Bill and Kim got baptized!

  

                 These awesome people got married last week and baptized this week!
  

 On their way to the baptism in Poquoson, Cami's last area.  

The girls got special permission to go and see the baptism!  Yeah!

The Hermana's left the girls a treat on their doorstep! 

It's comforting to know that they take care of each other out there!

I cannot believe it has been one whole year since my farewell!! 

That is crazy. 

This week has been awesome! So many wonderful things. 

Last Monday we hung out with the Hermanas for P-day. We went thrift shopping and went to a fun Christian store! We all got these super cool matching pants from this hilarious place called Roses. Which is ironic since we wear skirts everyday but.....ya know. Whatever. They have all these T-shirts with Bible verses and funny stuff on them. Only in the south! 

The week before last, the Hermanas wrote us this cute little note and put it on our door, and supposedly left these little mini pies on our door step, but apparently someone decided to steal our pies!!! So the Hermanas brought us some again this week :) We were laughing- like wow who just steals pie off of someones porch?!!? 

This week we have also been really focused on ward trust and so this transfer we decided that we want to do lots of service for the members! So that's what our week was filled with! That and tracting :) Which is way fun. I actually love to tract ha, ha. You meet the coolest people. Yesterday we stood on this porch and talked to 2 girls for like 20 minutes and they both ASKED for a Book of Mormon. Like who does that!?!?! It was so great. I almost threw it at them because I was so excited ha, ha!! 

We went over to help a member clean her attic and go through her clothes, and she ended up giving us each like 15 brand new cardigans!!! Tags still attached and everything. *blessed* :) 

The new military relations couple challenged me and my companion to sing to everyone we teach--non-member, less active, and all our dinner appts. and oh my gosh it has been the most spiritual experience of my life!! It brings such an incredible, unique spirit. 

And best for last, Saturday was the best day of my life I got to go back to Poquoson and see my cute Bill and Kim get baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!! It felt so good to be back and everyone was so excited to see me which made me feel special. :) 

Missionary work is the most fulfilling thing. EVER. 

THE END. 

XOXO, Sister Carlson

It's almost the 4th of July!!!

A Baptism calls for an early celebration! 

Filling the font!  A missionaries favorite thing!

 The District.  
Elder Pugsley in the front left is the District leader who is leaving on 
Sunday and Elder Hansel, is coming to replace him.  
Cami served with them both in Poquoson.  

Sister Thornson & Sister Carlson with Anne

(On Saturday from a member who attended the baptism so kindly sent me a picture of them and said that both sisters bore their testimonies at the baptism and how beautiful it was and what a good job they both did.--Thanks Sister Brimhall!!)

Happy first week of the transfer! 

This week has been sooooo amazing. Anne got baptized! And I just found out from a member in my last ward that some of my investigators from Poquoson just got married on Saturday and they are getting baptized this Saturday!!!! MILAGROS!!!!!! [miracles] I am so happy. AHHHHHH. Only a scripture that I read this morning can adequately describe my feelings: [2 nephi 5: 27] "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." :) I have heard from a lot of missionaries that you don't really notice a change come over your nature until you have been out for about a year and it is so true! I think this past transfer more than ever, I have really noticed my weaknesses and downfalls more than anything else and how much improving I have to do! I have really come to understand that I am far from perfect. and sometimes that can get discouraging..but I have really come to see myself as I really am, and gain a vision of who I want to become. I was thinking a lot about this kind of stuff yesterday during personal study...and then Heavenly Father blessed me with these scriptures: :) [2 Nephi 4: 16-20] obviously I'm reading 2 Nephi...

"Behold my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which i have seen and heard. 

Nevertheless notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that i am! Yea my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. 

And when i desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. 

My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

There are times when you just feel like you fail at everything. but these scriptures helped me understand that I can't succeed unless I trust in God and allow him to lead me through my afflictions. :)

XOXO, Sister Carlson

June 15, 2015

Yep, that temp. says 107 degrees! 

My name is Sister Carlson and...I think I am now made of out humidity. or as I like to call it, humility. :) 

Cami's Companion lost the magnet to her name tag and was concerned she would need to get a new one and all of the sudden, they found it stuck on the bottom of her shoe!

(Must be metal in those shoes!)

Here's our girl, this morning on the beach! 

I just love the communication these days!  When I can see her in almost real time, 

it makes me feel so close to her even though she is far away!  I think it helps us both miss each other less so we can concentrate on the work we need to do, at home for me and for her on her mission.  She knows all is well at home and we can see that all is well and that she is happy in Virginia! 

                         This week has been preeeetty good. We have had a lot going on. 
                     This morning we went and watched the sunrise on the beach. My favvy. 

King Triton, on the beach.

Its the last week of the transfer! 

(Mom's note-the Mission President said they will be sending 31 new missionaries to the Chesapeake Virginia Mission in Aug, next transfer so I'm wondering if Cami will stay this transfer, train the next 2 and then she'll only have 1 more before she comes home!  Is that crazy?  Holy Cow, this has gone fast! I can't believe it, she will be home before we know it!)

And now of to Cami's words:

Our investigator had her baptismal interview and rocked it and is getting baptized this Saturday WOO WOO! On Friday we had zone conf. below are some highlights/things i learned :) 

>> "Hear more than what is said" 

>> "We are to learn our duty and then act." -President Eyring

>> "You are standing shoulder to shoulder with Christ- the Greatest Missionary to ever live." 

>>"Work your little heart out" -President Baker

>>"The Gospel is not hard; life is. The Gospel makes life possible."

>>The name "Laban" translated literally means enemy of God

>>We call Jesus Christ "Father" for 3 reasons:

1. He is the Father of creation

2. He is the Father of our spiritual rebirth (atonement/repentance)

3. Because of Divine investiture- {He speaks as if God himself were saying it}

>>"God is a planner. He has road maps."

>> In the Virginia Chesapeake Mission we invite people to come unto Christ. We invite them to BECOME the doctrine of Christ. [faith,repentance,baptism,gift of the holy ghost,endure to the end- 2 Nephi 31]

>> "Heavenly Father is going to give you revelation, but he's going to allow you to use your brain. He gave it to you for a reason and expects you to learn how to use it." -President Baker

>> "There are 2 reasons missionaries stay out on their missions; pride or the atonement."

Hurrah for Israel!!!

XOXO Sister Carlson :))))))))))))))))))))

Cami in Kempsville!

Some AWESOME ward members made sure Cami got the Carlson 

family traditional Cake 'in' milk for her birthday so she felt right at home! 

I'm sure they think we are weird!  Cami loved it! Thanks Brimhalls!

Another sweet member gave them an entire Key Lime Pie for her birthday! Yum!

This is the car Cami wants when she gets home from her mission.  She is her father's daughter.  I asked her if she was OK with no power steering, no A/C and a manual transmission and she said she was fine with all of that.   She knows how to get to her dad!  I think he's tempted...but then he'd never want her to drive it!!! Small problem!

Apparently, it is raining quite a bit there because their apartment flooded.  

They had to tear up all of their carpet and put fans under it and wait for it to dry, 

which is what you see in the background.  

Cute Sister Missionaries!

Silly Sister Missionaries!

After a long day of tracting...look closely in Cami's hair!  It's an eyeball!!!  Ew...

I just had to think loooooooooooong and hard about the date. Awkward. 

Happy second week of June! things are awesome here! Last week was my super great 20th birthday-Sister Fairchild from my last area came and visited which made me so happy! Her and my mom got talking and worked out a way to buy me a bunch of delicious groceries from Trader Joe's--which made me so excited! You know you're officially an adult when you get excited about practical gifts. In the package my family sent there was lots of good stuff like a tide to go pen, tooth brush...almond butter....a bleach pen....some protein bars....and I was totally stoked about it! Sister Fairchild took me and sister Thornton to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.  I loved to be able to catch up with her. When my bday was over, I never wanted to eat again. My tummy was on overload. So much foods. 

The rest of the week was pretty much another week in the life..we had some great lessons-- and we have an investigator who is going to be baptized on June 20th so we are really excited about that! 

On Saturday....we helped clean the church in the morning, and then helped with the food order after that for the stake which was super fun! I had never done that before but I loved it! Some other missionaries that I have served with in past areas were there helping too so it was fun! 

In this stake, the stake president has asked that each companionship does 45 minutes of door to door tracting each day and it has definitely been an interesting/humbling experience and a huge opportunity for me to increase my faith! I have never been a fan of tracting...mostly because i feel like if two people showed up on my door, I can't say I would be all that receptive...but we have met a lot of really awesome people! Lots of good southern hospitality! 

On Saturday night we knocked into this guy who was super nice, but he was definitely 100% opposed to our beliefs. We talked to him for a little while, gave him a restoration DVD, respectfully and mutually agreed to disagree, then decided that that was one of the most faith testing experiences of both mine and Sister Thornton's missions. We really came to understand what we believe that night. :) 

Yesterday I fasted for strength and told Heavenly Father that I needed an over-all feeling of needing to know that what I am doing is right and that the gospel is completely and totally true, and the spirit confirmed to me that the feelings of confusion and discomfort come from the adversary, and feelings of happiness and peace come from the spirit. Ever since our experience with that guy, I have a renewed love for the gospel. I am GRATEFUL for that growing experience to become a little better. I love when I get to witness others change because of the gospel, but when I see it within myself--it is something that I can't even describe. I love the gospel. I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. I love the blessed and wonderful inspired prophets-modern and old. Thank goodness for this good news :)

XOXO, Sista C :)

Happy 20th Birthday Cami in 

Kempsville, Virginia!

Shopping on her Birthday.  Oh yeah!

And lunch at the Cheesecake Factory made it even better!

Thanks Taryn Fairchild (Cami's Mission Mom from Poquoson!) for making it all possible!

Banana Pina Colada Slurpees!  Fav!

Both on Antibiotics right now.  See below.

When it's SUPER hot outside, it's pretty hard to not just jump in that water!!!!

Def. Thinking about it!!!  

Gotta love a loose skirt on the A/C vent when it is stinkin' hot and the humidity is 

sky high  while tracting all day looking for potential investigators.  Mission fun!

More mission fun! Sister Thornton is looking a little vampirish! :)

And finally, oh so kind-Sister Kari Brimhall asked me what kind of cake was Cami's favorite!  I said yellow or Chocolate, but she has to have it in a bowl of milk.  Family tradition!  This picture came to my phone a couple of hours ago from Sister Brimhall who had made what looked like an AMAZING chocolate bundt cake and the caption just said, 'with milk'.  I see she hasn't convinced Sister Thornton of her peculiar family Conklin/Carlson ways!  Not yet, anyway!

Well done!  Thanks Sister Brimhall for finishing the day off right! :) You're the BEST!

And now...a few words from Cami.  

P.S. Have you noticed, the letters are getting shorter?  She is really engaging in the work now! 

WELCOME TO THE DAY OF MY BIRTH. :)

Super grateful that my BDAY is on a PDAY! AYOOOOOOOOOOOO. I am a happy camper. Mi familia sent me a box with lots of goodies in it-there were certain times I was supposed to open the presents... and I def opened them all at once :)))))))))))))))))) LOLOLOL LOVE YOU MOM. Good day today though. 

This week has been good, we've been blessed with 2 new investigators! and 2 with a baptismal date. So that's supa cool. Finding people to teach is the best. My comp got strep throat this week so we had to take it easy and spent a good amount of time at the doc but all is well! I've never felt so awkward in my life as the day I had to stay home and not do anything! Haha not doing missionary work on a mission.....just awkward. But sometimes life just happens!! Even to missionaries :) 

We've both been to the urgent care within a week of each other now. (Cami had an alergic reaction to something) Both on antibiotics. LOVE IT. I'm off to celebrate my birthday.....PEACE AND BLESSINGS!! :)

XOXO sista c