Carter Family Blog: Letter to Daniel 25 November 2012

Hey!!! Elder Carter!!!!

First few things. It's my Guitar I love... not the basketball. Second- OF COURSE we will still be best friends!! You have always been my best friend. Alrighty... here is how my week went. Monday- I had tests in History, Science, and English. Tuesday- I had tests in almost all of those classes. That night I think I played my guitar. Wednesday- ROXY AND LARRY AND NORA ARRIVED!!! It was so fun. Roxy and I made pies almost ALL day. We made... Banana cream, chocolate, pumpkin, fluffy pumpkin, lemon meringue, and pomegranate pie! They were so yummy! Thursday- We got up early ( ish) and went to the zoo! It was so fun. Although, i'm not going to lie... I missed you! We didn't get hot- chocolate. Although. I'm pretty sure your "Hot chocolate loveness" rubbed off on me. That night we had turkey, stuffing, casserole, potatoes, etc. for dinner! It was so yummy! How was your Thanks giving? Friday- We didn't go cut down our tree... mom and dad went and cut it down from Smith's. It's actually a really pretty tree! It's so full and big and tall... I love it! We made cookies all day! ( for the tree) That night Jordan Benson came over. We played BANG. It was really fun! Saturday- We ( Mom, Dad, Larry, Roxy, Nora, Toph, and I ) went to the aggie football game! It was beautiful! We won 45 - 9. It was so fun! We came home and finally. (7 years later... I think) we learned how to play "Settlers of Caton". Such a fun game! After the game. ( which we didn't finish) Larry, Roxy, Toph, and I went to the Aggie basketball game! We won... 65-55! Woot! Woot! That night we came home, ate pie, and watched Elf! Sunday- I went to church, came home played a game... later... Roxy and Larry had to leave. I rocked Nora to sleep! She's so cute, and so big! Such a sweet heart. Alrighty spiritual thought. I'm pretty sure I have said this but. BE YOURSELF! Don't try to be some one else. Just be who you are! I love you so much! Have such a great week!

Love,

Nina

Dear Daniel,

Hello! We hope you have had a good week. How was your Thanksgiving? We thought of you so much and hoped you were having a good day. We said hi to all the animals at the zoo for you, especially the baby snow leopard. Did you see that baby before you left? He is 7 months old. Did you get to eat some turkey? We ate some in your honor. One of the most amazing things was watching the polar bear claw at a pumpkin to eat some of its meat - wow she has big paws!

Roxanne, Larry and Nora drove all night from St. George Tuesday and just went home tonight. We had a wonderful time together. Grandma Kenna came on Wednesday and left Saturday. It was great having everyone here with us for Thanksgiving weekend. Grandpa Paul and Joan Montgomery also joined us for dinner. Little Nora is just growing and growing! She is so smiley and fun, just squealing in delight and such a darling, good baby. I know I am not partial at all. I'm sure the rest of the family will give you more details, so I won't repeat all the activities we did. In all honesty I'm afraid of making you homesick.

Daniel, thank you for sending us your letter to your mission president. You can do that all the time if you want to, if it is easier. I've actually thought myself that I should be copying my letters I send to you - into my journal! I seldom make time to write in it - but I always make time to write to you . Maybe I could do both in one fell swoop! Anyway - your letter really gave me a more accurate picture of the challenges you face every day. I know better how to pray for you and Elder Tuisku.

Thank you so much for the Christmas ideas and desires that you have. When you asked for a picture did you mean like a family picture with our testimonies - that you could give to investigators? Or, something that you would just keep for yourself? Would it be helpful to have some copies of the Book of Mormon with our pictures and testimonies in them or do you have plenty?

Congratulations on your solo! I'm sure you did great! The important thing is that even though you were the only one, you stepped up and sang a solo - instead of refusing to sing at all! I am very proud of you!

Oh by the way! Roxy brought pictures of you and Elder Tuisku. You look great! You look happy. Remember, that with every door you knock, every referral you check, every member you talk to, every lesson you teach - you are planting seeds. Some of these seeds need more water, sunshine and rich, brown soil full of nutrients (gospel sod) to take root and grow. But still, you are planting seeds (and sunshine, just because you are a sunshiney person) to all who cross your path. So, my darling son, just keep working hard "For behold, the field is white . . . and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul." And by and by you SHALL reap the fruit of your labors, for "the field is white" - and ready to harvest.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We love you and we are proud of you. Have a very happy last week of November.

I love you so much - a whole world full!!!

Love,

Your Mama

Hola Son! How are you?

It's been a great week here. After receiving your email, we moved forward with our Thanksgiving holiday. Know that our thoughts were with you each day. We wondered in our hearts and aloud often what you were doing and how you were celebrating this festive holiday. I know that you are in a new environment, so that many elements are beyond your control, but at the core you are living and teaching what it is that we are most thankful about, the knowledge of our Savior and Redeemer. That He came into the world, suffered personally for each one of us, and through Him, we may return again to our Heavenly Father's presence. A simple plan, presented totally with love. So, happy Thanksgiving. Happy approach to Christmas, which then will bring us around to a wonderful New Year. Enjoy each and every moment because they move by rather quickly. Don't look ahead, stay in the moment. Work with the calling that is in your heart and soul and time will be a blessing to you. You will never have to say, "I wish I had more time" because you will have worn out with work, service and love the time you are in. Then move on.

I'll tell you a little about our week. We worked until Wednesday, late. Larry and Roxanne +Nora arrived middle of the night on tuesday. We had lots of fun preparing for cooking and cooking for Thursday. We got up early thanksgiving morning. Our goal was turkey in by 7, seared until 7:20, then drop the temperature to a slow cook and head to the zoo. We were off by about 40 minutes. Left for the zoo at 8.

The zoo was fantastic, as always. Lots more people are discovering the beauty of "Feast with the Beast" I remember so clearly how quaint was our first visit. No one came except a small number of us. Seems like 30, but were probably 90 or so that first time. Nothing has changed in presentation, only in number of people and in the quality of the habitat for our zoo friends. There were hundreds there this year. Still few enough to get good views of all the feedings (it does help being 6'7"", no one gets in my way...)

We saw the elephants first. They get those huge pumpkins and squash them with their feet, or pick up the smaller pumpkins with their snout and just place it in their mouth like a cough drop. It's amazing. No red panda this visit.... ah, the memories.. But we did see them feed the polar bear, brown bear, wolves, snow leopard (yes, that one was for you). And probably a few others that I can't remember. It was a beautiful clear day, brisk but not cold.

After the zoo, we headed back to Logan to pull the turkey from the oven. I had slow cooked it, so it took a bit longer than expected. I planned on 6 hours and forty minutes, but it took another two hours to pop the timer. so, our four oclock dinner was about 5:30.

We had a new presentation of brocolli that was a big hit. Kind of an improvised casserole made in the big skillet with cream of chicken soup and fresh chedder cheese.

We also had lots of pies, mashed potatoes, peaches, green been casserole, stuffing, turkey and gravy. Oh yeah, Joan brought rolls and a pie. Grandma Kenna, Grandpa Paul, and Joan Montegomery joined us for the event.

The next day, Karen and I went to town to cut a tree down. Mister Lowe's did the handy work for us. A Grand Fir this year. Beautiful. The home crew made a double batch of tripled cookies. There was a mad decorating party and plenty of cookies on the tree, a few on the side. But, now, a few days later, the tree is bare, the pan empty and it looks like another batch will have to be made to sustain the tradition.

Saturday, we all went to the Aggie Football game where we made school history by going undeafted in the WAC, being wac champions, having a 10 win season, and according to today's football polls, 20th in the nation. What a historic day for aggied football. Be a proud aggie. Mama and I stayed home and baby sat Nora as the rest went to a basketball game that had great results, too. Then, games were played, exhaustion reached and the sabbath rolled in like a fog in the night. So, up early for meetings, a nice sacrament meeting. We had a delightful young couple speak in our Sacrament meeting today. He told a cool story which I'll pass along. He spoke of going to Disneyworld as a kid of 10. He was with his family. He saw a great statue made of LEGOs. He went up to touch it, then when he stepped back, he looked left, then he looked right and didn't see his family. He panicked and did what a panicked ten year old sometimes do, he took off running. He ran and ran, then grabbed a light pole and cried. Someone came up to him and asked him what was wrong and he sobbed that he had lost his family. They took him to the lost kid booth, (I'm sure it has a name) and his family had just left looking for him. He was quickly reunited. When he asked them why they left him at the LEGO sight, they said, we didn't leave you. We just stepped back because we thought it made a cute picture and you took off running! How often we look left, look right looking for the savior in our life and then when we don't see him where we expect to find him, we take off screaming, when in reality, he is there standing right behind us, supporting us all along the way.

Well, I love you Daniel. I am proud of the work you are doing in Texas. It is not easy being a missionary. As I work with our missionaries here, I see the challenges, the unresponsive ears and hearts, and the seemingly endless search for those that have been prepared. But, then again, I see the joy that is in the hearts of all as the knowledge of our Saviour comes into our lives. It is worth all to the struggle that you may endure, when in the end, even if it is only you that knows that He is there for you.

I could talk to you all night about how significant the seemingly insignificant really can be. I look back to my own baptism, I was just doing what I knew to be right. Not this huge event, but something small and simple. In retrospect, that moment changed my entire life. Same thing about going to the temple for the first time for me. I was on my mission, and I went for the first time to the Provo Temple. I knew noone, so the event was not surrounded by lots of family, but was simple and focused just for me. There was no one to hug when I was done, no high fives to give for successfully accomplishing what in fact is one of the most significant events in my life. I hope that we have allowed that same experience to happen in your life. Of course, we couldn't help being there to hug and high five, but in the end, it was your experience, you and the covenants you made with your Heavenly Father. A simply beautiful exchange that will anchor your soul for the eternities to come.

Oops, I'm over my time....

Do you want these letters printed out and sent to you? I'm not sure if you have access to a printer where you read these. I know that we print out yours and read them many times each week. Your letters mean the world to us.

Love you.

Some Pictures from our week!