I Like Your Spider!

Hello family and friends!!

Last P-day was super fun! We went through a Korn (yes, Korn) maze, slid down big slides, and rode a zipline!  It was super exciting. This area is different because we have to drive so far (sometimes 30 minutes) to find people's houses and most of the time, it seems like no one is ever home!! I don't mind the driving though because it's all beautiful farm land and sometimes dirt roads.  This weekend was quite adventurous because it rained and rained and rained and the wind blew, and it was cold.  The rain resulted in mud.  That makes for much fun while driving. :)

One morning we mowed a lawn and it was overcast and breezy the whole time.  Perfect weather!! It was fun to teach Sister Leach how to mow a lawn--it was her first time.

We knocked on a door of a less-active lady on the ward list.  Initially she didn't want anything to do with us, and was ready to close to the door.  Sister Leach complimented the spider decoration on her door then the lady said, "want to see the real ones? Come on in."  She showed us her tarantulas! She prolly had half a dozen or more...I thought it was awesome.  Sister Leach did not. haha  I even held one!! So cool.  Funny thing is that this lady lives right next door to the house that we saw the dead antelope at last week.  Before we left, we were able to share a scripture from the Book of Mormon with our testimonies.  She also accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon!....Allll because we complimented her door decoration... #Inspired :)

Wasn't the Women's session of Conference beautiful?? After that night I know Heavenly Father is aware of me.  The Spirit spoke to me in amazing ways.  

Ponderize: Mosiah 23:10

Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

I hope that this can be a description of me. Missions are hard--you go through a lot but you learn and grow a lot with the help of the Lord.  I hope that I can be an instrument in His hands!

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

Going through the Korn Maze.

Holding the tarantula!

We pulled over to take a picture of the potato truck.  SO MANY POTATOES!

Don't mind my skirt, it's just windy and rainy.  Aren't the fields so pretty??? <3

I don't really know what those boxes are, but they looked cool so I wanted a picture.  It was next to some bean factory or something.... haha

Hey! Hay!! Seriously, this place is too pretty for a photographer.  I'm in love with it.

 

The Land of Sugar Beets!

I'm in Paul, Idaho! Most people in Boise asked where that is.  It's right by Burley, which is about a 45 minute drive from Twin Falls.  I'm so excited to be serving in a lil' farm town.  The majority of my area is fields of corn, alfalfa, maybe potatoes, and sugar beets! I guess Paul has the second largest sugar factory in the world! I had never heard of sugar beets before, but apparently they are a big deal here.

Well last Monday and Tuesday was sorta stressful trying to pack and say goodbye to people in my area.  But everything worked out.  Oh, for our last dinner appointment in Boise, we went to Big Judd's, which is a popular Boise burger place, aaaand as they were taking a picture, my camera dropped. And died.  They gave me a camera, but it's not as good... Therefore lots of my pictures now are blurry.  I'm working on getting my camera fixed though!

The rest of the week was great.  My new companion is Sister Leach from Tucson, AZ! Wahoo for Arizona companions! :D She has been out for 4 months. 

Okay, well I don't have much else to say other than I'm in a new area, working on getting to know the people and places.  It's super fun and I am in heaven!! :)

I've got lots of pictures though!

But first.......

Ponderize: Mosiah 2:34

...What knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are.

I read this scripture this morning in personal study.  I love Mosiah 2, but this time when I read it I found so many more things that I love!  

King Benjamin is the definition of humility.  As we read what he says, we learn what we need to do to be humble.  He explains that as we learn the goodness of God, we realize that we are like the dust of the earth.  And because of that, we owe all that we are to Heavenly Father!

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

Packing and cleaning.

Big Judd's with Edward Rice!

We were visiting a YSA and he just came back from hunting and I was very enthused about the dead antelope in the garage.  Sister Leach was not. hahaha

Sugar beets

Sister Leach and I being silly. :) haha

(Random pic for the day) 

Random potato in the road

 We see potato trucks all the time.

I'm getting TRANSFERRED!!

I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED TO PAUL, IDAHO!!!!!!

This is crazy..... Also, Sister Cluff is going to Oakley! My area is semi-being whitewashed because Sister Davis will be covering the area again! 

Well, we'll see how all this goes! 

Anxiously waiting for Transfers....

Okay, today we are supposed to find out what is happening for transfers and we are patiently waiting now.....Gah! I don't know if I will be transferred or staying here to finish training Sister Cluff! 

 

Last Monday we had a 4 year old close the door in our face! haha We were going to visit a less-active family.  Striker, the four year old, answered.  We asked if his parents were home, he said mom wasn't, but dad was.  We asked him to get dad and he said no.  Then after trying to convince him,  he says, "Just go away.  Just go." as he shut the door. I didn't want to leave yet or be rejected by a lil' kid, so we got him to open the door, but the kid didn't want to get his dad for some reason!  So I bribed him with candy.  He was quick to call for dad after that!! Haha We ended having a very good conversation.

 

Rosselyn's parents left to Venezuela for a month or two, so we said goodbye to them.   I'm going to miss their sweet faces and company!

 

We taught the priests and laurels a little of how to teach lesson 1 or Wednesday mutual. Then we brought "investigators" aka converts from our YSA ward for the youth to teach.  It turned out to be a good activity and experience.

 

Friday: HAPPY 9 MONTH MARK!  What a fantastic day!!!  Elder and Sister Lawrence and Elder and Sister De Feo, both of the 70 came to tour the mission.  Oh man.  Man OH man!  What a mind blowing experience.  Sister Lawrence started--she spoke for 2 hours on Israel--Christ being "The Holy One of Israel," The twelve tribes of Israel, the literal gathering of Israel, and more.  2 hours is a long time but I was astonished the more she went on.   Seriously.  I wish I could just type it all up for you, but it's not very easy to make it make sense when it's put simply.  You need 2 hours to understand it! haha  My whole perspective of the gospel, Israel, and more is changed.

Elder Lawrence helped us make much needed changes to the mission.  He called the whole mission to repentance hard core.  It was nice. :)  He also spoke on increasing our faith.  Since then, I've felt that Sister Cluff and I have been practicing more faith.  The 

 

On Saturday we had a lesson with CJ.  We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Previously, he'd consider himself agnostic.  He has desires to believe and continue learning.  I love it!  We invited him to be baptized and he said yes!!!!! :D  We are wayyyy excited.

 

Ponderize: 2 Nephi 33:15

 

...Thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen.

 

I find it so perfect that these are Nephi's last words in the Book of Mormon.  It's so him!

Obey the commandments.  Follow the Prophet.  That's pretty easy to understand.  But, I think the Lord will command us in more ways in order to be shaped and molded how He wants us, but WE actually have to figure out what that is through personal revelation.  We hafta do some work ourselves to listen and obey!

 

 

From Idaho to you,

 

XoXo

 

Sister Carling

 

 

 Lesson with Elliott and Jezrael at the park!

 

 

Just out proselyting.

 

 

9 MONTHS! Crazy to believe.

 

 

Saying goodbye to the Zoyla and Omero Osuna...

9 months on 9/9!!

This week I hit my 9 month mark on 9/9!!! I'm half-way there! Wooooahhh that's crazy.  It has been the most thrilling, eventful, satisfying 9 months of my life.  Can't wait for 9 more!

Last week's temple trip was so refreshing! I saw Kent and Terri Riggs in the temple!! I love being in the temple, feeling so close to heaven.

Thursday we went on exchanges.  I was wish Sister Bell.  I learned/was reminded of some good lessons while I was with her.

1) Take everything to the Lord (no matter how small or silly).

2) Turn to the Lord often for help to guide you throughout the day.

3) Liken the scriptures to ourselves!

These are all lessons that I have learned before, but I was reminded of them again on this exchange. :)

Barbara is doing well.  She had been struggling like no other with piles and piles of problems!  She has been learning to turn to the Lord more.  Yesterday in Sacrament meeting, she bore her testimony so beautifully! She expressed how much she knows the gospel is true, how much the church has helped her and how she loves it.  It was the sweetest testimony!!

Saturday was a big day here in Boise.... It was the start of BSU football season.  That is a BIG deal.  And they did win. :) Go Broncos!

I ended up being asked to speak at stake baptisms, which went really well.  I enjoy speaking so it was nice and special to speak for the kids' baptism.

Ponderize: 2 Nephi 4:15

And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

Okay, there's a couple of points to this. First, I think it is important for us to "write the things of [our] soul[s]..." Keep a journal!!  When I spoke at the baptism I challenged all of the kids to write in their journal everything they remember from their baptism.  I know that I only remember/know things from my baptism because I wrote about it, in my lil' 8 year old handwriting and language. It's precious to me!  These moments in our life are so special.

Second, we should delight in the scriptures! There is always always something new to learn and revelation waiting for us to receive it.

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

 Our zone and President and Sister Bartlett after the temple.

 I shoulda sent this one last week, but this is at the beautiful Julia Davis Park in Downtown Boise! It's right next to the Boise River, which runs through the middle of downtown, and right along BSU campus. I find it crazy that a river runs right through town, but it's gorgeous!!

 Yes, we respected their wishes and walked away...

EW, A BLACK WIDOW!  It's been almost a year since I was bit! I can't believe a that thing gave me so much pain... haha