Better Late Than Never!!!

It's a little later than normal for emailing. All will be explained in the following presentation:

Monday we had an awesome experience with this worker at HEB. He was so enthusiastic to let us try a sample of chips and dip and then we walked away...yeah. dumb. SO we turned back around and explained who we were and everything and gave him a card and he told us that he had been trying to come back closer to Christ (or something to that point). Hopefully we will hear from him. He had such a sweet spirit. After that, BLUE BELL FACTORY!!! Finally!! Haha...it was great. Sister Davis and I both have come to love cows. That night we went on exchange with the Caldwell sisters. I went to Caldwell and got to do work with Sister Taufa. Sister Taufa is from Tonga. In a couple of the pictures of Kaelei in BYU-H, her cousin is in the picture!! I'd try to describe it but it's a little hard. 

Tuesday we went out to visit some potentials. We stopped by a member to get some info on a referral and you know a couple weeks ago about how there was a dude in a truck who yelled "Sisters!"?? Well, it was the branch mission leaders son, the member's home we were at!!! It was pretty great to meet the person who made our day. That afternoon we called for bingo at the old-folk's home up there. I love old people. We got to sing for them too!! The spirit was really invited in. I also got to see their chapel. It's basically a cute little warehouse on the side of the highway. It's adorable.

Wednesday we had a busy day planned and the Lord went on changing it all...per usual. We started with the scripture study with Sister Garcia and at the rate she's reading/listening, she'll be done with the Book of Mormon before the year's out. It's so AWESOME to see her rapidly grow and learn!! Then we helped Priscilla move. She lives like 4 apartment's over in our cute little complex. So it's going to be great being able to meet with her more often and so close! We then went to meet with Ann and she wasn't feeling well so we had lunch and went over to help Priscilla a bit more. We called at Kruze and got to sing and play the piano. At 4, we had a lesson with Tanaysha again. We read 3 Nephi 11 with her and got to introduce her to more of the Book of Mormon. That night was mutual and so we dropped by for the last little bit and it was on family history. I'm a little bit addicted. Then we had our meeting with the Branch mission leader. It was just us. The elder's were off teaching so yeah. It was so great.

Thursday was zone conference. Oh. MY. My mind was blown. SO POWERFUL!! I am so grateful for all that I was able to learn and for the spirit that was present. My mission president is awesome. I know that he is called of God to help this "rag-tag" team of missionaries and turn us into leaders and up-lifters. I have so much love for him and will ever be grateful to him for pushing us...even if it hurts. We had dinner at chik-fil-a (Yummness!!) and then did some tracting (with success) before our stake correlation meeting. Stake cor. mtng was awesome. As our stake president was talking to us, he made the comment that each of us were prayed to the area we are in. It gave me reassurance on why I am here. I am here for a reason and people need to hear from me and my companion. I am learning and growing so very much. Courage is building. That is something I am in need of. So I am grateful. I've come to learn a lot and I think that this next transfer (starting next week) is going to be me just wanting to talk to everyone. It's going to be a great time here in Brenham.

 Zone Conference

Friday was a weird day. We had weekly planning and dinner with the Biggs. We got lost. Tried to visit a few people and kinda gave up. It was late. Weekly planning day is a hard day to deal with. So we went to Walmart to get some stuff for the "HB" Project that turned out wonderfully.

It was 111...with humidity. 

Take that Arizona!! I've survived a Texas Summer!!! 

Saturday we tried to visit a few less actives...that didn't work. So we had lunch and family history. I'm SO loving it. I feel like I am being a big help to people...I'm merging people and names and sorting things out for people!! It's so fun! Crazy I know...but that's just me! That afternoon, the Elder's had a baptism and we were asked to pray at it so it was great to be able to go to that. The only bad thing is that the water here in Brenham has been really gross lately. So the water in the baptismal font was like yellow. They use the water from Lake Somerville and so it kinda smelled like lake water. Nonetheless, the look on Brice's face when he came out was priceless. You could see the burden lifted and the joy that entered into him. It was wonderful. We also got to meet with Priscilla and teach the Restoration again. It is truly a unique message. I hope that each of you has the opportunity to hear about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from a missionary, whether you are a member or not. I would invite ya'll to take the chance.

Sunday there was a cute little sticky note from Sister Davis taped into it. I opened it that day and it said: "Hi, Sister Carling...hehe :)". It was really adorable. We had dinner with the Jensen's. Then we went to try and find someone...but we almost ran out of miles on the car (we can only use 400 miles a week). While we were off adventuring, Sister Davis ended out rolling down the window and mooing with the cows. Sometimes we do that just to relieve a little stress and to laugh at ourselves. It was the end of the week...we were done with the day.

 Sister Davis and Sister Carling at the Jensen's!

Today HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUD!!!! I know I already wished you a happy birthday, Ben, but you're my favorite brother...what can I say?? I had the Crown prep for my tooth. Now i got a cute little temporary. It looks great!! Soon I will have the crown on. THEN!!!! THEN, THEN, THEN I got to go to the Turner's!!! I got to go back to my cute little "home" in God's Country! It was wonderful. So yes. Today's been a wonderful day.

 The "HB" (Happy Birthday) Project

Yepp...that about sums it up. The mailbox has been a bit empty the past week or so...*hint, hint* Just sayin, I'll write you back. It might take a few weeks or so, but I'll do it.

Keep on keeping on!

Have a blessed day y'all!!

--Sister Carling

p.s.  If you'd like to fill up her mailbox her address is:

Sister NaTosha Carling

1120 Green Street Apt #3

Brenham, TX 77833 

August and Sweaters and Spiritual Stuff

Yes, I am wearing a sweater. Yes, I am freezing cold. I wear them every Sunday and sometimes during the week. all.day.long. Like right now for instance...i'm wearing a sweater. ANYWAYS...I found a few AWESOME quotes that I wanted to share today.

• President Benson said, "It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches truth, though it indeed does that. it is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that too...There is a power in the Book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book." Thoughts: as you study the Book of Mormon you will bind yourself to the Lord and as you bind yourself to the Lord you will you will grow closer to him ,therefore, lengthening the distance between you and the temptations of Satan.
• Sister Sherri Dew said, "Happiness and Joy come only when we are living up to who we are..." and I add...or who we can become.
• I once thought, "When life gets rough you gotta saddle up your stuff and if you don't have your stuff, life's gonna be rough." I though this and proceeded to write this down last night at a seminary kick-off fireside (because if you know me...I'd forget it if I didn't). Set your day off right with seminary, institute, or/and scripture study. Get it in there to protect yourself from the devil (Heleman 5:12).
• Thank you Sis Sievert for the following quote. Elder Rex C. Reeves Sr. said, "If we are going to carry this message to every land, every nation, every people... there is still one part of this vital missionary force that has not been awakened. It is like a sleeping giant waiting to be aroused. When this sleeping giant is fully awakened, the day of the sickle will have come to an end, and the day of the combine will come in. The harvest will be in millions in place of thousands, as it is today. The great need today in missionary work is to have all the members, every member—those who bear His name, those who have had a witness—pull aside the curtains of fear and reach out in love to our friends and relatives and neighbors and let them know that we really care about them and warm them with our love, that they may know that we really do care for them as our brothers and sisters, that they too might enjoy these great blessings." ("Feed My Sheep" 1980) Also, you remember that one time Elder Nielson said, "Ask the missionaries, the can help you!"?? I ask each of you a question: What scares you about missionary work? and I reply saying, "ask the missionaries, [we want to] help you!!" We are here to help you resolve some of your concerns, so if you have any, LET US KNOW!!! We are here to serve YOU. Each of us, as members are so important in bringing others to the fold of Christ. Members are just in charge of the social part of conversion. All ya'll have to do is invite them to have fun!! Missionaries are in charge of the spiritual part. All you have to do is bear your testimony occasionally and answer a couple questions. So, now that I have you thinking, who's someone who you could invite? Good. They will be a great member. Okay, now what are you afraid of?? Invite them to something and just give us, missionaries, a little heads up. Just send us a text and we'll be there to meet your friend. We will invite them to learn more!! For that, is what we are called to do. Go work!!

Let me just get off my little box and tell you what happened this week. **Hop**

Monday...what did we do....hmmm. I honestly cant remember. Lemme ask Sister Davis. ummm...I saw members from Sealy Branch at HEB!! That was so great. It poured. we ran to our car. Dinner was at the Jensens (Yay for breakfast for dinner!!) That's all we can recollect.

Tuesday we helped the Tolman's with scanning pictures to the computer for family history. I learned a thing or two about computers. then we went out to Burton to visit a few members. They weren't home. This seems like the story of the past week. Must be a few weeks before school starts up....and also some rodeo's. That afternoon/night we were tracting...with no success...and I was feeling like just giving up when we decided to do one last door. He was interested. He figured it's time he and his wife settle down and find a church. Only problem is they are remodeling their house and won't be moving in for 6 months. BUT HE WAS INTERESTED!! So that's good.

Wednesday we did the same schedule we normally do: reading the Book of Mormon with a coming-back member, volunteering at Freedom Hill, visiting Ann, Going to Kruze having a little dinner and then doing some tracting...again with no success...until the last house. She had met with the missionaries at the beginning of the year and when we went to our area book to find her record...there was no address!! So we filled that in and we were grateful...that doesn't sound right but it is... that we didn't throw it away with some of the others we had the week before.

Thursday was the dreaded dentist day. My jaw was stretched open for like 2 hours and it hurt to shut. After that we were hungry and I wanted Taco Bell. So that's where we went. We were sitting there and the man-who-didn't-want-to-argue walked through the door. I kinda got scared. okay. I was really scared. I didn't wanna argue. And so when I told Sis D that he was there...we both said a prayer in our heart. And nothing happened. :) wheww....On to planning and then Gazebo and then planning again and then dinner with the Wrich's (pronounced: rick). We did some service for them and then headed down to the church for sports night and ended out doing family history with Priscilla and Sis Gouge instead. It was great.

Friday was district meeting. I was spiritually edified. We helped clean for someone moving out and then after that, I got to meet up with Kristy from Sealy Branch. It was great to talk with her. That night we had dinner and then went to go and visit a few people. Jordache's lesson was great! and it was awesome to have his friend he made there with us. That was the highlight of the evening.

Saturday we went everywhere. We went from Chappell Hill  all the way to Fayetteville (which by the way is only 13 miles from New Ulm) because we had a lot of miles left over from the week. Other than realizing the importance of a truck on a dirt road, we were okay. There was a little bit of fish-tailing it as we went across some of the dirt this weekend. We had to go slow.

Sunday we had church and studies. We also had a heartbreak...followed by an awesome lesson with a young lady that we met on the street. She is so willing to accept. She has such incredible faith. I'm excited to see how she grows closer to Christ.

Today....well I'm here. And that's about as far as we've made it.

My camera died. I do have pictures...but I cant upload them when the camera is dead. 

So...sorry.

Have a blessed day y'all!!

--Sister Carling

It's been a crazy week.

So last Monday we didn't end out going to BlueBell as planned. (sad face) BUT we got to spend some time with some other sisters (and that's always a good thing). We also found out that I am the designated driver in our companionship. I haven't driven in 9 months mind you...but I did it and I've been doing it ever since. It's kinda crazy to be driving again. I'm just grateful that i am out in the country doing it and not in like...the really Houston part of our mission. That's some crazy driving right there. That night we had dinner with Priscilla and her boys. They asked us lots and lots of questions. It was pretty fun. That night we did some tracting in a neighborhood where we were warned not to be (by a member). They told us to basically leave because it was getting dark.

Tuesday we had MLC: Mission Leadership Council. It's where all the Zone leaders and Sister Training leaders go and discuss future business...and since we're out in the middle of nowhere i was able to go with them instead of being pawned off to another companionship. MLC IS AMAZING. Oh my goodness. I think I was the only missionary there who got to go who wasn't a leader. It was amazing to feel the spirit in that room and to be taught directly from our mission president, his wife, and his assistants. I am so amazed at the Lords work. Our God is an awesome God. We now have a mission statement. It is as follows: Our discipleship is settled.  We are faithfully prepared, exactly obedient and lovingly bold. we will see miracles and accomplish our missionary purpose as we unite with the Lord to hasten His work. We are the Texas Houston Mission. So powerful right?? The Lord truly is hastening his work and I am so grateful to be apart of it. That essentially took up most of the day. on our way home we were in Tomball and this light stayed red for seriously 10 minutes. I'm not joking. Everyone started going  but we kept the law and stayed put until the light went green. It was kinda annoying and I really had this inner battle...about a stop light. There were lots of cars and...I mean I could go on but I won't bore you with this stuff. That night we had dinner in Bellville. The members live on the outskirts of Bellville, but are in our branch and since we were coming from Houston, we traveled through Bellville. TALK ABOUT MEMORY LANE!!! Oh my goodness. It was so crazy. But it was great. That pretty much summed up the night, other than returning the GPS back to the elders (LIFE SAVING DEVICE!!).

Wednesday we went to read scriptures with a woman in our ward who cant see very well. After that we went to "Freedom Hill" (a resale shop to benefit addiction recovery) to volunteer. Out here in the country, we find a lot of volunteer opportunities to help get us involved with people and serving others. I've really come to love it. :) After lunch we went to Kruze Villiage to help there with bingo and to sing after. I miss my friends back at Fellowship Square so this is great for me to be doing it out here. (Congrats Lexi on getting a job there!) That night for dinner we went on an adventure in trying to find the house we were supposed to be at out in Burton. The address on the paper was right but they moved down the road a-ways. Eventually we got a hold of them and were directed in the right path. Adventures, adventures!! That night we had Correlation meeting at the church with our Branch Mission Leader, who is, again, SO GREAT! I am really coming to love Brenham more and more!

Thursday was weekly planning. So, after all that and lunch, we went out and visited people. We got to go and do service at Gazebo, another home for my elderly friends. They are really so tender. Normally we play shake loose a memory and just try to spark up memories for these older folks. Dinner was at the Jarnagin's. (NOTE: I'm not sure how they are related to Chloe, they just told me that all Jarnagins are related.) Sis Jarnagin's friend Janice came over and we were able to do an intro to the Restoration. She knows that her next step in life is to start coming back to church. We were able to help download the gospel library to her phone so that she has the scriptures with her wherever she goes. SUCH AN AWESOME APP!! I hope to be able to teach her more. That night we had sports night where the ward is able to come and invite any of their friends. A great finding opportunity and activity for everyone!

Friday was also another crazy day because we had to go to College Station for zone meeting and then to Bellville for a dentist appointment. First we had to wake up really early. Problem: The alarms didn't go off. Blessing: Sis D woke up so that we had just enough time to get ready. When we both walked out of our bathrooms...we had on the same outfit. Same shirt, similar skirt, black shoes. Yeah. We are on the same thinking wave. here's a picture.

So we left to the church to get on the computers to get directions for where we were to drive. We made it in time!! We had to be there a bit earlier since Sis D is a Sister Training Leader. I think that like 1/3 of our zone is from Arizona. It's cool. Arizona's cool. Yeah. So after that we had a meeting after the meeting that set us back an hour. So we skipped lunch and drove straight to Bellville. Dr Luekenga, a member in the Sealy 1 branch, fixed my teeth and I'll have to go back to get it finished up (root canal). Then we finally got to eat...both sides of my mouth were numb so that also made for an adventure. We did some tracting and **funny, blessing story** this man came to the door and walked onto the porch as we started talking he told us, "I'm too tired to argue right now. Just know that there's another side to the story. I'd look into that if I were you." What a blessing that he was too tired. I didn't wanna argue either. So we left.

Saturday our schedule got rearranged. Lot's happened-ish. Ummmm....We had a lesson with Priscilla about missionary work and family history. Followed by some family history class. When we do this, we help the members with their family history and learn a thing or 2 about our own. That night we saw a woman who's hair reminded both Sis D and I of a teddy bear. It was laughable. We made a few more visits for the night and just had a great time being missionaries.

Sunday we had early meetings and church and lunch and studies. Lot's of fun...kinda. Yes. Lot's of fun. Priscilla got a calling!! She got called as a Beehive adviser and she's going to do so great!! We had dinner that night and then my stomach wasn't feeling well so we went over to Bro BJ Plumb's (our Branch Mission Leader) for me to get a blessing. That blessing was awesome. It really helped me to see how I've grown in my testimony and in testifying. God's proud of me, and I really feel it. That night we had a lesson with Jordache. He's growing so much!! We moved his baptismal date up to Sept 27. I am so excited. After that we went to go and have another lesson with Robert. Ben, i got to share the example of your faith with him. You are a great example of member missionary work. Keep being awesome!! (and have fun at school :) ) It was a crazy week. Awesome, but crazy.

Today is Monday, yet again. It's so great to be here in Brenham and I really am so happy here. Work is different, per-usual to area changes, but I really love it here. And I will continue to love it and grow while I am here. My discipleship is settled and it is active. As i strive to be faithfully prepared, exactly obedient and lovingly bold, I will see miracles and accomplish my missionary purpose as I unite with the Lord to hasten His work. I am part of the Texas Houston Mission. My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. How great is my calling!

​I hope each of you has the opportunity to make a pledge for yourself. Each of our callings is great. The Lord has an amazing plan for us and wants us to succeed. It's by following that plan that we will receive.

​Have a blessed day y'all​

--Sister Carling

Back to the Middle of Nowhere...Almost Next to Nothing.

HELLO EVERYONE!!!

So my new area is...dun-da-dun!!! BRENHAM BRANCH!!! I'm in the area just north of Sealy (the Turners live about 20 miles away!). Guess what else...It's the home of Bluebell Ice Cream. YEAH!! That stuff is the best!! Today we are going to tour the factory.

We also have another set of missionaries in our area: Elder Awong and Elder Hunter. Elder Awong was in my district in the MTC so we had class together. Elder Hunter is from Peoria AZ...along with half the ward. Most of our ward is from AZ whether it be Thatcher or the Valley or even up to Round Valley. I'll probably have a connection with all of them in one way or another by the end of my time here.

Porter Park ward: So the Plumb's who live on 8th (I think) are the grandparents and aunt of our branch president, branch mission leader and a young womens leader. Possibly even a couple more!! and there's a Bigg's from Lehi. and couple Peirce from Showlow. yeah. The ward is pretty much all related in one way, shape, or form, but it's awesome. The people here are great!!

My companion, Sister Davis, is pretty awesome. She's from Reno, NV. She's also a Sister Training Leader so we get to go on exchanges a few times!! I'm so excited to work with her. She and I are already starting to kinda read eachother's minds. It's gonna be a great time here!!

Sister Davis and Sister Carling at the Jensen's

Oh...and we're in a car. Just a by-the-way statement. :)

Monday...it feels like forever ago...but also just like yesterday. Anyways Monday, We did the normal P-day stuff and then for FHE that night we went to the Zachary's with Mariah. What a great way to end my time in Parkway!! I'll miss ya'll...but I'll be back to visit. Just you wait.

Tuesday we headed down to the mission office. Bright and early. Everyone was there waiting in antisipation for the transfer sheets to be passed out. While waiting we tood pictures and visited with other missionaries. There are normally quite a number of missionaries there so I found the ones I knew haha. Transfer sheets were passed out and I am with Sister Hannah Davis!! Happy day!! We then followed the Calldwell Sisters out to brenham because we didn't have a GPS. It's super exciting to use maps. It's also kinda crazy. I now understand the statement, "Just pull over and ask for directions." Except we don't...Because we are too cool for that...haha After dinner with the Jensen's that night, we had a lesson with Priscilla. Priscilla was baptised on Saturday. She's so sweet and she has such a desire to learn. Anyways. She's awesome.

Fun to see mission friends at transfers!!

Sister Ririe and Sister Carling

Wednesday was a full day. We went everywhere. I think my favorite was going to the Chappell Hill Museum. I love museums! We got to help clear out a room and help prepare it for an archive room. After that we went to "Kruze Villiage". It's an old folks home. We got to help out and play bingo and sing. I love old people. That night we did a little tracting. Sometimes people just need to say "I'm not interested" or give us some sort of straight answer. That's one thing I'm learning. I'm trying to apply it too. Straight answers are the best. We had a meeting with the branch mission leader and the elders. It was great. It's going to be a great time out here.

 Homemade Ice Cream at YM/YW on Wednesday evening

Thursday was planning and then we went out. We volunteer at another old folks place called "The Gazebo" We play a couple games and then sing to them. It's a great trade. We taught Priscilla another lesson before her big day on Saturday. That night we have sports night. It's pretty successful turn out with the youth and investigators coming to the church building.

Friday we had District Meeting instead of Zone meeting. We have Us, the Elders in our Branch, the Calldwell Sisters, and the Navasota Elders. and we're all branches. It's an adventure. That afternoon we went to help a potencial investigator write addresses and we got to teach the restoration. It was awesome!! I'm now feeling like I got a handle on everything. Like I feel like I know things now. I mean i would guess that by now that I'd have an understaning on things...and I do :) That night we had dinner with the Jensen's again. They have 2 kids on missions. Their son is in Ghana and their daughter is in South Carolina. It's pretty cool. We love getting to spend time with them. after that we had a lesson with Jordache, he's one of our investigators and he's 18. We taught the importance of scripture study and prayer. the spirit was so great!! His friend, a member in our branch, was there to to help us out. It was so great!

Saturday we went to Chappell Hill again to help out at the museum. I found a 1932 Composition book shoved in the bottom of a box. That was an awesome find. Sister Biggs took us out to lunch after that and we all headed to the church building. We taught family history and when that was done we started the water on the baptismal font. Such a wonderful sound to be coming down a hall to hear. Priscilla was baptized. She REALLY felt the spirit. She told us that she REALLY felt the forgiveness of her sins. That night we went out to another investigators house. She's building up her food storage and so she taught us how to do it and we helped her. We made pickles and blueberry jam. It was great!! A new skill added to my list :) Also. The high that day was 80. Pretty remarkable for August.

 Sister Davis, Sister Carling, Priscilla, Sister Davis, & Sister Murphy

By Sunday, I had met almost all the branch. It was great to be there and meet them all. You can just tell that they love it all and eachother. We had dinner with the Jensen's (again haha) that night. I'm enjoying getting to know them better! That night we had a lesson and we wern't quite sure what needed to be said. So we planned on one thing and ended out teaching another. We taught about scriptures, in general, specifically the Book of Mormon. Such an amazing book. I have come to love and appreciate it more that I can express. Read it. Let it change your life. Let The Lord help you and guide you to his eternal life. Pray about it. If you know it's true...then all other things will come. But the Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ. He lives. He sent a young boy to the earth to restore his kingdom. Joseph Smith is a prophet. If you know those to things with a surty, then all is well. Take the covenants of the Lord upon you and enter the fold of the shepard. He loves you. Understanding will come with time, but all things take a little bit of time. Again, if you know those 2 things...your set.We aren't supposed to know everything.

I love yall. I hope all is well where ever you are.

Have a blessed day yall!!!

--Sister Carling