August 27, 2018

Good morning beautiful family of mine!

I don't have a ton to say this week, sorry! But here we go...

Tim was baptized!! Wow!! We are so so happy for him - it's been quite the battle to get him to this point, and it's going to continue on till the end. I am eager to help him continue on this path of discipleship and towards the temple!
We had exchanges this week which was so fun! I went over to the sisters area with Sister Enkhbold and it was so refreshing! I haven't been out of my area on an exchange for like 3 or 4 transfers! And I know as soon as I say this I'll be transferred, but it was fun to be on a bike! We had two really great lessons and other good contacts, so fun! (I also just adore Sister E, so we just had a ball together!)

Have a great week everyone! Love you all!

Sister Carlson

August 20, 2018

Good morning, everyone!

This week has been another full of absolute miracles!! The Lord is blessing us so much and I am just floored ever single day. Heavenly Father loves all of His children, and I'm so grateful for the minister that I've given and that I've received.

We started with exchanges on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sister Peterman came to my area with me and Sister Cook went with Sister Enkhbold in her area. We extended longer than intended and it was inspired and we saw so much success. Tuesday was a very hard day for me (it just felt like one blow after another), which ended up making Tuesday not as effective, but Wednesday was wonderful! Sister Peterman and I ended up going to an apartment complex and tracting the whole top floor. We found two lovely woman who were accepting towards our message, and we are excited to teach with them this week! Tracting does work (and it was a miracle especially because neither of us were very excited about it)! 

Friday was so SO incredible. It was our mission tour, and we had Elder Renlund of the quorum of the 12 apostles and Elder Cook, Taylor, and Alder of the 70 come and speak to us. WOW!! (We're so spoiled haha) It was so uplifting and edifying - it was all centered on God's love and appreciation for the work that we were doing. It was an incredibly special experience, and I left feeling so so happy. I know that God loves all of His children, and I know that Elder Renlund was inspired to say specific things for specific people to comfort and touch them. There were so many things that I was personally able to draw from what was said to make me a more powerful missionary and daughter of God. I know that Elder Dale G. Renlund is an apostle and prophet of the Lord, and I will always be (this word isn't strong enough, but) grateful for this privilege to have him in the Idaho Boise Mission.

Saturday was such an incredible day! In the afternoon, we were going to see Debbie, but we met this lady named Laura outside the apartment. She had crutches and was getting a cart of groceries to take inside and she had her dog, so we offered to help. We chatted with her for a bit and she was interested in learning more. It was 3:30 and there was a baptism happening at 4, so we invited her and she came!! Wow!! I felt like we were on The District or something! She came and had a wonderful experience. She asked us questions and she accepted the invitation to come to church!! Wow, what an incredible, amazing miracle! We're going to teach her later this week and we couldn't be more excited!
What a whirlwind of a week! I feel so blessed to have a Heavenly Father that loves me and His all children here. I know that as we trust in Him and follow the spirit, we will be lead to those people who are ready and prepared to receive His gospel. He loves us. I know that without a shadow of a doubt. I hope that all of you will never forget that. Find strength in that.

Love you all so much!! Have a great week!

Sister Carlson

PS - Grandma and Grandpa Carlson! Thank you for asking to stop by and see me, Sister Bartlett called and told me that you had asked. She was very impressed by all the missions you've served :) Thanks for thinking of me!

August 13, 2018

Hola Familia!

Good morning, President Bartlett.

This has been a week of so many miracles!! I know that these have come because of all the efforts of members, non-members, previous and current missionaries, and the Holy Ghost in preparing the people that we are now teaching. I'll just share a couple with you all :)

Kaylee and Milly, our two 9 year old friend in Hidden Springs, are both eager to be baptized! They are so precious. With family schedules and some hesitation it's been hard to meet with them, but we were able to teach both of them this week after months of trying! 

We received a referral from Sister Doughty (stake president's wife) about 2 months ago for Alicia and her husband in Hidden Springs. But this week we were finally able to have our lesson with them!! They are both starting from ground zero (no religious background), so it was really wonderful to talk about the Restoration. When Sister Cook recited the First Vision, Alicia was extremely touched by Joseph Smith's experience. It was a very tender moment, and the Spirit was there in the room with us. They have been prepared for Christ's gospel for a long time, and we are so thrilled for the opportunity we have to teach them.

So that's four new people we're teaching in Hidden Springs! That's a miracle in itself, going from 0 to 4 in a week!

There's another woman named Debbie and I love her so much. She's a hoot and a half!! She is very excited to teach us the basics of sewing, and so far we've both made pin cushions with her assistance :D She's had previous contact with the church, so she is very familiar with everything - she even has her own quad! She came to church yesterday and we had a wonderful time. I am so happy to have met her and have her in my life! She's so awesome!!

Those are my very most favorite people related miracles....and now here's my favorite not related to our people. Drum roll please!! We got a new car!!!!! With air conditioning!!! He is beautiful and we named him Captain Moroni :)

I think that's about it! I am so grateful for all of these blessings that the Lord has giving to us - each of these people are changing my life for the better, and I'll always be thankful for this opportunity I have to work with them in this capacity. I am grateful to be a in this area! I am grateful to be a missionary! I love this work and I know this is Christ's church restored to the Earth today! What a wonderful work (and time) we get to be a part of!

Love you all so many!! 

<3

Sister Carlson

August 6, 2018

It's been a week!

The work has been okay, we're just waiting on some people and letting them use their agency! It's hard, but necessary haha!

This Sunday, we had the opportunity to teach Gospel Principles in the Boise 13th ward and got to help out in a youth Sunday School in the Hidden Springs ward! We talked about service and sharing our beliefs about eternal families and homosexuality. Both were so fun!! I think the core of the both was simply this: God gives us commandments to make us happy and healthy. Just look at the Word of Wisdom. We know the harmful effects of alcohol and tobacco. It's the same with the Law of Chastity and service. We might not understand everything right now, and we're all given crazy trials (and we don't even remember the life before this to help us out!), but God gives us these guidelines and asks us to have faith. He knows us perfectly, and He knows our full potential. I've seen in my own life the blessings that come from obedience to His commandments. And that's all we do as missionaries and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - we invite others to taste the sweetness of the gospel and find true, lasting happiness.

Love you all! Have a great week!

<3

Sister Carlson

July 30, 2018

Good morning family and friends!

This has been a long and tough week! But the miracles definitely out weight the negative things! We were blessed with so many things, I'm grateful for all the tender mercies Heavenly Father gives to us to keep us going :D

On Thursday, we had a lesson with a refugee family from the Congo. It's been hard to catch each other (since Sister Johnson and I started trying 3 months ago), but we got to have an amazing lesson! Sister Cook knew of a member in her first area that went on a Swahili speaking mission and he got to come with us. Wow! It was so helpful to have him there! When we were first explaining things, Mmambwa (the dad) kept getting off track and was asking off topic questions, and Brother Dick simply said "you have very good questions and we'd love to answer them, but before we do, we'd like to share this message with you, is that alright?" in his native language. The spirit really softened Mmambwa during the lesson and by the end, he said that we would read and pray, and that this was something that he might be able to believe in.

Then yesterday after church, we were in a certain part of town and all our appointments fell through. There was someone we were teaching that we haven't been able to see in a while close by, so we started to go over there and we met Chance. She is in her 70's (she doesn't look like it) and she is so prepared for the gospel!! She has had so many incredible experiences in her life, and she is so in tune with the spirit now. We had a long discussion where she shared her story and we shared some of the plan of salvation. We are so excited to meet with her again!! She was probably the biggest miracle of the week! :)

The theme of this week was one of tolerance. I LOVE this theme!! There were amazing talks given yesterday about it, and we were all spiritually fed. As we seek to be more tolerant, as we correct ourselves when we are intolerant and pray for the Christ-like attribute of charity, we will be able to see the people around us as children of God. We will be able to reach out in love to them and help to edify and uplift them. We will be able to make the world a better place. I want to be able to be more Christ-like and tolerant so I can be an even more effective instrument in my Father's hands!

Have a great week everyone! Love you all! <3

Sister Carlson

July 23, 2018

Hi everyone!

Wow, this has been a crazy week (then again, transfers are always crazy!). Yes, you heard right! Transfers! Sister Johnson got transferred down to Twin Falls (right next to the temple!) and I got Sister Cook! She is so SO awesome. She's from Pennsylvania (woot east coast reppin!), she went to USU (double woot) and she's 25 (woot whaat). She has so many amazing experiences to share, and I know that this area will be changed because of her (it already has!)

One of those miracles that we saw this week was on Friday, our first full day together. At the end of the night, we were driving past these houses and we kept going and Sister Cook said "I think we need to turn around and ask those people back there if we can help them with their weeds." I quick flipped a quick (and safe) U-turn and we went and talked with this woman outside her house. She and Sister Cook related really well with their line of work / interests. She accepted a Book of Mormon and said was could come back!! It was a miracle we even found her (the spirit is so real!!)!

On Saturday we has a lesson with another friend of ours. The miracle in this situation was that we brought a member with us and they fit together perfectly! We'd been bringing this sister out with us constantly and all of the appointments be brought her to fell through (I felt SO BAD every time!!!), and this was the perfect lesson for her to be in. Wow! And, even crazier, we went and visited a returning member after the lesson that and she actually KNOWS our friend (though work) and would like to be involved in the teaching and bring her to church! Double wow! We have been wanting to get this member involved with the work, but it's been really difficult. The Lord knows what He's doing!

I am grateful for the spirit and for His guiding hands in this work. With the push towards acceptance and loving one another (if you haven't watch Elder Soares' video A Friend to All!!), we know that this work is hastening!! May we work on not judging others (including ourselves) and keep up with Heavenly Father's pace!!

Love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Carlson