Time in Texas: I am wearing a sweater and it is April 7th.

Hello Everyone.

I am wearing a sweater. A cold front came in...again. Winter just doesn't want to go away. I could really just tell ya'll "go listen to General Conference" and leave it at that...but I guess I should also tell you a bit about what went on during the week...Not much.

Monday night after dinner with the Ure's, we had Family Home Evening with the Heckers. We watched a video that was shown on KSL about words and the way we use them. A young men's group used different words used to describe the young women in the ward. In return, a smile from each girl. These words played in the background:

Words can build us up,

Words can break us down

Start a fire in our hearts

or put it out.

Words - Hawk Neilson

How are we using our words? Are we using them to be uplifting and edifying??

Tuesday I accidentally ate wheat and didn't have enough water in my system. Not a cool combination. Twizzlers apparently have wheat in them. figured that out when I ate the last one. Not a happy Sister Carling. BUT I now know and will not eat Twizzlers and I will also drink lots of water! The Baker's were kind enough to give me a water bottle and to feed us dinner.

Wednesday we had dinner at Eric and Angela Bell's home. They just had a new baby about 5 weeks ago. Their oldest girl ,who is maybe 5, told us about when her mom found out when she was pregnant. She told it like a kid history skit. Quite humorously. Later on, we were at the Mediros family's home and Jacob, 6, Told us a joke. "Why did the chicken cross the playground.........To get to the other slide!" Kids are the best. I can't tell you how much i have come to love teaching them. It makes you think and stretch and learn simply. Sometimes you just gotta laugh at them and try not to make them mad at the same time.

Thursday was planning, planning, planning. We are trying to figure ways to better "Hasten the Lord's Work". I cannot stress enough the importance of members and missionaries working together. We visited Michelle and Jennifer Magarin that night. Michelle really opened up to us! It was exciting to see her turning more fully to Christ. Sister Karen Bell gave us a ride home that evening and it was great to talk more about the Lord's work. It truly is hastening.

Zone meeting was on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday. General Conference weekend. How wonderfully beautiful to be edified and enlightened by our leaders of the church. I feel like alot of what they were telling us was that we MUST know where we stand. We CANNOT shrink. Elder Holland's talk really hit hard. I encourage all of you to invest a few dollars in to "Preach My Gospel" just like Elder Ballard asked all of us to do. Members and missionaries must work together...so...why not know the What Why and how of what we teach so that you can learn and teach along side of us?? The What is the Restoration, Why is the Plan of Salvation, and How is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Write those at the top of each section. What happened?? Why do we do it?? How can it be done?? It's all answered in those sections and it's all very simple. All it requires is faith and actions.

Sorry to keep this somewhat short but we got places to go and people to see!!

Have a blessed day y'all!!

--Sister Carling