Time in Texas: It rained and poured...2 days till 20

Hello all!!

This week again was interesting...I experienced my first Texas rain. Boy...was that crazy. I can't wait to show y'all pictures.

I am also saying farewell to my teens and hello to my 20's. It happens this week....fer reals!!

Let's not think about it.

On to my week.

On Monday, Sis Mclane treated us to mani-pedi's . It was wonderful. I cannot express you you how wonderful it felt. My feet were happy. That night we had dinner with the Foster's. That's when the rain began...

Tuesday it rained and rained and poured some more. So...we cleaned and cleaned and cleaned some more. Momma Ro was coming home that week and we figured it would be a great surprise for her to come home to a clean house. We had dinner with Sister Pearson. She makes me laugh :)

Temple Wednesday. It was beautiful. I learned so much and I was able to feel the spirit so strongly. When we came home, momma Ro was there. It was so great to see her again.

Elder Ferrin, Elder Graham, Sister Ostvig,
Sister Carling, Sister Walker, Sister Ririe

Thursday we had dinner with the Farnsworths. It rained more that day.

On Friday, we stopped by and visited Maggie. I have words of advice:

Every time you swallow, count your blessings.

Don't just get married...go to The Lord and ask. He may not be the one.

I love Maggie. She's so great :) that afternoon, we went to an assisted living center. We played bingo. :) I miss my wise, elderly ladies!! I hope all is well for y'all. That night we had dinner at the Hammer's. It's so great. They are always making me laugh. Later that evening, we stopped by the Roger's. I love this family. They were performing a critical hair issue on a doll...It's hair had been washed...with shampoo. I came right in the nick of time to help untangle it a bit and to give it a much needed haircut. Mission accomplished!! (Not!! I still got a number of months left!!)

Sister Carling and Emma Rogers with a happier doll!

It rained more on Saturday. LOTS more. That night we had the stake conference night session. It was all about hastening the work of salvation. It was amazing. The Klien area is growing so fast.

Sunday was wonderful. At stake conference, President and Sister Pingree spoke. I have come to love them so much. I was able to be edified and uplifted through the whole stake conference. I learned a lot about traction and endurance. Practice, repentance, practice. We cannot grow if we cannot practice. It's just like playing the piano. We must become a "master saint". Be the best and act the best you can. God did NOT place you on the Earth to fail...he placed you here to gain a body and have faith that through that faith you would want to change...or to repent. As you repent you would have the desire to enter into covenants with the Lord, where, as long as we remain worthy, we will receive a beautiful gift, we would have his Spirit to be with us always.

Today was kinda crazy. As you can see it's a little late to be emailing out. Well, Annie Olsen invited us to go to the zoo today with her husband and son. It was great. We left at about 8 and walked and walked. It was awesome to be able to feed the giraffes! Today was my first taste of Downtown Houston and I loved it! Needless to say, I am a bit tired.

After that, we went shopping and I attempted to type out my email on Annie's phone. In between stops to Costco and Kroger where we saw many members who said, "Hi missionaries!!" It made me feel loved. After all those trips we finally got to the church building. This is where we got to hang out with our district and have some relaxing fun where we got to know each other. It was wonderful. The sister's (Ririe and Walker) baked me a wonderful cake, we played some basketball and just talked.

Tonight we had dinner at the Black's. We talked all about missionary work. Have you ever played the "knot" game?? Where you put all your hands in the middle and you have to untangle yourself? That's what we did. We asked the 18 year old to untangle all of us without us moving. It doesn't work. When we all worked together we had success. The same goes for members and missionaries. When we have the help of members...We can succeed SO much quicker. There is an article in the June Ensign all about it. It is titled "That We May Rejoice Together". I would admonish all of you to read it. Members are key in any conversion.

I've been able to learn quite a bit this past week. But tonight, as Sis O and I sat looking over the lake in Gleanloch...I really did feel close to God...even if i didn't realize it at the time.

He was there.

He was there in the ripples. He was in the pine needles. He was there in the sunset, the ant's and mosquito's that tried to eat us, and most of all...He was there beside me.

The grace and mercy of God is in everything we see. Do not doubt that. He is actively paving a path for you so that you don't have to clear any impossible barriers.

I've been blessed with a testimony that Jesus is the Christ. So how can I keep from singing?? The Lord is mindful of you and what you do. Keep your faith in him so that He can guide you through your life on the best route possible: The Plan of Happiness.

This is my testimony and I declare this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

God Bless From Texas.

Sister Carling