Monday, June 26, 2017

IOM Missionaries go to England!







Hello wonderful people!
So this was a very abnormal week, as you will see, but we still worked as hard as we could with the time we had. I have a great feeling about these next few weeks, we are really going to sprint.

TRIP TO ENGLAND
That's right!! After 4 months, i got to go back to the main land! What an exciting thing :) I must admit, it was a bit of an inner battle though because we lost time to teach our people, but we were very grateful for the opportunity to go to the temple and to the farewell multi zone meeting for President and Sister Ulrich. I love them both so much, and I am so grateful for their impact on me. 
We caught the ferry on Tuesday afternoon. The Karrens had their car, and had us go up and save seats for us all, only neither one of us knew much about the boat, so we basically ran and sat wherever we could find a table. And ended up in the bar area... oops! We all had a laugh about it, by the time they got on, it was too packed in the family area to find spots. Oh well! Missionary opportunities. We sailed into the docks of Liverpool(!!!) and it was such a special experience to look out the window, and think, my ancestors were here not too long ago. The docks were lovely, it was so fun to see the big classic looking buildings, and then the Liver bird on top- what a sight! Also, it was significantly warmer in England. Yep. 
We got to go stay in Manchester with the YSA (yay!! Visiting old areas!) sisters, except they were on exchange our first night, so we had the flat to ourselves, woohoo! Haha we went to bed asap. It was so exciting though, to be in Manchester, aw I love that place. In the morning for exercise, I took sister Wamsley around the city a bit as we ran, including the YSA building.
Another reason we came over was to have our interviews with President. It was such a powerful meeting, and I felt so strongly a love and closeness to President and Sister Ulrich. I know that God had us serve here together. We knew each other before this life, and I have learned so much from them. He helped me set some goals for my transition to returning home. Once again, so grateful. 
The departing missionaries all got to go through a session in the temple with the Ulrich's, plus Sister Wamsley- I was soooo glad and grateful she could come. It was a bit odd to be around SO MANY MISSIONARIES after not seeing any in person since April... huh?!! So it was helpful to have her there. But what an amazing experience that was. I felt the love of my Father in Heaven as I spent this time in His house.
It was a long day, but also so fun to be in Chorley, one of my other previous areas! But we were quite exhausted when we got back into Manchester. Sister Ho screamed and got so excited when she opened the door, what a greeting! Aw! We were boiling in their flat, we really were not expecting the heat! Haha but literally no complaints, we need the warmth! Bless!
Thursday morning we woke up and headed to another of my beloved areas, man south, for the multi zone conference. Right when I got there, President Ulrich pulled me aside, and gave me a beautiful gift of a medallion with the EMM crest on it. So nice. And we then enjoyed such a powerful meeting. The spirit was so strong, and we heard incredible testimonies. The Lord definitely had a part in having us there, my own conviction of the truthfulness of Christ's Gospel was strengthened, and that Joseph Smith truly is a prophet of God. It was not easy to say goodbye to my mission parents, but I know that as as I keep my loyalty to the Lord, the future will be bright.

GETTING BACK
It took a minute to realise, oh we are back, ok let's ok, but a minutes all. We went and saw all of our people and made sure we had appointments set with them all. We invited Leanne to come to church, and she said she would love to. We also spent some time knocking and street contacting. One of these spurts of knocking led us to a certain door, that when we looked up from it, we saw a plaque. It told us that the bee gees grew up in this house.... what!?? Who knew? Haha crazy, it looked just like any other normal terrace house. Sadly when our good friend jasmine went to pick up Leanne for church, a man came to the door ( we have no idea who it could have been) and told her that Leanne would not be coming... devastation. Noooo. We will keep trying. We got a call from our STL last night, and she really gave us a huge boost. She told us that she has faith that we are going to find a kingdom builder in these next few weeks who will be a strong member and lift the Douglas ward. I pray and have faith in this as well.

I am so grateful for every minute this week. Ups and downs are great. Thank you for all of your encouraging emails, I love to see how the Lord is touching each of your lives as He is mine. I have been pondering on Alma's words to his son in Helaman in Alma 36. After he shares His conversion story, I love his words in verse 24: "Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." The true conversion that comes from repenting is incredible. I know that these words are true, and I have felt much the same as Alma. I have this same desire to bring souls to repentance, not for a number or recognition for myself, but so that THEY can be filled with that exceeding joy I have felt as well as many before me. I love the gospel and I love my Saviour. 

I love you all, and pray for you every day. Keep going!!
Tah-rah!
Sister Carter xx



Departing temple trip


EMM


IOM missionaries over the past year

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