Year 2, Week 10

Merry Christmas everyone!!

I was just remembering how my dad is famous for wishing every passing stranger a Merry Christmas during these precious weeks, and now that I’m in the mish, I find myself doing the same thing. Funny how that is, huh?

This week was FULL of fun! We had our Multi-Zone Christmas program (which was a beautiful disaster) and our White Night with several baptisms.

In the Christmas program, we put on a show and dressed up for a modernized missionary-nativity. We sang himns and ate good food. I decorated a new missionary in flashing Christmas lights becuase he was the angel. President Reynoso told dumb jokes between the acts that made us laugh far too much. We destroyed piñatas and filled the empty spaces of our stomachs with candy.

The season is bright. We live in a nice area right now, so the Christmas lights are good. Next week I’ll try to send photos, but I can’t make promises.

We’re teaching a family of Austrians! The Kruscher family. They speak German and English, so we’re trying to learn as fast as we can! If we can’t speak English by tomorrow, we’ll have to bring Sister Alejandra to translate for us. We special-ordered them four Book of Mormons in German so that they would get excited to learn. It worked!! They’re very excited to hear our message.

Anything else? OH! I’ve been learning how to be firm with the missionaries. Elder Juarez (President’s assistent) noticed that I demostrate too much love (..half-joking), so he’s been coaching me in how to make things very VERY clear to the Elders when they need to be. I admire the guy a lot for his ability to repremand with love, and even though I STRONGLY DISLIKE ordering people to do things, I know it’s a necessary skill to be an effective leader. Even Jesus had to do it, but He always did it with the best interest of the other person in mind.

Anyway.... STUDY YOUR SCRIPTURES!! (haha.... just practicing...)

I love you all, and thank you for your continued support. The time goes way too fast. We’ll be seeing eachother before you know it!! Have an adventure this week! Share the Gospel with someone new! It will bring you so many blessings that you can’t even count them!

Love,

Elder Carson

Year 2, Week 9

President called me last Satuday night to tell me that my transfers were changed! I would no longer be staying in Playa del Carmen with my dear buddy Elder del Toro.

And where do you think I went? Well, back to my homeland of Cancún, of course! This time, I’m assigned as Zone Leader in Kabah Stake, where Elder Walk and I are serving in Kukulcan Ward. President, his assistants, and the secretaries are all in our zone.... O.o It’s a little bit of pressure, admit, but I’M SUPER PUMPED. So ain’t nobody gonna bring us down!

We’ve been focusing on the church’s LIGHT THE WORLD initiative. The members are very excited to participate with us, and we’re using that positive energy to bring the Restored Gospel to as many people as possible! I have a personal goal to share the initiative with 50 people every day, and so far so good.

To start off the new transfer well, Elder Walk and I made a bunch of lime pies (Elder Carson’s signature) and rallied some members to help us share it all with the neighbors. The idea is to establish ourselves well with those closest to us. How can we expect to find new investigators miles away if we don’t even know the name of the guy next door?

We’re trying to infect the zone with the same enthusiasm. Sometimes the missionaries seem to be sleeping (even while they’re walking in the streets!), so we helped them set goals to talk with as many people as possible. I’ve carried over some old ideas from Playa and Chetumal to help them be more obedient, as well. We send them questions from the scriptures at 6:25am, and the first ones to answer win points towards a prize at the end of the 6-week period!!

If you guys have more ideas, let me know! Yall are more creative than I am!! :)

I’d just like to share with you guys my testimony. Christ lives. HE LIVES. We would be able to see him and feel the marks in his hands if he weren’t physically distant. He is a person, like you and me, with a body of flesh and blood. He is my Savior and my mentor in this great work.

Remember Him this Christmas, and do your part to LIGHT THE WORLD!

Love,

Elder Carson

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Elder Walk and I chillin in the Ciber-café right now!!

Zona Playa!! We had this greeting-party set up outside the church to raise awareness of the program.

Christmas time in Kukulcan!

Year 2, Week 8

HELLO MY FRIENDS!

I feel like 3.25 seconds have passed since I last wrote you. This week has been rather fun, seeing as we had to find a new house to live in. Lots of miracles in the process.

TRANSFERS NEWS: ....... Everything stays the same, folks! I will have my second Christmas and New Year’s here in Peten Ward with my buddy Elder del Toro, and I couldn’t be happier! This transfer, I will also complete 15 months in the mission. Terrifying.

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Questions!

Q: Most dangerous mission day?

A: Uhm. We’re mostly protected. There was one time that we had to stay indoors for two days for a  shooting in Cancùn, but that’s the only danger I remember! All the tropical storms have evaded us. There was a recent Pink-Eye pandemic in the whole peninsula, but it didn’t get to me!!!

Q: Best day ever?

A: Today, just like every day!!! :D Seriously, one of mym favorite experiences was a mass-baptism we had here in Playa. Seven personas. In one part, a brother baptzed his two parents. Intensely spiritual.

Q: Goofiest person you’ve met?

A: Miguel. In my current ward. He’s crazy, and he falls asleep (hardcore) in the lessons we invite him to. Fortunately, everybody loves him, so it provides a little bit of humor.

Thanks for tuning in! Love you all! The church is true and the Lord is good. Missionary work is the greatest blessing in my life. I hope you’ll all committ to share the Gospel with a friend this week.

Love,

Elder Carson

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Elder Erickson - Ready for Rain

Zona Playa del Carmen!!!!