10/16 4/6

FAMILY!!!! How´s life??? things here are crazy! this week was super insane! we had an exchange, visited some of the far parts of our area, a baptism! and had a few missionaries get sick so we were kinda crazy this week! but it was good! and looks like you guys had a good short week at school! bummer that your still feel sick dad! i don't know if this will help but boil some water with salt and breath in the fumes for a few seconds then move away try and get rid of the crap in your lungs then do it a few other times! i don't know if it will help but that's what we usually tell missionaries to do that out here cause they seem to get colds here quite a bit! but yeah try that out! i hope ya get feelin better soon! and that's awesome that you went and got your concelled weapons permit! you're gonna have to tell me more about that! i'm gonna come home and get that when i get back! but yeah anyways this week was crazy! like you guys read we had an exchange with one of the areas in our zone! it was pretty cool! i got to go with a new kid and it just made me feel old and made me excited to see all the new missionaries coming into the field! definitly those who are coming in are getting better trained and are more prepared! and i love it! i always love seeing the new guys cause they are full of excitement to work hard and do everything they can! and everyone needs that all the time! but yeah i'm also stoked to hear that theres lots and lots more people going on the mission! it's crazy to hear all the girls that are going out! i think i'm gonna get back to an empty college cause everyones gonna be gone on the mission! but yeah we're excited to see all the new people that come in! hopefully some get sent out here to see some people that i know :) that'd be awesome! but yeah anyways this week we also went to visit parts of our area! we have a huge area that goes all the way down to the beach! so we have a member that lives clear out there so we down there to see how things are down there and it was interesting we actually got to teach a lesson! it was way to far but it was cool! got our names around there! but yeah we also saw the only dunes in the caribean! supposedlyl the sand there is the same sand found in the sahara desert! crazy crazy! but yeah after that we had our baptism of Alexander! it was good! considering that no one really got to know about it! cause last sunday we had our conference so they didn't annouce it but we had good support there! i had to dunk him two times cause the first time he put his hand out of the water and so the second time we made sure that everything stayed under! but yeah then oh! sunday too i gave a talk in church! our branch president called me up friday night and said hey we need you to talk on sunday can you do that! i said of course so i prepared my talk about tithing and it went pretty good! still nervous as all get out to get up and talk to people like that! but yeah i did my best! but yeah then this whole week we had two missionaries sick that was just crazy! we were tryin to take things calmly but one of our district leaders was going a little crazy! so yeah! but i think that's about it! but yeah i think that's about it for this weeks email! hope you all enjoyed your short week and just so you guys know January is gone! this week will be february! crazy huh??? but hope you all have a great week! i love you all!

-Elder Carlson

Ps. i'm jealous of your snow! it hasn't rained here and is just constant sun and heat! so yeah! enjoy it there

 

10/16 3/6‏

SURPRISE!!!! Early email today!!! i´m shaking things up and emailing in the morning to see if i like it better. But yeah for this week! well to tell you the truth it was crazy!!! Started off with the waffle maker that i bought turned out to be a sandwhich maker! the box says waffle maker in every part of it but when i opened it up it was a grilled cheese maker! and i couldn´t take it back so i made sandwhiches for acouple days then one of the other missionaries bought it from me. so yeah i was super bummed about that! But it´s ok! i took the money and bought me some cereal instead! you guys know i like cereal alot more then anything! but yeah so other exciting things for this last week! was we had surprise interviews! well they weren´t really surprise interviews but we didn´t know about it! cause in our zone leader meeting we were told that our interviews with president were the 26th so we were planning on that and then the 15 we got told by the APs yeah your interviews are tomorrow incase you guys didn´t know! sooo we had to call everyone up and tell them about the interviews plus make up the agenda for it! plus get everything prepared! but we also had planned that same tuesday a companion exchange so me and my comp have never planned anything like that so it was just a super stress cause we´re both trying to figure out what we need to do and we weren´t even together so we got things over the phone and the morning of but found out it was one of the best interviews that they´ve seen! so i was pretty stoked about that! but yeah then also saturday we had two baptisms!!! woo!!! we baptized the two boys of our family! so now we´re only missin the dad and we have a complete family! so yeah i´m super stoked about that! but yeah we´ll see what happens! we also had an area conference where we watched by satelite Elder Zwik of the seventy and Elder Nelson from the 12 talked to the caribean about alot of stuff that the people here need! so i really hope the people here are taking notes of it! but we also watched it with President Rodriguez and his wife. but yeah other then that for this week we lost a few invesitgators but we also put a few more baptismal dates with people so we´re pretty stoked about that and stoked to see what happens! Me and my comp kinda got super stressed and drained so yesterday we were just gone! we both need this P-day! both this week is gonna be crazy too cause we have another baptism of Alexander and then our zone also has like 10 other baptisms and they´re not just in one area they´re all over the place! so we´re gonna have an interesting time trying to get all these interviews down! but we´re gonna get it! but yeah i´m thinking today in the afternoon i´m gonna get me some ice cream too to help calm down alittle more! :) but yeah everything else is going good! i´m feeling good! i´m loving the work and have a great time! i can´t believe i´m in the single didgits now! only 9 more months and i´m home! crazy crazy! time really does fly by in the mission and every second is worth it! i definitly am so glad i came out here! thanks for all of you guys that are helpin me in anyway to keep me out here! for sure haven´t forgotten about what you´re doing and i´m for sure making it so you´re not wasting your money! :) but i´m stoked to be hearing more and more about missionary work! i´ve noticed that lately everyone has been focusing on missionary work! General authorities and everyone are teaching it! so something important that we should be doing! but i´m super stoked to be a part of it! theres not anything better then helping people recieve the blessing that we have! i´m super stoked! :) hope all goes well this week over there! i love you guys so much!!! keep up the great work!!!

-Elder Carlson

10/16 2/6

FAMILY!!! What´s up??? things are going great here! i'm actually super surprised to tell you the truth! lately life's been super good! i'm getting along with the people i'm living with! my companion is the bomb! and is a hard worker but loves to have fun so we're just working really good here helping this area progress! yesterday in church we noticed that alot more people were starting to come to church that we had more investigators and that things were just begining to change! i'm super stoked! so yeah i don't know why God's being so nice to me i'm a little nervous but i'm gonna love every minute of it that i can! but yeah so this week well we had lots of progress with the members part of the work! me and my comp had a meeting the District president who is like the stake president! and we talked about all the stuff that the missionaries needed help with and also how we can help them! and it was just super good cause we got on the same level with the leaders above our branch leaders so now the branch leaders are gonna be reciving the same help from both sides and the same suggestions so that we're not fighting to work with each other! but yeah we're super stoked about that plus our zone is progressing! the missionaries are happier and working harder! and so that makes us happy! plus sounds like you guys are having a good time there with below freezing weather! plus Nicoles new job! plus the babys due in ten weeks! plus everyones doing great! except the sickness thats going around for the cold weather! but i have no doubt that i'm gonna have a pretty rough weather change when i get back this winter! i'm gonna be freezing my ears off! but yeah i'm excited about it! i haven't seen real cold weather in so long! but yeah what else oh this week we found a guy named Juan. He was almost killed by gang members but luckily got away safely! so he decided to change his life around and is looking for away to change his life around! well just so happened that God wants him in our church cause we were teaching a lesson one day and it was outside and i looked around for some reason and i got this impression to go to this house we had already contacted and nothing so after we finished the lesson i told my comp we had to go there so we went to the house and he was there and so we talked to him and he told us his story and now he has a baptismal date! :) WOO HOO!!! Score!!! but yeah then Jason and Anderson from the family we're teaching are getting baptized this week! they need to get baptized and there dad isn't progressing so we decided to baptize them now and work on the dad next! so yeah but yeah we're also working alot with some branch activities! if there is any ideas you guys have of fun games you can play with lots of people let me know! :) i'll take them! but yeah! oh and can i have a reciepe of banana bread??? :) i wanna try making some! :) but yeah so a few other questions i have are did jones get his mask??? and dad who's Phil and susan Parise?? cause i got a random card from them and i don't remember them! so yeah if you could answer me those that'd be great!!! :) but sorry nothing else to exciting from this week! oh i bought my waffle maker today! gonna try that out tonight! :) wish me luck! but yeah i love you guys so much thanks for all you do for me!

-Elder Carlson

10/16 1/6‏

Family!!! how's life going??? i'm doing good here! things are going pretty great! today we went to an area where very very few people have ever been! it was like the Kolob of the DR!!! we did some service there! and played some baseball!!! but yeah i'm gonna try and throw on some pictures soon! but yeah Feliz Anos Nuevo! i had a pretty chill new years! i went to bed at like 10 30! so yeah partied hard right!!! so yeah looks like you guys had some fun! i'm super bummed about the theaters mom! why did they start givin a seating order??? that's kinda stupid! but whatever! i'm probably just gonna not worry about watching movies at the theaters when i get back! we've been talking about the movies that are out and holy cow! i'm gonna have lots to see when i get back! but yeah what else??? i had lots to tell you guys but i left my agenda at home! we just got back from our service activity so i'm still dressed in normal clothes but we're trying to do things kinda fast so this might not be to long. but somethings that i can remember is that there are a ton of changes! my comps super excited and alot of the leaders a little higher up then our own branch are excited about the missionary work so the leaders here in our branch are gonna be excited about the missionary work! we're working hard on changing the things here! how's the missionary work there! sorry i'm kinda scatter brained today! i'm sun burnt and trying to help all the missionaries around me fill out a report and it's just rough! i woke up to early this morning! haha but yeah ok back to focus! so yeah we're working hard especially with the family! the only thing that we're missin still is the husband! he hasn't comin in a long time and didn't come this week but they're wanting to get married in this month! and then also Alexander showed up to church and we're gonna get him baptized soon! but yeah! so sorry i'm really not focused right now so this letter is gonna be bad i'm sorry! i hope you guys are havin a great time there! all is well here and i'm super stoked to have you guys as my family! oh also! i got the package from brad and trudy tell them thanks for that! i enjoyed the cookies as fast as possible1 :) but yeah thanks for all you guys do! you're the best family there is! :) i love you guys!!!

-Elder Carlson

 

9/16 4&5/6‏

Feliz Navidad Familia!!! Hey guys!!! so wow it's been a long time since i've written you guys or even talked to you! i'm doing pretty good out here! super stoked that tomorrow i'm gonna see you guys! :) soooo heres the run down on tomorrow! tomorrow at 3 here (so like 12 there) we're gonna be getting on maybe a little earlier! but be prepared at that time to see your favorite missionary ever!!! :))) but yeah i'm super pumped to talk with you guys! it's been forever it since i've seen you guys! theres been some elders that did it today so that got me super pumped to see you guys! but yeah so these past two weeks i've gotten like 5 packages from you guys and i'm super stoked to open them all! it's been killing me! you know how it was tough for me to not open my presents or snoop at all! yeah here where i can open it all and no one will really know or care it is just killing me! but in like 12 hours i'm gonna be opening them up! i think i'm gonna wake up early like always and open my presents! that way the latins don't try and steal everything i get also! so we'll see what i do! but yeah so this past two weeks were pretty rough with all the christmas stuff and not being home not as easy as last years but the thing that is getting me through it is the fact that next year.... I'll be home for christmas!!!! you can count on me!!!! please have snow and mistletoe! and presents under the tree!!!! ;) woooooo!!!!! i can't wait! but yeah soooo what else happened this week! well last week we had 10 baptisms! and the week before acouple too! so we're doing pretty good! i had to do 5 interviews! i don't like interviews! they're kinda rough cause you're afraid to tell a person no but you know its something you've gotta do! so yeah i did my best had to tell one no which was pretty rough but yeah! but yeah i felt comfortable with everything i did! but yeah also last week we had our christmas party! that was fun! the browns left for the states! yeah i'm pretty super bummed about that! but i'm pretty stoked cause they were just starting out when i came in so i know mines coming to an end! but yeah i got my pictures with them and everything! now they are back in utah enjoying the christmas season there! but yeah we also ate pretty decent and enjoyed all the acts from each zone. our zone sang in three different languages! it was pretty cool! it turned out better then i thought it would! saw all my old comps that are still in the mission. Elder Larsens struggling with his new comp. He's training a kid from colombia and his comp thinks he knows everything so its giving elder larsen a rough ride but we talked things out and we both helped each other out. i had a little bit of a rough time with my comp this past week cause the members are a little stubborn here so he was being stubborn back so we had a talk and it actually worked out good! he calmed down alot and we're doing lots better together! we also spent the night in Ocoa this past week! i love that place! if we ever come back here we're gonna go out there! cause it's super cold and super nice! ok when i say super cold i mean i have to sleep with a blanket! cause that's cold to me now! i wouldn't be surprised if its snowing there or close to that! how's the weather been there! well i don' t want to talk to much cause i'm gonna be talking to you all tomorrow! i hope you all have your questions ready and everything! i've got some too but still i want lots! welll i can't think of really anything else! i'm just ready for tomorrow! i hope all is going well there! and that all continues well! i miss you guys a ton but can't wait to see you tomorrow! have a great day! and talk to you all tomorrow! remember sleep good so that santa can come and leave you presents! the kids here don't celebrate that! they think that kings come in January to give them gifts. and that a rat changes there tooth for money..... how sad huh?? welll yeah different in culutures! but yeah i love you guys! have a great day!
<3-Elder Carlson

9/16 3/6‏

Family!!! How are you doing??? things are super crazy here! i'm super tired and a lit.... really stressed but i've discovered a new way to get rid of my stress! i'm learning how to play piano! we got a piano in our house this week and i'm practicing and teaching my companion! i know mom you're wondering how are you teaching if you don't even know cause you never took the lessons! i actually learned one thing very important in those lessons! that was where middle c is! and from there i've learned and am working on getting the left hand down! but yeah i'm doing pretty good i'm impressing myself and pretty much can play any song with my right hand! :) but yeah and what else!!! two more weeks til christmas! sooo about that! NEWS! next week i won't be emailing because its gonna be our missionary christmas party! which means i won't be able to tell you what time i'm gonna be able to skype because of this crazy week i still haven't figured out when and where and all that! sooooooo what i'm gonna do is if i don't let you know the monday before christmas i'm gonna call you and tell you what time i'll be on! so yeah! be prepared these two days! sorry! but yeah i'm gonna do my best to have a good set time and follow it! so yeah but yeah this week was crazy! went by super fast! cause we've had lots of stuff happen. i had an intercambio in ocoa which is super beautiful! it's pretty much like utah but a lot more tropical! but yeah so i spent the night there it was super fun plus i had a comp that spoke english so i was able to talk to him the whole time in english! it was great! :) but yeah then we also have been planning our activity for the christmas party next monday and we also joined our branch choir to sing this tuesday... guess who got volunteered to sing a duet??? yup! yours truly! but yeah then also we've had some crazy stuff go down with investigators and with branch members! my comps depressed and the other missionaries in my house are upset! but we're all pushing along! i actually got complimented for always being happy and for setting a good example of doing what i'm supposed to and for doing everything by the doctrine! i was pretty pumped! i'm trying to get these guys pumped but i think it's gonna take christmas to get them going! which is coming super fast! so yeah speaking of which! mom i got all the packages from you and grandma! which i was stoked! the elder that brought the mail was upset cause he was pulling out all these packages for me! :) but i didn't care! :) but yeah all safe and sounds! and ready for christmas! i'm to be having my last christmas in the mission! plus i can sing the song i'll be home for christmas next year! :) WOO HOO!!! so yeah for my christmas present i'm gonna buy me a waffle maker and a new pair of pants so thank you all for your christmas present to me! :) i will use them wisely! :) plus i'll act surprised when i use them christmas day! :) i hope you guys all get the things you hoped for on christmas! :) ummmm what else??? welll i think that's about it! so with investigators Alexander that had his baptismal date for this week didn't go to church cause his work just put him to work sundays so we're gonna have to work on that. and then the family we're workin with is having problems of getting the documents for the kids who are not yet recognized by the government here because there mom that left them is here illegally and so its a big deal! so yeah! we're gonna work on that! but yeah then after that we're still working on getting some new real progressing investigators! plus trying to work more with the branch! so yeah but i'm thankful for you guys and can't wait to see you all on christmas! :) prepare your questions and all that! :) i'll try not to answer all your questions with my opening statements! :) and i should talk weird because i have been living in all spanish for 5 weeks then! so yeah! Anyways i gotta go now! have a great day! love you all so much! talk to you in two weeks! :)

-Elder Carlson

9/16 2/6‏

WOW how time is flying! i can´t believe i´m already into the half way point of this transfer! things have been flying by here! zone leader keeps me busy and things are just flying by! and looks like i´m gonna keep getting busier because i´ve gotta do companion exchanges with missionaries in my zone so i´m gonna get to know alot of different areas which is gonna be legit! :) i´m excited for that! as far as the work in my own area! things are going great! We´re progressing in two weeks we should have a baptism of another priesthood holder! and then our family is getting closer and closer too! but yeah i´m super excited! as far as other investigators we´re still looking my comp is all about contacting. which is good but not effective! so i´ve been talking to him about visitin members and starting up an english class and all that stuff! so yeah we´ll see what happens! but yeah we visited a member the other day and it was cool to see the difference from when we hadn´t visited him to when we visited him! cause we visited him he was happier! he knew our names! in church we mainly get called the missionaries cause the members don´t know our names.... i don´t understand how that happened! but yeah i´m gonna change that! plus the guy we shared with has pretty much his whole family inactive so we visited with his daughters and at first they were like alright we´ll share if we have to and by the end they were asking us when we were coming back and putting there own visit! so i was pretty stoked and you could see the members face just smile like crazy! i love it so much! :) so stoked to be a missionary! :) but yeah so then what else??? ummm we´ve had tons of meetings atleast two days each week we´re busy in the morning with meetings! then the others we´re doing something else for missionaries! but yeah then i´m also learning a new language from my companion called guateni! it´s the second language in paraguay! so yeah pretty cool there but yeah other then that i think that´s about it for my cool ness! sooo yeah as far as the baptisms that they had planned well i didn´t hear right theres 20 and its in three weeks! so yeah i´ll let ya know how it goes! if they all make it i´ll for sure be throwing pictures! :) but yeah thats it for this week cause i´m in a hurry cause we got here late and then i got a call about a sick missionary and had to spend about 10 minutes taken care of that and i still need to write my president and all that! but thanks for all your emails guys! i love you all so much!!! :) you´re awesome!

-Elder Carlson

oh yeah just so ya know as of right now we´ve got a computer to use for skype on christmas! we´re gonna get everything set up and taken care of to be sure sure but as of right i´ll be seeing you on christmas! :)