week 78: messengers of heaven

Monday, April 24th, 2017

Hello again!

This week was good! Today we have a zone activity so that should be fun! Monday not much really happened, no one was home.

Tuesday lots of random things happened. Like getting hit by a huge piece of carpet. This huge piece was laying on the side walk and it was so windy that it suddenly came up and hit us. We also talked to this lady on the street, without us even asking she gave us a referral for her daughter! Her name is Vicki. She is sick right now so hopefully we can teach her soon. We were going by to see some older women in the ward, then their home teachers came who are also old. And it was just so funny them telling stories. We got some jam from this guy knocking on some doors. Haha. We saw Tewana & she seems to be doing pretty good. We also saw the Tsosies. It's always pretty crazy there.

Wednesday we went by and read the Book of Mormon with Jackie. I can't really remember what else happened that day...we went to mutual and talked to the young women about missions though!

Thursday we had district meeting. We visited some less-actives. We then got to go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead with Noah! That was awesome. We went with the whole youth. I talked to him outside the temple. He said he wished he lived there.

Friday we had a lesson with the Raymonds. It was a bit crazy but it always is. Missions truly make you grateful for your upbringing. We then had a lesson with Noah. Oh my gosh he is so cute. He said on the way home from the temple he was looking up at the sky and saw a group of stars that looked like a person, he said he thought it was the person he did baptisms a king him. He said he also saw the brightest star there and that he thought that was God telling him thank you as well. He wanted me to make him a list of all the things you need to do to get the the celestial kingdom. He is so worried about that, he wants to do the best he can. Oh but he told us that he asked his teacher if she wanted a Book of Mormon and she said yes! So he is bringing it to her today!

Saturday not much really happened. No one is home on Saturdays! Especially since it has been so nice outside! Our investigator Chris got married though! To Cyndell who is a less-active. Our stake president married them, it was awesome. Charlie & Carol fed us. They are so awesome. I'm grateful for the amazing members here.

Sunday was good. We got a new bishop in Show Low Ward so that was pretty exciting! His name is Bishop Stakebake! We had a really good lesson with Molly, she is doing a lot better. We had correlation with Paloma Ward. And visited Monica who isn't active.

This week I finished doctrine & covenants. It was pretty cool reading it towards the end of my mission because it is a lot about missionary work. I love this work a lot.

D&c 15:6 "And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen."

This is the best thing I could ever be doing with my life right now. I loved Elder Bednar's talk from general conference. He said, "a missionary is not called to a place; rather, he or she is called to serve". I have definitely learned this, it doesn't matter where I was called on my mission, it is the same work, it is His work. Elder Bednar also said, "To be engaged in Their service is one of the greatest blessings we can ever receive." It is truly the greatest blessing to be part of His work. Elder Choi also said, "To all those who embark in any service of God, know that you are a solid connection for powerful blessings to those before you and to generations after you."

So I finished memorizing The Living Christ!! It is so beautifully written. It is definitely written by the Spirit and by revelation. It is like scripture for us on our Savior's life. It's been amazing to memorize it word for word. like this scripture that it quotes in it.

D&C 110:3-4 "His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying: I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father."

I have just started President Nelson's challenge to the single adults everywhere to study everything Jesus Christ in all the books of scripture. He invited us to use the topical guide as our source and to also study The Living Christ and The Family Proclamation to the World. He gave some pretty amazing promises if we do. I really want to do this. So I am going to try to finish it before I go home.

President Nelson said, "Study everything Jesus Christ is by prayerfully and vigorously seeking to understand what each of His various titles and names means personally for you. For example, He really is your Advocate with the Father. He will take your side. He will stand up for you. He will speak on your behalf, every time, as you choose to be more like Him."

And at conference President Nelson said, "the more we know about the Savior’s ministry and mission--the more we understand His doctrine and what He did for us--the more we know that He can provide the power that we need for our lives."

until next time.

--xo: sista fisha

AZ BABY

we are jammin

Kylah

Baptisms w/ Noah

just proselyting

Chris & Cyndell's wedding

Emma

CHALK

week 77: the gospel is true

Monday, April 17th, 2017

Hello friends & fam!

Life is going good! I love being a missionary & I'm so happy! I'm so grateful for this gospel so much. It's been a good week! I only have a month left though. 

Monday we finally saw TJ, he is a less-active. He said he will go to church before I leave! So we will see...we visited Trista Brewer. We shared with them the Easter video (we have been sharing that with everyone). One of our members called us with a referral which was awesome!

Tuesday we knocked on a lot of doors, some people let us in but weren't interested. People are really nice here, well for the most part haha. We got to share the Easter video with some people on the street or in their home. We had a lesson with the Diromas, they are converts and just got sealed 6 months ago!

Wednesday we had ZTM, it was good. Sometimes especially for me it's just the same things repeated. But we got an email that night that we will not have any more ZTMs! Wahoo! So that was my last one. I shouldn't be so happy about that but I'd rather go and work than sit in a meeting. But yeah ZTM was good & I think it was just the right things I needed to hear. There is also a new LDS video app & you can download even more videos like from lds.org & it's so great! Missionaries get so excited about these things. We had a follow up lesson with Jackie & read the Book of Mormon with her. She loves us. We had a lesson with the Lambdins (less-active family).

Thursday we knocked some doors on the trailer park & there was this guy waiting outside his house for a ride. We talk to him and he doesn't know much about Jesus or God. We share the Easter video with him and got a return appointment for tonight! We will see how it goes! He might have been on drugs...we visited the Franks. They aren't active cause they have a lot of health problems. We visited Joanna to see how she is doing, sadly she hasn't been reading or praying since meeting with us. She feels bad and wants to though. We saw the Coles and had a good lesson with them. We also had a lesson with Zach.

Friday we saw the Raymonds and shared the Easter video. They said they would come to church but didn't. We saw Hillary & Jim. They are a part member family and his kids were there and they didn't know who God or Jesus was. So Jim was like okay we are going to church!!! So they came to church yesterday!! Hillary even got up and sang with the choir!! Haha even though she didn't practice with them. She is funny. But they all looked nice and it was cool to see.

Saturday we saw Bonnie. It's always entertaining seeing her. We saw Darlene Adams, she isn't active due to health. We got three referrals that day from members so that was awesome. We had correlation at the Moores and made resurrection cookies with them!

Sunday was awesome cause it was Easter! We had 9 investigators at church!! It was also the last day of the 40 day fast! We have definitely seen a lot of miracles from it. Some members brought nonmembers & that was awesome. We had two dinners so that was rough. Members love us almost too much. We brought home so many leftovers. Like I seriously thought I was going to die. It felt worse than thanksgiving. I'm still so full. We had a lesson with Ashley, she isn't active. We taught the restoration, she thinks the Book of Mormon is really confusing. So we are going to go slow and read it with her.

I've been reading the doctrine & covenants cause I wanted to read it one more time before I end my mission. I came across this scripture that I really like. And then Sister Clipp & I are starting to memorize The Living Christ! We are half way done by the way. Anyways this scripture was in it so I might as well share it with you all.

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that He is the Only Begotten of the Father. That by Him, and through Him, and of Him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." (D&C 76:22–24)

And I've been reading last conference's talks & I like these quotes.

"We are children of God. Receiving light, continuing in God, and receiving more light are what we are created to do. From the very beginning, we followed the light; we followed our Heavenly Father and His plan. Seeking the light is in our spiritual DNA." - Elder Bragg

"I testify there is no greater goal in mortality than to live eternally with our Heavenly Parents and our beloved Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is more than just our goal--it is also Their goal. They have a perfect love for us, more powerful than we can even begin to comprehend. They are totally, completely, eternally aligned with us. We are Their work. Our glory is Their glory. More than anything else, They want us to come home--to return and receive eternal happiness in Their presence." - Elder Ballard

I know that this is true. God loves us, we are his divine children. He hears our prayers & wants us to return back to Him. Jesus Christ died for us so that we can have second chances. He rose from the grave & we will rise again too. He is the light. He is my Savior and my dear older brother. His gospel is so wonderful to me.

--xo: sista fisha

Sis Clipp

peeps

happy birthday charlie

weekly planning...

happy easter

leftovers...

week 76: #PRINCEofPEACE

Monday, April 10th, 2017

Hello everyone! I'll start off this week with a joke a recent convert told us...what's invisible and smells like carrots? BUNNY FARTS. 

Weeks are flying by & life is good. Really though I don't even know what happened this week. Thank goodness I write in my journal. Oh I was sick all week with a cold so that was fun. I still went out cause what else would I do.

Monday we had really nothing going on & nothing really happened, just dropped by some people's houses.

Tuesday we visited Haley & the cable guy and her mom who aren't members were both there! We shared the Easter video with them. We later got a text from Haley and she said the cable guy wanted to ask me if I would date him after the mission...Sister Clipp thought it was the funniest thing ever. We visited some more people. We got to hold baby goats! I met my great grand baby!! Sister Ames is training her, her name is Sister Prellwitz.

Wednesday was a pretty awesome day! In the morning we contacted a referral named Amy. We went to her work that's in Show Low but sadly she lives in Lakeside but she isn't in our area. It was weird though cause I walked in & she was like remember me? I was trying so hard to remember how I knew her. She said I came and shared a message once cause she used to live in our area. But really I have met so many people on my mission it is a blur. Anyways she asked us for a Book of Mormon. We told her it will bring her peace, she is going through A LOT. Right now. Her husband is in prison, child is in the hospital and she has cancer. We shared the new Easter video with her. She was crying the whole time. She is so prepared but we had to hand her off to the Elders! We had a lesson with Robert and Jackie. The kids weren't there so it was good to focus on them. I was just like are you guys getting married?? They are like actually we decided last week. They are getting married May 27! I'm so sad I can't go! They are like family. They are like you're missing it by 10 days! Well hopefully I can go to their sealing someday! Jackie said she has been praying more since meeting with us and she said we have influenced her about getting married so she blames it on us haha. It was cool though cause we hadn't even brought up marriage though. God works in mysterious ways. I definitely know that when we are closer to God, our desire to repent increases. Bishop is marrying them by some lake. And then I just pulled out the law of chastity pamphlet & it was pretty funny. Another one of our investigators is getting married this month too! It's hard making appointments with him though cause he is so busy and his phone doesn't work. We had dinner at the Lewises & our former investigator Deanna came! Remember her? We had steak AND ribs. They love to spoil us. We had a lesson with Addi. She is so cute. We taught the plan of salvation. We had to go & she really didn't want us to leave. She asked her mom, "mom can we keep them?" Ah I love kids. Then one of the older girls came home & asked what we did. The littlest girl says "they made love!" Hahaha. Because my plan of salvation cut out spells love. We then visited lots of members & invited them to do the 40 day fast. It's the last week of it.

Thursday we went to a lot of old people's houses. Old people are the only ones home during the day! We did some service for them and heard their cool conversion stories. Haha I love old people. We had a lesson with Zach. He showed us the ring!! He was supposed to propose this weekend but we haven't heard anything yet.

Friday we had a lesson with Emma & the Solomons came with us so that was good. We were supposed to have a lesson with Duane but he never got back to us! He is MIA :( we had a good lesson with Noah. Then we had a lesson with Clarice. We read Alma 32 with her. She hasn't drank coffee in a week! We had a lesson with Molly. She had a crazy day that day. She got in a car accident & lots of other stuff happened. Poor Molly.

Saturday the stake put on a steak lunch for the recent converts in the stake. It was so awesome! And our Mission President came! Our investigator family also came and then family that is fellowshipping them. Most of our converts came from the last two years. I could not cut my steak with a butter knife, I finally got a piece and it flung off my fork into another persons cup  we stopped by Leighton's softball game for a little bit. We got to finally meet a part member families house that we had been trying to see for a while. We then had the adult session of stake conference! It was really good! The Robinsons spoke!

Sunday was stake conference. Robert brought the kids which was awesome. President Williams talked about family history, I really need to do better at that when I'm home. Someone also said "Satan knows our name but calls us by our sin, Christ knows our sin but calls us by our name." I really liked that & its so true. After church we knocked on lots of doors. We met some interesting people but they were interested. We had a lesson with the Coles. Sister Maxwell came with us. We had a first lesson with a less-active family named the Beecrofts. It went really well. We just stopped by and shared an Easter message. They used to be active, they said they will come to church on Easter!

I love this quote from conference by President Nelson, "There is no amorphous entity called “the Atonement” upon which we may call for succor, healing, forgiveness, or power. Jesus Christ is the source. Sacred terms such as Atonement and Resurrection describe what the Savior did, according to the Father’s plan, so that we may live with hope in this life and gain eternal life in the world to come. The Savior’s atoning sacrifice--the central act of all human history--is best understood and appreciated when we expressly and clearly connect it to Him." It because of Jesus Christ that we can have this power in our life.

Moroni 7:41 ​"And what is it that ye shall ​​​hope​ for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have ​​​hope​ through the Atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life ​​​eternal​, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise."

It's because of Him that we can have hope! So the initiative this year for Easter is the #PRINCEofPEACE. If you haven't seen it yet go to Mormon.org & there is also more videos on principles of peace that are really good so you should all check it out! I know that our Savior lives. Because He lives, we will all live again too. His life brought us peace. His peace is eternal. No matter what is going on in your life, I know you can have peace & happiness.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:26–27)

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE 

--xo: sista fisha

puppy!

baby goats! 

late night pie

Threlkeld girls

comp time

week 75: dying in the mountains

Monday, April 3rd, 2017

YUP. That's right! I'm staying in the mountains to die! I'm not getting transferred! And Sister Clipp is staying with me! She gets to kill me! Sister Ames is training so I get to have a great grand baby!! Life is just good! But it needs to start slowing down. Like I started my plan today! Which is a think you have to do your last six weeks. I'm excited to work my hardest these next six weeks!

Monday we had dinner at the Lewises. I love them. They are amazing. We knocked a bunch of doors but not much happened. We tried a former but she moved and the person living there wasn't interested. I felt like we should knock next door. A woman answered and she was really nice. She isn't a member but has taken the lessons before because her husband is a less-active. She said she would talk to her husband about it. She did seem interested but her husband isn't really interested we later found out.

Tuesday we visited the Hitchcocks & they are still reading their Book of Mormon! We visited some other people. While we were in an apartment complex, there were two guys standing outside their car smoking so we started talking to them. They were really nice and it turns out they were visiting their in-laws who are members in our ward! Anyways they didn't know much about missionaries but when we asked if they wanted to meet with some in New Mexico (where they are from), they didn't hesitate at all! It was pretty awesome! I haven't had much luck with people being interested on the street. Too bad they aren't in the area but I hope all goes well in New Mexico! We met his less-active 12 year-old knocking doors as well. So we are going to try to help get her active. Sadly her mom isn't into it really and is always gone.

Wednesday we had district meeting, Sister Clipp and I had to do a role play in front of everyone. It actually went really well! We knocked on a lot of doors and met some crazy people. But what's new. We did meet a former who is interested but she is always busy so we will try to meet with her! We had a first lesson with a less-active family named the Letners. They have the CUTEST kids ever, I'm super excited to start working with them. They don't know too much about the gospel. They went to Utah for spring break to visit an active sister and had a good experience on temple square.

Thursday we saw Bonnie. We are trying to help her get to the temple. We also saw Sister Cornejo. She got baptized two years ago. She is super cute and from Mexico. Our investigator, Jackie, fed us dinner that night! So we got to bond more with their family, I just love them!

Friday it snowed a little bit in the morning...when will it end! There is a recent convert that just moved into our ward named Joyce. We had an appointment with her. As we were walking inside the house there was a man leaving. I asked his name and introduced myself. His name is Dwayne, he walked out though. A few minutes later he asked if he can join and listen in. He said something told him to come back and hear what they have to say. So cool! He is already listening to promptings! Anyways we got to know him better. He has had a rough past. He is covered in tattoos and is worried what people will think. Luckily Joyce was amazing and was telling him how nice the people are and how welcoming. Joyce also lives with her granddaughter Tanna and she was good as well. Dwayne wants to know God better. He said he has looked into a lot of religions. The amazing part is that he is actually in our area! Miracle! So we are going to start teaching him! We gave him a Book of Mormon to start reading. We invited him to the church to watch conference with us, he said he would think about it. A few hours later he texted us and said that he thought about it and he wants to come to conference with us! We also saw a less-active little girl and finally got to meet her mom so we can figure out rides for church for Enaula, which was a miracle! We had a really good lesson with Noah. He is adorable. We gave him a temple recommend holder that has stripling warriors on the front. We told him the story and how he reminded us of them. He got so excited and was wanting to read about them in the Book of Mormon. He told us a little story about how he was reading the Book of Mormon, he could feel the Spirit SO strong. His mom a little bit after asked who wanted to help clean the kitchen. He said he jumped up and said "I will!" He then said to us "when I feel the spirit I feel like I can do anything." So cute. We talked about repentance and he says he has like a mental checklist of what he needs to repent of throughout the week. He said he really wants to be saved. We then had a lesson with Zach. He slipped up on the word of wisdom this week...he feels really bad for it. He really wants to keep the Commandments which is awesome.

Saturday we watched the morning session of general conference at the Ramirez home. Conference was just what I needed. The Ramirez got donuts and then they made us lunch afterward. We then went to white mountain lake (my old area!) to go to our investigator's daughter's birthday party. The house had ferrets- I got to hold a ferret! We then watched the afternoon session with Debbie Hall. She is awesome. We then had a little drop by lesson with a less-active family, the Muros. Her husband wasn't home though.

Sunday we watched the morning session with Jackie and Robert and their kids! They made us a huge breakfast! We played conference bingo with the kids. It was a lot of fun. They seemed to like conference. We watched the afternoon session at the church with Dwayne!! We invited the Willises to come so he could meet someone from the ward! Which was good cause there were like only ten other people that came to the church to watch it. Dwayne was a bit late but he came!!!! And oh my goodness Elder Costa's talk directed to non-members was perfect for him! I love when they do talks directed to non-members! A lot of the other talks that session were perfect for him as well. It was just so awesome! I love general conference. I feel so grateful to be a part of His church. Later we had a lesson with the Williamsons and showed them the new Easter video. We also had a first lesson with a less-active we found named Ashley. She doesn't know that the church is true so we are going to start working with her.

I have started the doctrine and covenants & I am reading it with the institute manual this time. I ran across this quote from it and I liked it. It's on prayer, oh how I love prayer!

"It is not the words we use particularly that constitute prayer. Prayer does not consist of words, altogether. True, faithful, earnest prayer consists more in the feeling that rises from the heart and from the inward desire of our spirits to supplicate the Lord in humility and in faith, that we may receive his blessings.” - Joseph F Smith

“If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all [who] humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

I loved what President Eyring said about this scripture in women's conference, "these words can be a comfort to all of us. Those who do not see their weaknesses do not progress. Your awareness of your weakness is a blessing as it helps you remain humble and keeps you turning to the Savior. The Spirit not only comforts you, but He is also the agent by which the Atonement works a change in your very nature. Then weak things become strong."

There was so much good stuff from conference. One of my favorite parts of conference is hearing the speakers bear testimony of Jesus Christ. The Prophet Joseph Smith said “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” So true so true.

I love how Elder Cook said general conference is to build our faith in Christ. I know mine has grown. Elder Holland's was of course amazing. He always makes us all feel so loved. We are sons & daughters of a Heavenly Father. I'm grateful to make and keep covenants with Him. Our covenants bind us to heaven. I also loved Elder Choi's talk and when he said "look up to heaven & you will be strengthened to open your mouth." It's so true. I have had to look up to heaven when I am teaching and finding. He helps me know what questions to ask and what to say. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk about perfect love casteth out fear. Christ's perfect love gives us the confidence to overcome our fears. Maybe one of my favorite talks was by Elder Palmer. I loved how he talked about the rich young ruler. And how because Jesus loved him, he asked even more of him. Sacrifices really do refine us and bring us to God. I love how he talked about love and charity. Our love should never be withdrawn if someone has gone astray. We should love them for who they can become. I love how he said an invitation to repent is an invitation to receive love & peace. I also loved when Elder Grow said "scripture study becomes the channel for the spirit & when you pray with faith, you will feel God's love as His Spirit speaks to your soul."

The most special talk to me was by our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. His testimony of the Book of Mormon is so powerful & strong. I know that President Monson is God's prophet today and speaks the words of God. I hope that we all give head to his word, & read the Book of Mormon every day. I know it will carry us to our Savior. I'm grateful every day for serving His mission.

--xo: sista fisha

p.s. sorry this is a novel

Joanna

who wants to be baptized

Teara, Holly Kay, and Daniel

FERRET!

my life