week 63: a death & a birth

Monday, January 9th, 2017

hello!

What a crazy week! I took Sister Suter to the airport this morning and it was so sad! So yes we are in the valley and it is super weird. I didn't realize how much I missed the valley. We went shopping and went to chick fil a! We went to the temple today and met our trainees!! It was way fun! Yes I am training again! Hurd times a charm. I am staying in the mission home & I love it. Back to show low tomorrow though.

Monday we had a lesson with Emma Hansen. She is turning 9 soon and wants to be baptized! Her family is less-active so it's going to be hard...because we want to make sure they are active so it might take a while. We taught the restoration but we don't think she understood that much. We then had FHE with the Mora family. It was really good.

Tuesday we had a lesson with Jessica. It went really well. We followed the Spirit and changed our lesson and taught on the word of wisdom and answered her questions. It was really good. She wants to stop drinking. We then had a lesson with Jesse. He has been reading the Book of Mormon every day!! So good!! We then had a lesson with Sister Bottoms and talked about the plan of salvation.

Wednesday we had ZTM and we talked all about the Holy Ghost. It was good. But the thing I think I like most was when we talked about consecration. And that obedience isn't enough. We need to be consecrated. And consecration comes in the little things that we do. We had Sister Gulley with us and we get a text from Sister Garcia that she needed help cleaning her house. So we helped her with that. It took a while cause it was pretty bad...but I love service! We had a lesson with Molly at the Carpenter's. It went really well. She is just so easy to teach and gets it. It's crazy how prepared she is!

Thursday we went to white mountain zone's ZTM. We had another lesson with Emma. We learned that she really cannot read...so it's gonna be a little difficult. And they don't have a car big enough to drive all their kids to church. So we need to get them rides. We had dinner with the Ramirez family and the elders were also there. I love that family. We then had a lesson with Zach. We went over the baptismal interview questions because we have taught him all the lessons! And we wanted to see where he was at. He is pretty much ready for baptism besides the marriage part. So he is doing good!! We just want to make sure he is converted.

Friday was Sisters Suter's last weekly planning. And we went to Annie's with Brother Phil for lunch. We then were in Sister Gulley's area and definitely had a miracle with a prospective elder. We then taught the Slade kids. This lesson was a lot better than last time. We taught the plan of salvation with hop scotch. It was way fun and the kids were really reverent, and the parents sat in on the lesson! Pretty much cause I asked them to though. We visited Deanna and it was a little awkward at first but then it was good. We asked her more why she stopped meeting with us. She says it's cause she doesn't agree with our belief with Adam & Eve. I guess they had a lesson on that in gospel principles but we weren't there. I think there is a bigger reason though - probably her kids. But it was really good seeing her. We then visited a less-active family named the Lambdins. 

Saturday was such a good day. So idk if you remember the Fisher family that we found in Show Low 1st Ward (the ward we got moved out of). But they got baptized on Saturday!! Ahhh it was amazing! It was Howard, his son Howard and his mom Maria. Jayce, the eight year old we were teaching also got baptized! The Spirit was so beautiful and I am so glad I got to be there and see the people I love enter into a covenant with God. We were asked to give a talk on the Holy Ghost and it went well. I love the Holy Ghost and how he leads us to places we need to be at the right time. It was really cool because even though we didn't get to teach the Fishers all of the lessons, a lot of people told us that we played a huge part of his baptism. I love this work! It is so so sweet. And Jayce was so cute. His family will always have a place in my heart. One of our potentials was at the baptism so that was cool! And Sally (who I taught in Eagar) was also there!! It was so good to see her! We then got Panda Express and then rushed to a lesson with Clarise. Sister Butler came with us and it was way good. We talked about the sabbath day and church. And guess what! She went to church yesterday! She brought three of her kids and they all looked so cute!!! This is the joy of the gospel. We then had a lesson with a part member family named the Busch's. We taught Tessa (who is from the Philippines) the restoration. Sister Suter and I taught really well, but Tessa isn't ready and not willing to read the Book of Mormon. Brother Busch totally started crying though when I asked him how he felt the Holy Ghost. His son just left on a mission so I hope his heart softens more and he will want to come back & then that will open a door to teach Tessa. We then taught Jessica. We taught her the plan of salvation. And she came to church yesterday!! We then went with Sister Guevara and visited some people. After dinner we had a lesson with Tewana and Shenia and Sammy (nonmember) joined as well. We invited the Macneilles to come and it was really good. We shared the Mormon message on New Years. We had a good discussion and a lot of laughs. We then had correlation at the Moores. It was just a really great day and it was Sister Suter's last proselyting day so I think it was a blessing.

Sunday we had ward council in Show Low Ward and pretty much went to the beginning of each sacrament meeting in our wards to take attendance and greet people. We had EIGHT investigators at church!!! It was amazing! And we had a good handful of less-actives there. I was so happy!! It's days like that when I know what I am doing is so worth it. We then drove down to the valley to bring Sister Suter down. Sister Gulley and I both went down because we are training. We drove another sister down because she is got transferred down to the valley. We then had the farewell dinner with Sister Suter and Elder Procter who are leaving. It was weird cause I got to see a little of my future. It made me realize how fast these next three transfers will come..so sad. I really do love being a missionary. Also I love the Robinsons and am so happy I get to spend a couple days with them. They are so awesome! Sister Gulley are acting like sister AP's, its way funny.

In 3 Nephi 27:20 it says, "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day." The Holy Ghost sanctifies and cleanses us. I'm great full for Him and that He enlightens us and fills us with joy. He is one of the greatest gifts and is like our best friend. He is our constant guide and will lead us home. "The gift of the Holy Ghost is a foretaste of eternal joy and a promise of eternal life."

Anyways I love you guys!! I barely have time with all the meetings we have. So I might email individuals tomorrow while my trainee emails. Her name is Sister Clipp! She is from Oklahoma!

Talk to you later!

--xo: sista fisha

carol & charlie lewis

adah

girls rule.

Channa braiding Zach's beard

vadar

plan of salvation hopscotch

the fishers & jayce's baptism

baby Raydan

Sister Suter's last proselyting day

Kyla's @ church

on our way to the valley

dropping sister suter off at the airport :(

fashion square mall

temple with trainees

chick-fil-a

week 62: 2 0 1 7

Monday, January 2nd, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR 

I'm pretty excited for 2017! I love having a new year, a fresh start. A lot of exciting things are happening this year. It's crazy to think that 2016 is over. It's been a hard year for sure but definitely the year I have grown and learned the most.

Monday not much really happened cause no one was home.

Tuesday I was with a mini missionary named Julianne. She is so cute. She is 17 and deciding whether or not to go on a mission and it was pretty cool cause towards the end of the day she decided to go on one! Super awesome. She is going to be an amazing missionary. We had a lesson with Jessica and we taught her the restoration. It was good, we are helping her gain her testimony back. She feels like she lost it. She has been through a lot in her life. We met with Jesse and had a good lesson with him. We read the Book of Mormon with them, highlighting the doctrine of Christ. Jesse just really needs to focus on the Book of Mormon, that's where he will get a testimony from. It was cool cause Jesse picked out some verses that I hadn't really noticed being the doctrine of Christ. We then had a lesson with Rachael. She just tries to teach us the whole time. She is willing to be baptized but doesn't understand the priesthood. She isn't willing to come to church and I felt prompted to drop her. So I did and it was totally an act of faith. She just isn't quite ready. We will check up on her later for sure.

Wednesday we had district meeting and then had a district lunch afterwards. We had a lesson with Noah and he is doing so good. He is so cute. We saw a less-active named Sister Adams. We stopped by a less-active family, the Bowmans. They just got married. We have been trying to see them for months. We finally had a lesson with them and it was really good.

Thursday was weekly planning and lots of meetings so we had one lesson and that was Zach. It was on missionary work. It was good he isn't keeping all the commitments. He says he feels embarrassed sharing the gospel and that's not really a good sign. He really needs to gain his own testimony and not lean off Channa's. So we are still working on that. It's up to him to put effort in though.

Friday 5 out of 6 lessons canceled! Ugh so glad the holidays are over. You have no idea! I was with Julianne again because the sisters went to MLC. We had some good tti's. We had a lesson with Joanna and Sister Carpenter came with us. She is a great fellowshipping. I think Joanna would come to church if it wasn't for her husband. So that's a bummer. It was Sister Gulley's birthday so we got her a cake and decorations and surprised her when she got home. So that was fun.

Saturday we had our first lesson with Molly! So a few days before we made our goals for January. And we said one baptism in January even though we had no one on date, so act of faith! The next day we get a referral for Molly and meet her the next day. We taught the restoration at the Moores house and it was really good. She has been looking into the church for a while now and is just so prepared so we put her on date for January 28th! She is so prepared! Brother Phill took us out to sweet heart cafe, love him. We then visited people cause 2 other of our appointments canceled. And then for New Year's Eve we got together with all of the missionaries. It was fun kind of...we played balderdash & I haven't played that in so long.

Sunday was so good! We had breakfast (crepes) with President Shumay from the white mountain stake & that was good. So show low ward starts at 11:30 and Paloma at 11...so we have to go on splits every week so it's a struggle. It snowed a ton in the morning was but like all gone by the afternoon. So Molly came to church and it was amazing!! Like I couldn't have asked for a better experience for her! The speakers were awesome, she has awesome fellowshippers and she knew so many people there! She stayed all three hours! She is so awesome! She was so happy and it was just good. I love her, she is so prepared. And she got kicked out of her house by her husband the night before...he sounds like a loser. So sad. So she stayed in a hotel room. But yeah church was so good. I realized how much I love the people in my wards. I love the sharing the gospel with people. Meeting people like Molly make it all worth it.

I have come to realize that my service on a mission is not about me, it's about the Lord, His work and God's children. There is no greater happiness than getting lost in the work. Something amazing happens when you really start seeing everyone as your brother or sister. I'm so grateful to serve His children.

I love the article on President Hinckley from the January Ensign and how he was so optimistic. We really can be joyful in any circumstance because of our Savior.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Don't be gloomy. Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. Look a little deeper for the good. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart, accentuate the positive. Life is to be enjoyed not just endured."

So it's a new year! Be happy, look forward with faith. Don't look back. Set goals on who you want to become. Not just what you want to do. And remember "God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as much as He does about where you are and with His help, where you are willing to go." Faith is for the future. Christ is the high priest of good things to come.

Professor Noel Reynolds said, "The choice to repent is a choice to burn bridges in every direction [having determined] to follow forever only one way, the one path that leads to eternal life.”

Christ is that one path home. I'm grateful for that. Have a good week & year!

--xo: sista fisha

so white mountain 

Julianne, my mini missionary

Noah trying to figure out our object lesson

lounging in the mothers room

Sister Gulley's birthday

car rides

SNOWWWW

snow man

trying to make snow angels

I'm dead