Welcome to Sister Carlee Ann Painter's Mission Blog

This blog is for those who would like to keep updated with Carlee while she is serving her mission in Cincinnati. Her mom will be posting her letters and pictures.

For her address or any other information contact LaDawn at ladawn79@hotmail.com.

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS!
She'll love to read them when she gets home!

Monday, September 27, 2010

The Spirit has been amazing!



Here is Carlee's current address! She only has two months left and would still love to hear from any of you.

Sister Carlee Painter
30 Farquhar Drive, #7
Wilmington, OH 45177

Have a GREAT DAY!

LaDawn


Hello Family!

It sounds like you had a busy week! Brandon, Mom sent the picture of your football game. You look so good in your uniform. You’re taller than everyone but Grandpa Jim! So unfair. I guess I have to find a new wrestling buddy. There is no way I’m going to try and wrestle you!

So the Wilmington update: The adversary makes me so mad sometimes. Grrrrrr. Shawn had a pretty tough week. We had to postpone their date, but sweet Judy is as optimistic as ever. She knows she received an answer from the Lord and no one can take that away. So we are still working and praying.

Although it’s been a tough week the Spirit has been amazing! We had an inspired zone conference with the three Cincinnati zones on Wednesday. I love gathering with other missionaries because the Spirit is always so powerful! And then the Relief Society Broadcast on Saturday was incredible! Were you able to go to that Mom? My very favorite line was when Sister Allred said, “All [the Lord] asks is your best. He needs every one of us.” That thought has stuck with me all through the weekend. One of my greatest struggles has been thinking my effort isn’t enough, but I’m starting to understand that the Lord really is happy with any effort we make to grow closer to Him and to serve His children. So your right Mom, all you have to do is try hard. :)

I am so excited for general conference this weekend! I can’t believe its time for it again! I know that what we hear from the speakers is what the Lord wants us, His children, to know right now so that we can prepare ourselves physically and spiritually. And I know that when will really study and follow the counsel given we are blessed! What an amazing time to be alive! I know Saturdays are busy but will you make it a point to listen to all of general conference this weekend! (Even if you have to record that Saturday sessions) And just think, I’ll be right here in Ohio watching it with you. :)

I love you! And I really, really, really love this gospel! Miracles happen when we live what we’ve been taught!

Sister Painter

P.S. Sister Sunderland and I are still watching for the mail. :)

Monday, September 20, 2010

I Am SO Happy To Be a Missionary!

Dear Family:

Transfers have come and gone and Sister Sunderland and I are still in our happy little country town of Wilmington, OH. Ha ha. I don’t know if you saw the picture Hermana Blackham sent of the view of Santiago… I showed Sister Sunderland and we both laughed. It is amazing the different places we are in the world! Santiago is huge and busy! Wilmington is small and quiet. The real amazing thing is that it’s the same gospel here as it is in Chile. I am SO grateful for the Restoration and for a gospel that is applicable to EVERYONE. Heavenly Father really does love us. (He especially loves me since he sent me to an English-speaking, American-eating, fun loving people!) ha ha.

Anyway, I am happy to be here and I am SO happy to be a missionary. I love it. Will you send me Taylor’s, I mean Elder Stephenson’s, mission office address. I wish I was in the MTC again. I love that place!

So the update. Shawn has pneumonia. Can you believe it. Right in time for their baptism on Sunday. I swear Satan stops at nothing. Sometimes I’d like to give the devil a swift kick in the pants. Grrrr. Pneumonia. I am so grateful for Shawn and Judy though, they have weathered a lot the last few weeks and I admire their example so much.

So what are some of the missionary experiences you’ve had lately? I want to know.  Sister Sunderland and I had a really neat experience just waiting outside for the library to open today. We decided to be a here early (because we always end up waiting forever for a computer) and we were able to strike up a conversation with the group of people that were waiting. We met a woman who met with the missionaries 15 years ago in Nebraska! How cool is that. We would have never known had we not just started talking to her. Often the hardest part is just opening our mouths. :) Mom, you are so friendly! Have you been able to have any gospel quality conversations lately? Will you try this week! Maybe even get a referral for the missionaries! I want to hear how it goes for the whole family! :) Pray for opportunities. You can even practice. Like Brandon… you could be talking to someone about your new trombone (which is awesome by the way!) and say:

“Yeah, I love playing the trombone because I’m learning to develop some of my talents Heavenly Father has given me. Did you know that Heavenly Father loves you and has given YOU talents too? You should meet with the missionaries and they could teach you how much Heavenly Father loves you!”

See! Easy huh! Ha ha. Brandon don’t roll your eyes. Will you all try this week? In family prayer, ask Heavenly Father to give you the courage. I don’t think Brittany will have a problem. There are so many people, even in Utah, that need the gospel! (And who need a friend!)

I love you family! Thanks for being so great! Remember not to let Satan stop you from doing the important things!

Sister Painter

Here is the picture's of Carlee's very good friend, Sister Blackham in Santiago, Chile. It is a large city, much different from the small area that Carlee is in.


Monday, September 13, 2010

Hello from the Ohio!


Hello from the Ohio!

GUESS WHAT! I have the BEST news! Ha ha. This week we got a letter from Sister Jensen that had the new requirements and pictures for the dress code put out by the Church (remember the pictures that came in my mission packet that were awful!). Well these new pictures were so cute and modern and even better… we aren’t required to wear nylons!!! *doing a little dance* ha ha. I was so excited I danced in our kitchen for ten minutes, Sister Sunderland as my witness. I just had to share my excitement!

Besides just no more nylons, what a wonderful time to be alive! Seriously! We have so many blessings! Sometimes I really can’t count them they are so many! Blessings like the Book of Mormon! I love the Book of Mormon! Every time I read it my testimony of the Restoration is strengthened.

And modern day prophet and apostles! Who we get to hear from in a few weeks! I am so excited! General Conference is my favorite time of the year. Can you believe it has almost been six months since the last conference? Times goes so fast! I’m just finally figuring out how to apply the last set of general conference talks! ha ha.

And the priesthood! I think one of the greatest experiences of my mission has been to really learn how the priesthood works and to watch the insider scoop of the priesthood leadership in each unit I serve in. It has been a wonderful learning experience.

And missions! This experience over the last year has blessed my life in so many ways. I can’t even count them! I am just so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who let me have this opportunity. Tell Anna to hang in there. From my experience it is WAY harder to send someone off then to be the one going. Ha ha. Leaving was a piece of cake (no offense). Taylor will be an amazing missionary! He’s got it in him. And this is one of the greatest times to serve a mission. What a lucky duck!

Sister Sunderland and I have had a really good week. We had a zone meeting and interviews with President Jensen that was wonderful… like always. Our meeting was about personal conversion and how we must be truly converted to our God. It was a really good opportunity to take a personal inventory of whether everything I do is done “with an eye single to the glory of God” or if sometimes I “aspire to the honors of men.” I would encourage you to do the same and then make appropriate goals to refocus on the Lord and His work. We can be doing the right things, but without the right intentions they mean nothing.

Can I share something I’ve been learning a lot about lately? Prayer. Pray is amazing! I know ya’ll know that, but what I’m learning is how powerful prayer can be! And we can have those powerful experiences on a regular basis!!! It’s so cool. What I’m finally starting to understand is the preparation that we should be putting into our prayers. It helps me a lot when I visualize the Lord sitting there with me, listening and talking with me. When the time comes that I go into the presence of the Lord physically I definitely want to be prepared! I want to be clean and pure and reverent and ready. So when I’m going into the Lord’s presence spiritually shouldn’t I do the same? I love prayer. I am so grateful for it. And I’m grateful for the answers that come. I got to give a last minute talk yesterday on the Holy Ghost at Anicka Taylor’s baptism (good thing I’ve had lots of practice with baptism talks… thanks Brandon and Brittany… haha) but I loved being able to testify of the power of the Holy Ghost! It truly is one of our greatest gifts! I know that God answers our prayers by the power of the Holy Ghost because I’ve felt it over and over again.

Anyway, just some thoughts for the week. I love you lots and lots and lots! You don’t even know how much I love you! Next time the mission office calls you should tell them that I actually want to fly into Russia, or France. Ha ha. Why not? You can meet me there!

Sister Painter