Week # 24: Pre transfer freak out

This is the last week of the transfer.... And I have NO idea what lies
in store..... Hahaha nbd, I'm fine. Obviously!
It does feel good though, to know that I have put forth my full effort
this transfer. My trainee has been killing it, which means SUCCESS!!!
Haha and the miracles have been pouring down :)))
The euro football (it means soccer my fellow Americans ;)
championships have been going on. It makes work very interesting,
because this is the first time in 50 something years that Wales has
been in it. They won on Saturday and the celebrations lasted all
night.... ALL night. Hahaha no rest for the weary? It's fun times :)
We had a bit of a long week by ourselves in Wrexham, no district or
zone meetings aka no interactions with any other missionaries.... Hah!
Yes, so we were grateful when the zone leaders joined us for a street
display in our area, they probably were scared...😁 but it was a brill
display- we found a lady from Spain / Mexico whose brother is active
in Mexico! So I got to use a bit of mah Espanol!! Siiii! SHE CAME TO
CHURCH!!! Actually it was quite hilarious, she was late, and she told
us she had left her home two hours early, had walked into another
church, asked if it was the Mormon church, they said no but tried to
bribe her with cookies to stay!! Hahaha! Nope! She is da bessst!
Another lady we taught this week is seriously who I want to be when I
grow up, only I'll be Mormon, which she will be soon, if I have
anything to do about it! But she is way chilled out, but funny and so
friendly, so all the good things-down to Earth, but not toooo chill.
Yay sherry!
But miracle of miracles is Patricia and her husband Gordon! So last
transfer we called by cuz she was on the ward list, and we felt we
should while I'm the area. She told us she hasn't been to church in
over 40 years!!! Bu because of circumstances she couldn't control. But
she said that she would talk to her husband and get back to us. She
also asked us for a Book of Mormon while we were there, so yeah! But
we didn't hear from her, so we went back a few weeks ago. She told us
that she hadn't gotten to speak to him, but would and would contact
us... We were like, okayyyy fiiiiinneee... Thinking it was sorta a
blowing us off move. But then we get a text from her at e beginning of
the week to come by and have a chat on Thursday! So we get there and
her husband is sitting in the room, and we're All like.. Uh oh, bible
bash? Hmm.. But then Patricia goes, " so we were thinking that we
would come to church to see how it goes, and feel it out- can Gordon
come?" Uhhhhh yahhh!!! Hahaha we were so happy and excited, and THEY
CAME!!! And they enjoyed it a lot! As they were leaving, Patricia says
to me, so when are you going to come by this week!! Haha love her! So
re activation + baptism!!
Things are seriously looking up here in our area! I honestly don't
know what is gunna happen to me, but either way, I'll be fine. It
gives me so much peace knowing that the hard work and effort I put in
is finally bringing forth fruit. If I do leave, at least I can say
with confidence I left the area better than I found it :) I'm quite
chuffed about it actually!! Haha
We had an encounter with a lady of a different faith this week who
chewed us out, it was... Fun? But I felt so proud to say, when she
asked us " so if it isn't required to go on a mission to be saved, why
do so many of you go?" To respond, " because we KNOW it's true" with
conviction. I don't doubt that she felt the spirit of that, and
recognised our sacrifice. Defending the truth, that's what's good!
So there has been a loooot of political excitement here lately, yes.
But don't worry, I haven't felt any effects from it. But it is
actually crazy to be here during the time of so much change in the uk!
Idk what will happen now that they are leaving the EU, but it's pretty
big historical events! And my pound can still get me a mcflurry, we're
all good haha!
My spiritual thought for the day comes from Elder Hallstroms talk from
conference this past April. He was speaking about the knowledge that
we are all children of God, something that is so key in missionary
work- helping others to come to know and feel that for themselves. He
says, "In today’s world, no matter where we live and no matter what
our circumstances are, it is essential that our preeminent identity is
as a child of God. Knowing that will allow our faith to flourish, will
motivate our continual repentance, and will provide the strength to
“be steadfast and immovable” throughout our mortal journey." I know
that God loves each one of us. He is keenly aware of everything going
on in our lives. His timing and will is much better than ours. Seek to
align your will with His, and this is where true happiness lies.
Remember Mosiah 4:9, "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he
created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has
all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that
man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."
Life can be hard at times, but it is in these times that we can rely
on Him the most. We will be blessed as we do so.
I hope you are all doing well, sounds like lots of crazy fun stuff is
going on back there, it's good to hear. Keep on keeping on!!
I love you all!!
Tra,
Sister Carter
Sent from my iPad

Week #23 Dead bodies, Apostles, and everything in between

It has obviously been one heck of a week!!! Thank you for all of your wonderful emails, and Ethan, thank you very much, I LOLed quite a bit at that. Dad, thank you so much for all of that advice. Maddie- you think you can defeat me?!!! hahahaha ;) and Mom, thank you so so so much for the stories!

Ok so, I'm just gunna jump on in!

So i know that last week I had been saying how things about not baptizing yet had been hard on me, well the Lord has immaculate timing. ELDER OAKS came and spoke to our mission on Saturday! It is so amazing to be a missionary, to be teaching people who have never heard of the gospel, about these powerful and crucial leaders, and then to sit at the feet of one. It was the most amazing thing I'd say that has happened to me to date. I went prepared, with questions in my mind, ready to feast on every word he spoke. And wow!! I honestly felt like he'd been sent to us specifically for me. that that meeting was meant just for me. Elder Johnson, who is on the european area presidency was there as well with his wife. She opened the meeting with something that really impacted me. She said, "I don't know what you all did in the pre mortal life to be here in this mission, serving with President Ulrich, and to have this opportunity to hear from Elder Oaks, but it must have been something incredible!" And it hit me. That I truly had such a former greatness. That we all did. All of us here on the earth at this time have been saved to come now. We all fought for Jesus Christ, and we were valient. WOW! yeah, and Sister Oaks- love her!! She is so wise, and hilarious. She is a huge example of a powerful woman. And then Elder Oaks gave his address. It was SO GOOD. He spoke basically to me- i was, after all, centered on the second row ;) haha no, but it was amazing. He spoke about how as we are teaching repentance, bringing others closer to Christ and Heavenly Father, we are truly fulfilling our missions. That our success isn't measured by numbers and statistics, but by the effort with which we serve- our commitment to bring others unto repentance. It was a powerful witness to me that Heavenly Father not only loves me, but is fully aware of me here in Wrexham. That he knows exactly what I am going through, and is aware of all of my efforts. I am so grateful for all of the guidance, council, and inspired thoughts that were shared with us by this Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So that was basically the highlight of my life!!

But I must say, other than that, my future husband must have gotten a whole lot more attractive, because we spent many MANY hours trackting in the chucking rain!! sooooo NO COMPLAINTS THERE!!!!! hahaha

We have had some incredible success with the Siri family- the ones that are from Sri Lanka! Last night we went to teach them, and the father was asking us about the benefits of being baptized. it was the perfect segway into a powerful lesson on the gospel of Jesus Christ, addressing his concerns and questions through the spirit. Wow!

SO SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED YESTERDAY!!! DAHHHH it was so fantastic!! Ok, so my favorite family, the Nicholsons, told us that they were having a couple from the temple stay with them for the weekend. They live in this beautiful place, out in the middle of nowheres in the mountains of wales, a place called Cffygliog (idk if that's even how its spelled, but yeah, so fun to say ;). Anyways, this couple, the Spencers, came to church in our ward, and were so very sweet! I could tell from their accent that they were from Utah, but since I had to play the Prelude music before Sacrament metting, I didn't get a chance to chat too long. After church however, the Nicholsons had us for lunch here at the church. The Spencers were there as well, and it was such a fun time. They are from Sandy! but i didn't think much of it because there's probably millions of wards there. So after lunch, we're all washing up, and I'm talking to Sis Spencer. I asked her where in sandy they were from. She mentioned the canyon, and I nodded acting like I knew exactly what she was talking about. Then I told her "well my grandparents live in granite!" "we're from granite!!! What's their names?!!" "the Austins!!" "You're Becky's daughter! I knew you looked like her!! They are in our ward!!!" W.O.W!!!!!!!!!! I know. That was sooooooo sososoooo amazing. I am so very grateful for my Heavenly Father. He let this tender mercy happen just for me. They went on and on about how they love Grandma and Grandpa, it meant so much to me. It was another testament to me of just how aware He is of me. That the Nicholsons needed to be willing to have them, I needed to be here right now, we needed to have lunch at the church this week, etc. Everything was just perfectly put together, couldn't have planned it better myself :) Pretty Crazy huh?!!

So about the title, we were calling by a potential investigator in this rougher part of our area earlier this week. We were knocking on this door, and I look over and my heart drops. I see two legs sticking out from behind this wall... I freeze, thinking someone either died or is drunk in this person's yard. I gasp and say oh my heck so that sister S knows something is up before we slowly inched out of the yard to look around the corner at what it was. My fear increased as we saw an arm covered in tape, the body looking strange and mangled. This terror was only released when i saw there was no head attatched to the corpse...or sculpture I should say. But what the heck!! why was it in their yard in the first place?!! Art people... But yeah, it even had jeans and shoes on it! SO WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!Hah!

Anyways, a sister from our ward took us to Conway castle today and to a beautiful victorian style seaside town called llandudno!! LOVED THEM BOTH SO MUCHHHH!!!! had fish and chips on the seaside- classic!!

I'm happy and good, and hope that things are going well for you all! Glad to hear you got my post! YAYAYAYYY!!!

Mom, could you keep those postcards safe, please?!! I'd like to do something with them later ;)

LOVE YOU ALL SO STINKING MUCH!!!

cheers, stay classy, tah-rah!

Sister Carter

Week # 22 gets better and better

WOWZAA!! So President Ulrich keeps saying how there is an explosion that is coming in the mission- he is SO right!! This week is proof of that.

So after writing last weeks email, we went out and began our work for the day. We were tracting a bit down just outside of town. We knock on this door, and a lady opens up. She looks indian, and since I WILL have an indian investigator, I was quite excited and enthused, ya know. She tells us that she IS interested and wants us to tell her more about our unique message. Well hello! We begin teaching her the restoration right there, and her husband comes down the stairs to the door. It's Sam!! A man who Sister Harp and I had run into street contacting, and the Sister Steele and I had again a few weeks ago. For whatever reason we hadn't gotten solid return appointments when we'd met him before- now I know why, cuz this time, the timing was perfect! We were so excited!!! They are amazing, and invited us in right away! We taught them the first lesson, and have been back 2 times since teaching the plan of salvation, WITH MEMBERS!! I know!! I am so excited, and I hope and pray that they will continue to progress!! Pray for them- Sam, Diane, and Tahami!! I have a really good feeling, and hope they can be baptised before this transfer is over, or just at least before I leave this area! oh and they are from Sri Lanka, not india, but hey, no problemo!

So that was Uhhhmazing!

We also got a new ward mission leader yesterday, another proof of the explosion, because he is so bomb! We got to meet with him after church, and he expressed to us his goals for the ward, and we got to express ours, just like how it's suppose to be done! YAY! and we have a call-in night apart from our weekly coordination meeting! He just really wants to be kept in the loop! I really want Elders to be put into Wrexham next transfer, so I'm just ready to work my bum off!! And I can tell that this is game changer for us!! We've needed this support so much! I think I needed to endure a time of n

ot having someone so involved before so that I could really learn to appreciate the ward mission leader better. They are so important!!

Life is good :)

We've been working working working. I don't think I have ever been this tired in my whole life, but it's so worth it. I go to bed at night knowing that I've put in the effort, and there's nothing to match that.

I have learned a lot this week. I think that something that has been especially important to me came from my reading in Helaman. On Saturday, I was reading in Chapter 10, and it is where the Lord is speaking to Nephi. Verses 3-5 just hit me so hard. Nephi was cast down, pondering upon the wickedness of the people. Then he hears the Lord say to him, "blessed art thou Nephi... for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word... Thou has not feared them.. nor sought thy own life, but hast sought my will... Because thou has done this... I will bless thee forever... I will make thee mighty in word and deed, in faith, and in works..." Those words gave me so much comfort. I felt as if the Lord were saying them to me. I had this overwhelming sense of peace, hope, and love come over me. I know that I am not perfect, I know that I have not seen any baptisms so far on my mission, but I know that God loves me and is proud of me. I don't know the reason for all things, but I know that I can trust in His promises. It gave me so much strength and a greater conviction to continue on, with unwearyingness. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phill 4:13). I know that this is true.

I had to add some of the funny stuff from last week too.

- we met this lady on the bus whose eyes literally glowed... they were the color of that green glow in the dark.... the WHITE PART OF HER EYE!!!

-Sis S was saying that the bus we were going to take is the punctual one, and I thought she said "punk chill one", so NOW if anything funny or crazy happens, we say- PUNK, chill. hahaha

Love being here! Love life! Love the Gospel! Love you all!!!!

Sister Carter