7 Oct 2019 - A week of a life time!!

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Braydon Carter <braydon.carter@missionary.org>
Date: Sun, Oct 6, 2019 at 7:49 PM
Subject: A week of a life time!!


Hello Friends and Family!

This week has been absolutely amazing! I can't wait to tell you all about it! Although I also want to say I miss hearing from a lot of you!! I would love it if you sent me just a small email saying hello! I will do my best to respond!

At the beginning of this week, my companion and I were able to go back to the mother land of Penang [Google Map]. I love that although I'm done serving there I can still go there on exchanges with other Elders and run into old friends! It's always fun going into an old area or seeing someone from an old area because it just really brings back all of the happy memories. Although days may seem long or hard in the moment, looking back it's all been so worth it! Here are some pictures in Penang! :)

As I was there, I was really able to learn a lot from the new missionaries that came in. It is so weird because no matter how long you are out, all missionaries are just the same. Everyone is trying to do the best and do great things. We have 2 new missionaries and it was so fun being able to go out with both of them. One of them loves singing, and so I was able to go around with him while he sang to people. Sounds kind of crazy but it was really cool and the spirit was so so strong.

Then we came back to our area and oh is it good to be back. As we did we were able to have an MLC, which stands for Mission Leadership Conference. It's where the Mission President calls together some leaders and trains them and helps them understand what needs to be changed or how we can be better. I absolutely loved listening to him and being part of an amazing council. The main things that stood out to me is this:

First, everyone we teach, or even members, really need to know if God is real. Does He exist? Do we pray to Him often? I never really thought about it this way, but God really does want to hear from us all the time, and it's kind of sad how little we want to talk to Him. And when we do talk to Him, what is it like? I like to think back to my dating days, and if I was in a relationship where all I did was ask for things, or all my girlfriend did was ask for things I would go nuts. "No honey, I can't buy you new clothes, no honey I don't play the guitar, no honey I am not a Calvin Klein model, I can't give you everything." I think we would all go nuts in those situations, but how often do we communicate with God in that way? Do we just beg and plead for Him to change our circumstance or do we kneel in gratitude and tell Him about the things that are going on in our lives?

There was a lot more but I'll spare all the notes :)

After MLC we were able to meet with the coolest man named Ganesh. 

He is the sweetest Indian guy, and for some reason kind of reminds me of my uncle Brian. But we were able to sit down and just have the most spiritual discussion in the world. He is really seeking to have truth in his life, and he said, "I'm not too worried about being rich and having nice things. I just want to help others". I think that is the purest heart I've met while I've been here!

Then to put a sprinkle on top of it all 2 of my very good friends were able to enter in the waters of baptism.

This one is Francis:

This baptism is especially special because the father of Francis is someone I had the privilege of teaching while I was in Kuching [Google Map]. Just on Friday he was able to baptize his son.

Then here in IPoh [Google Map] my dear friend Herbert got baptized. 

I had the honor of baptizing him and it is an experience I will never forget. He was so happy and when he shared his testimony it was the sweetest thing I have ever heard. He is a forever friend. And with the new policy change, one of the Sisters in the branch was able to witness his baptism. It truly was a historical night.

Friends and Family! I know this gospel is so true. It brings me so much joy and I know for an absolute fact that God lives. He loves us and is with us! I love all of you!

Elder Carter


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