The peak of my week!

So! This week was absolutely crazy. First, on Tuesday, we had Zone Conference which was really great. I absolutely love Zone Conference because, just like President Bowler said, it gives us an opportunity to change. We have this one opportunity to take everything that we learn in a few hours and change the way we work and live our missions. We learned a lot of how to take care of ourselves as well. I'm going to do my best to follow all the health rules because I really do not want bacteria or parasites AGAIN. I might have parasites right now, but I really don't want to check....

After that, on Thursday we did divisions with the Zone Leaders. That was great, like always. I went with Elder Quintanar from Mexico. He's a great guy. He was my District Leader when I was in Langue. Well, my tooth has been hurting lately, so we decided to make an appointment with a dentist to get it checked out. We had to take a bus to Danli. That's about an hour ride. We got there and I got into the office. By the way, the dentists here are exactly like the dentists in the States, so you can get all the crazy thoughts out of your mind mom. haha Well, the only difference was that the waiting room was like half waiting room, half garden, which was cool. So I went in with the dentist and he said that I had 3 cavities on the same tooth!! So I got those all filled up, which really hurt by the way. 

Well, the next day I returned to Zamorano with Elder Fredrickson. We went contacting and we found this guy called Emerson. At first, he put up this front. He told us he goes to a church already and that he was actually in "training"or something like that to become a pastor. I just told him, give us 45 minutes to explain how the heavens have opened again. (We watched a church history movie on Saturday, so I'm really into talking like the missionaries from church history right now.) Anyway, he listened to us and had so many questions about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and everything. It was really cool actually, because this was the first lesson that Elder Fredrickson just kind up piped up and answered questions without asking my approval!! haha it was perfect. We actually were answering all his questions before he asked them. The last question he asked us was, "Do you really believe that man holds the same authority from God that the profets of old did?" We testified so hard that we do!! It was so cool. I am so stoked for this guy. He asked us if we actually believe in the Holy Ghost as well and Elder Fredrickson said that we do and that we had felt him testify of the truth during that lesson. After that, Emerson told us that he had felt the spirit too!! It was just so great. That was like the peak of my week!

I love you all so much!

love, Elder Carter

The owls are going to take you away!

Hey family and friends!!

Well, this week was great and full of surprises! So first. I'm going to explain the title because I usually mention something and then totally forget to explain it. 

In church this sunday we had one investigator. His name is Saul. We just contacted him on the street on Friday and invited him to church. He told us that he started drinking at a very young age, so his brain is pretty damaged. He's a great guy but kind of all over the place when he talks. So anyway. He showed up to church on Sunday!! And then he stayed until the second hour. In the class, we were talking about Christ's church. And you have to know about Hondurans. They just kind of take one topic as far as they can in a conversation. So as we were talking about Christ's church, someone jumped in and told their conversion story, then someone else told their's then out of nowhere, someone started talking about the Catholic Church. And I'm not sure if this is just Central America or Catholic doctrine, but apparently, Owls are evil. And if you don't get baptized as a child, the Owls take you away. Well, during most of the class, Saul was zoned out. Then the second he heard the word owl, he sat straight up and said, "Everyone should be baptized, because when I was a child, I wasn't baptized and the owls took me to a really scary place. And I never returned." Then everyone just started laughing really hard. and he went on some other tangent that I totally missed. So. moral of the story...GET BAPTIZED!!

This week was great other than that experience. Elder Fredrickson had his first opportunity to give a real Spanish blessing! He did great! So much better than when I gave my first blessing. That was rough

Anyway. So this week we've been working a lot with menos activos and 12 came to church!! WHAT!! I was so stoked when they all started filing into church. It was so crazy though. I was just going around like crazy shaking their hands and making them feel welcome. It was super cool. We also found a family that is so pilas!! Their names are Marvin and Rina. They're very willing to do what the Lord tells them to. They're so dang humble too.

Well, thank you all for the letters you send me. I've got to go now! 

Love, Elder Carter

PS: October 19th is the official date Elder Carter started listening to Christmas music.

This week was full of work.

Hey family and friends!!

Wow. Another week passed by. This week was full of work work and a branch activity! Elder Fredrickson and I have been able to start to gather together a healthy pool of investigators. We have big plans for next week and we both have so much faith. But first off. Elder Fredrickson is a stud. When I came on the mish I could barely talk Spanish. But this guy. He just goes off!! It's awesome!! Sometimes it doesn't make 100% sense, but he doesn't care. he just wants to talk so bad. His Spanish is going to be so much better than mine by the time he leaves.

So this week, we got back from working one day and as I was about to lie down in bed, the phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, so I did the normal missionary answer. "Hallo, habla Elder Carter. Como podemos servirle?" And then the person on the other end just started crying. It was really weird. So I kind of calmed him down. After that, he told me that he wanted the missionaries' number in La Kennedy. (That's just an area in the city) I told him no, because I didn't really feel like putting those elders in danger. So after a little bit of talking, I found out who it was! He was a kid named Oscar. He is the son of a family in our area. (One of our favorite families to visit) Anyway. About a year ago, he had left for his mission, but had returned early after 2 months. When he returned, he locked himself in his room and didn't talk to anyone. Flash forward a few months when Elder Carter shows up in Zamorano. The same week that I showed up, he ran away from home. So I'm thinking all this in my mind right now during this call. So I told him that I would talk to his mom before I did anything and he agreed. The next day we couldn't visit her. We didn't get to her until the day after. We talked with her and she just bursted in tears. She hadn't heard from him in about 2 months. So that night I called him back. I asked him in what part of the Kennedy he lived in. He then told me that he doesn't live in the Kennedy, but by it in a residential called La Honduras!! Sounds familiar? It should. That was my second area!! Anyway. He told me his directions. I wrote them down and gave them to the Elders that are there. That's as far as the story goes for now...We'll see how that plays out!!! It was an insane story though and I thought I'd tell it....

Well, besides that, we're just moving forward with the work. Thank you all so much for the support and love. 

Love, Elder Carter

PS: I just want to inform you all that all the Christmas packages you are going to send me have to be sent before Nov. 5th if you want them to get to me before Christmas. Much love.

Elder Carter being Elder Carter!!

"Elder Carter, you've got changes" "What??"

Dear family and friends,

Well, it's true. Elder Wardle and I had changes. That was pretty rough because we were just kind of planning for him to die with me. It really caught us by surprise. When we showed up to changes meeting, we went into the room where they hold the changes meetings. Like normal, everyone was talking and reminiscing and all the new Elders were in front just kind of quiet and nervous.

The changes meeting started and the Elders and Hermanas that were going home gave their final testimonies. One of my good buds from the mission, Elder Abbott got to give his final testimony as well. He's a stud. 

Anyways. The changes started and also like normal, the trainers are put on first. As they were going through the names and areas, I saw my area pop up and then my name. So I stood up with a giant smile on my face. Then, the next name that popped up came from Cedar Hills, Utah. Elder Fredrickson. I ran up to the front row and gave him a huge hug and then took my seat. I am so stoked to finally be able to train!! Elder Fredrickson is awesome too. He's just so ready to work and has such a spirit about him. He actually has some pretty good spanish as well, for coming brand new like he did. We've been able to teach a few investigators, but like normal, most of our work falls under retention.

We were able to go to La Villa de San Fransisco again to watch conference. That was great. We were able to watch it in English and that's always a plus. Does anyone know why they stopped having the general authorities talk in their native tongue? I was stoked to hear a few in spanish this time...But that's alright. It was such a great conference and like everyone, I know for a fact that the three new apostles were called of God. I love you all and I'm stoked for next week's letter!!

Love, Elder Carter