natalie ann: week 18: 4 months down, 14 to go...but who's counting

Monday, February 29th, 2016

It's weird cause it feels like I have been here forever but I still have 14 months left! Which is good because the more I learn, the more I learn I really don't know anything. I mean we are here on this earth to learn. The mission really has been the best decision. There are things I have learned here that I don't think I would have learned anywhere else.

Anyways I hope y'all had a good week! Mine was SO good!!

Monday we had fhe in families homes. I love going into members homes and seeing how they raise their children. It really is teaching me how I want to be a wife and mother.

Tuesday Sister Gulley had to drive because my tiwi card got swallowed up by the sun visor (yeah don't ask how that happened). But it's all good I got a new one on Thursday. Tuesday we went to a less-actives and helped trained her two puppies! YES you heard that right. best service ever. They weren't babies, they were 4 months old (just like me) but she had jut got them and they weren't trained. One was crazy and the other one was SO shy. She wouldn't walk or anything. But she slowly warmed up to us. She didn't even want to eat hot dogs but we taught her to like them. So the Less-active Karen has a petting zoo so she has so many animals, lemers, turtles, sheep, alpacas and some animals I had never even seen before. We saw the Holdimans and they just crack me up. Sister Holdiman doesn't like people "I think people are just stupid" haha but we are her favorite.

Wednesday was such a good day! Because we got to go to the visitor's center with Sue! She took us out to eat as well. Sue is planning on going back to the temple in May. The visitor's center is so nice, it was really my first time exploring. We gave a lesson on the grounds. It was just so wonderful. I love the temple. We then were knocking on less-actives doors trying to see them (as usual). We knock on a door and a man answers, he is not a member but his wife and step daughter are. His step daughter gabbi then shows up with the dog. She is 23 and is so nice. She hadn't been to church for a while. She really doesn't know much about the gospel. She has a mormon friend in the ward and really wants to go to ysa. Her mom also wants to go and she came to church on Sunday! So that was really good! We can't visit them at their apt because of her husband but she said we can meet other places. I am really excited to get to know her. We stopped by the Lumans and Jeremy's mom was there taking care of the kids from Portland. She is a member and was really funny. We then saw another less-active named Omar, he is from Peru. We had a lesson with Isaac at the Miller's. We dropped him, he just doesn't have the desire or real intent. We told him he is always welcomed at church. We then had exchanges so Sister Welch came with me to my area. We then saw the Ellis family and it was Lindsey's birthday!

Thursday I was with Sister Welch all day. I love being with other sisters because you just learn so much. She is so sweet. We had district meeting and both Sister Welch and I were giving trainings. I gave my training on gossiping (again). I don't know why but my district leader told me to. It went really well and I was able to teach it in a different way. It's amazing how much help the Holy Ghost gives me when I teach. We went to see Constance Garcia! We walk in and she asks what the address of the church is. She wants to come to church!! MIRACLE. she comes from wanting to take her records removed to wanting to come to church. It's amazing that we met her on the street. You never know when you are going to find people who have been prepared. She didn't come to church on Sunday but she says she is planning on it. Our lesson with her went really well. We saw the Ross's. They came to church on Sunday! That was really good. I just love them. We had a lesson with Tayllor and we brought Amelia (a less-active) with us for our member present and it went really well. It got Amelia really excited. She is almost 19 and I know she was thinking about a mission. I hope she goes. With Tayllor we did a really simple lesson on families and temples. We wanted to make sure we were all on the same page that she needs to get married before she is baptized. We just wanted to get it clear but also make marriage a happy thing. She knows she wants to live with Amos forever and it is so cute whenever she talks about him. She said Amos told her that they need to be married before she is baptized. They plan on getting married on August 22 in the Virgin Islands. I know so far away. We are hoping she wants to get baptized sooner the more she learns and gains a testimony but we will see.

Friday WEEKLY PLANNING. yay. We saw a few old actives from Larkspur ward. That was good. It's always fun visiting people in assisted living. I love hearing about their lives. We ate at Flo's that night with Brother Carlomagno. We then had a lesson with Pete! We love Pete! He is so solid. He is giving a talk at Stake Conference! I am just so impressed with him. We then met with Our ward mission leader in Mcdowell ward. We told him we want to make a list of less-actives and then have different auxiliaries help us with that. McDowell ward is struggling more with missionary work. We then saw the Luongs. It was so cute because we showed them the pictures of the gold plates and they were just so in AW. I love teaching them because they are so excited about it and they don't take it for granted. They hadn't been at church the last 2 weeks so we talked about the sacrament. They were at church yesterday! :)

Saturday we had a lot of TTI's. We went to a ward party, the Polynesians in the ward roasted a pig in the ground!! It was SO good! Some nonmembers were there so it was good to talk to them! The elders asked if we could help a lady they are teaching pack, so we did that, that afternoon. We then went to the Newbold's for dinner. He is our ward mission leader. He was having a work party and we made pizzas in his brick oven. It was so good. I can't even handle. I need one of those in my future home. Also had peach cobbler in a dutch oven. reminded me of trek. We just tried to see people the rest of the night. We did meet one really nice couple, they moved into a house of someone we were trying to see. They were Christian and thought it was just so amazing that we were out here on a Saturday night sharing the gospel with others. They said they might come to church sometime! We are going to go back again soon! We then went to see Brother Terry, we had a good lesson with him. He says someday he will come to church.

Sunday was good. Church is always good. Ward Council is going really well in Larkspur ward. People are really helping us fellowship. We went to the Rossi's and had a lesson with Vince and Jenn. It went SO well. Sister Gulley really can connect with them. She is so in tune with the Spirit. Vince told us why he is feeling guilty and Jenn really opened up as well. It's hard because all we really can do is fast and pray for them. But I know good things are coming for them. I really love them and I want them to be happy. They are just so awesome.

Another MIRACLE this week is that Amelia told me that her older sister Megan is meeting with the missionaries in New Jersey! And is thinking about baptism! She wants her kids to grow up in the church. It's just so amazing to me because she did not want to even listen to our message and now is thinking about baptism. It's amazing to watch people's heart being softened. I know I have shared this scripture before but I love it so much "For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory." (Alma 13:24) I know ANGELS are preparing the hearts of the people. We have been trying really hard to find those people.

"Jesus Christ has cleared the way for us to ascend to heights incomprehensible to mortal minds"

-President Uchtdorf

Thanks for being awesome! I love hearing from you all!

xoxo

Sista Fisha