Awesome last couple weeks, going to paines today!!!

Hey family! So this week has been a great one thats for sure. We ended this cambio finding a some amazing people, we have fecha with 2 people for the beginning of this month. And the other district has a family as well, its amazing and feels great to see the fruits of our labors. I have been here in natales for 6 months and when I got here there was 25 attending and this last week was 41 and this sunday was 43!!! We were so stoked. It was filled as well with people that can be assisting constantly. It was such a spiritual meeting.

I recieved a call that I would be leaving here in natales. Pres. Called while we were visiting a member and told me im going back to Puerto Mont! In a ward (never been in a ward)!!!! named libertad. It is the biggest ward on the mission. Should be a complete change in culture. But I will be finishing the second part of the training for my new comp. Im excited to give it all I got and see what the lord wants me to do in this ward. ha Welcome back to a ton of rain:) But me and elder bate (also leaving to punta arenas) gave our testimonies at the end of the reunion and I got pretty emotional, we had 6 investigators there in total and it was awesome too see all who made it. The spirit was strong and I testified of how greatful I am for the restored gospel and how I was blessed to serve in this branch. My family is extended for sure hasta the most south of the world, ha.

But thats the mission ha, love this sector but its time for a new missionary to come and love it as well. Its amazing to see what God can do for us when we give him our love and desire back. It was hard not to cry as I was up on the stand cause I everyone had tears in there eyes from the meetin and us both leaving. It is so cool to come so close to the members and get them excited about the mission work. Ha they are having a noche de hogar today so we can say goodbye to everyone, that should be fun.

We have been teaching some amazing people and i have been learning some awesoe things.

God is always preparing people, this one girl we have with fecha is only 15 but she has some friends from punta arenas that are mormon, we taught her yesterday and she asked us immediately, so what do I need to do to get baptized? haha, she also told us she already read all  the testimonies at the beginning and 1 nefi, also memorized 9 of the 13 articulos de fe. she has a awesome family and when we were teaching her I was sure of it that they were listening, Ill be excited to here how this branch is in the near future.

But hey other good news is we are heading to Torres de Paine national park again today! a member from argentina (rio turbio) a little pueble 45 min away from natales, said he would take us, we are leaving at 8 im stoked! I hope its clear skies it has been really nice lately ill for sure send you photos!!!! but hey dont have too much time but Im super greatful for you guys! the thing that stands out the most to the people is when we talk about families, and I dont have a hard time talking about ours, Im blessed to have you guys as a family. I feel peace and the spirit the most as a testify that our family can be together forever.

It has been an awesome cambio, thanks for all your correos! love you!!!

Elder Carter

oye oye! awesome week

Hey family!!!!

But yeah ha here in natales it has been kinda bipolar the weather, this morning it was snowing like crazy and now there is sun with clear skies hah never experienced something like this. Thanks for the photos of taylor and everyone, ha excited for the video when I get home sounds great.

ha with the subject of anything I need I honestly cant think of anything I need, its all good.

Im seeing a lot of progression with my comp, he is talking a lot more now in the lessons. More then anything being a shyer kid before the mission has made it hard Id imagine to speak in a foreign language. haha it was super hard for me to talk at the beginning, more then anything the humbling part of saying something wrong. but super cool to see growth in someone training is a great lesson of patience but so many great memories and things i have learned

ha funny story me and the other 3 missionaries here made up a game called animals where you choose animal signs, its like the game signs, where in a circle you make your sign and then the others to pass it to the other. But last night our lights went out so we decided to play with animal noises instead, so we were just screaming animal noises haha oh man it was great. Im sure our mamita thinks white people are super weird

But this has been a great week here in puerto natales, it is awesome to see that our sectores are really coming to life. It is amazing what God can do for us, I am truly humbled that this is his work and we are just his tools. We have had the highest attendence at church since of the whole time I have been here in natales this sunday...42! with people that will be assisting regularly. We usually have 27-30. This week we had 2 more menos activos that came to the church due to an assignment program, It has been 2 menos activos that did not really want anything with the church but after applying the program I saw their conversion in their faces at church, both really want to strive to come to church now. We have scheduled to have a noche de hogar with them together. Also the family whose son died came to church and we have a noche do hogar with them and other members today. Also we have really been trying to focus on getting members active in the mission work and one member did something of his own free will that touched me, we found a connection with one of our investigator families with a member, we called the member once while at the house of the investigator to get a connection and talked about having a noche de hogar with them together. the member called me today and told me he posted a picture of a mormon message of sons and daughters on his facebook (because this investigators wife just had a baby) also he has been calling elder bate and elder soto arranging citas with his investigators. Also we have been finding more investigators as we apply what we are asked. I am loving the unity of our district, it had been an amazing week.

Thats awesome about the eagles scout ceremony. Tell Riley and his family I said hi, haha Ive had a lot of great times with riley, tell him we are going to  play a nice game of 21 and a weird movie when we get back. is he going to byu still? also tell Jimmy, Jeff and the rest I said hi! Thats awesome jimmys back that wouldve been cool for you guys to say hi.

oh and we are just 4 elders in our district ha cause we are 3 hrs away from everyone else. Well love you guys a ton, take care this week!

Elder Carter

that flag is the flag of this region

Funerals, Drunks, and Some great Teaching...Good week haha

So this week was for sure one to remember

So Idk if I told you guys but one time as I was bearing my testimony in our branch I told them I just have such a strong feeling that this capilla is going to be filled with people one day with not enough space to fit everyone....ha well it happened but not how I thought

One of the inactivo families had a son that passed away from drinking and driving. We found out and immediately went over to the house with our pres. of the branch. (I had never met these members before because they werent to receptive to the missionaries and they were in the other sector). We paid our respects then that night we went to the velorio (viewing) for a bit. which was super different from our viewing its kinda awkward and when your a white mormon missionary everyone just starts staring at you ha and personally I didnt know the inactive member, as we were leaving I went to pay my respects to the dad and he told me to sit down, I told him we are here for him and we will continue to pray for him. He told me to sit down and told me he wanted to come back to the church. The next morning the dad and his wife passed by the house of president and told them they wanted to have the funeral at our church. As missionaries we took advantage of this situation and began to get as much people participating as posible. Pres. Guzman asked me to talk but we recomended a blind member that hace 4 months has been active in the church and knew the family (she has such a powerful testimony of the atonemenet and plan of God. So when the funeral started there began to be just a HUGE rush of people. ha with a good 30 members but with 100 or so visitors from the community, it was packed there was probably 5 times as much people waiting outside because there wasnt any space. I was an awesome reunion, short and sweet, as the short funeral went, abide with me, and families can be together forever, una miembra spoke the one we suggested and we had a special hymn number by a young girl in the ward that sung Im a child of God, and last to speak was me, ha I felt weird cause I didnt know him but I revolved my talk around the love of christ I revolved my talk of the scripture in 2 corintios 1:3-5 of christ giving us the ability to give comfort to everyone else, also I started by saying how we are here to talk about the great life of this joven and not just what happened but what is happening right now, then I testified that he is a child of god as we are all and that he is still alive and talked more about the plan of salvation. It was a sweet experience, ha there was 3 jovenes that got up and left as I talked and its a different feel talking to a ton of people (some of which I recognized that have totally slammed the door in my face) that arent to fond of the mormones. But I dont think any one can deny the spirit that they felt when the great plan of salvation was testified. I ended my talk with alma 31:31 saying that through christ we can find the strength and hope to carry. But forsure and experience to remember.

Another cool thing that happened was we did a fast to find more inactivos of the church and to help us get them going in this program of assignments. We were having trouble finding receptive members inactives and after the fast, once again I gained my testimony of the fast, as we were walking in the street we found 1 person first that after talking found out she was a member and she has a family as well, and the only reason she left was because of a work change. Other one we found that just left and doesnt really know why. Its so cool how God is willing to help us out and how he literally guides people to us in perfect situations just when we live the gospel and ask.

We are continuing to teach this 18 year old. Super super cool kid. He assisted this week at church for his 3rd time and said he just feels really good at the church and is already recognizing the spirit. We taught him tuesday, he likes guitar a ton so we played guitar for a bit at the church then we shared something.

ha another awkward drunk story was when we taught this lady for the first time, we brought a member as well. The lady had her friend there and unfortunately her friend was kinda super drunk, I didnt notice at first but when she started flirting with us and saying random stuff about a ghost in her house and she wanted us to come to keep it away, the other lady was kinda embarrassed but just taught something short and left. We will see what happens, I dont know what it is with so many drunks always finding there way into our lessons, maybe we need to ask in our prayers for that ha.

But super awesome week a lot of things are happening I love it. ha I read and enjoyed all of your stories.

Ha and I cant think of all things I like, Im a fan of their lemon pie here its pretty good, also.....Im a fan of our mamitas casuela but if anyone else makes it its kinda lame. I like anti kuchos they are like shish ka bobs.... I also like cordero its pretty dang good but we dont eat that to often, but hey take care! love you

Elder Carter

OYE! hey hey! (Photos)

Hey family and friends!

This week has been super awesome. We had a conference all the way in punta arenas again so that was a fun 3hr bus trip. But it was such an amazing conference. Every time our president talks the spirit is super strong. We learned some sweet things to apply for our nice little branch here in puerto natales. HOW YOU DOING EVERYONE!? COMO ESTAN EN SUS MISIONES!? haha I couldnt find my address book for awhile but I found a lot of you. we cant send personal letters so here you are on my letter to the family. Send me a little email or something! Sorry I havent written letters we never have times and it takes so long to get there and back much easier correo.

But yeah awesome week! the weather is super great here in natales which is super weird, it snowed a lot last month but this month its cold in the night but theres been no rain or snow and in the day its pretty nice actually. I bought my first MATE! im stoked, ha cant drink out of it til after the mission but im officially chileno stoked.

We have found some awesome people this week!!!!

There is this one kid 18 years old that assisted this week at church, he is (was) the boyfriend of someone in our branch. but not anymore haha but came still. I laughed because it would be kinda akward for a breakup in a branch with 30 people but hey if thats not a sign of true intention then I dont know what is. This guy is awesome though, Also we are giving a ton of assignments to those that are inactive or menos activo, one we gave this week was to our recent convert. Super awesome guy but due to his family its complicated. But we asked him to accompany us to the class of principios of evangelio and bore his testimony. Also during priesthood I gave a little obra misional lesson using a list our president gave us for ways the members can be more part of the work. We are going to start telling our obra misional stories every week. This branch has so many awesome members and the spirit is so strong. One thing I was really thinking about is how we can help them remember that this church here isnt just a building it is a piece of the kingdom of god here on earth. Some things I told them they could do was to read the book of mormon in public places or at there work in off times just so people ask them. I also told them to try to think of how they could summarize what they believe in a min or 2 if they ever have the chance. We talked about even more but dont have time to tell you them all ha. But they were excited to try simple ways. We dont have much members that can help us but its amazing what the lord can help you do with so little.

Another cool experience was we went to the hospital because the spouse of one of our members was sick (not a member) and we got to give a blessing. I had such a sweet spiritual experience. It was amazing how strong the spirit was as we blessed her. Ha the hospital room here have 10 people in the same room so it was interesting. Ha I know why we have a rule not to go to the hospital looking for opurtunities to give blessings because after seeing all the old and sick people I wanted to help them all and we wouldve never left the hospital.

Im really excited with our district though we are finding awesome people and getting things going. ha thanks for all the stories mom and dad. haha even some more interesting ones like the stretchy yoga man and lusks dog problems. hah always a delight to read.

love you guys a ton. YO QUIERO SABER COMO ESTAN LOS DEMAS DE MIS AMIGOS EN LA MISION O MIS AMIGOS QUE NO ESTAN SERVIENDO, LES QUIERO!

here is a photo of the coast of my sector ha not sure if i sent this one but here!

Me encanta la mision, YO Se que nuestro Salvador vive! learning so much about how much love he has for us and the rest of his children. scripture of the week...........................mateo 7:7 works pretty good :)

Elder Carter

OYE OYE!!!! buenas tardes!

Oye Oye!

Hows it going family!

Thats super sweet how you guys had a skype session to see the blessing for taylor! ha our family sounds super hip with technology haha hope you guys have a great time in hawaii mom and dad! I didnt know jurassic park was filmed there im sure its going to be beautiful, take a ton of pictures! maybe youll see a dino if your lucky

Bueno... this week has been awesome a lot of cool things have happened. at the beginning of this week we were having a rough day just a ton of people who were super mean at the door haha then there was a video of zions camp that we watched and something that struck me was when he said after a man started to complain was "you will see lords hand on this trip" and as I was thinking about that I got a boost of animo and I felt like I should tell my companion that quote but referring to the mission. After I told him that (after recieving a brutal rejection) we went to a house knocked on the door and started talking to this lady, she was super nice, she was the nieto of one of the menos activo viajitos in our sector, and she said she had shared with the missionaries before, 30 min later we had talked about how god had a plan for us so that our lives can be better and we can find more peace and direction in our lives. She told me she had been going through a hard time, lots of things had happened to her and her friends and family. We gave her a book of mormon giving her some parts we felt inspirted to give her. And she said at this time her husband is never there but would love to meet up at another place, we asked if we could meet in a house of a member and she said no problem, For sure we saw the hand of the lord in our missions.

ha also we got a call from punta arenas two days ago saying there was someone that was going to be assisting church sunday, we called this person and it was a young teenager she is super interested in the church. And the frienshipping went great everyone was super loving, with kids we just need to meet requierements with them to assure that if they were to get baptized they would be able to have a strong base so they dont leave right after. (ha Which is important for every person that decides to get baptized) not worth anything if they dont intend to make this a long lasting change)

Something cool I was reading this week that I really wanted to apply here in natales is in ether when it talks about when the lord talks to the brother of jared, and after the brother of jared is reproved and begins to work and work and do all he can he begins to have points where he needs more help (first the air holes) and he counsels the lord and the lord helps him. Then he does that idea and finds that they have no light. What I love about this part is when he counsels the lord this time the lord says and what should we do about this problem? The lord then tells him dont you worry about the storms and the depths of the sea I will guide you but what do you say of the light?....I think we can all relate with this at one point in our lives when we are asking and recieving guidance and sometimes we hit a point where we must use that great gift of free agency and choose, and after we choose we consult with the lord. The brother of jared brought about stones and said to the lord I know you can do anything and that I am nothing and here is my idea which is fueled off of the faith that you can do anything. And after he made that idea the lord showed himself to him and touched the stones giving light. one by one the lights brightened the vessels. What I love about this is that the lord gives us agency and often times we wont have a forsure answer but as we do the things that we know with surety (reading scriptures, appying simple truths of the doctrine, applying christlike attributes, etc) and make WISE decisions based on what we already know and the nature of christ, we can continue. ha lot of analyzing of 2 chapters of scripture but its so amazing how much we can take out of the scriptures and personal experience as we serve the lord.

ha but all is well we are being super lucky this winter here in natales so far has been super mild. I think I brought a piece of california with me.

But yeah definately I have seen the hand of the lord in my work here in natales, I always get such a great spiritual impression that this branch is going to grow so much in the next years. ha for sure have developed patience in small towns because for some reason the adversary works super hard when a town is tiny and everyone is super interconnected, lots of fun conflicts and personal affairs haha, but with the strong faiths of the few I am stoked to see the future here.

haha how trunky mom! haha that would be way sweet! If you guys can I think that would be super cool to tour parts of chile! There are tons and tons of lugares to choose from.

love you guys take care!

Elder Carter

Mi semana fue buena! hola hola buenas buenas!

Hola!

Oh man this week was filled with some great stories,ha I think I am officially immune to weird stuff,I was reliving los muermos all over again, we ran into so many borrachos (drunks) this week, yesterday I think was the best story so I will tell you it, as we were walking down one street a lady called me, screaming come come come!, We came back to her and asked what she wanted, she said come in come in, she was kinda acting weird but I just thought she was a weird lady that had a weird accent. I asked if there was a man in the house and she said yeah, then I asked again and she said yeah yeah yeah! look! and I thought it was an emergency so we went in and saw her husband or something, and he started to say, NO NO NO! and then the lady said, no! look! no! yeah! YEAH!.... and yeah as you are confused right now I was super confused, then she poured us a glass of soda but had wine right next to it so we didnt drink it just based on the circunstances. But then I asked why she called us but they were impossible to understand they were just mumbling, I then realized we entered a house of an older couple that was completely drunk ha. They werent violent or anything (ha dont worry mom;) ) but just super weird ones,  so I just told them we had to leave and got up, but as we were leaving the lady screamed no no no and tried to get us not to leave!!! so we started leaving faster but escaped. But yeah that was a pretty crazy experience. I made a joke with my comp saying, I dont think the MTC has a class to prep you for something like that.

But yeah we had to learn something this week from drunks because in 2 other lessons we had a drunk family member come in the room and sat down and ruined the lesson, but actually one of the experiences was super spiritual, the families get super embarrassed when it happens but Its a great time to testify them how the gospel helps families come more together and have peace during difficult times.

This week was a great week though, we are all excited for the work. We have really been thinking about new assignments we can do and looking for new menos activos. One thing I love is what Eyring asked another apostle once (ha dont remember exactly right now) but the secret to recieve revelation is to do your hw (as quoted by callister in his talk in priesthood session, The priesthood in a boy), and I love that because the way we receive more is if we really look thoroughly using good resources. This cambio is going to be a great one, I have learned through great experience its amazing what good animo does for a district and to show by example. I always remember what blake told me about his work, he told me he not once sits there commanding them... he is doing the work as well, and I know without a doubt when we apply the things that make us a good missionary, humble ourselves, and do the work with a smile great blessings and revelations are headed our way. One thing I love from the mission is you get missionaries from all places and types, with different strengths and weaknesses, and as we apply each strengths and always yearn to develop ourselves with faith in the lord we will find success.

haha loved all the pictures, taylor is precious, ha sounds like a lot of work, but super fulfilling, definately a testimony builder for the love our parents.

thanks for all the emails...ha reading whatever is fun, even the trials of kitchen table shopping haha. Im enjoying the work a ton, its a pleasure to serve our lord every day.

Ill let you know about the dentist...love you guys

Chow!

Elder Carter

I went to Torres de Paines finally!!! awesome week (Photos)

hey hey!

So this week has been really awesome it was a great way to end this cambio. We found a lot more people and we are continuing to work hard and think of new ways to find and help people. Right now the assignments for inactivos and menos activos is the most important focus for our work, this sunday as a branch we had 5 inactive members return to the church for a simple assignment.

Also for the change in the cambios I will be staying here in Puerto Natales to finish training, also President called me and told me I will be district leader here now, I know the lord will help me though for sure, kinda nervous but excited to grow.

Today we left to torres de Paines! It was so beautiful! unfortunately it was pretty bad weather but still we got to see a ton of cool places, I am going to put some photos on my letter I got some cool ones, one of them is a lake that has a glacier at the end, and some huge chunks of ice (basically icebergs) it was something I have never seen in my life before super sweet, Also there was a ton of guanacos (its like an alpaca but only found in this region) you could walk super close to them and they wouldnt do anything it was awesome. ha fun trip, and usually it costs people 40 mil (80 dollars us) to go. But a member was willing to take us in his car and we had our carnets chilenos so it only costed us 3 mil each (6 dollars us) super sweet. and it is only a 1 hour and a half away.

This week we had had some awesome experiences, one was an assignment that the other sector did to an older member of the church that hadnt assisted for a long time, they asked him to bring the bread to church and a member was going to go to pick him up but we left a little a late and when we got to his house his spouse said that he left walking (and he is an older man) we then looked in the roads trying to find him, when we found him I got pretty emotional, he was breathing super hard, had the sacrament bread in his hand, and his book of mormon in the other, after not assisting for a time he was ready and determined. When we got to the church me and elder vasquez took out the bread to prepare the table and as we touched the bread it was hot still, we realize it was just fresh out of the oven, this bread was made that morning especially for the sacrament. I was touched by that old man and as we partook of the sacrament he could know that we had the opportunity to renew our convenants of baptism for part of him.

Thanks for the photos of Taylor! I have been praying for her and you guys so she continues to grow strong. I have been praying for a family a ton and am super greatful for you all. 

For training its cool how much ive learned, the faith of someone really starts strong and powerful and I never want to lose that. The lord has helped us both realize what it takes to bring happines to others and do it efficiently as possible.

But yeah here are some photos, pray for you guys always, the mission is awesome, its amazing what the lord can do for us individually and our loved ones.

Chow chow!

Elder Carter