Sister Thurber

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MY SISTERS!

I got to see Sister Thurber last week, and Sister Rasmussen and I ate bread.

Status

They Have Arrived!

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Letter from Sister Carr

Sister Carr left the MTC this morning around 3:30am this morning and is on her way to Washington right now. She  was able to talk to her family for Mother’s Day and is so excited. I continue to hear about it in letters and emails.

It sounds like it has been hard, exhausting, joyful, growing, and everything in between for her. Here are some excerpts from a letter I received from Sister Carr recently that I thought you might enjoy reading:

“The past couple of days have been the hardest days of my life. … I can’t believe how hard this really is. I’m having to learn my weaknesses and make them my strengths. I understand the doctrine and have a desire to help people’s needs but am having a hard time connecting the two. I am learning, though. I don’t think I’ve been so low and high at the same time. I don’t fully know how to put into words what is happening to me. I’m not a different person, but I am changing. I have cried so much lately. ‘What if I fail as a missionary?’ I keep being told my best is all the Lord asks of me, but that doesn’t seem good enough to me.

“I love all of the sisters in my district. Sister Odum is a southern-bell who is beautiful and bold. Her… companion, Sister Johnson, … is the same way… They are hilarious together. They are the STLs (Sister Training Leaders)…

“Then there’s Sister Thurber and I – we are the best of friends. We are known for loving each other so much. We have been having the most spiritual and heart breaking moments ever. Our happy days are together and so are our sad days. She is my rock here and I love her so much. We had good day after good day and I see how we were designed for some humbling. Wednesday, we both broke. We failed on one of our [practice] investigators and then the rest of the day went downhill quickly. We sucked at everything and cried a lot. Sister Owens, our teacher, brought us back to life. She showed me Ether 12:27 – He can make my weaknesses strengths.

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humblethemselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weakthings become strong unto them.”

The Book of Mormon, Ether 12:27.

“Back to Sister Thurber. … She loves music, she is an amazing pianist, she’s crazy funny, has a wonderful testimony, and is the best. … She is an inspiration. We love teaching together and are really good together. She is a huge blessing! She wants to be a pianist for the ballet – isn’t she so COOL?! … She’s had a hard life, but she is always so uplifting, she’s going to be a wonderful missionary.

“I can’t believe it’s only been a week and that I’m leaving the MTC this upcoming week. I am scared and super excited. …

“I have been through so much this week. I am exhausted.

  • I washed my clothing three times in a row because we didn’t understand the laundry room and are ditz’s.
  • I also was making fun of the food and then realized the lunch lady was sitting next to us.
  • I did the choir and sate next to a tone-deaf girl.
  • I fart a lot. I’m actually starting to be known for farting.
  • We went to the temple today and that was amazing.
  • I spend half my time counseling the other missionaries.
  • We had In-Field Orientation and Elder Christensen from the Preach My Gospel (or is it the The District?) videos [was there]. … It was super awesome!! He even called me a hippy and joked with me a lot.

“I am so to be in Washington next week!”

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First Full Week!

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I survived my first full week! I have been growing so much and I am loving the gospel more and more every day. I have so much to tell and yet don’t know what to say. And I’m really bad at this emailing and blogging thing. My companion is still perfect. We did fall on our face this week and have become so humble and have grown so much. We had to realize our best is good enough – not everyone is going to want to have Christ in their life and that is not our fault. All we must do is love them and help them come unto Christ.

I can’t believe how time has flown. I am so happy serving the Lord. I am going to be out in the field this coming week. How crazy is that? I am nervous but excited. You are all in my prayers and wish I could say more, but I literally don’t even have time to sleep here. Just know I am growing up.

Sister Carr

As green as it gets.
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First Couple of Days

Busy as a can possibly be.

Busy as I can possibly be.

This week has been wonderful. I have only been here two days and I have already grown so much. The classes have been super intense already and everything is very fast pace, I love it. I can’t believe I am only here at the MTC for 12 days. But at the pace we have been going I can see why it’s such a short time. I don’t have a ton to write about, or can I put into words what’s happened right now, but I have never felt this way before. The spirit is breathtakingly strong here and I am so happy. My entire perspective of my mission has changed. I went from feeling scared, not good enough, and worried that I wouldn’t memorize things on time to feeling nothing but love for people I haven’t even met yet. I can’t wait to help people and bring them unto Christ.

Sister Carr & her new companion, Sister Thurber.

Sister Carr & her new companion, Sister Thurber.

I am so humbled and my testimony has already grown so much. I love this gospel and Heavenly Father so much. Let me talk about my companion for a second. She is the most wonderful human ever. Sister Thurber is my greatest blessing. We both love each other so much. We are so close and love working and growing together. She is such a huge inspiration to me. I am sad that I only get 12 days with my wonderful Sister. I pray that we will be companions in the field at some point. She is just so wonderful beyond wonderful. Please keep her, as well as me, in your prayers. I have a calling, too! I am the district online coordinator. I get to teach people about computers in the computer lab, I think.

Despite all the hustle and bustle in the MTC, there's even moments to stop and smell the flowers.

Despite all the hustle and bustle in the MTC, there’s even moments to stop and smell the flowers.

I am so happy and humble here. I don’t have much to write about, so I will talk to you next week. Sister Carr

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Letter from Sister Carr

Here are some excerpts from a letter I received from Sister Carr recently that I thought you might enjoy reading:

“My perspective has already changed so much. I went from worrying about being good enough, to realizing this isn’t about me. I already love the people in Tacoma so much and I haven’t even met them yet. And I’m already memorizing things!! I am growing so much and I have only been here two days. I can’t believe I’m only here for 12 days. Time is already flying by.

“You would love the view from my classroom. It has a perfect view of the temple and the mountains. We have 8 people in our district and zone – 4 Elders and 4 Sisters. We are all becoming very unified…

“… let me tell you about my absolutely wonderful companion. Sister Thurber is my biggest blessing here. I love her so much. Her and I are the only sisters going to the Wa-Tac (Washington Tacoma) Mission except for one Elder. She has such a high spirit and is so loving. She is from Utah and has NINE siblings. Her and I are already the best of friends and have withdrawals even if we are only separated for a minute. I feel like I’ve known her forever and will hate when we get separated. I pray that [we] will be companions in the field at some point.

“I haven’t been sleeping well even though I am exhausted. This schedule is crazy. I am so happy though. I know I am truly in the right place. Eventually my body will give up and let me sleep.”

“Everything is just so wonderful here – I can’t wait to tell and show you all about it”