natalie ann: week 36: happy birthday 'merica 🇺🇸

Tuesday, July 5th, 2016

Hello everyoneeee :) how was your 4th?! I wanna hear all about it so you should email me, I know I'm desperate. But really emails are the best I promise you.

My week was fantastic. But actually so good. Many miracles. We had 16 lessons with less-actives/recent converts and 8 member presents! (Which is a lot for us) so I am pretty proud of ourselves. We have been very busy.

Monday we met some less- actives. Their last name is the Riveras. They were really sweet and let us in to share a message. I'm excited to start visiting them! We then just contacted bunch of people.

Tuesday we washed the Tisdells' Windows. So many spider webs. We then had a lesson with a less-active that I found a couple weeks ago. Her name is Natasha. She has a nonmember husband. He is pretty anti. She has 4 little children. We shared a message with them. It feels like she wants to come to church but she is just stuck because of her husband. She doesn't want us to come over when he is home cause she doesn't want to make him mad. So that's sad. We then had a lesson with Haylie. Ashton came with us and it was really good. She got off work so that she can come to all of girls camp :):) we are so so happy. She is progressing so well. We then saw Jarrett. It was our last lesson with him :( he is going back home. He is such a good kid, I'm so glad I got to teach him for a bit. We had a lesson with Gaylon. He is so awesome. We talked a lot about repentance and the atonement. He was crying the whole lesson. It is times like this when I am so grateful to be a missionary.

Wednesday we moved houses with the Elders...haha that was fun. There are pros and cons about the new house. We made it more girly that's for sure haha. It's a big house so it is nice. It was a weird feeling switching houses with the Elders. We had a lesson with the Tisdells. Colin finally gave us a referral he keeps talking about and she lives with one of out less-actives! We had a really good lesson with Daryl about getting the priesthood because he needs to get it before he goes through he temple. Brother Dewitt was there and it was really good. Daryl was crying like the whole time. He is really scared to get it but honestly that's good because he knows how big of a responsibility it is. I love that man.

Thursday we ran out of miles so we're on bike and got member rides all day. We saw Cyndie! We have been doing personal progress with her. She likes it a lot. We then saw Sheila. She likes to talk that one. We had a lesson with Donna and finished all her lessons she needs before baptism! Which is pretty crazy. She has a lists of all the things she want us to go over next. She is gone for the next two weeks so we won't see her for a while. We had another lesson with Haylie and Callie came. She is adorable and I love her. We then went to the Youngs and taught them the restoration. We had to teach them very simply and ask them lots of questions and to repeat things so that they can understand. They have had a really hard life, Quincy can't really get baptized though cause Holley's dad is working on adopting him. But we will keep teaching him and his family, cause they all need it! Sister Ciminski (relief society president) came with us and she was so helpful. As we were leaving, Holley told me that they were struggling and asked if we could get her any food. Luckily Sister Ciminski was there but they have to go through bishop first to get food but she said that they can rush it. We went to the Stewart's for dinner, we walked in and their whole floor is covered in food. Sister Stewart does food banks and she had one that day. They asked us if we knew anyone that needed food....we were like YES. And they were just down the street. So after dinner, we and Sister Stewart brought the food over. I can't even explain to you what if felt like to bring them this food. All of their faces lit up and hugs and hugs and hugs. They were SO excited and so grateful. And the thing is we even went to the wrong Stewart's for dinner...coincidence? I think not. Everything about that night was a miracle. A pure miracle, I know that God's hands are in every detail of our lives. We just have to recognize them. Sister Stewart told us she brings a lot of people food but she has never experienced anything like this. We then had our first lesson with this less-active named Amanda. Haley Erickson babysits for her. She was there also and we had a good lesson. We got to know her and her kids. She isn't into the Mormon thing but wants us to keep coming by.

Friday there was another miracle! We went to Sister Brown's house for lunch and there is this man that opens the door holding his baby. His name is Wes and is Sister Brown's grandson. She says he has some questions and wants to learn more. Brother Marble told us about him and would contact us when he is ready. Anyways we end up teaching him the restoration after dinner! He is so awesome! He has already read some of the Book of Mormon, he is a great guy and cares a lot about his daughter. I guess the mom never wanted to be in the picture. We then met a less-active family, the Eagars. We are excited to work with them! They just had a baby! Sister Chausow and I have started a miracle board and write down a few miracles or blessings we see each day. It helps us to stay positive. That night the Palmers dropped us so that was sad :(

Saturday we had a lesson with Brylee. She is so cute. She loves church and everything about it, she really wants to be a good person. We saw Peggy Slade and she loves us...haha we shared a scripture about prayer. We had a lesson with Tyric, he says he wants to read his scriptures 20mins a day! We hope he can keep his goal! We then saw Jerry Nelson! He is doing good! He went to church again this week! Yay! I don't think he realizes he is less-active. We then had a lesson with Dollie and Chelsea came with us, it was super good. We then went to see Kenny and Teri, they kept on canceling on us this week so it was a miracle that we finally got to see them! Anyways it was really sad cause they are separating and she is going through a hard time. Pray for her! We then went to the Keplars and shared a lesson with their family, it went really well. I love missionary work!

Sunday we went on splits for church! So many people came to 3rd Ward it was awesome! The town literally doubles in size for the 4th! Like it's bigger than Christmas here! Never have I ever seen a more patriotic town! After church we taught Brylee again. Brylee told us her mom doesn't want her to be baptized..so we are a little worried about that. We then taught Dave Jr. I love that man so much, they found a house in the valley and so they will be moving in August. I am way sad about it. It's crazy how much you come to love the people you teach on your mission.

Monday was a partyyyyyy.

but really the 4th here is the biggest thing around. People come to Eagar from all over. At 6am we went to a flag raising at the Hamblin's, they had a program that was really good. And then we had a breakfast. So many people were there. We then went to the Nicolls for another breakfast. We pretty much went where the people went. We then were in the parade! Haha it was probably the best day of my life. We were in the family history float and got to throw candy at people and talk with them. It was a blast. But also a work out and I got so burnt. We went to a rodeo that was really fun. We then went to a bbq that the scouts put on. And then we went to another dinner with all the missionaries and had waffles and played games. It was a perfect day out and was a blast. We could see the fireworks from our house. So we got blankets and watched the fireworks & it was perfect.

Ahhhh every day I come to love missionary work more and more! Nothing makes me happier than sharing this gospel. I want to share a quote from a talk I read this week. "The simple fact is that our Father did not recommend Eve or Moses or Nephi or countless other magnificent exemplars for this dispensation - He recommended you and me. Do you think God would have left the last days to chance by sending men & women He couldn't count on? A common theme of Patriarchal blessings given to men and women your age is that you were sent now because our Father's most trustworthy children would be needed in the final decisive battle for righteousness. That is who you are and it is who you have always been." God wants a powerful people, He needs us. & we need Him.

I hope you all have a great week. I love you all!

Xoxo
Sista fisha