Carlson Clan Adventures and Projects

Hey Ya'll!

Hope you all had a great time at girls camp! It has been an interesting week.

First of all, there has been lots of rain. They have these fields out here called 'retention pools' for when it rains a lot. One day it's a nice green field, the next day, there's a lake. Lakes have been popping up all over the place. Especially after that huge tropical storm. It had a name, like Amanda or something. We even got a warning text that there might be tornados! There wasn't any in our area, but some down next to Tampa or something. You think weather in Utah is bipolar, come to Florida where one minute, its sunny and nice, the next minute, you can't even see 10 feet in front of you car because it's raining so hard. It's so hot that when the rain hits the ground, it evaporates so everything is steamy. I get out of the car and my glasses fog up.

Second of all, the love bugs are gone, but every other kind of bug is now present. We don't know if they're cockroaches or not, but these brown bugs keep trying to get through our door at night. I don't think there are very many mosquitoes yet, but they are on the rise as well. Sister Major got a tick the other day. Apparently ticks are big in Gainesville.

We had a lot of meetings last week! The first Sister Conference where working with Elders was discussed and unhealthy perfectionism. Some of us, without naming names, found out that they were unhealthy perfectionists. President Barry also came and did a training on things relating to the 'life is hard, get over it' motto. It was really good!

After that meeting on Tuesday we met with a new investigator named Miss E, who lives with some members and is a really big author. She wrote 'Road to Damascus' and several other Science Fiction and Religious books. She's really nice, but has some interesting challenges with the Book of Mormon and the 1st vision. We went through the Introduction with her and one of her concerns was the genetics of the Native American population and how they were asianic and not somitic. I really like the way she talks and her vocabulary though. She's got one of those soothing voices that you could listen to all day!

Since I've been called to train a new missionary, on Wednesday we had to go to a Trainer's Training that was done by President Colvin. He's President Barry's 1st counselor and lives at the very bottom of the mission in Ocala 2nd ward. I guess one of the best ways to describe him is to liken him unto the Pixar short of the man playing chess with himself. He's got a lot of personality, but he's quiet and speaks really softly.

That night, we were at the Book of Mormon study class and the Stackhouse family (recent converts) were there reading. One of the sisters there was reading a verse in 2 Nephi starting off "the Lord does not" - one of the kids there turned off the lights, when we got them back on, she continued - "work in darkness". It was really funny!

Thursday was our Zone Meeting. It was really fun, but the senior couple who had always made fresh bread for us at the end of the meeting had finished their missions. Kind of missed that.

Last month our goal for baptisms as a zone was 15. It was a really spiritual experience because after the mighty prayer, that was the number in everyone's minds. It was surreal. We only made 5/15 and I think that hurt a lot of some of the missionaries pride so when we went to set a goal for this month, there was a lot of contention. They probably didn't realize it, but that goal of 15 made us work harder than ever before and prepared us for the month of June, the last month President and Sister Barry will be here.

Friday we had weekly planning, but we did it a little differently this week. Sister Hale and Jensen, our sister leaders and sister major and sister toledo came over to our apartment and they taught us a lot of stuff about how to make weekly planning more effective. A lot of things are being lost now that brand new missionaries are training brand new missionaries. It was a really good experience and we discussed things like boulder planning, and something new called ward inventory and disney parking.

Saturday we taught a bunch of people and Sunday we went to church and tried to teach a bunch of people again. I'm being kind of short, but I don't have a lot of time left.

Monday we did a really fun service project where Sister Major almost ran over a dog, Elder Caulder almost shot a gun, and Elder Foresyth almost burned himself. But we met a less active lady who wasn't on our roster!

Monday night was Transfer Conference Call! That night we had just finished teaching M about the Plan of Salvation when at 9pm, we called in. We listened to it on the car ride back. Sister Pettingill is 2nd half training and is going to the Ocala 1st ward, so she'll still be in our zone! Elder Jenkins is going to St Augustine, and Sister Major is going to Atlantic Beach. I'm kind of sad. And nervous. Cause I'm gonna train... There's gonna be a big worldwide missionary announcement for anyone who wants to watch on the 23rd. Sometime in the evening or something. Some big changes!

My goodness! Time just flies! I'ma be a trainer! I've been through three transfers already! Ahh!

Anyway. Fun times in GV.

~Sister Carlson