November 27, 2017

Good morning Everyone!

This week has gone by so so quick! It's been wonderful, and I'll try to cover some of the best things that happened (I'll probably forget like 50% of it, but I'll try!)

I guess I'll start with Thanksgiving. We didn't exactly have a dinner appointment to begin with (the Meridian temple dedication was last Sunday, so the meal calendar wasn't passed around), but Bishop Bezas had us over for unconventional dinner! Their daughter served in Albania, so we had stuffed peppers (which they have a lot over there!). It was really fun, they are such a cute family!

On Friday, #LightTheWorld came out! So exciting!! In the past 3 days, Sister Snow and I have handed out 73 cards (I guess that makes up for not having anyone to teach at the moment :) )! It has been so fun to participate and get people pumped up about the Christmas initiative. It's the best - the whole thing is centered on Jesus Christ, and lighting the world through service and love this Christmas season. even if people don't want to be a part of this church, the initiative is a great way to feel "the spirit of the season" and help someone else have an even better Christmas! I would like to challenge every single person that reads this sentence to participate and share this challenge with at least one other person! You can do it! The missionaries have those cute little cards that you can give to someone else, just ask them for one! As we all band together and #LightTheWorld, everyone will be able to feel the spirit, and they will know if Christ our Savior.

The whole week, I received so many answers to prayers and concerns in little ways. like on Sunday, someone's talk was exactly what I needed to hear. I would like to bear my testimony to all of you that I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of us. He love us. As our father, He wants to help us. And I know that He will do so, in His own time and in His own way. I am so thankful for this knowledge and assurance that I will always ALWAYS be taken care of.

We also had exchanges this Saturday! It was a little crazy, but SO much fun! Our Sister Training Leader is Hermana Elkington (yes, I said Hermana), so I went over to her area and Hermana Corona came to be in our area with Sister Snow. Sister Elkington is a complete riot. She's from Hawaii, and she is so laid back and hilarious. I love her so much! Because it's a Spanish area, it was hard for me to participate in the lessons, so I ended up making faces at the little kids from across the room in an attempt to keep them entertained as Hermana Elkington and members from the branch taught. There was one little boy named Brayden, and he's 3 years old. He had a little bag of mini cookies and he was eating them, then he looked at me and gave me one. I was chosen! Lol. I set the cookie on my knee instead of holding it in my hand, and eventually he gave all four of us (there were 2 members with us) cookies. When any of us would take them off our knee and set them on the couch, he would walk over and restore the cookies to their rightful places - our knees. Hermana Elkington leaned over to me while Hermana Matrinez was talking and said "knee cookies" and I almost burst out laughing. It was so silly and so cute.

Those are pretty much the highlights of the week (that I can remember)! I hope you all have the best week ever, and don't forget that the #LightTheWorld challenge officially starts on Friday, December 1st!

Love you all! Thank you so much for the constant support and love!
Sister Carlson

November 20, 2017

Hi, everybody!

This week was long. It was really hard at the end, but I was able to learn so SO much, so I'll share those things with you.

Satan hates us, he envies us, he wants us to fail and be miserable like himself. He wants us to be confused, to doubt, to be contentious, to feel like we're not in control. He desperately does not want us to partake of the fruit of the tree of life - he wants us to fall away to unknown paths, to join him and his children in the great and spacious building, to drown in the depths of the river.

But our Heavenly Father's love FAR outweighs all of these things. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to return to live with him after this life. He wants us to succeed. He's given us so many tools to help us along our way - he's given us the power of prayer, the scriptures, a living prophet and apostles, family and friends, and a plethora of other resources that can be used for our good. He gives us trials and tribulations so we can 1) grow into the son or daughter of God he needs us to be, and 2) because he TRUSTS US to bear it and bear it well. He will never give us something we can't handle, though the adversary desperately wants us to believe that He will. As we rely on our Father in Heaven and His Son's atoning sacrifice, we will have the strength to endure all things. Satan can throw counterfeits and curve balls at us in an attempt to confuse us and throw us off the path - but may we all hold fast to the iron rod, and trust in His redeeming blood (and try his works to do).

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sister Carlson

P.S. - My real address now is this: 

172 Falls Ave. W.

Apt. #F308

Twin Falls, ID 83301

Please send me loves! :)

November 13, 2017

Good morning, everybody!

What a fantastic week it has been. Transfers were on Thursday, and I was booted out of Heyburn. Mission President say whaaaat? Sister Ellsworth is leading the area (only 6 weeks in, wow!) and she is  in a trio with my trainer Sister Ely and her trainer Sister Lee. I made a joke that Sister Ellsworth was now going to be with her grandma and great-grandma. I'm hilarious! :D

I'm now in Twin Falls with Sister Snow, and we're over just one ward. Better yet, it's a YSA ward! It's so different than all the work I've done so far. We can't go tracting because we'd most likely not find a YSA aged person, so we rely on the members and their referrals! It's a good thing that our ward is so wonderful. The one person we are teaching has moved down to Utah, so we've been doing a lot of less active work and we've had a lot of success so far. I've only been here for three days, and I already love these people so much. I am so excited to work with them all!! 

A miracle that happened this week happened yesterday. It was small, but for me, it made all the difference. When I first got into the area, Sister Snow and I had a weekly planning session to go over the area, and we set a goal of 3 investigators for the week. I was nervous about this number - usually, I do something lower, and with the area that we're working with, I wasn't expecting to reach that goal at all. On Sunday, we visited the house of our one investigator that moved, Musa. We had set up an appointment so we could get his address and send the information down to the missionaries in Utah. But he wasn't there. His family invited us in, and we taught the Plan of Salvation to his sister, father, and uncle. They were very receptive to our message and they asked a lot of good questions. We set up a return appointment for Friday. In just an hour, we reached our weekly goal of three new investigators. Even though we'll have to pass them off to the family ward missionaries, it was a miracle. I am so grateful for the faith and example of my companion, and for the success that we found. It was truly a testimony to me that with faith, all things are possible.

This week, I have been studying a lot about the atonement and focusing on how it can help us heal. I was having trouble connecting the atonement with healing; I have felt the peace that comes when you use the atonement to repent - that burden being lifted is the best feeling in the world. But for some reason, the emotional and physical healing side confused me. After talking a lot with Sister Snow and reading various conference talks and scriptures, I think I'm starting to understand. Jesus Christ suffered for our sins, yes, but he also suffered for all of the illnesses, sorrows, and pains that we could ever have. He chose to physically labor and suffer under these burdens so He would know how best to comfort and heal us. In one reading, it talked about two different kinds of healing: one is a cure. The burden is lifted and the pain is taken from you. Two is an increase of strength to endure the burden and the pain. Both are forms of healing, but both come through Jesus Christ. To get this relief, we must be humble and faithful that he can and will heal us, then we wait. We endure and endure it well, and eventually (according to his timing) we will feel that comfort and peace that he wants to give us. These trials that we are given are given for our benefit. We have such an immense opportunity for growth, and Satan makes it so easy to shrink from these trials and suppress that pain and not get the help from the Savior that is so readily available. I plead with you all to fight this great temptation to shrink in the midst of adversity and face your trials with courage and with the Savior at your side. I know that the latter is so much better than the former in the long run.

What a great learning experience this week has been! I feel like my mind and thoughts have been expanded, and I've come to understand myself, my Father in Heaven, and my Savior better. I still have a long way to go, but that's what faith is for! I am so thankful for this gospel, and for the hope and love and joy it brings into our lives if we let it. I say these things in the name is Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a great week, everyone!

Sister Carlson

P.S. - I've been studying Jacob 5 for the past couple days - it's amazing when you actually pay attention! I'd encourage you all to read through it WITH the footnotes (it helps a lot when you're confused) and learn about the plan and the history of God's children. It's so amazing!!

October 30, 2017

Hi, everyone!

What a hard week it's been. 

This week, we worked at the Meridian temple open house on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday! It was so fun. There were two protesters, one on Thursday and one on Friday. The one on Thursday was an older gentleman that had a sign saying "The highway to hell is the Mormon way!" and he was yelling about hellfire and the wrath of God. Sister Ellsworth and I were walking between the reception tent and the stake center when we saw him, so we waved and he yelled: "Don't you shake your hands at me!" It was really funny, but it was also sad to see someone who was so upset and hateful.

Our area has been pretty dead since we've been working up in Meridian. Our main investigators told us this week that they're moving in two weeks. Sister Ellsworth was sick this weekend. We've both been homesick. So it's been a really hard week. But, through these trials, I've come to understand what's most important. I've thought a lot about my purpose as a missionary, and whose name is over my heart constantly - who do I represent? I am an official representative of Jesus Christ. It's my job to reach out in love for those around me. It's my job to share this message of happiness that we have with everyone. Being a missionary really is the best - it's giving me the opportunity to always be changing and growing, to always be improving. I am thankful for my trials and for the opportunity I have to serve here in Idaho. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father puts his trust in us, his children, to reach out in love to those around us. What a precious opportunity and gift we have been given.

I love you all so much! Have a great week and a happy Halloween 

Sister Carlson

October 23, 2017

Hello, everyone!

It feels like it was four days since I last wrote you all! ;)

This has been a good week. We haven't had a ton of appointments, but since we've been in the area for more than 2 days we've been able to set up a lot of appointments with investigators and less active members. We're scheduled for a long hall in Meridian this week - that's why it'll be so vital for us to have as many appointments and contacts while in the area as we can!

When I think about it, it seems like I haven't done a ton or learned a lot this week. But when I look back at it, I realized that this week was a great learning experience for me.

I feel like I have been stagnant with my feeling of the spirit and my testimony. With everything that's been happening - going back and forth from Meridian, the announcement of the Christmas initiative, and the radio silence from our main investigators - I feel like I've been a robot going from one task to the next. I couldn't feel the spirit, and I started to doubt all the experiences I've had with feeling the spirit (I know it's silly, but that thought was in the back of my mind). We had a lesson in Relief Society yesterday about feeling the spirit, and the catchphrase "brick by brick" was used. A sister talked about how she had never had the big experience - there were little assurances and signs along the way that built her faith and trust in Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost. I realized that I hadn't been paying attention to the little things. There was an Elder in my district last transfer that said (and I'm paraphrasing): "As missionaries, we feel the spirit all the time! So when we feel like he's not there or we're not getting answers to our prayers, it's okay. We've grown so used to having Him with us that it's sometimes hard to feel him." We need to pay better attention and work on seeing and feeling the promptings of the Holy Ghost. As I've put my anxieties and doubts away, I have felt the quiet assurance that He is there. I have a testimony of this - and I would not have gained a testimony of this if I had not had this experience this week. I am thankful for a Heavenly Father that allows us to wade through trials and afflictions so we can grow. I say these things in the name of Jesus 

Christ, amen.

I love you all so much! Have a great week :)

Sister Carlson

P.S. - Is anyone getting letters from me?

October 19, 2017

Hello, everyone!

What a crazy week it's been! Between our area and the Meridian Temple open house, we've been moving non-stop.

On Thursday, Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, we had the opportunity to be up in Meridian. You may be thinking: "What? The open house starts on the 21st!" Right you are, but there are "vip tours" that started at the beginning of October. The people that have been visiting are the neighbors, government officials, religious leaders, and the people who worked on the temple. It hasn't been very busy, but that's about to change very quickly. We're expecting 30,050 - 40,000 to be attending, and that number is growing every day! The sister missionaries get to work in the welcome rooms and in the reception tent. It's been so fun to meet people from around the area and talk about their experience - I think it'll be even better once the open house is open to the public. I am so grateful for the opportunity we have to work at the open house - the Lord has been so generous with His people in giving them temples. What a blessing they are!

Because of the temple, we've needed to focus on just a handful of people in our areas that need our help the most. It's been slow (since we're not here), but it's been great to focus very specifically on these people.

That's about all I have time for! Sorry, this is so short, but I'll get to write on Monday this next week - whoo hoo!

I love you all so very much!!

Sister Carlson

October 10, 2017

Hi, everybody!

This has been a tough week. But it's been a good week!

The area is progressing slowly right now. Since I was in a trio, and now we're going to be in Meridian every week, it's going to stay that way for a little while. It just strengthens my resolve to work even harder while we're in Heyburn and teach, find, and talk to as many people as we can.

I just wanted to bear my testimony that I know this gospel is true. I know that the atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and I know that it works. I know that the adversary wants us to be confused and unhappy and ineffective - as we access the atonement and tell our Father in Heaven that we need His help, He will give it to us. He will make weak things become strong unto us. He will lift us up, and He will make us into the people we need to be. A talk that I read this week said "He doesn't expect immediate perfection, but he does expect immediate progress." I know that as we put in our effort and take steps forward, even if they are small, He will make up for the rest. As He sees us trying, He will bless us and help us along the way because he loves us so very much. I know these things to be true, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sister Carlson

P.S. - We had the Meridian Temple Open House training this week! It was awesome to get ready and be with all the sisters in the mission! I'll attach a picture from it! <3​

October 2, 2017

Hello, everyone!

My has it been a topsie turvie week! I walked out the door this morning with a cardigan, a rain jacket, and a prayer into the freezing rain. It's only October, people!

I'm not in a trio anymore! Transfers were this Thursday, and my new companion's name is Sister Ellsworth!! She is so wonderful. She is brand new to the mission. She's originally from Chicago, now living in Texas (don't worry, her family wasn't effected by the hurricanes). She has the most beautiful singing voice, she loves art and is very good with calligraphy, and she wants to be a nurse! She did a year at BYU Idaho, so she's a bit more familiar with the Idaho area. I love her so much, and I'm excited to work with her! I am truly humbled for this opportunity to be her trainer - in the past three days, I have realized my own inadequacy and my complete need to rely on the Savior as I try to help this precious daughter of God adjust to the mission field. It's eye opening, really. I'm so so thankful for this opportunity and responsibility I have to be a trainer - I know that both Sister Ellsworth and I will grow tremendously from this experience. 

We've been getting referrals like crazy since we've been in our new companionship. I'm so thankful for the wonderful people here and for their willingness to do as the Savior has asked us and reach out. Reach out in love to those around them. I love Heyburn!

We will be attending a Meridian Temple Open House training on Wednesday, and I'm so excited! I think we'll be finding out when we work there, but I have decided not to say which week I'm working there.

Conference was such a blessing this weekend. I forgot my journal, so I can't say specifically what I wanted to, but I would like to bear my testimony that I know that we have a prophet on the earth today. I have a testimony that our Father in Heaven is mindful of us, and the messages given this weekend were completely inspired. I know that as we take those things our leaders have given to us and implement them into our lives, we will be blessed. We will feel the love of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that it is only through Him that we can be cleansed from our sins and be saved. We can, indeed, return to live with our Father in Heaven if we use the gift of the atonement in our lives. It truly is a gift. I know it is, as I have experienced the lightness and peace that comes with humbly accessing the matchless power of the atonement. I say these things in the name of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!
Sister Carlson

September 25, 2017

Hi, everyone!

My goodness has it been a hard week! It's been good for growing and learning personally, but the area hasn't progressed a ton since being in a trio. I guess that's just what happens in trios!

But I do love Sister Holland and Sister Gainer. They are both wonderful people, and they're very very different. It's been great to work with each other and learn empathy, patience, and flexibility.

I feel so blessed to be on a mission. I think about how much the Lord trusts us, his imperfect children, to do this work. "After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel." -Joseph Smith. We have the responsibility to bring our brothers and sisters unto Christ. It's our job to invite them to repent and to lead them to the straight and narrow path. Heavenly Father could do this all Himself - He is all powerful. But he allows us to. He gives us the opportunity to preach the gospel. He knows that we will benefit from this, and He gives us that chance to grow and change (sometimes at the risk of other souls). I am truly humbled by this thought, and I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who gives us these opportunities. He wants us to progress and feel joy. I have a firm testimony of this. I know Heavenly Father loves me and all of you. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

On a side note, there was a baptism in the sister's area, we hit a bird with our car, and General Women's Conference (especially Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk) was the highlight of my week.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!
Sister Carlson

P.S. - Mom, could you please start sending out warm clothes? It's been really cold, and I don't have anything lol. Cardigans, light coats, and my kitty hat would be appreciated :)

September 18, 2017

Hello, everyone!

This week has been crazy, crazy, crazy! It has been so fun and rewarding, a little sad, and all busy.

Sister Aquino left this week. It was really hard to say goodbye, but whenever I want to be sad about it, I can't because I'm so excited for her! She left on Thursday, the day of zone conference. When zone conference was winding down and the presidency and departing missionaries were baring their testimonies, both of us were crying. We hugged and cried and hugged and cried. But then her parents came, and it was all joy. We were able to see her two timed before she left Idaho, so it was really wonderful. I'm so thankful for the opportunity I had to work and serve with her.

So now I'm in a trio for the next two weeks (until transfers on the 28th)! I'm with Sister Holland and Sister Gainer who are working in Rupert. Now we're covering six wards, and boy is it a handful! Sunday was so full of bouncing back and forth, but it's been so fun! My ward mission leader in the Heyburn first ward is going to get splits arranged so we can get more work done, and I'm trying to work out splits with Heyburn second ward (because we currently don't have a ward mission leader - ah!) At first, I was so scared to be leading the area because I've only been working over here for a month, but it has been really good for me. I've gained a lot of confidence in the Lord and in myself, and I know that as I'm always striving to improve and get know new people in my area, I will be an effective missionary. 

Speaking of being an effective missionary, zone conference was awesome!! It was such an uplifting experience, and I was able to learn and make goals for myself on how I need to improve. What a blessing it was to attend zone conference!

Also this week, we committed Isaac and Darlene to baptism! We were teaching the Plan of Salvation, and at the end of the lesson, there was an opportunity and a feeling. Isaac immediately committed, and Darlene was a little bit more hesitant. But they both committed to October 21st, and we're going to continue teaching them. They are such a wonderful family, and I can just see the potential and the plan the Heavenly Father has for them. What a blessing it is to work with them!

I just wanted to take the time to invite everyone to the Meridian Temple Open House. This is such a wonderful missionary opportunity - I like to call this the "golden ticket to missionary work". Everyone is curious about LDS temples. They're beautiful, and because they're scared, we don't talk openly about what happens in the temple. Open Houses provide an opportunity for every kind of person to experience the special spirit of the temple and to learn more about the temple from the correct source. The open house is happening from October 21 to November 11, and you can reserve a free tour at TempleOpenHouse.lds.org . I can promise you, as a special witness of Jesus Christ, that as you pray with real intent about who you can bring with you to the Meridian Temple Open House, Heavenly Father will answer you. Because this is His work, and He wants all to come unto Him and feel the peace and joy that this gospel brings us. I can also promise you that as you do this, you will be blessed, and the person you invite will be blessed beyond what you can ever imagine. Will you invite someone to attend the Meridian Temple Open House with you? I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Have a wonderful week! :)

Sister Carlson

P.S. - Ivy, I did get your letter!! Thank you so many, I was so so so happy when I got it!

P.P.S. - Inin, we wear our CTR rings (which are identical) on the same finger! Twinsies!

P.P.P.S. - Mom and Dad, I laugh every time I see your snapchat pictures! Y'all are so dang cute :')

P.P.P.S. - I don't want to you feel excluded, so I love you so so so much, Eme!! <3

Next email ----

I forgot something (what's new)!  In the sisters' area, there's someone we've been trying to visit. They have a husky puppy that roped up right outside their door, and it's always there. He is so beautiful too! We knock on the door, but no one answers. The puppy has no place to run (its lead is very short), no water or food, and it's so sad!! We went over last night and filled his empty water bowl and he drunk it down in like a minute. They live relatively close to us, so we ran home and grabbed some food that we had. We made a big batch and brought over a little bowl because we didn't know if he would eat it, but he scarfed it down in like 30 seconds. So we went back home and grabbed the rest and gave it to him. We decided to name him Eskimo because he has a little plastic igloo to sleep in. We went back this morning and gave him some eggs and a blanket to put inside his igloo, but he was so sad when we left. He was crying and crying and it broke my heart! We saw someone open the blind and look out at us, so we know that they're home. We're assuming that they don't want to talk to missionaries though. So, the three of us have decided to keep coming by with food for Eskimo and we'll keep knocking on the door to see if we can talk to them. Hopefully, we'll be able to get into contact with them!

Holding Buffy, the cutest dog in the world (+ the first day of sweater weather - thanks Sister Gainer for letting me borrow your sweater!)

Eskimo, he looks very upset, but I promise he's even cuter than this :)

Service for Sister Neiworth :D

Sister Aquino's farewell photo with us! <3​​

Sister Holland, Sister Gainer, and I today!