From: Jessica Fisher [mailto:jessica.fisher@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Transfer 9, Week 5: Spanish, Spanish and more Spanish

 Dear Familia,

Look at the title of the email. Yup, that's what happened this week :)

I learned how to pray in Spanish, and a few sentences. It's been good. 
 

We've seen some awesome miracles too. (Besides the miracle of working internet, haha. Which is why I'm writing you this email on Tuesday because our Zone Leaders told us to, because the internet wasn't working in Burlington yesterday....)

M, this precious old lady whom I adore from Honduras, she received a Priesthood blessing on Monday to bless her stomach, because it's been really hurting since her surgery. She has great faith and loves Jesus Christ, and we just knew a miracle would occur. And it did! We read 1 Nephi 13 with her and her daughter on Friday and she told us that she feels much better and it hasn't been hurting her. 

 Then when we were visiting another cute older lady who is a member, her nonmember grandson just popped in right as we were about to sing her the song and pray with her. He had lots of questions and he became a new investigator! What a blessing! And even though one of our families we had to drop, we gained 4 new ones.

When we were trying to contact some referrals this week, we got lost (as usual... haha), but this time it was for a reason. The Lord was preparing someone to be outside to receive us. We asked for directions and then asked if we could share a message and she said yes! We taught about the Restoration in Spanish and she loved it all and really felt like a lot of those things described her. She's had a lot of hard things in her life, and has lost a few young children and loved that infants don't have to be baptized to be received into the Kingdom of God. 

It was interesting because I still don't understand much Spanish, but I do know how to recognize the Spirit. In a different lesson this week, as we were teaching it, I felt like we should talk about Joseph Smith's brother A passing away, and so I mentioned it in English of course, and Sister A just kind of looked at me bewildered and then said "We were just talking about that. How did you know?", and I just shrugged my shoulders and we both just smiled and realized that the Spirit prompted us both to talk about that. Neat to be the Lord's instrument in His hands, even if I can't speak hardly any Espanol! :)

 

One of our investigators talked about how she had all of these terrifying dreams, usually one every single night that would wake her up and scare her, about the devil. We talked with her about Priesthood blessings. We then felt inspired to talk about how the Devil tried to scare Joseph Smith as well, as he was praying in the grove of trees, and told her that darkness cannot exist with light, that the darkness has to leave when we pray to the Lord for light and comfort. We promised her the same thing, that if she read her Book of Mormon and prayed (we showed her how to pray in Christ's name to Heavenly Father), that the dreams would have to leave too. So she did, and she says that this week the dreams have been much, much better. 

Welp... we've had a lot of experiences this week. There's just too much to write. Those are some highlights of things that have happened though. Thanks for all your support, prayers and love. It means a lot always.

There was a great member missionary who told me how he invited a friend to a church activity (may we all be like him). He said to them, "don't be offended if we invite you to church/to another activity please. We just want everyone to be invited. It's just what we do." I liked that a lot. And his friends weren't offended either, once they knew that he just wanted them to be invited. 

 Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Fisher  (Hermana Pescadora) 

 

 

From: Jessica Fisher [mailto:jessica.fisher@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, July 08, 2013

Transfer 9, Week 4: Fireworks, Missionary's dream come true, miracles, and milking cows

 
Dearest Family and Friends!

WOW. What A WEEK.

We did a LOT of service this week and it was way fun and good to meet people, and start teaching even more. We pulled some MONSTER weeds for a lady who is recovering from back surgery (almost felt like I needed back surgery after we were done)--seriously some of the weeds were like 3 feet tall- Texas sized, we participated in the "Burlington Day" service project with the community helping fill rocks in on a large landscaping ditch by the school, milked a cow (tell Uncle Fred about that-- he'd be proud!) and we sang to cute precious older ladies. 

But the Lord, even despite everyone being gone for the holidays, blessed us tremendously. We had a missionary's dream come true--- we found 9 new investigators this week. Definitely the Lord's hand. It's been the most successful week on my mission. We've taught, and taught and taught. Spanish and English! I love the people in Burlington so incredibly much. I can hardly believe it. I will miss them tons.

 The 18 year old boy is still working towards a baptismal date, but I know that it will be soon. He is so prepared. We had a great lesson with him yesterday about the Prophet and on Temples. 

 On the Fourth of July, one of our awesome Ward Mission Leaders, planned a party with a bunch of our investigators that night, and invited us to come. It was great socializing with them and befriending them even more, in a less intimidating environment. We then enjoyed watching all the young men/boys running around lighting fireworks off and guessing what would happen for each one.  

Too many miracles almost for me to count this week. But one thing I did learn that really rang true to me, was something Brother D (one of our ward mission leaders) said in one of our lessons this week. He asked "What does it mean to pray all day- or have a prayer in your heart all day? It means we text message God all day long. We have a constant conversation that lasts going back and forth. We send a message, and we wait for His response. We receive his "text" and then we answer back, and so on and so forth." 

I really liked that analogy. That is what we ought to do. Ask questions, and watch as the Holy Spirit guides us through the day and we receive the answers, and we speak back and gradually become even closer and closer to our Heavenly Father. 

 Someone said two other quotes in Fast and Testimony meeting yesterday too: "There are few things in life that are as important as developing good relationships." I know that that is true. That's where our lasting- eternal- joy is found. And our goal should be "to go to Heaven, and take as many people there with us as possible!"

 That's my goal. We don't even have to be set apart missionaries to achieve that. We just do it one day, one handshake, one hug, one text message, one phone call, one meal, 10 minutes at a time. But God teaches, lifts and loves us all one by one. That's how we do it too.

I love you all. Hope you enjoy my Wyoming-ite pictures too!

Love,

Sister Fisher

 From: Jessica Fisher [mailto:jessica.fisher@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2013
Transfer 9, Week 3: Ola!!!

 Well Howdy all y'all!

 
Sister A from California is my comp, a bright, fresh, excited, perky, energetic 19 year old who is Mexican and speaks fluent Spanish and English. What a blessing for this area. They have been praying for a Spanish speaker for months (it doubles our teaching pool). And she is the right one for the job. We have seen so many miracles already. She's on fire, especially because she was actually AT the missionary broadcast meeting, because she was in the MTC then! Haha!

Our first day together had so many miracles already!  People are really being prepared for Sister A. We met with a less active woman who was 9 months pregnant (any day going to have the baby). She has a lot of questions about her testimony, but it was really neat to see how God took the message we had prepared (the Plan of Salvation) and somehow directed it to the topic she really needed to hear. The Spirit was so strong there that I felt like I could cut the air with a knife. I cried, she cried- it was a neat experience. 

 We testified of repentance, and the gift of daily repentance, and daily forgiveness. We shared with them that we're constantly filling our backpacks with pebbles, and eventually it can get so heavy with so many little rocks, that it feels almost just like a big rock, or a big sin. We promised them that if they would repent and ask for forgiveness everyday, that Christ would take that burden that they have, so they don't have to bear it any longer. We don't have to carry everything that we've ever done. 

What a gift our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have given us. We can repent daily and release the pressure of that weight. We don't have to hold onto it. We can let it go daily and be made free, and be given the power and energy and even desire to be better and do better, and in the end, be happier, every single day. The true miracle is we saw her at church yesterday, and she gave us a BIG HUG and had tears in her eyes. 

Speaking of tears. We were supposed to have a baptism this weekend of the 10 year old boy. But it just didn't feel everything was right. We could tell that we just needed to start meeting with the less active mom because she would be the key to making sure he stayed active and his testimony grew. We talked with the Bishop and he said he felt so relieved because he felt the same way. By the mouth of two, God says, He will establish His word! (and work!) So this week we went in the backyard, no one else around, and the mom with many hard things in her backpack, just let it all out--- lots of tears. We discovered that she did have a testimony, but that the test part of the word "testimony" was what was so difficult at the time. She agreed that she wants to change her life around and be happy. She's in her late 20s, 4 kids, going through family challenges, might have cancer- aka- life's been a real challenge. She wants to be happy again and we promised her that as she puts God first again, and does everything we tell her to, that He will be there and strengthen her to be able to handle the challenges and adversity she faces. Pray for her please. She agreed to take the lessons with us!

 This weekend went to the distant town of Meeteetse (we hadn't been there in about 3 or 4 weeks) that actually has a few more people than Burlington. We stopped in to see a less active, and my bold, full of faith companion asked the non-member husband, B, to turn off the TV and invited him to listen to our message. (Not something I probably would've been able to do) But what might have offended someone else, was EXACTLY what this man needed, a push and persistence to show we care. His 16 year old son, W, was also invited to come learn, and we taught the Restoration. They had so many questions--- like "well how can I trust what anyone says when all the preachers I've listened to, are hypocrites" and "how do I even know what the Bible says when there are so many different ways to interpret it" and "Why did God spare my life 3 times?" and "how could God create us in His image unless He was human", and so so so many more. Every question he said brought a bigger smile to our face because we knew that this 22 year old and 19 year old girl from Texas and California (us) had the answers to his questions. 

 The 16 year old told us afterwards that he was super impressed because no one has ever lasted that long with the questions his Dad has. We testified to him that this is because there is a prophet called of God on the earth again today, who asks God questions and gets answers, and we have those answers today. As we shared the Restoration, gradually B didn't have as many questions, and became really quiet by the end of the lesson. They invited us back over next time, and we're excited to share with them more. Keep them in your prayers that their hearts will continue to be softened and that the spirit will testify of the truth of our message in the follow week as he ponders on what we said.

 On the way back from Meeteetse, we had a lesson scheduled at 8pm and we rushed there. We shared about baptism and about the Plan of Salvation with a young mom and her 10 year old. She was too tired to come to church the next day, but J, (the 10 year old) ran to us and gave us a big hug before we comprehended what happened (we're technically not allowed to receive hugs from males on our mission - even young ones, ha!) 

 Then, on day 4 of sister A's mission experience, we were asked to speak in church and also give a missionary fireside for the youth, and teach a lesson to T(who is 18 and a miracle as well- he's doing so great and is scheduled to be baptized on July 13), and meet with a less active man who also wants to change his life (he actually ended up calling us too! another blessing). BUT, it all turned out good! We were exceedingly blessed!

 BUT one of the coolest miracles of all, was we were in the only store in Burlington (a small convenience store) when we started talking with the cashier. She asked us what we do here in town. We shared with her about how we share a message about Jesus Christ with people and do service. She said "so do you go to everyone's house? Why have you skipped mine?" We just looked at each other and looked confused. She said defiantly, almost offended, "Well we want to hear your message, too!" And with the first reprimand for not knocking on someone's door and not sharing the gospel with them on my mission, we set up a time where we could stop by and she'd be home. It was hilarious! We're excited to meet her. 

 Well that's the general recap of the last few days of insanity. We've been so blessed. Thank you for your prayers, letters and support! Love you all!

 Sister Fisher

 P.S. Happy 4th of July!!!!! (And Happy Birthday Dad!!!!)

 

From: Jessica Fisher [mailto:jessica.fisher@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013
Transfer 9, week 2: Potluck, sheep, a baptismal date, and fiddling

 Family and Friends!

 So Transfer calls happened, and the verdict is...........

I don't know. I haven't heard yet. Hahaha. I'll shoot y'all a message when I find out. Trust me, we're dying here to know, too.

Besides that exciting news, we enjoyed preparing for the community monthly potluck here. I was on exchanges with Sister G here in Burlington, and it was neat to see how inspired this work is. One of the less actives (our most difficult one to reach and talk with about the gospel) that we visited owns a bean company and apparently isn't doing so great right now. Usually the wife talks the most, but this time the husband talked for like 2 hours. Sister G is remarkably intelligent and is going into plant engineering and wants to become a plant breeder. She was telling me her concerns lately about not being able to relate to people very well here in Wyoming, and it was a tender mercy from the Lord for her to be in Burlington, and for this less active couple. Turns out a plant breeder is exactly what his company needs. (And apparently right now there's only like 3 or 4 of them in the U.S.)

 Literally he offered her a job in 3 years to come back after she finishes her doctorate and engineer a new type of bean for them to grow and sell. Pretty awesome. They really hit it off and the less active couple really opened up to us and invited us back. She said how neat it was for her to see how the Lord really does put us in the path of those people literally prepared for us to teach and relate to. I really know that's true, and it was neat to see in this case.

We went around the town in between teaching appointments and tried to knock on doors and invite them to the potluck on Friday. We had only one Spanish invitation left and we said that the first Spanish family we saw we'd give it to. Right next door to our last appointment there was this precious family washing their car and listening to Spanish music. I had Sister G in her broken Portuguese (she's a visa waiter for Brazil) talk about the potluck and gave them the invitation. We couldn't tell if they were excited for it or not. 

Friday whirls around and guess who were all there? The entire Spanish family. They told us in the English they had that they really enjoyed it and thank you. That was neat to see! As the potluck dinner started to fade out, one of the brothers who knows that I play violin, brought out two violins and insisted that we fiddled together. HA! It was actually pretty fun, and it was my first duet without any sheet music. We played hymns, tried to play some Spanish songs that those people might enjoy that came who had a language barrier (interesting how music and the spirit are the only two things that can be understood without any language barriers), and some folk songs. Good experience.

Another miracle was one of our dinner appointments this week. They called us on Tuesday and told us that their nephew was coming to dinner that night and that he has lots of LDS friends, is finally 18, and wants to learn about the gospel. We taught the Restoration. It was really powerful. He said that he felt the Spirit (or the feeling of warmth and comfort) "throughout the room". It was actually one of the most spiritually strong lessons I've had on my mission thus far. He agreed to be baptized! It's neat to see, that even though we do our best here, and we have 4 wards in an area of less than 800 people, that even despite the odds, people just keep popping up, and since missionaries have been in the area we have a baptism every month. 

We're still working with the 10 year old and 8 year old to be baptized this next week, pray for them and that their mother's heart will continue to be softened. They passed their baptismal interview, are really smart, know it's true, but we're just waiting to see if she'll still allow them. 

 Another cool miracle, was when we were down in Cody (the nearest "city" and place with Walmart) to pick up an antibiotic for me (it's just Sinus Infection #2 for the mission..... hahaha me and colds are just not friends I guess), when we were in Walmart, we met one of our investigators (She's the one who just turned 15 and had her Quincenera) who we were thinking about dropping because she just wasn't keeping commitments. She ran and gave us a big hug and told us how badly she wanted to go to church last Sunday but couldn't because her Dad needed her to do some translations for the car mechanic, but that she will be there on Sunday. And she was. It was a blessing because we just didn't know if she still wanted and was interested.

For everyone who attended the Fireside Broadcast last night- wow. It was inspiring. Clearly the Lord is hastening His work in His Vineyard. As those thousands of missionaries on fire from the MTC sang, I felt a surge again of the incredibly strong spirit of the MTC. Wow. The spirit really does fill us with hope, goodness, light, life, energy, power, excitement and love. So anything that is opposite of that- despair, frustration, evil, darkness, confusion, lethargy, lack of motivation, lack of enthusiasm, hatred, melancholy-ness, and fear do not come from God or the spirit. Remember that. 

It a lot of ways I'm super excited to get off of my mission and be a missionary as a member again. Wow- there are so many new ways and experiences that you can have with the people you already know and love and work with, and don't have to stop loving and working with them after being transferred- what a blessing! 

 But don't get me wrong. I love being a missionary. I love being a part of this force for good!

I love you too!

Sister Fisher

From: Jessica Fisher [mailto:jessica.fisher@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013
Transfer 9, week 1: Yikes- has it really been that long?

Dear Family and Friends,

We had an incredible Mission tour this week with a member of the Seventy who blew our minds away- Elder Arnold.

At first it was just the mission leadership that met with him and he spoke very candidly to us all. He told us, "As the leaders are, so the mission goes."  And he's right. He told us that we must be more obedient now. We have to get up on time. We have to have our studies be effective. We must plan wisely. He told us that from this time forward we have a clean slate to be better.

 

President Mecham said something that won't leave me... "I don't care how you started your mission, but I do care how you finish, because that's what matters."

Amen. This is a gospel of change and of doing better and trying better and becoming better. It's just like our lives. If we start good, but end bad- it didn't matter that we started good. 

We've got to just keep trying and repenting each day, recognizing those small things that caused the spirit to leave us, those priorities that weren't as important, the way we might've handled something- how we could've done it better, seek forgiveness from our Heavenly Father, and use the enabling and redeeming power of Christ's Atonement to make it all right and to heal us and give us the strength to do better next time. Quit hashing the past, move forward and accept Christ's power to purify us. 

Elder Arnold in the whole mission tour spoke about obedience:

 Consecration (giving up our will- the only thing we have to give to God)

Sacrifice (giving up our selfish needs and interests and turning towards other's needs)

Obedience (overcoming our selfishness and obeying God)

He told us that happiness comes as we obey, and greater joy comes from when we sacrifice what we want for something better, and the greatest joy is when we completely deny what we think we want, and ask God what we should want or what we should do. And we end up as we consecrate ourselves and our lives to His plan and His will, coming out with so much more than we started with.

But it has to be out of our own desire. Obedience by love, not by the whip. 

He spoke on the Atonement and Repentance.

As missionaries we talk about it.

But do we believe it?

Do we apply it in our own lives?

Do we really fully and honestly teach it?

I really humbled myself and had an incredible spiritual experience as I followed this counsel. I recognized somethings that were holding me back from being happy and being better and being an even more successful servant and I asked for forgiveness. 

I exhort (just as the Prophets in the Book of Mormon did) you all to go to a quiet room, a place you won't be disturbed, and just think through your life the last month or so. Bring a notebook to write on and something to write with.

1. Just pray and give the Lord an inventory or account of all that you've done, all that you've wanted to do, all the intentions and desires of your heart as well, and pray for forgiveness, and ask to feel peace and strength to be better, and that those things will be made alright.

2. Pray for the Spirit to direct you to pray for the things that God wants you to pray for, but don't end the prayer yet. Take out your scriptures if you need to, to have the Spirit there even more and show your humility.

3. Start writing down all the thoughts and feelings that come to your mind. It may be pretty scattered at first, but eventually you will notice that this will expand your ability to recognize and receive revelation straight from Heavenly Father.

4. Ask if there is more.

5. Ask if there's any changes that needs to be made to what you have written down. Then close the prayer and do what you have received.

It was an incredible experience for me. (For more information about personal revelation, see Elder Bednar and Elder Scott's last conference talks from the last few years-- this is where the steps are from)

I know that our Heavenly Father is aware of all of us. I know that He loves us, and He knows the intentions and the desires of our hearts. He knows our thoughts. He wants to guide and direct us, but we have to let Him. We have to do as the scripture says,  "be still, and know that I am God". Jesus Christ is our helper. He will help us with the burdens we all carry. He will comfort us and cry with us, and He will also rejoice with us too. We are not left alone. I know that. He is on our right hand and on our left, with His angels round about us, to bear us up, just as my plaque's scripture says (D&C 84:88). 

This work is true. It has the ability to make bad men good, and good men better-- to make sad people happy, and happy people even happier. 

I love it.

 Love,

Sister Fisher

 

 

 [mailto:jessica.fisher@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013
Subject: Transfer 8, Week 6: Leadership Council, Sheep, Milking Cows, Helena, and a new Bishop

 FAMILIA!!!

 Aloha from the paradise island of Wyoming.

What an insane week. Tuesday we had Zone Conference, and then the next day, we drove up with the Thermopolis, WY Zone Leaders up to Billings that night in preparation for the Mission Leadership Council (the new Zone Leader Council).

However, that was not the end of the road trip. The next morning we all met outside the Mission Home to drive in a large van at 4:30am, to the central spot of our mission in Helena, Montana. But it was a great experience. I loved driving and seeing the beeeeautiful country of Montana. Beautiful place sheesh!

 But wow. The Leadership Council was one of the spiritual highs of my mission so far---- the MTC, going to Goshen, the first performance we did at Temple Square, singing for Mission President's Seminar, teaching L, and a few select tours, and this Leadership Council are the tremendous spiritual experiences that stand out in my mind to me right now.

 It was a long meeting--- 8am to about 4pm, but incredible. We broke out into smaller groups to discuss problems in the mission and gather ideas and solutions to them, prayed for revelation, and watched as the revelation came. It was neat to be able to hear President Mecham (incredible man) talk to us openly and frankly, and sometimes bluntly, and hear the straight out truth of the gospel. At one point he said something that sends shivers up and down me just remembering "You are closer to deity than you think. I hope your prayers are so humble and sincere, that you dare not look up from praying to see the Savior standing near you, because your lack of worthiness to see Him."

There were some incredible comments made. I was able to provide a unique look into the mission from my newness, and from the Temple Square aspect that I could bring into the situation too, but for the most part I felt like I was taught by these incredible leaders and missionaries.

The Zone Leaders that we rode home with have so much faith and love of the gospel. They have inspired me to be a better missionary. They talk about their investigators with so much love. They talked about promising a nearly blind lady a blessing of sight if she would have the faith that she could be healed, and we talked about D&C 84:65-73, which are the signs that shall follow those who believe and basically "missionaries" who exercise great faith. Verse 69 says "In my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf." These great Elders spoke about how they knew without a doubt that God had the power through their hands and worthiness and authority to command this woman to regain her sight.

 Those two days were the refreshment and encouragement and inspiration that I needed. As President Mecham encouraged us to all "recommit ourselves to our missions today, to recommit ourselves to the Savior." I promised myself that I would recommit myself to exercising as great of faith that I had at the beginning of my mission, and recommit myself to repent every day, to recommit myself to believe and to do, and to eventually become all that my Heavenly Father wants me to be.

 I also got to see a neat thing take place yesterday in one of our wards. They called and released a Bishopric. The Stake President said something that I will never forget. He was close to the area Seventy who covered their stake and kept in touch with him even after he had been released a few years ago, after he had been a member of the Seventy for 25 years. He told him that "my new calling is teaching the 14-15 year olds, and I love my calling." Can you imagine? 25 years of working with the brethren and being a member of the Seventy, and this man says with absolute faith and all energy of soul, that he loves his new calling? It was an incredible attitude and really testified of the point the Stake President was trying to make. Callings come and go. People serve left and right. But the most important thing is not *WHAT* they are doing, or necessarily *HOW* they do it (although that is very important), but *WHO* they are serving------- the Lord, their Heavenly Father, and their brother and sisters around them.

 Not just because of Father's Day this upcoming weekend, but my father has shown me how to serve the Lord. It is because of his example of serving the Lord, and serving his brothers and sisters, that I have a perfect example in my own life about always doing the WHAT- or whatever we are asked, exactly HOW we are asked, but always remembering WHY he does it. I love him so much. I get teary just thinking about him. He is a giant of a man, and someone who I look up to in every way. He's one of my role models. Thanks Dad for not just what you do, but who you are. Happy Father's day. (And also Happy Birthday to his son [who will soon be a father too] who turns 25 the same day!!!---- HAPPY BIRTHDAY JRRRRD)

 I love this work. I love the people here in Wyoming and will forever feel love for them or even just the mentioning of the name Wyoming. I love Burlington, Otto and Meeteetse. I love the Gospel. I love being a missionary for the Lord Jesus Christ. I love my Heavenly Father too. I am so grateful that He loved us all so much, to send us here to earth away from Him because He wanted us to become all that we can be. I am so grateful that He loved us so much to send His Son, Jesus Christ to overcome the mistakes and weaknesses we would all make.

Express that gratitude to your earthly Fathers and your Heavenly Father this week.

 Love you all,

Sister Fisher

 

[mailto:jessica.fisher@myldsmail.net]
Monday, June 03, 2013
Subject: Transfer 8, Week 5: Cows in gardens, a Quincinera party, new investigators!, and pea pods
 

Hola Familia!

What a week.

I just wanted to share a funny experience that happened to us. We had volunteered to do some service for some members, but we weren't exactly sure what we were doing when we signed up- haah! When we pulled up to their house she told us that she needed help getting the cow out of the garden. That was pretty funny. Then we actually helped plant her garden with her, with all sorts of seeds--- pea pods, potatoes, onions etc. Felt pretty Wyoming authentic doing that!

Another neat thing is we have a few investigators now! Miracle really- because most everyone is already LDS! Haha.

We're teaching an 8 and 10 year old, a part member family, and this precious girl who turned 15 this weekend. She's Mexican, so she had her "coming of age" party this weekend and we were invited along with most of the town too. We really wanted to go so that we could meet her parents, who she needs to seek their permission to be baptized, so meeting them was important.

 

The interesting thing was how extravagant this party was. Decorations, tons of good food, everyone was all dressed up, there was music, she was in this gigantic dress, hair done, nails done, there was a choreographed dance, everyone matched the color of her dress, a big cake- the whole shabang. But there was one thing missing that really surprised me. I saw her smile only once the entire party. She was not happy, even though the whole night, the whole party, all the attention was on her. In the world's eyes, this should be one of the most happy memories of her life. But it didn't seem to be. She told us the reason why she wants to learn more about the church is because all the people seem to be so happy. She loves how she feels in one of her LDS friend's home with their loving and kind family there. All of that was more important than all the pizzazz, the sparkles, the bling, the attention etc.

I know that this is the case in all of our lives. I love the people here in Wyoming in this tiny little town. The don't even have a gas station here in town. There's no shopping, or movie theaters, or arcades or whatever else people do for a good time, but everyone is so happy. The families are so close and tight together. It's because people have nothing else to do, so they just spend time with each other. But ironically, so many of them go off and live in other places wanting to get away from the small town, but then end up coming back and settling down here for years and years because they love that too.

 
There's something we're missing in the world we live in of now, fast, bigger, brighter, newer, cleaner, funner (pardon my grammar), louder. All those distractions just take us away from the very things that bring us joy in life. I know that these things are true.

 On another note, here's a great quote from my mission president here:  "When the Lord says He will tell you in your heart and mind, he doesnt mention that oft times the voice you hear sounds like your own voice. No matter how you receive revelation, the Lord expects you to act upon it."

Wise counsel from a wise man.

Write down the thoughts you have, the feelings you have. They are encouraging you to be the person Heavenly Father needs in His plan today, this minute, this hour, this day, this week, this month and this year. It's a glorious plan. And I know that as we follow those impressions He sends to us, we will find more joy and happiness in our lives and families, both the recipient of the revelation, and the receiver of it too.

 I love this work. I love this gospel. I love the Lord.

And I love you,

 Sister Fisher

 PS Thanks for your words and support. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.