Earl, Pearl and Merle: Stay out of the street
Hola a todos!
¿Como están?
This week was..a week! That's the best way I can describe it.
First is the worst: I don't have my Visa. Esta bien! Kind of! If the people at the travel office in Salt Lake don't send it by Friday, I will be temporarily reassigned for six weeks or as long as it takes. The location will be the Las Vegas, Nevada West mission! Kind of don't know how to feel about it but I'm trying to adjust to the idea, and trust that whatever happens is right. It's kind of hard when people will say "you're called to the work, not the place" and they already have their visas. There's no way they could know what it feels like. I had no idea it would feel like this. Technically we don't have our new calls yet, but the elders in our district showed us a way to find out where we're going early. I didn't believe them, but then I did what they said and Las Vegas Nevada West popped up. I felt sick. It was just a lot to take in at once and I wasn't prepared. Since finding out, I've felt the spirit a few times when thinking about it or even looking up the weather there. And it does comfort me to know that the temp assignment process is the same as the initial call: the general authorities get together, look at your picture, talk about you and make an inspired decision about where you'll go. Out of the four hermanas in our room/district, two have visas and two don't. Hermana Stowell in the other companionship is assigned to Perú, and maybe going to Bentonville, Arkansas. She's having a hard time, but if any of you know anything about Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas or Oklahoma, let me know!
She would appreciate it.
We had a great devotional on Sunday by the coach of the BYU men's basketball team. Here are some things he said: if you feel discouraged, you are probably the exact person for the job. You are the person Heavenly Father has called to the work, that's His pattern. Don't forget the decision you've made to be a missionary - whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. He talked about Peter, and how he was a mess but awesome (his words). "He could've been in the fisherman hall of fame, or he could drop his nets, lose his life and be given the one that Jesus had in store for him." Brother Pope said "you're here, you've done it, now drop the nets. Give yourself to Him and let Him make you something extraordinary." One last thing he said which really struck me was about when plans get derailed, I mean that's been my life for the last 15 months. He said "When things feel like they're going wrong and plans are derailed, don't be distraught, be excited. That's the space where Heavenly Father can change you forever". I can definitely testify that that's true and I'm excited to grow through what I go through this last week in the MTC and in the field, whichever field that may be.
So Earl, Pearl, and Merle. I know. I thought the same thing. Well, apparently our branch president Devin Durrant, former NBA player, a speaker in general conference, and writer/contributor of the Come Follow Me curriculum, has a fascination for squirrels. He has always loved them but there weren't many in Utah. He was a mission president in Texas and his office looked out a huge window with a tall tree and squirrels outside. He said it was heaven. He kept a straight face the entire time as we were all laughing. Anyway, he said he met Earl and Pearl, husband and wife (clearly) and their baby Merle. He would say hi and check in on them every day. Sometimes he would see a dead squirrel on the road, and would think, "why would they risk everything they had to run in the street? They have trees, nice grass, and everything they could ever want." He thought he would make a difference in the world, so every time he left his house, he would roll down his car window and say "Earl, Pearl, and Merle: Stay out of the street!" He related the story to us, saying why would we be disobedient and risk all of the blessings and safety we have? It was funny, but it's also a good analogy for us.
Hermana Stowell said she would pay me for doing something, and I said pay me in what? She said, "I'll give you 3 Coronaviruses if you do it". Needless to say, I did it.
PSA PSA EVERYONE LISTEN UP
I GOT MY VISA
AS I'M WRITING THIS EMAIL
I found out my Visa has been sent to the MTC and I'm going straight to Spain!! Que bendición indeed!!! Don't be afraid to ask for miracles, everyone. They happen!
Anyway! Sorry for the long email, and for no email last week! I hope all of you are doing great! And if you're not doing great, be excited! This is the time for change and becoming more of who you really are!
I love you all so much!
Hermana Carlson
¿Como están?
First is the worst: I don't have my Visa. Esta bien! Kind of! If the people at the travel office in Salt Lake don't send it by Friday, I will be temporarily reassigned for six weeks or as long as it takes. The location will be the Las Vegas, Nevada West mission! Kind of don't know how to feel about it but I'm trying to adjust to the idea, and trust that whatever happens is right. It's kind of hard when people will say "you're called to the work, not the place" and they already have their visas. There's no way they could know what it feels like. I had no idea it would feel like this. Technically we don't have our new calls yet, but the elders in our district showed us a way to find out where we're going early. I didn't believe them, but then I did what they said and Las Vegas Nevada West popped up. I felt sick. It was just a lot to take in at once and I wasn't prepared. Since finding out, I've felt the spirit a few times when thinking about it or even looking up the weather there. And it does comfort me to know that the temp assignment process is the same as the initial call: the general authorities get together, look at your picture, talk about you and make an inspired decision about where you'll go. Out of the four hermanas in our room/district, two have visas and two don't. Hermana Stowell in the other companionship is assigned to Perú, and maybe going to Bentonville, Arkansas. She's having a hard time, but if any of you know anything about Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas or Oklahoma, let me know!
She would appreciate it.
We had a great devotional on Sunday by the coach of the BYU men's basketball team. Here are some things he said: if you feel discouraged, you are probably the exact person for the job. You are the person Heavenly Father has called to the work, that's His pattern. Don't forget the decision you've made to be a missionary - whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. He talked about Peter, and how he was a mess but awesome (his words). "He could've been in the fisherman hall of fame, or he could drop his nets, lose his life and be given the one that Jesus had in store for him." Brother Pope said "you're here, you've done it, now drop the nets. Give yourself to Him and let Him make you something extraordinary." One last thing he said which really struck me was about when plans get derailed, I mean that's been my life for the last 15 months. He said "When things feel like they're going wrong and plans are derailed, don't be distraught, be excited. That's the space where Heavenly Father can change you forever". I can definitely testify that that's true and I'm excited to grow through what I go through this last week in the MTC and in the field, whichever field that may be.
So Earl, Pearl, and Merle. I know. I thought the same thing. Well, apparently our branch president Devin Durrant, former NBA player, a speaker in general conference, and writer/contributor of the Come Follow Me curriculum, has a fascination for squirrels. He has always loved them but there weren't many in Utah. He was a mission president in Texas and his office looked out a huge window with a tall tree and squirrels outside. He said it was heaven. He kept a straight face the entire time as we were all laughing. Anyway, he said he met Earl and Pearl, husband and wife (clearly) and their baby Merle. He would say hi and check in on them every day. Sometimes he would see a dead squirrel on the road, and would think, "why would they risk everything they had to run in the street? They have trees, nice grass, and everything they could ever want." He thought he would make a difference in the world, so every time he left his house, he would roll down his car window and say "Earl, Pearl, and Merle: Stay out of the street!" He related the story to us, saying why would we be disobedient and risk all of the blessings and safety we have? It was funny, but it's also a good analogy for us.
Hermana Stowell said she would pay me for doing something, and I said pay me in what? She said, "I'll give you 3 Coronaviruses if you do it". Needless to say, I did it.
PSA PSA EVERYONE LISTEN UP
I GOT MY VISA
AS I'M WRITING THIS EMAIL
I found out my Visa has been sent to the MTC and I'm going straight to Spain!! Que bendición indeed!!! Don't be afraid to ask for miracles, everyone. They happen!
Anyway! Sorry for the long email, and for no email last week! I hope all of you are doing great! And if you're not doing great, be excited! This is the time for change and becoming more of who you really are!
I love you all so much!
Hermana Carlson
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