Friday, February 08, 2013
Transfer 5: Week 5!!!
Aye Yih Yihhhh!!!!!!!
(as all the Latina sisters say)

Hello dearest family and friends!

Wow the transfer is almost over. It's terrifying. On Monday we'll find out what's happening for my 6th transfer--- the middle of my mission. EEEEEEEKKK!!! 

Also this week was a week of miracles.

Cool thing. Remember last week we met M? The guy from Texas?  Well we called him last weekend and we were going to talk about the Word of Wisdom and right as we talked about it and read the scriptures about not drinking or coffee or smoking etc.  He told us that he just felt like he should do that after the first time we met him.  AND HE QUIT SMOKING since his visit at Temple Square!!! Wow.  It's amazing when the spirit just works through people what they feel and the changes they automatically make.  He said he realized after he was at Temple Square that he wanted to smoke more than he wanted to read the scriptures and that that wasn't right. So he threw away his last box and hasn't smoked since. Wow.   Awesome miracle.

 I also met an amazing lady named L who read "The Mormon Way of Doing Business" and has began to change all of her life because the book impressed/inspired her so much. So cool. She now wants to go to church, already gave up alcohol, and scheduled the missionaries to come over tomorrow and we will call her then and share more about the Book of Mormon then. Wow. Such prepared people!!!

Other cool thing--- we had a zone activity at a Senior Couple's sister's cabin.  It was so beautiful and peaceful and was a nice retreat for a few hours.  As a zone, we ate waffles and watched Lion King.  There's a quote from Mufasa that is so inspiring and I wanted to include it here.  President Monson actually has used it a few times in some talks too!

Imagine it coming from your Heavenly Father. Referencing an exchange between Simba and his departed father, Mufasa, from Disney’s movie, “The Lion King,” President Monson said, “Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become. Remember who you are.”

He continued by saying, “You are a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father. You came from His presence to live on this earth for a season, and to live in such a way that you are an example of the believers and a true light to the world.”

“Just think of how much good can come to the world through our collective lights and let the gospel radiate through us,” President Monson said.

And now I will include the rest of my 38 pieces missionary advice of what I've learned so far on my mission (continuation from last week’s email):

#21 The Holy Spirit doesn’t testify or confirm every truth every single time to us, every time we need a pat on the back reassurance, or just for ‘maintenance’.  The Spirit confirms things or testifies of truth when we need it to.  If we always have a confirmation, then it is not faith, or trusting in what we have felt before. (D&C 6:22-24)

#22 At some point, you will be backed up to the wall of faith and there must make a stand: because you will never have 100% surety or proof or “a perfect knowledge.” If there is no room for doubt, there is no room for faith.  Choose to believe anyway. (Alma 32:21,26)

#23 The sun will come up tomorrow.  Even the darkest nights or storms always end with sunlight. It may seem hopeless right now, but that is because the miracle is right around the corner.  (D&C 103:12, D&C 78:18, D&C 61:36-37, D&C 58:2-4)

#24 Your purpose is to invite others unto Christ, no matter where they are on the path. They could be in the middle and you just help them come to church, or at the very beginning and you help them feel God’s love for them, or they could be at the end of the path, prepared over time for you to lead them into the waters of baptism. All parts of the path of conversion are equally as important. You fulfill your purpose even when people decline or accept the gospel. Your purpose is to just help each child of God that He puts in your path get to where they need to be on the path to conversion, according to God’s plan for them.  (D&C 101:16, D&C 88:41, D&C 64:31-33)

#25 The Gospel is true and it truly works.  Every part and piece of it is true.  It is the solution to every problem of all races, genders, ages, cultures, family situations, addictions, orientations, questions, weaknesses, doubts, or limitations any child of God faces.  The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is the solution to all the problems the world faces.

#26  Your best is different every day and in every circumstance. Don’t expect to fly as high and fast in stormy weather as you did in the sunshine.

#27  “There’s no growth in your comfort zone, and no comfort in your growth zone.” Allow the Lord to burn that dross in you - that excess imperfections. Let Him refine you and burn out your impurities. How does He do this? Through the trial of our faith, the fiery furnace of affliction and trials and difficulties that stretch us. (D&C 122:7-9, 1 Peter 1:7, Isaiah 48:10, 3 Ne 24:2, Hymn #85 verse #5)

#28 It’s a lot easier to work hard when you see results in other’s actions or ‘evidence’ of your hard work.  It’s a lot harder to keep going when you don’t.  Try hard and work hard anyway. (D&C 121:7-10, D&C 103:12, D&C 98:2-3, D&C 64:31-33)

#29 Let the Spirit, your logic, wisdom, and perceptions, and your investigator’s reactions determine how long you keep working with them, so you can keep moving forward and find those that are prepared and ready to progress.

#30 Be the result of your decisions, not your conditions. (D&C 58:26-*28)

#31 When the Lord withholds answers or guidance, it is because He trusts that we will make a “just fine” decision on our own. Confirmations of our good choices come later, after we act.

#32 Service/Leadership positions in the mission aren’t a statement of “How good a missionary you are”, but are only the place Heavenly Father needs you at the time to accomplish His plan (which most often includes you, growing and developing).

#33 Even the most horrible problems can all be fixed or cured after a prayer, an oreo, an expression of love/gratitude to your companion, and a good night’s sleep. (Matthew 8:24)

#34 Coincidences are when Heavenly Father chooses to be anonymous. If you meet them twice, it is not chance.

#35 When you don’t want to, are too tired, depressed, angry, sad, mad, frustrated, sick or glad prayer is always the answer.

#36 Testimonies are found in the bearing of them. Testimonies come and are strengthened as we testify of those things we hope to be true that are then confirmed to us as we act on our faith and testify of them. (Jacob 4:6) the Spirit often waits until you are bearing testimony before it confirms.

#37 Because each child of God is different, Heavenly Father has a unique and different plan for each child that may include or exclude certain opportunities or experiences, but is perfect in the fact that it is formulated exactly for what that child needs to obtain exaltation. Don’t complain that your life is different or harder or whatever than “so-and-so’s”, and don’t ask “why me?”. Trust in the Lord.

#38  “The testing that a wise Heavenly Father determines is needed even when you are living a worthy, righteous life and are obedient to His commandments. Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain. When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help?”- Elder Richard G. Scott   https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1995/10/trust-in-the-lord?lang=eng

Love,

Sister Fisher

 Friday, February 01, 2013
Transfer 5, Week 4: Wahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

We had two really awesome miracles this week:We taught a man who has lots of LDS friends, who is non religious himself, with a Jewish background (of course… I always meet Jewish people or Baptists) who had a problem with prayer, we found out later.  He wanted to see what we believed.  We told him about the Restoration and how Joseph Smith asked questions, and we all  must too and be willing to pray about them and will receive an answer.  We then taught about a modern Prophet and apostles today, and at the kiosk, he randomly pushed President Monson’s picture to hear a snippet from his last General Conference talk.  At first, I was really nervous because we had no idea what snippet or from what talk it would be from.  It was neat because this was a clip from “Consider the Blessings” = THE ONLY TALK IN CONFERENCE directly ABOUT PRAYER.  It was so cool to see how inspired and how the Lord teaches His children exactly what they need, not necessarily what we the missionaries had planned to teach. 

I had a man from FLOWERMOUND randomly come up to us at the desk on Sunday.  He’s 24, and has been listening to the Book of Mormon on tape in his truck as he’s been truck driving around the country.  He’s ready to leave it all behind and change.  He said, “I want to give it all up. All that I have, am, everything. I want to quit truck driving and do whatever God wants me to.”  He wants to be baptized.  He knows the Church is true.  He wants the Priesthood and an eternal family.  He told me the story of how he was led to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:  At one point, he knew he needed to change and that he wasn’t happy.  He prayed and told God that he would do whatever He wanted him too, but he wanted to change his life, but didn’t know what church to go to.  He asked that God would show him where to go and what to do, and that he would be lead to the right church.  THE NEXT church he found on the road that Sunday was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He’s awesome.  So prepared.  We’re going to teach him over the phone and see miracles happen for this young man who has such righteous desires.

The other thing that I wanted to share, is something that I have been really thinking about lately.  It is 38 pieces of Advice that I have learned about missionary work for other missionaries.  I know that it still applies to any other member’s lives too.  Here are the first 20 things of what I have learned so far on my mission:

1.       The answer to every problem, concern, or doubt you have is this:  “Forget yourself, and go to work.” You didn’t come out here to think about you, anyway.

2.       Forget about your concerns, weaknesses, or insecurities- focus on your investigators and companion.  You didn’t come out here to think about yourself anyway.

3.       We may need to drop people (from our call list if they don’t respond etc), but God never will.  People all have their agency.  But God has a plan for each one of them to come back to Him. (D&C 138)

4.     If they want to argue, walk away or hang up.  You won’t and can’t prove anything to them because the converter is the Spirit- not you, and the Spirit won’t be in a place of contention.  (No matter how many Bible verses you can give) see D&C 43:15, 10:63, 18:20

5.       As long as you think about yourself, you’ll be miserable and as long as you think about others you’ll be happy.  (see Mormon 9:14)

6.       Assume the good and doubt the bad in your companion. If they annoy, frustrate or offend you, you probably don’t understand where they’re coming from or their point of view or intentions.  They came out here for the same reason you did.

 

7.       Everything that your trainer, companion or leader says to you (or Mission President) aren’t meant to pick on you, but instead shows how much they love you and want you to be a better missionary than they were. (D&C 121:43)

8.       Don’t waste your precious time wondering or worrying if the Spirit is with you, - just do it our say it anyway. Because He is with you.  We get kinda numb to what feeling the Spirit feels like because it is around us 99% of the time all day long on our mission here.  We recognize it when it changes or leaves. (D&C 121:46, 99:2, and 3 Ne 9:20)

9.       Whatever the reason or excuse, be obedient anyway. (no matter how legitimate the excuse may be)  It is not worth Heavenly Father withholding a miracle from you.  It doesn’t matter WHAT the Lord or our leaders as us to do or obey, but instead that we are willing to do it. Obedience isn’t about the action, but about the attitude.(D&C 82:10, 130:21, 6:20 and Mosiah 2:41)

10.   Make the sacrifice (sleep, time, eating whatever) and write in your journal anyway. (It’s the way you record the Lord’s hand in your life, and when you record it, you recognize and remember it, and He is more likely to bless you again)

11.   Your leaders aren’t and never will be in this life perfect, so don’t expect them to be.

12.   God doesn’t want you to be an exact copy of your zone leader.  He called YOU on a mission, and all He wants is the best YOU that you can be (not 100 clones of your District Leader).

13.   Preach My Gospel is perfect. Use it. Don’t dilute the doctrines in there, TEACH them.  It’s important to personalize lessons, and teach people- but we must still teach lessons. That is what will convert them. (The difference between being someone’s counselor and being their missionary is whether they keep commitments or not.)

14.   Happiness is a choice.  It is also a commandment. (2 Ne 2:25) It’s really hard to teach the Plan of Salvation, or the Plan of Happiness if you are not happy yourself.  (Come what may and love it. Smile, especially when you don’t want to.)

15.   It doesn’t matter who says it (your companion, the investigator or the member), as long as it gets said. You don’t need the credit.

16.   Saying what you want to say isn’t as important as companionship unity.  Backing up, clarifying, illustrating or testifying or giving a commitment after what your companion has just said is more powerful than you changing the topic or stating your opinion or how you would’ve said it.

17.   Don’t focus on so many people that you are too stretched, because then  nothin and no one gets affected. (D&C 123:17, Mosiah 5:27, D&C 10:4, D&C 50:40-41, D&C 10:4)

18. . You can only convert someone as much as they want and choose to be. But don’t worry, the Lord does have a plan for them.

19.    The Holy Spirit converts. Not anything you do or say. (D&C 50:17-22)

20.    If you ever doubt something or have questions, it’s okay. Be patient. Your answers will come in their own time and way. (And probably not like the big bang sort of revelation your investigator receives because they need that in order to change their life, you already know and don’t need it. Yours probably will be a still and small voice.)

Well, I’m out of time for today.  The next 18-20 pieces of what I learned will come next week. 

Love y’all so much,

Sister Fisher

Friday, January 25, 2013

Transfer 5, Week 3: wonderful week of weirdness!

 
Hello Family and Friends!

 To answer everyone's question:  Yes, Temple Square was actually closed yesterday because of the freezing rain that caused 100s of accidents across Salt Lake City.  Weirdness.  They never have this kind of weird weather. And yes Mom, I slipped three times (Sister S says it was more...hahah) and my tailbone is bruised, but it's okay  …I'm sure it'll heal.

 When we were at the store last week for Pday, this random lady comes up to us and of course starts speaking Portuguese to us (they all recognize Sister S's flag from a mile away) and gave us her phone number and begged us to come to her house for dinner on a Pday so that her 6 year old son can meet some missionaries. We asked our Mission President--- AND HE SAID YES!!! :) So that was fun. 

 Also, the biggest news on Temple Square is this huge Musical Fireside/concert called "Music From Around The World by the Temple Square Sister Missionaries", put on by the whole Missionary Department in March, in the Assembly Hall.  In my interview with President, he asked about my family, my companion, and then asked me to play at the concert, and that "we are representing the whole Church". Ah. Wow. I don't think I have ever had that much expectations put on me in a performance.  For BYU Music School Juries, who am I representing? Me, my grades, reputation and scholarship. All selfish things. haha. When I have a name tag on and a violin in hand, who am I representing?  My family and the Lord. Wow do I love that.  So it's a big deal.  The Sister Missionary Choir, for those of us that are in it, is our assignment and we need to take it much more seriously.  So yeah. The Christmas concerts were cool, but this is a much bigger deal.   So that's been neat.  Neat to be able to use what I spent my childhood/teenage-hood doing and developing to now help carry out the work. 

It was neat… we had Elder Whitney N. Clayton (spelling?) from the Seventy and his wife come speak to us as our speakers at church on Sunday.  Wow are we spoiled.  It was so neat. Great to hear from them and the Spirit they brought. 

 It was cool because we totally ran into Sister S's old boss in Brazil who now lives in Utah (he's American) who brought his friend from college who is Swiss (I think?) to the Square to explain something. We said hi and talked for a bit, but then had an assignment to bring something to the Assistants, and then it was dinner time.  But Sister S said "No, we have to go get a Book of Mormon and go find them!!!"  So we grabbed a Book of Mormon and went and searched for them.  In the second place, we literally almost ran INTO them.  He was so surprised that we would give him a gift.  We were in such a rush that we had no chance to write anything in it.  But when we gave it to him, he asked, "Is it allowed for you to write your names and the date in the book?"  Oh it is allowed! Then the member (Sister S's old boss) asked if we'd show them the God's Plan presentation. Sure. We can do that ;) 

So all during the God's Plan (a 15 minute movie presentation) while they were watching it, we wrote our testimonies and some scriptures (and our names and the date of course) in the Book of Mormon for them! We testified at the end of everything, and he was very touched.  He said that he would show this to his children because they are still young and have a lot of things to figure out too.  It was cool.  When we run into someone in the world twice, it is not coincidence.  The Lord put us in their path for some purpose. Out of the whole world where they could be, of the billions of people, and you run into them twice by chance? I think not. The Lord works in mysterious ways!

 Another miracle of the week was one of our friends who we are teaching (I like putting it that way, it sounds a lot more natural than 'investigator'-- sounds like a crime scene).  I was about to email her again for the 3rd time w/o response the last few weeks, but then felt like I should call her.  So...I did.  You just follow what your head says because as a missionary, it's almost always the Spirit. Miraculously, she picked up the phone.  She told me that she had dropped her IPad and that it shattered and hadn't been able to get on the internet to check her email in a few weeks, and then she had misplaced our phone number so she didn't have a way to contact us!  And to think we were panicking because we thought some terrible thing caused her to change her mind. Tender mercy. 

The strangest thought for me is that there are only 2.5 weeks left of the transfer, and then I will be in my 6th transfer- which is when people start going Outbound. AH!!!! (But I know that I probably won’t [unless the missionary department says otherwise] because my Mission President assigned me to play in the concert in March). Oh and “Outbound” is when sister missionaries on Temple Square have the opportunity to serve in another mission, by another divinely inspired mission call, usually in other states for 1-3 transfers.  I've heard of people going to California, Seattle, Tennessee, Texas (a sister from Texas last transfer got assigned to another Texas mission..woot!!!) or D.C, or Florida or Mississippi.... anywhere the Lord wants you to be. Exciting and scary too!  We don't ever know until two days before the new transfer at Transfer Conference. You will have a short phone call home, and then you pack your bags and fly out a day or two later! ah!!! :)

Oh.....And.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY Grandma!!

Hope it is filled with joy.

Thanks to all who are still sending me cards and wishes!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!

 Love,

Sister Fisher!

 

 

 

  Friday, January 18, 2013
Transfer 5, Week 2... or 3? I don't even know!

 Well friends and family!

 A crazy week. But awesome one. I just got off the phone with Sister M's investigator who she gave me before she left to go home, who is from Malawi in Africa. What a need experience. He will be baptized soon! Lots of faith even when there is few  members in Malawi!

  I called pretty much my entire contacts. Come on America! They either aren't interested, too busy, or didn't answer... so I will call back later. They don't realize that it's really hot outside and this is the “glass of cold water” that they want and are looking for!!!

Anyway, so we were working hard and Sister S of course was calling people in Brazil, and we get a text, 4 Portuguese at Eternal Families.

We take it. Another absolutely golden family ready for the Gospel and to be a Family Together Forever, and want missionaries in Brazil. 

Wow. It's amazing. Sufficiently humbled. Ready to learn, hearts open and minds too. What a blessing.

It's cool because I speak absolutely hardly no Portuguese at all (except a few expressions in French or Italian that I recognize) and it was neat because in these tours, I just feel the Spirit and sometimes I get ideas and then I start speaking and I bear my testimony and Sister S afterwards says, "That was exactly what was needed for them to hear!"  Neat how that works. Neat to be a part of it and it is the greatest feeling to be able to show someone that “glass of water” that they have been thirsty for all of their life. Wonderful to be able to tell someone that they will see their family again and be with their loved ones forever.

 As events this transfer, we take Youth Conferences, too!

We had a huge Youth Conference on Tuesday and it was really neat and successful.

 You can use this idea and do it in your ward-- it worked really well!

The theme was the Come Follow Me month theme = The Godhead.

 We split the group into three groups and gave them each a member of the Godhead: Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. 

 Then we all worked together and brainstormed and wrote down as many answers or responses or thoughts to the follow questions as we could. It was amazing. These youth, no matter how young, came up with incredible, insightful answers.

1. Who is He (each member of the Godhead)

2. What is His part in the Plan?

3. How, or in what ways does He show His love for you? 

4. How can He help you in your life here on Earth?

5. What experiences have you had with Him?

6. What ways can you better listen what He has to say to you?

(#6 was cool because each group came up with "Stand in Holy Places" which is actually the Church's Youth theme of the year!!!)

Next, the youth came up and presented what they learned.

We all benefited from this experience. It was incredible. 

 I 100% endorse the Come Follow Me new teaching method. It is so much more effective because the youth are teaching, and learning and supervising and working together and presenting! Now they don't wait until they're in the MTC to learn how to communicate spiritual/gospel topics and ask questions and check for their audiences' understanding! They're practicing it at church each Sunday!

 Use this idea in your next Family Home Evening (you could even invite another family or two over and make larger groups) or Youth activity. 

In  some of the chats online this week, I love the one that says "I want to know truth. I think everyone does." 

Yes. Everyone does. They just aren't sure where to find it.  

The last one was so sad to me because they don't know how to hear answers from heaven. They said, "I've learned not to ask questions because I don't get answers...."

That's why there's question #6 in the exercise above. We must be listening, we must be worthy, we must be seeking, asking and doing. That is when we will receive in the Lord's time of course. 

 I love you all. This work is true! Keep going forward each day one step at a time in faith. Listen to President Uchtdorf's recent CES fireside on "Truth". It is powerful. https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2013/01/what-is-truth?lang=eng

 Love,

Sister Fisher

 P.S. Thank you so much for all the letters, packages and support. It means a lot to me and is always a joy. 

 

 Friday, January 11, 2013
Transfer 5: Week 2---- Happy Birthday, Brasil, Brasil, Brasil, Portuguese lessons, and Elder Perry

HELLO Friends and Family!

 Because so much happened I'm just going to type up my journal entry for this.

 Day of Miracles. It started off with our two investigators emailing us and H told us she got the job that we were all praying  for her to get! And the other went without smoking for 4 DAYS cold turkey already! (Which we were also praying and fasting for!)

And then we accepted a Portuguese tour and when we got there, they were the same people we took around the Beehive House on Sunday!! They were so sweet and brought Brazilian chocolate for us :) yum yum! *(and this awesome coconut stuff?)

 It was a nice tour. And next we went to open the Joseph Smith movie in the JSMB and we were so exhausted by the snow and cold and went to the bathroom and on the way out I accidentally (as I was getting my coat on) pocket dialed a random sister missionary and she happened to be at west gate where they get tours and assign them and Sister O came  on and I said "Oh sorry for calling!" and she said "What? You want the 5 portuguese?" and of course we said yes. We didn't even know about it at all. They had just barely receivied it and hadn't texted it out yet!! MIRACLE #1.

 It was a whole family from Sao Paulo Brazil. They had never heard of our Church or anything and they were ALL EYES and asked sincere questions the entire two hour tour we were with them. IT WAS AWESOME. In the middle of the God’s Plan presentation, I looked at my watch and saw that it was 6PM. At 6:30 Elder Perry was coming to give a fireside but we hadn’t set things up for it because the tour went kinda long. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t leave the tour because I had to stay with my companion and this golden family. So I started texting and left the room (I held the door open with my hand so I wasn’t apart from my companera) and called some people but no one answered and I was panicking and then realized the keys to the doors were not with us. Basically just horror. Chaos. Panic. Panic. Panic. And then, just as all was lost, guess who walked by... The only sister missionaries who had the keys, just passing by, talking to no one yet.

They rescued us. They ran and grabbed the keys and started opening up the theater. By 6:15, we invited the family to learn more and THEY ACCEPTED. Miracle #2. A whole Brazilian family of 4 + a girlfriend. They were really touched. Golden family. Then we scurried to the theater to find a microphone and podium for Elder Perry, and miraculously, a working microphone and a beautiful podium, was already there. Miracle #3.

 So we just smiled and acted like everything was under control and waited for Elder Perry to come, and ushered all the people into the Theater.  Oh, and I breathed. J At 6:28, from the entrance, an apostle of the Lord and his wife walked up to us. Elder Perry’s wife is so classy and kind. I shook her hand and then I looked up (because he was very tall) and said hello to Elder Perry and I shook his outstretched hand. The only thing he said to me was, “What worthwhile thing have you accomplished today?” And I was astonished because I realized amidst the chaos and adrenaline in the last 15 minutes, that we had just given a beautiful Portuguese family the gift of the gospel. So I told him,   “We were able to teach 5 wonderful Brazilians about the gospel and they accepted to receive missionaries.”

It was really neat. They went in and my companion assumed that we should go like we usually do and introduce and welcome everyone, but honestly, and apostle of the Lord walked in the room, I’m not going to ssay aaaaaannnnything.

So we closed the doors and put up the reserved sign just for Elder Perry’s daughter (?) to walk up and ask us how to work the microphone, and so we came back in while they sang I am a Child of God, and I walked down and crouched and gave Elder Perry the microphone and showed him how to turn it on and off.  He was so gracious and kind and said thank you. 

And then we miraculously took a couple through God’s Plan presentation, and realized that all our number goals for the day were accomplished. Miracle #4.

Guests Goal = 4, actual = 6

Member Goal = 6, actual = 6

Received Goal = 1, actual = 1

It was amazing. The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Wow.

Love you all, thanks for your support and kind wishes this week!

Love,

Sister Fisher

One year older and wiser too.

Oh, and PS- It's a blizzard here. We just closed the buildings of all the Visitor Centers here for a snow day. Too much snow even for Utah! Like a foot and a half. CRAZY.

Also, just by the way, 141,000 people visited us at Temple Square in the month of December.

And last year, we baptized in this mission a whole stake of people.  Crazy. wow.

 Friday, January 04, 2013
Transfer 5, Week 1: Boa tarde!!!! (Good Afternoon) VIVA BRASIL!!!

Boa tarde!!!! ----Good Afternoon Family and Friends!

 First before I say anything else, 

HAPPY EARLY 22nd BIRTHDAY RACHEL !!! 

(Everyone give her 3 hugs from me- that's an order! )

 As for this week............................TRANSFERS HAPPENED!

My new lovely companion is Sister S from BRASIL!!!!!!!!!!!! We're both in our 5th Transfer and she's an amazing teacher. We already took a tour of Temple Square yesterday in PORTUGUESE!!!

So I'm slowly learning a bit each day. It's fun! (Italian.. Portuguese.... what's next- Spanish? Probably! Or maybe Korean or Russian or Finnish or ASL or Latvian or Tongan or who knows!)

We also moved to a new apartment which is very spacious, so you shouldn't feel sorry for us even though it was 14 degrees F this morning (in skirts may I remind you). 

We live with two wonderful sisters, one from India and the other from Canada. 

We have a new assignment too! I'm out of guest services and we're now the member events coordinators!  So we scheduleand set up and introduce member groups in Temple Square. For example, next week, we have a Stake who is coming and reserving a theater and none other than ELDER PERRY is coming to speak to them, so... yeah we get to meet him too :) Pretty cool. And we get to help host and give devotionals for ward YW/YM groups, YSA groups etc. Pretty neat.

Sister C gets another TEXAN companion and she'll stay in Guest Services. :) But we're both happy and still get to see each other a lot. (we're kind of used to change by now, this is my 6th companion)

 A lot has happened in this short amount of time, but one of the coolest things that happened was this morning. 

 I was calling to follow up with a lady who called in back in November, and I was able to teach her about the Book of Mormon and have missionaries come by and give her one. I never found out how it went and didn't hear back. 

Well today I called in (I called a few weeks ago but no answer) and she told me that last weekend SHE WAS BAPTIZED!!! We started talking more and wow, it's so neat to hear. 

I typed up some of the words she said, because they are powerful!

I asked, "What in the beginning caught your attention?"
She was talking to the missionaries through the screen door (like the third time they came to talk with her through the screen door, she felt this peace and the anxiety just leave them, and she thought gosh I'm just really looking forward to them coming back again). She said it was just the way they handled themselves and she just felt their kindness. 

She said "it was just a miracle that they came to my door while I was having such a problem in my life. And they were so comforting." (they brought that spirit that comforter in) 
She had this feeling that it was just meant to be at this moment at this time! 

When we talked about her baptism this is what she said:

"There's just no words to describe the joy I feel. 
All I knew is that when I came up out of the water, that this was just the right thing to do, it was just right. We sometime have that feeling. It was just a wondrous thing. I sort of felt a connection with Heaven, with my Heavenly Father. Like being at one with the universe, feeling connected with it. It gave me a lot of awareness. It was just meant to be. This was the right time for me.
There's something inside of us, but we're usually too busy to listen. When the missionaries came by I would listen, but it wasn't until afterwards that I would think about what they said and it would stay with me."

It's to hear people talk like this and have this experience, why I am on a mission and why we all must share this precious gift that we have with the whole world. Just hearing her speak filled me with enthusiasm, love and excitement.

 Who is on your mind right now, who needs the gospel to shine a light to their life and bring them hope? 

It could be a struggling member, a friend, a coworker or someone in your class at school. It could be your cello teacher, or your karate instructor from 6 years ago. But there is someone, that each of us knows, who just like this wonderful lady above, who are "having such a problem in life" and NEED what we have. The desperately need this in their life, they just don't know it yet. 

 Now is the time. Don't wait. They need this now in their life. Each moment, each minute is precious. Share with them the greatest gift you have. It's a gift they will be grateful to you for, for the rest of eternity. Don't wait until the next life when they come up to us and say "why didn't you share that with me back then?"

 Sister S and the other sisters at Temple Square would love to call them and share your love for them, and your love for the gospel with them. Please email us your precious friends and family contact information at : askaquestion11@mtc.byu.edu (and say it is for Sister Fisher )

Love y'all tremendously,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 Sister Fisher

 

*SHOUT OUT to Sister Burchett who is going into the MTC!!! She'll rock California! :) Love you and proud of your courage and desire to serve the Lord!

 

Saturday, December 29, 2012
Transfer 4: Week 5! Merry Christmas to all!

 So.....I had a double sinus/eye infection this week. I was put out of work for a few days, but was still well enough to call home (had enough of a voice at least!) and stay up for the MADNESS of Christmas at Temple Square with 180 sister missionaries, Santa Claus (He came!-- it was one of the Senior couples but still HILARIOUS- some of the sisters had never seen Santa before and this was their first Christmas coming from non Christian countries). It was a Christmas to remember. We had tons of snow and it was full of gift giving, gift receiving, surprises, a few Christmas movies, laughter, (some sickness for me...) and lots of love from our wonderful Mission Presidency, senior couples and their families all to help us on our first Christmas away from home. Yet in some ways these wonderful sisters and Temple Square have become home. My home away from home. There's no better way to celebrate Christmas than by wearing Christ's name on your badge over your heart.

Long story short, I haven't been on the Square since Christmas night, and this is the first time out of my apartment since our doctor's visit. But I have an angel companion who has been taking care of me because obviously I can't wear my contacts, so I'm blind and pretty stinking weak because my body is really tired so I've been sleeping a ton, and when I can't sleep, I've been reading Jesus the Christ, which is seriously now my favorite book I have ever read. That's a big deal. I love it so much.

Anyway. I'm feeling cheery enough and feel so 100% different being on the antibiotics in the first 5 hours of it than before. Slowly making gradual progress. Don't think I'm well enough to come back to the square after pday but I'll just take it slow. Sister G told me to as well. This is just the time of year of sickness too. Luckily practically all of our investigators we can't contact because they're on vacation or etc. so being sick really was perfect timing. I'm so grateful for Sister C. She even woke up with me a night ago when I couldn't sleep because I was coughing (we got a cough supressant the Dr. recommended as well yesterday) and just talked to me between the inconvenient hours of 3-5AM. 

Honestly, through this whole process what have I learned this week? How much I love being a missionary. And how much it kills me to not be out there doing the work and cooped up inside and not able to bless other people. How much even this morning, I loved and was rejuvenated and so happy to just greet the people passing by, even though my voice isn't very melodious yet ;). There have been times that I can't sleep when I was sick. But there will always be treasured in my mind of my mission the memories of then going in the living room and bringing a pillow out and cuddling up and reading the book, Jesus the Christ. Wow. I have learned so much about Jesus Christ, and learned to love Him and my Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost even more. Understanding their different but so important roles, and how they testify of each other, and how all of them want our success and Heavenly Father's great master plan of Salvation, of Success, of Joy, of Happiness, the Perfect Plan, is flawless. The only flaw, is our agency. It's our choice. We can follow the formula, so to speak, and follow the Prophets of old and new, and follow Jesus Christ and become everything that we need to become, or we don't. It's our choice. We get exactly what we want. Our choice is the most precious gift the Father gave us of all, and Jesus Christ's whole purpose is to support our choice, to guide to direct, to be the builder of the Architect's great Plan for each one of us to come here and learn, grow, experience, and become more refined and finished. 

 A few interesting things that I have learned from Jesus the Christ about Jesus Christ are these. Jesus Christ was a master of scripture and well read, studied and pondered all things. He learned from all His surroundings and observations from 30 years of reflection before He taught- the lillies of the field, the foxes, the carpenter, the merchant, Pharisee, rich man and poor man, etc. When Satan tempted Him or the Pharisee or Scribe with scripture "it is written", Jesus Christ didn't just come to earth with a remembrance and with perfect omnipotence and knowledge of all, no- He had to study and learn the scriptures and the teachings (including the very words which He, Himself told Prophets like Moses and Abraham) to be able to quote and teach and expound the scriptures. He had the very same veil of forgetfulness that each one of us, the other children of our Heavenly Father, also had. He had the exact same agency that He and the Father so preciously perserved. He could have chosen to do evil, He was capable of it. But He didn't. It says in Jesus the Christ that He grew from "grace to grace" or that He grew from good to even better- but that He too was progressing in life here. He didn't have a perfect understanding of everything that He would do when He surprised the Elders in the Temple when He was only 12 years old- even though He had a very good understanding and inspired questions and comments. He had to prepare for 30 years for His short ministry too. 

 I guess, basically what I'm saying, is that it's okay. It's alright that we're not perfect (or as the Bible Dictionary defines perfect as = finished) yet. Jesus Christ even had to progress according to His age and experiences that He had. However, it's this incredible perfect Plan that I spoke of before that matters. It is that Plan where we receive mercy and justice and are judged according to our understanding at the time of our actions, and that it doesn't matter how far we are along the path but just that we're on the right path. That there is repentance and an atonement that can cover all the unfair things in our whole life, all the things that others do to us, and what choices we make and consequences we chose for ourselves. All things will be made right. Right will win. We must be patient in our progress and not frustrated that we don't understand everything yet or that we still have weaknesses. Our Savior Jesus Christ understood that as well. 

 We must ponder, pray, study and learn and research as well. That is what following Christ's example means right? If He still had to do all of those things- how much more important is it for us to plant the "SEEDS" (Spiritual Experiences Every Day) and weed the "WEEDS" (Worldly experiences every day). 

 Well, anyway, sorry about the ramblings today. Wow do I love this gospel and know that it is true. I know this is the continued revelation and continued teachings of Jesus Christ's church today. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know my Redeemer lives and loves me too. I know my Heavenly Father has a plan for my life and it's a perfect plan, better than anything I could have planned for myself, and I know He has one for you too. Onwards and Upwards!

 Love,

Sister Fisher

 

PS (Thank you so much to all for all the letters and packages. They mean a lot to me and my companion and Fijiian & Mongolian roommates! I will slowly get back to you all... I've been sick.. haha)