SO I started off this week with a bang and Sister Robinson got a blessing from the Elders but the lead up to it was... epic to say the least. So earlier in the week we were invited to go to the Young Women's activity which was yoga, so if you don't know, as a missionary we are asked to wear dresses or slacks whenever possible. But many of you also know that yoga and dresses... aren't possible. So we just wore leggings and t-shirts to this activity. Originally we had planned on wearing dresses for the blessing and then changing into our yoga clothes after but at the last minute the Elders said they would be late so we went to the activity in our yoga clothes and told them we wouldn't be in dresses. Well the yoga starts and the Elders walk by and we hurry out of the room, barefoot, in leggings, and T-shirts, ready for a blessing. The Elders were lowkey shook by the whole ensemble because they kept looking at my bare feet all confused. Eventually I just said, listen, we aren't supposed to wear shoes for yoga, I'm sorry. They just awkwardly laughed. Ah man, Elders... they are a hoot and a half.
Shout out to my mom who had cookies delivered to me from Crumble for Valentines day *they were so good I'm still on cloud 9... 4 days later* literally that was one of the most thoughtful things in the entire world. I may or may not have cried after getting them *for those long time Sister Carter letter readers, you'll know the reality of the tears*
Later in the week I had my very first exchange where I was the one leading!! It was a learning experience to say the least. I was with the one and only Sister Hein, she's a baller missionary. Shes fresh out of the MTC and she's killing it. She was having a rough day because she felt sick but we did a lot of contacting, and ended it with going to Stake Conference where they had all the full time missionaries stand and they said, and I quote, "The missionaries appreciate all the meals you provide but what they would appreciate more is to teach your friends" I almost wet my pants I was so hyped. That was the best way of putting things I have ever heard and it really put things into perspective. Yes, we love the meals, yes we love the conversations, we love the love, but the biggest thing missionaries love is when members have us meet their friends. That is the biggest thing anyone could give us.
During the adult session, while still on exchanges, we all started feeling sick. Not just eh I'm not feeling good kind of sick, but full on cold sweat, uncomfortable stomach pain, I might pass out kind of sick. We still don't know from what but by the end of the meeting I was almost positive I would be seeing my dinner for the second time that night. We slowly made our way around and headed back toward the car when it hit us all at once. Massive headache and all we were so sick. We dropped the sisters off at their apartment and Sister Hein immediately threw up *what a way to end her first exchange* I laid in bed most of the Sunday just drained of all energy. I luckily didn't throw up, but when we had to sing in the choir for the big stake conference... I was mouthing most of the words. It was a brutal day.
By Monday though I was feeling about 75 percent better so we went to work. So much so that we actually found TWO new people. Yes you heard that right, the Lord guided us to two new people to teach and hopefully baptize!! It was a HUGE blessing. One of the greatest miracles! We knocked on their door and a guy peeked out a crack in the door before saying, one second and closing the door super quickly. After 2 minutes of awkwardly standing outside the door a woman answered and immediately invited us in. She seemed SO happy to see us. We walked in the door and asked her about how she had met with missionaries in the past. She talked about how they had come for a long time and taught her. Her son, who was the one who answered the door the first time, talked with us about how Christ had gotten him through a lot of his dark days. It was an amazing experience to see them be so receptive to hearing and learning more about the gospel!! It's incredible to see how God works on people until they are prepared for the missionaries.
After that AMAZING miracle we had another lesson with the incredibly sweet Jana. She was so excited for us to come back over and even bought us little pastries and sandwiches!! She told us all about how she needed a peaceful message because her day had been hectic. After sharing something I had studied in my personal study that morning I felt the spirit so strongly. She started to talk about how she still is mourning the loss of her parents. I was so ecstatic because I was finally able to say, "Jana, there is a way for us to be sealed to our family for all of eternity, in the temples we can be sealed to them forever." I could feel the relief in her body as she said, I want that so badly. I know that in that moment God used me to testify to her that family last much longer than our earth life, it's intended to be eternal. It was a touching moment.
Also this week I had a major breakthrough with my companion. I'm going to get a little personal with everyone so bear with me. I'm learning so much everyday of my mission, but this moment made me realize something so much greater. God has always intended for me to be a tool for Him to use, but He had to mold me first. Many of you know how much I struggled in high school. Everything in my life seemed to go wrong and to make matters worse, my Dad had cancer. It was like my life was crumbling around me, I never understood why, when I tried all my life to be good, why was this happening to me. Then when I was going to turn in my mission papers in 2018, my life started crumbling again. It felt like there were millions of reasons I shouldn't go on my mission, and everything falling apart was just the sign I needed to give up on that dream. But I didn't, and if I had given up, I would have never realized why I had the difficulties I had. After talking with my companion about my struggles in high school she helped me realized that I had those struggles because God needed me. He needed me in this mission, at this time, with these companions, because He needed someone to be able to help them. He can't be here physically with them, so these bad things had to happen to me because He knew I could use them to help other people. That moment for me was nothing short of life changing. It seems cheesy but trust me, it's how it felt. I finally recognized that God did truly "refine [me], [and] chose [me] in the furnace of affliction" - 1 Nephi 20:10. He put me in the furnace so He could shape me into the tool He needed to use in my companions lives. I will never know why I deserved such an honor, but I hope to one day be able to express that gratitude to Him.
So with that in mind, I want all of you to look on your lives and think about your trials. There is no coincidences when God is involved, which *spoiler* He is always involved. Think about those things that ripped your heart, spun you in circles, and made you feel small, is it possible that God was trying to refine you? Is it possible that you became a new force to be reckoned with? Could God have needed you to be ready to be in someone else's life? Because I know, now more than anything, God is in the trials, He is in the dark places, He is at the bottom, He is trying to make you who you are meant to become. What's the cheesy phrase everyone says? You can't make a diamond without a little pressure? Well I will one up you, you can't make a god without a massive trial *baby g intended*
I want to ask everyone reading this letter today who isn't a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or maybe who is a member and no-longer attends, or maybe even members who are consistently going to church. Call the missionaries, and ask them to come to your house and teach the Plan of Salvation and ask them to tell you what it means to them to have families last forever and life be more than just a lifetime of pain and work. Life is here to prepare us to meet God. My preparation, just life yours, has many furnaces of affliction, but there is ALWAYS and will ALWAYS be peace in Christ.
I love you!!
Remember God is in the details!
Sister Carter
