Best. Week.Ever. Georgia was baptized! Just a quick run down on her story.We met her on my 2nd day here and we have taught her almost everyday! She already has this amazing testimony. We found out just this week that her Grandpa had been meeting with the missionaries just before he passed away and that they really helped him to be happier. We were ment to find her. That's for sure.

Australian's don't really celebrate Halloween but we showed them whats up and carved pumpkins with our Korean friends and Madi! They turnednout really cute! Wemade prayer rocks at FHE. Everyoe loved it. We hold FHE every week for newcomers awesome.

We had zone conference this week it was so inspired! I really needed everything they talked about. Me & my companion gave a training onplanning. I busted out myteacher sills and made a worksheet for everyone to practice with!

I also had a pretty cool experience at church. I was sitting in testimony meeting and I just kept having this prompting that instread of us teaching the lesson we had prepared for our Sunday School Class (gospel principles) that we should have a testimonyt meeting andlet everyone share what they believe. It was so powerful.  By the end several of us were in tears. I love having the spirit as a constant companion.

Good news, Grandpa Jack loaded us up with Milo & Tim-tams this week

Love you all!!

I love Tasmania

          I love Tasmaina! I am still adjusting to the whole driving on the other side of the road thing. I still get car sick almost every day though. What's even crazier is that they also walk on the left side of the side walk. So strange. But I will be driving soon enough! I'm getting used to the slang too!

Heaps= a lot. "Grandpa Jack gives us heaps of chocolate every week".

Tellie= TV

Pram= baby stoller

Bogan= Red Neck

Tea= Dinner. "You are coming to eat tea at our house tonight right?"

       Another thing I love here is the landscaping. It's all so mature and so beautiful. So many different flowers and trees! Also Australian money is much cooler than American money. Google it.

      This week started teaching the most amazing golden investigator. We are teaching her neighbor and we went to her door on accident. We have gone back everyday since Tuesday to teach a lesson and we set a baptism date for her. NEXT WEEEK! We were just in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. The Lord totally did the rest. She was just so prepared. We came to teach her one day and she was sitting reading the Book of Mormon. Seriously mana from heaven this one. She came to a Relief Society women's conference thing with us for 7 hours and totally loved it! She is moving to Adeliade soon so thats pretty sad but we are still so excited for us. Last night she texted us and said, "I say yes to lds". I'm still in shock over the whole thing! The Lord's hand is in the work so much more than we realize.

I tried Pavlova this week. SO DELISH.

My mailing address is:

76 Cathies Ln

Wantirna South

VIC, 3152

Australia

TASMANIA

I LOVE IT HERE! It is so beautiful! Its a magical mix between San Fransisco and England. Like super hilly like San Fran and all the houses are so quaint and old. Its still been pretty chilly here. Its starting to warm up. kind of like early spring in Texas. 

They dont really believe in heating here so you know I'm freezing all the time. So I'm finally getting to wear some of my scarves and sweaters! The people are sooooo kind. Everyone loves to have us over and feed us. The food is to die for good. The lollies (candy) are delish! So much cadburry chocolate! What we would call the bathroom they call the toilet. So when we are at someones house we say, "Can I use your toilet?" Its strange. and the toilet is just the toilet no sink or mirror, that always in a separate room with the bathtub or shower. Thats how our flat (apartment) is set up too. so just the toilet in a closet down stairs, and the shower with a sink and mirror upstairs. 

I got to watch conference twice because they get it a week later here! So that was awesome! I'm adjusting to the time difference aright. I start to get pretty tired around 5 and most our lessons are in the evening so I just feel pretty useless because I'm so tired and cant focus. I wake up pretty early and then try to go back to sleep. My companion is awesome! Her name is Sister Hatch. I actually stalked her blog before my mission. So if you are going the Melbourne mission and blogstalking right now I could be your companion one day! I SAW WALLABEES the other day! they were so cute! I havent seen any crazy spiders or anything, but I'm always on the look out for them, cause I'd like to live to make it back home in a year and half. 

They have nicknames for everything here. Like university is uni, they call Tasmania tazy. I think its hilarious that you can drink water from the tap in Tasmania but it will make you sick in Las Vegas. Pretty crazy. This mission does things so differently than we did in Vegas. Gotta make a lot of adjustments. Everyone wants me to have a thick Texas accent and they are all so disappointed when my accent isnt super thick. I'm gonna have to work on that. Love this place, the people, and the food!

(Carlie said she sent a bunch of pictures but we did not get them. Maybe they will come later)

Leaving on a jet plane.....

MY VISA CAME!

I fly out this afternoon. Here are some of the best people in Las Vegas. I will definitely miss this place, but I am really excited to get to Aussie-land!

BAPTISMS!

We didn't teach these two from start to finish but we came in on the 3rd lesson so I'm taking some credit!!

 

This family is awesome! The kids were both so happy! I love watching this gospel change people and bring them happiness! 

This week was really great. We have located Trader Joe's so the mochi is full force. I'm still waiting on my visa but loving Vegas. 

Viva Las Vegas

I am still loving this mission so much. I thought I might get bummed with waiting but I've been loving it here! We have two baptisms set for this weekend!

 So here is an updated picture of my bruise. It looks a lot gnarly that it really was.

 There is this awesome atrium in the temple and anyone can go inside it!

 My companion!

Missionary Work

Mosiah 28:3

Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

President George Albert Smith

“We will attain our exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom only on the condition that we share with our Father’s other children the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and observe the commandments that will enrich our lives here and hereafter”

Raining in Las Vegas

This is the massive bruise I got from playing soccer with the elders this week. Keep in mind that this was my second time playing soccer. This Samoan had the ball so I went to take it from him and we ended up kicking each other. He ended up on the ground because his leg hurt so bad. Mine hurt too, but I wasn't a baby like him. Its about the size of my hand. Just some street cred ya know. 

Anyways, things are going great in Vegas! I'm really close the strip. Kinda crazy, cause I have never been there, its just a huge mystery to me! We met some interesting characters this week. We heard about some of the crazy stuff that's going on in the world. In some ways its nice to be cut off from all of that, in others ways, its not so great to get the news update from a homeless woman. I did hear about the BYU Texas game. Wish I could unhear that news. 

Getting to know a new area is pretty rough. Our GPS died this week and we were completely useless without it. 

I realize more and more everyday about the importance of the Book of Mormon. Let me explain, if the Book of Mormon is true than Joseph Smith was a prophet, and he saw what he said he saw, and Jesus in the Christ and the church has been restored. It all rests on whether or not the Book of Mormon is true. I'm really trying to stress that with the people I teach. They have to read and pray to find out for themselves if its true. Cause if its true (WHICH IT IS!) its all true! Love it! 

It's a raining day in the desert today. Who knew?! Also there is Bluebell in Vegas.

Las Vegas West Mission.

I am visa waiting in the Vegas West Mission. I hear I will probably be here for a transfer, which is 6 weeks for those of you who don't speak mission talk. I am loving it here! My companion is awesome! She is from Amarillo. She is really a cool trainer and she never makes me feel dumb! So that's really good! I was a little worried about someone telling me what to do all the time, but we actually work really well together and we haven't argued or anything! My testimony grows more and more each day. As I start to look at people in the way that God looks at them, I am amazed at my capability to love them! Everything we teach is centered around Jesus Christ and His atonement. EVERYTHING relates back to that! Its really amazing how that works. There are a lot more dogs than I thought there would be! Everyone has a dog and they love to climb all over me. The other day I had to change my clothes at lunch time because I was covered in hair! There is also a lot more scheduling and planning than I imagined there would be. Its really crazy how easy it is to talk to people, and how comfortable people feel around you, just because you have a badge on! There are a lot of members of the church in Las Vegas and we get fed dinner almost every night. Someone even paid for our groceries last week! So nice! I stayed in one area for a week and then we were transferred to a new area on Monday. It was pretty sudden, so we are having to get to know the area again, but we are excited to get right back to work! Different area, different people, same objective, to invite them to come unto Christ. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent Him everyday. Every day I get to put on a name tag that has my name and His name.

MTC

Jesus Christ or Liam Neesan?

The MTC was so awesome! But I think any longer than 10 days would have made me a little stir crazy! So I can understand how a lot of people hate it! I learned so much every day! It was crazy how much gets packed into a day! 

Contact Information

Here is how I can be contacted for the next year and half!

Email address: carlie.gilbert@myldsmail.net

MTC mailing address:

Sister Carlie Gilbert
AUG27  AST-MEL
2009 N 900 E Unit 133
Provo UT 84602

Once I get to Australia this will be  my mailing address:

Sister Carlie Gilbert

Australia Melbourne Mission

76 Cathies Lane

Wantirna South VIC 3152

Australia

Feel free to write me letters or emails. This blog will act as my weekly email or "newsletter". 

Thanks in advance for all of your support. 

Sister Gilbert