7 Jan 2019 - New Year New Us

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Braydon Carter <braydon.carter@myldsmail.net>
Date: Sun, Jan 6, 2019 at 7:44 PM
Subject: New Year New Us 01/07/2019

Hello Everyone!

This week has been so so... Interesting. There has been a lot of miracles. There has been a lot of good traveling and learning. 

So we started off this week by going to the Doctor on Monday. My companion had felt especially tired, and he had a really bad cough. So we went to a clinic in Sitiawan. After a brief visit with the doctor he was nervous that my companion had bronchitis, and so he asked that we would have X-Rays done. So we did, then we came back. And sure enough my companion had bronchitis. Haha it was so funny as the doctor told us we needed to chill out and let my companion rest. So that's what we did for the beginning of the week. My companion rested, and I got a lot of good additional study in. We had our follow up with the doctor, and he told my companion that he was doing better but that we needed to spend 5 more days resting. And he even gave us 5 days leave which we just laughed. But we decided that we he was healthy enough to go all the way up to Penang [ Penang ] for zone conference! 

So that's what we did! It was a 3 hour bus ride and it was all just beautiful with palm trees, and the ocean. Here are some pictures:

Then zone conference was literally just the best thing in the whole entire world. We have a very small zone, and we are a new zone. So in all honesty I think there is a small reputation for new zones to struggle for a little bit. But with our zone conference we just came out kicking. We got each other all pumped up, and just talked about how we could contact families, and use the Book of Mormon, as well to take care and nurture ourselves especially when we get down.

Here's a picture of our cute little zone:

Then after zone conference Elder Taylor and I headed back to home. Back to good old Sitiawan. But because we wanted to make sure we used that 3 hour bus ride well, we ended up using the whole 3 hours just to call everyone in our phone, and in the past records of Sitiawan. It was actually really cool because we saw a lot of miracles because of it. We actually ended up getting in contact with people that haven't been talked to by missionaries for 4-12 years and setting up appointments with them. Its amazing to me that we weren't able to go out until Saturday, and God was helping us in ways that we could do missionary work.

But now for the bigger miracle. So Elder Taylor and I got to Sitiawan about 2-3 on Saturday. We hadn't been able to do any missionary work in our area due to traveling, and his sickness. But we knew that we could still be successful that day especially with the Lords hand in our lives. So we prayed and let God know that we wanted to find a family, and also get 2 referrals that day. Well to make a long story short we go out and meet with some appointments, and then eat dinner, then 8 PM rolls around. We had still not ran into a family, and we hadn't had any referrals. But we knew we wanted to visit a part member family and talk with them about coming to church tomorrow. So I asked my companion what he thought we should do, and we both decided if we were able to go and talk with that family like we planned that God would help us do the rest. So anyways, we go and visit this family, they said they could come to church and it was already around 8:50, we needed to start heading home. But as we were in the streets ready to ride home van pulled up next to us asking if we were lost, we replied and said no, we were just about to start heading home. Then this mom said to us, well hey come to my house first. So my companion and I stared at each other in complete shock of a miracle rolling out in front of us. To make a long story short this family invites us in their house, because they are friends with the family we just invited to church. We were able to share the message of the restoration with them, and then they told us about 2 daughters who they would like us to share with that were not there that night. 

From that experience it just goes to show that God want's to help you. He wants to provide for us and help us achieve and meet all of our goals. 

I really like this verse from proverbs:

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

I know that our zone conference was inspired, as we talked about having really good goals, and having a positive mind set. I have learned more and more every day that as you set goals, and have a positive mindset, absolutely believing and having faith you can do it, with Gods help you will be able to do it. 

I have such a strong testimony of the power of God's influence in our lives. I know that as we set goals, and have faith and positivity in Him, He will not only help us meet those goals but exceed them.

I love you all so so much! 

Love,

Elder Carter