Week 23

"We must learn the gospel as much as we eat food."

^Funniest post I saw on Facebook this week. I died.

This weekend was my second stake conference in the Lake City Florida stake. So interesting. The one thing that the South doesn't do well is communicate. We heard that Sunday's session was going to be broadcasted from Orlando with the Prophet there. Then we heard that it was going to be from Salt Lake with the apostles. Then they announced in the Saturday night session that tomorrow's meeting would be from Salt Lake with Elder Nelson leading. So yesterday we walked into church having no idea what we were walking into. Turns out we had a regional broadcast from Orlando with Elder Gay of the 70, Sister McConkie of the YW General Presidency, Elder Kopischke of teh 70, and Elder Nelson. You never know what to expect down here. It's unreal. It was broadcasted to 48 stakes in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina and all about... MISSIONARY WORK!!! So insanely perfect!

Our ward mission leader usually has us read our progress records to him, asks if we need anything, and that's our coordination meeting. But this week, he was like I feel like we need to be more sincere in our prayers for missionary opportunities, then we were like "well, we had the idea of doing a ward fast this month," then the elders were like "We've made it a goal to get into every member's home this transfer," and then we had an idea for some challenges and such and then the Bishop walked in and we laid out our ideas and usually he always says "I'll pray about that," but he was like "Okay, get to it." So that was a huge miracle that we're actually getting somewhere. We've been going to every single member's home and telling them about the fast, pumping them up, and then saying a harvest prayer with them. We're tackling everyone in Keystone, Hampton, and Melrose and the Elders are getting everyone in Starke and Lawtey. We've been busy. So many people to see.

We had four meal appointments yesterday, which is more than we get in an entire transfer, beside from the Becks. I feel like I've gained 8 pounds from yesterday alone, but every family we saw is so excited to get going. We're having the ward fast for every family to find an individual or family who is ready for the Gospel. Miracles, we need miracles. I'm for real obsessed with this ward. Sister Hillman has three more weeks of training, and after that, there's a possibility that I might be leaving. Praying so hard that I won't. I love this ward.

At the broadcast, Elder Nelson spoke simply about the doctrine of this Gospel. He talked about how Christ's doctrine is only used in singular form in the scriptures, it's only plural when talking about the evil doctrines. His doctrine is one. It all just makes sense. It's simple, it's true, it's there. This dispensation is the only dispensation that isn't limited to time or place. Christ's doctrine will be spread to the entire earth and won't ever come to a close. I'm so grateful for the simple but so dang true truths that I have. It's true, this is Christ's church, He Himself is over it. I LOVE this time I have now. It's hard, but it's happiness, and it's worth it. And it's true. So there. Love y'all!

Sister C

Week 22

This week has been crazy. No insane miracles yet, but we're patiently awaitin'.

We've just been strugglin down here and it's too freezing to go anywhere and we have no miles on our car. 

     It was one of the Elders birthdays on Saturday, so we got him a chocolate cake and they made triple chocolate muffins and then we had chocolate pudding and our new neighbors made us chocolate cupcakes, and we ate it all. So that was pretty much the best part of the week and I regret nothing. 

     It was so amazing to have Aaron come and take us out to dinner! The first thing he said when he got out of the car, was 'What is this place? It's like an armpit!' Welcome to Starke, Florida. Weren't even in the swamp of Keystone. But for real perfect timing on his part! He was telling us all these stories from his mission and literally everything he was telling us, we are struggling with right now. Lots of good insight. We were talking about miracles and he said, wasn't it a miracle that when I had to come down to Southern California on business that I chose to stay in Fountain Valley and met the Carr family and God knew that I would be in Jacksonville when Sister Carr was here. But like for real what a miracle that we needed to hear those stories and needed a bit of encouragement right then and there and from someone who literally knew exactly what we were dealing with. So great. 

     I've been attacking Facebook and we have all these people that add us cause we're missionaries and I've been talking to them and getting referrals from a lot of them. Missionary technology is amazing. We had a trade off with our Sister Training Leaders this week and that was the best thing ever! They had just gotten their iPads the day before, so that was the funnest thing ever to figure that all out. The two guys that started the Facebook missionary program on Facebook came down from Salt Lake and showed them new ways to use the pamphlets and gave them all these amazing ways to do lessons and we just talked about that for hours. I CANNOT wait to start using those techniques. They're amazing. Our iPads are coming February 1. Our area book, planners, and literally everything is on it and Salt Lake has access to all of it. President Monson can tap into Keystone's area book anytime he wants and check up on us. Hello no pressure.

     So we're all stoked for that. Besides that, nothing really new. Just hangin'.

Sista C

This was our backyard the other night. Florida's absolutely gorgeous. Some of the time.

I felt like y'all needed to see a house that we'd typically tract around here. You won't see any of these anywhere near California. Welcome to the South

Week 21

    This week's been hard, so we've been making a lot of videos to send home (but they're too long to email) and making up games to play in the car. We started counting how many trucks we can see as we drive. Our record's 34 in half a mile.

   Our three most golden investigators that I've ever found out here both dropped us within the same hour this week. After the second one, I was so losing it. We were meeting with these people to set baptismal dates and check up on their Book of Mormon reading, just on cloud 9 and had our hopes crushed so fast. We started walking away from the house and heard someone yelling at us from behind. Our lovely Dee, who was baptized right before I got here, was running up the street towards us. She was waving and all grins and was so happy to see us. She just started rambling about her day and a recent missionary experience she had just had and how she saw our car on the street and started her way back up the street to meet us. Heavenly Father knew that Sister Carr was about to fall apart and needed some lovin right then and there. His timing amazes me. Dee is such a testament to me of how this Gospel truly does improve your happiness in life and changes you.  It was interesting to see how fast people can use their agency and deny themselves of those blessings and then to literally turn around and see how happy the Gospel makes us and how much better our lives are with it.

     We've been watching a lot of the Bible videos and mormon messages this week. We're obsessed with the Bible videos. They're amazing. That's been helping us a lot. My companion probably hates me so much but we've been listening to a lot of David Archuleta this week. She knows it helps calm me down and just rolls with it. She's great. She's looking for a One Direction hymn album for me. I'd be the most on fire, stress free missionary ever with that blasting as we roll through the Heights.

     One miracle that I've seen this week is being able to help Sister Hillman. It's rough out here and there are some nights that she's just falling apart and I've been able to calmly talk her through it without losing it myself like I want to. I'm so grateful for that.

     There was one night this week that I was just sobbing and I normally can't ever fall asleep, but it was passed midnight and I still couldn't sleep. On a mission, when you have nothing better to do, might as well pass the time with some scripture reading right? I keep one of my favorite pictures from "Reflections of Christ" in there, the one where Christ is healing the blind Nephite and Christ has the clay on his eyes and the guy's just clinging onto Christ, with a bunch of my comfort scriptures on the back. I can't ever describe how the Spirit speaks to me, so I'm just going to type this out and hopefully it makes sense, if not whatever. I was staring at that for a little bit and the Spirit just totally overwhelmed me and I looked at it like I was the one that was clinging so desperately to Christ and trying to reach out and find Him, but He has always been standing there, trying to heal my imperfections and wiping the clay out of my eyes so I can see how close he actually is. I've been trying so hard to find Him and feel His presence, when I've been clinging to Him the whole time and He's giving me this awful time to clear away the clay and show me how close He actual is. I had the warmest sense of peace come over me and it sounds super lame, but it hit me and made me see how much Christ is actually in this work. We've been running into a lot of people of other faiths down here and I'm so grateful that I've been given this truth. If I was a missionary for any other religion, it'd be hard and I would hate my life for getting myself into this. But this is Christ's true church. I've found so much peace in knowing that Christ himself stands as head of this Church and it contains every aspect of His full Gospel. When you have Christ in charge, you better bet that you'll win in the end. It's not fun. But it will be worth it in the end. Everyone has already been 'saved,' and are fine with their Bible no matter what we testify to them. I've had to just let go and know that one day, they'll know. I can't wait for the day when Christ comes and the South is burned and the people will be like "Oh, those girls that we yelled at WERE right. Oh snap, we should've listened." And then we'll just be standing there next to Christ all like, yeah you should've. Oh, BEST DAY EVER. Cannot wait.

Love you,

Sister Carr

Closest thing we've gotten to a baptism this week....

Week 20

I'm gonna be really honest. This week has been the hardest week that I've been out here. The past two days were the hardest days that I've had my whole mission and quite frankly, it's not very fun. Missions are hard. Like really hard.

We're right in the middle of the Bible Belt and I'm for real feeling it. Yesterday we attacked our area book and visited every potential investigator, former investigator, and some investigators, and even tracted for a bit in two of our areas and after 9 hours of that, we didn't get a single yes. And all our appointments fell through. It's the best.  I feel so bad for my poor companion. This week we're focusing on the importance of the Book of Mormon so we just had her testify about it all day yesterday and nothing. Lots of doors closed especially when we pull that one out. Not fun. We broke a lady's porch too, the elders are fixing that. 

I was studying this morning and I just needed some help and some glimmer of hope from Heavenly Father. I randomly opened up my scriptures and Mosiah 24 showed up. I read verses 14 and 15 and immediate comfort came over me. I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who is there and who is aware of us. He's watching out for us and He's there for us. He answers our prayers. I needed that comfort and I'm grateful for that. I'm still sure of our one baptism this month. All we can do is work and pray. Desperately praying is one of recent hobbies. Love y'all!

Sister Carr