God's Hand Is In It

A mission is something else. It's this amazing opportunity to give just a little bit back to God. It's this exciting experience that cannot be replicated by anything else. It's this special period of time that is unique for each and every missionary.
And my mission experience has been no exception to the unique rule.

I arrived back into the United States yesterday and was released as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I had to return home from Brazil due to health problems.

After just under four months out, I'm now home. And there are no words to describe how this feels. When I was heading off so few months ago, the idea that I'd be coming home before my 18 months were up never came to my mind. It wouldn't happen to me... so why even bother entertaining the possibility.
I was ready to lose myself in the work and serve my Father, giving back just a mere fraction of what He's given me. I was ready for that year and a half to be my mission experience. I was ready to grow and learn. I was ready to be a missionary.
But sometimes... our plan for our life isn't the plan that God has for us. This is the case for me. Now,  there is nothing to do but trust in God. That is all one can do when they are pulled away from the dream they thought was right for them. I remember... I remember so well how much I wanted to serve... I can remember that so well. And it kills me to be sitting here. My heart has broken. I feel cut down. Cut back. Rejected. How did this happen? Is this really even happening? When will I wake up and everything will be back to normal... back to how it's supposed to be?
It's that thought... the thought of how it's supposed to be... that gets us. It's getting me that's for sure. It's this thought which makes it crucial to look to God in times like this because He knows what's happening even if we don't. It's faith in Him that will pull us through. It's faith in Him that will pull me through.

Plus He understands. He understands perfectly. Everything I can't explain, every emotion that I can't express, every pain this situation gives me -He understands. And I will rely on that because I have nothing else I can do at this point.
I don't know if more mission is waiting for me or not. Frankly, I'm kind of confused on what God wants from me. All I know is that He loves me and it'll all be okay. And for now when nothing actually feels okay that's all I need to know.

I'm thankful for that knowledge. I'm thankful that through the confusion I can have the peace to know that God is aware of me and has a plan for me. Maybe those three and a half months was all He needed from me. And if that's so, then I am honored to have been able to give that to Him.
He is the author of a perfect plan for me and for that I am eternally thankful because He can lead me better than I can lead myself. It's hard and it hurts. But the things I learned have come home with me. I have learned so much and grown so much. My testimony has grown and I know more than ever that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. It's true. It has to be. Nothing else could give me peace in such a hard time. Nothing else could make so much sense to me. Nothing else could feel so right. My life has been forever changed and is continuously shaped by Christ and His love for me.

Missions are hard. Coming home is hard, especially as early as I did. But God's hand is in it, this I know.

-Carrie Damstedt

A LONG WEEK

This week has felt quite long.

We'll go with I've been sick and not been able to do much of anything. On that account, my email will not be very long. I don't have any stories or any pictures. I'm just kind of truggin' through right now.

But I know that God is with me. He has a plan for me and for every one of His children. The trick is figuring out this plan and aligning our will with His. Sometimes all we can do is trust in Him and His will and His timing. And regardless of how we feel or what we think, His love is ALWAYS there for us to hold onto. And what a blessing that is. Even when everything else seems impossible and wrong, God loves us. He always has and always will. I take great comfort in that.

Best wishes to all of you.

-Sister Damstedt

FRUITY Carrie

Hello from Brazil!

It's a busy place being here. It's fun to see people that actually will talk to you. I like that about here. It's hard though in other ways because LOTS of people like to say they are never at home and busy and stuff but we'll walk by again and they'll be there. It's their way of rejecting us. Which is fine. Rejection with a smile is better than and angry rejection.

I'm pretty short on time right now and there isn't much to tell other than we walk everywhere and already in 2 weeks, one of my pairs of shoes have holes and probably won't last much longer. But oh well, what can ya do? 

There are SO muny kinds of fruits here. and this is one that I had never seen or heard of before. It's called jabuticaba and is sort of kind of like a large circle grape with a giant seed in the middle. I can't decide if I like them or not. Anyway We were walking down the street and they were all over the ground. I asked my companion what they were and kind of slowed down to look and whatnot. She didn't know and we kind of puzzled over them for a second. Then some men across the street who were sitting by a building yelled to us what they were and were like "we'll get you some to try!" So we went over and started talking with one of them while the other ran off and eventually come back with a bag of them. We then had a lesson thing with them on the street and talked a little bit. It was very cool and I'm very good at sharing scriptures in Portuguese. That happens here. Strangers will just sit there and listen to you and pray with you on the street. It is amazing. We are trying to get with them again and teach a real life lesson soon. But it's hard to refind people or contact them when you don't have a phone. But we'll find them again if God needs it to happen. It was a very cool experience.

Hope you all have a great week! Remember to see God in your lives everyday because he is there.

-Sister Damstedt