Here is last weeks email from Elder Carpenter:
"I was sick this week too!! except i have a funny story about it :), so my stomach wasnt feeling the hottest on Wednesday but i figured i could go to our investigators dinner.... bad decision about half way through i got super sick had to excuse myself to the bathroom and in the bathroom i said a prayer it was something like heavenly father please make it so i wont throw up but if i have to make it so it isnt noticeable to anyone else...... so i end up throwing up and freaking out not cause of that but because everyone else like 30ft away and could hear me so i clean myself up get the brocoli out of my nose.....(i dont wish that experience on anyone) go outside totally expecting everyone to be either to a smell the vomit or be mortified about what just happened, but my prayer was answered and no one had any idea my companion didnt even know until i told him in the car on the way home... so heavenly father answers even the oddest of prayers :)
Ok so this is what happened this week.... so we are teaching and reading the scriptures with a guy who hasnt been going to church for over 40 years, but because he almost died has decided with all his heart that he needs the gospel of Jesus Christ in his life so hes been going to church and reading regularly, hes made huge improvements just from the 6 weeks ive known him, but heres the thing his wife wants nothing to do with it and this week we found out why..... so were sitting on the couch and they are on the one across from us and then out of no where she goes on a rant of how different her husband husband has been in the past 6 weeks and how it was the man she fell in love with... and then she went on to talk about their past life and they had it rough they both had had affairs on each other there were multiple times they thought of getting a divorce but stayed together solely for the children and how she hated the person he had become and all these just heart breaking horrible sad things that you wouldn't wish on anyone. And then she looked directly at me and goes but you elder carpenter I am so great full for the spirit you bring into this home i knew you were different when i first met you..
So after that i was thinking about it and its really cool the way that the gospel changes people for the better this couple says that they are the happiest they have ever been and that they are so glad they dont have to fight there demons anymore"
I met Elder Carpenter when I was at BYU-Hawaii. We were the best of friends and would often spend time at the beach or doing homework together. I got to really know him, but it is cool getting to know the spiritual side of Ty.
Here are some random pieces of Elder Nickell's emails:
"So all four of us Elders are in our apartment, listening to conference talks and such... For whatever reason I was in the our closet praying... And all the sudden the tornado horn (which is right next to our apartment) starts going off! I wish you could've seen these other Elders flip out. They thought they were dead for sure. They were running all around the apartment, asking me what to do because I'm from kentucky (I guess that means I know how to deal with tornados). It was hysterical... Maybe you just had to be there.
Oh man, Tornado scare number 2 this week. I just wish you could've seen these other missionaries running around like a bunch of babies. They were even worse than last time! It was hysterical. Elder worley, the other missionary going to Belem with me, was like "guys, seriously. Seriously. Seriously. We have got to go. I'm not joking!" Our investigator Chris offered for us to come to his house because he has a basement and we live on the second floor of our apartment complex. So they're all getting all there stuff together to leave while I'm studying portuguese. The rain was like literally going sideways as we were about to leave. But then we all knelt and I said a prayer, and I kid you not, the rains had totally stopped when we said amen. That made me feel pretty awesome. Haha! (These totally made me laugh because I can just picture it all in my head)
Okay so we volunteer at this human services place each thursday, and we help people carry boxes of food to their cars. It's a sweet oppertunity to meet a lot of people! But this week Elder Hansen and I had a TOTAL MIRACLE! This lady walks in there and goes "Oh hey, the missionaries are here!" And none of us had any idea who she was because we know all the less actives on record. So it tuned out that she was a less active, who was baptized in the 1970's, and apparently knew Donny Osmond (I know, that's super random, but she said he helped in her conversion..:p) But then as we were walking out, she was like "Hey elder hansen, the missionary that taught and baptized me was named elder hansen too?" Then elder hansen told her how his uncle served in this mission 40 years ago.. Turns out it was the same guy!!! Roger Hansen baptized carol conroy 40 years ago. And now his nephue Elder Nick Hansen will reactivate her. Isn't that insane!? Total miracle."
Elder Nickell's emails literally ooze with the his excitement he has! I love his strong Spirit and how he always sees the good in all things! Alex and I met at EFY like 3 years ago, and since then we've been long distance friends. We're becoming even better friends from sharing our testimonies and experiences each week.
Oh, but the best thing I've gotten from Elder Nickell was a picture of a poem that another Elder, who is also a Brazil visa waiter, wrote for me!
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