Week #20 Church History Tour: President Hinkley's Flat

Seriously though, life is so good in Wrexham, and in the EMM! This week has been so bomb, and I have loved it so much! The blessings are pouring out, I feel so incredibly grateful!

 Like I said in my last email, our pday was shortened because of the historical tour. So that was, ya know, "fun" ;) hahaha No, it was TOTALLY worth it! I didn't realize before coming out here, but wow does the EMM have such an amazing history. It is the cradle of the restoration. We got to go up to Preston where President Hinckley served his mission, and even got to see the flat where he stayed. We saw the sights where the churches were that thousands of people flocked to to hear these powerful missionaries speak. We saw the River Ribble, where the first saints in England literally raced to be baptized. We also got to see the Chatburn river by Downham, the most beautiful and sacred places I've ever been. Downham is a tiny town where hundreds of saints were baptized. There is a reverence as you walk the roads of this special place. Prophets ancient and modern walked those streets, and as they have kept it looking as close to how it looked back then as possible, you can feel the power of the spirit that still resides in this village. There is a tree there that Elder Holland goes to there to ponder and receive personal revelation. I just felt so privileged to see these sacred places. I felt the presence of angels as we stood by the waters edge at Chatburn. I feel such incredible strength, trust, and duty knowing that I walk these same streets that powerful missionaries and prophets have walked. WOW!

That was the highlight, but there have been other amazing things happening this week along with that! We found a young woman, Hannah, who is so prepared! Her faith in God and Jesus Christ are inspiring! And she asked us to mark our favourite passages in the Book of Mormon for her to read after we taught her about the Restoration.

We met another woman, from.... INDIA!!! Mumbai!! I know!!! I was so excited when she expressed to us that she wants to learn more about Jesus Christ, and wants a bible and Book of Mormon of her own! #blessings

We got to teach our friend, John, about the Word of Wisdom. We go to take some members with us, and he even got a blessing. It was such a powerful blessing, and it really strengthened my testimony of the power of the priesthood! He's incredible, and we're gunna get him to the temple!

I've been getting this feeling lately like the work here in Wrexham is hastening, that things are really picking up, and there's so much I need to and want to do, but that I'm gunna leave before it gets done! DAHH!! I should be here for another transfer though... knock on wood.. haha

I just feel really happy and excited about things!

Yesterday I may or may not have almost been kissed by a 43 year old ginger with a bushy mustache too.... terrifying.. but Sister Steele and I decided that we need to eat more chocolate... more insurance ;))) haha there isn't really a good story to go with it, just we were walking, and I started talking to him, about the gospel- faith. and then he kept getting closer to me, so id back up, and my poor young companion didn't know what to do.. soooo he asks, do you have a fella luv? no... how old are you luv? 20.... he goes, im 43!! im like, ohhhhh my heck , well we have to go!! GOOD THING WE WERE IN WIDE OPEN PUBLIC!! that coulda ended badly... FOR HIM!!!! haha I learned a bit of kung fu on exchanges, so watch out ;) no but it was legit terrifying...and disgusting... I don't think anything would have happened, but it was a good reminder to be street smart!! GROSS!!!!! And it added a few more years to Sis steele's life from the amount of laughing she got out of it ;) haha

But even with crazy people, life is still good :)

I said this to Elise already, but D&C 31:5 has been on my mind a lot lately. It is amazing how as I forget myself, and serve- I like how one missionary said it in his departing testimony, to sacrifice the things I want that will bring temporary happiness for what will bring eternal happiness- my family will live. And not just live like be alive, but really live. I love getting your emails and seeing how the Lord is blessing us all. This work is so important, and I wouldn't be here without all of your amazing examples. Let's all thrust in our sickles, shall we? ;)

I love you all!!!

Stay Classy!

Sister Carter

Ps mom, I didn't get the stories about any ancestors... maddie said it was there, maybe I missed it...

Week # 19 Who's having a Street Display?

Heya friends and fam!

Wow, so it sounds like you are all doing well in the 248, which is so good! I love hearing about all the crazy and fun things you all do. also, the faces in the pics from cedar point- classic. hahaha!!

Oh man, this week felt really reallllly long, probably because we had stake conference last Sunday, so there was no sacrament meeting to break up the week, but I'm all out of wack, can't figure out what day it is! plus today our pday is only until 2 pm because we have our MISSION TOUR on Wednesday, can I get a WHOOP WHOOP!!??? haha I'm just a bit excited ;)

Highlights of the week... let me see.... hahaha

- Service opportunities!! I love giving service! There is a big warehouse in Wrexham full of donations for the refugees in Syria that we got to go and help sort and pack. So fun! also, we got to go and work in a sweet member's garden, Shuetyee, and Wow am I glad I have experience with that ;) haha I'm only kind of kidding! But service just always makes ya feel good!

- teaching our new investigators!! We have two ones! One whose name is Siros, and he came to church yesterday!! And another, Whitney. Love her! She loves the Book of Mormon, can't put it down infact! We taught her the first two lessons yesterday, and she is so brill!

- the members. President instructed us to be in the members homes every day and teach them from the PMG lessons. WOW is he inspired! We have received so many new referrals, and not only that, I had one of the most powerful spiritual experiences in one of the members homes. I know that God is truly aware of each one of His children. I know that we can be answers to other's prayers if we can listen to the spirit. I know that if we are trying our best, even if we feel we are failing at times, we aren't. That we may never know the true impact that we make. It is the moments though that we can see the impact that help me to realize that I am making an impact.

-Harriot!! We tracted into her on Saturday. She shared with us that her father had passed away recently and it was quite hard on her. I asked if we could share a scripture with her, and she said of course. I read Alma 40:11-12 and the spirit was so strong. She had tears in her eyes and she hugged and thanked us multiple times. I am SO excited to go back and see her!!

two stories though for you to go along with this super exciting email;) haha We were tracting and this lady opens the door and starts speaking to us in Welsh. We apologized that we couldn't speak welsh, but asked if she spoke English. She said that she refused to speak it in her own country, but proceeded to tell us (in English) that we were racist!! haha!! It was such a funny moment though, idk. it's moments like that that really keep the humor alive, keep us going ;)

We had a street display on Saturday that was really really good! We all met some amazing people! Down the street there was a festival going on, and the music was super loud. We could hear it clearly and quite loudly from where our display was. The music was super distracting, as it was metal and skreamo, and one of the Elders goes, "oh hey look, Satan's having a street display today too!" HAAHAHA too good!!

Anyways! That was my week! Pretty DANG exciting! I know! haha no, it's been a really good week! My testimony in the love that God has for me has been strengthened so much. I know that He really is aware of me and us here in Wrexham. He knows of my efforts, and even though it may not seem it all the time, they do make a difference.

I love you all!!!!

Love,

Sister Carter

Week #18 Mother's Day Call!

Hello again my lovely family!

Wow it was so good to talk to you all yesterday! the end.

haha jk! No but Mom, happy mother's day, you are the most amazing and fun and crazy mom ever! It was so weird but good to hear your voice on the phone yesterday!! Wow, I will never forget that moment! Thank you for all of the encouragement and advice you gave me!

Once again, I don't have a ton of time to write again, but this week has been so great! I went on exchange with this amazing german sister, Sister Kretschmann, and she taught me SO much about hope and faith, Wow what a powerful missionary! She also taught me kung fu, so ya know, SHE IS THE BEST PERSON EVER. haha but my Sister Training leader and her played a prank on us, and it was so funny!! Ill tell you what it was AFTER I play it on some other companions in the future heheheee

I have been forgetting stuff a lot lately, like I said yesterday. the hard thing is, I am stressed in general, then I forget stuff and it stresses me more, and then I forget MORE! So thanks Austin for telling me about the sticky notes. But I got chewed out for it by an LA member, and Dang, that was rough. I didn't think I could do this. I was crazy stressed, and hurt. But guess what, I learned SO MUCH about how Philipians 4 13 means. I truly can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. That is basically the scripture of my mission so far. He is who allows these things to be possible. He is who picks me up and says, yes sister carter, you have this weakness, but what are you going to learn from this? I love you and will help you through this. I only let you go through these things because I know how much you can grow from them. Your potential is so great, and this small trial will help you achieve it.

By the end of the week though, and after some AMAZING SUNSHINY DAYS!!! ( that never happens here!!!!! it's been SO nice!!!!!) we had the best stake conference ever. I learned so much about truly Knowing Christ, and doing what He would do. Not just being acquainted with him. And then speaking with President Ulrich. We got to ask him about our specific investigators, and it just meant so much that he'd take that time to just listen to Sis S and I and give us inspired cousel. ANd then talking to YOU ALL!!! Dah, it was so good! I wanted to talk forever!! But ya know, I have to sacrifice. But just know I love you all! Wrexham is so fun and crazy, and I'm glad you got a little glimpse of what my life is like out here ;) and yes cadburry is different and amazing here ;) haha sadly..??

Hope you are all happy and good!! Ta-rah!!

Love,

Sister Carter

Email #17: Ups and Downs

Well hello there my fam and friends!!

Man oh man, what a week! So many ups and downs, but mostly ups actually, let's be honest! Haha

Ok so I'll just lay it out day by day for ya.

Monday: excellent pday, we got to go to Chester, and got all of the things done we needed to! This hardly ever happens, and I was pretty excited to say the least!! We even had enough time to go buy chocolate and air fresheners so basically brill, all the way. We went tracting in the evening and woohoo was it great. This is why. So the first road was super prepared, we found several new investigators and some super sweet people. One of my favourite experiences on this road though was when we knocked on this door. The lady opens it, and exclaims, "Sister Carter!!" I recognised her face, but as we meet SO MANY people every day, I couldn't quite remember who she was. Turns out she was a lady who I'd had a long and very good conversation with on a bus back from Chester a few months back. Her son works for Goldman Saccs in India, and we'd talked about how Christian also works for them, how I desperately wanted to go to India, and how her son should move to salt lake... And get baptised, but that's a given;) her name is kris, and our conversation on the bus had such an impact on her that she'd told her son all about me on her trip to India, and he is considering

working out in salt lake! But she remembered my name!!! Ahhh so sweet :)) love her! Mkay so the next road though was tough. Door after door being slammed... Yeah. Literally nobody was listening to us. It got to he point where sis s was like... Why are we on this road. I told her that it was a trial of our faith. And it was. The very next door, which was also our last door of the night, Ruth opened up and excitedly accepted the Book of Mormon and became a new investigator!!And there was he witness #Ether 12:16

Tuesday: had an amazing lesson with a lady named Mars, she is so prepared. She knows her important role as a mother and is totally golden. But she is super pregnant, so she wants us to teach her in July... I May or may not be here then, but hey, she was uhhmazing.

Wednesday: we went down to chirk, this really cute little town south of Wrexham, and called by an investigator down there that we hadn't been able to see in a long time. It's quite far away. But she is amazing too!! She loved the first lesson, and said that if she gets her answer that his is true she will be baptised!!! Ahhhh miracles!! I love her though, her name is Jane, and I half thought she'd forgotten about me, but sure enough, she remembered! I guess you never know the impact you have.

Thursday: zone conference!!! Suuuuper good trainings, and man is President Ulrich inspired!! He talked about how important members are in this work, how we need to use the Book of Mormon more in our work. But what hit me the hardest was when he said, there are angels in this room. There are angels with me always. My ancestors walk with me, teach with me, protect and guide me in this work. I know it's true. There are some of my ancestors that I researched before coming out, reading their stories and coming closer to them there are so many times when I can feel the, right there beside me. Amazing. We had a powerful lesson where sister Steele was just teaching by the spirit to this less active young man. Wow! She is such a powerful missionary. She is basically training me.

Friday: I honestly can't remember what happened that day.... Sorry.

Saturday: really really tough. I was feeling quite down that I haven't been able to really see the results from the effort that I put in. I haven't seen any people baptised, and we had no progressing investigators. It is hard to have that when I have been working super hard, being obedient, and trying my very hardest. Basically it was a hard day. Didn't help that all of our plans fell through, including our tea (dinner) appointment. But I've realised that you just have those days.

Sunday: soooo obviously Saturday was a trial of my faith, cuz WOW!!!!!!!!! I'd Ben fasting and praying that I would see the fruits of my labours, that I'd be able to see people be baptised, have some progressing investigators. After an amazing fast Sunday, where I decided to bare my own about the happiness that the gospel brings, and the sweet nicholsons said hey could take us to the temple, we saw the miracles, the witnesses. So her name is Lisa, and she is the BEsT!!! We met her last Sunday tracting while calling by a referral that didn't live where the member said they did, so we tracted instead and found her. She'd read the introduction and the witnesses testimonies before we got there!!! And we had a powerful lesson, one in which I felt the spirit speak through me, words were out in my mouth. we invited her to be baptised, and she said yes! She even pulled out her diary (planner) to make sure that the 21st of May works!! And it does! Man, I just love her, what an answer to prayer! She is serious about it too, which excites me the most. She isn't just like, yeah sure I'll read the BoM, sure uhuh. Like when we asked if she would pray, she told us, let me practice this week and I promise I'll pray next time ;) haha but she was totally sincere. Miracle!!! Monday (today): we got to go to the temple!!!!!!! I love the nicholsons so much!! Another huge answer to prayer. I feel so blessed to be in a mission with a temple! And we had time to get groceries and type this essay;) haha yay!

I just know this church is true with all my heart. I know that the
Lord is so aware of me, and of all of his children, I am so amazed
that I can be so inspired in others behalf. I am so grateful to be a
part of this great work. I am so happy.

I love you all so very much and miss you all!
~Sister Carter

Happy Birthday, Brynn!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER CARTER

April 13, 2016

20 years old!!!

Email #15: Brynn Becomes a Trainer

Holy moly my fam, guess what?!!!!

I AM TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!

K bye!

Haha jk, but seriously, I have been blessed with the amazing

opportunity to train a new missionary! I can't believe it! I am so

excited and maybe a bit nervous, but ya know;) it'll be so fun and

crazy, I know I'm going to grow a lot. I'm just preparing my mind! And

heart!

This week was insanity! It was Sister Harp's last week as a

missionary, and on top of that we had an exchange in Runcorn (which

was amazing). We were only in our area one full day this week though,

which is so strange... I'm like...what's Wrexham? Haha she had her

temple trip and I got to go on exchange In Warrington with Sister

Orleans. We had a blast, and I love Warrington! And now I'm back here

again waiting for exchange while Sis H is in the mission home/ flying

home.... What the...?? So weird..

There have been some funny things happening every day, but I'll just

share a few of them.

On exchange, in Runcorn, we were street contacting and ran into this

lady who was very nice and open. While introducing ourselves, she

began dancing and saying how much she loved elvis and the cha cha!!

Haha we were like, wow, you've got skills lady! Haha she was so funny!

As we were talking she kept changing her mind about things and it was

so hard to keep track of what she was talking about. As we were

walking away I realized that basically everyone we're teaching at the

moment is like that! Crazy and hilarious! Love it!

As it was Sis Harp's last Sunday, we were able to convince our bus

station security guard friend, John, to come to church! He was

hesitant at first, and we came to find out that he was baptised when

he was young, but went less active right after. He came to church and

stayed all three hours!! It was amazing!! After church he came up to

me and says that he really enjoyed it. He'd come with questions in

mind and said that he felt something inside himself changing. He wants

us to teach him!! It's so exciting!! Such a miracle! I haven't read

all of your emails yet cuz today is crazy, but I'll update you all

next week on what happens!!!!!!!!!

I love you all!!!

Cheers!!

Sister Carter

Email #14: Service Project

Week # 10

Hello Carter Family and friends!!

Wow, I can't believe you are in Palmyra!! I was actually thinking about that place a lot this week! What an amazing place, and fun family trip, props mom! haha ;) And snow!! that's a bonus! haha jk man, conference was so good! It was weird though, our time is so far ahead of Utah that our morning sessions started at 5pm! and the afternoon sessions didn't start till 9! So we didn't get to watch the Sunday afternoon session, don't spoil it for me! We watched the Saturday afternoon session on Sunday before the Sunday morning, and if you followed all that, way to go ;) But there were so many good talks! I especially loved Elder Ballard's on family councils, and Elder Bednar's on retaining a remission of our sins! but what a powerful conference! In the Women's session, which I got to watch on Saturday morning, Sis Marriott, love her, gave such a great talk! She is so wise! But yay, now we get to read back over them and continue learning from them! Can't wait!!

This week was great! I literally feel like I just went to the temple, so basically I can't remember anything that happened... haha jk but it really does feel like that! Even though it was a whole week ago! I had my first interview with President Ulrich on Thursday, and wow, it is no mistake that he is my president. I received so much good council and reassurance that I am loved, trusted, and prayed for. It is so powerful to hear the love from your leaders, and I love how President Medley told me when getting set apart that they are my new parents for these 18 months. And to be able to feel it. WOW! Sister Harp leaves for home next week...... I KNOW...... So basically I am kinda freaking out, mostly because I have NO IDEA what is going to happen to me! She keeps messing with me, telling me that literally ANYTHING could happen, to have an OPEN mind about it.... DAHHHH!!!! hahaha but I have full trust in the Lord, and am excited for a new chapter in my mission life, bring it!!

We got to do some more service for another member this week, and I love doing service! This sweet older lady needed her garden worked on quite badly, so we offered to help. In Britain they have electric lawn mowers, that are small, and plug in... I know, weird! haha but I got to mow her garden, and it was all fun and great until all of a sudden I realized I had run over dog doo, not because I saw it, but because I could smell it! YEAhhhhh... hahaha Her grass was really tall basically, that's my defense haha I had to empty the thing at least ten times during the process. Nice! haha But yes, it has been a great week! We keep working with Jillian and David, and have yet to see Liam. But things are going well. Particularly with the Less active members, we have seen a lot of success as we've worked with them.

Life is so exciting and good isn't it?? Oh, btw Maddie, I do like my hair.. sometimes. hahah All I can say is it is way easier to manage! But I do look like a boy most of the time ;) hahaha it happens. And who the heck is that man in the pictures with you all?? That can't be Ethan... WHAT THE HECK MAN!??? why have you already grown so much?? It's only been 3 months, you gotta stop it!!! haha weird.. Mom, never stop doing the spontaneous trips, and I love how it was a miracle. The spirit has become my best and closest friend these past few months, and I love that you feel close to him as well. Dad, I really hope that your shoulder feels better... I just keep imagining you dangling above the piano like winnie the pooh, and I can't decide whether to laugh or cry!! haha Oh man, good stuff!

Well, I love you all! Sorry I didn't send any pictures last week, I ran out of time, so here ya go!! We went to chester again today for Sis H's last pday! also in there are temple/mtc and easter ;)

Cheers,

Sister Carter