December 14, 2015 -- Ward Christmas Party and No Bikes

I just want to say all went well with the emergency transfer and I love my new companion, Elder Ayre. I'm not kidding when I say he is probably the most experienced missionary in the mission. I am so glad that everything went well with your surgery Mom. Honestly I was so anxious to hear about how it went and when President Rogers called with the good news I knew my prayers were answered. I was in a slump for the past two weeks and I lost some of my drive.  But with my new area, new companion, and the good news about you, my passion for missionary work has been rekindled.

This past week the average temperature has been about 60 degrees in the day. Today it got up to 70. This is very unusual for New York. I'm hoping that it will snow by Christmas. On Saturday, the ward had their Christmas party. The program was short but the dinner was amazing -- ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, and many more yummy food items. I was grateful for the opportunity to get to know the members better.  I've sent a Christmas picture along for your viewing.

On Sunday Elder Ayre and I were teaching this person in the rougher side in town. When we were done teaching and we walked outside their house, we found that our bikes were gone. We had them locked up so the person that stole them must have picked the lock. Hopefully we will be able to get them back so that we don't have to walk everywhere but only time will tell. I know that theLlord will provide a way for us to do his work though. I love doing missionary work in Johnson City and I know that this church is true.

Love, Elder Carlile

December 7, 2015 -- A Transfer This Week

This has been one of the most eventful weeks in the mission field! Wednesday we had a wonderful mission conference on how to use the Book of Mormon better in our teaching. Thursday is where it got a little crazy. After I got done with comp study, I got a call from President Rodgers. He informed me that there was a missionary in Johnson City that was going home due to some health problems.  Because of this he informed me that I was going to be transferred to replace this elder. He told me that I needed to start packing immediately because the AP's were going to be there to pick me up from Rotterdam at 4 o'clock to take me to Johnson City. President also told me that my companion, Elder Skouson, was going to go into a trio with the Schenectady elders because one of the elders was going to be going next transfer, which is in one week. He also told me that my new companion was going to be Elder Ayre. When I got off the phone with President I had to take a couple of minutes to take it all in. Elder Skouson and I started packing and cleaning out the apartment. I was excited and sad at the same time, excited to go Johnson City but sad to be leaving Elder Skouson and the people in Rotterdam.

After we got done packing we had just enough time to go the Jumans, before the AP's got there, and say goodbye. Only Fereza, her mom and her dad were there, but I was grateful that I had the chance to say goodbye. The AP's came to pick me up and Elder Skouson and I said goodbye to each other.

The AP's and I then went to Johnson City. It was a 4 hour drive so I got to know the AP's pretty well. We stayed in a hotel for the night because  of the mission conference the next morning. The next morning the AP's and I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the hotel and then went to the mission conference where I met up with Elder Ayre. Elder Ayre is so awesome. He just came off of being an AP for nine months so you could say I'm with one the most experienced missionary's in the mission. He is a hard smart working missionary. After my second mission conference in the week I finally got to my new apartment in Johnson City.

Johnson City is a really cool place! There are a lot of college students that go to Binghampton University and so many people in our small area. We are a walking area but we do have access to bikes.  We have really needed them with all the people we are teaching. I haven't worked as hard as I have in the past couple of days, but I enjoy every second of it. Elder Ayre and I have really gotten along well and we are laughing all the time. I am so great full for the opportunity to be a missionary.

First Baptism

Fereza's baptism was amazing. All her family were able to attend and support her decision. Elder Skouson baptized her and I confirmed her the following day in sacrament meeting. As Elder Skouson baptized her, the Spirit filled the room. As we were waiting for Fereza to change and return to the program, I sat there and thought back on my baptism. I remembered three specific things about my baptism. First, how warm I felt inside after I was baptized and confirmed. Second, how nervous I was when I sang by myself in front of every one who attended my baptism. Finally, Aunt Pam's yummy green jello that I requested her to make for my baptism.

 

The next day Elder Skouson and I were talking with Fereza after sacrament meeting and she said the previous day was the happiest day of her life. I know that our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are separate beings that are one in purpose. That purpose is to bring us back to our Heavenly Father so that we can become like him.

 

Love, Elder Carlile

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fasting Is Powerful

I want to share an experience Elder Skouson and I had with fasting.  Yesterday was Fast Sunday, so Elder Skouson and I decided to fast for the people in our area that their hearts would be softened. We were able to fast the two meals, and believe me, that was hard.  I wanted to feed my two hollow legs.  I made it, however, because I was fasting with a purpose.

After dinner we weren’t feeling that great and considered not going out to tract that night.  But we took a leap of faith and relied on the Lord for strength. As we started to tract on our first street, we both felt weak physically. At the first door we knocked on, we picked up a new investigator. We had a great open-minded discussion about the gospel. His name is Aaron and we are visiting him again on Tuesday. The next door we knocked on we got a return appointment. A couple of doors later we got another return appointment. A few more doors and we got yet another return appointment. This was all on the same street and I know this was a result of fasting.

So that is the awesome experience I wanted to share with you this week.
 

 Love, Elder Carlile

 
 

The following picture was posted by Sister Rogers from a training meeting last week:

 

 

 

 

This is ZTM in Saratoga.  This is a picture of the little and the big in the mission.  Elder Beck is maybe 5 ft and might weigh 100 and Elder Carlile is 7 ft. 2

Fall is Beautiful!

The fall in New York is beautiful! Everywhere you look there are mixtures red, orange, yellow, purple, and green on the trees. You could say the leaves are about as interesting as some of the people here in New York. Along with fall comes New York's famous apple cider and apple cider doughnuts. They are delicious! Fall is probably the best time of the year in New York.

 Now on to Fereza. She is our investigator that is getting baptized next week. She has been seeing the missionaries for about 8 months. Elder Skouson and I have been teaching her for the past 4 weeks. In those 4 weeks, we have gotten to know her and her wonderful family. She, along with her parents and brother, are so kind to us missionaries. They are from Guyana and came here to New York about 4 years ago. She will be the first in her family to get baptized and I'm so excited for her.

Love, Elder Carlile

Adjusting to Mission Life

I'm going to start off by telling you a little about my area. I was assigned to open the Rotterdam/Schenectady area. We are located a couple of miles northeast of Albany. We are a walking mission but we do have access to cars from the other elders in our district. The neighborhood Elder Skouson and I live in is a little rough. The apartment we live in is nice but the rest of the neighborhood is pretty trashed. There are a lot black and Indian people. There are a lot of broken homes in the area around us. When I walk around the streets, it just feels like there is no hope. I think that is why Elder Skouson and I are here... to restore that hope and help people turn their lives around with the gospel. We are also trying to reactivate some members in our area. The neighborhoods around us are more middle class, it just varies depending on where you go. 

Because we are opening a new area, we do a lot of tracting.  It's fun to go and connect with the people. I connect with a lot of the black people because I play basketball. They love how tall I am.  They are always wanting me to dunk it for them, so I do. Elder Skouson and I have played basketball a couple of times while we were out tracking and it's been pretty fun. 

I had the chance to go to stake conference last week and I made some cool connections. Many members and missionaries knew Chris Miles while he lived here in Albany this past year. I wish I would have had the chance to see him and his family here in Albany but they moved out west a couple of months ago.  I just barely missed them. Brother Fredette is actually in the stake presidency there. He is Jimmer Fredette’s dad. This past pday I had the opportunity to play basketball with a couple of other missionaries in the same gym Jimmer grew up playing in.  That was pretty cool. Those are just a couple of the connections I've made in the Albany First Stake. 

The work is great.  We had and investigator named Fereza commit to baptism on October 30th so I'm looking forward to that. I'll tell a little more about her in next week’s email. 

Finally I want to talk about my companion Elder Skouson. He is an awesome guy and a great example of trying to be obedient to the mission rules. He is from Enterprise, Utah and has been out on his mission for a year and a half. We are simalar in personalities. We are both introverted, easy going, and like to laugh every once in a while. We have already seen the blessings from striving to be obedient and will continue to do so. The Church is true, the sky is blue (most of the time), and life is good. 

Love, Elder Carlile

 

Week One - Rotterdam

Tuesday we got up at 3:00 in the morning and headed to the Salt Lake airport. It was hard driving past all the places that I call home on my way to the airport. Our flight left for Detroit at 7:30 and landed at about 12. We had a 2 hour layover in Detroit. We then got on our flight to Syracuse at 2:30 and arrived at about 4 where we met President and Sister Rogers at the airport. We got our luggage and went to the mission home for the night.

The next morning we got up and went to the mission office where we did some orientation. We then went into the chapel to be assigned to our companion and area. I got paired with Elder Skouson. He is a great trainer. The area we are assigned to serve in is the Rotterdam area. It is a brand new area that Elder Skouson and I are opening up and is a suburb of Schnectady. It is located just northwest of Albany.

After the meeting we had lunch and I met the Armstrongs niece Sister Blomquist. After the lunch all the missionaries packed up and went to their new areas. When I arrived at the new Rotterdam apartment I unpaked and got to know Elder Skouson a bit more. We checked out the area in the next couple of days. We live right by the ghettos and it just seems like the people have little hope where we are. We are going to change that though.

During the rest of the week Elder Skouson and I have had the chance to get to know the members in the Schenectady ward we are in, watch general conference, and get to know our area better.

I've attached pictures of President and Sister Rogers and also my companion, Elder Skouson.