Teaching, Contacting and Gluten Free buns!!

Well this week hasn't been full of funny missionary experiences!

First off, last week for P-day we went to a Boise landmark--the Boise Train Depot.  It was cool going up to the bell tower.  After that, we raced slot cars with the Elders.  Super fun!

This morning for P-day we woke up extra early to hike Table Rock again. All imma say is--I'm out of shape!! Haha

We had a lesson with Jezzy (recent convert), Elliott (his cousin, an investigator), and like 5 other people!! We were originally planned on teaching 2 and ended up teaching 7.  That was cool! We taught the Plan of Salvation, and it went super well.  We are going to continue to meet with their friend, Elizabeth!

We went to contact a girl named Piper that the elders found. Apparently she was "golden." Piper, her boyfriend, and another kid named Cisco were there when we shared a message.  Cisco has a HUGE afro.  It looks fake because it's so big.  Also, when we were talking, for probably an hour, he had an unlit cigarette stickin' out of his mouth, kinda just hanging on his lips.  I thought it was funny that he kept it in his mouth the whole time and didn't just take it out....whatever! haha

We were making visits to a bunch of people in one neighborhood.  One lady in the ward was telling us that her neighbor just got arrested for doing meth....I was like, "Wait, your neighbor Chrys???" Chrys is our investigator! Our investigator got arrested! :( Sad day...... It's hard when your investigator drops you, but it's also kinda hard when they get arrested too.......ha

When we met with Jezzy all by himself, we decided to do our lesson a little different.  HE was going to be the missionary and WE were going to be investigators.  It was awesome!! I love listening to him and asking him questions because he actually understands....Love it.  I asked him, "What makes Mormons so special??" He said, "I wouldn't say we are special...I haven't seen a short bus around." HAHA This kid is hilarious!!

Fun fact!!!

Chick-fil-a now has gluten free buns!!!!!! :) Dude.  I was so excited when I saw that.  Yes. I still am obsessed with Chick-fil-a.

Last night, we visited a 17 year old kid whose records just got transferred into our ward.  Bishop heard from this kid's previous bishop that he was baptized last year and stopped coming to church a few months ago..... It was neat when we visited him.  At first we were in the front room with his grandparents who were telling us their believes.  They are "God people" and believe only in the Bible and not the Book of Mormon.  Before it started to get intense, we moved into the dining room with Tristan, the 17 year old.  We asked him his feelings and he said, "I believe the Book of Mormon one hundred percent."  I thought it was so amazing to hear one thing from his grandparents and then his testimony so strong.  He was baptized because most of his friends on the basketball team are LDS.  The influence of friends, people!! 

I asked him what his favorite scripture is.  He got his little Book of Mormon out and read us 2 Nephi 31:20 (which happens to be the youth theme for the year).

Ponderize: 2 Nephi 31:20

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

I love if-then- statements. (Except when I had to do those in geometry....those were terrible!)

IF we press forward...feasting...enduring......THEN we will have eternal life! We just gotta keep goin'!!!

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

Sister Richards and I :)

Gluten free bun and Chick-fil-a!

Just us being a lil' silly. :)

Elder Lamb, Elder Atkins, Elder Burgess, Sister Richards, Me, Elder Bean.  We're the "fam."

In the bell tower at the train station!

Boise Mission is Wonderful!!

Hey y'all!!

Last P-day, Sister Richards and I and some awesome elders hiked Table Rock.  I about DIED because I am so out of shape.  It's a fun hike though! I was DUMB and hiked in my boots and jeans...at the end I could feel a blister on my foot. Oh well.  It was worth the hike!!

Sister Richards and I continue to have lots of fun while we are together.  One night, when our lights were all out and we were in bed, Sister Richards had to use the bathroom.  While she was gone, I crawled in her bed.  She walks in the room and is talking to me (thinking that I am in my bed).  As she gets in her bed, she feels a body and it totally freaked her out.  haha  The next night, the same thing happened (she had to go potty).  I hid on the stairs right next to the bathroom and jumped out when she came out.  Scared her again!  For the third night in a row, I needed to be a little more creative....I hid under her bed.  This time she was expecting something from me, but didn't know where I'd be.  She slowly comes out of the bathroom, takes her time coming in our room....When she comes closer to my bed I stick my hand out from under the bed and grab her ankle! Haha  If I keep doing this then I'll have to get super creative... :)

On Wednesday we had interviews with President Winder. It's so nice to talk to him! He is leaving this summer and we will be getting a new mission president.

Later that day we met with Jezrael at a cool train station/park.  We had a good talk with him.  That kid is pretty awesome.  It was a beautiful day to be out in the park too.  Boise weather is AWESOME!!

On Saturday we did service for a lady in our ward and we invited the elders to help.  We pulled weeds and got a little dirty.  I got to mow the lawn with a riding mower!!! It's been a while since I've done that, but I don't think I lost my touch.... ;) hahah

When we came out of our church yesterday to go to our other ward, our car was covered in sticky notes!!!! It took a second to figure out who would have done that, but then we realized it was Mason Smith, one of the youth in the ward! (Ben, you and Mason would be best friends. He's awesome. He's a lil' Redneck just like you! :)  

These are just some fun things that have been going on.  We have been teaching a lot of less-active members in our ward.  We are praying hard to find new investigators.  The people we are working with now have not been progressing like they should...Sometimes they just aren't ready!  So, it is my duty to find those who are ready. 

Ponderize: D&C 130:19

And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.

For a Personal Progress value in Knowledge, I read this scripture.  Right now I have so much time to be able to study and gain knowledge in the gospel.  I am so grateful! I need to use all the time that I have while I can!

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

 Elders Burgess, Atkins, Bean, Lamb and Sister Richards and Me!
 The fam.  None of us are even in the same district, but we're super tight!

Elder Hyer!! My Heritage friend!!! :)

Jezzy!

BOISE! I love Boise!!!

Our car when we came out of church....

This is probably one of the best/saddest rejections I have gotten....It was taped on this lady's door when we showed up for our appointment.  Things like this are sad, but sometimes as missionaries you just have to laugh it off...

Me on the mower!

Elder Lamb, Elder Bean, Me, Sister Richards!

Fun in the Work!

Hello friends!

This week was full of fun experiences!

Last Monday for P-day, we drove out to Hidden Springs, which is technically part of Boise, but at the same time it's in the middle of nowhere.  Some members out there have a really nice house with lots of property to play on.  We did a little hike to some cool rock indents.....

We had AMAZING lesson with Jezrael this week.  He hasn't been paying tithing and we reeeeally want him to so he can get his temple recommend!  We started discussing the tithing but somehow the discussion moved over to talking about the temple and why it is so important.  I think because we talked about that, he had a better understanding, and hopefully more desires, to pay tithing.  We kept promising him blessing that come from paying tithing and the Lord will take care of us if we do it! He said, "I wouldn't want to pay tithing for the blessings...I would pay tithing help people.  Like if it were to help the missionaries, like you guys, I would do it."  This is coming from someone who barely has anything and considers himself beyond blessed...Now his heart is in the right place!! What an example. I love that kid. 

At our zone meeting we learned how to be better, more effective missionaries!  I played the piano for a musical number with Elder Lamb singing--"Savior Redeemer: Missionary Medley".  It's my favorite and I am so proud of myself for being able to play it!  I'm doing Personal Progress and for one of my projects I learned to play that song. :)

This week Sister Richards and I have been praying to find a new investigator for one of our family wards.  Much of our time and efforts has been focused on finding and contacting referrals.  On Saturday we walked around and knocked on lots of doors. It's gotten warm here.  When I say warm I mean like, 82 degrees......Perfect weather, right?! Well everyone that we talk to thinks that it's pretty warm to be walking outside.  FALSE! It couldn't be a better time to walk around neighborhoods! So many people are outside doing yard work, preparing for Spring/Summer and I LOVE that!  Oh, by the way, having a Spring is quite fantastic.  There are flowers everywhere and it makes me happy. :)  Anyhow, at the end of the day I realized I had a sunburn on my back!! Nothing bad or painful, but enough to be a noticeable burn. haha!  I just think it's really funny that this Arizona girl is getting burned in 80 degree weather when I'm not even chilling in the sun that much...

On Saturday I was on exchanges with Sister Brown--who is also from Mesa, Arizona!!!!  We didn't know each other before the mission, but we've made the connection that our moms and aunts and uncles grew up together!! Cool, right? It was funny to tell people that we were from the same place. 

Saturday night we stopped by a wedding reception for Katie Spjute, who is in our singles ward and YSA ward--we're pretty tight with that family. Anyways, somehow when I was standing in a group of young girls, I just, I dunno, a bouquet of flowers happened to fall in my hands when Katie tossed it in the air.  How'd that happen?!?! ;) Not sure what that's supposed to mean..... hahaha

Ponderize: Alma 60:24

"...Repent of that which ye have done, and begin to be up and doing..."

We can only become better or progress if we are UP and DOING.  Don't be lazy!

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

Sister Brown (from Mesa!) and I with our Dutch Bros smoothies.... One of our potential investigators gave us some money to go get some after we did a little service for her.

Streets of Boise!!! <3

Sister Richards and I on that lil' hike thing...

I caught the bouquet!! Haha