26 April 2011

This week has been truly insane!! We started tuesday in Deming with a new investigator, she is a Jehovah Witness and pretty strong in her faith but is married to a member and is curious about it! we have been teaching her off and on with the video phone as much as we can! one of our investigators is in the hospital with some kind of a stone in her stomach and gall bladder too! she has been a wreck! we are moving her while she is in the hospital! she has made all the arrangements and ready to go through with being baptised! another investigator, GARY, is what you could call golden! He has a really difficult time reading the book of mormon well in fact he can't really read! he has the childrens book of mormon and is reading that along with reading and looking at the pictures! He said he loves it and feels great (the spirit) when we come and visit him! he tries his hardest and has been cleared for baptism on May 7th! :) First baptism in just under 4 years for the branch!! We also have another baptism scheduled for the 7th with another of our investigators, Tamiko. She is a single mother with two daughters ages 2 and 4. Nadina and Princess yes that is her real name! she is also a golden investigator! a member refferal. Tamiko has been searching for the truth and hasn't been able to find it, but she told us that she has stopped her search and found it here! :) it is great to see the lord working through us as we do our best to teach and serve! This is the Lord's work. He is at the head of it teaching and counciling us as often as we will ask!
This week we have been studying about the Role of the Holy Ghost and the Book of Mormon in conversion. As the book of mormon is read answers are found. anything you want to know is found in the book of mormon even how to spend your money of where to go in case of an emergency or how to raise children it is all there! as we read and pray we come to know that is a book inspire and written of God, not of man. Joseph Smith translated the book, but it was only through the gift and power of god that it was brought about! God is real. He knows and loves each of us. As we do our part in studying and learning He will show us who her really is and what he wants us to do!

I love you all! Hope you have a great week! it's supposed to be in the 90's again this week! 75 degrees is cold again so not cool!


_\../ Elder Karlson \../_


Arizona Tucson Mission
939 W Chapalla Drive
Tucson, AZ 85704

The Lord works in mysterious ways and well all in all has been taking care of us in ways we can't even describe!! We have been absolutely swamped this week! having stuff coming out our ears to the point that is kind of overwhelming at time! and we haven't even had time to think! We will be going to Deming, New Mexico tomorrow for the day to contact a referral. It is about 4 hours away. going to be an interesting day!!! I'm looking forward to it but at the same time i'm kind of not! we have so much to do here in Tucson that we need 2 more missionaries here! We had 3 investigators at church this week and well as always have more work to do! 3 baptisms coming up in May and well we have 3 more refferals to contact!!!! We have been truly blessed this last week!!! We found 1 new investigator this week, another black woman ( not racist or anything) she's really cool!!!!!! she has 2 kids ages 2 and 4. and has been looking for the truth for quite some time! she said the first time we went to visit her that she felt peace for the first time in a very long time and that she really enjoys us coming! She is a single mother so it is really difficult for her! it's great to see the Lords hand in the work every day and to see it progressing!! :) New, fun and exciting things and challenges ahead!

Have an awesome! Remember I LOVE YOU!

--

_\../ Elder Karlson \../_


Arizona Tucson Mission
939 W Chapalla Drive
Tucson, AZ 85704

11 April 2011

Yo you you! ha yeah! it has been an awesome week this week!! we have been swamped and lots and lots of things to do!!! We are looking to be called as counselors to the branch president... President walker suggested that today in our eekly interview so new challenges await us in the near future! I just hope that it won't be anything greater than that!! We are swamped with the work and is so great to be busy!! The Lord has been blessing us greatly and helping us to accomplish his work! we have 2 baptisms that are near in the future which could be very interesting in regards to the work~!! we are having a really difficult time finding recently, but one of our investigators have shown us where several deaf live in the same apartment building that he lives! I love it here and couldn't want to be anywhere else at this time!
we have 4 investigators now 2 that are very near to baptism, and 2 others who are on the way! :) The work is tough, but some of the most rewarding work done yet! Jesus chirst lives, we are his children, and only through him can we recieve salvation and eternal life!
Even with the rain, the sleet, and the ICE!!! this week was great!! I'm starting to get feeling back in my hands and feet from the cold! :) so Life is good! :) I love it need not say more!
Love you all!! Have an awesome week!

_\../ Elder Karlson \../_


Arizona Tucson Mission
939 W Chapalla Drive
Tucson, AZ 85704

Reminder: the above listed address must be used on all letters! on the 15th of this month the letters sent to the old address will be RETURNED TO SENDER!

4 April 2011

Alrighty well there isn't much to say this week!! 2 of our investigators are moving, both because they are being abused, one physically and the other mentally and emotionally, I've been yelled at more this week than I think ever before in my life and well Satan is working hard here in Arizona! The mission has a goal to double the number of baptisms in May and well we have doubled our efforts to make that possible, but with that comes the heightened influence of Satan on the work making it really hard to find anyone to teach, but the Lord is truly blessing us. He is leading us and strengthening us and making us who he needs us to be to accomplish this work! He has lead us to new people who are ready to receive the gospel and need is so desperately. As the Sun comes up in the morning it is a new day not to look back on to what happened yesterday or last week, but to move on searching for the better and HOPING in what comes next.

General conference was awesome!! We, as missionaries, had the opportunity to watch all 5 sessions and also some of the young Women's meeting. It has been great to be able to hear from our leaders! I was also great because one of our investigators came to church and she learned about the Law Of Chastity from President Monson. We had taught her that lesson probably 15 times and she just didn't understand it very well, but this time it sank in! she will soon be moving out and leaving her boyfriend of 3 years, after which she will be a candidate for baptism!:) 10 months of work and she is almost ready for it! :0
What I have learned the most is that the Lord prepares our investigators for the time when he is ready, not for the time when we are ready. He loves to play tricks in and Satan loves to throw in loops, but most importantly as we try our best and trust him he will help us in all we do!

Hope all is well!!
Love you all!

_\../ Elder Karlson \../_


Arizona Tucson Mission
939 W Chapalla Drive
Tucson, AZ 85704


P.s. it is about 85 degrees out :) and I'm lovin life! :) (it was 97 degrees this week!) Jealous? you should be! it is almost perfect! :) yes, that means We have been tanning! haha well at least half of our neck, sunglass face and from the elbows to the hands! :)

28 March 2011

Well not a whole lot this week! No exciting stories, but we had a pretty powerful week!! :) Most of all of our investigators are progressing strong and doing well! Saturday we drove all over the mission! :) Green Valley (yeah it isn't green, They are full of crap!), Sahaurita, Vail, Midvale, Tucson, Casa Adobes, Oro Valley and finally to Marana! It was a total of about 200 miles of nothing but Cactus and yucca plants with a little green in between everything! It has been so dry here this year! fire danger is crazy! had a fire on the other side of the mountain recently was nuts! But all is doing well!! The work is going great!! Companion is back on track and doing well!!! He is going to start to take over the area this week! :) getting him more involved! we were also told that we will be together until I go home that is a long time! haha! time is flying by so fast here is it crazy! hope all is well for you all in that cold place we like to call home! It is so beautiful here!! 80 degrees and getting hot fast! can't wait for summer to get here and be over with! I want the fall weather and the monsoons! :)

Well over and out!! Love you!!


_\../ Elder Karlson \../_


Arizona Tucson Mission
939 W Chapalla Road
Tucson, AZ 85704

New address is now effective! any mail sent to the old office will be returned to sender!

P.S. mom please send the new address to President Jones Thanks