September 19

Liebe Familie,

We relearned this week that we are really to focus on less active members. President Miles emphasized that in our less Zonenkonferenz and reemphasized it through our Zone then District Leaders. We made a list from our branch list of all the members we don't know anything about. We labeled where everyone lives and made plans to go by and meet them. We are already meeting with several but we are really excited to find those that are ready to come back. We are seeing that this area ist just about ready to explode and we are so excited to see that. We had several appointments with less active members this week and I am just amazed at the miracles we saw in that. It is amazing what the Lord does when we focus where he wants us to. We had ward council and were able to meet with our branch president after that as well. I just love the work here.

Probably the highlight of my week was meeting with Natascha. We had Schwester Maier there (who is also from Russia) and we invited Natascha to be baptized on 22. Oktober 2011. The Spirit was just so strong and she will pray about it before saying yes. She truly has a strong relationship with Father in Heaven and has already shown us that she truly gets answers to her prayers. We are excited to meet with her tomorrow.

I just had a lot of amazing study times and learned so much. Here is what I wrote to President Miles about it: (note this was written in German and translated using Google Translate):

In my studies I learned throughout the week once again that peoplemust repent and turn back decided they want to. I studied a lot for our investigators and their issues this week. An investigator has asked many questions on Revelation of John and I thought that I should not study much about it because it's not what we should focus, but in one my studies I had a feeling that I should look for something and I've found D & C 77th This section has almost all of their questions answered by the Lord of Revelation. I was amazed. I also studied that letter which I got from you recently. I learned that leadership position means much more than just a good example to be, but also a loving friend. I ponder on the fact that we have received many blessings because we have been obedient and have tried to talk to everyone. Sister Taysom has made ​​much progress in the last 5 weeks. Her German is two times better (if not more), her courage is also grown and she has already made ​​a few calls. I'm amazed how much she can do. I am so grateful that I can serve with her and can learn from her.

I LOVE this work and it IS the work of the Lord.
--
Sister Carla June Carroll

auf den Geist verlassen

Liebe Familie!

This week was full of many experiences where we were simply led by the Spirit. For the last 2 or 3 weeks we have been praying in every single prayer for Matthias and Senada. We had set a baptismal date with them and then they dropped off the face of the earth after having some very large trials. We had several appointments in a row fall out on Friday so we went by to see if they were home. They were very stressed, but home and we were able to meet with them and found out that they want to meet with us they are just very, very busy with work. On our way back home we made an appointment with someone out on the bus. It was a wonderful surprise after several appointments falling through. We went back the next day to drop off a talk and they had just pulled up in the car and we were able to see them again! We are praying a lot for them and that they will be able to come to church. We also experienced an amazing appointment with Frau Termer, who has studied the Bible thoroughly looking for truth in that we were able to just ask her questions and the Spirit led the discussion. I know that this gospel is true and that He truly leads and guides His work. I am SO excited for the upcoming General Conference and to hear about the new temples. It's true!!

--
Sister Carla June Carroll

auf den Geist verlassen

Liebe Familie!

This week was full of many experiences where we were simply led by the Spirit. For the last 2 or 3 weeks we have been praying in every single prayer for Matthias and Senada. We had set a baptismal date with them and then they dropped off the face of the earth after having some very large trials. We had several appointments in a row fall out on Friday so we went by to see if they were home. They were very stressed, but home and we were able to meet with them and found out that they want to meet with us they are just very, very busy with work. On our way back home we made an appointment with someone out on the bus. It was a wonderful surprise after several appointments falling through. We went back the next day to drop off a talk and they had just pulled up in the car and we were able to see them again! We are praying a lot for them and that they will be able to come to church. We also experienced an amazing appointment with Frau Termer, who has studied the Bible thoroughly looking for truth in that we were able to just ask her questions and the Spirit led the discussion. I know that this gospel is true and that He truly leads and guides His work. I am SO excited for the upcoming General Conference and to hear about the new temples. It's true!!

--
Sister Carla June Carroll

Wundern von Pforzheim

Liebe Familie,

This week was just beautiful! We skipped having a Vorbereitungstag (except emailing and getting some food) this week, but the Lord truly blessed us with the energy and strength we needed. We went to a Dorf called Mönsheim and Sister Taysom and I decided we just want to live there someday--it is so beautiful. Plus, we have two member families there. :) We had some excellent Appointments with wonderful People. I am especially excited for Natascha. She came to Familienheimabend with the ward before she went on Urlaub, but we met with her once she returned. She had prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true and got the answer that she could find the Truth in it! The Spirit was so strong in our Appointment and she really understood that this answer meant that the Church has truly been restored. We also are meeting with a group of friends--Carlo, Mary Ann and her daughter Shayna. Mary Ann is brilliant and grew up in the Catholic church, but really saw that there was an Apostacy. She is pretty skeptical of all churches, but I think she is starting to realize that there is something special about this one.

We had some funny experiences about finding new investigators. A few weeks ago, I found a Binder full of former Investigators from at 4-7 years ago. We called one woman and then I read the Record more carefully after making out an appointment. From what I read, I was a little nervous for the Appointment, but I figured perhaps she had changed in the last 6 years and there was hope. We went and she was much nicer than we expected. She asked us a lot of questions to determine if we were worth her time. By the end she was even kinder and invited us to come back the next week. We were so grateful we had the Spirit with us. I do not know a lot about the Book of Revelations on my own! All of my answers were all the Spirit.

Also, we called up a man named Herr Kaiser. I had no idea who he was, but his name was in the Phone, so I made an Appointment and we went. We found a Book of Mormon already in his home and he had read a little in it. After asking some questions, we found out that he was given the Book by someone at a Street Display (Straßenausstellung) and was a little curious. We met with him twice this week, one time at the church.

I learned so much better this week that the Lord is truly a God of Miracles. He knows our needs and he will always give us the Tools we need to solve our own problems. I know that He restored his Gospel to the Earth though the Prophet Joseph Smith. We have a living Prophet today namens Thomas S. Monson. How wonderful is that! I found a sentence in Preach My Gospel this week that I have started trying while contacting people on the Street, Bus and Bahn. "Given that there was a living Prophet on the Earth today, what would you ask him?" :) I am grateful for the Spirit of the Lord, who helps us in every situation, good and bad. Gott loves his children and knows them. Jesus Christ is truly our Redeemer and knows how to succor us. I truly bear testimony of that.

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Sister Carla June Carroll