Elder Carter! How are you? How's your mission going?
Alrighty, my week was pretty good so to start it off... Monday- We had family night... I don't exactly remember what we did. Tuesday- I did home work. I also worked on writing lyrics to songs! Wednesday- I went to mutual we did family history. I also went to my first basketball practice! Thursday- I went and saw Legally Blonde! Oh my goodness, it is just way to fantastic! Friday- I went and saw Legally Blonde again. I also went to dinner with Alyssa and Uncle John! Saturday- I woke up, did a couple of house chores. I then went to my first basketball game! It was super fun. We lost... sadly... but, this was the very first game of the season. I did pretty good. I have got to work on my re-bounds. OH. also, this kid that I think is pretty cute. Any ways, he is one of my coaches, grandson! It's a small world! So any ways, his grandson was there! It made me happy. Sort of embarrassed because we lost... oh well. Better luck next time! Right? After the game Toph and I went to costa vida. I don't know why I have never been there before! It is so delicious! That night. I worked on eight pages of science home work! Bleh! I also worked on writing lyrics and playing my guitar! Today/Sunday- I woke up and I just felt lousy, so, I didn't go to church and have been relaxing all day! Spiritual thought. I can't remember if I have said this before so if I have forgive me! If some one is sitting alone or doesn't have any friends. Or in a missionaries case. They don't even look like they will accept the gospel. Try! Become their best friend! The hardest person to teach could eventually become one of your strongest members!
I love you so much!
love,
Nina.
P.s. Mom and dad asked me for my christmas list!!! I was shocked. I couldn't believe my ears. Christmas List?!?! Already?!?! Wow!
p.s.s. this week is my solo, tests in a bunch of different classes, and. I have to have my shorts for sewing done by thursday! Wish me luck! I love you!
Dear Elder Carter,
We know there is a high chance that you will not be able to read your letters today due to the celebration of Veterans Day, but we are writing to you on our usual day (Sunday) and our usual time. I'm writing to you in the car, as Dad and I travel back to St. George. We have spent the last few days down in LA at a Taxi Convention (Songwriter's Convention). We have learned a lot of really helpful things and had a wonderful time together too. We stayed in a nice hotel where the convention was, and ate yummy food from the Subway and McDonalds down the street. We were really appreciative that McDonalds had free wi fi, since it cost $12 daily at the hotel. At night we would go get cookies and/or ice cream, sit up in the cozy little alcove upstairs in McDonalds and check our email. We also went to the ocean on Saturday. It was cold and very windy, but we still went cuz - hey - it's the beach, it's the ocean!! Oceans are in short supply in Utah ya know. Last night we discovered that we were much closer to a beach than we had realized (within 5 miles from our hotel) and we had been a block away last night! Well, it was dark - but today we paid a visit, and walked on the beach, and touched the water, and chased seagulls who were chilling in long lines on the shore. It was the perfect way to end our California trip! So now. . . we are driving home.
How was your week? I'm glad Daniel's baptism went so well. I hope you took some pictures. Was the ward quite involved in the baptismal service? How are your other investigators doing? We got your signed notary public paper right before we left. Thank you for taking care of this. How is your bike? Is your companion all the way better now? Have you eaten any more delicious food? Do you get to cook very often? What are your Thanksgiving plans? Also, and this is urgent!!! What do you want for Christmas????????????
It's a big week for me. We are having our holiday party/activity for Relief Society Tuesday Night. The theme is: Putting Christ in Your Holidays. We are also wrapping up the Book of Mormon reading. We are presenting each sister with a gift of the booklet "The Book of Mormon in 100 Days" and a large picture of the Savior. We will also have displays about how Christ can be remembered in our homes as we celebrate the season. We are also having a monologue done of Lehi's wife, Sariah. Sister Yost wrote it. I will underscore the piece with live piano music. I think it will be really nice. Sister Steele is reading it. We are also having a very nice meal. Our committee has been working really hard to get things done for this event. I've been gone for almost a week and hope it's all ready. I guess I'll know soon enough. I'm sure it will be beautiful and hopefully we will have lots of sisters attend.
Wednesday night is YW Night of Excellence with Krisitna. She is displaying her quilt. We look forward to sharing this evening with her.
Thursday night is a region wide training for all ward and stake relief society presidencies in a satellite training by the new General Relief Society Presidency. This is a massive event. I wonder what we will learn?
Friday?? I can't remember . . . maybe unpack, rest and get ready for Thanksgiving.
This weekend I met a lot of good people whose lives are without the gospel. They came from 32 different countries and all around thee USA. We spent time with Amy and Paul Lacey, and were grateful to have friends that had the same values and beliefs as us. Most of the people were engaged in drinking and swearing just seemed to be part of some of the presentations. I was waken up out of a sound sleep by a screaming match outside of our hotel room door. People were yelling at the top of their lungs and the F Bomb was rampant. Today (the Sabbath) was a far cry from my usual Sunday activities. I looked around me in the hotel, in parking lots, on the streets, etc. and wondered "Does anyone go to church anymore?" I still don't have an answer for this question. I know that this world is in great need of truth. I felt really grateful that my life had more meaning to it than just trying to write the next "hit song." Life would be so empty if I didn't have John, my husband, your dad and each of you children in it. Life would be meaningless without eternal goals - based on so much more than materialism. The gospel provides joy, and meaning and a true compass to return to our Heavenly Father as a family. I am grateful for this knowledge that burns deep inside me. The world needs the gospel! I'm so glad you are in Texas bringing light and truth to the people there. I'll do all I can to share the gospel with people around me, and people I meet.
I love you Daniel!
Love,
Your Mama
Dear Daniel (Elder Carter),
I am typing through my cute secretary. I'm going to see if she can keep up with my dictation. We had a great trip to Los Angeles. I'm now driving through my favorite part of the road, which is the canyon outside of St. George. Too bad that it's night time and I can't see anything. Even though it's dark I can remember how dark it is. It's like a lot of things. Sometimes we can't see the beauty but we can remember the beauty. We touched the ocean today and it reminded me of all the stories in the Book of Mormon about large bodies of water. I can imagine Nephi standing on the beach chasing seagulls (ha ha ) wondering how in the world he would do what he was asked to do. And then God gave him instructions. Karen and I were lucky enough to experience two types of oceans this trip. One relatively calm, the other windy and stormy. It reminded me of the time Karen (Mommy) and I went on our whale watching trip. The waves rolled like giant mountains and our small boat was just tossed around effortlessly. The waves were huge! It reminded me of the scenes you see of stormy seas with the little ship in the middle of it. Having experienced that I have a sense of what Nephi and his family must have felt when they were on the waters. So, back to the beach . . . and Nephi getting ready to built a ship, having no clue how huge the storms would be, because the waves don't look so huge when standing on the shore. Nephi built the ship one step at a time while others laughed at him. Noah did the same thing. So now I try to think what ships are we building. Do we even have a clue to the storms we are going to face? But then again, it doesn't really matter as long as we build our ship, following the Lord's design. The design is pretty basic: He tells us to study the scriptures, pray to Him, and listen to His promptings. Those three steps (and there's probably more) will build a ship that will cross any storm. So build your ship. Don't stop when others mock you.
Sorry to be so preachy. We had a blast in Los Angeles. Basically, because Mama and I were together. We both resisted the temptation to dye our hair pink, or to die it jet black, which seems to be the second best option for the music world. Nothing funnier than seeing a 60 year old man with wrinkly skin, receding hairline and jet black hair. Imagine Grandpa Keith with jet black hair. We got to see Roxanne and Larry and Nora and we cooked a ton of enchiladas and lasagna for the fridge and freezer only to have our microwave break while we were away. So, we'll probably have a new microwave next week. I also gave my class a midterm last week before we left. I thought it would be easy but I think I stressed out the entire class. Oh well.
We love you. We are proud of the work you are doing. Remember that you are the hands of The Lord to the people of Texas. Through you he reaches out and blesses others. Those others may include your companions, your district, or total strangers on the street. Don't be surprised by the mysterious workings of The Lord. Love You. Look forward to hearing from you. Have a great week.
Love,,
Your Pa
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