Da Jia Hao- 大家好
Well, it's been awhile. Or has it? I now have 364 days left. Maybe it's still 365 because next year is leap year...
We have a bunch of progressing investigators. They are all pushing, and it's gonna be difficult to help them push all the way through. But I have my first female progressing investigator!! So cool! She's 20 year old and is the girlfriend of one of our recent converts. Don't worry, she'd get baptized even without him, so all we have to work on now, is making sure she'd still be able to get to church with out her boyfriend. If they break up...at least she'll still come to church, but she'll have to find another ride, or just be awkward with Huang DX. Lol, it's fun working in this way, and it's super fun to work with a sister! Since the opportunities are minimal in this mission (for good reason... ;)
Not much to say, and not a whole lot of time, so a couple business items.
I want the Prince of Egypt soundtrack. :D
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAQUELLI!!!!! You thought I'd forget.... I do forget a lot of our family's b-days...which is WHY I NEED THE FAMILY'S BIRTHDAYS, TOO!!! :D
Thanks, mom! But don't overload yourself this week, you're too busy... Be nice with my taxes.... ;) I need a job when I get home, the new Mazda 3 for my car, money for school, textbooks, planning on getting married QUICK (Editorial eye roll…good grief)... etc...
I don’t know how I went from birthdays to marriage. But I guess both anniversaries come around once a year... similarities found by a Missionary...
Anywho... After conference (it's not like I could AVOID Elder Scott's talk, or President Monson's exhortations in Priesthood...) I have heightened sense of priorities after my mission. But that's for then. And for then, don't worry too much ladies, I won't push TOO fast... ;) (Another editorial eye roll…sigh…at least we know he is still our KJ)
Anyway... that's about all for business.
I LOVED conference. If you look at my Patriarchal Blessing, EVERY talk applied DIRECTLY to it. It was weird. Like Conference was meant for me. Or I'm just actually paying attention this time, and taking SWEET notes (seriously, they're sick!), so I just got more out of it, or SOMETHING. But I got more out of the first session than any other conference I've ever been to. All I could think of was which investigator I was wishing to be there. SO many good talks. One of our investigators needed that Sabbath talk... ugh. Wait for the magazine I guess, and try and get him to go online. Sigh...
The work has changed dramatically for me. The investigators I have now have a lot harder challenges than I've ever dealt with before. It's become HARDER to work with them and help them progress. Contacting has gotten loads more difficult, and I've broken down more than once on the streets.
But I move forward in faith, and love for my God. It's important, and the simple, silent tender mercies, the quiet reassuring brushes of Spirit that God gives me when I'm down are what keep me going. I'm being motivated by people from home a LOT, and pushed on by my fellow missionaries across the world. The magnificent 7 are going to ALL make it out into the field!! You never told me where Tyler Romney was headed, by the way... I keep hearing he got his call, but no one ever tells me where.
But I'm learning lately how to depend on God, because that's all I've got in my new area. I still brush up against feelings of not belonging, because of my "interruption into the area". But the transition is great, and learning a WHOLE lot more about what it's like to be a Zone Leader. I'm not a Zone Leader, btw. I just have Zone Leaders in my district, so I get to talk to them a whole lot more and understand what the work is like in their shoes. It's a little scary, because I know the more I learn about that, the more available I am for that position, and I don't want it, so I try not to ask questions, so Heavenly Father can't call me as Zone Leader, cause I don't know anything!! ;D (said in a sing-song voice). Lol, just kidding, but really, I don't want to be that tired. I'm already exhausted.
It's great out here. I run into hardship every day, and am recently focused on a whole lot of PATIENCE and HUMILITY. I guess I've got to take a step up again. :D
Anyway, got to read my letters from President, so I'll write soon.
About Shelbs... She just needs to not overthink what people say and do. I don't want her assuming that some boy likes her when he doesn't. That's even more embarrassing. Or anything like that. But she's being herself, and doing what she likes, so God WILL bless her for it. As long as she's praying, and reading, and going to Church, God does everything else. It really is that easy. It's ourselves that make it difficult along with the Devil making us think too much.
Just remember that it feels GOOD to overcome a trial that you've failed before. THEN you know you've improved, and progressed. YES!!!
I love you all, more next week, after Zone Conference. Victoria's coming to visit today, can't wait!!!
-Elder Carter
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