Tuesday, Oct 9, 2012

 

Friends and Familia,

 Sorry in advance---Veeeeeeeeerrrrrrry short time today!

Here's an experience we had at General Conference.

We went and talked to some 16 and 17 year old boys about Conference in the North Visitor's Center.

We talked about the new age limit for boys to serve (missions)and if they are getting ready and preparing. As we were talking about it and getting them ready and pumped up about it, a man dressed in a suit came and started talking with us. At first, he seemed really nice and had some good comments, but it slowly started to turn into an argument and his criticism of the Book of Mormon and strange views on doctrine, which Sister L and I had to refute. Normally, when we talk to someone who's only objective is to argue with us about our beliefs and to change our minds and enter doubts of tiny unimportant misinterpretations, we just leave, but both Sister L and I felt strongly that we could NOT leave these boys (who were standing there with us). We could not have this man who's only objective was to destroy their faith. So we continued to talk with him and I eventually felt inspired to ask him straight up, "Why are we having this conversation?" Which he said he didn't know why. We all politely said that we were done discussing with him, and so he left after he finished by saying that our beliefs were wrong and that we were wrong, and he straightway left the Visitor's Center and went out of the Square. It was interesting because during the discussion, I didn't really recognize that he was an Anti and his purpose, but I knew how I felt. I knew that as I talked with him I wanted to argue with him, to prove him wrong, to throw scriptures at him, and to refute his biased statements. At one point , I was so fired up inside (of course I was calm and cool on the outside) that I  had to get a drink of water. Once I left the situation, I realized that it wasn't going anywhere and that both parties couldn't feel love or the Spirit any longer in the conversation. It was not a presentation of beliefs and mutual respect, but instead there were rebuttles etc. I noticed that the teenage boys with us totally avoided the conversation, except for one brave boy who tried to stand up to him and share his testimony, but was cut off many times by the man.

After the man left, we talked with the boys and asked them how they felt. They told us that they did not feel love, that they were angry and frusterated and contentious. I then testified to them that that was because the Spirit had left and that we were all left to our own minds. I told them that I knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that we might not know everything right now and that there might be a few things we don't know, but that we know enough and that God speaks to us through revelation and that the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost testifies to us of truth and cannot be present when there is contention.

It was a powerful contrasting experience, because as I bore witness and testified, I felt the Spirit so strong, I felt burning inside of me and tingles up and down my body. I knew that each of those boys felt the Spirit so strong, BECAUSE of the contrast of how they felt minutes before. I told them to remember how they felt, and that that Spirit is what would guide them through life and on their missions and would testify that the messages shared in the Priesthood Session that night were true.

It was a neat experience.

I also spoke to thousands of people outside of the Conference Center during "announcing"... when (sister missionaries speaking each of the 20 of the languages on Temple Square all speak in a microphone and share basic beliefs and an invitation for people to learn more. I was really anxious at first but I felt comfort and peace and no matter how many times I messed up in the practice, I said it nearly perfect the 6 times for real.

P.S. My new comp is Sister D from AUSTRALIA ( I can't get rid of the Aussies!!! haah) and we have a special assignment half of the time in the office in guest services, scheduling and planning tours etc. I'm excited! It'll be a new adventure.

 

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the messages shared at Conference are true.

I believe in miracles, for I have seen them.

EXCITING TIME TO BE ALIVE and to be a MEMBER OF THE CHURCH!

Love always,

Sister Fisher

(FYI...Sister Fisher mentions General Conference in her blog.  It is the semi-annual Conference of our Church, where we can listen to our leaders' wonderful talks, and hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir also!  Feel free to watch, too.  The Sessions are held Oct 6th & 7th at 10am and 2pm Mountain Time. The Choir also performs on Music & The Spoken Word on Sunday at 9:30am. The live General Conference broadcast will be available from the following sources:

• Conference.lds.org: Video and audio in 16 languages.
• Mormonchannel.org and Mormon Channel mobile apps
• BYU.tv )

 

 Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Transfer 2 week 5: wow... time really flies flies flies-- GENERAL CONFERENCE WEEK!!! AHHH!!! :)

 

Family and Friends!

Wow do I love y'all!!!! Thank you for all the support and letters and prayers.

So time is short (as usual it seems...) But I wanted to tell you about some experiences I've had this week. I love being a missionary and I am so excited!

 One is a story Sister C from China told in her talk on Sunday at Church .It was neat too because I was able to direct a sister missionary choir and it was really beautiful, and it was really nice to use my skills and the thing I have studied all year, and help out with some sisters make their musical number even better.... little did they know that it was actually my major when they asked! Cool experience.

She told of (the then) Elder Monson visiting a mission. He spoke to a missionary from Georgia and asked how his family was. Through the conversation it turns out that he had been out for 8 months and neither of his parents had ever written to him. The tearful missionary then asked "Elder Monson- What should I do?" He thought for a second and really prayed and asked the Lord, what should I tell this brokenhearted missionary who wrote each week to his family like he was taught to. He said "Express your love and gratitude for them, and share some of your inspiring experiences as a missionary with them, and I promise you that before the end of your mission they will write you." So the Elder said he would. Elder Monson came back months later and the missionary approached him and told him this miracle "I did what you told me to do," and then he pulled out a recent letter he had received from home. "Dear Son, Your father will be ordained a Priest soon, and then he will baptize me, and we are excited because in a year we will fly out to your mission and we will all be sealed as a family in the closest temple before you come home." Wow.

Sister C had a similar experience on her mission. No one supported her coming on a mission. Her mom was less active and her dad a non member... in CHINA. She told us she read this story and took the counsel to heart. She said that the miracle was, that as soon as she started doing this, her mother started writing and just a while ago, she found out that her mom regained activity, and that her Dad was baptized months ago, and that she would be flying straight into Hong Kong, where they would meet her in a few weeks as she finishes her mission, and they would be sealed as a family there... forever. Wow.

I just bawlled when I heard this. This is the Gospel in action. This is what it is all about, Heavenly Father blessing all of His children with all that He has in store for them.

 Another experience happened this week that I will never forget. We had a motorcoach of about 47 English from all over the States. We were paired up with a sister from Australia and 1 from Hawaii, and as they were explaining the blessings of the Temple and why the pioneers built the SLC Temple, I happened to look to my left and see none other than Elder Oaks and Sister Oaks walking right behind us. I could do nothing but smile, and Sister Oaks waved at us with a knowingly look. Not one of those people in the motorcoach knew that an Apostle of the Lord, someone who would be speaking for the Lord in a week, just walked in front of them. It was so neat to be testifying and to then see Elder Oaks walk behind us as we taught about the Gospel.

 Another cool thing that happened was we taught the 1st Vision on CHAT this week. So neat! A guy  asked us, "So what did Joseph Smith see?" After we told him about the First Vision, (we can see what they type before they submit it),  we saw the words: "So"......(delete)  "Wow"...... (pause delete) "Umm"... (delete) "So what you're saying is"....   It was cool actually seeing the effect that miraculous Vision had in his mind... actually seeing the processing of the message. Pretty neat.

 AND even though I'm just in my second transfer, I had the opportunity to take some MTC sisters contacting on the Square. My comp was from TAIWAN!!!! (Taipei) Wow, we became close friends already. I love her so much! She has such a bursting testimony and was so excited to share the gospel and it really pumped me up to! Her favorite phrase all 4 hours was "can we go talk to them?" ahah she was great! Her name was Sister Tsai and she will be in the Hawaii Visitor Center. At the end, we talked some more and the unbelievable thing was: SHE IS A VIOLIN MAJOR at Snow before her mission and wants to come to BYU! aaaaahhhhh! :) It's neat how the mission connects you to people you would have never known before and will know/bump into the rest of your life! (especially here where I see 185 sisters each day all day long all the time-- it's a lot of estrogen but it's great! There's no place like it!)

So these are some quotes from Sister L that I'd like to leave you with:

"Times are hard. They will be! But we can choose to make it harder or we can choose to make it a little bit lighter."

"Darkness and Gloom will only be a short time, and then the light will come out again- don't worry!"

"Some say it is raining, so it is going to be a bad day. No!!! You've got your umbrella, and you can still enjoy the rain! And that way, you'll enjoy the sunshine even more!"  - Sister L

 

I love you all. Prepare for General Conference and keep notes, and ask Heavenly Father in your mind "What do I need to change, or do better on, or who can I help?" and then write down all the thoughts that come to mind throughout the talks. That is actually how I received the inspiration first to go on a mission.

 

 ---Sister Fisher

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 

Transfer 2: Week 4 General Conference in less than TWO WEEKS!!!!!

Wow,  where to even start.

So much has happened this week.

We've had an organ demonstration of the Tabernacle organ (got it on video-- no worries Mama),

 

These are all pictures of the organ demostration. The wood and ...are the actual construction on the inside of the largest organ pipes!!! They are all made out of WOOD! :)

 

And we had a special morning side this morning with the head Public Affairs Rep for the Church (who was a news anchor woman for 6 different channels and she taught us interesting things like how to present ourselves as the face of the Church and how to be NICE: neighborly, informative, conversational, and enthusiastic) and we got to watch the Brigham City Temple dedication in the Tabernacle and so many other things.

BUT--- as for the work, which is actually the most rewarding part of all....

 I don't know why, but we seem to run into all the Jewish people that visit Temple Square. A family who lives an hour from Jerusalem, another family who lives IN Jerusalem (with kids who all speak Hebrew = SO SO CUTE), a traveler from Jerusalem asking for directions, a girl who called up wanting to hear more about our Church when I was in the Teachiing Center who happens to be from a Jewish background, and of course L and J (who went to church this weekend!!! YAY!!). Wow. It's amazing. The Book of Mormon really was meant to be written to both the Jew and the Gentile that Jesus is the Christ and as it says in Nephi 13:40 "These ^alast records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall ^bestablish the truth of the ^cfirst, which are of the ^dtwelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the ^eSavior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved."

So cool. Right after the Temple Dedication we taught a lesson on the phone. The Dedication was really neat, the Spirit was there and don't get me wrong- it was memorable. BUT, it was in such contrast to me, because the Lesson we taught we felt the Spirit even more powerfully than it was in the Temple Dedication- it was literally there testifying of the words which we said, and I felt it--the chills up from my feet all the way to my head in a way I can't forget it. The investigator just said "Wow". There are moments which words can't describe, and it's hard for me to hear people, some of my investigators too, who just cannot ALLOW themselves to accept these thigns, and to open their hearts so they can feel the power and the awe too. We have one right now who just breaks my heart because he's not willing to allow himself to accept it, and he himself says is just not happy. It's just heart wrenching. Another, R, was humbled, but now feels like she doesn't need to be baptized or attend church because her life is just fine. She is well aware of all of the blessings she could have, but just doesn't want to do it. She basically flat out said, "I'm just not willing to do it." It is just the hardest thing for a missionary, to love someone along and then teach them, have the Spirit testify, and they feel it too, but they just don't want it. They "partake of the fruit" and turn away.

 Anyway. We were at desk this week too, and a man from TRINIDAD came up to us-- dreadlocks all the way past his waist dressed clearly not from this country. It was neat talking to him! He said something that I won't forget "I have visited all over the world, and I have never been in a place where there are so many people smiling! It's nice!" Wow. There really is something unique about Temple Square.

We were on chat yesterday and we got this chat from this 23 year old in India who's name is Tyril. He wants to learn more but when he self referred himself on mormon.org, the manager had to call him and tell himi that the nearest branch is 2000 MILES FROM HIM. Wow. So we decided that we would call him on the phone and teach him that way. So we did... and we are... and we will be! Wow. There are still so many areas of the world that aren't opened up for the work. Please keep them in your prayers? Ask the Lord to open the areas of the world that are locked right now so that His precious children can find what many of them are searching for!!!

 So, I did learn something from the movie "The Best Two Years," because this week I was in the Vsitor's Center and I heard someone speaking somehting like Dutch (at least what I had heard before from the movie) and so I approached them and said "Oooh Duh Dock Moo Frow.....Moneer!" (pardon the terrible spelling-- there was a woman AND a man!) AND THEY UNDERSTOOD AND RESPONDED!!! WOW! So that was cool. I also got hugged and kissed on both cheeks by about 30 Italians the otther day-- Sister Lui said that's just normal, don't be offended. So... I wasn't haha. I can say quite a few words in Italian now! Bonjourno!!! Sono Sorella Fisher! Ciao!!!  etc. etc. BellisOMO!!

One highlight is when we were taking 8pm dinner one night this past week, we came how to make dinner and Sister L and I sang opera at the top of our lungs... in Italian of course. And hymns in between, too, of course :) I felt very Italian then. Haha.

 The Church is true. It's true. I know it is true, not just by the spiritual experiences I've had but by the evidence I have seen as I see it change people's lives! The Church's stance when people ask what we think, like about the anti-religious broadway musical that is currently out, the Church response is, "The musical may attempt to entertain for one evening, but the actual Book of Mormon will change your life."

That is true. I have seen it (change people's lives).

I love this work. It's a hard but well worth it work.

Love,

Sister Fisher

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 Transfer 2: Week....2? or 3? Don't even know anymore.... time FLIES! Conference in 25 days!!!!

Dearest Family and Friends,

D IS BAPTIZED!!!!

We are super thrilled about that for sure. We've been exceedingly blessed this transfer already. We taught 99 lessons this week. Yeah. That's a LOT of people. Wow. I'm still amazed by that. The Lord really put them into our path for sure. We've met people just this transfer from: the Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Korea, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy (of course), Romania, Vietnam, Hungary, Finland, Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway and China. It's amazing. On the phone this morning I called people from Nepal, who only speak Nepali.... unfortunately we don't have anyone who speaks that here, but there's a small branch in SLC that are all Nepali. I know! --- Who knew!

It's amazing being a part of the work. We're tired, but immensely blessed. I know that each night as we finish by walking up the stairs to our apartment, if I'm tired, then I did good that day. It's so true. Yesterday we had 5 tours in 4.5 hours. We taught constantly for all those hours. Amazing. We had a wonderful man from Georgia and his family who cried and really felt the Spirit as we walked through the New Testament paintings, and then at the Christus statue, he felt the Spirit even more. The other thing that made that tour really neat, was that a recently returned sister missionary (served in the U.K.) was also there and could also support with her testimony and witness all that we said. Powerful for us. The next tour everyone was from TEXAS (woot woot!) and they were just fantastic. That tour was funny because as we went around, more random couples began to just join in our tour to the point where we had 10 people there listening to us by the end.... that's never happened before.

Our next group was a couple from New York (Palmyra to be exact), and next by another group (I don't remember where from), and the others I can't even remember either. In the moment, I really was amazed that I felt the Spirit testify as I opened my mouth, the Spirit really did send tingles from my feet up and shivers down my spine as I stood and declared that the Heavens are not closed, that Heavenly Father still speaks to us today, that He answers prayers, and has a Plan for each one of His children. What an amazing feeling, being able to share truth with people who ALL are open hearts and wanting to know and extremely intent on every word you say. A MIRACLE for us.

The evening was followed by a neat miracle too. When we had the desk assignment (where we stand and greet, answer questions, say goodbye etc. to everyone who passes by) there was this woman who walked in looking a little lost. I said hello to her (luckily) and she told me that she had been recently baptized a month ago. She said that she comes to the Temple each Wednesday morning and so she didn't know why she felt like she was supposed to come here this time on a Monday evening after work. She kept stressing, "I don't know why I'm supposed to be here." For some reason, a small, insignificant (at the time), and very normal feeling thought just came to my mind as she started to walk up to me. I thought, "Maybe she hasn't seen God's Plan" (a short INCREDIBLE 15 minutes video presentation about the family) So I ask her, "Have you seen God's Plan?" and she just looks at me, puzzled and says, "How did you know I'm going through family problems right now?".......... wow is the Spirit cool. So often on Temple Square we don't get to see the end result of following promptings or saying those things which fill our mind as we are the Lord's mouthpiece, so it was really neat to see a miracle this time. Very reassuring.

Thought for the week:

Alma 56:5-9, 39-56, Alma 57:19-27 (in The Book Of Mormon  https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm?lang=eng )

The verses above are the condensed story of the 2000 Stripling Warriors. I think it is interesting that the Lord still allowed them to suffer, trials, afflictions, the loss of blood, even fainting from their wounds---- YET, not ONE of them died. He absolutely strengthens us to be able to do miracles. He does not, however, prevent us from going through trials and challenges (or losses). Yet He still loves us so much. One of my favorite songs says referring to this love of the Father: "Your heart breaks when my heart is breaking, Because You've been down this road before....When You desperately want to rush in and help, You know I need to learn these lessons for myself...Just like a Father would..."

There's a quote given by the head of the missionary department who came to speak to us at our Sacrament Meeting. He said : "I don't know why our Father in Heaven gives one child one set of challenges, situations, problems, strengths, blessings and gifts and another child a different set, but all I know is that Heavenly Father has given us the set that we personally need, to prepare us for our exaltation."

I know this is His work. It's a hard work, but as Elder Holland says, "Exaltation and Salvation wasn't a cheap or easy experience for the Savior - the perfect blemish free lamb, so why should it be for us, or the people we work with?" It is true. The gospel blesses families, improves our lives, strengthens and encourages us to become better. He truly does answer our prayers, and those things which we are concerned about, He is as well.

As the pioneers said in the midst of affliction and darkness and uncertainty: "All is Well. All is Well."

For we know, this life is temporary and that there is a greater plan for us all. All is well.

I love you all so much and appreciate all of your letters, words or support and prayers,

Sister Fisher

More pictures on Temple Square

 

 

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Transfer 2: week 1... miracles, miracles, miracles

Family and Friends,

 I am ultra pressed for time today, but I want to write two miraculous events that happened this week.

D

I don't know how much I've written about him. This was in my 2nd week of the field. He was a 20 year old stopping by with his LDS girlfriend who wanted to come into our God's Plan for the family, while we were taking another family through. He was very touched by it, very choked up. Turns out he nearly passed away a few years ago, but had an experience that his grandfather told him his time isn't yet, but that he still has work to do on earth. So he turned closer to God and totally felt the Spirit that day. We found him sitting on the planters outside, and stopped our busy schedule to talk to him about it, and then had courage to ask him if he'd like to learn more and have us call him when he returns home to California. He did, so we began calling him each week, sometimes multiple times in the week. He received the message we shared each time whole heartedly  He would text back how much he loved his scripture reading that we gave him, and eventually the missionaries came and started teaching him some more in California. Turns out, this Saturday (he told us Friday) he is going to be baptized, and then in a month, he and his girlfriend are going to get married, and eagerly wait until they can be sealed in a year. Wow the miracles. He also looks forward to being able to do the work for his grandfather and many of his other family who have passed on.  His mother will attend church for the first time this Sunday too. The influence of one person is amazing. 

 L

L is my miracle of my mission, and after what I will tell you, you will see that it is the miracle of my WHOLE mission to come too. Her 16 year old son has been dying from cancer, and on Thursday (I found out last night) he passed away. Sister C and I sent her a small package with a CD of LDS songs and some pictures and a card last Monday.  She told us that he died listening to our CD, and that it will be played at his funeral tomorrow. So very humbling. Her 13 year old son told her that M (the 16 year old) wanted to be a member of the church, because he knew it was true. He knew that the Book of Mormon was true and that the things the missionaries taught their mom on the phone (us sisters) was true. J (the 13 year old) now told L that he wants to be baptized because he feels good when they read it and when they pray. He knows it is the religion that is right. 

Then L told us that she wants to be baptized too, because she knows that it is true, she knows the peace she feels from the spirit, and she knows that the Plan of Salvation is true, (this part is what shocked and inspired me because she is originally Jewish) and she now knows that "Jesus is the Christ, and that He is the Messiah." She says "He is the only reason why I am getting through this hard time right now. Anyone who does not know Jesus Christ, GET Him in your life! He has changed me." Very humbling. That was one of the most powerful testimonies of the Savior for me that I have heard. In a year, they look forward to becoming a "forever family" as she is sealed to her husband who has passed, and her children, and also to her parents. She also told me that we came right during the hardest part of her life, and that the GOSPEL is the only thing that could helped her through. They are going to be baptized on September 29. I told her how she was my very first phone call on my mission in the field, and that this truly was the inspired timing of the Lord. Wow is the Lord aware. His plan is a magnificent plan that sometimes is worked in mysterious ways. 

 That is three investigators in one week that have decided to be baptized. And many many more on the other side who will have that opportunity as well. These experiences show how important missionary work is.

 I know that this Gospel changes lives. I know that God is our Heavenly Father, and that His Son Jesus Christ, is our Redeemer and is our Savior. I know that the Gospel brings peace, and vision and purpose into our lives here and the life to come. 

I feel very humbled, and am even more aware that this is HIS work, all I am is in His hands, when I am in tune and listening. These are wonderful children of God, who He loves so much. Could you please pray for L and J, as they go through an extremely hard time? 

 You are always in my prayers.

Love,

Sister Fisher

P.S.We took 5 Italian tours already: "Bonjourno!!! Sono Sorella Fisher!" :) 

 

1st few weeks on Temple Square!