Hello Everyone!! :)
Wow!! It has been one CRAZY week! Super service-oriented!! :) But crazy!! So what we were going to do last week was have another amazing MLC (Mission Leadership Council), Trainers Meeting, and go to Vernon, Texas for another exchange with the Sisters there! :) But as you all know, Oklahoma had some pretty crazy and intense storms/tornadoes this past week and that has pretty much consumed our whole week, it's been so crazy! And I want to THANK YOU for ALL of your amazing prayers, support, and love that you have given to ALL of us in Oklahoma including the missionaries!! :) THANK YOU!! :) Y'all are SO AMAZING!! :)
So this past week..
Monday- the HUGE storm/tornado hit Moore and it was the biggest one they've had since 1999! It was and EF 5 Tornado which I guess is the worst one it can be! :S It was SO crazy and SO sad to see ALL of the immense damage it did in Moore. :( My heart definitely went out to the people there and it was really hard to hear about at first, but our amazing District Leader was able to come over and give me a Priesthood Blessing, which brought immense PEACE and comfort and filled me with LOVE from my Heavenly Father and His children. :) I'm SO grateful for the POWER of the PRIESTHOOD!! :) It is SO REAL and SO TRUE!! :) What a BLESSING!!! :) I am also, SUPER grateful for worthy men who hold the Priesthood so they can bless, serve, uplift, encourage, and minister to those in need. :) What a blessing!! :) WORTHY MEN, THANK YOU for HONORING the PRIESTHOOD!! :) It truly is such a gift and great blessing from our Heavenly Father to you to lift, encourage, inspire, and bless ALL those AROUND you!! :) THANK YOU! :) THANK YOU! :)
Throughout the week, we had great lessons with Zhaotong!! :) He is so amazing!! :) We love him so much!! :) Please continue to keep him in your prayers, that he will remain strong and continue to progress towards baptism! :) THANK YOU!! :) We also moved to a different apartment this past week (a townhouse!) that we really like! It was/is a great blessing!
Thursday- We had a "MLC Conference Call" on the phone and were able to discuss things about the tornado, service opportunites coming up, Sister Training Leaders, New Zones, and Transfers! :) It was really great being able to get caught up with all that was going on and how we could best prepare, help, and serve! :)
Friday- We were "CALLED TO SERVE!! :) And had the WONDERFUL Opportunity to go out and serve in the Community up in Moore, to help with Tornado cleanup/relief! :) It was/is AMAZING to see EVERYONE pull together and unite in helping, serving, and uplifting others around us in this great time of need!! Again, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS!! :) They are much needed here!! :) Everyone is doing very well and it's AMAZING to see the GREAT FAITH, LOVE, TRUST, and GRATITUDE these AMAZING people of Oklahoma have in the Lord and that even though MANY of their possessions are lost, that they know that FAMILY and FRIENDS is what is most important and that they were/are SO grateful for all those who were kept safe and alive! :) What a MIRACLE!! :)
Saturday- We went out and served again, this time in NewCastle (where the storm hit Sunday) and were able to do some intense clean up with cutting down trees, sorting through wood, metal, and precious possessions. I also, loved being able to see a TON of missionaries all gather together and help!! :) We all got to wear the yellow "Mormon Helping Hands" shirts! and serve side by side many other amazing faiths and organizations to help these people in various areas throughout the state gather together belongings that were lost, organize what was destroyed, and help them mend their broken hearts. I KNOW Heavenly Father is EXCEEDINGLY mindful of these AMAZING people here!! He is HELPING THEM, He is COMFORTING them, He is WITH THEM and will CONTINUE to be no matter what!! :) I KNOW this to be true!! :) We must continue to allow Him INTO our HEARTS and MINDS so He can provide these GREAT BLESSINGS for US! As I know the great and wonderful people of Oklahoma have!! :)
Sunday- We had a really neat experience of having about a 30-45 min. church service with the STAKE at the Church where we all came in our yellow shirts and work clothes! We partook of the sacrament, the amazing Stake President spoke (Pres. Keyes), and then we got assigned different work sites and went out to SERVE again! :) We went to a place called Little Axe (that was also hit on Sunday) and were able to do a lot of yart clean up there too! :) They were very sweet and kind people! :) I LOVE the people of Oklahoma! :) They are so wonderful!! :)
Monday (yeseterday)- We went out and served again, later in the day and were able to help search through all the remains of this persons trailer house and find a BUNCH of their things which was SO good and happy!! :)
Tuesday (today)- because of all the craziness and unpredictable events, we are able to email y'all today, and Transfers has been moved up to TODAY!! :) (instead of tomorrow) So Sister Zaleski and I will be getting a New Sister (straight from the MTC- LITERALLY, they fly in today!!) joining us to share the gospel here at OU and continue various service projects that are needed thougout the state! :) Please continue to keep her and all the new missionaries in your prayers!! :) A mission can take a lot of adjusting and especially with all that has been going on our here, that adds a new factor to it! But I KNOW the Lord KNOWS these missionaries are STRONG and have been PREPARED for this very time to come out and serve a mission in Oklahoma!! :) I KNOW that He will protect them and is VERY mindful of them! :) So thank you for all your prayers in their behalf and in behalf of all the missionaries here!! :) Y'all are SO great!! and wonderful!! :) The Lord lOVES you and he LOVES YOUR PRAYERS!! :) THANK YOU!! :)
Also, a thought that came to me this week (from the Spirit) during this week of sudden losses and what seems to be great tragedies was, "The work is hastening on BOTH sides of the veil!!" :) The Lord needs His children's help here on earth in mortal life AND in the Spirit World! It was amazing!! I LOVE the things the Spirit of the Lord teaches me each and every day! And this thought was actually very comforting and helped me see and understand the eternal and broader picture and spectrum of things. That death and destruction are not the end; they never are here. But an opporunity to progress through the Plan of Salvation AND an opportunity to join together and help, love, and reach out to all those in need, thus becoming closer together and becoming further "knit together in unity with love towards another." (Mosiah 18:21) :) Heavenly Father knows what He is doing and allowing and I KNOW that He has a much bigger and eternal perspective of His plan for His children including the individual plans that He indeed does have for EACH and EVERY ONE of us! :) Which is why it's SO important we strive to do things to be intune to His Spirit so that we can know that we are doing the right things in our lives and are going down a path that will ultimately and safely and successfully lead us back to Him and back into His loving and all-encompassing arms, back home! :) The Church is SO true!! :) I KNOW it. I LIVE it. I LOVE it!! :) THANK YOU for SHARING IT!! :) I KNOW that Heavenly Father not only needs "helping hands" in service cleanup, but He also needs "helping hands" in this GREAT WORK of SHARING the gospel with others around us in whichever way that may be that He inspires YOU to do! :) I invite each of you to accept the invitation and commanment from the Lord to "OPEN your mouth, and DECLARE His gospel, with the sound of REJOICING" (D&C 28:16) :) I PROMISE you there is NO GREATER Joy and Satisfaction than that of MISSIONARY WORK and that of SHARING THE GOSPEL with your Friends, Family, and Loved ones!! :) It will not only lift, encourage, inspire, bless, and strengthen THEM, but YOU as well!! :) I promise you this!! :) The Lord LOVES YOU!! :) He is EVER SO MINDFUL OF YOU!! :) Thank you for PUTTING YOUR TRUST IN HIM! :) And allowing Him to do this great work and a wonder of bringing the gospel to ALL His children on the earth THROUGH YOU!! :) I love you!! :) I KNOW the Church is TRUE!! :) I am SOOOO grateful for that!! :) And for the AMAZING service, blessings, guidance, strength, and EVERTHING that it renders and provides for EACH and EVERY ONE of us, as we allow it to! :) I LVOE YOU!! :) THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!! :) The Church and GOSPEL are TRUE!! :) He WILL lead us home, if we put our trust in HIM! :) In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love, Sister Carlini :)
ps. QofW: "The best way to valiantly testify of Jesus is to become steadily more like Him. " -Elder Maxwell :)
&
"If we...exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life." -Elder Carl B. Cook :)
"Love the people enough to Share the gospel with them!" :) -Spirit :)
PICS! (some of these are super sad!! :( thank you for all your prayers! :)
Please continue to pray for them all! Everyone is doing well though! :)
Zhaotong!! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment