I hope everyone is doing so good! I think about home often, but I also think of the amazing guy I will be when I come home! I love being on a mission for 2 reasons. First, it's a super awesome experience where I'll live in a different country for just under 2 years. Second, I get to better myself. Not just for those who I will go serve, but for the rest of my life. Like, for example, I now often diligently wake up and make my bed. (Watch out Tyson! I'm coming for you!) Which leads me to a story. As many of you know I LOVE public speaking. I love being able to assist others in their time of of need and I love being able to figure out ways to improve my life and the lives of others. With that being said, I often think of how I can use what I learn in my mission field to be able to use it later in my life and as I become a public speaker. So, in a lot of my prayers, I ask for opportunities to better myself and to recognize blessings. Well, Sunday morning I woke up, said my prayers, and then made my bed. After that it was as if the Holy Ghost walked in the door and started to just give me all the answers I wanted. It had felt as if He was telling me so many things to be able to better my life and the lives of those around me. I had the sudden thought to hurry and go write down that experience in my journal, and I want to share that with you:
As I woke up this morning, I woke up, prayed, and made my bed. Then I had an eye opening experience. I, at this moment, felt like all the answers I needed to become a successful missionary, person, husband, father, and priesthood holder all hit me at once. The inspiration and the light I received in that moment was as if the Holy Ghost had consecrated my thoughts and was preparing me for much bigger things than my self. The first thought I had was how to be successful? That why is it the last few days seemed so successful. Then it all hit me. I had the thought occur to me that we (people in general) have it all wrong. Motivation isn't something that's given to us, we don't receive motivation, WE BECOME IT. I believe that motivation is a describing word to the person you are, THEN turns in to the person you want to be. Motivation doesn't push you, or pull you to do anything. It becomes part of you. It ties very closely with the word diligent. It all starts off with waking up as we wake up and pray to God it is promised by him that his will consecrate our day. ( 2 Nephi 32:9 ) But as I have said before just like motivation, as we are consecrated, it is not something given to us but something we become. We become consecrated, we don't receive it. It's little by little. Task by task that we become this person. It starts from waking up in the morning and making our bed. That's our fist motivation, our first success. Then focusing on every second and minute after that to look and focus on things that matter most in the moment. Don't look at months, days, years, or even hours. As you focus on becoming now, you will become miles beyond from what you could be as you are consecrated by the Lord. As you begin to be lifted up, you are not a burden but a light to those around you. You will assist in lifting them up as well. As you've already made the journey. As you become motivation, consecration, and even converted. You then are a true disciple of our Heavenly Father.
As I went throughout this week, I had really noticed these thoughts enter in my life. At the first of the week I was really struggling with myself. I saw that all my classmates where catching up to me in Chinese and that my companion was taking off and learning tons. I was getting discouraged. I had no idea what to do. I was so discouraged. I had prayed, I was seeking for answers, and still was lost. I felt that every time I studied I would get discouraged and want to give up. Then at an after noon class we had a new training teacher come in. His Chinese was phenomenal and he was so positive and motivated. I sat and talked with him and I finally asked him, "How did you do it? How did you continue to grow and learn new words? I feel like I'm on a plateau." He then asked me my goals and how I wanted to succeed. I told him I had daily goals, and wanted to learn about 35 words a day. ( Which is pretty good ) He said he thought that was great, but to not focus on the day. Focus on the hour. He said when he was learning he would dedicate each hour to just learning 3 words. This is when I thought, uhh that's weak, but I let him continue. He said it helped him see his progress through out the day, and he was able to learn quite a bit. So I thought I'd give it a try but with 5 words an hour. I did this on Friday and Saturday and learned OVER 100 words in the 2 days! I WAS IN SHOCK! It's amazing what patience and diligent work will do for you. I was thrilled.
Then, on Saturday night, I had someone from our branch come up to me and he was going on and on about how he was jealous of MY Chinese, and how he wishes that he could be me one day. ( I'm not saying this to be cocky ) But then he said, "Look, you're a really awesome example to all of us. Thank you!" That's not even the craziest part. This Elder who said all that is enrolled as a student at UC Berkley. A very intelligent kid that has his life together saying I was an example. I was shocked. But it just goes to show as you put in your best work, and be the best person you can, you have no idea who you are a light to or who's looking up to you, so DO NOT QUIT :)
Lastly I have a fun story. So I'm really trying to just dive into Chinese, listening, hearing, talking, and all other things Chinese. Well we have devotionals every Tuesday and Sunday. On Tuesday, my companion and I went with another companionship who has a Filipino. The thing about internationals is they are always invited to the best seats where they receive interpretation head sets. This is when I had the thought ( Whether it be right or wrong, we just don't know ) that I should just hang around them to also get those seats. I did and I asked him to grab me a Chinese headset. So, on Tuesday, I listened to the talk in Chinese. Then, on Sunday, we followed them again and I asked if I could have one to practice my listening and they gave me the go-ahead. It has been so cool to see my progress and where I have come.
I seriously love all of you! I love hearing and reading all your emails! Keep sending them! I have all of you in my thoughts, and pray that you will all be blessed! Thank you for all the prayers, I can feel them, seriously!
我爱你们，加油！
龚长老
I love all of you!
Elder Carter
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