ERM

I have probably started this blog post at least 10 times. I have so many thought and ideas about what I want to write but simply cannot word it correctly. I want to address being an Early Return Missionary (ERM) and the difficulties that come with that. When you are an ERM people do not treat you the same way they would treat a "normal" RM. Instead of asking, "How was your mission?" They ask, "How are you doing?" ERM's are the same as RM's with the only difference being that they may not have served as long as they had expected. We still filled out papers, received a call, prepared, and ultimately left our families and put our lives on hold for a time. Our call letter stated that it is "expected" that we will serve 18 months to 2 years. For some the Lord did not need our help as long as others. We served our time and learned what we needed to while we were on our missions.

When I tell people that I am an ERM you can tell when the questions start going through their minds of why I came home? Did I do something wrong? The truth is that more that half of ERM's did nothing wrong they had diffrent reasons for coming home most of them were beyond their control. This is a graph from a study done at Utah Valley University of ERM's and why they came home:

  

 You can find more info on the study here.

I know that I was meant to serve a mission. Even if it was only for 5 months. I learned what I needed to and touched those that needed me. And I am glad that I was able to have that experience. 

Benson Hill..... no more

Sometimes Heavenly Father has a different plan for you that you have for yourself. When this happens, you just have to follow the counsel found in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

On Friday April 11th, I was honorably released as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have some medical issues that cannot be taken care of in the mission field and so I have returned home.

I greatly enjoyed my time as a missionary and I am glad that I had the opportunity to serve, even if it was not for the expected amount of time.

If you would like to get a hold of me I still have my same phone number and e-mail address.

Love,

Kelsie

kelsie.dekarver@gmail.com

Benson Hill.... in a trio

So I am in a trio now. It is a little weird but good as well. It is like a sleepover all the time! This week I have defiantly learned that when it comes to companions Heavenly Father gives you what you need. I have great companions that help me so much in my work.

Sister Lee... Is from Colorado. She has been out for a year and just left an area that is very rural. (There were more Cows there than people) She freaks out when she sees people outside (which is all the time) And is glad she is finally somewhere with stores.

Sister Gurrero... Is from Alpine. This is her first area and Sister Lee is training her (with my help.) She is very eager to get out on the work.

We were able to go to a Baptism on Friday for someone Sister Lee was teaching. I got to see Sister Alder there is well. Nothing to exciting except it was our Housing Coordinators Grand kids.

One more thought about Conference. Elder Ballard Talked about Preach my Gospel. I completely agree with what he said. It truly is an inspired book. I encourage everyone to study from it and develop the attributes found in Chapter 6. And remember, "It is 'necessary" and... we are bound, as by concatenate, 'to be,' as He declared 'even as I am." -John M. Madsen

I hope you all have a fabulous week.

Sister DeKarver 

Benson Hill...... Staying.

Well I am staying in Benson Hill another transfer. Sister Alder is leaving and going to Graham. It is funny we are switching  companions. She is going to a be with a sister I came out with. (Sister Copen) and Sister Copen's companion is coming up here. Sister Lee. Sister Lee is also going to be training so I will be in a trio. I have heard good and bad things about trios. They definitely have their pros and cons but I am excited.

Nothing to exciting happened this week. We had to go to Maple Valley AGAIN!!!! to fix our car. (Our car is the oldest car in the mission and is a few months from being retired. Let me just say when I am car shopping I WILL NOT buy that kind of car.)

Well that is all today. Sorry for such a short letter this week....

Sister DeKarver

Benson Hill.... Land of miracles

Well it has been a crazy week here, lots of ups and downs. Saturday was amazing tho we had so many miracles happen.

    1. We have been working with a 9 year old girl that is part of a part member family. She wants to be Baptized so bad. We fasted Wednesday to Thursday and Thursday we went to go see her mom to see if we could build some bridges. Sadly when we went by the mom wasn't home. we kept trying and on Saturday SHE WAS HOME!!! She welcomed us in and was very friendly, she is normally kinda standoffish. She is willing to work with us to help her daughter get baptized and she agreed to have the bishop some visit her!  

   2. Saturday Night we had a ward Game night. When we got there the Elders Quorum President told us to go and find the 1st councilor in the bishopric. He was giving a church tour to a lady. The Lady said she had driven by the church  thousands of times but there was never anyone there or there was lots of cars. This time when she drove by there was 1 car. She turned in and asked the 1st councilor is she could ask him some questions about the church. He invited her in. At first she didn't want to come in because she was not in a dress, but he convinced her and started to give her a tour. This is when we showed up and finished the tour. When we talked about Joseph Smith and I recited the first vision to her she said, "That is just like me. I am looking for the right church." Then when we were in the chapel explaining the Sacrament she asked if she had to take it. We explained that it is voluntary and she was relived. She sad she understood how sacred it is and how she didn't want to make a covenant that she didn't understand. Sadly she is not in our ward. Yesterday we introduced her to the Sisters serving in her area and she attended church with them.

   3. We went to see an Investigator to invite him to church. We got to sit down and talk to his mom. She is very open and wants to sit in on the lessons so that she can know what her son is learning about.

Last p-day we went to Colan Beach. It was very pretty I will send pictures. We ate at a little diner on the lake and then walked around and took pictures. It is like we were normal!

2 weeks ago the Mission Department introduced a new way of teaching. We now use the Pamphlets LOTS more and try to keep visits to 30min. We don't even introduce the Book Of Mormon until the 2nd visit. We have seen it greatly increase our missionary efforts. People are more willing to see us and see us more often. We are also being encouraged to not tract. Instead we are working through members, part member families, less active members and investigators to find people to teach. So far it is working great. We are really seeing it work.

Next week is transfers so I will not be e-mailing on Monday but on Tuesday.

A spiritual thought or two before I go....

"Sometimes we will face things for which there is no earthly explanation. In those moments we need to erect a sign that reads, 'quiet: God at work.' Meanwhile, hold on Child of God. Keep believing. Don't quit. Don't give up. Let God do his work in you. The greatest tragety is to miss what God wants to teach us through our trials."

                                                  Ray Pitchard

"Insisting that yu have a picture perfect family home evening each week- even tho doing so makes you and everyone around you miserable- may not be the best choice. Instead, ask yourself, 'what could we do as a family that would be enjoyable and spiritual and bring us closer togeather?' that family home evening may have far more positive long term results."

                                                   President Dieter F. Uchdorft

Have a great week everyone. and Hang in there.

Sister Dekarver

 

Benson Hill..... Missionary Changes

On Tuesday we received training from President Eaton. The Missionary Department came last month and changed some things. The first lesson is now 30 minutes long. From door-to-door. We also now count lessons as having a opening and closing prayer. Instead of before when it had to include a commitment, doctrine, and a prayer. This has made our numbers drop ALOT but will lead to more progressing investigators and more baptisms.

I have found myself studying a lot about families lately. It is not like I want to I just start studying and then I am like,"wow how did I end up At families again?" Families are very important. Think about where we would be without them. President Packer said, "... nothing is more critically connected to happiness- both our own and that of our children- than how well we love and support one another within the family." Families are so important they are our support. The second point we talk about when teaching the first lesson is "Gospel Blesses Families." The Gospel really does bless families. As we strive to have better relationships with our family members we will be able to feel the spirit more in our home. And feel the love of others as well as our Saviors love for us.

On a different note ...my ward mission leader is from the Philippines. And in the Philippines they have a delacasy called Bolut. Sister Alder Has eaten it as well as Elder Bradford but Elder Mchendrick and I refuse. Bolut is a Duck egg that has been fertilized and is about to hatch. Sister Alder says it just tastes like a normal hard boiled egg with a beak. I am taking her word for it. I am not putting that thing in my mouth!

Hope everyone is doing well. Talk to you next week.

Sister De Karver   

Benson Hill....... Missionary life

Well. Our carpets are finally clean and we are getting a kitchen table this afternoon. We also rearranged the furniture in our house. Our apartment "renovation" is almost complete we just need to put all the furniture back where it goes and hang pictures back on the walls. Then just a few small things and We are done!!!! Are apartment is so nice now!!!

Sister Alder and I have learned how to Crochet (well I should say are learning.)

we definitely have lots of room to improve! It is nice to not think about gospel stuff for a little while at night. (Don't worry. I love the gospel! but it is like a stress relief. (wow I sound like a old lady:)))

I got to teach The Law of Chasity lesson this past week. Sister Alder said I did great. It was part of the new member lessons, after someone is baptized we teach them all the lessons again plus another one about ordinances, so i couldn't screw anything up to bad. ;)

Hope all is well...

Till next week...

Sister De Karver

Benson Hill..... Extreme make over Apartment edition

Wow I survived this past week.

We spent every free second we had prepping our apartment for painting. We probably filled around 600 holes!!!! On Saturday we had to get up finish prepping, go to a Relief Society Activity, then we left early and went to meet up with our housing coordinators. We finished Prepping and then started painting. two of the young mens presidency was there and 1 young man. There was 7 of us. Which was a good number. we started paining around 11:30 and finished at about 2. Then we skipped lunch and took a nap instead. While we were painting we turned the heater off. it was freezing! We decided to have Wendy's for Dinner and study in our warm car. then we went to the Tiffany Park Sisters apartment and showered and got ready and went out for the last 3 hours. Wow we were tired. We drove around trying to find more lost people. Then saw Sister Swadner. I was falling asleep the whole time. then we went home and went to sleep. Our apartment looks bran new now. I don't want to put anything up on the walls after all that hard work. We went to bed at 9:30 last night and I took a nap. (the blessings of fast Sunday!) We also decided we are going to rearrange our apartment. We are waiting until we find out when we are cleaning the carpets tho because we don't want to move all the furniture just to move it again. We are going to try and see if we can organize it so we can get a kitchen table because that would be great!   Last night we moved our beds a different way and now there is so much more room! We don't know why they weren't like that in the first place. Elders.... is all I have to say. Our Furniture is all in big piles in the middle of the rooms. it is hard to try and function and is making me anxious because things are not wear they belong. This morning instead of working out, because we don't have anywhere to work out, I put my closet back together. It is a slow process. I will have to send pictures when it is all done. I am sad I don't take before pictures.

We have started teaching a woman named Keya. We ran into her tracting. She just wants to be a good mom and do what is right for her kids. We were in the middle of our second lesson when we found out she thought we were Jehovah Witnesses. We corrected her real quick on that.

I had my first Church tour this week. with Andy. He brought a friends along as well. I think it went really well. They are both going to read the Book Of Mormon. Andy can read English but he is more comfortable with French and Lingala. We are trying to get him a Book of Mormon in French right now.

I am learning so much and love being a missionary. This is such an amazing opportunity! I love it!

Til next week....

Sister Dekarver

 

Benson Hilll....life with the Aps

Hi!

Having the Ap's in the ward isn't bad at all. They are really busy trying to see everyone. And they are getting tons of referrals.

I don't really have much to say today. Did I write last week about Sharing time? I will write it again if I already did you can skip down. We taught sharing time. Our lesson was on Gods creations. It was lots of fun. We were also invited to the sunbeams "bubble time." Let me tell you that is the cutest thing ever! 

This weekend we are painting our apartment. The Young Men are coming to help us. It is going to be weird having a bunch of boys in our apartment. We are going to have a weekend sleepover at the Tiffany Park sisters apartment! Party! Well as much as you can as a missionary. On valentines day that meant laying in bed eating chocolate moose and watching the Testaments. :)

A few things from the missionary side of me.....

Watch these. They are so amazing and I wish I could watch them all. If you want to be really nice you could put them on a Jump drive for me.

Also read this talk. it maybe my all time favorite talk! At least right now. I have been constantly studying it. Of course it is by Holland. :) isn't he the best?

Well that's all for now....

Until next week!

Sister DeKarver

 

oops I forgot

I forgot to tell you....

Elder Anderson and Johnson Saran Wrapped our car. They came to our appartment. and gave us back our journals. (we have journals that our companions write in) They left and we opened them. Inside was a picture of Them in front of a saran wrapped car. It said," remember when we Saran wrapped your car." We ran outside and sure enough. They had come while we were weekly planning saran wrapped our car, took a picture, changed clothes, went to the store, printed the picture and brought us back our journals.

Benson Hill.... Knock on wood

Wow it has been a crazy week let me tell you.

First of all Transfers are today. I am not being transfered. Sister Alder and I are both staying in Benson Hill. But both of our Elders are whitewashing (this means they are both leaving and two new elders are coming.) We just found out that the Elders moving in are the APs!!!!!! Gahhhhhh.... Don't freak out but if we screw up we are dead! This could be a good thing. Whip our ward into shape. One of the Aps is Elder Mchendrick. (Willy and Saunas Nephew) So I guess Taylor Power!

We are painting our apartment. It really needs to be done. The apartment complex wont do if for us but they supplied the paint. It is going to be a ward project. It will be fun!

Some dear friends moved out of the ward. The Kohlers. We are going to miss them a lot. But they moved to Pleasant Grove so I can see them when I get back!

I am so frazzled because of Transfers sorry.

We have been out of a car since Saturday. We got it back Yesterday. The car overheated and had to be towed. That is all we know. They didn't tell us what was wrong. But we have it back now. We have been walking. And on top of that it has been raining. (here I go complaining again. I am trying to work on it.) 

Our shower was also getting Caulked this week. So every morning we went to the Tiffany Park Sisters Apartment.

A note: When sending packages please remember that it could take 1 to 2 weeks for me to receive them. Please do not send anything perishable. The office missionaries are getting mad because they keep having to drive out to me to bring me packages.

I figured out my Release date. I will come home on July 7th, 2015.

Hope all is well.

Sorry I am so frazzled.

Sister DeKarver   

Benson Hill.....Snow?????

Wow it is hard to believe that it is already Monday again. Time flies so fast and slow at the same time.

I thought it would get easier to see people now that the Superbowl is over... WRONG! On Wednesday they had a huge parade in Seattle with all the players in it. There were close to 100,00 people in downtown Seattle. 1300 kids didn't show up to school and 500 teachers called in sick. Wow this state is going a little crazy!

Now that the Superbowl is over we have the Olympics. which isn't so bad but everyone wanted to watch the opening ceremonies. luckily we had Ward correlation at that time.

On Tuesday we had zone conference and we got the GOLD PLATES! That means that our car was the cleanest in the zone. (even though it is the oldest and they are about the kill in in about 5,000 miles.) We have a license plate border thing (I cant remember what it is called) that says Renton Gold Plates and we got 100 extra miles this month.

After Zone Conferance we had to get our oil changed. We were sitting in the lobby and a movie was on. It was a really weird movie but anyways. In the movie they shot and killed someone. It was amazing how fast the spirit was gone. It was like in Finding Nemo when Dory says, "good feeling gone!" It is amazing to see how much I have changed in these 2 months. I am so much more sensitive to the spirit now.

The sad thing about Washington is you hardly every get a sunrise/set. In Utah I really took that for granted. we finally had one this last week. I miss Utah's Sunrises/sets and Mountains.

On Saturday night it snowed. About an inch or two. Everyone freaked out. That night we had a bunch of texts and voice blasts asking us if we were ok. It was weird the only real problem was that there are NO snowplows! A slight problem. We got stuck on a couple hills on the way home. They also canceled church. There was only 2 services in the whole stake! On the way to church Sister Alder and I had a spot of trouble. we were going down a slight hill at the bottom was a T with a stop sign when Sister Alder tried to break we slid. as we turned. Luckily we stopped 6 inches from the ditch. It is good to because if we had gone into the ditch my side of the car would have smashed into a telephone pole. The Lord really does protect his servants. the worst part though was when I had to get out of the car to back Sister Alder. Where everyone could see who we were. Totes Embar (hahaha)

Sister Alder have this problem with matching clothes. Almost everyday we will end up wearing the same colors. Like today. I got dressed and was in the kitchen. When she was done showering and getting dressed she came out and said, "you have got to be kidding me!" I was wearing a navy blue shirt with a mustard skirt and she had on a navy blue skirt with a mustard shirt. That is almost a daily thing for us. Sometimes on of us change and other times we just stay in the same clothes.

With the deaf lady I e-mailed about last week. They talked to her and talked to her for about an hour last Monday. Today they are meeting with her again and the ASL missionaries are coming so they can hand her over. It was such a cool experience.

Next week p-day is in Tuesday instead of Monday because of exchanges. Sister Alder and I will probably stay here because she is training me but you never know. 

I hope all is well.

thank you for the letters and Prayers

Until next week.

Sister DeKarver

Re: Life of a missionary

Our District Learder, who is one of them that speaks ASL gave her a Mormon.org. They are still helping her. Missionaries and there dedication to there service is so amazing to watch. I LOVE IT!!!!!

On Mon, Feb 3, 2014 at 11:26 AM, Kelsie Erin De Karver <kelsie.de.karver@myldsmail.net> wrote:

I just witnessed the most amazing thing. There was a woman in the library that was deaf and having issues with her computer. As soon as this was realized 3 missionaries that knew ASL where there talking to her and helping her. It was so amazing. I Love Missionary Work!

Life of a missionary

I just witnessed the most amazing thing. There was a woman in the library that was deaf and having issues with her computer. As soon as this was realized 3 missionaries that knew ASL where there talking to her and helping her. It was so amazing. I Love Missionary Work!

Benson Hill..... Seahawks won???

Thank Heavens the Superbowl is over. It has been crazy! During the Superbowl yesterday we walked Petrovistky, a busy street. It was a good use of time because we weren't bothering people who where trying to watch. We where able to teach two lessons and find some potentials. During the second part of the came we ate dinner at the Relief Society Presidents house. They where not watching the game but kept looking up the score. Needless to say. We knew when it was over and we defiantly knew who won. We were hoping that President would call us in on account of so much ciaos but he didn't. We were at different members houses. The rest of the night. And luckily there were no drunk people. *blessing*

It is amazing how something you learned in Activity Days. I remember learning how to lead music. After my assignment in the MTC as Music Coordinator and now in the field I am the only one in my district that can lead, besides Sister Alder but she is the only one that can play piano.

There is a lady in our ward named Sister Attaway. We call her Grandma Attaway. She reminds me of Grandma D. The other day we taught her how to use her DVD player and helped her put decorations away. I love going to see her. She is so nice and kind. A wonderful sudo grandma!

It is amazing how in the Church how much we emphasis on asking for yourself. We don't have to rely on others testimony. We need only ask God and He will tell us. It is a wonderful promise. In the first lesson we ask people to pray to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is truly a Prophet.

The Gospel is so true!

Alma 26:12

Sister DeKarver 

Benson Hill.... no sign of vampires

You know how last week I said I was going to make an outline for these e-mails. Well I lied. It didn't happen. So you just get whatever I make up right now.

Wilson fell off date yesterday. We went to see him on Saturday and see if he needed a ride to church. He said his mom will only let him come to the Malichi Church (long story) We have to back off for a little bit. We do have this 9 year old girl we are teaching. Her Mom is a member but less active and her grandpa is active. She has learned everything. The elders taught her but here mom got a little freaked out. The elders backed off and we stepped in. She is on date but her mom backed out of letting her come to church on Sunday. She wants to be baptized so bad.

A lot of people here have garden gnomes. I have started a collection of pictures of them. I am really excited they are all so cute and have there own personality! :)

It really doesn't rain that much. It hasn't rained since my first week here. It is cloudy and foggy though. But we have had 1 or 2 sunny days.

We have started a program where at 8 o clock every night we go to a members house and teach them a lesson and they pretend to be investigators. It is really helpful. We don't have a lot of people to see that late. We also get good feedback.

Hope all is well at home.

Sister DeKarver

Benson Hill... Go Seahawks? Part 2

Wilson is our only progressing investigator. One if the boys we are teaching went MIA for a few days. We went over to his house to talk to his aunt and he was just sitting on the couch. We were like DUDE WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!

Anyways. I am hoping to get better with e-mails. Maybe I will start writing an outline? Any ideas? What do you want to hear about?

Sister DeKarver

Benson Hill......Go Seahawks?

So the Seahawks won. Which means another day that we can't see anyone because  they are watching the game. It is getting a little annoying. I don't know who to cheer for the Seahawks or the Broncos. DELEMA. But not a huge one when you are serving the Lord.

I finally got to see Mt. Rainier yesterday. It is pretty big. The weirdest part is that there are no other mountains around it. All of the sudden there is just this giant mound of earth. Strange.

When I was at the MTC I bought a journal that has the painting, "hold to the rod" by ..... Christensen (I forgot his first name.) What do you thing the picture symbolizes. Some say he is holding all of his worldly possessions and he must let them go to hold the rod. I like to think of it as he is holding his burdens and he must let go of them and give them to the Lord in order to hold onto the rod.

I don't really have a lot to say. I really need to get better at this e-mailing thing. I have been a little sick this past week. With a non stop headache, neasea, and aching. For a day and a half we just went to scheduled appointments and then I came home and slept. I am feeling better but not fantastic.

We have someone committed to baptism. His name is Wilson, he is 12 years old and a little autistic. We have to be creative with ways to teach and keep him involved. His Mom is LDS but less active and his dad has his records removed. Anyways he says things like. "the Mormon church is 7/10ths true and the Malichi church is 3/10ths true." he is so cute. He is committed to be baptized on February 8th. I just hope his mom lets him. Even though she is the one that wanted him to learn and be baptized. She is a little wishy washiy and decided that her boys need to experiance all religions.

Benson Hill

Hello everyone! Hope all is well.

Mission life is good. There is lots to do and hardly any down time. My body is finally starting a adjust to the time zone and sleeping schedule.

My apartment is good nothing to exciting. We do have our own washer and dryer! Our apartment complex has it's own gym so that is really nice. We just got approved to use it as long as there isn't a man in it. (we haven't had a problem yet, no one wants to work out at 6 am).

Sister Alder has been in this ward for 4 transfers, this is her 5th. Before that there was no sisters in this ward for 12 years! Because of this we spend a lot of time visiting the Widows in the ward that the elders can't visit. It is like having a bunch of grandmas. The ward really like to feed us. I am going to get FAT! they are always feeding us and giving us cookies. It is crazy!

Most people here work at Boeing. We had to work around the football game on Saturday. Everyone is a die hard Sea-hawks fan. If they win 1 more game they will be in the Superbowl. (I'm sure Shane has a snide remark about that) If they make it to the Superbowl I am going to get a Sea hawks shirt. Well even if they don't I will everyone has one.

On Wednesday our miles got reduced. We used to get 1000 a month now we only have 600. We have to be creative and plan well. I am just glad we have a car.

We also have a phone. I am in charge of it because Sister Alder forgets it a lot. Our phone hasn't been getting texts and so we keep missing appointments. Then we get calls from members asking if we are okay. Our phone also gets awful reception in our apartment. It is crazy! We had to call our District Leader 4 times last night because the call kept dropping.

Our music rules are whatever the white handbook says. But President Eaton approved DISNEY. SEND ME FROZEN PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! You can send CD's we have a player in our car.

One of the elders that had our apartment before liked to dumpster dive. We have a lot of random stuff. Sister Alder got rid of most of it. golf clubs and such. But we still have a mismatched stereo and a bunch of lamps.

Send all letters to the Mission office. I will get them 1 business day later. Packages I get every Tuesday at district meeting. (I haven't gotten the second package yet.)

Thanks for all your love and support.

Sister DeKarver  

WASHINGTON

Well I am here in Washington. It has been raining since we landed yesterday. On the airplane they had us all sitting together except for me. I was across the isle from everyone else. (and no Katie I didn't talk to the people sitting next to me, they didn't speak English.) It was hard saying goodbye to the Elders in our District as we parted ways at the airport. I am really going to miss them.

My Mission President and Wife are great. I also saw Elder Hendrick (I think that is his name) Willy and Shauna's nephew.

I am in Renton and we serve in the Belview ward (I think). There are so many people and things to remember it is going to be a while until i get it all straight!

My companion's name is Sister Alder. She is from Arizona. Our apartment is kinda gross. Elders lived in in before Sister Alder moved in 4 transfers ago. She has been slowly improving it. She says it is a lot better than when she first got there. My bed is so cute with my yellow and gray Comforter. We went tracking last night and found two potential investigators.

There is so much work to do and people to see. Last night we saw a less active woman. She is so great she has a daughter that has Surebrial Palsi. (sorry for the spelling). The little girl is so cute and I love her. She is 6 and even though she can't talk she is great at communicating what she wants. We also met a older sister missionary. Her Granddaughter goes to Westlake. You know Maddison. She is special needs and loves to hug everyone! I knew her once I saw a picture of her.

I keep getting car sick. I think it is because I don't have any sense of direction. (There are no mountains). Hopefully that gets better.

Please send any letters and packages to the mission home. I will get the letters a day later and packages at Zone Conference weekly.

Our mission president said something great to the sisters he told us to pretend that we are married and on a business trip. If our husband saw the way we were interacting with elders would we be ashamed. I feel like I explained that poorly. :/

We have a car only one set of sister missionaries doesn't and they walk by choice.

My area is very diverse. There are lots of apartments and so many different ethniticities. The Seattle mission has a Russian speaking division and it covers part of our mission as well. Weird thing is President and Sister Eaton's daughter is serving there speaking Russian.

Send me lots of pictures and quotes and stuff. Sister Alder has a huge collage in front of her desk and I an jealous. I need to get working on mine! we are going to the store later so i can get tacky stuff. (and some other stuff as well.

My normal p-days will be on Monday. Except during transfers they will be on Tuesdays.

I love you all.

The Gospel is true!

Sister DeKarver       

Last letter from MTC

This week has been crazy! but I don't have a lot to say. 

We are no longer teaching Jake. We switched and are now teaching Sara. We are also teaching Gabby who is an actual investigator! It is so exciting. She doesn't really know anything about the church and her mom keeps sending her anti mormon stuff. We are trying to teach her as much as we can and increase her desire to learn. Last night we taught her about the Book of Mormon. We don't know what we are teaching her tonight yet.  There are somethings about the church that she really likes and others that she doesn't like and makes her not want to do with the church. On of those things is Plural Marriage. I have explained it several times but i dont think she fully understands yet. 

I saw Madylyn Smith. (She was my friend in 6th grade) She is going to california. It was great to see her. I also saw April. I Screamed and ran up and hugged her. 

I have a new assignment Sister Swapp and I are the music Corrdinator, We lead the music in Sacramant. And plan the songs. We are also in charge of planning musical numbers and encouraging everyone to go to chior(even though we have never gone.) 

If you are sending a dear elder do it before noon on sunday. It takes a few days for me to get it and I want to make sure I get them all before i leave. 

Thanks for all your love and support! 

Sister DeKarver