This week, while it's been good has.... to say the least... been kinda uneventful. On Wednesday it SNOWED, yea you read that correct... it was OCTOBER 9TH AND IT SNOWED so to all those missionaries who are serving in Hawaii, the Canary Islands, or Australia.... enjoy the heat because I'm already jealous. Originally they said it would be a winter storm and everyone was FREAKING out about it and saying how we should stay at home and not drive all sorts of stuff and it ended up being just a little snowfall... hardly a couple inches. Still there was snow and it was decently cold. No worries though, I have all the warm stuff I need!
This Sunday was a pretty eventful day!! Jonnetta came to church! It was so adorable, she called us the night before and talked about how excited she was and then the next morning she said she couldn't hardly sleep that night because she was anxious for church! IT WAS THE CUTEST THING EVER!!! Literally, everyone was so excited to see her and she kept saying how nice everyone was and how she never felt that welcomed at any other church and she just went on and on about it. So precious, I almost died. She also asked us to bring her a Come Follow Me book so she could start doing it! We brought it by the next day and she just RAVED about church. She even talked about the people who put out a lot of hate about the church and said, "I just don't get why people hate US so much," Yes ladies and gentlemen, she said US, she's already thinking that shes a part of our family, it was exciting. I just laughed a little when she said that. She's going to be baptized before we know it.
We also met with a women named Laura who met with missionaries in the past and talked with her about why she stopped meeting with them and all of that fun jazz. She mentioned that a lot of it had to do with the commitment and she wasn't ready for it so she stopped having them stop by but after talking with us for a while she was excited about having us come back and meet all of her kids next week!! Hopefully it will go really well and we will have a whole family to teach. I haven't had a chance to teach a family before so I'm excited about that idea, a little nervous, but still extremely excited.
ALSO, for the past couple of weeks I've been really trying to help keep Nala, Gage's daughter who is 5 almost 6 quiet during sacrament meeting. So I started by bringing a colorful pen and some lined paper for her to just draw on and then I went and copied some coloring pages from the friend for her, and then I bought fruit snacks to bring to church just stuff like that I learned over the years of you know... observing children. I apparently thought that kind of idea was just common knowledge but during sacrament meeting Jonnetta leaned over and asked, "Where did you learn how to do that?" I was super confused and asked, "Be a missionary?" and she said, "Well yea but where did you learn how to handle children?" and at that point I was super confused and I said, "I guess I'm not sure, I think it must just be the way I was raised. I always knew that it's hard to keep children quiet so I try to bring stuff to help keep her quiet." She was so impressed that I started to think about it and apparently... I'm good with kids. I don't know how, maybe call it a God given talent or something, but I'm really good at just helping children and how to handle them.... you're welcome Dad... I've discovered my skills with children, I hope you are proud.
Last week I challenged you all to go to Chick-Fil-A and watch a movie and I'm happy to report that at least one of you decided to fill your heart with the joy of Chick-Fil-A... the rest of you... try harder. jk I love you all no matter your food choices, just look at my dad, he's vegan now and I still love him! Also everyone go subscribe to his YouTube channel Dumb Old Dad aka Clint Carter. I can't watch it but I already know that it's the best.
I just wanted to add how incandescently happy I am to have the knowledge that I do. I get to walk around everyday with the security that I am sealed to my family for not only this life, but the life to come. We had a dinner appointment with a family in the ward and they invited one of their friends to come eat with us. We shared a message about how much comfort the gospel has brought me and that its been a blessing to know that I will get to see my family in heaven. This friend of theirs lost his wife a few years ago and has struggled with being lonely and missing her. While I was bearing testimony about eternal families he started to tear up. Nothing has come from it yet, but I know that in the moment his heart was softened, even slightly, to the gospel. I get to teach the powerful message that families are bonds that should last more than, "Till death do you part" it is a bond that can only be continued by making those covenants in the temple. Its a really touching message and I know that it has brought a lot of joy to a lot of people's lives. During one of the conference talks they references a dear friend who's husband passed away and she asked, "Is it okay to not feel bad about him passing?" She knew that they are sealed together and that their relationship will continue even past death so the sting of death.... really didn't sting as bad.
I love you all!
Remember God is in the Details!
Sister Carter
