Happy End of October!

Hey everyone! Here we are again, another week gone by. As usual, I'm so glad to read your letters and the great things that have happened to you this week.

Well, this last week we got to have interviews with President Bishop for the first time since I got on island. I really enjoyed it; he's a really great man. I know he's been called of God and he receives revelation for us to help us become the best we can be. We also had a training meeting with our zone in which we focused on the role of prayer in people's conversion. One big thing we have to deal with here is that many people don't really understand that prayer is a literal two-way communication with the creator of the universe. They don't realize the peace and outpouring of love that can come from sincere communication with Heavenly Father. So I've been working hard this week to really help people understand these principles and help them desire to pray.

Sunday was a great day too, because we've now got many people who look promising for baptism! In our mission, the baptismal goal corresponds to a letter, so a week A is being baptized this week, week B is next week, and so on. Week C means they've been to church at least once, because they have to come at least three times to be baptized. Well, we met with a brother on Sunday night who set a week B goal, we have two people in week C, and most exciting for me, a member referred a family of four to us, and they came to church. They're so awesome! The dad kept saying the atmosphere at church was so peaceful and made him feel good, and the mom was socializing with the Relief Society sisters. Our only worry is that they're interested in the church because they want their teenage sons to go to BYU-Hawaii, but I really feel like they could all be baptized this move call. I'm so glad that the Lord is blessing us to know lots of choice souls and help them return to Him.

Well, here's some fun news for me--Donghai is a food paradise. Mostly it's too expensive for any day but preparation day, so last week after emailing you, we went to an all you can eat hot pot place, which also had lots of fruit, free drinks, chocolate fountain...oh, it was good. And I took full advantage of that hot pot this time. There was this family at the table next to us who kept giving me funny looks when I'd come back with yet another plate piled with raw vegetables and meat. :D

We also found out this morning that the Elders in our district have been asked by Sister Bishop to do a musical number at zone conference in a couple weeks. That will be kind of fun to do a quartet, so I'm kind of excited.

I want to bear testimony to you once again that the Lord is ever mindful of you. He is always there to help you overcome any problem or challenge in your way. He will help you find a way to accomplish anything He commands, even if it takes a few tries to find that way. Nephi had to try three times, but he found that way. President Hoer, the one before President Bishop, had a motto-- you ban fa* (sounds like yo bahn fah), which means "there is a way." Christ is that ban fa. His Atonement will heal any wound and make every unfair thing right again.
I love you all so much. I pray for you every night, and I know the Lord is keeping you safe and well. He's certainly keeping me safe and well. Study those scriptures (and Preach My Gospel) and love one another! I'll talk to you next week!

Love, Carter