This Week Has Flown By! (7/21/14)

Busy Busy Busy!! I had no time to think this week, just running from appointment to appointment!! Forget lunch a few days this week!! Sister Jennings and I have been spending 100% of our time in YSA getting to know lots of people! We're texting like crazy! I never texted like this before my mission! WHAT!! CRAZY!! But I love it when its like that! We started teaching a guy named Zak. He is pretty cool and during the lesson I got to use the Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham!! hahahahaha He said I don't think I will read The Book of Mormon every day so we asked him why. His reply was, "I don't know if its holy scripture."

So I said, "Have you ever read Dr. Seuss's book Green Eggs and Ham?"
"Yes"
"Do you know what happens in it?"
"No, I haven't read it in a long time..."
I said to him, "a man named Sam will not try the green eggs and ham and says he doesn't like it but in the end Sam does try the green eggs and ham and likes them!" So Zak said he will try to read The Book of Mormon! YES!!! He has lots of questions but tries not to seem too interested. You know, he has to keep up is image! Were not 100% sure why he wants to meet with us but we shall find out this week!

So, I'm sure your thinking, "What happened to Sister Jibas!?" She was working on Marshallese work all week with another sister. This other Sister's mother had just passed away and was having trouble so the mission president thought it would be good for her to come up here and work with her people. They have started teaching one new person this week and got a referral from a member!! So cool! Hopefully the Marshallese group will soon be a branch! That has to be approved by the First Presidency! That's cool too!

I finally finished The Book of Mormon last week and now I have started the New Testament! I love it! Cover to cover it is awesome; you get the whole story line and things just make more sense. And I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God! How do I know that? I prayed about it...I asked GOD! That's what it is about: asking Heavenly Father and getting your answer and then acting on it!

...YSA (Young Single Adult) wards!!! Party on, they are crazy! This week we are getting ALL the info for all the party's for YSAs!! Non-members are like, "What, you can come to this?" and we say yes we can! We talk to them about what ever! The goal if this is that we are trying to let people know we're normal young adults just like them...we just talk about Jesus all day! No big deal!

Mom don't freak out....so a while back we had this FedEx truck in our apartment complex at like 8:45 at night...like two or three times a week...while serving in Marina Hills. Super Creepy! They shouldn't be delivering things that late...right? Well, now I make sure to spot all FedEx trucks and let everyone in the car know that one is around us. So Sister Jennings one day was making fun of me...and said, "Well FedEx is the devil and Hello Kitty is a gangster!"...Hahahaahah I think that's funny and so should you!

Cool Miracle this week! It's 9 at night we go to open our apartment door. Of course it is locked like every other night so Sister Jennings pulls out the key and tried to unlock the door, but the key is bent! So sister Jennings tried fixing it and putting it back in but no luck. Well, we're just stuck out there so I gave it a try and before I even think about it I'm saying a prayer that the key will bend back...and as I press it against the wall it bends back into place perfectly! We open the door and all is well! Heavenly father does love us!!

Well I love you all! Hope you enjoy your Christmas in July this week!

LOVE, Sister Violette Carlson

There Is Not Enough Coke In The World (7/14/14)

Flirt to convert

This week has been great!!! How I love the work hear in Newport! Sister Jibas is so freaking funny, she has started to pick up on little words that Sister Jennings and I say…For instance on Tuesday we ate at Carls Jr for lunch and Sister Jibas, being super tiny, looks at her burger she ordered having no idea that it would be so HUGE! She looks at it like, "How in the world will I be able to eat this?"…Sister Jennings tells her to just unhinge her jaw and she should be able to eat it. So Sister Jibas says "AMERICA!" then takes a bite out of her sandwich. Ahaha…Sister Jennings and I look at each other and laugh, we have done well!

Well, I don’t know if you know, but Thursday was my one year mark… holy crap it’s been that long! It feels like just yesterday I was telling my mom I was planning on going on a mission! Time really does fly by when your have as much fun as I am! BTW, Sister Jennings and I were in the MTC together, so what did we do to celebrate? We had so much fun at the Nashville Tribute Band (a band that missionaries and Mormons listen to! They came for a night in the park with music it was a great opportunity to invite friends and get people we are teaching to meet and see more Mormons in LIVE-ACTION!) concert!!! It didn't get done until 10:30. How does our mission pres feel about that?...he is total okay about it because we were getting people out and mixing and learning more, and that's part of the hastening of the work. It was so much fun! They played Crack That Whip off of their trek CD so Sister Jennings and I decided to dance out in front of everyone for fun. We did a Doe-C-Doe... it was a crowd pleaser!!! Hahaha, I love my mission!

Did you all know that you can go on Facebook and find my mission? The California Irvine mission, or something like that. They have videos and pictures out the wazoo! Hope you can find it and enjoy it as much as all the other people do! Some moms and family members go crazy and comment on everything! It’s the best! So funny! How do I know this? Do I get on Facebook?…no, but I'm good friends with the assistants and they let me see it!

Tuesday nights we have splits for YSA! They are awesome. I went with a girl named Megan; she is leaving for her mission in about a month…yes, that is cool! We were able to stop by a ton of people to try and teach and…NO LUCK! What!? But we were able to help each other out with stuff that we were dealing with, like how awful her day was and questions she had about her mission, and then I got to tell her how I wanted to punch an Elder in the face because he was being a jerk to my companion. In the end we both benefited from splits. We were not able to teach anyone that night but we were able to lift each other up and just feel the Spirit. I know that it was there and I felt God's love. Sometimes things don’t work out as they were planned but they work out how God has planned!


LOVE Sister Violette Carlson!!!

I Could Just Spit! (7/7/14)

What a Marshallese party! It was so much fun: lots of singing and a little dancing! We Sisters got to dance for everyone. Were there Elders there? Yes. Was it awkward? Yes! Was it good that we danced? ...yes. It was the first time Sister Jennings and I met everyone in that home so they got to see that we were white girls (we are so white!!) and that we could have fun!! Oh yeah!

Sister Jennings' birthday was the 1st of July so we partied like it was 1999! #partyon  We had cake and we went to panda express for lunch! Oh yeah!!! I love birthdays! Even on the mission you can have fun, do what you want....within the white hand book guide lines!

 

4th of July party!! It was awesome!!! Irvine Mission is the best!! We watched The Son of God that night and it was so cool and we were able to just sit and watch a movie and enjoy ourselves. It was so nice!

 

Well I have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation. Why? Because I just do. My life has helped me know that it is so true. Jim passed away Thursday (I taught him and he got baptized 8 weeks ago). All is well and he is in a better place now, teaching people about what he knows to be true! I will always be thankful for Jim and what a miracle he was for me in my life, and all that he has done for me! Just being so willing and honest with us as we taught him, and how much he helped my grow so I that I could deal with life and it's great challenges! I wish more people I meet could be like Jim!

 

YSA ward. It makes you want to get married soon... Why? So you don't end up like them....WHAT!!! Ahahahhaha. Sometimes we will be sitting in Church and there are people that are 28 and not married and have to go to mid-singles and they just are searching for a husband or wife and it is just crazy. And having to be in a singles ward for so long would just be awkward...no wonder why the Prophet and Apostles are talking about getting married at a young age rather than waiting until your 28 ...because YSA wards are just awkward! Sometimes I just cant deal with it! You need to heed the words of  the Prophets!!!

 

A cool thing happened last night! We were driving to go visit someone and we saw a guy at the bus stop so we parked the car and went to take to him. He was on the phone but after he saw that we wanted to talk to him about the Book of Mormon he got off the phone and talk with us. He is leaving the state but said he wanted to read and learn more...so we gave him a Book of Mormon and right there he started reading it! I love it when The Spirit tells us to do things and when people want to learn more! Then we get back to the car and Sister Jennings says, "Change of plans. We need to go see Jennifer." So we went and she was home and it ended up being the perfect timing. We were able to talk with her and get to know her so we could become friend so that she knows us. Now she knows us and hopefully she will start coming to church more regularly!

 

Well, I love you!!!

Be Good. Stay classy and be honest!

LOVE, Sister Violette Carlson!

Life Is Crazy! (6/30/14)

So, I shall begin in a place not too far from here; a place the call The Lake Building. This building holds the mission office! Transfer meetings are held here...or as I like to call them, the REAPING!! So freaking true!! Ahahaha. I was able to get most of my things to the Lake Building but I would have to go get ALL of my pillows from the apartment later that week while my comp was at choir! So, sitting at the reaping, Sister Jennings and I wanted to be companions so badly!! Like, reeeaaaaallll bad. We came from the MTC together and have been waiting for this day to come! We prayed really hard and made cookies for the president so that he would get his reward when we would become comps! We decided that we would sit on opposite sides of the chapel so that we could run to each other! I was also worried that I would be put into the YSA ward in Newport, because lets get real...I'm AWKWEIRD around people my age!!! Man it is rough! So Pres. calls out, "Newport YSA Marshallese branch" and says that Sister Jibas is serving there "and her new companions are Sister Jennings................."(and I swear the time it took him to say the next name was AT LEAST a lifetime) "......and Sister Carlson!!" I screamed I was so happy!! Sister Jennings and I ran so fast at each other that Sister Jennings name tag flew off and hit a poor sister in the face! Damage done: mild! It was so much fun! Then off to hug sister Jibas.. Then to show everyone how we got Pres to let us be together we run up and put cookies up by the podium. Everyone was laughing at us because this is so freaking funny. Who wouldn't think this was funny!? We are the funniest sisters out here!!

Well I'm out of time but until next time...

LOVE, Sister Violette Carlson

Life As It Is! (6/9/14)

So I think that I will start with: I am okay! I am doing well!

I knew that Brock's time on earth was coming to an end in a short time, so when I got an email last week it was not 100% a shock to me that he only had a few days to live. With the Lord's help I soon found myself telling my Mission President that I would need to be going home for a few days, that it was the right thing to do, so I got a flight out Thursday morning. I got in at 4-ish and was at the Hospital with my mom and 3 youngest brothers seeing Brock. We were there for a few hours then had to go due to the boys being ready to eat the whole hospital down....

While I was at the hospital I was able to show Brock some videos of me on my mission.. He enjoyed that, not being able to stay awake long enough to talk to people for too long, but he watched all of the videos so that was good! I didn't know that when I left that would be the last time I saw him. I don't know what I said to him but in the end, does that really matter? No... He passed away Thursday night.

While I was in Utah I was able to spend time with my family and that was the best part. I love my little brothers, they are the best!

So, I'm doing alright for the most part. It's when people (a lot of people) are around and talk to me I get all freaked out inside and I just can't deal with that. So that's weird but I'm sure I will be fine.

Hope you all have a great day!

I know that my Savior loves me and that we can all live again one day.

Love, Sister Violette Carlson!!!

Life Is Crazy When You're Me! (5/19/14)

Let's get you up to date, starting with Jim: he got baptized this week!!

It's pretty cool! He is the sweetest smart-mouthed 77 year old man I have ever met! I met him Tuesday may 6th (That's Davids Birthday!!! My Brother!!!)! He is the husband of Sister Tapp and she got baptized in November! Her daughter-in-law said on Sunday in her testimony that Jim wanted to be baptized so we went over there as soon as possible! And then taught him every day!!! Jim has cancer of the face, throat, and now in his lungs so he cant do much or get out much but he has been to church 3 times over the last 8 months before his health got to bad. He is the funniest guy; he has no teeth and can barely talk but he is still trying to crack jokes! He loves to play Scrabble so that's what we will be playing tonight before we teach him his lesson! So much fun! He got baptized May 15 at 7:30. He even showed up an hour early so that he wouldn't miss it! He was so frail that the Elders had to get in the font and help him in and out!

In other news: my health. I'm doing great! Dairy was the culprit! As long as I don't have dairy, I'm good! Well, along with tomatoes! But I'm in flying action!!! I love being here where I get to learn about food and what I can do with it! Like, my new favorite thing is taking Avocados, spinach, vanilla, and agave. You mix it up in the blender for a vita mix! Love those things!

I have recently decided that I'm going to change the world!! Just making some small goals for when I get home! I don't know how yet, but I have big plans!

So lets talk about Transfer calls! What!? Crazy! We get the call Saturday night that were leaving... both of us! What!? I left the room to go take a shower because I couldn't deal with that! Normally that means you were not doing a very good job in your area and that's just not good; it's called being white washed out! So I cant sleep! I packed everything I could! Yes, I was up until 1 then laid in bed until 3 before finally falling asleep! Sunday was rough but I had my Diet Coke to help me make it through (its a new thing, drinking Diet coke, because that's what members have. I drink it but I still prefer straight Coke)! So, while I was laying in bed I couldn't help but think of things I could tell president to let us stay...our numbers are good, the ward is amazing....what could be the reason? ....I couldn't think of anything so I thought of some thing real good! and in the morning I texted the President... "I know you're a busy man so I will keep this short...Sister Orgill tells us that when we save the loved ones of others, we have the right to petition the heavens for the rights of out loved ones...and the loved ones I petition for are the Marina Hills Ward. Can just one of us stay? We were told that there would be no Sisters replacing us," (thats what really hurt me), "What can I do to have one of us stay? I will go where ever you want me to go." And we got a text back saying, "Sisters, sometimes things just happen that we can't control." So we went to church and cried our eyes out! I had a member tell me that his son is a great guy and I should look him up when I move back to Provo (I didn't know I lived there before....Awkard, yes!). Then when we got a call during church so we called it back later. It was the AP's telling us that we would not be leaving the area but both of us would be staying!!!!! What!? I packed for nothing! Whatever. I'm staying!!! That's all that maters, but it was so awkward when the member that told me to look up his son saw me on Sunday and realized I hadn't left....oh yeah!

As far as Mothers Day goes it was awesome!!! I got to skype my family had a dance party with them as well. Who wouldn't love that!?! It was really fun seeing them all! They grow up so fast, you know!! I love my family and I'm so lucky to have them!!!

Quote of the week! While talking in the car at the end of the night, randomly Sister Hedrick says, "If I had facial hair, do you think it would be red?" Both of us: "Hahahahahahaha!"


LOVE, Sister Violette Carlson!

What???Huh!!!! I'm confused!!! (5/12/14)

Life is crazy....I got a call that I was being transfered saturday night then a call sunday saying that I wasn't than an email saying that ther could still be a chance of me leaving the area...not sure whats going on just that it's all in the lords hands! Also we have a baptism on Thursday! That should be interesting if we leave...

I Cleaned a Toilet (5/5/14)

I FREAKING LOVE SERVICE!!! I got to where jeans so much!!! Hahahaha, yes!! All day Thursday and Saturday, and Wednesday night! Jeans just make me feel so good because my butt comes back; otherwise I would have know idea if I had one! So, thank you for service!! It all started Wednesday: We decided to stop by the Ward mission leaders house. His wife was home so we ended talking to her about her neighbors who she said she just wanted to get them to meet us, just to be friends, so she could see that missionaries are alright (I thought about saying "not weird," but lets be real, we are so weird!). So we leave and get a phone call from that member saying her neighbors need help! We were able to do service for them AND we let them know how normal we are! AWESOME! Then the next morning we were able to do more service and Sister Hedrick and I got to clean a toilet together! It was awesome!

Quote of the week! "Okay lets slap each other with the spirit!" -Brother McBride

Also, that lovely day has come and gone this year. The day of April 25, when it's not too hot and its not too cold, all you need is a light jacket! Thought I would remind all of you!!!

So what did I do this week? Service!!! 22 hours of it! Holla!!! It was so much fun and because of it we should be able to start teaching a new family soon! We started off by folding shirts last week and helping them with a garage sale, then went to a party at a member's house last night! It was so much fun! Sister Hedrick is a violinist so she played for about an hour; then we had some dessert and socialized! It was so much fun! One of our other investigators, Kelley, came as well and she had a really nice time. She liked getting to know some of the people that were there! It was a really great way to end a Sunday night!

....Friday night was the TACO Challenge!!! I ate 13, however the two elders that beat me ate 20....gross! This event was held at the McBride's home in our ward..... it was awesome!!! Never in my life have I felt the desire to eat so much food. It was a party!

So I have been thinking a lot about what Elder Neil L Andersen said while he was here about how we need to know the scriptures more...So I started re-reading the Book of Mormon again for the 7999089896th time on my mission, and man it is an awesome read! I love it! It has got to be my favorite book! I want to be able to read it every 2 months for the rest of my mission (I like a challenge)! Its what Neil L. Andersen did while he was a Mission President with all of his missionaries!

A crazy thing is happening this week: my trainer (one of them) is going home! It's so weird to think that she will be home on Friday. She put up with me for the first 6 weeks of my life here in the mission field. Those were fun days! I was way crazy back then: I  did what I wanted how I wanted it and tried my best to please my trainers! Those days were good!

Well Family, Friends, and People that Stalk me,  I hope you all have a great week!!!

Stay Sassy!!!!
LOVE, Sister Violette Carlson

I Have A Live - A Missionary Life! (4/28/14)

Okay, okay, okay! So lets talk about my week:

Pretty much the best week!!! I have been off dairy for about two weeks now...but members love to try and give it to me for dinner...silly them!....I have also been running so much more in the morning! But good news, my stomach didn't have any problems last week!!! I have come so far!!!! It turns out that the Doctor over the missions suggested that I go home to get better then come back but after talking with my mission President....President Orgill talked Salt Lake down from sending me home....WHAT!!!! My Mission President is cooler than yours!!!! Because the mission doctor had suggested that I go home and it pretty much happens when she say that. Salt Lake is what we say to refer to head quarters...the scary guys! And my mission President talked them down! He Is So Cool!!!

Have I ever told you that I love exchanges!?! That's when missionaries switch companions for 24 hours! I love them so freaking much!! You just learn so much!!! Well, I got to go on one this week with Sister Andersen... and yes, this is the same Sister Andersen that was in the MTC with me! SO exciting, and it was so much fun!!! We talked to a guy named Wes and he wants to meet again!!! That's so exciting!!!
I also got to go on exchanges with her again on Sunday and Ed came to church!!! I was teaching him while I was in that ward!!! And he came in a Suit! Oh Ed ,I hope you get baptized! He is so cool; he loves action packed scriptures!

SO Elder Neil L Andersen came to our mission! So awesome! He pretty much said we are all going to die one day so embrace it now, its part of life! It made me think about a Mormon message (link here) a different Apostle shared about when he was in an air plane and the wing cough on fire, and when it was spiraling down to earth. He was at peace but there was a woman freaking out. This Apostle said she was not ready to meet her maker...are you? Am I? I have know idea! Its good perspective to think about...

He also talked about how we need to know our scriptures more!  We need to bring perhaps greater faith, then one day Baptism...Pretty much saying keep working with people!!! He also said something cool "You have been who you are for a very long time, its part of Eternal life." "When you testify you must be 100% honest!"

We had a zone training meeting... they said "Modest it Hottest....but you're missionaries...so you cant be hottest.... so be modest, but not too attractive..." Ya, it really got me pumped up!!!

I love my life its so AWESOME!!!!!!! I DONT WANT THIS TO EVER END!!!

Oh my I almost for got to tell you!!! I love the rule NO DATING!!!!!! Hahahahahahahahahahah, it makes telling guys no so much easier...."Sorr,y I'm a missionary and I have a companion that I have to have with me 24/7." So we talked to these guys and they were wanting to know more...about us.... but they didn't seen to act flirty at all (or I just don't pick up on those kind of things, it happens) but they ended up texting that night and asking for Sister Carlson! Oh boy....they wanted to learn more about our "faith" over lunch...not cool....they totally wanted to go on a date! That is awkward!!!


LOVE Sister Violette Carlson!!!

Hit the Top of the Hill!!! (4/14/14)

So this week I hit my nine month mark! Crazy now it is a short fall to the bottom!!! It is already going by so fast, I cant even deal with it! And they say it will go by faster!!! Ahahahah. So in honor of 9 month mark we took some pictures; I hope you enjoy them!

Okay people you have a job this week!!! Go to lds.org online and one of the first things you will see is a video is "Becasue of Him" it is an amazing, amazing video you got to watch!!!

Also, as a missionary, I have gotten weird!!! We knocked on a door of our members home (she was going to be giving me a hair cut) and she ended up not being home...but her husband open the door shirt-less....awkward....!! Me, I turned away from him and wouldn't even look at him. Freak, I acted like I have never seen that before... I made it so awkward!!!! Needless to say it didn't bother him at all! No awkwadness to it for him!! Hahaha. I'm so weird!

General conference was a knock out!!! Super cool!!! The main theme I got from it was "Where is your focus?...well it should be Jesus Christ!" So I was on Mormonchannel.com and I watch the new youth theme song....it was good and not even that cheesy!! Go team!!! Normally I struggle to like them, but this one is so good! You should to totally check it out!!! "Come Unto Christ:"

Sister Carlson is now off dairy so that makes it fun trying to find food that I want to eat. This week a member fed me ground turkey with grated cauliflower and zucchini on sour dough bread!!! yummmmmmmm!!! So good! I love food!

Also, cool thing: Elder Neil L Andersen is coming to talk top us on the 19!!! Great day!!! Have to look good!


LOVE, Sister Violette Carlson