Thursday, January 30, 2014

something totally unexpected


surprised
unexpected
this badge
my name
His name

to reach out
love more
keep trying
there is power

i never would have guessed
i would feel this difference

...

My Companion



this is my missionary companion
my sweetheart

we have daily companionship study
his knowledge of the gospel
his ability to communicate
his eagerness to serve

well, i hit the jackpot

every day in the MTC
confirmation
"boy, did you ever get lucky"

...

We meet the mission president

meeting the mission president was helpful
he is so kind and never stops smiling
he too is serving from his home


President and Sister Eberhardt


meet our new district
Sister Brown sings like an angel
Elder Christiansen is faithful and effective
Elder Bailey is a two transfer missionary--shy and sweet
Sister Wall is thrilled we are here
our Elders from Hawaii are childhood friends

we meet as a district every Friday
with another senior couple
the Carlston's
then we host for a luncheon
rotating between our home and the Carlston's

...


I spoke in Stake Conference

wearing my mother's pin in her honor


Just last year during a Saturday night meeting at our stake conference I was sitting just a little beyond the chapel into the overflow. I vividly remember that when the topic of that evening was introduced…something about member missionary work. Horsing around; I pulled out my cell phone and texted a friend who was in my line of vision…a couple of rows up and across the room. (by the way…i know i shouldn’t have). My simple text said these five words…get me out of here. About 87 percent of me was joking but a good 13 percent of me felt like this quote from Elder Ballard in our last general conference when he said:

We know that when someone gets up to give a talk in sacrament meeting and says, “Today I’ll be talking about missionary work,” or perhaps even when Elder Ballard gets up in general conference and says the same thing, some of you listening may think, “Oh no, not again; we have heard this before.”

Just for the record…i want to back peddle and say that that particular meeting was as usual…excellent.

Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is now Sister Carter and my husband and I were just called and set apart to be full-time missionaries in the Utah Salt Lake City East Mission. This past Monday through Friday we received  excellent training at the MTC with 75 other people from around the world…going all over the world. We want to teach your friends and your neighbors. We want to help them COME UNTO CHRIST.  In many ways we may be lacking, but not in our desire to always teach with the power and influence of the Holy Ghost

Shortly after that Stake Conference last year I attended youth conference with the youth and leaders of our stake. Something President Hoj stated at that youth conference had a great impact on me. He said that as he studies the scriptures he pays attention to five word phrases and then he mentioned a couple; one of which was from Jacob 7:5  I COULD NOT BE SHAKEN. I asked myself…is that me? For years I have read from the pages of Book of Mormon pretty much every single day and that statement from Jacob made me wonder… Could I watch my family be thrown into the flames and not capitulate. Could I bury my weapons of war and resolve it is better to submit and be slaughtered?  But you know what?…we do show up every day. Those stories can serve as a metaphor. We are continually being bombarded in our lives with that and those who would shake our faith to the core. After having a faith to shake conversation with someone I love and respect very much I decided… I am like the prophet Jacob…I COULD NOT BE SHAKEN. 

In speaking with some of the youth who were feeling a little wobbly in their faith I referred to these five words  and I promised… that the strength of Jacob can be yours, but we have to work for it. I took this matter to Heavenly Father. In my life I have pleaded for that kind of strength—to be rock solid. In the meantime I continued to study the holy word of God, pray and pay attention to tender mercies all around me.

In late September President Wilmarth invited my husband and I to consider serving a mission right here at home. We would live in our home and progress the work within our immediate circle of influence. When October rolled around it seemed that every single conference talk was directed to me and I knew…the very least I can do is be there for Him the way He has always been there for me. This is a call to serve, sacrifice, love and reach out. The days of my life have been filled with life experiences ever confirming and building my testimony. I continue to be humbled that a sincere prayer offered by a good girl who keeps trying-- was met with this amazing opportunity to bare witness to the restoration of the gospel. 

Shortly after accepting this invitation from President Wilmarth I was taking the sacrament…sitting quietly, listening to my thoughts when these five words from the book of Abraham came to me…HERE AM I, SEND ME. Jesus, our brother, ever the example of humble service said; HERE AM I, SEND ME. How could I consider doing less? 

And now it is January. Christmas decorations are boxed and stored for another year and we just got home from a week at the MTC on Friday. Five full days of building faith and recognizing that no work…absolutely no anything is more important than reaching out to the children of our Heavenly Father with the great message of his redeeming love. We read in Alma the five word phrase…CAN YE FEEL SO NOW? My answer is a resounding yes. I am on fire and I will continue to stoke the flames so that the fire burns bright.

Vilate C. Raile a pioneer woman penned this poem…

They cut desire into short lengths 
And fed it to the hungry fire of courage, 
Long after—when the flames died— 
Molten gold gleamed in the ashes. 
They gathered it into bruised palms 
And handed it to their children 
And their children’s children.  

A couple of lines in my patriarchal blessing read, "Your posterity shall rise up and call you blessed for you shall seek to serve the Lord all the days of your life. Your life shall be one of faith and stability." At the end of the day I want my legacy to be one of faith and stability. Let us…each one of us have the courage of those pioneers, and with our work worn hands offer this gold to His children. They too need to sing the song of His redeeming love. 


...

Our First District



these are the senior couples we worked with all week


the Lundgrens...off to Botswana


the Hill's...off to Halifax


our afternoon trainers


Sister Gunnell and Sister Jackson off to Guatamala


a tribute to my sons and soon to be grandsons


an amazing reminder



so thankful i could come to the MTC



...

MTC Bound


so we rise bright and early
in the car by 7AM


packets filled with helpful teaching and planning material


fun for me to see this BYU food tray once again
43 years later
food is just as good as i remember


73 missionary's training
getting ready to launch


serious training happening right here
our sister helpers were amazing


my boys all posed in front of this map
i had to
as a matter of fact i thought a lot about my sons
walking these halls
eating in the cafeteria
it made me thankful they had the chance to be here



another day...we're off


beautiful Provo
lovely full moon
Elder Bednar is about to speak to us
to hear the missionaries sing 
MORE HOLINESS GIVE ME
well, this MTC is incredible
amazing spirit here

...

Set Apart to Serve


to have your sons
circle
their hands on my head
to have their wives
share their hearts
to have Laurel
there...alive
each smiling face

well
i will never forget
how blessed i am

...

i hope they call me on a mission!






After we came home from a wonderful Thanksgiving spent in Boise this letter was waiting for us.


Utah, Salt Lake City East Mission
no surprise
the invitation came in September from our Stake President Wilmarth