunity to have a baptism this coming week! Chon our sweet Korean investigator who Sister Scar and I met almost 6 weeks ago has agreed to enter into the waters! 

When I was with Sister Scar, we decided to do some door knocking, (we don't get much of that here in the bay area! It's just not effective in the Silicon Valley....) and noticed a man sitting on the curb, with his face in a newspaper, sunglasses on and a cigarette in his mouth. We walked straight up to him and started a conversation. He was polite, incredibly friendly but not too interested because he already went to two other churches! Despite his hesitation, we decided to go back 2 days later. Then we went again. And again. And again. 

Just last week, Sister Hall and I decided with the time we had in-between our meetings to stop by Chons house to invite him to come to sacrament meeting. We knocked on his door to find him just about to walk out, in his suit and tie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No one is too far. Everyone deserves the gospel. Everyone. It would have been easy to pass Chon and not thought anything of it.....

"...and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same  

layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul”

Doctrine and Covenants 4:4

Sweet is the work, 

Sister Carter

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February 15, 2016

Here are some of the fun happenings.

Today we went to the beach! That's Brother Weber and his little eskimo wife Sister Webber from the Lawrence Station ward! They are the best. They love to take the missionaries to Santa Cruz.

This is actually where Sister Scarr has spend most of her mission! 17 months to be exact, until she came to me! And she is returning home tomorrow! Hello transfers! On to a new companion-- but the exciting part is, we aren't having transfer meetings anymore, SO the AP's (the assistants to the President) call the ZL's (Zone Leaders) in each zone and the ZL's call us and tell us who our new companions/ areas are. Of course I will finish the mission here in Los Altos, but my new companion will be Sister Hall! I'm not sure where she is from, but I have known her since she came out! She was actually called Samoan speaking!!!! But will be speaking English with me :) Tomorrow I will pick her up and we will begin this new adventure.

Love you all!

Sister Carter

ps I will never go home. EVER.

February 8, 2016

Whitewashing an area your last two transfers with almost 4 different companions every other week has certainly left no room for a trunky Sister Carter. If you don't know what trunky means, google it.

Church this week (yes week) has been a blast. We had Elder Arnold of the 70 join us here in Los Altos. He was fantastic. I so enjoy being the presence of the Lords authorities. Giving my all on the mission can be difficult at times, and so I am impressed, amazed and grateful for all of the worthy men AND women who fully commit themselves to serving the Lord in their callings. There is nothing more noble then truly giving your all to the Lord.

I have seen on the mission that this is our time to prove ourselves. To truly show how much we love God. We are really able to put Him first and give him our time talents and energy in order to build up the kingdom. I am saddened by some who don't take it as seriously. The mission is a wonderful opportunity to show our loyalty to God. 

Between ward and stake conferences my testimony and knowledge of the Restored gospel, Plan of Salvation and the Godhead has increased. I am grateful for personal revelation and the power of prayer. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost and the reality of God and His Son Jesus Christ. 

In my mission call it said "As you devote your time and attention to serving the Lord, leaving behind all other personal affairs, the Lord will bless you with increased knowledge and testimony of the Restoration and of the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." This promise is true. I don't think I would have learned these things any other way. I am so grateful I get to serve a mission.

Here is delightful Sue a member in our ward, with Hermana Scarr my companion.
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The weather was just too good we had to snap a picture together.

I love you all so much, SO MUCH

you're all in my prayers,

Sister Carter

February 1, 2016

What a fun time to be a missionary. Especially when the Superbowl is right outside your window. Literally. I can see Levi Stadium from my house.......This is going to be an interesting week that's for sure. 

Sister Scarr and I, (oh by the way I got another new companion! ha....long story, i'll tell you all later) have been doing our best to tear it up here in Sunnyvale/ Santa Clara! She is from the beautiful state of Washington. Members will often say which Washington, and we have both just gotten into the habit of saying we are both from Washington; I'm just from the better Washington... KIDDING. :) Sister Scarr only has 3 weeks left on her mission so it's also really fun when members ask us "Where are you from? Where have you served? How long have you been out? What are you doing after your missions?" all in one breath during dinner..... We just both awkwardly look at each other and say over a year.....

We have been teaching a TON. Sister Scarr is also an Hermana so it's fun to practice Spanish.

Here's us walking the streets of the great El Camino Real! 

My studies have been wonderful the past couple of days. I am so grateful for the personal revelation and inspiration we are able to receive from our Father in Heaven, so long as we are open to it. I find it such a blessing to be in constant communication with our Father of our Spirits. He is all knowing and omnipotent and so ever aware of ALL of his children everywhere--we see that and feel that so much as missionary.

I have concluded on my mission that unless we are willing to change in this mortal life, if growth is not a priority in our lives, if we are not on the course of steady improvement, we will miss out on the important experiences God wants to give us. I would even go further to say, we will miss out on becoming what he wants us to become quicker. We need to be on a steady incline of becoming better. And I am not talking about becoming more powerful, or business savvy, I'm talking about developing the qualities of our Savior. Becoming a walking epistle of the Lord. 

Through Jesus Christ, we have the ability and are given the power to become.  

President Spencer W. Kimball said "I have learned where there is a prayerful heart, a hungering after righteousness, a forsaking of sins, and obedience to the commandments of God, the Lord pours out more and more light until there is power to pierce the heavenly veil.....A person of such righteousness has the priceless promise that one day he shall see the Lord's face and know that he is."

And that is what it's all about. To have faith and hope and to live like his Son so that WHEN we see him, we will be like him, we will have developed his attributes (well tried to at least!)

I'd invite you all to read an article titled "The New Testaments Message of Repentance" by Elder Larry Y. Wilson found in the Febuary 2016 Ensign. and to "ponder anew what the Almighty can do".

I love you all, 

Sister Carter

January 19, 2016 Los Altos

Here are some fun pictures of the happenings!

My new zone here in Los Altos!!!

WE GOT TO MEET ELDER SITATI! He came to do a mission tour today!

Sister Pena and I even got to sit right next to him for lunch! We had a nice one on one with him :)

 

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​Kevin my investigator from my first area LIVERMORE got baptized!!!! And there is my good old trainer Sister Gregerson.

Here is another picture with Elder Sitati.

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I am convinced that the overall difference between the Lords' anointed and called servants and the "rest of us" is what I have dubbed the "Go and Do" ability---otherwise known as OBEDIENCE. Obedience is indeed the first law of Heaven. "And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is BY obedience to the law upon which it is predicated." 

We don't do things that we are asked, just because we want the blessing, we do it because we love the Lord; and that is clear and very apparent with these general authorities. They Go and Do, regardless if they are asked to or not. They keep all the commandments all of the time, they are praying to know the will of the Lord in all things and then doing it to the best of their ability 100 percent of the time, because they love God and put him first. 

I want to be like that.

When Elder Sitati came he spoke much of being obedient to mission rules. He said that we all need to rise above rationalizations and excuses and just Go and Do. Just as Nephi did in the scriptures. I know that regardless if you are a missionary or not, subject to a 6:30 am morning schedule etc, we ALL need to Go and Do, and willingly be obedient to ALL of Gods commandments, because we love him. 

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Here's an #awkward bathroom selfie. Are selfies still popular in the world? #ilovemycompanion 

Love you all!

Sister Carter

January 11, 2016 New Companion

Wow! What a week!

Well, for starters, I've got a new companion. SISTER PENA, from Kearns UTAH!!! She was born in Ecuador and was called the CSJM SPANISH SPEAKING!!! But will be with me serving in both of our English family wards; Lawrence Station and Sunnyvale! No more YSAs for meeeee haha.

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Sister Pena is amazing and attended BYU-Idaho for about 2 semesters. We have some mutual friends. We spoke before the mission and got in contact before we both came out. I came out just one transfer before her, so we are in the same boat of wanting to work hard these last couple of months! We never thought we'd be companions but what a blessing!

I am SO sad that Sister Brown went home, but it is sometimes better that way for some of us. 

This week was obviously crazy with the series of events but we are doing it! Sister Pena and I got to take our investigator Bill to the Peninsula 4th branch baptism. Remember when I served in the Penn 4th branch? or otherwise known as the Poly ward? Well, our family ward shares the same building with them! So I get to see all of my old favorites from the beginning of my mission. Man, what a tender mercy. 

Many many MANY mighty miracles ahead. 

Sweet is the work, 

Sister Carter

January 4, 2016

HELLO!!!!

I'm in LOS ALTOS!!!! phewww. I thought they were going to banish me far away! But I've managed to stay pretty north my whole mission!

I am covering the Sunnyvale and Lawrence Station wards with my new baby Sister Brown from Collinsville Illinois!! 

More later! 

Sweet is the work, 

Sister Carter

ps

I love you all :)