All's Well in the Boise West Stake!

Hi y'all!  Sister Cluff and I are doing better than ever here in the Boise West stake.  We're having fun while workin' hard!

We taught Elijah about tithing and fasting while we were outside on the porch, sitting on coolers and an old camp chair.  In the middle of the lesson he smacked a wasp next that was above the garage and he got stung twice, but acted like nothing happened. haha  The wasps were flyin' around everywhere so we relocated to the yard.  Elijah is funny.  Yesterday we read 1 Nephi 4 with him... He read the word "spake" as "spank" the first time it was in the chapter. I never realized how often Nephi says the word "spake" until then.  Haha Hearing "spank" made it a bit comical.  We reset a baptism date for September 31!

We taught Peggy the Plan of Salvation.  She said it made logical sense and she agreed with it all.  You cannot get more golden that Peggy!! When she comes to church, you can hardly tell she is an investigator because she has made friends with lots of people and blends in so well!

Zone Conference was on Wednesday.  Sister Cluff and I wore new cute dresses that we bought.  They are adorable and sooo comfortable.  But besides that, we learned all about repentance.  There is always many things we can each repent of!

This weekend was stake conference for the Boise West stake.  Elder Alder of the 70 spoke to us.  This is my second stake conference here.  I have one thought about one of many reasons why I love my wards and this stake:  They are focused on the temple, more than I have ever seen.  I feel like I can't go to a meeting without someone bearing testimony or emphasizing the importance of temple attendance.  It is amazing how much time people here put in to attending the temple so often.  I love love LOVE the temple and the ordinances and covenants we make there.  We got word that one of the semi/less active sisters that I have been working with since the beginning of my mission got her temple recommend back yesterday! :D  I cannot wait to go with her, and also, next week we will be going as a zone!! :)

That's all I've got for this week....

Ponderize: Mosiah 3:19

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Yesterday the stake president shared this scripture with some insight.  To entice is to lead someone on to do something...or bribe. or convince. There are enticings of the Holy Ghost and enticings of Satan.  They are very different.  We are here to develop God-like qualities and bridal our natural man passions.  Yield! Slow down! Pay attention to the Holy Ghost. :)

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

Oh hey, it's me.

Lesson with Elijah! *Notice the pack of cigarettes. Haha

Idaho Boise Mission! #IBM

 Our cute matching dresses!! <3

Are you sure you want crab?

Well hello!

First off, sharing the gospel is the greatest blessing to do for 24/7.  It's crazy that I've been gone for 8 months now!

We got a new investigator, Peggie!  She is the definition of a golden investigator.  A while back a friend of hers gave her a Book of Mormon and she never read it.  Recently, she picked it up to see if it would make her feel better because she couldn't find her Bible to read....and it did!  She's already read the whole book of Alma and through 1 and 2 Nephi!  At church she told us she wants to get baptized on October 10th...Wahoo!!

We had a lesson with Jezrael on Wednesday.  He requested we talk about repentance.  Little did we know, he did that to prepare for his lesson on Sunday on repentance! Cleaver Jez...Very sneaky. haha  The topic of the temple was brought up and by the end of the lesson he had an appointment with Bishop for his temple recommend interview.  So on Friday Jezrael did baptisms for the dead for his first time! :D  Seeing how far Jezrael has come in the past 8 months brings me to tears sometimes...literally!  When we walked in the temple for his first time, I wanted to burst with excitement!

Oh....our toilet overflowed all over our bathroom.  That's not a first for me on the mission 'cept this time it didn't leak all downstairs cuz we live in the basement. Haha

Fun fact: The first thing I said one morning while I was still half-asleep after the alarm had gone off, "Are you sure you want crab?"  Sister Cluff: "What'd you say?"  Me, becoming more aware and realizing what I just said while I was dreaming and half asleep: "I said what you think I said." hahaha Funny things happen while sleep talking!!  She just told me that I was sleep talking last night too. Wonder what I said! Haha

Crazy Dave bought me fresh Huckleberries and Huckleberry jam because I've never had them before. He's great. They are definitely an Idaho thing. Haha

The rest of the week we spent contacting.  It was a very productive, well worked week! I feel wonderful and happier than I have ever been!  Being a full-time missionary is the best calling available.  I continue to learn immensely daily and grow closer to my Savior Jesus Christ and His gospel.  I love being a missionary!!!

Ponderize:  Alma 34: 9-16

9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made;for according to the great plan of the

Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish...

13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice...

16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of

justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and

eternal plan of redemption.

Without an Atonement, we would perish--it is an infinite and eternal sacrifice.  It is a great and last sacrifice.  It brings justice AND mercy.  We can receive the Atonement through FAITH and REPENTANCE.

My testimony is centered on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Without it, there would be no point to anything else and the Plan would not be made possible.  When I study the Atonement, I am changed.  Life makes more sense and I have more gratitude.  I know I can "be perfected" and strengthened and clean through the Atonement. 

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

We fed baby cows! Mooooo

Crazy Dave and the Huckleberries :)

 You're supposed to be able to see mountains there but there has been so much smoke because of the forest fires! :(  It's crazy.  It looks like fog in the mornings!

 Lunch at the Osuna's! BEST food EVER.

Car selfie!

 #ToiletProbs

Jezrael's first time doing baptisms at the temple!!

 

I Love my Greenie!!

First off, I just want to say that I feel the best that I have ever been on my mission so far!  This week was incredible!  

On Tuesday, Sister Davis and I spent lots of the day packing getting ready for transfers and to move houses, while still trying to comprehend that I am STAYING.

Wednesday....Transfer day.  I got my daughter!!!  Her name is Sister Cluff, from MESA, ARIZONA! She grew up in Gilbert, then moved to Show Low for Junior high and High school but spent the last year in Mesa going to ASU.  2 Arizona girls!! :)  I love it.   She is so cute and sweet.  I couldn't be more happy and privileged that I am her first companion.  I have love training so much.  It's the best thing.  We have been blessed with some great miracles this past week! 

On her very first day in the mission field, we met with Jezrael and Elliott, which is funny because Jezzy was my VERY first lesson in the mission field! It was funny because the first thing Jezrael said to Sister Cluff was, "Hey, can you do me a favor? Can you cut my hair? It's just this one little piece that's bugging me..." So she did! haha  What a good time.

That same day we met with other people and found a new investigator! Wahoo!

The next few days have been busy and productive.  In a nut shell, we have 4 baptismal dates set for the next month, one of those being our new investigator!  We had some very spiritual lessons.

The coolest was when we taught our new investigator Scott.  2 other people in the house he lives in were planning on coming to church and I asked him if he wanted to come to church and he said no because he's not interested in religion right now.  A little while later he expressed how he misses his mom, sister and dog more than anything and just wants to be with them.  We were planning on teaching the Restoration but felt that the Plan of Salvation would be much more appropriate for his needs....So we switched our lesson! I felt bad for Sister Cluff because we never practiced that lesson together but it ended out working great!  At the end of the lesson I said, "What do you think Scott?" He replied, "I'm all for it." So then we committed him to baptism on September 10th! The Spirit there was so beautiful.

At church on Sunday everyone was just as surprised to see me as I was! haha I seriously feel so much love for the people in my wards. <3  My favorite thing someone said was by Hunter Chapman: "Sister Carling, you didn't get called to serve in Boise.  You're called to serve in the Brookhollow ward." It's true! haha I just love the Summerset, Brookhollow, and YSA wards!!!

Well, I'm just about out of email time so I'll wrap it up.

Ponderize: 3 Nephi 27:27

Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.

This week we started reading Preach My Gospel ch. 6, which is Christlike attributes. It says, "Just as important of what you do is who you are." We need to BE like Christ and make him part of our countenance.  I love how my mission is changing me and helping me grow.  Being a missionary is the best. :)

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

First picture together!

 Sister Cluff cutting Jezrael's hair!

 Shaved ice! Yum. :)

 Bathroom selfie. haha

 Carol Johnson from Mesa!

Thanks for taking boxes home for me!!

It's a Girl!! #SoonToBeMissionMom

Man oh man, I was ready to say, "I'm moving on to a new area in Idaho!" today, but instead I'M STAYING IN THE BOISE WEST STAKE ANOTHER TRANSFER aaaaaaannnnnd I'm TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY!!!!!!! I'm gonna be a missionary mama! 4 companions. 6 transfers.  4 homes. 1 area.  Gah!

I am so excited! Very surprised.  But excited. :)  It's just so weird, because I was telling everyone goodbye, and even CRYING about leaving, but I guess the Lord has something else in mind and wants to keep me here!  

This week I have felt more amount of joy and love then I ever have.  I don't know if it's because I was expected to leave or what, but I am so full of gratitude and love for the people here.

After doing service at the International Rescue Committee with the Spanish elders, we went to the Osuna's for lunch.  Oh. My. Goodness.  That was literally the BEST meal I have ever eaten on my mission.....if not my whole life!!!!  Rosselyn's mom makes wonderful authentic Venezuelan food.  I told her mom, "Escribe algo para mi, por que me voy." Which means, "Write something for me because I'm leaving."  When she wrote in my 'signing journal' she was bawling which made me want to cry!  All of her family wrote something for me (in Spanish of course) and I LOVE them so much. <3  I'm happy to not leave them yet!! Haha

We had a lesson at the Fluckigers where we made a temple plan.  We cut out puzzle pieces with goals written on each so they will uncover the picture of the temple and eventually make it there! :)

Barbara is still doing so well.  She has quit smoking!  We have a new baptismal date set for August 13th. :)

We had my "last" lesson (so I thought) with Holly and her kids.  They gave me "foot paintings" (like finger painting, but with their feet....haha) from when they were younger so I could remember them. Holly said, "I thought it would be cute because you helped them take their first steps to Jesus."  <3 Aww!!!!  Holly expressed how much she has loved and appreciated the church and service we had done for her to the point that she was in tears too!  I felt that if helping Holly and her kids was the one good thing that I had done in the area, it was worth it.

We had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation with our investigator, Emily.  The Spirit was Hulk strong.  She totally feels that the gospel makes sense and we set a baptismal date for August 27th!  We even mentioned a temple marriage and she is totally planning on getting married in the temple!!! She's awesome and golden! I love her. :)

Crazy Dave and Crazy Joe are so funny........... Joe was trying to get baptized on Saturday just so it was before I left the area!!! hahaha He was not ready and hadn't had all of the lessons.  It didn't work out, but it was just so cute to hear what they were doing to try to make it happen.

Jezrael passed the sacrament and taught Sunday School.  I am so proud of him and how far he has come!  He's been reading the Book of Mormon too!  That kid is great. :)

Last night we had a lesson or discussion on prayer with Chase.  Chase had been less-active for a while but we have been meeting with him for the past 4 ish months.  He said that his testimony of prayer has been strengthened because a few months ago he was in a place in life that he didn't want to be so he prayed for help.  A week later at YSA FHE I asked him if he wanted to start meeting with us....That was over 4 months ago. (My very first day with Sister Richards.)  Now he has a goal to get back to the temple!  Hearing that made my heart filled with so much joy.  Again, I felt that if helping Chase was the one good thing that I had done in the area, it was worth it.

I have loved serving in this area for so long to even see and feel some of the fruits of my labors. It's not that common to stay in an area for 7 1/2 months, let alone 9 months!!  I can't wait to have another transfer here with people that I call family!

Ponderize: Mormon 8:24

And he knoweth their prayers, that they were in behalf of their brethren. And he

knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove mountains; and in his name

could they cause the earth to shake; and by the power of his word did they cause 

prisons to tumble to the earth;yea, even the fiery furnace could not harm them, neither wild

beasts nor poisonous serpents, because of the power of his word.

If, with faith and in the name of Jesus Christ they can do all of these amazing, crazy miracles, then with my faith and his the name of Jesus Christ, I can be strengthened in all that I do--eventually striving to be like Jesus Christ performing miracles.  It's awesome how the Lord works. :)

From Idaho to you,

XoXo

Sister Carling

Dinner at the Osuna's with Rosa.  Yummiest food I have ever had!

 Our district

 The Fluckiger family <3