Email #13: Happy Easter!

Week # 9

AAAA!!!!! Happy easter my people!!!!!

It's so good to hear that you are all doing well and had such a good easter! And just so you know, I'm sure that the missionaries really appreciated you for feeding them, in case you didn't know ;) haha You all are amazing! I'm just so grateful for you all. Basically. haha No but yes, last week was a STRUGGLE.. but this week was SOO much better, dang! 

In district meeting, Sister Harp and I got to give a training (which we totally crushed, FACE).. about our purpose as missionaries. It really made me ponder on what the gospel is, and what impact it has on ME when I apply it in my life. It's kinda a cycle. I can feel the times when I am using the atonement in my life and when I'm not, but when I do use it, it's almost always on a higher level. It's so important to not be stagnant. Always seek to be progressing in the gospel. There is always new ways to be improving. If you ever feel that you've succeeded in an area, that's when you know you've got work to do haha :) but thennn my brill district leader taught about work. It's interesting that you were thinking of President Hinkley's experience this week Mom. As he was teaching, it just hit me how this is NOT my time what so ever. This is 100% His. like I like to say to Sis H, it is 0% mine. haha But seriously, it isn't even my time to waste. Plus, I've already sacrificed the time, I should and must use it wisely. I re-committed myself, and have felt very empowered all week. I have seen the spirit work through me. It's an amazing thing. When you're tracting and the person says something, and I have a response! It's beautiful! seriously! haha 

The day before Easter, we were down in this little town called Chirk. It is so CUTE!! but it started chucking rain while we were working there.... haha yeahhhh... So we were super wet, #drownedratstyle ;) we knocked on one house, and this tiny old lady opened up and seemed unsure of us. She had dimensia, and was hesitant to listen. As soon as I started testifying however, her countenance started to change, and she opened her door a bit wider. We talked about Easter and Jesus Christ's life. She got a huge smile and said, "yes, well I know, my husband and I are really so lucky, we have a beautiful family" awwww!! We asked if we could come in and share a message with she and her husband. SHE LET US IN OUT OF THE RAINNNN!!!! :'D Soooo so nice!! And they were so lovely! She didn't want us to go back out in the rain after we taught them, bless her! haha she'd do this really cute giggle, where she'd shrug her shoulders and squint her eyes, such a cute tiny woman!! and she kept saying, yes, we're so lucky, aren't we roy? :)) and every time we asked her a question, she'd turn to her husband to ask him first. So sweet! But that was a huge miracle!

And mom, yes, I did get easter candy, and even set up an egg hunt for Sister Harp. It was the best thing ever!! We made a really nice breakfast for ourselves, and it was sunny, and literally perfect. I love Easter!! And to top it all off, we got to go to the temple today!!! I know!! It was so good, and I needed it so bad. We only get to go no p-days that are bank holidays, so not very often. I was so grateful for the sweet Horton couple who took us :) It's just been a blessed week! We even dated our investigator Jillian to baptism! Prayers are answered!

I love you all!!

Love,

Sister Carter 

Email #12: Fun at the Wrexham Street Display

Week 8......... :)

Well hello there everyone!

Wow wow!! Okay so let me just say, I love you all! I feel so blessed to have suuuch an amazing family and supportive friends. I can feel your prayers and support every day. President Ulrich reminded us of something a few weeks back. He told us that everyday there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of prayers being said for me (and all missionaries, but it feels nicer to personalize it) each day. Most of all for me to be happy!  SO BE HAPPY!! Find joy in the service! I love it! It is always so comforting to think of all of those prayers :)

This week started out with a Time Out for Sisters meeing! All of the EMM sister missionaries got together and learned about women in faith. We got to eat some reallllly good food, mingle, do a service project, and had a talent show. Basically best day ever. Long day though, we didn't get home from Manchester until 9:30 at night!! I know! But the sisters in this mission are so great! Also, the women in church history are amazing examples to me! I want to be just like them!

We set some really great goals to be more focused and motivated this week! I can already feel the progress! It's working! But I must admit, it's been a tough week. Idk if the boys ever felt this way, but so far on my mission, my moods and emotions have been magnified. So if I feel quiet one day, I feel QUIEEET, or if I feel excited and pumped one day, It's like nobody's business! haha but yeah, I have felt like I was in a rut. We didn't seem to be able to find anyone new to teach, and Liam is still not ready to be baptized. BUUUUUT before you worry about me, my zone leaders told us in zone meeting to have an Ether 12:6 mentality. ( I should have seen this coming ;) That it really isn't until after the trial of my faith that I can receive that witness. I kept reminding myself that this week! I kept being obedient, and trying my best, and I know that we will see miracles. It is suuuuch a huge comfort to know that. And it is that hard times that really build your faith, they help me to realize that I can't depend on myself, but this work is truly His.

We have, however, been working with these two young men who have been less active for a while. On Thursday, we taught them how to really use the scriptures, and did a scripture chase with them! It was so good! they both got really into it, and were like, hey let us pick a scripture for you to find!! haha Yes!!! And they were both at churchon Sunday- winning!! ;)

ok so my story this week comes from Saturdays street display!! HAHAA ok, prepare yourself. There is this woman in Wrexham who believes that we must be vegan to be saved, which is interesting, but ya know. Anyways,I don't think she is terribly keen having us around. So we were at our street display and up she comes with a huge canvas with words in red paint on it, saying something about how people need to watch a certain movie. We were all like.... uhhh whaaaa?? But she just stood there, and got mad at us cuz we eat meat! People passing by must have been pretty confused! haha it's just random stuff like that that just keep you on your toes, keep you laughing, and really just confuse you sometimes as well! haha idk I wish I had a better story, but next week I will.

I love you all! and Maddie, btw I wasn't even offended or anything, no worries!! haha I was just messing with ya!

Love,

Sister Carter

Email #11: Long Days, Short Weeks

Hello family!!

Well well, another week has gone by... How?!! It's crazy to me how quick time is going! The days seem long, but the weeks are ridiculously short! So much happened this week, I'll have to just do some of the highlights.

One of our recent converts is seriously amazing. His name is Mike and he is the best!! He was looking through the ward list and found a less active member and asked us to come meet her with him. She lives in he beautiful little town up in the hills called Brymbo. And. She. Is. Uhhhmazing. Seriously, she is a huge miracle and answer to prayers. She is way gung Ho about coming home church and even to come and help us. Basically we've decided that she is gunna be a ward missionary like she was in her past ward. Yayayyyyy!!

Liam is still doing well, and we role played with him telling his family about his commitment to keep the word of wisdom. He can do it!! 

A member of our ward passed away a few weeks ago and his funeral was on Tuesday. He was quite a unique person, and his funeral showed it. Sis Harp and I were asked to sing in a musical number. It was an old Irish or Scottish folk song called "all around my hat" and I love it!!! The bishops daughter accompanied us on a 12 string guitar, which was so great. But I was grateful to have been able to participate in the service, he was a great man.

There have been some funny and crazy stuff going on as well. We were asked to make. Cardboard horse for the road show and it turned out... Really good?? Hahaha no it looked like a hot dog/bald dog!! Hahaha needless to say they didn't end up using it ;) also while we were tracting one night, house after house crazy stuff happened! I'm talking every single house! Haha for example, at one house a super old woman was coming to get the door, but she couldn't unlock it, so she tried giving us her key through the mail slot for us to open it, but it didn't work, so we literally sat there speaking to her through her mail slot!! Haahaha then the next house was another older woman, who wasn't interested, but her dog got out (bare in mind she has a walker) and it hopped out of her garden into the neighbor's... We were like... Uhhhh... Come back dog!! We ended up chasing it back in, and it hopped out again. Gotten love dogs... Haha 

We've been working a lot with less active members and recent converts this week, and my testimony of member missionary work has really been strengthened. On Sunday, a member of the high council spoke about being active in the church vs being active in the gospel. I know that as we are anxiously engaged in being converted followers of Christ's gospel, we will desire to share the joy it brings to us with others. We will see the beauty in this life, and look forward to one day returning to Him. This work is not always easy but it is so important. How great is our purpose.

I hope you are all doing well. Thank you for your love and support!

Love

Sister Carter

Email #10: First Transfer!

Brynn's first Transfer.......and a surprise!

HI FAM BAM!!!!!!!

ETHAN!!! whattheheckhowareyou17????? YES!!! HAPPY STINKIN BIRTHDAY!!! You are the best and I hope that it was so fun! It sounds like it was a bit crazy, but that's better than not crazy, am i right? haha I love you though, and I hope you know that my heart was there with ya! 

Man oh man oh man... where do I even go with this email??

So ok. so. yes. this week was transfers!! And, no, Sister Harp didn't go home yet, but this is her last tranfer, But no worries, we are still together in Wrexham. We spent Monday saying our goodbyes to Elder Judd and Sister Holmes at a place called Yo! Sushi! hahahaha I died! But it is super legit, the sushi comes around on a conveyer belt thing! We had a lot of fun together. I have absolutely loved this district! I feel so grateful that they were my first one, and it's sad to have to say goodbye, but like my friend Regan said, the changes are what make the mission. Basically it's all good :) I could really feel my confidence growing this week. I was able to be a lot more bold, and at our street display Saturday, I was talking to people pretty much the whole time. As we were teaching two less active teens on Thursday, we shared the story in Alma 2, how the Nephites were able to defeat the innumerable army of lamanites and amalikites. It was their earnest prayers and faith that were able to bring down the powers of heaven in their behalf. As we asked them what they may need heaven's aid in in their own lives, I felt inspired to share my experience from Junior year, how it was SO hard for me, but as I was able to turn it over to the Lord, the miracles came. I could see how sharing this story really touched them, and one came to church on Sunday!! I KNOW!!

We have been teaching Liam more, and he came to church on Sunday. He is a fun one to teach, and our lessons are always very... interesting ;) haha but last night was a huge highlight. It was my first missionary fireside! It was held in Manchester South, and we brought Liam. the sweet Prices gave us a lift up there, and the meeting was AMAZING! It was insanity before it started, so many people!! SO MANY MISSIONARIES!!! haha I didn't know any of them, but the nice thing is, they are all nice! HA! but it was way fun to chat with them all! I can't remember hardly any of them, but that's ok. The meeting itself was powerful. There were several recent converts who spoke of their experiences and shared their testimonies. Last of all, President Ulrich spoke, and WOW was it powerful! He invited all the investigators there to read the Book of Mormon, to pray, to give up addictions, to be baptized. The spirit was so strong, and as soon as he finished, Liam leaned over to me and said, "wow, he's the most powerful speaker I've ever heard!" I know that his talk was for Liam. 

The rest of the week was great! one of the funniest moments was walking home from an appointment, there was a lady that was behind the bus stop shelter thing (that is clear glass), and a stone wall behind it. We walked by and were like.. okay.. but then she came out from behind the clear stop and said, " sorry girls, when a lady's gotta go, a lady's gotta go..."!!!!! HAHAHAHA WHATTT???!!!! I know! So Sister Harp realized that the stream of "water" that she'd just stepped over wasn't water at all... GROSS AND HILARIOUS!!! HAAAHAHA

one of the funnest thing was tracting with a member, mike, who rocks! we came to a door that was "mine", and as soon as I introduced us, he got WAY excited saying, " do you have anything to do with the Mormon Tabernacle Chior???" YES!! he loves them and listens to them all of the time, and we're going back tomorrow!! 

It's been a great week! I have learned a ton, and I am so excited to be starting my second transfer!! Whuuuut?? haha 

ALSO.... I cut my hair.

Love you all!!!!

Sister Carter

Email #9: Leap Day

Week #5....Brynn's leap day email!

Hi eveyone!

Hope you are all doing well! I don't have a ton of time today, so sorry if this is short! But this week was FULL of miracles! I can't even believe the things that happen sometimes! But the man we met last week, Liam, accepted the invitation to be baptized and will be on the 19th! He wants so badly to be closer to God and to change, so humble, its amazing. He still smokes, but we'll keep working with him! He can do it! He came to church and was singing all the hymns, got a ride home with a member, loved it, it was the BEST!!! But the best thing is the spirit that is in the lessons when we teach him. So great! But we got to go into Manchester on Wednesday because I completed my first five weeks!! So we had a meeting with my group that I started out with. It was so fun to see them all again, but it was also so good to get so much good advice. I needed that direction from president Ulrich, and I've already seen the blessings as I've applied it! I had my first Kebab on Saturday night, its like this meet that they have out all the time cooking, kinda a mystery meet looking thing. Mine was lamb apparently, and was way good! You'll have to look up a picture! It wasn't just shish kabob, different, and way good! 

Things are going well out here, and I hope you all are still good! Sorry this one was so short... But I love you all!!!

Love, 

Sister Carter

p.s.  Well, I love you all, one thing I have been thinking about lately is talents. God has blessed us each with these amazing talents, little parts of what make us like Him. We have to find and develop, and practice these talents!! Idk, Its just been on my mind! Love you all!!!!

Email #8: First Exchange

Sister Carter's first exchange!

Hi mah fam!!!

Man, Yall are hilarious!! HAAA!! and I also love that dad laughed at my story, NAILED IT!!! haha (maddie, nice one!) haha but yeah!
This week was bomb! I went on my first exchange!!! It was SOOO good! Sister Carroll, my amazing and sweet as heck Sister Training leader was who I got to work with. She's from Brisbane Australia, and I kid you not, nicest person I've ever met! She's suuuch a powerful teacher, and it really was such a miracle that I got to work with her. This is her last transfer (like she goes home this next week), and apparently most missionaries don't go no exchange their first transfer, but President Ulrich decided I could handle it, and I'm soooo grateful! I was literally asking her so many questions, just wanting to soak up all of her knowledge haha :) But yes, that was amazing!
Ok, so story time!! (oh, also, mom, I wish I could remember all of the day to day things! like, so many of those things happen, and I'm like oh that was so great, but then I come here and forget them all... So i'll try to make more mental notes). But yes! SO it was super windy on Friday when we were having our street display here in Wrexham, and we were setting up our poster display thing, and were struggling hard core HA!! But a man walked up, and we thought he was coming to just help or whatever, but no! He starts talking to us. He says to us that he has a Book of Mormon that he reads and that he knows it is pure doctrine from God! Turns out he was taught by missionaries up in Bangor at University, and lost contact with the church when he moved down here. He didn't even know we had a church here! We invited him to church and planned to teach him after, but he got stuck down in Cardiff, so we'll see him later this week!! But I was literally like, Wow, come on! Could you be more golden?! haha It was such an amazing miracle!! Also at the same street display, I was talking to another man that lives up by Chester, and turns out he was at church up there yesterday! MIRACLES!!! oh man, it just makes me so happy and excited!
The funniest things always happen on buses, which is how we mainly travel- so we were headed home and a bunch of kids get on the bus and one has a stink bomb... which he sets off... yeahhhh HAA! they were all freaking out and everything, also they were all worried we were gunna report them. When they came up to me asking if I was going to, I was just talking to them, saying no, but why did they do it? kinda just talking, and then they all got really excited- "you're from AMERICA?!!" "Do you know any famous people?!" haha it was so fun to just mess with them, but yeah.. buses are great, and can smell like... things shouldn't smell like that basically. hah!
And I love our ward!! We had dinner with this family on Monday, and their daughter, Jolie, reminds me so much of maddie it scares me... haha
We went to a place called Llangollen last Monday, and it was SOOOO Beautiful! there are castle ruins up on the top of this mountain, and it was the perfect, clearest day :))) We played capture the flag and had a ton of fun with the district!
Well, things are going really well here! I feel strength from your prayers every day!
Love you all sooo so much,
Cheers,
Sister Carter

Email #7: Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentines Day

Hello my Lovely Family!!

It's so good to hear from you all! Also, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! btw mom,  I didn't get your valentine, cuz packages only get distributed once a month, but that's ok ;) thanks for that!! haha I'll get to enjoy it later in the month! SCORE!! But yeah! Thanks for all of your amazing encouragement and love. Your prayers are DEFINITELY felt!! Thank you!

This past week is literally a bluuurrr in my mind! haha I had my first zone meeting in a place called rhyll (every time I say it, I think, "furrhyll!?" haha) and that was soooo great! learning to be a consecrated missionary, and thinking of also how we can live a consecrated life- turning out will over to the Lord, and putting our trust in Him. It is such an amazing thing.

So Mom, here's my story, nothing huge or anything, don't get too excited! But so yesterday at church, Sister Harp and I walked in, and the bishop's wife (also the ward music lady) said to us, come let me hear you two sing. So we sang to her, and when we finished she says," GOOD! ok, you will be doing the musical number today! I'll go tell the bishop!" HAAAHA!! WHUUUT!? to make it even better, President and Sister Ulrich came to our ward yesterday! But we sang, and it went well, even with my congestion! Miracles that you don't even realize you need ;) But yeah! I love the bishop's wife! She is like that ward mom that the boys say are so necessary. She's got that dry humor, and I love it!

But otherwise, things have been a bit weird. Sadly Steffan dropped us, but he is such a great person, he'll be baptized one day. And Luca is impossible- literally- to get a hold of. BUT!!! We are not discouraged! I've learned so much about the atonement this week! It's such a beautiful thing that each day I can keep trying. I can change the things that I'm doing. Keep trusting in the Lord's promised blessings. Patience is something that I need to learn and have been learning this week. IT IS SO GOOD!!! haha Sister Harp says that all the time ;) Cracks me up! Love her! But yes! We have been working a lot with the members this week, and I honestly feel way more connected with them. We have such an amazing ward! President was so bold and gave such a powerful talk yesterday with many invitations- to share the Book of Mormon and to have us in their homes- I can't wait to follow up with them all on it! Exciting things to look forward to!

I love you all so much! Keep on being the amazing and hilarious people that you are!!

Stay sweet mah fam,

Love,

Sister Carter