First Week in Tucson!

Hello family and friends!

First and foremost.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEDNESDAY TO MADISON!!!! The big 15 wahooo! You have the  most caring character. I love your concern for others and your eagerness to help make others happy. This will be your first birthday without me there and it makes me incredibly sad to miss this special day with you, but I hope this new year of teenage fun brings much excitement!   Everyone watch out when she gets her learners permit;) 

Other fun mission updates: 

The Tucson Temple open house will be the first few weeks in June and the dedication will l be in  August. The members are very excited!

Mission schedules world wide have changed! The biggest changes are that we are now in control of when we have personal and companion study. If have things to do in the morning then we can move study around our schedule. Second, instead  of planning at  night, we plan in the morning. This leaves us with 30 minutes at night to write in our journals! 

I made it safely to my first area in Tucson! I am serving in this tiny little are in south east Tucson. We live in an apartment complex about 25 minutes away from our area- which means we get to drive a car! We cover two wards in this area. There are pretty strict laws against proselyting in this which means we can only teach people who ward members refer us to. A bunch of part member families or less active family's live in the area and they are the main focus for us. About two transfers ago some elders were in this area and offended the members, so we are working really hard to gain some trust back. My companions name is Sister Drown, from Kearns Utah. She has been out for about 8 months and in this area for 2. 

Some funny things about my first week: 

There is a little boy named  Aiden who is cousins with a family that was just baptized. He absolutely loves the church. Every day he is on the gospel library app reading the children's Book of Mormon. He wants to be baptized so bad, but his mom is very against it. She is pure crazy. Hefsy is her name. The first time I met her she welcomed us into her house with her loud voice and just went off talking about all this art in her house that she stole from different bars in Mexico. (for this next part everyone remember that I am a innocent girl born and raised in Utah) She goes around the house showing us her pets and art and what not. Then she starts telling me about her dog that died last year. Right then and there she dropped her pants to show me the tattoo of her dog on her upper thigh. Though she did have underwear on I was in complete shock. (And not hiding it very well haha) So she starts busting up laughing at me. But I was able to help her pray that night and the missionaries have never been able to get her to even stay in the room for a prayer! Any ways I hope her heart will soften towards her son wanting to join the church. 

Favorite things: 

On Thursdays we have service for several hours at a therapy center! Guess where it is located... on a horse farm!!! Even if our service is typically scooping poop or adding volunteer hours I am so happy to be there, I love it! 

Challenge for everyone: 

In meetings this week we talked a lot about studying. I want to challenge everyone to study Enos 1:3-4. And apply that we shouldn't study out of duty, but study out of desire. 

Thank you everyone for your love and support. LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU

Love, 

Sister Carter

The Elders and Sisters doing their weekly grocery shopping.