HELLO FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND VISITING DIGNITARIES ALIKE!
It's been (technically) 2 weeks since I've entered the MTC! But they count the week I entered as a week, so I'm on my 3rd week right now.
SSOOOOOOOO much awesome stuff has happened, so I'm hoping my parents forward this to everyone they can think of so everyone can read of what a terrible influence I have on people. XD
Anyway, down to business. I'll talk about a few things that happened, and hopefully you guys will ask questions that will help me remember more.
Anyway, down to business. I'll talk about a few things that happened, and hopefully you guys will ask questions that will help me remember more.
1.) We lost a District last week! On Sunday, District B, the one with the Zone Leaders in it, left to go serve their missions in the field. It was so cool to see them leave, having full confidence in the Lord. I was so sad to see them go, as I had grown to love them all. Especially Elder Tanner, Elder Womack, and Elder Conrad. They were just so kind and generous to everyone. I really will miss them.
2.) TIE EXCHANGE! Apparently, the day before a District leaves, there is a Tie Exchange that happens. I managed to trade 5 of my ties for 10 others. I traded 2 for 1 on almost every tie, and DANG are some of them just fantastic. I will take pictures of them soon and show you guys my awesome collection.
3.) Right before quiet time, our Zone has a tradition. Everyone in our Zone goes to a Spanish Speaking mission, so we all sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" in Spanish as loud, as proud, and as enthusiastic as we could. It was the most powerful experience I've ever had. We were all crowded together praising our God with song. If any investigator were to be present at that single hymn of praise, there would not even be doubt in their mind that this church was true. It was just incredible. I could not keep the tears from rolling down my face. After the song, we had Elder Ah-Hoy get in the middle of the group and we started chanting "Taco". He started with his fist down near the ground, and we were quietly chanting it. Then he started to raise and it got louder and louder, and then we started chanting louder and softer and louder and softer, until eventually, Elder Ah-Hoy raised his fist in triumph and everyone was screaming "Taco! Taco! Taco!" Great experience there.
4.) Elder Hilton and I have been teaching "investigators" for a while now, and we both admit: We are awful at teaching the Gospel. It's so hard! I don't get how you tell them the Book of Mormon is true when they are adamant that the Bible is the only word of God on the Earth! We were both frustrated. Finally, though, we taught Hermano Holman's "Twin Brother" (Him with glasses on) and we had incredible success! Somehow, we just went in and said that no matter what, we were going to rely on the Lord. Some of my questions and answers were not mine. I remember saying some things that I know I didn't think of on my own. My companion, although he's struggling with the language, knew what questions and answers we needed when we needed. It was a great experience. We placed a Book of Mormon and (technically) committed him to Baptism. We were so excited that we almost forgot to finish with a closing prayer.
5.) So, our Zone leaders left on their missions, so that meant we needed new Zone Leaders. Our District Leader, Elder Smith, and his companion, Elder Wilkinson, were called as the Zone Leaders. This meant we needed a new District Leader. The mantle of this office fell upon me. ME. I'm the new District Leader of District 49C! Yeah, I'm pretty stoked, but at the same time, I'm terrified. You see, one of the Elders that is in our District has been causing problems for the rest of us. Whenever anything, and I literally mean ANYTHING controversial or anything against his beliefs comes up, he argues the other side until he's blue in the face. Like, I'm not even joking. He literally tried to argue that I could do something as District leader that I'm not authorized to do. He's extremely hard to get along with, and I have to talk with him about it. Pray for me. I'm absolutely terrified.
Okay, there is probably more that I missed, but there's so much happening in every week that it's kinda hard to remember it all.
I love the CCM. I love the feeling here. I love my companion, my District, and my teachers. The best part about the whole experience here is that I'm able to make mistakes, and learn the language well enough that I can speak and communicate with confidence. I may not say the correct things, but I know I can at least get my point across.
Yo se que La Iglesia de Jesucristo De Los Santos De Los Ultimos Dias es la Iglesia verdadera hoy. Yo se que el Evangelio de Jesucristo es verdadero, y que la Biblia y El Libro De Mormon estan la palabra de Dios, y que un hombre puede venir mas cerca a Dios con las escrituras. Yo se que Jose Esmit fue un profeta, y que Tomas S. Monson es el profeta en la tierra hoy. Yo se que este trabajo es la trabajo de Dios, y que Dios es nuestro Padre Eterno.
If you have ANY questions, or you just want to say hi, my email is coby.carter@myldsmail.net. PLEASE email me! I LOVE HEARING FROM PEOPLE! IT'S SO GREAT! PLEASE!
Do what you should do, say what you should say, and be who you should be.
LOVE YOU ALL! KEEP LOOKING UP AND CARRY ON!
Elder Carter
