Life Savers

Heart attack victim meets the people who helped save his life.  

Click HERE to watch the video on News 3.

Kyle and his AMR partner Jennifer who helped save this man's life...

Today Jennifer Hellenbrand and I had an exciting opportunity to meet someone who we performed CPR on back in December. Charles and his wife Jeanne are very kind people and we were grateful to be able to go and represent AMR Las Vegas in celebrating his life. Las Vegas Fire & Rescue put together very nice plaques for everyone involved including Charles' wife and the dispatcher who instructed her to provide chest compressions over the phone, as well as MountainView Hospital staff who took over resuscitation efforts leading to his excellent outcome! ~Kyle Carlson

Kyle turns 25!

By Debbie & Randy:

Happy Birthday to our oldest son Kyle who is a quarter of a century old today!!! We love you so much and are so proud of how hard you are working in the medical field. Love you forever!

Kyle & Stephanie's Wedding

CONGRATULATIONS

KYLE & STEPHANIE!!

California Trip

 Knott's Berry Farm

 Kyle went with us to help with the kids

 Chandler got picked to go up on stage

 Santa Monica Beach

 The kids loved playing in the water

 Meg liked to eat the sand

 We went to a Dodgers game

 Rylan loved the game

Dodgers win 9-5

Happy 21st Birthday Kyle

Can't believe our Kyley Bo is 21 years old today.  We hope you have a happy birthday son.  Love you lots! Love, 

Your Flamily

Elder Carlson year update

Dear family and friends,

Well I have been serving in the Great Texas Houston Mission for a little over a year now and have loved every minute of it. My mission has been such a learning experience and my growth has been a blessing. I didn't fully realize what a spiritual, fun, exciting and amazing time this would be for me. I thank you all for your examples, support and testimonies.

I know that through revelation the prophet knew that I just had to come here to learn all I needed and meet those who needed me. I think it is beautiful here and the temple looks like a castle. Our mission President is a great man and he leads us to do a great work here.

I miss you all a lot. I have thought recently about family that I saw at wonderful activities before I left, such as my receiving of my endowments and my farewell. All the family activities we had when I was growing up with monthly birthday parties. I sure hope I get a chance to see you all at my homecoming as well!

The lives that have changed go beyond just mine, the people that I have had the opportunity to teach have been influenced and felt the spirit as they have progressed towards baptism and activity in the Church. I could tell a million stories about those I have taught and the amazing times with them. But....I just simply don't have any time! I'll have plenty after my mission but I hope you can check out pictures on facebook. I'll add a few to this blog post along with my monthly ones that will follow hereafter. =]

Peace, Love & Honor,

ELDER kyle CARLSON

Missionary Update

Brother & Sister Carlson,

Yesterday we visited the Melbourne ward here in Houston, they had a senior missionary couple report on their mission here in the Texas Houston Mission. We served with this couple here in the mission office. While we were there, we were able to hear your son and his companion sing the hymn “Lord, I Would Follow thee.” It was so beautiful, they did such a great job and I was so proud of him. Thought you would like know how well he is doing. We just love him.

Living the Dream,

Elder & Sister Chesnut

Letter from Elder Carlson

Dear Family,

Well I have really enjoyed these past few months serving here in the Texas Houston Mission. This is definitely where the Lord wants me and where I have been able to grow the most. There are many diverse places here in Texas and I’d say I’ve served in some exciting areas. This mission has been without a doubt where I’ve needed to be at this time in my life.

I was formerly in the Katy area which is a great, well-off town in the outskirts of Houston. My time there seemed short because I enjoyed it so much. There were so many great members and people that I got to know and I miss it dearly. I learned so many lessons and had a blast being on a bike full time there. There were 5 wonderful people that were baptized while I was there and I feel blessed that I could be with them as they made changes in their lives and came unto Christ.

I was moved to where I am currently at now a month ago and have certainly found good experiences here. It is in the northern side of Houston’s downtown area, covering some fairly sketchy places. We are blessed with safety as missionaries luckily though. J In this Melbourne ward there are so many great people, humble seekers of Christ. There are so many fun exciting stories that I could probably fill a novel, sadly I haven’t been keeping up in my journal as well as I should have or writing letters. I apologize. I have learned and grown so much and I can promise that I’m more grown up than the way you knew me. I still know how to have fun though, like with trying to wrestle an alligator in Katy. I just turned 20 and time is going by fast, life is so great and I love it. Thank you all for your love and constant encouragement.

So many great stories and opportunities come from being a full-time missionary for this church, the Lord’s church. I recommend all who feel inspired to go on a mission to take that leap of faith and just do it. I have been blessed, my family has been blessed and I have seen the blessing of other’s lives as I have been able to share my testimony. I share my testimony with you now, that I know that God is our Eternal Father and he loves and cares for each of us as individuals. I know that his Son, Jesus Christ, was foreordained and came here to Earth to atone for the wrong choices that we each make in our lives. I know that there is a Plan of Happiness and that if we but follow it and the teachings given to us we can attain eternal life. I have received my personal witness from the Holy Ghost that the true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was restored through a prophet named Joseph Smith. I know that it is true and I know that we can all know as we read from the Book of Mormon and pray to our Heavenly Father to give or increase that testimony. I love and care for you. I love and care for these gospel truths and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Peace n Love,

Elder Carlson

Happy Birthday Elder Carlson!

I was asked just the other day if I thought I was a strict Father. I answered YES, that I thought I was. I do expect my kids to act more grown up than their friends who may or may not meet our familys expectations. As a result Kyle has always acted more grown up. I think he has thought he was an adult from about the time he turned 12 or 13. I think that he now realizes he is just becoming the man his Father in heaven is expecting him to become. We have seen great growth in Kyle since he has been out in the mission field. As his parents we couldn't be more proud!

We wish him the BEST and hope he has a wonderful birthday!

~Happy Happy, Love Dad

I can't believe my little Kyley Bo is twenty years old. How can that be possible? Is seems like a very short time since I was waking up Randy to tell him that I was in labor. When he was born, Randy took him from the doctor and was so excited and proud. We took him home to our humble little fifth wheeler where his bassinet barely fit. Good memories.

Kyle has always been a good brother to Cameron and Carissa. Carissa was born when he was a year old and he loved kissing his little bubba. He was always very gentle with her. He has always been a funny kid with a great sense of humor and always kept us entertained. I see from some of the pictures that he sent us from his mission that he still knows how to be a goof ball.

Kyle has always had a tender spot for all his younger cousins. I think that's why he was such a good babysitter. All the little kids in the ward were always flocking around Kyle. I know he misses seeing everyone, but is setting such a good example by serving the Lord.

We are so proud of Kyle and his choice to go on a mission. He is learning so much and I can see his testimony constantly growing. He seems to be putting his whole heart into serving and is making the most of his mission. I know that he will be successful in everything he puts his mind to.

It was so good to get to talk to him on Mother's Day. I can't believe one third of his mission has already flown by.

Kyle, we want you to know that you are constantly in our thoughts and prayers. We hope you have a very happy birthday and enjoy the package we sent.

~Love, Mom

Happy Birthday Kyle!

Holy cow I seriously cannot believe you are turning 20 (twenty)!!! hahaha Good thing I'm not a boy cuz I'd be leaving on a mission soon and mom definatly couldn't handle us both out at the same time. Hope you have a good birthday. We are all praying for you and hope everything goes well. You are being such a great example to all our younger cousins. Keep up the good work. ~Love, Sis

Kyle do you remember when you first started to learn to ride a bike, and if you crashed you probably shed some tears, you are over that now but sometimes it happens, and the green stain on the shirt is the sign of no tears, and a little scrubbing will take it out.

I was impressed with the letter that the lady sent to your folks, I am sure they are so proud of you, and the great missionary you are. A lot of that good training comes from goodly parents. I want you to know how proud I am of you. I was thinking in 2 or 3 months you will have been out a year, time goes fast when you are having fun and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Hope you have a great Birthday, and I love you.

~Great Grandma Christensen

Elder Kyle,

We hope you have a fabulous birthday! What better place to celebrate than serving the Lord. We love you and pray for you always. Too bad we can't e-mail you an Evans' version of the Happy Birthday song! I think that would make you a little homesick tho, or wait, maybe a little scared!!! HaHa We do hope you have a great birthday tho. Love you lots! HAPPY, HAPPY!

~Love, Brad, Candi, Kannon, Kessa, Abbie & Terra

Hey Elder Carlson - hope you're having a great birthday today. You'll have to post pics of whatever you end up doing today for your P-day/B-day (I'm sure it will be crazy!). Wow... I have a 20-year old nephew - that makes me feel OLD! (I can't imagine how mom and grandma must feel... ha ha!). Anyway, I'm so proud of you. It's always so nice to hear from you and know that you are serving whole-heartedly on your mission. Keep up the great work and have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

~Love, Aunt Snick

Happy Birthday, Kyle!! It sure doesn't seem like twenty years since we got the call that our first grandchild had been born and had to rush in to Las Vegas to see you. It sounds like you are doing a wonderful work there in Texas and we are very proud of you. We try to always remember you in our prayers along with the other missionaries. We hope you have a wonderful birthday.

~With love, Grandma & Grandpa Evans

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I cant believe that you are twenty now! That's so crazy, you aren't a teenager anymore and we cant even celebrate it with you! So, when you get back we will have to party hard enough for both birthdays that we miss while you are gone.

~Happy birthday love Cam

Happy Birthday Kyle, we hope you have a good one! We want you to know that we are proud of you and we pray for you everyday. Keep up the good work!

~ Love, The Conger Clan

Hey Kyle! It's been good hearing from you in your letters. We are proud of you for all you're accomplishing in Texas and so happy for the great example you're setting for all the other grandkids! Hope you had a great birthday!

~ Love, The Solomons

Missionary Moments

The following photos and captions were swiped from Elder Carlson's facebook:

Texas sure is somethin else! It is way fun to bike around the bayous

Totally ate it doing a trick on my bike,

my glove disintegrated. Great stories

Nice little stain from the crash. Got it out though.

Viva Carlson!

Our district. Gotta love the goofballs

So serene at the temple

It's so big and beautiful. Like a castle

Haha he was fun to play with

That sign says not to feed them, do I count?

Elder Rumsey & Elder Carlson

Poolside at our apartment

Bike ride through George Bush Park

The green on top of the water looks so yummy... ker-splash