week 28: star wars, tacos & mothers

Monday, May 9th, 2016

HI.

This week has been so good! yay it was so fun talking to the fam and Kelsey and Kaitlyn! Can't wait to see you ALL in ONE year! Feels like forever though..

Monday we had FHE with the stake presidency! It was so fun!! We have FHE with them every first Monday of the month. Our stake president is the best. It's so fun being in a small town cause everyone knows you and the missionaries here are like celebrities. People ask for our picture quite often which is odd haha..so I got to look run way ready all the time jk that's a joke.

Tuesday we saw some less actives. Sunny and grandma (the Tisdells) and their son Colin are the BEST. Sunny got baptized a few years ago and he is a hoot. They want to get to the temple. Rachelle one of our investigators texted us and dropped us :( I never had a lesson with her but it was so. She is pregnant and is saying her hormones are wack and she is just so stressed. Our teaching pool is pretty low right now but we have our hopes HIGH. Tuesday night we got a car! #blessings we drove to Show Low to get it. We had to put some other Elders on bike oops. We then taught Jessica her last temple prep lesson! She is going to the temple in June!

Wednesday (maytheforthbewithyou) okay anyways, we had a lesson with Tyric. He is 17 and their family is recent converts and they want to get sealed but are waiting for their son Tyric to get the Aaronic priesthood. Hopefully he will, I guess he missed his last two appointments with Bishop. We ate dinner with Mark and Lenna Hamblin. They live in Nutrioso which is about 30 minutes away. Their home is very nice. We had a lesson with Dave Erickson SR and his daughter Haley. David is so funny. He is pretty much blind. They are both recent converts. We then had a lesson with Donna, one of our investigators. She is about to graduate and she is very cute. She has a boyfriend on the mission and we think she is waiting to get baptized until he gets home...She is so solid though and goes to seminary.

Thursday (CINCODEMAYO) we met with Cyndie (less-active). She is a bit crazy. She smokes and likes to talk a lot. People are a bit crazy up here in Eagar. We saw Sally and taught her the importance of paying tithing. She is a less-active who wants to get to the temple. We had dinner at Steve Hamblin's, it was his birthday so we had tacos of course. We had a lesson with the Armijo's (recent converts). They are very cute and I love them.

Friday we went out to lunch to Avery's (really good bbq) with Brother Ayres. He takes us out to lunch every week #blessings. We had weekly planning pretty much all day. We then went to Daryl's and had dinner with them. He then taught us the plan of salvation. I love the Gilliams. They gave us a referral and we have been trying to see her since. She never answers but she has puppies who just chill on her deck and they are the CUTEST. They are so chubby and I love them. I might have to steal one. jk.

Saturday we did a ton of service. That morning we went with Dave Erickson and Lisann and her family to go branding!! hahaha yes I helped brand cows. It was a little sad but it was so fun. We got to sit on the cows (which was a little hard cause they move a lot when they get branded) but who wouldn't/ ouchhhh. It was a little sad to watch but it was so different. I am definitely not in Scottsdale anymore. Also we get free dairy queen every week which is so bad but so good! We helped the Ballejos pack and move. And then we helped Dave Erickson Sr move stuff around in his yard. haha I don't even know. He has so much junk in his yard. He wanted us to level out this area in his yard so we dug this ashes and put them into a wheelbarrow and then he takes the wheelbarrow and dumps it 20 ft away we are like WHAT DAVE. haha he is so funny. He is such a hoarder. I love his daughter Haley, she is 14 and is the cutest. We went over to his son's Dave Jr and taught him a lesson. He really wants to get baptized but he is on probation so we need to talk to President about it. 

Sunday (HAPPYMOTHERSDAYMOM) shout out to my amazing mother. She is the best xoxo. We had a lesson with Sheila, we think she is sill smoking and she wants to go to the temple. She is really funny and loves to talk.

I'm really just trying to get to know everyone. Missionary work is very different up here. Like I really am in a different world.

Thank you for all your support. It means a lot! I love your emails and pictures! I'm having so much fun up here with my companion and the people of round valley.

A quote from a talk I read this week, "Fill your life with service to others. As you lose your life in the service of Father in Heaven's children, Satan's temptations lost power in your life" -Elder Scott. I love it and I love serving others. Getting lost in His work and serving His children is the best use of my time right now. There is no more important work than lifting his children up. When we serve others there is no room for satan.

I love you alllll have a blessed&safe week

xoxo

sista fisha 

Mark Hamlin in Nutrioso

CINCO DE MAYO

PUPPIES

Matching with Dave

Branding is my new hobby

LOL THAT PUPPY

Skyping the fam!!!

Virtual house tour ft. bae

Eating cake batter ice cream with the roomies

week 27: the town where the people have more fingers than they have teeth

Monday, May 2nd, 2016

Okay SO so much has happened. I got transferred to Eagar in the mountains and it's pretty much in the middle of no where but it's GREAT. Small little town with like a DQ and a safeway. But yeah pretty much it's a huge culture shock from north Scottsdale. I don't even know where to begin...

My last week in Scottsdale was great. It's honestly a bit of a blur right now and can't really remember what happened haha. Transfers do that to you. It's just so strange cause I was there for 6 months! We met a lot more potentials in Scottsdale and had a lot of great street contacts. There was a lot of stuff going on with Zach's baptism BUT it all worked out and he got baptized on Saturday!! Yes I know a day after I left!! #mylife but I am so happy he got baptized. I got to facetime him after he got baptized and he was so happy. It was hard saying goodbye to the people I have grown to love. I really could see so much growth from the time I was there. I'm blessed for all I learned in that area. And I am SO excited for this transfer!

Okay so my companion's name is Sister Ballew. And what she is awesome. She is from Mesa, yes I know Mesa. She has been out 15 months and I will probably be killing her but who knows, President likes to switch things up. She is super cute and we are gonna get along great. So Sister Grow (my MTC companion) is taking on my old area with Sister Gulley. And Sister Grow was in Eagar so we are basically switching places. There are two sets of sisters here and we share a house. And it's so much fun. Sister Oldham came up with me and is with Sister Kamalu. We live in a trailer/doublewide/house thingy. haha I don't even know but it is SO nice and big! Like we have a Jacuzzi jet hottub. lol. I'll take pics later and send them. Things have been just so crazy.

The ride up to Eagar was so nice. I think it took 5 hours to get there. We are in Show Lo zone. And it's SO cold! haha well not really but compared to what I was used to. But I am #soblessed to be in the mountains for summer. Right now it's like 50's and sometimes rainy but I think it will get warmer soon. I love it though. It's really windy here though. It kind of reminds me of Rexburg or like Yakima or something. Just these really small houses. A lot of people here work at the power plant. I don't know everyone here is so friendly and funny. Not that many trees here. There is more else where in the mountains but not really here in Eagar which is sad. President Hamblin (the stake president) says people here have more fingers than they have teeth. lol. These people are crazy. I know I will just love it. Last night all the missionaries in Eagar met with him. He is so nice and funny. I've never gotten to know a stake president so well. It's just so good and they are so excited about missionary work here. I'm still trying to figure it out but this town is full of a couple families. There are so many hamblins I don't even know. I think the population is around 7,000. I've met lots of people.

We went to a baptism for the sisters on Saturday for a cute 9 year old. I guess the work in our two wards (1st and 3rd ward) have died a lot. And there is a lot of finding to do. I am really excited to work and get to know everyone. It's just a whole different lifestyle here. AND okay so we are on bike but we share a car with the sisters BUT yesterday was our first day riding and Sister Ballew had bad asthma and so we called President and we are getting a CAR! What miracles!! So I don't need to buy a bike anymore! (hopefully) but it was going to be a struggle cause our area is somewhat large. It was kind of fun being on bike for a bit though. Definitely the mission experience.

I read a talk this week that I really like is from Richard G Scott and he says "Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give peace to guidance and inspiration from on high." I love that. The scriptures should be our best friend. I have come to love mine. I don't always understand everything and we never will but it brings so much peace and light to our life!!

wish me luck in eagar <3

xoxo

sista fisha

Sister Gulley

Tayllor

Sue!!

I miss the valley sunsets

ROAD TRIP TO THE MOUNTAINS

Zach's baptism, ignore my face

Zach's baptism

week 26: #hastenthework

Monday, April 25th, 2016

Hello again! The work is going so good! Our zone is on fire! We had a goal for 6 baptisms this month and we are having 10!! So it's pretty awesome. I'm sad to be leaving pinnacle zone. Weeks are going by so fast here. Like I feel like I just emailed! Well here we go again...

Monday (shout out to my 15 yr old sis Rachel, u da best even though you don't email me) we had FHE in an active members home and it went well. We then saw the Luongs and then read the Book of Mormon with Charlie after the lesson. Brother Shino came with us.

Tuesday we went to see Sister Clinton. She is not feeling welcomed in the ward. It's really sad when that happens. We told the ward and they are taking action. We had Amelia come with us to some lessons that night! One of them didn't answer but we got to see Tawni! It went really well. We read the Book of Mormon with them. We showed them the childrens book of mormon and their 8 year old son got really excited. He asked us if we could come over every week. So cute! He is definitely getting baptized.

Wednesday was district meeting. Sister Gulley and I gave a training on using time wisely. it went really well. We then went to see Constance. Sister Shaw came with us. Constance amazes me. It's amazing that we met her walking on the street and then wanted to get her records removed and now she is coming back to church!! She is awesome. And is truly a miracle. We then saw Sister Terry, Sister Chase came with us. She is reading her Book of Mormon and seems to really like it!

Thursday we met some new less-actives, which is awesome. We saw the Holdimans and they finally told us why they stopped going to church. It's because they don't feel welcomed. I mean there is obviously more reasons but it is just really sad. They are used to small town wards so mcdowell is pretty different for them. We then had Alyssa come out with us that night. We saw the Lumans and Alicia prayed! We read the Book of Mormon with her and it was awesome. We then started to knock some doors with Alyssa and the first house we knocked on was SO nice. They totally let us in. They are jewish but don't really seem to practice. They were so friendly and gave us water and food. And before we even asked for referrals she told us to go see her friend who lived down the street! Miracles happen when members come out with us! We then had a lesson with the Rossi family! The Chase's came with us. It was good. Vince is on date for June 18!! We are super excited about it! The whole lesson we were focusing on Jenn pretty much talking about how we need to act to figure out if this is the right path. Faith is an action word. She doesn't want to make a baptismal date because she feels that it will stress her out more because she works really hard when there is a deadline. But all we said was that it was really good for Vince, we just asked him at the end to get baptized on that date so that his son Charlie would be there to get baptized too. 

Friday we help Susan stark with her family history! We had the family history consultant, Sister Houston come with us. It was fun to see her so excited about it! Hopefully it will open some doors for her! We saw Sue and they made a mistake and her tumor isn't cancerous! MIRACLE. Sue taught us a lesson about joy and it was just what I needed. She is so inspiring. We then went to see Merry (the referral the lady gave us) and she was SO nice. She is Christian and her mother passed away. We taught her the plan of salvation right there on her door step. It was amazing to see. She was so open and nice. I'm excited to see where it goes! We then saw Mike Gonzales. He is good, he won't read his Book of Mormon which is really sad.

Saturday we helped Laura Holgate pack, she is moving into our ward so we can then teach her! We stopped by the Ashton's, an active family and it's really inspired on who we go see. It's definitely very important to help build up active members as well as less-actives. Everyone has struggles and every family needs saving, just as President Uchtdorf said at conference. Something that I have learned on my mission is how important families really are. Working with families is an opportunity to unite families for ETERNITY. We read the Book of Mormon with Charlie at the Woolstons and he is starting to apply it to his life!! Charlie is just such a good guy and told us he is looking for something else in his life. We were in a complex and saw Vernon sitting on the curb looking depressed smoking a cig. I guess he has to go to court next week. We talked to his friend Destiny for a while. She is a senior in high school but looks much older. She was so nice and talkative. We shared the "Because He Lives" video with her. She liked it and said she loved talking to us and wants to talk to us more. So we are going to meet with her! She has a hard time with substances but has a lot of faith in Christ and it's really cool to see.

Sunday was church, don't worry mom I didn't skip church. Zach texted us after church and said "I'm ready to get baptized! I know it." Cutest thing ever! We went to the Palepois for dinner, oh man Samoans like to feed you A LOT. We taught their daughter the first lesson cause she is getting baptized next month. She is so cute. We went over the Neilson's and had a FHE lesson with them. We met with Zach at the stake center before his baptismal interview with the district leader and he is so ready! He is so sincere and is so happy. He said that he knew it was Sunday but needed to get gas, he went to the gas station and all of the pumps were out of order. He knew it was a sign and went home and made it without running out of gas! That's when he said he texted us he is ready for baptism. It was really cute. 

Okay so I am trying to memorize the scripture mastery's on my mission cause well I was a failer as a seminary student. This week I memorized 2 Nephi 2:27 "Wherefore men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." Agency is a gift to us and God trusts us that we can make good decisions. It's hard sometimes to see investigators and less-actives make bad decisions but it is all part of the learning process and there is opposition in ALL things. I'm grateful to be a missionary and to be serving Him :)

xoxo

sista fisha

Sister Terry!

THE ROSSI'S

Palepois

Just keep swinging