From: Braydon Carter <braydon.carter@myldsmail.net>
Date: Sun, Dec 23, 2018 at 8:25 PM
Subject: Everyone needs a mission 12/24/2018
大家好!
Hello everyone! MERRY CHIRSTMAS! I seriously can't believe that it's that time of the year! I'll be calling my family in just 48 hours and I'm sooo excited :)
Anyway, I have some good stories for the week. And many things learned and I can't wait to share them with all of you!
To start, just like the description says. I just want to say I think everyone needs a mission. Not should go, or should want to go, but needs to go, and let me explain why. I have only been a missionary for 6 months and I already feel like I have been able to completely change as a person. I will give you some examples:
Before my mission, I was a pretty decent working person. I was willing to have late nights and early mornings to get what I want, but I was a slob. I was messy, unorganized, lazy, and every other expression to use. But as a missionary, I've seen some big changes. For example, I make my bed every morning now. Which is funny because my mom used to beg me just to make my bed. Not only that, but I love being in a clean environment now. It brings the spirit and a clear mind. Which is also funny because my car would often have no room because of all the random trash and what ever else. And most days you couldn't see the floor in my room. But as I've been a missionary I have found a love for being in a clean place, knowing where my things are, and really taking care of the things I have.
Second, I love to study. Before my mission, I would do the things the interest me, especially sleep. I think it's funny now that as I have been a missionary, it is a race every morning to shower as quick as I can to get some extra study time in to just better my self as much as possible.
Lastly, as I grew up, I always knew the church was true. I was surrounded by it, and I had a pretty strong testimony of it. I would never say it wasn't true. But as you come out as a missionary, it's not something that you believe in, but it becomes who you are. You don't just know you can pray in hard times, but every time you have a hard time you pray. Or whenever you are confused or need an answer, its not that you know you can turn to the Book of Mormon, but you actually do. You start to legit realize we have a Prophet from God here on Earth today, and every time he opens his mouth something special comes out. All these primary answers I would hear are no longer answers, but actions. The result of the actions are something that is indescribable.
To continue, this week we had a lot of really cool things happen. My companion and I went after it this week. My favorite part of the week is I feeling like my companion and I became part of Sitiawan. In the past, people would almost look at us in disgust and fear. As we would approach them they would quickly throw their hand up and tell us to go away. But this week Elder Taylor and I just talked to everyone, and little by little we have become part of Sitiawan. Instead of them looking at us with disgust, they see us at the two missionaries that are nice to everyone. A couple times this week they would even yell out to us and we would say hello! It's no longer a feeling of, "Oh, they are back again." It's more of a " Heyyy!! Look it's the missionaries, HELLO!." It's been really cool and the spirit has been really strong because of it.
This week, we were also able to become closer with 2 of the people we are teaching. Zuo Qing and Bao Xiang, They are way cool! We saw them almost every day this week, and were able to share with them some awesome things. And both of them actually have a date for baptism!! So we are working hard with them to help them get there which is the coolest feeling in the world!
On top of that, we were able to meet with a lot of the members this week and share with them the true story of Christmas, which might be the spiritual highlight of my mission so far! It has been so cool visit with them. Without a doubt, every single time we read Luke 2 with them, the spirit is so strong, and then we will just spend some time talking about Christ and what he means to us! It has seriously been the coolest feeling in the whole entire world. Here are some pictures of some of the awesome members we met with, and were able to spend our Christmas with!
Also this week we were able to teach SOO many people. Which was way cool. One of them invited us over for lunch and it was the coolest thing ever. He is a Buddhist but is just the most loving man in the world. He is friends with everyone, wants to help with everything, and is just a great guy. So anyways we met with him and shared about Jesus Christ which was really cool. He offered us lunch and we were able to see some really cool things he had in his house from traveling around the world. Here's what he had for lunch:
This included pig hoof, and special chicken, vegetables, something called TangYuan, and just so much more. He also had his really big Buddhist shrine that I though was really cool. I asked his permission to take a picture and thought a lot of you would like to see what it looks like :)
Lastly, I hope you all have an amazing Christmas. I know for our branch we are super pumped for a party we are about to have. Because our branch is smaller my companion and I were able to help decorate for the party we are having tonight!
I love all of you so much! I wish you all a very merry Christmas and I can't wait to here how it goes! I will challenge all of you this week to go read Luke 2, it could be with your families or your friends. But I promise as you do so you will feel the light of Christ in your lives.
这个星期真的非常好。我这个星期看见很多的奇迹。我想要作证，我知道耶稣是基督。我知道神爱我们每一个人。甚至祂赐给我们祂的爱子耶稣基督来帮助我们面对每一个挑战。我见证当我们记得基督，我们会感受到祂的光。而且我们会邀请祂的圣灵在我们的生活中。加油你们! 圣诞节快乐!!
Love,
Elder Carter
龚长老
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