Its the most wonderful time of year!!

Hello!! 

It really is the most wonderful time of the year!! Mostly because this whole week it was in the 80's (really and early Christmas miracle!), the cotton is starting to cover the valley in 'Arizona snow', and because we found some christmas cds and decided its about time to try them out!
We just had the greatest week filled with zone conference, fun service activities, and BAPTISMS FOR THE DEAD WITH THE MURPHYS.

When I was in the MTC I was told to picture people in white in the temple and by doing so I could love, serve, and teach anyone. Teaching, serving, and loving the Murphys came quite easy, it was the most joyous day at the temple performing work for our ancestors with Felissa, Madison, and Hayden. Felissa was so comfortable in the temple and when we went to get her baptism clothes the temple worker assumed she was endowed and asked "are you endowed?" and Felissa replied "Yeah! A little!!". I was standing behind her with a big smile trying to get the temple workers attention and let her know that Felissa was just baptized 2 weeks ago! I don't know why but it was the cutest funniest thing at that moment:)  Heaven would not be heaven with out the Murphy family. 

Last week in Sister Cullimores email she talked about a recent convert recieving the priesthood and said it best,
"it was such a testimony builder to me that baptism is not the end, but it is the START of a journey and a lifetime of righteousness back to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. So exciting!" What a promise of progression we have! 

On the down side of this week.. the lice are back:/ also there was a giant trantula in our screen door and Sister Church just stood there yelling at me to kill it. So here's me, Sister Carter, with a rock in my hand, repeatedly squashing this giant spider. oy vey

I keep being reminded of the fact that we have ordinances and the priesthood to bless us. How grateful I am for these sacred promises we are privileged to make. From baptism, to confirmation, receiving the priesthood for men, partaking of the sacrament, baptisms for the dead, endowment, and sealing. God loves us and he has provided a beautiful path for us to return to Him if we will just be obedient and follow the commandments we are given! A scripture in Ezekiel 11 comes to mind,

 "That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." I know we are truly blessed and happy when we obey these commandments and perform sacred ordinances (Mosiah 2:41) Its these things that show our love for our Savior and our desire to follow him! There is nothing better than seeing these people I love so much in Arizona accept these ordinances and make covenants! 

Life is just really great here and hope it is at home/ where ever in the world you are! Love you all very much! 

Happy Birthday Ethan and welcome to the family little Mayra I can't wait to meet you😊

Love,

Sister Carter 

Pumpkin Carving, Zone conference, and the beautiful cotton fields! 

-- 

Sister Emily Carter

..............................

Arizona Tucson Mission

939 West Chapala Drive 

Tucson, AZ 85704

A God who loves us...

Hello family!! I am so grateful for each of you especially this week! The letters/ packages came exactly when I needed them the most and I cant tell you thank you enough times. 

Happy Birthday this week to two of my best friends in the whole world, Kari Ann and Annie!

I don't even think words in the english language can describe this week. It was an extremely challenging week. As our favorite ward mission leader, Brother Palmer, would say, "scratch is back at it again". I wouldn't trade this week for anything though because I have never felt more gratitude for my Savior and his infinite atonement. I know with these trials of faith and hardships miracles always follow because God loves us. That is exactly what happened this week. 

Amber: She is Felissa Murphys sister that came to live with her. She came to the Murphy's baptism last week and felt the spirit so strongly! At the beginning of this week she was pretty suborn about her religion and didn't want to hear much about our church. As the week progress she was willing to listen to the restoration. Mid lesson a situation occurred and the spirit fled the room so quickly. After a while of sorting things out and settling down emotions I felt like I needed to text the Zone Leaders and ask them to come give a blessing. Amber and Felissa didn't know I asked them to come but once the Elders showed up we were able to explain a little more about who they are as priesthood holders. I can't even explain the rest of the lesson but just know it was amazing. We were able to finish teaching the restoration and as we were Amber said, "I just felt the holy spirit tell me that everything you have said is true. I know you are the fruits of something so good. I can tell you are children of our Heavenly Father sent here to tell me this." Amber is INCREDIBLE!! After she received a blessing and the things promised to her were so specific and incredibly needed. She now has the strongest testimony of the priesthood. 

The next day we found out her husband, Kasey, works for a man in Gilbert (yay to all my friends from Gilbert!!) who gave Kasey his Book of Mormon from his mission and Kasey has been reading it for the last few weeks. He is full of questions, and his desire to learn more is so strong. Such prepared souls!!! 

Some other really happy things: 

-Hayden received the Aaronic priesthood yesterday, and Felissa, Madison & Hayden Murphy got their temple recommends!!! 

- We had a lesson at the temple with Chris, the boyfriend of my Apache mama Sister Irving. And he committed to be baptized!!!! His heart softening really has been nothing short of a miracle!

-My greenie only crashed once on her bike! And she didn't get lice from me so all is really good.

-Having Facebook is actually really cool. We can contact our Investigators every day and we also make funny videos for our recent converts to help them understand the Book of Mormon/ sing people songs and send them to them. Maybe one day you can all see your famous sock puppet movie of the Book of Mormon:) 

This week I realized how very grateful I am that we have a Heavenly Father who knows and loves us individually. He wants to bless us and he wants us to feel joy, we just have to have faith and be obedient. I love my Savior. I will never be able to adequately show my gratitude for him. I love His restored church. I love teaching the restoration and seeing people understand how beautiful Gods plan really is. I love my mission. I love my cute farm town and every single person living here!

I love each of you!

I hope you all can find the peace the gospel brings each and every day this week!

Love,

Sister Carter

1. Praying that I get to be companions with sis freeman some day

2. Deegan Murphy providing the worlds best free car wash

3. Deegan also told me I need to work on my form... haha

4. Lesson in the park

5. Felissas cutest grandparents 

THE MURPHY FAMILY GOT BAPTIZED

Hello!! Lots happening back home.. first off, 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY TO THE WORLDS MOST WONDERFUL MOTHER!!!!!!! I hope you have an amazing day!!!

Welcome to the family little Benjamin I can't wait to meet you:)
Congratulations on getting baptized Ryan, I am so proud of you!
Happy birthday on Saturday to my least favorite cousin;) Beeze!!!
And happy late birthday to Bryce and Kashton! Lots of birthdays this month!

I think this week has got to have been the craziest week yet.

Monday- ROAD TRIP. I got to head to Tucson with Hna Delgado and we had the best time just chatting and listening to our missionary music:) anddd..... SLEEPOVER AT MY BESTIE SISTER GADDS. Tucson is way to far away for her to be serving..

Tuesday- MY NEW BABY. I picked up Sister Church today. She is from Emmett Idaho, 3rd of 8 kids, and majoring in Dance at BYU I. Sister Church is really nice and likes to bike (!!!!!woooo!!!!)

Wednesday- FINE TOOTH COMB. I found out I have LICE 😰and we spent basically the whole day running between appointments, washing everything I own, and staying up till 1 doing a lice treatment in my hair. ew. We decided the motto of this transfer is 'fine tooth comb' not only because of the lice but because we are fine tooth combing the scriptures and finding all the hidden treasures and fine tooth combing thatcher to find our prepared souls.

Thursday- We got to teach seminary today and had so many youth coming up to us asking if they could have copies of the Book of Mormon to give to someone. The youth here amaze me they are so missionary minded. We worked at the FAIR. It felt oh so worldly but it was so fun to talk to so many people!!

Friday- THE MURPHYS BAPTISM. happy happy happiest day of my life. I can't even put into words how amazing it was. Everything was perfect. As our ward mission leader Brother Palmer would put it 'we whooped ole scratch today' I walked into the bathroom to see Felissa after she got dressed back into her church clothes and she was absoutley glowing. We just stood there and cried and talked about every single mountain we have had to climb this last summer to get here. Heaven would not be the same without The Murphy family and I couldn't be happier to them for making this huge step on the path our heavenly father has for them.

Saturday- Another fun day at the fair. Had some bizzare conversations. One conversation for a good 30 minutes about natural deodorant and how I can start making my own?? 

Sunday- At Stake Conference the visiting authority asked Felissa to share her conversion experience and testimony. I was so scared or her, but she just did so amazing. She is my biggest role model. Tonight we had dinner at our ward mission leaders house, Brother Ellett. His son who just got back from Ghana made us this crazy spicy dinner and I ended up throwing up so much.. I guess my spice tolerance hasn't gotten as good as I thought hah 

It was the craziest best week and I couldn't love it more here. I am so thankful for all the wonderful people I get to meet and share these incredible experiences with. I have no doubt our Heavenly Father has a divine plan for each of us and puts us exactly where he needs us to be. 

I love you all dearly and hope you have a wonderful week!!

Love, 

Sister Carter

Pics: the fair, one of the coolest recent converts ever, fair, my favorite alder twinners (i am trying to get them to marry jackson and mckay), my bestie sis gadd... who also got lice:), my cute new baby, baptism baptism baptism!

Plot Twist I'm training... AGAIN!!

CONFERENCE.. wow!! I love hearing the guidance given from our prophet, apostles, and all other leadership of the church. It is such a blessing to know how real revelation is in our life. The most simple truths are always reinforced as we are encouraged to continue aligning our will with Gods. Elder Zwicks talk especially touched my heart, we all need to remember to "Make Christ the center of our lives". I hope each of your questions were answered and continue to read/ listen to these inspired talks. 

TRANSFER WEEK
Because this is my 3rd transfer here and Sis Nichols just finished her training we thought I would for sure be leaving, but as you can tell from the subject line... I AM STAYING AND TRAINING AGAIN. WHAT!? I love my little farm town and I am so excited for this new missionary to come here! Sister Nichols is going to Tucson to be companions with my trainer, Sister Drown. My baby is growing up! Not sure if its because President is new, but transfers honestly have no boundaries and everyone's predictions are down the drain each time haha its nuts over here!

Sorry such a short email we have so much to do today! (Today i get to road trip to Tucson with one of my besties Hna Delgado... then sleep at my beloved SISTER GADDS apartment!!!😊😊)
Zone conference was amazing, General conference was even more amazing, being a missionary is amazing and you are all amazing!!! Hope you all have a wonderful week:)
Love always,
Sister Carter

1. Presidents and Sister Webbs birthdays🎉

2. Zone Conference

3. Best place to take a conference break

4/5. Bye to my baby 

Lockmansese's Boys Baptism

Ah I just love you all so much thank you 100 times over for everything you do for me! Happy Birthday TODAY to Brad and later this week to Uncle Greg🎉🎉🎉

-HESTIN, TUCKER, AND SAWYER GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK. They are the cutest boys and their baptism was such a special day! Each of them was so excited for the other to be baptized and it just reminded me so much of why all this happens... so we can have eternal families and support eachother forever.

-We had to drop some of my favorite investigators, the Jaurigue family. They just aren't keeping commitments and seem satisfied where they are at in the Catholic church...  Hopefully with getting facebook in 2 weeks we will be able to keep in contact all the time even if we wont be teaching them. Keep them in your prayers!!!

-After the most insane summer with so many ups, downs, sideways, and backwards..... FELISSA AND MADISON MURPHY ARE GETTING BAPTIZED NEXT SATURDAY:)))))) There are not even the right words in the English language to describe how happy I am for them!!!

-IT IS DROPING DOWN TO THE 80'S THIS WEEK, I believe this is an early Christmas miracle!

-The neatest miracle I want to share with you. And its a little piece of why  I needed to be in Thatcher, AZ September 13th, 2017
We had a dinner appointment with a family named the Morris's. We were running late:)) and the day had gotten a little crazy. At the same time we showed up to their house their friend, Kristin, a non member also showed up. She had just gotten in town and happened to text Sister Morris. Sister Morris invited her over for dinner with us and told her ahead of time we would be there. So there we all are sitting around the dinner table. After getting to know each other Brother Morris asked if I knew Parker Peterson. I told them I went to high school with him... turns out Parker trained their son in the Ohio Columbus Mission. So excited, I asked if either them or their son had ever heard of an Elder Carter. They had!!! (smallest world) The spirit 100% guided this conversation and lead us to talk about missions with Kristin.
The conversation quieted and Brother Morris told us he had to share a story with us:
Two days before Caden Morris (the Morris's son) left on his mission Brother Morris was studying his scriptures and got distracted with facebook. He felt compelled to look at a picture of 6 sodiers that had passed away at war. He went back to his scripture study and couldnt get the picture out of his mind. Pulling the picture back up he felt drawn to a man on the bottom left. Clicking on the mans information he learned that he had passed away 2 years prior but was from Logan, Ohio. He still had family in Logan. We will call them the H's.
Fast forward a few weeks and Elder Morris receives his first assignment. The mission president felt inspired to change some things around and decided to open up an area that had been closed to the missionaries for TEN YEARS (Spirit inspired doesn't always make sense), and place greenie Elder Morris and his companion in Logan. Brother Morris found a way to get the H's contact information. Brother Morris sent a letter describing the experiences he had had leading up to this point along with a Book of Mormon to the H's familys house. A week later Elder Morris and his companion went to the H's house and began teaching them about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I could tell the spirit had touched Kristin during this lesson. The dinner message we had planned was centered on the Book of Mormon. Few times in my life have I felt the spirit as strong as I did that night. We were able to leave Kristin with a Book of Mormon and our testimonies. Majority of how this all came about was because my brother chose to faithfully serve a mission. So Blake... the blessings of a mission come in time, and I am seeing those blessings!!

Wishing you all the best week!!

Xo Sister Em Carter 

1. My favorite boys💛

2. My Apache mama teaching us to make fry bread

3. Day in the life of a blessed biking missionary

4. A cute peruvian that cooks chicken hearts 

I "ought" above I "want"

Hello hello!! Such a good week here in blessed Gila Valley!! 

-My boys Hestin and Tucker passed their baptism interview and are getting baptized saturday!!! woot woot!!

-My souls sista Felissa Murphy and her daughter Madsion came to church again this week:)) I am so excited for them to start making changes and choices for themselves. Lots of good is around the corner

-Gabriel Jaurigue came to life as we read from the Book of Mormon this week. He was so invested in the story and just wanted to keep reading!! I got to see first hand the power of the Book of Mormon in conversion!

-We had the most AMAZING zone fireside this week by a Sister from the neighorbing stake and got to take what we learned and teach it to Nicole and Gabriel Jaurigue. We read 1 Nephi 4 and talked about how Nephi didn't want to kill Laban. In fact it didn't make sense.
    -Laban always has people surrounding him, yet he was alone at this time
    - Nephi is a good guy he doesn't WANT to murder Laban
Regardless, Nephi was SPIRIT INSPIRED and some times the things we are spirit inspired to do DONT MAKE SENSE but it is what we OUGHT to do. At the devotional Sister Napier taught us the importance between 'I ought' above 'I want'.
The things we want to do are not always what we OUGHT to do. When we learn the distinction between 'I ought' and 'I want' is when we truly learn how to align our will with Gods. It's been a grand, challenging, exciting, sweaty, exhausting, magical 8 months trying to align my will with my Heavenly Fathers, but there is nothing more beautiful in the world. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ everyday has changed me! I am so grateful for the absolute privilege I have to serve my brothers and sisters here in Thatcher.

LOVE YOU ALL LOTS,
xox Sister Em Carter

Pictures.
1. Zone Devotional
2. twinner twinner chicken dinner
3. my Thatcher mom and dad, Melissa & Preston Alder, picked us up when we were walking in the pouring rain and took us to dinner💛
4. The Hermanas moved to an apt around the cornner from us. Let the fun begin:))))

5. My Hermanas 

Quarentine

Family!!! My heart is just so so humbled and so so so happy and grateful each week by the love I feel for each of you! and FROM each of you! I really don't know why I got so lucky to have the best people in my life!

What a week in the ATM. Actually it was probably one of the most gosh darn challenging weeks, but we still saw so many miracles! I got sicker than ive been in years, and poor Sister Nichols basically has had the black plague. The mission nurse quarantined us to our apartment. and i thought. i . was. going. to. die. Aunt Rose I have read every single one of the Ensigns you sent me:) And so many chapters of scriptures, and Jesus the Christ, cleaned and sewed so much and just done everything in my power not to go crazy. (though i really do think ive gone a little nuts???) Just wondering how soon we can get those perfected resurrected bodies? ahhah 

Sister Nichols and I both had the chance to get a priesthood blessing from Bishop Palmer and his dad our ward mission leader Brother Palmer. And wow power of the priesthood!! Our blessings were very specific and certain. This was one of the sweetest experiences for me as a missionary. These men feel like family to me and I know what worthy priesthood holders they are. The spirit in the room as they promised us things from our Heavenly Father is something I never want to forget. 

THEN Bishop Palmer announced in church we were sick and could use prayers. So many people texted us asking what we needed and after church people were constantly knocking on our door bringing us food, meds from mexico, and other sorts of magic juju. Aren't we the luckiest missionaries in the world!?

We did get to go to a few lessons this week though! They were a bit of a train wreck because neither of us could form normal sentences... HAH.... but thank heavens for bringing members!!!! I was so proud of how bold they were and doctrine based every comment was. We had great lessons with the Jaurigues, Murphy's and Irving/Brown families because of our members!

MIRACLE: Felissa Murphy and all her kids came to church!!!!! (once again our AMAZING members are so awesome and just grabbed hold of them)
Not only with the Murphys progress but also with everything this week I learned a really good lesson from Romans 5"...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:" After all this craziness there is much hope ahead for the Murphys and for everyone else in blessed Thatcher. I am incredibly grateful to be here right now. 

We did find out we will be a face book mission (weird) starting at the end of this month we will do online proselyting (again so weird)....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ryan, Ellery, Blake, Uncle Nate and Hermana Curtis!!!!!
AnD happy 1 month anniversary to Blake and Jayme!!
ANNDDD GOOD LUCK TO DAD AT LOTOJA THIS WEEK!! (I'll be biking extra fast this day for ya) 🎉🎉

Love, 

Sister Carter 

Temple trip today it was theeeee best❤❤

Blessed

Faaammiillyyy,

Its a mission filled week for you!! Welcome home Bryce, I know everyone is so happy to have you back thank you for your dedicated example!! And JACKSON... or should I say soon to be ELDER CARTER I am so excited for you to join this great work!! Love you and praying for you espically.

This week was a faith filled absolute blessed week. THE TUCSON TEMPLE WAS DEDICATED. SO so sooo blessed!! It has be incredible to help with inviting so many to the open house, then hosting at the open house, and finally sitting with recent converts as they participate in the dedication of the temple. All I can say is BLESSED!!

Saturday we got to watch the spectacular cultural celebration with all the wonderful youth from Tucson. It was so fun to see many familiar faces pop up on the screen! The Irving/  Brown part member family came and loveeeddd the whole thing! One of the dances was missionary themed and the youth were ridding bikes doing tricks and the little Irving boys just wanted to join in so bad (they are always asking to ride our bikes like 'cool missionaries' do... more like 'sweaty smelly missionaries hah)

Then the following day we got to attend all 3 sessions of the dedication. They were all so spiritually filled and powerfully accompanied by the spirit. I really don't have words other than the whole "burning in the bosom" was a real thing. With this dedication the light of Christ that was flooding Arizona was seriously so tangible. Each time I heard the sacred dedicatory prayer I was filled with so much love for Arizona, God, and my Savior. There is a house of the lord now sitting on Tucson soil! The most humbling thing was being able to sing the Spirit of God with the entire congregation. We were sitting in the front of the chapel and it sounded like angels echoing behind us. President Uchtdorf is just an amazing man. He gave the most genuine advice saying "Temple work is work. It's not just where elderly people go to wear white! We never know how life will go, but we know one thing; the Lord loves us. We can feel of his love in this holy temple. This is a rare and sacred event to be remembered forever". 

Even though I couldn't very well express everything I felt and heard this weekend, a couple things I do know for sure are that: Jesus. Christ lives, he is our Savior, God is our loving Heavenly Father, and the spirit really does witness and testify of truth. I know my savior. I know my father. I love the temple. And these are the most precious things in the world to me. I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to be here proclaiming their name! 

I LOVE YOU all! Thank you for all you do! 

Much love, 

Sister Carter

Pictures

1) I saw Olivia and Matthew Holt today they came to EAC for a nursing thing and they both have temple reccomend and Matthew might go on a mission!!!!YAY

2) prettiest handkerchief a sister made for the dedication 

3)At District meeting this week we went outside, dug a hole, and 'Buried our weapons of war', which was anything keeping us from being obedient faithful missionaries. Pulling on the door to get back inside we realized we locked ourselves out. Of the 7 sets of missionaries every single one had left their keys inside!! Thank goodness the Zone Leaders had their phone and our awesome ward mission leader came and opend the door:)) 

4) this glorious rain had been the best biking weather😊😊

5) cutest Giana Jaurigue

Spiciest Salsa

HELLO from the greatest farm town in the whole world!!

Today we were driving to the store with the Hermanas and they start yelling 'AHH ANOTHER TRANSFORMER'. There are these huge tractors with all these gadgets and such for the cotton fields and they are all over the roads on Monday mornings and we had to keep switching lanes to avoid them!

We finally saw the Murphy family this week for their oldest boys birthday, Ive missed teaching them so much. And just being at their house! They feel like family to me.

Gabriel is doing so good. He still hasn't finished all his bananas and peanuts but hes working on it:) 

THE JAURIGUES(pronounced how-d-gee (I said it wrong for the first 2 months)) CAME TO CHURCH!!! It was amazing. Giana the 6 year old wanted to go up and bear her testimony in sacrament, her mom told her maybe not yet:) but next time:) The kids loved primary and Gabriel and Nicole, the parents, had so many questions and have been texting us about all of them. Because the temple dedication is next week temples were talked about lots and lots. They were raised catholic and see lots of similarities in our religions but are hesitant about other things. On Friday we had the most amazing lesson with them. Gabriel had asked us some questions about the priesthood line of authority and the Great Apostasy. We had been studying like crazy all week and it was amazing to see the spirit in action during this lesson. Every question he asked I some how remembered what I had studied and had all these random sources to back it up. He knows the bible so well but was blown away as we explained things differently. Its hard to want to just throw all this information at them and yell at them that this is the only true church, but I know that's NOT how the spirit confirms things to others:) Teaching them has been the best practice of patience for me, but as I have been patient I have seen their eyes open and hearts soften. They have the greatest desire to know if this is true.  

Teaching them and studying so much about the the world after Christ and his Apostles were killed has strengthened my testimony of the restoration. The world was just a terrible place and the churches were corrupted. Instead of focusing on Christ they focused on power. I am so grateful that we have a loving Father in Heaven willing to restore precious truths to the earth! We are so luck to know how much our Father loves us and to know his plan for us. This week I am especially grateful for the Priesthood and the pure power of love that comes from this special authority. 

I lalallalooovee it here and the people are just amazing I am lucky to be a missionary!

Love. 

Sister Emily Carter

1. Matthews baptism last week!!

2. The Jaurigues💛💛

3. Lots of real grass, real flowers, and real water. I ❤ thatcher

4. Cute couple that fed us, he served in Ohio with Blake!

5. Monsoons + bikes 

--

Sister Emily Carter

..............................

Arizona Tucson Mission

939 West Chapala Drive 

Tucson, AZ 85704