Another week passes and it's pretty sweet yay

Hey guys!

Pretty good week. Some funny stories! First i went on exchanges with Elder Sandberg, and that was awesome, we had a great time telling stories and whatnot. He's a great guy. I also got to play with fire while I was there, so Elder Chauncey had a lighter on his desk, so I took it, and started just burning a bunch of trash and whatnot by the sink, it was super lit (ha puns). Another thing I learned is that evidently missionaries can't have girls friended on Facebook except for family members, so I had to unfriend...39 people, yay me We didn't have much luck teaching tho, cuz we'd call a bunch of people, walk an hour to there place to them find out the address doesn't exist, or other things like that (but mostly just that). OH!!! So on Friday Elder Makakane and I are walking to an appointment, and some guy comes up and is like "aye you guys are Mormon, I got a few questions for you", so that turned into an hour and a half sorta bible bash on the side of the rode. It was funny cuz everything he said we had scripture, and other things, but he was so driven to prove us wrong he wasn't really willing to accept any new information. It was an interesting experience for sure, and he was respectful so that was nice, he was just not willing to learn, he just wanted to prove himself right. Then the next day some drunk guy with his gang on the side of the rode starts yelling "hey how many wives do y'all have!" We told him we didn't have any and that we can only have one wife when we're married, so I was glad we could clear that upthen he starts yelling at us saying that we are adding onto the bible, and how that's a sin. My companion then explained that the Book of Mormon doesn't add to the bible because it's a separate testimony of Jesus Christ, and also that that verse from Revelations was written simply pertaining to the Book of revelations, not the bible as a whole, and gave some other scriptures to back that up. Then he goes "oh I guess that it is true" then he goes on this big rant, cuz of how drunk he was, about how he just wants to tell people to know for themselves the truth and all this other stuff, and we kinda had to walk away because we knew it wasn't going anywhere. Anyway I know this church is true, it brings me and everyone I've met more peace and joy then comes from any other source, because it's Jesus Christ's church, and I love that I get to go out and share this knowledge with everyone. I know that through Christ and his loving atonement we can be clean and pure to one day stand before God.  Love and miss all y'all!

-Elder Carlson 

Pics descriptions:

1-6. Me playing with fire

7. A quote I really like

8-12. Some drawings I've been working on these past few weeks 

13. A Hawaiian necklace my companion got me

Phillyeet

Hey y'all! 

Pretty solid week. We got to teach Raquel Williams again, and she's super solid! I definitely think she'll get baptized, she said the closing prayer, and she said "thank you for putting the free bible add on my phone, and sending these elders to my house and allowing me to finally feel peace", so freaking awesome!! We had golden retraining this week just to get some extra training for people who are new, and I got to see Elder White (Ethan) which was flippin' awesome. We've haven't been able to teach many people this week cuz people always cancel last minute, which I mean u can't do anything about so no use getting upset over it, but lol. We still haven't been able to contact Sherriff, but I still have high hopes for him, but also his baptism date is the 24th sooooo....but never distrust the Lord's timing. OH!!!! So we've been handing out tickets for the Gladys Knight performance at our church, for those of you who don't know who she is she was super popular in the 70's and 80's, and she joined the Mormon church in the 90's, and she put up a free gospel performance with her choir, it was super cool! Everyone was yelling "AMEN" or "HALLELUJAH" after like every word sung and spoke, we got a lot of referrals from that, I got to meet her daughter after it, and tell her a little about how I sing, and have been for years and love her gospel music and whatnot, it was super cool! My crew (me, my companion, Elder Sandberg, and Elder Chauncey) who are my "brothers" in the mission that we do everything with, got to go to the Philadelphia temple which was super cool, it was BEAUTIFUL! The church is true y'all! It becomes more real to me as it has been basically my life out here, it truly brings more joy than anything. Hope y'all are having a good week, and thank you to everyone that went to help with Houston, miss and love y'all!

Pics descriptions:

1. At the temple 

2. With Ethan (Elder White) after golden retraining 

3. Us recreating the pic we took right before he left for the MTC

4. Ethan doesn't know I took this pic

5. The temple

6. The crew and I finally emerging from the ghetto, and walking downtown to go to the temple

7. A quote i really like...good stuff 

Yeet...philly yo

Hey everyone!

Pretty solid week, we've been working with our investigators, and they've been doing well. We got a new investigator and her name is Racquel Williams, and she was a referral and that was amazing. We go to her door, she tells us she was just online and something popped up saying that she could get a free bible and book of Mormon, so she was like sure! She doesn't know anything about the Mormon church other than we are Christian. She said she doesn't go to church cuz she thinks a lot of hypocrites go there.  In my mind I'm thinking "they draw near to me with their lips but their hearts are far from me." Joseph Smith first vision - that works perfectly for her situation! Then she says she wants to know for SURE if a church is true before she joins it. That's literally exactly what we're there to do!! To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel! She's so solid. ALSO!! Just to kind give y'all an idea of where I am and some of that other stuff. So we don't have a car, we have to catch buses or trolleys whenever they come which can get annoying, but fine. And to get a feel for what kinda people are here just picture Africa, mixed with the south side of San Antonio, and then put two missionaries in the middle...that's me! My day consists of calling people to remind about appointments, preparing to teach, catching buses to go teach, talking about ways to help people, making sure we have enough food, if not we go buy food at the grocery store once or twice a month.  We just walk there, and carry the groceries back.  Lots of eggs, chicken, rice, and Eggo waffles. To end off, this church is true. Jesus died for us and he gave us a way to return and live with him and God, he did everything for us, and all he wants from us is to follow His example. My testimony grows every day here, I've seen miracles that can only come from God.  I know He watches over us, and He only wants to help us. I hope y'all have a great day! Miss y'all!

-Elder Carlson 

Pics descriptions:

1. Picture of me and my companion with pizza my Mom sent 

2. Selfie I took teaching Elder Makakane how to take pics while taking a video

3. Elder Makakane holding a baby squirl

4. The most bomb snack of all frickin' time

5. Awesome quote

P-day, Pizza Day!

On a cold, rainy day in Philly, when only Eggo waffles will await you for dinner, what is better than a surprise pizza delivery??  These missionaries were pretty excited to get this pizza, even if they did have to chase down the pizza delivery guy (who went to the wrong apartment).  Online pizza orders and delivery is pretty much the best for missionary moms!!

Still in Philly feat. Miracles and stuff

So it's been a pretty solid week! I've seen so many miracles It's crazy, first let me give u the rundown on who my investigators are. We have Aaron, we asked him to be baptized and he said he would if he felt church was true when he read the Book of Mormon. Then we have Wayne, he met with us and he speaks mainly Vietnamese, and he is Catholic. We taught him one lesson, asked him if he would be baptized and he said he would if he felt the church was true, but that he felt the spirit super strong he just needs to read the Book of Mormon! THEN we have Sherriff. He is an amazing man!! We go teach him for the first time, and he goes "I know this church is true, I'm willing to do whatever I need to be baptized" we taught him the lesson, and he just keeps saying he is willing to do whatever he needs and that he knows the church is true. So we ask him to be baptized on the 24th, and says "of course, this is the right path for me, I am willing". HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS THAT!!!!!!! Then it got even better, so he has been living with his fiance, and we tell him they can't be living together in order to be baptized, and we kinda gave him a rundown of the law of chastity, and this is what he says. "I just rented a place today because I felt like living with her before being married was wrong", and this is our first lesson with him! The Lord truly prepares people to receive the gospel, and people recognize that truth, just like Sherriff. I truly know this work is true, and I'll be honest it's been hard just having to remember a lot of street addresses, and knowing which trolley or bus to get on (we don't have a car) but miracles like that help me remember why I'm out here. Love you all and miss you!

-Elder Carlson 

Pics descriptions:

1. Me with some bomb chicken I made

2. More bomb chicken 

3. Pic me and my companion took 

4. Just a solid quote 

5. Quote that puts into perspective how much Christ cares for everyone 

6. Awesome quote from the prophet, love this man, sad to hear about his health failing him, but he is someone we can all truly learn from