Christmas Service Projects - Christmas Eve - President Stephen R. & Sister Baker with Santy -

Mission Leadership Training December 2011

Elder Jesse Guy Carter Singing in the Christmas Devotional

The choir, directed by Sister Whetman,  has learned four songs to perform for our Christmas Music Devotional: "Come to the Stable", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "Still, Still, Still", and "Angel's Carol".

 

Zone Leader Council December 2011

Zone Leader Council December 2011

Seated:  Elders Taylor, Gilbert, Patten, Stenquist, Loli, Graves.  Standing:  Elders Fourr, Jahng, Hill, Wilson, Judd, Ferrin, Watkins, Cottrell, Molinaro, Carter, Jacobberger, Haslem, Matheson, and Hill.  

Torrance North Stake Mini Mission Sunday Nobember 2011

Friday November 11, 2011 Zone Conference - Elder Jesse Guy Carter Zone Leader for the Peninsula Zone - OXO -

Friday, November 11, 2011

Zone Conference November 2011

Before we begin each conference, Sister Mayorga, our mission nurse, speaks to the missionaries.  This month she encouraged each missionary to get a flu shot.  The Center for Disease Control and Missionary Medical both support this objective.  Shots are easily available.  They cost $25 to $35 and are not covered by missionary health insurance.  Elder Olsen, our car czar, emphasized the importance of paying attention when driving and parking.

The theme of our Zone Conference was The Doctrine of Christ.  President Baker introduced the subject by telling The Parable of the Bicycle by Stephen Robinson and teaching about Faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  He emphasized that Christ is the light of the world.  He is the only source of peace in troubled times and his way is the only way back to our Father in Heaven.  This is the message we need to understand in our own lives and then share with others.


Sister Baker taught about Repentance and quoted Isaiah 1:18 to help the missionaries understand that there are no "pink people" in Heavenly Father's kingdom.  The Zone Leaders taught in breakout sessions how missionaries can prepare to receive the Holy Ghost through their planning.  The Assistants taught the missionaries how to improve the lines of communication between companions because contention drives away the Holy Ghost.


We asked all the missionaries to prepare a 3 minute talk on "What the Sacrament Means to Me" and we heard from five of them in each of our three sessions.  President Baker finished up by talking about Enduring to the End.  He presented this video and the missionaries discussed why the level of our effort determines our success.  President Baker challenged the missionaries to read the Book of Mormon between now and December 31, looking for references to the Doctrine of Christ.

Elder Jesse Guy Carter having fun at the Turkey Bowl November 2011

California Los Angeles Mission Zone Leader Council - Elder Jesse Guy Carter OXO

With the addition of two more zones, we now have 18 zone leaders plus two assistants.  Seated:  Elders Haslem, Taylor, Gilbert, Fourr, Patten and Graves.  Standing:  Wilson, Hall, Molinaro, Judd, Loli, Jacobberger, Carter, Jahng, Stenquist, Watkins, Ferrin, Hill, Cottrell, and Matheson.

Happy Halloween My "Dear Handsome Elder Jesse Guy Carter"

 Elder Jesse Carter

To Emily Jane Carter

From:	Jesse Carter (jesse.carter@myldsmail.net)
Sent:	Mon 10/31/11 4:36 PM
To:	Emily Jane Carter (emi_3_76@hotmail.com)

Hey Family!!!

It was fantastic to hear from y'all:)  Mom that stinks about your finger:(  I am sorry to hear that that happened.  I hope that it gets better really quickly.  It truely is amazing how the Holy Ghost prompts us to do things, the trick is, is doing exactly what you did which was listen to that prompting and follow it.  It truely is amazing when you can get to the point where you are spiritually enough in tune that you get promptings quite regularly which I am sure you get many promptings.  The scriptures don't lie when they say that the spirit will tell us ALL things that we should do and bring all things into a remembrance in our hour of need.   I am experienced that many times on my mission and it's awesome!  The most important thing is that you can still play the piano with your finger.  I loved the pictures of the cabin!  It was amazing to see some pictures of the mountain and the cabin.  It looks like Kenny G is getting TALL!!!  Dang he is probably going to be taller than me when I return from my journey.  It is crazy to think that this is my last email to you guys being under 1 year out on the mission.  There are times where I wish that I was back home for this or that, but most of the time I am just LOVING it out here.  There are ups and downs, but the good times block out the bad that is for sure.  We had an amazing Halloween party with the ward on friday, and it was Awesome to see all that costumes and all that work that the ward put into making the party a success.  There were over 100 people that came to the party and at the end we ended the party with a lazer show that was put on by one of the members of the ward named Brother Shipp.  He does lazer shows for his profession so it was amazing.  I really love my new comp as well.  His name is Elder Loli and he is from HAWAII!  Yep, he is an islander and he is a really good missionary.  Super loving, and a very good teacher.  We are going to get super tight with the ward.  I hope that we stay together for 2 or 3 transfers.  I am trying to make the most of every minute in this area because I never know when I am going to get toasted like my former comp elder Stenquist.  Things change very quickly out here so I am learning to make the most of every moment.  Than last night we had a ward dinner at Bro and Sis Nocella's house.  And many members of the ward came to that as well.  We had a really cool spiritual thought that Elder Loli came up with.  We had nine books, 3 books in 3 rows all in a square.  Elder Loli left the room and me and the rest of the ward chose 1 book and elder loli had to guess which book it was.  There was 3 different tricks to the game.  The first time he chose the book, when he came out I pointed with my pen at one of the books and asked him yes or no.  The location in which I pointed at the first book secretly told Elder Loli which book was the chosen one.  For example if I pointed at the very middle of the book than he knew that the chosen book was on the second row and was the book in the middle of the 3 books.  The next round, I touched the book again, but this time I touched it with my index finger and when I came upon the chosen book I switched fingers and touched it with my middle finger so he knew that that was the chosen book.  The 3rd time, he went out, we chose another book and one of the kids was the one choosing the book, and I took out my planner and sat on the side and put my finger on my planner where the chosen book was in the set of 9.  haha I don't know if that all made sense, but it was awesome!  The kids and the grown ups liked it.  But this week went really well, I think Elder Loli and I are going to get alot of good work done here in San Pedro.  Dad San Pedro is located at the very southern most part of LA county.  It borders Long Beach.  There is the biggest or at least one of the biggest ports in the USA in the harbor next to my area.  It use to be a naval base.  HUGE ships come in and out every day.  It is really cool to see.  Mom as far as pants and what not, I haven't gotten any thing yet, I think I am just gonna wait it out for now and see what happens.  I am making due for now haha.  No worries though, I will continue to wear pants as I make my way around San Pedro haha, even though alot of people around here choose not to wear pants, or at least barely!  They didn't get the memo that modest is hottest I suppose haha.  But anyways, thank you for all that you do, things are going really well, just continue to chug on through!  Dad I hope that work will pick up soon.  Thank you for all the packages mom, they are the best!

Love, Elder Carter the 5th

My Dearest Handsome Elder,
Well my typing today will be slow and painful as I had an accident and hurt my 3rd finger on my right hand.  On Thursday I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited to feed the Missionaries and was planning to feed them Shelynne's delicious recipe called Club Chicken.  This wonderful dish you don't prepare in advance so I was on a time schedule with the Missionaries coming for dinner.  I was planning on Kenny's great expertise in the kitchen and found out that soccer had been changed to an earlier time plus our babies, (the dogs) were out at the Beauty Parlor so they would be ready for the Missionaries.  Kenny left for the Hitch 'n' Post to bring back our Darlings and I was busily working hard and fast in the kitchen when into my mind and heart came a very strong and prodding thought;  I was told in my mind that I needed to stop what I was doing and go and kneel down and pray, I felt like something was going to happen and knew that even with my time schedule if I took the time to pray that Heavenly Father would bless my family and me.  So I went upstairs and knelt by my special rocking chair that faces Jesus and offered a sincere and heart felt prayer and then waited a minute and then went back to work in the kitchen.  Well about 5 minutes later I was using my electric food chopper to chop up the bacon for the club chicken and was just finishing the last of the bacon.  With my chopper you have to put the lid on, lock it into place and then turn the lid and press the back button for it to turn on.  Well the last bit of bacon had some fat on it that I didn't want to chop up so I put my finger down in the machine to get the bad meat out and the food chopper just turned itself on.  I truly believe that one of my Guardian Angels helped me to get my finger out as I really don't think that my reflexes could have moved SOOOO fast.  However the damage had been done and my 3rd finger was bleeding badly.  The food chopper had cut right through my nail and deep into the side of my finger, just one more twirl, one more second and my finger would have looked like the meat with the top gone.  I called Daddie and he came right home from work and took me to the Insta Care and Kenny and Grandma Mom came to my rescue in the kitchen, cooking the food for the Missionaries.  Well the Dr. put 4 shots into my finger to numb it which was extremely painful and then he took off part of my nail that had been battered and sewed up the side of my finger.  I haven't slept for 3 nights and it is excruciatingly painful, it reminds me of the 3 other times when I cut my 2nd finger to the bone.  The 1st time it happened I had to wear a bandage for 5 years and with consciousness determined playing I finally started using my finger to play with the love and coaxing of Daddie saying he would not leave the room until he saw me play with my finger.  Dr. Gharaffari sewed me up the other 2 times and said I was just one of his children.  The 3rd time that he put my finger back together he said that no one else would ever play the piano again with a finger like mine but I would and he knew that I would play like always before.  Well here I am again but I know in my heart that truly I was Blessed beyond words even though I am in a lot of pain and can't play for Primary today.  I know that if I hadn't taken the time to pray as I was promoted that the outcome would have been very different.  I know that I was truly blessed and I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO grateful that I headed the prompting to pray and take time for Heavenly Father to come into my life.  In 10 days the Dr. will take the stitches out and then in time my nail will grow back and again I have been reminded of the power of prayer, of listening to the spirit, and of the Great and Wonderful Blessing it is to play the piano so that my inner soul can speak with Heavenly Father.  I am really missing the little Primary children today and the spirit that Primary brings into my life.  I had told Daddie that I was going to record all of my Beautiful Primary preludes while I have them in my hands having just put on the Primary Program.  I am determined to do this now for sure as soon as I can play the piano again.
Well my Darling I sent You a Fun Halloween, Hump package that You will be receiving this week.
Have You been able to shop for a new suit?  I remember how absolutely stunning You looked in your grey Missionary suit and black one too.
It is a Beautiful day, I love how the sun shines through the leaves in our big Maple tree right out the dinning and kitchen window.  The 2 male crab apple trees were just beautiful as the leaves turned and fell and now the Maple tree is taking it's turn which gives me a little more fall time to enjoy.  I just love the crunchy leaves and the beautiful colors that come with fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and the joy and wonder of Christmas.
Daddie and Grandma Mom have been helping me to bottle the tomatoes now, can you believe Daddies' garden - he truly has golden hands and there are more tomatoes to come as he has the tomatoes covered with concrete blankets.
Tomorrow will be fun being a "Princess Witch" and handing out candy to all the children.  I am still planning on teaching and dressing up so I will be ready for the fun.  I know that You will have a FUN day being the "BEST" MISSIONARY EVER."
Lindsey and Shawn just have to hold on to their little darling until midnight tomorrow night and then after that she can have the baby any time and the Air force will pay for everything,  Their precious little girl is actually due on the 16th of December but I'm sure she will be born very soon as she is anxious to gain a body and fulfill her Mission here on earth in their family.  Thank you for All Your many prayers for each of us, always know that we pray for you always, many many many times each day.
Daddie and Kenny will be coming home from church and my finger is killing me so I will come back a little later and share my love for Our Handsome Missionary.

"Whistle while You Work"

D&C 84:87,88
Behold, I send you out to reprove the world of all their unrighteous deeds and to teach them of a judgment which is to come.
And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

David O. McKay
"Eternal life is the result of knowledge - and knowledge is obtained by doing the will of God."  This "sweet" bookmark was the special gift that I placed in Daddy Warren's hand the last time I saw him.  He had told me that he wanted President David O. McKay placed in his hand and I was guided to this special thought.

Psalm 9:1

I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Enjoy your sojourn on earth going forth with the power and the knowledge that You are a Child of God born to an eternal heritage of royalty.

Return with Honor

You Our Amazing Elder have been crowned with intelligence and power being set apart and called of God.

Put your hand in the hand of the Lord.

Miracles require Faith and Righteousness. 

We had a really nice Sunday dinner with Daddies' squash and corn from the garden.  Kenny made Grandma Gaye's Pumpkin Cake and Raspberry muffins.  Ryan, Meagan, and Grandma Mom came for dinner.

You are not going to believe it but I actually cut Kenny's hair - my finger has had it.

I Love You My Darling with All of My Heart.

I know that You are an Amazing Zone leader and I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Proud of You!!!

I will close with All My "Sweet" and tender Love,

Mama Mee  OXO

Hi Jesse, It sounds like you are doing wonderful. We are so proud of you and the wonderful work that you are doing. About the most exciting thing I have done lately is go to Salt Lake to the state soccer playoffs. The game Friday was really exciting. There was no points made until the last three minutes then Cedar made a goal. With 1 and 1/2  minutes left to play the other team got 3 free shots and Tara got them all. The next day Cedar lost 1 to 0 so they came in second. That is the first time that Cedar High girls have ever taken region and gone to state and it was fun.
     We have California weather here. It has been beautiful. I can't believe it is the end of Oct and is still shirt sleeve weather. Things have been busy but not much new things have been happening. Grandpa Dale is feeling a little bit better but still doesn't get out. We sure do love you and pray for you all the time. You are awesome. Love Gram


 Jesse,

I hope that you have had a great week with your new calling and new companion!  We have had some really good weather but it supposed to change this week.  The drillers have finally gotten out of our way up to Brian Head so tomorrow (Monday) we are finally going to be able to start on the building.  We still hope to be able to complete the footings and the walls before winter sets in.  There is really very little going on here as far as work so I sure hope that next summer things are starting to turn around.  Bryce called just a few minutes ago so it was really nice to talk with him.  They seem to be doing really good and have settled in to a routine.  When you write tomorrow tell me exactly where this area is that you are working in now.  I have had people ask me and I don't know how to explain it.

Love   Dad

Hey Jesse,

                  Wow that's awesome you're the zone leader now! I can't believe you've been out almost a year now that's crazy. Schools going pretty well, the quarter just ended so it's time to start all over again. I just love my car. It has such a smooth ride and everything. The only thing that sucks is cleaning off all the windows in the morning from all the frost. It's amazing how good of gas mileage it gets. I still haven't had to fill it up since I got it from up north. I'm getting ready for the Halloween party next week. It takes a lot of planning and stuff but I think it will turn out really well. This week in soccer we played a Dixie team and beat them 2-1 keeping us in 1st place in our league:) KC came over this week and played me in mag.  Of course I beat him though. haha but hope everything's going well and I'll talk to you later.

Love Ken G