We have days filled with miracles

So we had another miracle last night. Bueno. We have days filled with miracles. But this one was particularly wonderful to me for some reason. We had planned a Noche de Hogar (Family night) with one of the awesome families in our home, and a family of investigators that we have. We were going to share that article from the Ensign about fortifying our families and we were SO excited! But it was canceled at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. So before our P-day was over, we were fresh out of plans and we had no idea what we should do with our night. Then we decided to go visit Evelia, one of our investigators. We weren't sure what would happen with all of our time this night, but we weren't down. Hermana Villanueva and I are pretty good about just laughing and being happy about all the things that happen. As we got out of the car to go to Evelia's, I noticed this Hispanic woman carrying two big grocery bags down the road. The Spirit lit that fire inside of me, you know the feeling when you just KNOW what you are supposed to do, and before we knew it we were carrying her bags for her and she was just thanking us profusely. She was pouring with sweat. I landed myself a bag full of about 40 ears of corn. It was probably about 45 lbs, but I couldn't feel the weight as we walked about 3/4 mile to her apartment. I have never been happier to carry a bag of corn, I could just feel in my heart that this was a big deal, that this woman was placed right in our path right at that moment. Our conversation went like this:
Sister Villanueva: De donde es usted? (Where are you from?)
Mari: Soy de El Salvador (with a nice smile and head nod)
Sister Carter: (with really wide eyes and a smile)  "PUPUSA!"
Instant friendship. She loved that. They love it when we love their culture. We made a deal that I would teach her English if she would teach me the art of Pupusas.

We got to her apartment and she gave us some drink called Chan. Kinda grapey that is supposedly good for your digestive system. And immediately started roasting us ears of corn over her stove while talking to us about how she likes to walk to the store because she doesn't want to get diabetes like her husband  She said she wasn't planning on buying all that corn but there was a sale and she just had to. She had joked with the cash register that God would provide a way to get it home, and look! He did. Anyways, back to the roasted ears of corn. We are talking Nacho Libre here. She roasted it, then rinsed it, then poured salt in her hand and just rubbed it all over the corn, then handed it to me. It was so good. It was like eating popcorn on a stick!

As we sat down to eat it, the conversation turned to the gospel and it was amazing how she has come to many conclusions in her life that are gospel truths. We talked for about an hour, teaching, agreeing, testifying, adding to the spiritual knowledge she has gained over her 40 years. It was a miracle. The most tender part is that we have been working really hard to implement some training we've received on finding people. As we implement the deep questions the AP's gave us, and talk to everyone we come across, more and more people have been placed in our path. We make plans in the morning and get home at night and realize we didn't see any of the people we planned to see because God put His truly prepared people in our path instead. It is a very tender feeling to realize that God trusts me with these souls that He loves so much. He trusts us to be where we need to be. Right there in that parking lot when she walked by. He trusts us to go running up to her, and trusts us to see the service through. The best feeling was leaving her apartment, looking up at the sky, and knowing that I had followed the Spirit to the best of my ability. I felt the confirmation that we had done everything in God's way.

The other thing I want to share with you this week is something I am learning from these people that I hope to implement into myself.
I have never met a more giving people. As my companion said, "They would offer a stranger the last thing they have and not think twice about it." People like that never seem to run out. Their hands are always filled, even though they keep nothing for themselves.

Well, that's the week. Actually, that's Saturday and yesterday, but I don't even remember anything before that. One of our investigators WALKED to church when her ride fell through. She pushed her baby in a stroller to church in 90 degree weather. Now that is faith.

Love,
Hermana Carter

                           

 

 

One Day I woke up and BAM. It is summer here!

It got to 100 degrees this week. 100 Texas degrees. And you know what? I still love it. It's like sitting in a hot tub. All the time. While wearing a backpack. It really is not as bad as everyone said it would be. I haven't figured out yet if humidity comes from the air or if the air becomes humid after I begin profusely sweating, but I LOVE how soft my skin is getting. People STILL try to get me worried by saying it only gets worse because at least right now we always have a nice breeze. Debbie Downers.

So Here are some highlights from the week:

1. We got a referral for a guy named Rodolfo. When we called him, he asked us to meet him at his restaurant Taqueria Arandas during his break to share our message so he could figure out if he wants to hear more. When we got there, he looked around for a minute trying to find a quiet place, and then decided to lead us to the very back of the bar section of the restaurant. There, with the black lights making his eyes glow and suave Latino guitars crooning in the background, we taught him the Restoration of the gospel. And taught him how to give his first prayer. And I'm not even legally allowed in bars because I'm only 20! But the gospel will go forward! And all those who have been prepared are seeking it out from us, even in their 20 minute breaks in the back of their bars.

2. Mom, I just want to thank you for all those years of music lessons. As soon as this ward found out I could play the piano, I am so useful to them. It has actually really helped us build more positive relationships with the members. Also, my voice is pretty run-of-the-mill in Utah, but man oh man how they love me here. They put me in the middle of the ward choir, and tell everyone to listen to me, and when we are at lessons certain families ask me to sing a hymn or a primary song to their kids. I just think the whole thing is really funny. If only they knew what wonders there are in the talent-headquarters of Utah.

3. We helped the members with a car wash/Carne Asada sale on Saturday morning. Oh MAN was it fun.  It started to get really busy, so hermana Villanueva and I jumped in to the taco assembly line. I threw on the cilantro and onions. When I mentioned a few weeks ago that they definitely don't mind getting their hands all over the food, I meant it. We just crammed everything into their little tortillas and handed it to them and everyone ate so happily. My fingers still smell like cilantro and onions, which surprisingly is a really good thing.  These tacos were the tacos that we had in Tijuana...little tortillas, amazing chunks of meat, salsa, cilantro, diced onions, avocado, etc. They started calling me "Futura taqueria" (future...taqueria) and complimenting me on how fast I could throw those onions and cilantro on there. The men would say something nice and the women would say (in Spanish) "Well yeah, why do you think we hired her?" I was just really happy that they accepted this tall skinny white girl in their kitchen line-up. that's how you know Hispanics accept you--when they let you help prepare their food.

These past 4 weeks have seemed pretty long, yet very short. All the days run together. I hope I can become a good missionary someday, and feel like I know a little bit about what is going on around me and what my role is here. Everyday I receive a little bit more. Truly Heavenly Father teaches line upon line, precept upon precept. I will continue learning until the day I die, so I'm grateful that I am a slow learner. Here's to a long life!

 

 

"He waketh morning by morning"

 

I wanted to explain something about the Hispanic culture. They are always partying! If they have an excuse to throw a party (like Mother's day) they call ALL of their extended family together and have a huge BBQ smattered with delicious food and tons of laughter. Sometimes these parties last all night. Literally until 6 am. They love to savor life.

I found a scripture in my studies this week that I really loved. I've told you how if I feel any oppression, it is when I first wake up. In 2 Ne. 7:4 there is a line that stands out: "When you are weary, He waketh morning by morning." Though Jesus Christ is the Creator of our world and the Redeemer of all mankind, He experiences our pains and our sorrows in the exact way that we feel them. Though He has all power and eons of time in His hands, because of the nature of the Atonement, His time becomes my time. He experiences each moment of oppression, doubt, and fear with me each morning and comprehends how my sorrows feel to ME, even though compared to everything else He has felt, my little sadnesses are probably pretty insignificant. We have a Savior who has taken upon Himself our own hearts. He understands all of the different faucets of our grief and guilt, and all the yearnings that we have, and knows exactly how hard it is and why. He knows how long one moment or one morning can feel, because He feels exactly what we are feeling. And yet He has said, "Fear not little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; and none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost."

I love you all! (No. I will not say "ya'll". Though I have taken to saying one of my favorite lines from down here: "Aw, beans.") I am really starting to settle into this whole thing. I'm getting used to having a companion, loving her, and looking for opportunities to serve her. I'm learning to be happy, like Aunt-Carolyn-singing-happy, about the tiniest little things. I am learning to look to God for the most important things and think very little about the things which matter least (like being 30 pounds heavier when I come home, how much the Houston temple looks like a Disneyland castle...ahhhh..Disneyland, or the cravings I have to garden and cook. Although when people don't answer their door I usually dead-head a couple of their petunias or weed a little for them. I say it's for them, but it's really for me.) I am learning to find happiness in seeking the eternal welfare of other people's souls rather than trying to find dumb little things that will bring me pleasure. I have always been grateful for my family, but never more than now. You are all amazing. It is amazing how you all love me. I am going to work hard enough here that maybe the small sacrifices I make will merit the incomprehensible blessing that each of you are to me.

Spencer, yesterday shared a great line with me from Lord of the Rings, "Sam, you can't always be torn in two." This has already helped me begin to savor this great time of my mission. Amazing how Lord of the Rings never fails to help me understand great eternal principles.

I would just like to counter with another quote from Lord of the Rings that I find myself saying often here in Texas:

  "The salted pork is particul'lly good!"

 

 

Forget-me-nots

 

WOW! What a week it has been. I'll start with what happened to me after I emailed you last week. We had one appointment set up for the evening after P-day. It was with the Rodriguez family--these two AMAZING girls who are 17 and 13, who are really smart, super involved with school, volunteer work, and with earnest desires to figure out what religion is all about. They actually prefer to speak in English (like most of the kids of the Hispanic people here) so we got to teach in English which was a tender mercy for me because I could actually understand what was transpiring. Teaching by the spirit was much a less of a guessing what they said, and trying to formulate an answer before they got to the next topic, and instead such a sweet experience of testifying to two girls just like Camille and Grace. I could see the light coming into their eyes. We taught them the first half of the plan of Salvation. They soaked it all up and kept saying things like, "Oh yeah! That makes sense! The Spirit is like pretty much my conscience, and I know what is right and wrong because I knew it before!" We asked them to pray at the end, and afterwards we promised that if they continue to pray, they will receive those same feelings of peace and truth from the Spirit, and the older sister said, "Oh no. I don't need to pray to know--I've already felt something with you two here." I walked out of that lesson truly understanding why people love missionary work. I was filled with the joy that comes from really knowing you helped someone understand their purpose here and their relationship to Jesus Christ.

Well, the next morning when I woke up, I was filled with doubts again. Like I said last week, the moments of waking up seem to be the hardest for me. The day looming ahead weighs on my heart, and in the back of my mind is always the little murmur, "I don't want to do this again for a whole day...and then for 18 months! I just want my mom and dad." The day before, I had finally taken out my little 'forget-me-not' seed kit that mom sent for my birthday, which I had saved to plant until I got here, and obediently waited until my first P-day to plant them, and with great love and care placed each little seed in the soft soil. There was a lot of emotion in those seeds. They brought me a lot of comfort and remind me of home. But, about 20 minutes later, I accidentally knocked them off the shelf while trying to move them to get more sunlight, and the whole top layer of dirt fell off, and with it, my precious seeds. Forget-me-nots are so small that there was no hope of my salvaging them. So I had to just shoulder my grief, muster all my courage, drag the vacuum out of the closet, and vacuum up my one source of comfort. I decided to water the remaining dirt.

 Heavenly Father sends me little tender mercies that help me to laugh and remember to be patient and look up with hope to Him. Some examples:

 My companion had the name of an old investigator come to mind so we went by and she said we arrived at just the perfect time, and she needs us, and she is now progressing again.

While my companion and I were sitting in our car, getting our things together, we saw this 12 yr old black kid jump off his bike, run behind this car where he thought he was hidden but where we could see him perfectly, and urinate all over the neighbor's driveway. Why is that a tender mercy? Well. Sometimes. You just need to laugh really hard.

After I explained to this little Niño that prophets are people who teach the people and testify of Christ he asked, "OH! So are YOU a prophet?"

Hispanic people can't say any word that starts with an 's' without adding and 'e' in front. For example SPencer's name would be ESpencer. And we taught this woman who afterwards when she opened the door, her dog ran outside and she yelled, "Esparky! Estop it!" which gave me a real chuckle.

The last tender mercy is this man named Miguel. Who I will tell you all about next week when I call. But it is just so nice to teach people who are earnestly seeking the truth. When they come to us like that, the Spirit works wonders in them.

To finish this story, I will say that when I woke up on Sunday, and looked in my little brown pot of dirt, there were 5 little sprout lings there. I don't know how any forget-me-nots survived. But I do know that God has not forgotten me in the Lone Star state.

 

Behold! A Royal Army!

I LOVE TEXAS.

Wow. My whole life I have imagined the perfect location for my future farm. Nobody told me it existed and that it is Texas. The weather here right now is beautiful. And the humidity is just right. Everybody keeps telling me, "Yeah but you're in for a hurtin' this summer." But, you know what? I don't care. I will find reasons to love it then too. Ok.

Where to begin? I have been assigned to the Houston 6-Hafer area. It's really close to the mission home. It's in the suburb area north of Houston near the town of Spring, if that helps you find it on a map. Our area covers parts of Houston and Spring. The area is one of the only "Zebra" areas which means it contains Spanish and English missionaries. We get referrals for them, and they reciprocate. We try to only find Latinos though, which is easier than you might think. They like to collect little statues, plants, and things for their front yards.

 

My trainer is a dream come true. Her name is Hermana Villanueva, she's about 23 and from North Carolina, but her parents are El Salvadorian, so she is really good at Spanish which has been great. I've asked her only to talk to me in Spanish, so I'm still picking up the language pretty fast. She actually thinks I'll be able to be fluent really fast too, and it's nice to have that encouragement. Hma Villanueva is practical, to the point, really open, and really intuitive. Everyone tells me she is one of the best missionaries in the mission. I've definitely already seen that one of her strengths is how she lifts and supports others. The members, the missionaries, and all our investigators really love and depend on her, and I hope to learn to be like her.

 

Let me tell you about my first few days here. First of all, road kill here is not cats and squirrels. It's those things that hang upside down in trees (not bats) with the big eyes?

 The members are awesome. They feed us ALL THE TIME. Like, I haven't had to eat at our apartment yet other than apples and nuts. My first night here we went over to the Escobars, the bishops parents, for dinner then we went and contacted a less active member later and the first thing his wife said when we walked in was "Oh! hi hermanas! You like pork?" They were from El Salvador and she brought out this delicous sweet cake that they call "quesadilla" and little bite sized fried pork to wrap up in her homemade tortillas. And while we talked they just kept saying EAT! Eat! Have another. I've also had food from Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador. I was asked to bear my testimony to introduce myself in church yesterday and when i got up there I said something in Spanish like, "I don't know much Spanish, but I love the language, I love these people, and I love their food." BIG mistake. After the meeting Hma Flores said we have to come eat her Chili, Hma Ovalla said we have to come get her Tamales, and there are many other dinner apts in the works. The members definitely lift my spirits and fill me with purpose to be here! I am filled with love for them and for those who have been prepared to join them in coming to Christ.

 However, these first days have been kindof hard for me. I think somebody needs to tell the MTC to calm themselves down because they set some pretty unrealistic expectations. I don't think they realize that I plan to do exactly what they tell me. So when I marched down here, ready to change the world, full of true "greenie" enthusiasm, it was really hard to realize ALL of the things we had to do other than preach the gospel. We had to give the other hermanas a ride to their car, figure out luggage situations, get a bike rack put on our car (we get to ride bikes sometimes to save miles! Yippee!). I was sweating bullets over the fact that we hadn't talked to anyone about Jesus Christ yet. I had no idea if we were using our time effectively or not and I just was so afraid of disappointing the Lord and my mission President, but my awesome trainer helped me relax. She said she had the same problem of realizing everything that has to go on besides teaching and that it's ok to do service, and stop and chat for awhile with people, etc. So I have gained a lot of comfort and assurance from listening to my trainer, believing she IS the best missionary in the mission, and trying to adjust my hopes to the reality of hard mission work.

 Everything has been so hectic with this transfer (every single sister that was here before has had to become a trainer to accomodate the sisters that came out this transfer. We doubled the number. And they're expecting more in 6 weeks.) that we have just been scrambling for time to teach. We haven't been able to plan yet and we could really use a planning day. My companion is still getting to know the area, so we are really craving a good sit-down where we map out all the less-actives, inactives, investigators, and referrals, and try to get a handle on everything happening in our area so we know how to best use time. We've knocked doors for quite a few hours this week, found a few new investigators, and spent a lot of time trying to visit less active members.

I love my President and his family. He is the most wonderful man. The only man I think I could respect in even the same realm as Dad. He is full of light and love and the best example of a missionary. He talks to everyone he sees (everyone. you should have seen him at the airport.) he just runs around almost like he's saying, "have you heard the good news? We're all saved!"

 Okay! Until next week!