Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Transfer 1, Week 6: Wow new transfer is right around the corner... and CONFERENCE!

Family and Friends!

This week as been a week of comfort and miracles and I have definitely learned how important it is to be patient, and wait on the Lord and His timing!

So at 6:15AM Monday morning all 160 sister missionaries walked down to Temple Square for TRANSFER CONFERENCE.  Unlike many other missions where only those being transferred come, all the  mission is invited for an early morning of festivities, squealing and celebrating (all while the world is still sleeping around us!)

Sister I (from Japan) who is also in her first transfer, her trainer is being sent on her outbound to Arizona, and her new companion is my trainer-- Sister C! Which is cool because Sister C speaks fluently Japanese, so that'll be neat for her.  As for me, my new companion will return from her outbound (Alabama) and her name is Sister L from ITALY! Wow! So I will be with an ITALIAN (a dream come true really) and we'll be doing a ton of Italian tours and meeting people from Italy all the time. I'm really excited! Change is ever abroad in the mission field!

I don't have a ton of time to write today (because we have to move) but these are some of the tender mercies I experienced this week:

 1. There was this woman from Russia who was referred her on the Square by her friend who I've tried to call 4-5 times in the last month and on Friday.  She never picked up the phone any of the times or returned any of my messages. I said a prayer and told Heavenly Father that this call is the last time I could call her and that if she wouldn't pick up, I'd never get to share with her the gospel. So I dialed the number again with hope that'd she'd be there, and on the second ring I finally talked to T. She is a beautiful daughter of God who wants to learn more.  Such a miracle for me. 

 2. That same night I received a call from an Atheist man who was rather argumentative. It was hard at first to listen to, but I just calmed down and asked for strength and patience. My voice was calm the entire 30 minutes and when he realized that I wouldn't argue with him but instead admit that "I don't know everything" he really calmed down and actually wanted to listen to what I had to say.  He didn't want to learn anymore, but we had a nice conversation and I think he will think about the truth that I taught him all because Heavenly Father blessed me with strength in that moment and charity towards this very confused man. It was neat to hear the silence that he had as I bore my testimony to him that I know that God lives.  I know that he is a child of our Heavenly Father who loves him. Powerful moment.

 3. I called the next day a wonderful girl (who had been in the middle of the missionary discussions and stopped) who I managed to contact once before, and have written, texted, called so many times since the beginning of the transfer. I prayed for her each day. She never picked up the phone or returned our calls or texts. I called her on Saturday and knew that it would be the last time I could call her according to mission rules. I was so sad. I really wanted to share with her the message that I knew would bless her life. When she answered the phone, I wanted to cry. We talked for an hour and she is interested in learning more and for me calling her again. She told me that the only reason why she was able to answer the phone today was because she felt like she should, and because she was in a car accident this morning which prohibited her from going to work all that afternoon and evening.

 4. I was talking to L (because we didn't get a hold of her on Saturday) on Sunday morning and just seeing how she's doing. Her son who is battling cancer, is not doing very well right now and I know it has added a lot of pressure on her.  So I was checking up on her and the entire time I felt a nagging from the spirit to encourage her to go to church again this Sunday.... but I really didn't want to add anymore pressure to her in this rough time, for her to be doing more in her life, etc. So we said goodbye and I hung up. The nagging feeling was still there. I felt terrible.  I thought to myself, well if she *really* needs to go to church someone else will call her. Then it hit me like a lightening bolt: "That's why YOU ARE THERE Sister Fisher. You are here to invite others to come unto Christ and YOU are there to follow the spirit." And--- going to church isn't a hassle, it's a privilege. It will HELP her in this hard time. And so, I awkwardly called her back on the phone to her surprise and told her that I felt really prompted to encourage her to go to church today, which she said to my surprise, "I really felt like I should this morning too, but I was debating back and forth if I should or not until you called this morning. Now I know for sure that that is something I need to do today! I will go for sure!" It's amazing how the Lord includes us in the process, and we learn so much from being included.

5. I ran into wonderful people RIGHT in the moment when things were particularly difficult, tiring, discouraging etc.  It was so absolutely exquisitely wonderful to see those who I saw this week.  Thank you for following promptings and saying exactly what I needed to hear, and be where I needed you to be so we could run into each other.

 What have I learned this week? Patience in the Lord's timing. Yes Mom, I learned PATIENCE this week :) The Lord has a funny way of teaching us what we need to learn. Definitely an inspired way for sure though.  This is HIS work. I am absolutely positive of it now.  He is aware, and sometimes He has to show us that it is His work, and remind us that it is not according to our timetables, but according to the timing and needs of those wonderful children's plans that He has for them. I love this work. I love being able to testify to people and show them what God has in store for them, not just here, but in the whole lives that they have to come. He has a beautiful plan for each one of us. I feel privileged in begin able to play a small role in helping others find out theirs. VIVA ITALIA!!! :) 

I love you all,

Sister Fisher

 P.S. THANK YOU FOR YOU LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

MTC June/July

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Transfer 1, Week 5... almost 6---- How does time fly?

 Dearest family and friends:

 
I don't have as much time to write today, but I appreciate all of your letters and support.  You're wonderful!

Today I had my first Vegemite sandwich that my Aussie companion made me try.  It was the first time since 2nd grade that I've had it, and that was when I vomited.  Today it was pretty good.  I might even try another sometime.  Regards to Sister C. [insert one of the 30  jokes we get when she introduces herself here] haha it never fails.

 We've had some amazing people we've talked to this week… People with inspiring stories.

 The first person was a member who came along on one of our investigator lessons. (What happens is one of the Salt Lake City Missions [there’s 5 of them] missionaries can bring their investigator for a lesson on Temple Square with a set of our sister missionaries showing them around and teaching as well, and they usually bring members or ‘fellowshippers’ or support from the ward, so this was the person I was talking to for a while before the lesson).

She’s originally from Oklahoma where she grew up in a small town that was 99% Baptist. When she was 4 years old her parents and her would drive by this small house and one day she felt really strongly the Spirit testify to her that that was “Jesus’s Church”. She told her parents that it was Jesus’ Church, but they told her that it wasn’t a church but just a small house, there wasn’t even a sign, so it couldn’t be a church.  But every time that they would drive by she would feel strongly that it was again and again.  Finally one day there popped up a sign that read “the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” in front of the old house.  She told her parents there was a sign, and her parents finally said they could go on Sunday.  They were furious when they attended because the sign read LDS but it was a ‘Mormon’ church and they told her they would not support her going to the church ever again.  But she felt very strongly as the Priests in the small branch that Sunday passed the Sacrament that this was Jesus’ Church.  She would walk by herself up the hill to the church every Sunday until her parents allowed her to be baptized at age 16. Just a very inspiring story.

We also met a recently returned Elder from New Jersey who had been home 5 weeks ago. Somehow we just knew we needed to talk to him.  An hour later, through inspired questions, and tears on his face, he told us of the struggles he had with anxiety on his mission and how finally his Mission President told him he had to go home early.  He said it was one of the most spiritual experiences he has ever had, stepping on the plane to come home.  It was when, no matter how much he wanted to stay on the mission, he wanted to submit to whatever the Lord had in store for him and whatever His plan was, even though his desires to stay were righteous desires. He told us of the great pain and difficulty of this decision but that he knew that this was what the Lord wanted him to do. He knows that for some reason he is supposed to be home right now, whether he is able to go back on the mission or not, but that that is where he is supposed to be.  Maybe because there are people only he can touch back at home. He said that he wouldn’t take away the hardships and struggle he had, because it taught him to submit to the Lord’s plan and will, and be patient in affliction. 

 We needed to talk to him, because the Christ-like attribute our companionship focused on this week, was Patience.

In my study this week on this, I learned that sometimes in the scriptures in the way that they are written or abridged, it may seem like the prophets get their answers, or relief or instruction instantly or immediately. One verse says they struggled, and the next verse says that they were healed, or an angel came, or they were given peace, etc.  But we don’t know how much time elapsed in between those passages.  In fact, if we more carefully read, we realize that the Prophets had to endure, they had to wait patiently in affliction before they were given rest.  A quote I heard in the MTC is this “our lives are like a violin string, the only way for the Lord to play beautiful music on those strings are if they are stretched.”… something like that (by Neal A. Maxwell).  Our trials are meant to expand and stretch us, and if all our answers or solutions came instantly, we wouldn’t develop that Christ-like attribute of patience, and submissiveness to the Lord’s timing.

  In Alma 26:27-28 & 30 of The Book of Mormon it says: , “ 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to^aturn back, behold, the Lord ^bcomforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with ^cpatience thine^dafflictions, and I will give unto you success.

 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.”

 It may sound like they struggled but then instantly came relief.  That’s not the case however. In verse 30-31 it reads:

  30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our ^ajoy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

 31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the ^afruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are ^bmany; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.

They had to endure, and push forward, and be ‘stretched’ and tried of their patience all so that the Lord could develop them.  Yet, he did promise them at their breaking point that He would give them success.  All things would work out.  The Lord wouldn’t push them beyond their limit.  And the Lord is always true to His promises.  They brought many, many souls to the truth. Everything worked out.

Another case is with Nephi as the Lord told him he needed to build a boat.  So often we think that it was easy for him.  “Oh the Lord would show him how” or we think that it was simple because Nephi just followed instructions and did what he was told. How hard could that be?  But that’s not what it says.

1 Nephi 18: 1-3 “ And it came to pass that they did ^aworship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious ^bworkmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ^cship.

 2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.
 3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did ^apray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord ^bshowed unto me ^cgreat things.”

 Instead it says that from time to time, the Lord showed him how.  He was still left to struggle, figure out some parts himself, and he still had to “go onto a mount” often to pray (or make the sacrifice to go to the temple to receive answers or work for answers to prayer or instruction).  It wasn’t just a simple map or how-to Nephi needed to follow.  This way, Nephi grew a lot more. He also learned patience.

I know that this is the case with our lives.  The way we endure or wait or how the Lord works is the best way for us.  Or the best way for us to over all grow and learn and trust and rely on Him. Things don’t come instantly. We have to work for them.  Besides, the best things or the things most worthwhile, we always have to work for.  It still took the pioneers 40 years to build the SLC Temple.  Surely couldn’t the Lord have shown them the easy way out or provided rock that was closer by, etc. But He didn’t. Surely the Lord could have told them the first foundation they build of sandstone would break because it wasn’t firm enough, and they wouldn’t have wasted 7 years.  But He didn’t. The way the Lord worked with them and us, requires patience.

I know that the Lord’s way is the best way.  I know that he will stretch and grow us, and sometimes that this process hurts and is difficult, but if there was a better way, I know the Lord would’ve thought of it before.

My challenge this week is to recognize what the Lord intended for you to learn in all the situations you are faced in.

This gospel is true! It blesses all of our lives. Jesus is the Christ. I love this work.

Love,  Sister Fisher

August 14, 2012
Week 8!  2 months into it!

 My amazing family and friends!

I got your box! Thank you SOOOO MUCH! I loved hearing from you on the tape, too. Wow do I love y'all!  CONGRATS ON THE MOVING PARTY! Thanks to all those who have helped my family out SO much with all of the process!

(By the way I asked our mission president and he is totally fine with me having a violin! So send it on! :) Thanks soooo much!)

The weeks here are so full, it's like a month crammed into 7 days separated by naps. I don't know how we do it! But we are not alone because we're on the Lord's team, so that's probably how.  My body is now finally adjusting to our schedule, and I feel rested even, and full of energy during the day.  My prayers pleading for a blessing on my body (and thanks to all of yours too!) really have been answered with me feeling a lot more settled. This is the most insanely busy part of the year for us here at Temple Square (besides Christmas and Conference...) and President Gillette knows it too.  We had a mission meeting last night where he told us that starting next week, our weekly P-Days will last all day long and that we will be able to sleep in as late as we want, all because too many sisters are sick. That's got to be the first time in all of Mission history :) But seriously, I'm doing much much better.  As my Dad said in his letter this week to me: "That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task has changed, but that our capacity to do so has increased."  That's seriously what has happened. I know that it really is from the help of the Lord though.  It didn't happen all at once. In fact, every morning it's still a challenge to get out of bed and do everything to get out on the Square and start the day, but as I exercise my faith and do it anyway, I have been blessed and I am so happy when I am there.

We had an awesome Zone Conference yesterday where we toured the Utah State Capitol Building and then talked all about being a consecrated missionary. It was really great.  It was how to be even more cheerfully obedient.  There's a story we discussed about a stake president in... Russia(?) who had this really poor sister come and ask him if she too had to pay tithing.  He looked at her and lovingly said, "If it were up to me and if it was my church, I would say that you don't have to, sister.  But this is the Lord's church and being obedient to this principle is what blessings are predicated on."  It is so true. The Lord BLESSES us as we are obedient, especially when we don't understand the reason or when it is particularly hard or difficult to sacrifice to do so.  Often times the blessing is the change in us. The change to become more like God or to put Him first by sacrificing our other needs wishes or desires.

We also spoke in a Sacrament Meeting this Sunday.  A ward invited me and three other sisters from Temple Square to come and speak to them.  My topic was on the Worth of Souls.  I've included it at the bottom of the email for those interested.  It really impacted how I think about and do missionary work.  All of us, every single person on the earth, has the potential to become like our Father. That is our value as an individual! Wow. What a thought!

We taught 45 Iranians (from Iran!) yesterday (along with tons of other people that I just have no time to write about). We're not allowed to proselyte because they are Muslim, but they did notice and ask many many questions! One lady was really touched and told us "you are so beautiful on the inside and on the outside!" and another lady from Iran told us she has been here many times.  When we asked her what her favorite part was, she said, "All of the wonderful people who believe this faith." It was a very neat experience. 

As for some cultural funnies...  I always forget to include these, because being culturally diverse happens to me all day long every single day.

Here's your Australian lesson for the day:
Lollies = candy. Bubbler = water fountain. "oi" = hey. Corn syrup is of the devil. "Sistah Fisha" = Sisterrr Fisherrrr. Heaps and Heaps = lots and lots. 'zeds' = z's. Biscuit = cookie. The bin = the trash can.  The loo = the bathroom.

We are teaching on the phone this man who is from Liberia.  When we asked him for his address to send the missionaries to, he told us "Oh, it's the first left on the only Coca Cola plant in the Republic!" When we asked him for an apartment number he responded "Oh just ask for Henry and I will be there!"

Italian for kleenex means = face bed.

My Singaporean roommate almost had a heart attack the other day because the sink was overflowing and she didn't know about the disposal! She kept telling us, "There's a flood, a flood!" :) We just smiled and smiled and smiled all night.

So how did the challenge to adopt a new Christ-like attribute this week work out? How did family scripture study each day and family prayer work?
We challenged L to pray and read with her boys every day this week and this is what she told us last night. 

"When we pray and read together, it's something beautiful. The peace is amazing.  It's that peace that comes to your heart as you pray. Reading together and praying together have really helped my boys through this difficult time.  I really believe that when I pray and read, my family who has passed on is here with me, almost like they want me to read out loud to them. I feel this peace that I haven't found in a very long time!"

It was amazing.  She also attended church yesterday and really liked it and wants to bring her boys next week.  The Lord's work moves on. We have so many people we teach that I'm unable to tell about, but I can testify about what great good the Gospel does in people's lives. L told us last night that she is fine with "submitting her will to her Heavenly Father and letting go and being okay with His will."  That's exactly what I told her a month ago my second day in the field talking to her for the first time on the phone.  She now believes it! And lives it!

Do you all want a new challenge? I know that the Gospel will bless your family's lives and your friend's lives.  It will bring more hope, direction, purpose, peace and vision.  Is there someone that could really use this message in their life? We would love to talk to them on the phone here at Temple Square and teach them these truths that will bless them and bring them hope!  Just send my mom an email and she will pass on their information to me, and we can call them and teach them!

Send me: their name and yours, their phone number and your phone number to fisherfamilymail@gmail.com

I know that it will bless them so much. This Gospel is true and works.  I love it! It changes and transforms lives!

Love,
Sister Fisher

P.S.  Here's my Sacrament Meeting talk I just gave about each one of our worth:

===================================================

The Importance of the One

Elder Hillam of the First Quorum of the Seventy recounts an experience he had in his talk entitled The Worth of Souls :

"One of the talks that has had an everlasting impression on me is one given in a Saturday evening session of a stake conference years ago. The talk was given by a young mother.

Here’s what she said:

“I have been doing the genealogy of my great-grandfather. He and his large family of sons and daughters were members of the Church.

“My great-grandfather,” she said, “left church one Sunday with his family, and they never returned—no indication why.”

She then said, “In my research, I have found that my great-grandfather has over 1,000 descendants.”

And then she said, and this is the part I have not been able to forget, “Of those 1,000 descendants, I am the only one active in the Church today.”

As she said these words, I found myself thinking, “Is it only 1,000, or could it be more?”

The answer is apparent. The spiritual influence that family might have had on their neighbors and friends did not happen. None of his sons nor any of his daughters served as missionaries, and those they would have touched with their testimonies were not baptized, and those who were not baptized did not go on missions. Yes, there are probably many thousands who are not in the Church today, and not in this very meeting, because of that great-grandfather’s decision.”

UNQUOTE

What one person can do, what one person can be, and what effect can one person have on thousands of others? The effects of one can be limitless.

The value of a soul is in whatever potential it has to become.

The value of a caterpillar is to become a magnificent butterfly.

I recently received a letter from a lady in my ward at home where she described motherhood as“raising a parent”. She was not referring to her children as the current state they were in, like “raising a child” but instead, referring to what they could and will become.

President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901) so beautifully put it: “There was a period when we, with Jesus and others, basked in the light of the presence of God and enjoyed His smiles. We are the children of God, and as His children there is no attribute we ascribe to Him that we do not possess, though they may be dormant or in embryo. The mission of the Gospel is to develop these powers and make us like our Heavenly Parent.”

Each and every human being living now, living before, and soon to be living, has the worth of their potential--- the worth of a God. This worth is priceless, or unable to define a price.

While we are priceless to our Father in Heaven, there was however a price that was paid for us through Jesus Christ to allow us to achieve this ultimate potential.

This sacrifice of the perfect Son, the sacrificial lamb, helps us to recognize our worth in the eyes of the Father. If there was but one person on earth that needed Christ to buy them back from the bondage of sin, He still would have drunken the Bitter Cup, sacrificed all, and be crucified, all for that one child.

So what does that mean for us?

In D&C 18:10-11 and 15-16 it says:

“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men that all men might repent and come unto him.

And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!...

And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!”

These souls are those

· who have not found the truth yet, and

· that do not know where to find it,

· those who were given the truth but haven’t found the joy in it yet,

· or those who have found the truth but have lost the way for whatever reason,

Also known as all those called our ‘nonmember’ ‘less active’ or ‘inactive’ friends.

They may have lost the way because, as the Savior put it in Luke 15,

They, like Sheep in a fold of 100, just get lost, having wandered away from the fold and the Shepherd. They didn’t mean to get lost, there were just so many sheep, and the grass looked very green in the other meadow. Despite how naïve or harmless the intentions were, the member wandered away from the church, forgetting the truth they had in the fold, getting lost in the wilderness or the world’s strange paths, snares, and false attractions.

OR

They may be like the lost Silver Coin. The woman in Luke 15 lost one of her 10 pieces of silver, back then worth a full day’s wage. It was important to her, it was worth a lot, but maybe due to a lack of carefulness, inattentiveness to detail or just laziness, she lost that precious coin. This may be a lot like our friends who have just lost those things once precious to them due to a lack of attentiveness to do the little things, such as daily sincere prayer, or daily sincere scripture study, or following carefully the counsel of the Prophet. My Dad back at home, told me that during in his experience as a Bishop, not one of the members who committed a grievous sin (he never told their names) had said their prayers that morning, and had not read their scriptures. Their inattentiveness to detail, or carelessness is what led to them getting lost. I don’t believe they intended to get lost. They didn’t want to leave the fold of the Shepherd, it just kind of happened because they weren’t paying attention.

OR our friends might be much like Prodigal Son. He had tried it his father’s way; he had obeyed the teachings of the church, and thought he knew better. He believed that there was an easier way, or a way that he could have the thrills of the world and still keep his inheritance, or his blessings from the church. We all know how that story ended up however. He lost all that he had. His worth which had started as Pride, or believing he knew better than God, ended in him believing he was only worth as much as livestock, feeding on the very trough that pigs eat from. He felt that he couldn’t return to his father, for he was not worthy of being in His presence. Or, he was not worthy to repent, to accept his own intentional rebellion against God and come back into his church, to start anew, and to find those blessings again.

But I believe that the verses Luke ends with are key:

" And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."

We not just need to, we MUST rescue the one. No matter how awkward, inconvenient, costing or timely it may be.

We need to leave the ninety and nine and go after the lost sheep, or light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently for the silver coin, and search for, love and persuade the Prodigal Son to return home.

And once they have found the flock again, we must embrace them, or call our family and friends together and rejoice for we have found that which was lost. We must kill the fatted calf and rejoice with compassion. For Christ did say “that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

Invite your nonmember friends who are searching for truth. Love those who do not understand our beliefs, or those so called ‘anti’s. Invite them all to visit Temple Square or to visit mormon.org, or have the missionaries over and talk with them. Invite them to Family Home Evening or to dinner. Search for the one in your Young Women’s class or Teacher’s Quorum, in the Elder’s Quorum or Relief Society who have lost the way.

That person who you have been thinking of as I have been speaking--- they are who the Lord wants you to rescue again and wants to welcome back into the Shepherd’s fold.

A crinkled up $100 bill is still worth $100 to us. Surely a crinkled up soul is still worth the same amount in potential to God.

They should be worth the same amount to us.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Week 7

Dearest dearest wonderful Family and friends!

 How I love y'all SO! Thank you SOOOOOOOOO much for your letters, packages, notes and love.  I will try and respond as fast as I can.  My hands still hurt from last week's writing, but I will respond!!!! (that was exaggerated, but I WILL respond!) Thank you for thinking of me! Your words, no matter how long or short, are a JOY to me! [A, your picture of the cello is hanging on my wall-- it one the award for best drawing this week! THANK YOU!!!! I'm excited to hear you play on your tape!]

Interesting tidbits: I met Judas Iscariot the other day.  I guess I should rephrase that.  I met the actor who plays Judas Iscariot on the new Bible videos on lds.org (if you haven't seen them= they ARE PHENOMINAL!) [ http://www.lds.org/bible-videos?lang=eng] 

People all over the Visitor's Center ask him why they know him/say "It's Judas!" (he has his beard still because they're still filming) It was actually pretty funny. He says he gets that alot. Haha.

The Salt Lake City Temple:

We talked to this man named J, who is a member who is helping do the renovations/restoration/cleaning project for the last two months-ish on the temple. WOW. He has pioneer ancestors who built the temple in 1850's, and now he, 150 years later, gets to restore and renovate it! They are doing major things to it as he was telling us.  Some of the sprinkler systems for the fire safety are old (1960's), a few large rooms are finally getting air conditioning/heating, and they are painting/redoing locker rooms. And probably one of the biggest projects is for pouring concrete in the temple! AH! He says the workers (all members & dressed in white jumpsuits/sneakers) are always praying because things still go wrong, but because of their inspiration/carefulness, etc. miracles happen. Pretty cool. 

"Eclipse" Celebration! On Wednesday, I will "pass" at about 8 weeks on my mission, which is also how many weeks left Sister C has on hers. So we are celebrating (after we get home and plan of course) our passing. Kind of fun!

Missionary work-wise:

The work is so good.  It is so hard though too. I'm really tired, and my brain hurts sometimes from fatigue. I wonder sometimes how much more effective I would be if I had the same capacity as I did back in college, (from enough sleep/naps/less time on my feet etc.) as a missionary, because so often I just can't even think clearly because we're just going all the time, teaching all the time and walking, all the time.  But then, answers come, every single time you pray and ask a question.  This morning in my morning prayers (at 5:40am, because we had to do our laundry... haha), I asked why that in my prayers for better concentration and energy (so I could be a more effective servant) weren't being answered. I expected that I would receive the energy and concentration that I needed!  That made sense to me. Then a missionary and I were talking and I realized that the Lord answers our prayers, and that His ways are not our ways, but instead is the better way.  Because I'm tired, because I can't think clearly, I am forced to rely on the Lord.  I am forced to only respond with the promptings of the Spirit.  I am forced to go where He wants me to go & talk to the people He wants me to talk to because my decision making skills and thought processes are slowed or fatigued.  The Lord is making me a better missionary because I have to rely on Him.  This is HIS work, not Sister Fisher's.  If He wanted Sister Fisher to better do His work her way, He would grant me those things that I wanted, the way I wanted.  Instead, I am being a better missionary, a better servant of the Lord, a better person, all because I am relying on Him.  It is so easy sometimes to rely on our own arm or strength, knowledge, abilities, experiences, wisdom and talents. But the work and our lives are much better when we have to rely on Him.  I believe that is why we have trials. Trials either turn us towards God or away from Him.  Only relying on God will we find joy, peace and happiness and the ability to do those things we need to do.

It reminds me of an incredible missionary from the Book of Mormon:  Ammon....

 Alma 26:11-12 "But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.... Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

 So as for my usual gospel insights, here are direct clips from Preach My Gospel, from the Christ-like Attributes section p.115, on, that are ultra important definitions about words/qualities we think about all the time.  They changed the way I viewed so many things:

Hope

Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement. The scriptures often describe hope in Jesus Christ as the assurance that you will inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom. President James E. Faust taught: “Hope is the anchor of our souls. . . . “Hope is trust in God’s promises, faith that if we act now, the desired blessings will be fulfilled in the future. . . . “The unfailing source of our hope is that we are sons and daughters of God and that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, saved us from death”

Patience

Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the ability to do God’s will and accept His timing. When you are patient, you hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and hopefully. Patience is related to hope and faith—you must wait for the Lord’s promised blessings to be fulfilled. You need patience in your everyday experiences and relationships, especially with your companion. You must be patient with all people, yourself included, as you work to overcome faults and weaknesses.

Humility

Humility is willingness to submit to the will of the Lord and to give the Lord the honor for what is accomplished. It includes gratitude for His blessings and acknowledgment of your constant need for His divine help…When you humbly trust Him and acknowledge His power and mercy, you can have the assurance that His commandments are for your good. You are confident that you can do whatever the Lord requires of you if you rely on Him. You are also willing to trust His chosen servants and follow their counsel…The opposite of humility is pride, which is condemned in the scriptures. To be prideful means to put greater trust in oneself than in God or in His servants. It also means to put the things of the world above the things of God. Prideful people take honor to themselves rather than giving God the glory. Pride is competitive; those who are prideful seek to have more and presume they are better than other people. Pride usually results in feelings of anger and hatred, and it is a great stumbling block.

Diligence

Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing the Lord’s work. The Lord expects you to work diligently—persistently and with great effort and care. Diligence in missionary work is an expression of your love for the Lord and His work. When you are diligent, you find joy and satisfaction in your work. Do many good things of your own free will (see D&C 58:27). Don’t wait for your leaders to tell you what to do. Continue until you have done all you can, even when you are tired. Focus on the most important things and avoid wasting time. Pray for guidance and strength. Avoid anything that distracts your thoughts or actions.

Obedience

Obedience is the first law of heaven. It is an act of faith. You may sometimes be required to do things you do not completely understand. As you obey, you increase in faith, knowledge, wisdom, testimony, protection, and freedom.

 My assignment to you all (I know this is a long email, but many of you are about to go off to school and I wanted to include this assignment before you do) is to pick one of these you struggle with (with their new definitions/more clear applications) and work on it.  Find scriptures (Preach My Gospel has a lot in this section) that will help you study them, and help you find examples in the scriptures that you can learn from, and outcomes of what happens as their attribute is strengthened or what happens if it is not.

Clearly, from the above mentioned, I am currently working on Patience.  I thought I was a patient person, I don't easily get upset, I'm fairly easy going, I don't really worry.  But do I emanate the quality/characteristic as defined by that definition? No, I want the Lord to answer my prayers when I want it, how I want it, etc. and yes I am getting anxious and it's hard for me to wait. But as I strengthen my faith and knowledge, it will happen.  

The church is true. By the way, L's coworker was a member and he gave her a blessing and her son too, and it was an incredible experience.  The Priesthood is real.  It really is the power of God on earth today. Wow.  I will never get tired of her saying "wow" to the doctrine we teach her on the phone.  Highlight of my day! Anyway, I love y'all.  I gotta run. It's so great being here, but I miss y'all too.  Good luck at school and work on an attribute!

Love,

Sister Fisher

PS:  Did you follow my challenge and have family scripture study this last week?  If not, there's always next week!!!

PSS:  I loved this talk I read in the July 2012 Ensign:  "A River of Peace"--go read it!

 

July 31, 2012

WEEK 6 ---So much work, joy, love, faith and moving forward and BECOMING!

 Dearest dearest FAMILY and friends!!!

 I sure love y'all.  Thanks for all the notes/letters/etc.  They mean THE WORLD to me.  I will try and respond to them all today... I know I am really really behind.

So I went on splits this week for half a day so my trainer Sister C could have a training meeting, and one of the sisters I served with is Sister H from Taiwan.... who asked me if I knew an Elder Fisher? Which I happened to, which she said that he served in her home ward when she was still home.  So HI!!! from Sister H! :)  And I feel so so so sorry/glad for all the Mandarin speaking sisters here on Temple Square because they are giving Mandarin tours, LITERALLY ALL the DAY LONG.  It's insanely busy (but in a good way).  We take their information and give them a mandarin Book of Mormon (which we constantly have to order because we give hundreds away every day) and tell them we'll call them.  Which we don't because we cant proselyte in mainland China.  However, we take their information and keep it on hold, for one day when the country opens up.  The work will move insanely fast there.  They are SO prepared and want the gospel!  Pray that all the areas in the world that aren't opened up will be opened- okay everyone?

As for sleep/rest/fatigue...  It's getting better! I have energy, and when I get 8 hours of sleep and really work out for 30min and really follow the white handbook and am obedient, when I'm tired, I just pray and tell Heavenly Father that I have been exactly obedient and that I need energy to be able to function, and BAM. I can stay awake. I might have to read while I'm standing up, but I'm willing to sacrifice.  Sacrifice is what brings forth the blessings of Heaven... which sounds great to me! But honestly I feel a lot better. I've really sunken into the groove and habit of the mission.  I'm great! (I did sleep talk the other day and say in my sleep "So, tell me about the Second Coming"--- the sisters I live with were DYING laughing)

 Speaking of miracles/blessings of Heaven,we have had many of those this week:

Leah, our Jewish friend from last week, has made some amazing progress! (ALL IN 13 DAYS!)  This week we told her about Priesthood blessings for her son and herself.  (Her son is dying from cancer) When we taught about that, which she told us that a coworker already asked her if she wanted one, and who she believes is LDS. We prayed all week that that would be true. I was so nervous!

 Yesterday night, we called her and she told us that her coworker IS LDS and that the coworker and two members of the ward came to their home on Friday night and gave both L, and her son (who has cancer) Priesthood blessings.  

She said that it was an experience like none other. She said that has prayed before many times, but she had never felt that immensity of peace and calming feelings like she felt during the blessing.  She even told us later after Sister C asked an inspired question, that she had felt the presence of her parents and husband, who have passed away, and that she sincerely felt that the impression she witnessed was for her 'to keep on, in this path, that this is good, and that what we're teaching her is right'.  She proceeded to tell us about how her coworker's brother died on his mission when he was 21, and how her coworker told her that he is just preaching the gospel to people on the other side. She told us that she felt that her coworker's brother, or at least someone else, was teaching her husband and her parents in the Spirit World the same things she was learning from us here.  

The only thing holding her back right now is the fact that it has been only 13 days since our first lesson with her, and that she wants to make sure that the immense peaceful and happy feelings actually last and are real, which I can respect. What a neat experience for the Lord to let us be His hands for.  She was my FIRST call I made in the mission field after I was so scared.  Sister C and I said a prayer and then Sister C counted down, 5,4,3,2,1! And then I just did it --- I called Leah, and VOILA!  The Lord blesses us when we are obedient.  He really does fill our mouths with the words to say! The thing she is really praying for this week is whether Jesus is the Christ.  Please pray for her.  I know she will get an answer!

 Another miracle is that Sister C's progressing investigator T from Tennessee got BAPTIZED on Saturday!!! We were praying all week that his son would be able to get work off so he could go to the baptism.  Saturday morning his boss said yes, and T's son was able to be there too!  T is so on fire with the gospel- it is a beautiful sight and he just strengthens me with his enthusiasm and even more inflamed love of our Savior Jesus Christ. He told us that his baptism felt like a chalkboard, all the chalk marks literally being washed away and him feeling like a brand new board again.  What a beautiful analogy.

We've taught so many other people.  It's amazing.  My favorite part is hearing their first uttered prayer. They are so beautiful, full of faith and sincerity. It's amazing.  The work is so hard, but so worth it!

Besides teaching all the time here on Temple Square, I also get to do something pretty cool- talk to members all the time and learn from them and their families.  

I met this amazing family who has a 9 year old boy, 12 and 13 year boys.  They read the book of Mormon every school day all year long every school year, and when they finish they do something as a family to celebrate the end.  They scream the last word "amen" down a roller coaster, or around a huge tree in a national park, or up a water park ride etc. every year. The boys knew their scripture stories, the 9 year old read a verse for us, and they were so spiritually interested, polite, responded to our questions and gave incredible insights.  They glowed with the gospel!  In contrast, while I was working at the Beehive house this weekend, we took a family around who had a 10 year old, 14 and 18 year old.  They were nice, but the kids weren't interested in what we had to say, not responsive to our questions, and just looked pretty bored.  When we asked the family what reading the scriptures has blessed their family, every single child passed the buck, and didn't respond besides shrugging their shoulders.  Then the Father of the family responded "Well I guess that means we should read the scriptures more often.."  I seriously was able to see in the results of members the importance of the little things.  The little things are what converts.  I saw the sacrifice of a family that read a chapter every day with their kids, no matter what their age, and the difference that made as a result.  THE HUGE difference it made. HUGE! My challenge for everyone who reads this (that's what I'm going to do with my future family) is to start now, and not miss a day, reading a chapter with your family every day from the Book of Mormon.  Even if they're really young and cant pronounce or read any of the words and you have to speak it and them repeat it.  IT IS SOOOO IMPORTANT! I was stunned. 

Obedience is essential to us.  Obedience is what changes our hearts, allows us to throw off the natural man, and to find peace and joy and confidence in this life! I love this quote from Elder  Oaks:

 "From such teachings [of the gospel] we conclude that the Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts—what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts—what we have become. It is not enough for anyone just to go through the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become."

- Elder Oaks, Conference 2000

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My challenge is for everyone to think how they can be a little more obedient or live the gospel a little more thoroughly today.  What's an aspect of your life that you can change to become more, to become better, and to become a little closer to your potential?  It might be not doing homework on Sunday and just trusting that the Lord will provide.  It might be reading your scriptures daily or writing in your journal more often.  It might be saying more sincere prayers.  Or it might be taking some time to ponder and ask Heavenly Father what you can do to become better, and then just taking 10 minutes of silence and no distractions and see what the spirit tells you. 

 The gospel is true.  This IS His church.  Our God is still a God of miracles! Living the teachings of His gospel will bring happiness, joy, hope and peace into your life.  I know that. I have watched someones' life changed as they have applied it in just the last 13 days.  It's real. It's true, and it can change your life too.  Please pray for my MTC district, L and her son, T and D, and also Sister C to get over the cold she has. 

 Love,

Sister Fisher