"I have so much LOVE inside of me!"

08-28-13  Sawadii Khaa! Sabaydii May? I can't believe I have been here for two weeks! I got seven more to go here in the MTC but that's alright. I will have plenty of time to learn the language as best as I can. I'm not expecting to be a pro by the time I'm done. In fact, I know I'll probably get to Thailand and look around me and think, "Did I even learn any of this language?" haha! But, the Lord will help me through lots of study and misunderstandings with talking to the natives. It'll be a great adventure! I have been studying so much in my free time. My brain feels overloaded at times. But, I am so grateful to the spirit that is here. I thought I would have a hard time adjusting but I have been having an easier time adjusting. The beds are uncomfortable and the food is questionable at times, but I smile and laugh with my Sisters and Elders and everything feels alright. Last night, we had a devotional that was a broadcast to all the other MTCs. I sang in the choir and they got a short shot of me! I felt a little famous! Haha! Neil L. Anderson came to speak to us. I couldn't believe that an Apostle of the Lord had come! It was so neat. He spoke of Love and Sacrifice and all the challenges that come with being a Missionary. But most importantly, he spoke of the blessings we will receive because of it. By the end of the devotional, we all sat for fifteen minutes because it was storming outside with thunder and lightning! It was sunny all day long though! Ah, Utah weather ;) So, after the brunt of the storm had past, we all rain in the rain to get back the the MTC. It was so much fun! My companion and zone were all drenched from the pouring rain. I was so grateful that I wore my crocs that night! They TOTALLY helped. But, it was really cool because we were all joking, "So this is kind of like a little taste of Thailand, right?" Haha! It was great. We all came soaking back to our classrooms but we were dismissed to go back to our rooms. Taking a nice hot shower after was the best. Being a missionary is rough at times. I'm not even in Thailand yet but I already feel exhausted with all the lessons and studying that I do. I feel myself changing little by little each day and I honestly can't wait to see the person I will become by the end of this Mission. I feel like a different person at times. I am happier, I exercise a lot more, and I feel so much energy that I know the Lord has provided me. I just have so much love inside of me that I don't know what to do with it at times. It's hard to explain what you're feeling when your heart is so full. I am understanding my Savior more and more than I ever have before. I am so blessed. Thank you all for your support and love. I couldn't do this without you. Letters are super appreciated since I can't reply to everyone's emails. I love you so much! I pray for you all! Love, Sister Carter

This is where I sleep.

 Free bins we scavenge through on every floor! haha!

 My closet...

...my desk...its a little cluttered. So, theres a little of the MTC here.

My District

All these pics are of my district.  There were so many cameras that we couldn't all look into one at the same time. Elder Hartman at the end is the only one looking in most of them! Haha! (From left to right bottom row) Sister Peterson, Sister Maughan, Me, Sis Her. (From left to right top row) Elder Madsen, Elder Codling, Elder Wolfley, and Elder Hartman.

Funny pic of Elder Sugihara and all of us not paying attention. Haha! He's so funny!

Sisters in my District/Zone

Sisters in my district/zone. (from left to right) Me, my companion Sis Her, Sis Maughan (in district/roommate), Sister Peterson (in district/roommate), the OTHER sis Peterson, Sis Ellis and Sis Barber (all in zone).

I know I am here for a reason!

Sawad dii Ka!!! Sabaydii Mai? (How are you?) I have so much to say in so little time. The MTC is wonderful, but overwhelming all at once. The first three days here felt like I had been here for like three months! The days go by faster after the first week though. Wednesdays are my P days so look forward to me writing my blog on those days! Anyhow, my companion, Sister Her is super wonderful. She's Hmong, but she's lived in Sacramento Ca all her life and I'm already jealous of her Hmong speaking skills! (yes there is a lot Hmong people in Thailand). The Sisters in my district, Sister Maughan and Sister Peterson dorm with us, and they are awesome as well. I have been blessed with a great group. We all get along so far and we have similar attitudes to things and such (like being on time to meetings etc.) The Elders in my district are really smart. They catch onto the language pretty fast and I have a hard time keeping up! But, I really should be proud of myself. The first three days, our teacher Brother Burgess spoke NOTHING but Thai at us. It was a bit overwhelming. And on the third day we were expected to give a lesson to an "investigator" (a teacher here in the MTC that speaks Thai) named "Sombad". It went pretty bad to say the least with our limited Thai. Well, our entire district did pretty bad as well. He kept asking us all these questions that we somewhat understood but didn't know how to answer back. We just stared at him blankly whole muttering, "Ummm" most of the time. We got out a few legible sentences and prayed... with him staring at us awkwardly since we didn't know how to teach him how to pray in Thai. After we said "Amen" we looked up and said, "Chook dii!" (Bye Now!) He looked at us weird and then pointed to the door like, "What, you leave already?" Haha! Yeah... it wasn't a good first lesson. All eight of us trudged back to our classrooms and I decided to share my cinnamon rolls with them to cheer everyone up. Our failure only motivated us to do better the next time! And we ALL did better! In fact, tonight will be our fourth lesson with Sombad and I have confidence in Everyone, even myself! I can already bear my testimony, pray and give some sentences about God and the plan of salvation. It's pretty incredible to say the least. I know I would not have been able to do it without the strength of the Lord and the Holy Ghost. Seriously, in three years of Spanish that I took, I would not be able to say half the things I say now in Thai that I learned in less than five days. It just boggles my mind sometimes. The Lord is strong and he is able to do anything. I just have to be patient with myself and all will come together. The devotionals here are so powerful. We were able to hear from Richard. J. Maynes of the Seventy. And, I was able to participate in the choir and THAT was amazing. I love the music there and it's just so much fun! I had to go on splits with some sisters in my zone since my companion and the other sisters in the district didn't want to go. But I knew if I didn't go I would totally regret it. I missed choir anyhow. But, overall, the MTC has been such an exhausting but uplifting experience. I am getting both physically and spiritually stronger here everyday with exercise, and constant prayer and study. I feel that I will be an entirely different person for the better by the end of my mission. And most importantly, I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for me in Thailand. I know I am there for a reason, and the Lord will use me to do his work and touch someone's heart and life. Thank you for all your support! I apologize if this first entry sounds a little random. I have so much to say in so little time! But, I love you all so dearly! I will continue to work very hard :) Love, Sister Carter