week 20: trying to teach the restoration to a drunk person

Monday, March 14th, 2016

Hello Everyone!

This week has been a crazy one, go go go all the time. It's been SO good though. 

Tuesday we saw Sister Holdiman! She is so funny. She always thinks we are testing her faith by asking her questions. It's kind of true though. We are here to teach repentance. We met some less-actives this day which was a miracle because no one ever answers their door. We saw Elyssa, she is doing good. We then had a lesson with Zach! And it went so well and we put him on date for April 9th! We are super excited about it. It all should go well if he is sincere and keeps progressing!  We then were in some complex and we starting talking to this lady taking out her trash and offered to take out her trash for her. She was SO wasted. It was pretty much the funniest thing ever. Never a dull moment on the mission. She loved us and wanted us to come back. We went back a few days later at 2pm and she was drunk AGAIN. so sad. We tried to teach her the restoration but she was just all over the place. oh man she was so funny. And then at the end she was like "i think im gonna become a jew". We were like how did you get that from what we are teaching you?! baha. oh man it was just so sad because she drinks because she is lonely. I'm so grateful for the word of wisdom!

Wednesday we went to the temple! We are so lucky in this mission that we get to go so often! Temples are the best. We then had ZTM right after so we really didn't have time for much proselyting this day. We met with Bishop Jorganson and went over all of the families in the ward and took note of who was active and who wasn't. Definitely over half the ward is less-active which is so sad. We have a lot of work to do! We really need to get the members and ward council more involved. We saw Sue that night. She is well. And then we went to do family history work! The larkspur ward does it every wednesday night so it is nice to get help! Our mission is big into finding family names to take to the temple! I haven't found a name yet but I am determined. 

Thursday we did a TON of service but it was so fun. We went to Amber Creek Inn! I love going there. I'm pretty sure they make my day more than I make theirs. We then went to volunteer as a district at food for kids and boxed a bunch of food! It was pretty fun! We got to share the gospel with lots of people too.

Friday was good. We got to see Constance and we had a really good lesson with her! We are teaching her the discussions. She then asked for a book of mormon! She needed a large print though so we gave one to her later. She also is setting up her own appointments which is so nice!! We got a referral from a bishop, we went to go see her. We don't know how sincere she is. I think she just needs financial help. I mentioned Christ and she said oh we are Jewish. It's always a good connection though when I tell Jews that I studied in Jerusalem and that I LOVE Jews. We went to Cafe Rio that night cause members gave us a gift card and the elders were there haha. We go to cafe rio lots here. Members LOVE it. We then had a lesson with Tayllor and Sister Miller came! It was probably the best lesson we have had with her! She is just so excited about it and I love teaching her! :) We had a lesson with the Luongs and oh my they are so funny. We shared with them the new easter video and then Linh the 11 year old asked what does hallelujah mean? haha she is so cute. and then Brother Luong randomly asked us if we were from utah. They are just a funny family haha.

Saturday no one answered! It seems strange cause it's Saturday and you would think that people would answer. We saw the Ellis family. It's funny cause we have a hard time to get less-actives to pray more than investigators. We were knocking doors before dinner cause we had an awkward amount of time. We found a less-active doing it! He said he left when he was 18 so we are going to go back. He was really nice! We then had dinner with the Kerrs before Stake Conference and they brought Brandi! I hadn't seen her in forever! So it was really good! She is moving to California soon to marry some guy. Stake Conference was way good! I learned a lot. President and Sister Sweeney spoke so that was a wonderful surprise! I seriously love them SO much. They are the cutest. Tayllor and Amos came!! They loved our mission president! Elder Corbridge came and spoke and that was really good! We then had a sisters sleepover that night so that was fun.

Sunday was a day of MIRACLES. Like we had nothing planned and then that day we had 4 set lessons so that alone was awesome. But yeah so it was stake conference and that was way good. GUESS WHO SHOWED UP. CONSTANCE. Sister Gulley and I freaked out when we saw her. We invited her to it but we didn't know she would come! Bishop picked her up! Bishop is the best! it was her first time coming to church in like 25 years! Tayllor and Amos came again and we sat by them! and Peter spoke! Ahh I was so proud! He did SO good. He is going to be a general authority one day. President got to meet him and his parents! He also met Constance! We then had a meeting with our ward mission leader which went well. We then had an FHE lesson with the Christensens. I love them they are so awesome. We went to the Rossi's after and Vince was like so Charlie is getting home in June to get baptized, can I get baptized with him? We were like YES. They don't know when exactly but it's good. We then told him he needs to be married first which they know. They don't know when they are getting married but we hope it is soon. They are just so amazing. Every time I meet with them I learn something more amazing about them. I think they have taught me more than I taught them. I told them that getting married will be awesome but getting sealed will be the most special thing and then they both just looked at each other and smiled. CUTEST thing ever. They then invited us to their sealing! I can't wait to go! We saw Joy Christensen and their family! Which was amazing cause we have been trying to seem them for forever! We only had 15 minutes so we shared a quick message but the Spirit was so strong. It was really good and they felt touched, you could see it and feel it. They are going through a really hard time right now. We then saw Tayllor and Amos and read the Book of Mormon with them! We read about the tree of life. She won't get baptized til after August and they are both really concerned that we will be transferred and won't get to go to her baptism. It was really cute! We told them we probably could if we are still in the Valley! We then saw the DeBenckendorffs and taught them about temples! We asked them to prepare to enter and talk to Bishop, they are excited. We brought Sister Christensen and that was awesome because Sister DeBenckendorrf needs more fellowshippers! and GUESS WHAT. Their daughter Megan (who I taught and then she moved away) is getting BAPTIZED. I'm so happy for her! She didn't even want to listen to us when we came by and it was amazing to just see her heart being softened. Her family didn't think she would ever get baptized. It just proves that you really don't know who is being prepared. And where you have planted that seed. All the hard days make up for all of the AMAZING days. We are so blessed here. This next week is going to be so good!

"Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me." (D&C 19:23) I love this scripture. Even when we are faced with such tribulation and trials we really can have peace through Christ. He is THE source of TRUE peace. ETERNAL peace. Satan cannot reenact peace. Walk with Christ and be perfected in Him. Something I love that Sister Sweeney said is that all repentance is, is LOVE.

I love you guys, be sure to watch the new easter video @ followhim.mormon.org. We are supposed to get on facebook today and post the video...i'm so scared. So if I post something, that IS me! I think we might be getting fb soon...oh no.

We also went to the zoo today with the district and it was so fun! We got VIP passes for free from members! wahooo!

xoxo

Sista Fisha  

RITA'S (it was free so I caved)

TEMPLE TRIP

Comp inventory can be fun

Elder Grimes is creeping

ZOO

week 19: perks of being a missionary

Monday, March 7th, 2016

HI GUYS.

so everything is fantastic. it's so good hearing from you all! I love pictures!! send lots of pictures please! I'm really loving every day more and more the more I am out here.

Tuesday we did some service for some people that the elders are teaching. We picked some citrus fruit for them. That is always fun. Elder Grimes got his bag peed on by their dog lol. And then we went home with a billion oranges and grapefruit. We saw Mike Gonzales, Holdimans and the DeBenckendorffs that day. Honestly I learn so much when I teach people. I'm really trying hard to teach people and not lessons and understand what they need! Which can be hard but so worth it when you know you have helped someone.

Wednesday we found a less-active! Her name is Shirin, she just had a baby. I don't know if she really wants to go back to church but we are at least going to start visiting her when we can. We went to see the Ross family. We went to see Constance and she wasn't feeling well so we gave her cookies and made an appointment with her for this week. She really wants to meet with us. It's just so amazing to watch her grow. We went to see Sue and then the Ellis family.

Thursday was a long but busy day. Missionary work is so exhausting. I have never been so tired in my life. But when you come home at the end of the day when you know you tried your hardest, there isn't a better feeling. We saw Margaret Merlino! She actually answered her door! So that was a miracle! McDowell is interesting cause there are so many gated communities...but it was a miracle because we got in ALL the communities by someone letting us in! So that was a miracle. We had a lesson with Jenn, she was the one that wanted to meet with us so that was good! It was the best lesson I have ever had with her. I had never seen her SO happy. It was truly amazing. She says whatever was blocking her from progressing was gone and she was excited to read the Book of Mormon! She said she is hungry for it now. She has been seeing the missionaries for two years now. She expressed that she wouldn't have been able to feel like this without us. It's the best feeling knowing you have helped someone. We are just sososo happy for Jenn. We then had a lesson with Tayllor and Amos! We had it in the Carr home and it went really well! We taught her the plan of salvation and she said it just all makes sense to her. She LOVES the idea of temple marriage, she wants to get married in the provo city temple. They stayed after to hang out with the Carrs, I love members!! We went to see Tamera but she was busy so we had a lesson with her daughter Elyssa, she has not been baptized but went to church a lot when she was 12. She said she almost finished personal progress. We gave her a Book of Mormon and told her to read the introduction. She is such an awesome girl.

Friday was filled with little miracles. We had a meeting with our ward mission leader in McDowell, he is starting to help us more and it's really good. We got a text earlier in the week from a YW telling us there is an YM that wants to get baptized! His name is Zach and he is living with the Daughtees and is friends with their son Nate. The lesson went really well! He is super solid and we are so excited to teach him! He was an answer to our prayers! We saw Brother Stressing and brought him brownies, he is a very nice guy who just moved into the ward and is having a hard time. Simple acts go a long way. 

Saturday we knocked on a lot of doors. lots and lots of doors. People don't answer their door cause they are scared of us, but mainly cause they are scared of God. One guy was very rude and was yelling at us. yup perks of being a missionary. I mean Sister Gulley and I are pretty scary people I must say. But then we meet people who are just the nicest people. We met a less-active and his wife sitting on their front porch. The Kearns are so nice. They are from Kentucky so are very country. He got baptized in the 80s, they are probably about 70 years old. Very nice people. We are probably going to go to the Easter Pageant with them. Brother Kearns like to talk A LOT. We saw Linda Pavlick and it was the fastest visit I have ever had with her. We shared a message with her and then she was so tired she went to go sleep. Dinner canceled so of course we got chipotle and coldstone. Imma be honest, it's pretty nice when dinner cancels. We went to see Lavanne, a potential. She grew up in the church but was never baptized. She said she was never baptized because it just never came up. So we are going to start teaching her and getting members to come with us. She is around 60 and is very nice. She asked us for a Book of Mormon and said she used to read it every night! She says she loves it! We went to see Brother Filimuau in the ward, his wife isn't a member but she wasn't home. We then had a lesson with the Lara's finally!! Sister Sparks came with us. Lindsey just isn't very interested and sincere about asking God if she should get baptized. We will probably drop her soon :(

Sunday Tayllor came to church! That was awesome! I was asked to teach gospel principles literally the night before. And you know being a missionary I literally had no time to prepare but it was fine cause it was on signs of the times and I used dad's packet that he gave me on the Second Coming before I left. Thanks dad! I actually read it! The lesson went well I guess, I just really don't like teaching lessons in church I decided haha. Like everyone just staring at me for an hour, yeah no thanks. I met a less-active at church! He just showed up! So we got his number! He was hesitant so I hope he answers. His records aren't in the ward. I couldn't find him. We had an FHE lesson at the Ransils and they invited Sister Daughtee and Zach came as well. It went really well! I love the members in the wards!

A quote I really like is "We must know Christ better than we Know Him and remember Him more often than we remember Him". To become like Christ we have to KNOW him. Do we believe in Christ or do we BELIEVE Christ? Do we know that He is walking with us and can carry our burdens if he lets us? Christ is my light and my salvation! I know that I can find true peace from Him because he is the source of people and truth.

Have a blessed week!

xoxo

sis fish

Picking citrus

Matching with Sister Israelson!

Chipotle

Coldstone

The Cordons

OLD TOWN

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

PUPPIES

Temple with Sue!

The Luman family

The missionary choir

Teaching the Luongs️

Sunday fun day