We made it! 3-11-2016

I can't believe I'm typing my last email. I just want to share a few of the most important lessons I've learned this past year and a half. 

I still have sooo much more to learn. Everyday I feel like I realize how little I know in the grand scheme of things, but I am eternally grateful I have been able to spend these past 18 months and 2 weeks sharing my Savior's life-saving Gospel with everyone around me and been able to watch Him change them and me.

1. There is wisdom and beauty in unanswered prayers.

I am so grateful for the moments I have had to just walk by faith. There have been a lot of times when I've felt like my prayers have gone unanswered and then weeks or months down the road, I've been able to recognize God was walking by me the whole time shaping me through trial, into the person He wanted me to be. 

And in some unexplainable way, through these moments, I became more acquainted with Him because of it. 

I think it's in the moments of feeling alone and not knowing what to do, that you have to turn towards Christ and as you turn to Him, you come to understand His strength and His power and His peace. 

I'm grateful that God is wise and isn't a Father in Heaven that requires or hands out instantaneous results or answers. 

Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a process and it is the most beautiful process and path one could ever walk down.

2. Obedience brings conversion.

I was talking to a sister a few months ago. We were talking about why some missions completely change people and why some missionaries can go home and go back to being the same person they were when they left. 

She said something that I'll never forget: 

"You can be a successful missionary in terms of baptisms and be disobedient, but you will not become converted." 

I know with all my heart that obedience is the first law in heaven for a reason. 

As I submit my will to God's, incredible things happen. 

I become the person I want to be and can understand in greater depth my own potential. 

Before my mission, I had a really strong testimony of the Savior. I knew with all my heart He died for me and that He truly did live. But in terms of this being Christ's true and living church on the earth, guided by Him today, I honestly wasn't sure. I hoped, but I didn't know. 

One of my favorite scriptures is John 7:17 which says, 

"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." 

I love Heavenly Father for so many reasons but one of the greatest reasons is because I know I can test His promises. If I keep His commandments and live with intention, I will still make a million mistakes, but He will bless me. He will help me. He will transform me. 

He wants to help us and if we will keep His commandments, life will be so much simpler and a trillion times more fulfilling. 

3. Christ's grace is free and it's there because God wants us back to live with him.

I learned what grace was in my third transfer. 

We were teaching a less active member who grew up Evangelical and then converted to the church but was in need of a lot of things. 

She honestly changed my life. She helped me understand where to place my emphasis in teaching people about Jesus. What I mean by that is so often in my head I use the word I. 

"I prayed and had faith and so that's why I had miracles today," "I have done everything I needed to do and so that is what makes me worthy to go to the temple," "I believed enough in God that I was able to reach my goals for today," etc.

In part, these statements are true. It is important to do our part because it's only through action that one can become a true disciple of Christ. 

But I have really learned that I will never be enough on my own. I will never have perfect faith, I will always make mistakes and that is why Christ came. If I don't rely on Him and just think I can do everything on my own, I'm defeating the whole reason He came to earth. 

If I think that living the Gospel is something I have to do on my own, I could never do it. Walking the same path Christ walked, would be impossible. 

But because of His grace, His free and everlasting gift to each one of us, it is possible for all my imperfections to be reconciled and I can be perfected in Him.

4. Love changes everything and it's worth working at.

I was counting yesterday and I've had 11 companions on my mission - 11 incredible women who have taught me more than I could have possibly imagined. 

They've taught me so much about what it means to be strong and to trust in God. 

We have all been different. Reallyyyy different. And had some hard moments. haha. But because there was always love between us, they have all become my best friends. 

There is something sweet about mission companions. They see you at your lowest and you cry together and share frustration but you also share those moments of perfect happiness together. 

Love isn't something that you can fake. I've tried and it doesn't make you happy. 

I know that Jesus Christ can help me love people in a real, sincere, and genuine way. Jesus Christ has helped me see people in a different way and want to understand why they are the way that they are. 

I also know that feeling God's love is the only motivator that brings true and lasting results. 

I struggled a lot at the beginning of my mission trying to help people who didn't have the desire to change. One day during sacrament meeting I realized that the only thing I could do was to show guests on Temple Square that I love them and pray that while they're here they will feel and understand the love God has for them and that will inspire and give them the strength to follow his plan of happiness. 

It works. 

The love of Christ changes people's hearts. 

I also learned that love is simple. It doesn't have to be complicated and there are so many ways to show love. 

5. Christ's atonement happened and it is all encompassing. 

I was thinking about Christ suffering in Gethsemane and realized that, for however many moments, He bled and suffered for me. In the hours that He prayed in the garden, He saw my face and He knew that He was taking on the sins, suffering, disappointment, regret, and hurt of Carly Helton. 

He did it solely because He loves me. 

He's done that for everyone who has ever lived. 

He did it one by one and He truly does understand what I need. 

What I love the most about this is that He overcame it all. He overcame it all and because of that, I don't have to. 

If I can secure and glue myself to Him and allow Him space in my life, He will show me how to get through everyday because He's already done it and He's conquered all the trials I will face in life. 

A scripture I read every time I want to give up or just can't anymore says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." 

He's taken care of it. I want to always be close to Him because I have never felt peace like I've felt being a missionary. 

God is so smart. Service and getting over yourself and struggling and praying and studying and listening and sharing, it's what Christ did and it's what His gospel is all about, and it's what brings fulfillment and eternal peace. 

In hindsight, I've wondered how I ended up coming on a mission. It was never in my plans and it was never something I thought I could actually do or would want to do. 

But I know with all my heart that God is in control and He will direct our paths if we let Him. His plan is so much better than my plan. 

I feel like I could write a million more things but the last thing I want to say is that I love Jesus Christ will all my heart. He's saved me from myself and I will always live His gospel. 

I can't wait to see you next week! Love you so much! 

Sister Helton

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage 3-4-2016

Aloha!

I hope you're getting a beautiful tan right now. It's actually 65 degrees in Salt Lake - I can't believe it. This week has been so great. About a month ago, I was on exchanges with Sister Tekurio and we took this guy on a tour. He was super sweet and told us a lot about his life and his faith in God. At the end of the tour we asked if he'd like to meet with missionaries back in his state and he said it wasn't really something he was interested in, so we asked him if we could keep in touch with him and teach him a little more over the phone. He said sure and so we've called him two or three times since then. On Monday, he said he wants to meet with local missionaries! 

I don't really know what to write. Seriously the week just flew. But I'm just so grateful to be a missionary. There is really nothing sweeter than being able to share how you feel about Christ everyday and watch people change their lives with Christ's help. I'm so excited to see you again, though, and apply in the real world the things that I've felt and learned. 

Yesterday, we had such a sweet experience. We were about to go home and this girl stopped Sister Almeida and me (...love it when that happens). 

She was like "Sisters! Do you have a minute?" We, of course, said "Sure" and started talking and she actually works in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and was telling us that one of her co-workers has been asking her a lot of questions about the Gospel. He went with her to the Provo City Temple open house last week and she said that she wanted to bring him to Temple Square and have us take them on a tour! She just inspired me so much and you could tell just really loves sharing the Gospel in the simple ways that she's able to. We are going to meet them this next week and take him around Temple Square, so hopefully it will go really well!

A scripture just keeps popping into my head that I read a few months ago. It's in Proverbs 27:14. It says,

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

I feel like waiting and trusting in God is something that I've been able to practice a lot the past year and a half and it is so beautiful to know that He does have a perfect plan and that if I can just be humble and wait on His timing, He will give me strength and peace to keep walking until my path unfolds in front of me. 

I love my Savior. I'm grateful for the peace He's given me and for the opportunity and blessing I have to repent and change everyday with His help. 

Love you so much! Hope you have the best week. 

Sister Helton

I love the temple covenants 2-26-2016

Hi!

Seriously, I don't even know what to say  ...I feel like yesterday was my Pday. The weeks are flyinggg. 

This week though I feel like I've learned a lot about covenants and the beauty of temple marriages. Mom, thank you so much for sending me that quote about judgement and how we will be judged based on who we've become. 

 I stumbled across the talk where you took the quote from and realized I've read it before! The talk is "The Challenge to Become" by Dallin H. Oaks, right? 

I love his quote that says, 

"In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something." 

 I really started thinking about how making covenants like baptism, the temple endowment and being sealed enable you to become who God intends for you to become. 

 I think sometimes it's easy to think that once you've made your covenants that you've done what you needed to do and all will be well when you die and return to live with God.

 As I was thinking more about the promises I've made with God in the temple, I realized how it's not the promise you make with God that saves you, but it's who Christ helps you become through keeping your covenants that will enable to you to live with God, and one day receive all that he has. 

Sister Sydney Wilkinson of Wenatchee
on Temple Square. Go Sister W!

 It's so beautiful how the temple is really like the road map for eternity. As you go and make promises with God, through the enabling power of Christ, you can walk through life and progress and become the person you were created to be. And you achieve your purpose and potential on earth. This talk just really put into perspective the reason behind our covenants and how much strength they can give us. 

I have also, my whole mission, struggled to explain to guests why sealings aren't open for everyone to see. 

 Because people always feel so offended and sad and it always breaks my heart because it's not some exclusive temple club like people make it out to be - it's the house of God and requires preparation to go inside. 

 After I read this talk, it finally clicked. Before a couple is sealed, they go through the temple by themselves and make these individual covenants with God that will enable them to stay on the path that leads to eternal life. 

 But when a couple is sealed, they are able to make these covenants together and promise God that they will help each other, with the power and strength of Christ, to get back to Him. It's the most beautiful thing in the whole world. 

 So, now I finally figured out how to help people understand that it's the sacredness of the couple making covenants that makes it so only those who have also made those same covenants are able to go inside. 

 In summary, I LOVE the temple. 

 It's amazing and the peace you feel even just walking around the grounds is indescribable. 

I'm trying to think of the miracles we've had this week. They've all been really small but one of the sweetest ones was yesterday we were able to take a couple on a tour who initially said to us when we started the tour, "We're really just interested in the architecture and history." 

 So of course we started the tour explaining the history and then casually threw in some gospel principles and they really started opening up. 

 We started talking about the Book of Mormon and why we read it and how it strengthens our faith in Christ. I don't usually like to share my super personal experiences with reading the Book of Mormon but I just explained to them how one of the biggest questions I've had answered through reading is "why do bad things happen to good people." 

 I just mentioned how the Book of Mormon truly can answer questions that are in our soul. When we said that it was like a switch flipped and they started telling us all about their life and trials and struggles. We were able to promise them that they could find peace in Christ and in reading His word. 

 The tour ended up being like an hour and half but I'm just so grateful that God knows what each one of His children need (even when we have no idea what to say) and that He's able to use us as tools in His hands. I love Temple Square. I love being a missionary and I can't believe how fast this transfer is going. 

Love you with all my heart and soul!

 Sister Helton

The pictures below of at my last day of announcing on the Square:

 

Huge answer to prayer 2-19-2016

Hi!

Samuel got confirmed and received the Aaronic priesthood this week! 

He also gave us his neighbor friend to teach which was amazing. His name is Rhema and he's going to go to church this Sunday! 

We have kind of stopped calling the people we were teaching this past month because they like talking with us but don't really want to meet with the local missionaries and there's not much we can do without the help of the local missionaries which was kind of sad, but the missionary department has made some really cool changes to Temple Square! 

So, in the past, when someone went on mormon.org and requested a missionary visit or a Bible or a Book of Mormon, they would route those requests directly to the missionaries in the assigned mission. 

But now, all those requests come to Temple Square to our teaching center and they have asked us to call the people who have requested these items or visits to make sure they're legit and then we are the ones who send the referral! 

We've had a lot more people we're talking to now and it's really fun to see how many people really do want to learn more about Christ. Sister Almeida talked to like 5 people from Brazil yesterday who reallyyy wanted to meet with missionaries in their cities which was just a huge answer to prayer.

Something I keep forgetting to tell you about is that before President Poulsen left, he designed this program for sisters in their last transfer. 

Some of the department directors of LDS business college come to Temple Square on Friday mornings for 2 hours and they give us training on how to interview well and how to explain the skills we've acquired in business terminology because we've served on Temple Square. 

It's really cool how they're helping us ... I guess ... "translate" our missionary lingo into normal, business words and they've had us create a "Me in 30 seconds" so we've been doing mock interviews with them. 

At the end of this transfer, they'll give us a little certificate saying that we've completed a class at LDSBC so it should help us find employment faster. 

It's been really cool to see and identify the different skills you acquire serving at a visitors' center. I never thought about how much customer service goes into giving tours and calling and teaching people over the phone and planning district and zone meetings. It's been super helpful. 

They also made us talk about what makes us nervous about going home and helped us get over it. haha. 

Sorry I don't have that much time to write this week but the weeks are seriously just flying by I can't believe how soon I'll be seeing you! 

Love you with all my heart,

Sister Helton

Samuel, mistakes, and action 2-12-2016

Hi!

Ok, this week has been amazing. So, on Tuesday we had zone conference all day which put us in a difficult situation because Sister Almeida and I knew we wouldn't be able to call any of our investigators. 

Ever since Sunday we really wanted to get a hold of Samuel because he called us and left us a voicemail but because of the time difference between Utah and Nigeria, we hadn't been able to call him back. So we just decided to go to Temple Square at like 7 am on Tuesday before zone conference started and call him and we just prayed he would pick up the phone. 

Well, he did answer the phone and so naturally we asked him how church went on Sunday (it would be his second time going) and he told us HE GOT BAPTIZED. 

At first, we thought he said he watched a baptism and so we were like, "Oh that's cool, who got baptized?" And then he was like, "I did! They did it by immersion and next week I'll be confirmed and receive the Holy Spirit!" 

So, we're not really sure how he was allowed to get baptized since he's only been to church once and has only met with the missionaries a few times but it was amazing. 

We asked him why he wanted to be baptized and how he felt when he was baptized and he just simply said, 

"I felt a peace, strength, clarity and a freedom I've never felt before." 

It was amazing. Seriously, if we had never met Stanley on the square and through him been able to locate the missionaries and group in Samuel's village, this would have never happened. Members make ALL the difference in missionary work. 

I feel like this week in all the lessons we've taught, the people we've been teaching have taught me so much. We have been working with a girl who is less active that we met on Temple Square and she asked us to re-teach her the lessons so she comes to Temple Square once a week and we talk for about 20 minutes. 

Yesterday, we went over the the Plan of Salvation and we were talking about the pre-existence, the fall and our life on earth and how God's plan for us is perfect. 

At the end of the lesson she was bearing her testimony and said in the most simple, beautiful way, 

"If we never made mistakes, we could never repent; and if we could never repent, we could never improve and be better." 

When she said that the Spirit just hit me like a ton of bricks and I just felt so grateful for the mistakes I have made and that because of the Savior allowing me to repent and granting me that forgiveness, I have been able to improve and gradually, day by day, become better because of Him. 

The other little insight I gained this week was about prayer. 

One of our investigators just keeps on telling us that his decision to meet with the missionaries and really decide to commit to be baptized has come down to a matter of prayer. 

But, he feels like God isn't really showing him what he should do. He's reading the Book of Mormon for the second time and has had the lessons before, but he's still just stuck and unsure. 

I was studying for him and just kept thinking about Matt. 7:7 which says so simply:

 "Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." 

I think this verse, or a slight variation of this verse, is found like 100 different times in the New Testament and Book of Mormon. 

I just kept saying it over and over in my mind because I believe that this very simple sentence is the key to receiving revelation from God. I mean, why else would it be written a hundred times in the scriptures? 

I realized that when it says to "Ask" it obviously means to pray. 

When it says "seek" it's referring to studying the scriptures. 

And when it says "knock,

" I think it means action. If you knock on a door, you probably intend to go inside whatever building you're knocking on. 

I think that is where I often times mess up this means of receiving revelation. I think this is what is messing him up as well. He's asking for these answers from God, but doesn't really intend to take that step and walk inside the building (if you know what I mean). I do this a lot too. I want an answer but I think when I receive the answer I want, than I'll take the step in the direction I want to go and it doesn't work like that. 

Anyways, love you so much! Hope you have the best week. 

Saying goodbye to our apartment

Sister Helton

Last day on Welfare Square
 with Sister Kleine (Germany) and Sister Kogure (Japan). We bought Little Ceasear's every week which is why she's holding the box of pizza in the picture. The manager there started to recognize us and started giving us free crazy bread after a few weeks :)

How do I have a relationship with Heavenly Father? 2-1-2016

Hi!

It's been such a sweet week. We've been serving at Welfare Square every Tuesday and the past 2 weeks have been so dead. No one has come to take a tour so we've just helped in the storehouse and I seriously love it. 

  We get to help people get their groceries for free and re-stock the shelves and talk with all the service missionaries there. It's so cool to me how the church allows for every person who has the desire, to serve in some capacity.

So, last transfer when I was with Sister Howard, we met this lady on the Square who had been in and out of activity her whole life (she's 40 now). Just recently she and her husband split and everything in her life has just started tumbling down. 

  She said she was driving past Temple Square and told Heavenly Father if there was a free parking space, she would take it and talk to the first missionaries that stopped her. 

  So, as she was driving by there was a free parking space (which was actually a miracle because this was when the Christmas lights were still on, so people are everywhere). 

  She wasn't wearing a coat as she walked onto Temple Square so we stopped her and were just like, "Aren't you freezing?!" Then we started talking and she told us everything she's been dealing with and how it's been so hard for her to feel like God is there. 

  We now call her every week and she's come up to Temple Square twice since that day. In studying for her and her issues with God, Christ and the church, I came across a talk by President Hinckley. It's called, "We Walk By Faith."

   In the talk President Hinckley tells the story of a freight train making stops throughout the night. Even with darkness surrounding the train, with it's light shining 500 m ahead, it is able to reach it's destination. 

  He compares that with faith and how often times God only illuminates our path a little bit at a time. But little by little, we get closer and closer to where we need to be. 

  I think it can be harder to come back to church when you look at how far you still have to go but I know as we just take the Gospel day by day and obey with real intent, we will look back and see how far we've come with the help of the Savior.

It was also really cool this week because my whole mission I've had the question, "How do I have a relationship with God, my Heavenly Father." 

  I really feel the Savior close to me each day but I've often wondered how I strengthen that relationship with God. I know that it's only through the Son that we are able to return to the Father and so I assumed that as I strengthened my faith in Christ, that relationship with God would follow. This week I came across a talk by Elder Holland and I want to share a quote from it that I loved! He says: 

 "Jesus did not come to improve God’s view of man nearly so much as He came to improve man’s view of God and to plead with them to love their Heavenly Father as He has always and will always love them. But the love of God, the profound depth of His devotion to His children, they still did not fully know—until Christ came."

Maybe I'm just a little bit slow, but these words helped me a lot in just remembering that God is the creator of the Plan of Happiness. God sent Christ to the earth to live, die and then be resurrected - all for us. Christ came to the earth so each one of us would be able to understand how infinitely God does love us and will never give up on us. 

  Heavenly Father's love was and is manifested in Christ. 

  Anyways, that was just my little personal revelation that as you have a relationship with Christ, you also understand through Him the love God has for you.

Samuel went to church this week for the first time and said that "God is with these people. Nothing will stop me from going again next week!" He's so cool. He really loves God and wants to follow him. It just makes me excited to see people get excited about the Gospel.

Love you so much!

Sister Helton

P.S. Here are some photos from our zone activity last week that I forgot to send.

We all have a past, but ... 1-25-2016

Ok, I have a million things to tell you but I'll start with the funniest one. 

 So last week I went to a sushi place in City Creek to get some sushi-to-go.

 I told the guy what I wanted and then he asked what I my name was. 

 I pointed at my name tag and I guess I said "Sister Helton" really quietly because when I got my to-go box of sushi the man had written "Jesus" as my name!!! 

 I died laughing. Good to know that the name that stands out the most on my name tag is Jesus Christ (Here's a picture of the box of sushi and what he wrote on it). 

Something that really hit home to me this week was a man who came on mormon.org chat. 

  He was telling us all about his past and how he is working towards getting baptized. He has made some pretty huge mistakes and he said it's been really hard to forgive himself when those he's hurt haven't forgiven him. 

  He said he's been talking to the bishop about everything and that the bishop told him:

 "We all have a past, but we all have a present responsibility to have a future relationship with Christ."

 I thought that was so beautiful. 

 We've all made mistakes and all do things that cause us to have feelings of guilt and shame but the message of the Savior is to look to him and move forward. 

  We decide today what we want to do and who we want to follow. 

  I was also reading today in Ephesians 5:8 and Paul is talking to the Gentiles about what it means to follow Christ and how we can do it. He says, 

  "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." 

  When I read that it made me think about how we all give in to the natural man at different points in our life. We are sometimes filled with darkness but as we look to Christ and choose to follow Him, His light is able to shine in us. 

 I've been thinking about what I will do when I'm home. How I will apply what I've learned and continue to move forward following the Savior and the words "walk as children of light" was a huge answer to prayer. 

 There is a tangible difference when you follow the Savior and when you don't. His light is there and it fills you up which then allows you to go out and fill others as well. I love my Savior. 

 Our investigators are doing really well! My companion is the most hilarious person on earth. I'm learning new things every day and I am so grateful. 

  The picture at right is of our zone activity. We ding-dong-ditched the houses of the families who fed us Christmas dinner and took them cookies. Of course, I had to drive and it was pouring snow and we got super lost so we just took pictures in our mini van... haha...I will never understand the layout of streets in SLC. 

  Sister Almeida and I walked over to this little pioneer house from the 1850's and took a picture in it. Today, we did a little district activity and had lunch together than went to the familysearch place in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. It's super interactive and I did this little interview thing where you get asked 14 questions and record yourself. I also learned a lot about Popo's dad John Franklin Helton! 

Love you so much!

Sister Helton

Pioneer house from the 1850s

 

FamilySearch in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building at Temple Square is interactive and fun