Wake Up My Friends, Its Time For Conference!

Family!

Another week goes by and it ended in the greatest way possible! Conference weekend! Conference was a lot different this year, and I think for the first time in my life I actually missed dad running down the stairs playing a fake trumpet and yelling, "Wake up my friends, its time for conference!" haha It truly is interesting what you miss on the mission.

Conference was amazing! We watched it in the church with all the members and since we have some members here in Vitoria who speak english, I was able to watch it in English. I was very happy! haha Unfortunately, we dont have the chance to watch the Sunday afternoon session and we had to watch the priesthood session in Spanish due to some problems... But I loved it all. When we were finished watching conference I wanted to watch more! I was dying we couldnt watch the last session! Please send me the magazine! haha Overall, I think my favorite talk was from President Uchtdorf in the Saturday morning session. He said two things that just hit me really deep for some reason. He was talking about enjoying the things we are doing in life in the moment. Too many times in this life we go through things way to fast and forget to stop and look around. The quotes I loved went like this.

"Dont wait until you are about to die, to learn how to live"  and "Stop looking with your eyes and start looking with your heart"

Great advice to everyone and I definitely think it is great for missionaries. I have already seen way to many missionaries, and even myself at times, who just want to get through there mission way too fast! We forget to enjoy where we are and what we are doing! So coming away from conference it is my goal to enjoy the little things in my mission a little more. Enjoy the time here and love what I am doing!

And of course the famous announcement! Crazy! When he announced it, my mind went straight to everyone I knew who can know turn in papers or is now very close to turning in papers! So if you hear what people are going to start doing, please let me know! Definitely tell me what Justin and Nick are planning on doing! I was trying to think what I would have done if I had the chance to leave at 18... I still dont know what I have done. Looking back on freshman year, I am really happy that I did go to school because I learned a lot of things that have helped me here and I had an absolute blast, but if I would have had the option of leaving before I knew what school would be like... I honestly dont know what I would have done. The one thing I do like is I think it becomes a bigger and more personal desicion for everyone. For me, my option was 1 semester or 2 semesters of school. Now there is a lot more that factors into it, One thing for sure, START PREPARING NOW. We had an opportunity to watch the press conference where Elder Holland and Nelson talked about it, and they both said that MTC time would be cut down by at least 1/3. To me thats a lot of time. Nick, Justin, whoever. Prepare. Know The Book of Mormon and know Preach My Gospel! Like Elder Holland also said in the Press Conference, "We need missionaries the first day they get into the field!" There is a lot of work to be done!

Well Fam, thats about it from here in Vitoria... Not much is going down. Elder Tyler and continue to try to find some more to teach... I think it was actually easier to contact with Rios, people automatically had a connection if they were from South America! Nobody wants to listen to two white kids in suits who dont speak spanish very well haha. We try! We have faith and know in time we will find someone! No worries! The Lord works miracles!

As far as things I need... I think I am fine! Like I said, I am pretty content right now.. The only thing I can think of is some more pens (The kind that dad likes) but dont rush! I will be fine! I found ONE in a store yesterday and I was going to buy it, it was almost 2 euros... What a joke! haha So ya... Other than that, I think I am good!

Thanks for everything! Love you all and I hope you all had a wonderfull conference weekend! I know I did!!

Love
Elder Carrigan