Week 32

Hello everyone from back home and abroad!! This is going to be a slightly shorter email this week. I have a bunch of stuff to get done today and my comp and I both need haircuts. So please forgive me in advance. We got a few new investigators this week! We have been trying to apply the training we have received from Elder Bennett a couple weeks ago and it have been providing miracles and incredible success. We are seeing really cool things happen as we knock on doors all day long. Our teaching pool is slowly but surely filling up and allows us to spend more time teaching and less time finding which is the goal. We were able to help out at the food pantry a lot this week so that was awesome! I love being able to see people and talk to new people. And I love being able to help out when I can. I think it is great that we can work with another religion and be happy and friends. They sure do love our help when we are there and are very nice to us. Anyway the weather got really cold here last week and my hands were dying. Randomly one night one of the members of our bishopric knocked on our door and gave me a pair of gloves! It was so nice of him and a huge blessing because my hands were feeling it for sure. This ward is just awesome. I got the chance to have my first district meeting with my new district. I didn't know what to expect but it was really powerful. I love having a district full of sisters because they have incredible testimonies and bring an amazing spirit to meetings like that. I am excited to continue to lead this district as best as I can. Friday night was the ward Christmas party and in the hall way I got attacked by my Bishop to give a talk on Sunday. I can't say no to that so I accepted. About Halfway through Saturday I got my topic and Sunday morning during studies I prepared it. It was about 7 minutes long and I thought I did ok. I don't really remember anything that I said. So hopefully it was good. Our investigator MaryJo and all 3 of her kids came to church for the first time! They got to hear me speak! It was great! We talked to B, the 10 year old, and he loved church a lot. Unfortunately yesterday MJ texted us and dropped us. She said she prayed and doesn't want to visit. It was hard to see someone that ready for the gospel not accept it. But I know that her heart was touched by the spirit. She will be ok. That was pretty much my whole week! Hope all is well at home and abroad!! Love you all!!

Quotes of the Week:

"Christ is the light for our mist of darkness."

 "Discouragement will slow progression as fast as sin."

"Don't be afraid to fail forward."

"Faith comes only through humility."

"We don't love people because they are lovable, we love them because we are able to love."

"Fear comes from focusing on ourselves."

"Conversion cannot occur through passive reception."

Spiritual Experience of the Week:

District meeting wins this week. As I was preparing it I got prompted on what I needed to train about. When we started talking about that in the meeting the spirit was really strong and the discussion was really great. I knew I was following the spirit and helping my district. 

Miracle of the Week:

Gloves!!! Oh how I needed a nice pair of gloves and Brother Stoddard helped me a ton. It was a mini miracle that made missionary work much easier and more delightful. 

Spiritual Thought of the Week:

So my talk was on Luke 2 and I loved how the shepards made haste to go see the Savior. Once they were there and they saw what the angel told them they immediately went out and shared it with everyone. It is a testimony to me that we must share the gospel. It brings us joy and it will bring others joy as well. 

Pic: Coolest mailbox ever.

Elder Carruth