Still in Elko...

Hola family!!

So still in Elko! By the end of this next 6 weeks, I will have been here for half of mission!! Yay, yay! 

This week was crazy!! We had another Sister with us and she was getting transferred so we had to make sure she and the area she was serving in was ready for elders to come. It was crazy! We got to meet a few of the people in her area too and man, I almost wish we were covering both 4th ward and 3rd ward. 

David was one of the people we met. He is southern and boy is he witty. Kind of flirty, but really looking for God in his life! Funny story, he got Sister Purcell blushing so bad by winking at her. We were all busting up. On a more spiritual note, as we taught him more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ he accepted the invitation to be baptized when he comes to know these things are true. My heart was pounding because he already knows, he just expects a certain level of perfection from himself before he makes covenants with God. 

We had an amazing discussion with S. last night at the Goulding home. It was girls only because it was on the Law of Chastity, but it wasn't awkward teaching it at all. We sat around the kitchen table and just talked. There was laughing and the spirit was there teaching everyone. I felt like I learned a lot more about that law as we discussed it. I am so excited for S. to be baptized. Mostly, I am excited that she is excited!!! We love her to pieces! She is already thinking of serving a mission! She's great, great, great!!

Being a missionary is an emotional roller coaster! I feel super bi-polar a lot of the time! I love it though! There isn't anything else I'd rather be doing at this moment, than serving the Lord. I know that I am a child of God and that He is won't put me through anything that I can't handle! 

I love ya lots! 

          Sister Fish

 

Transfer DAY!!

 

 

 

This is Pam, her daughter and Grand baby.  The Elders in our ward taught her and she invited us to her baptism this past Saturday.

 

 

 

Haole Girl!

So... How's it going?! This week was incredible. The Lord allowed Sister Purcell and I to accomplish miracles this week. He must love us or something! We heard from our zone leaders last night and (long pause) Sister Purcell and I are both staying in Elko! We are so excited that we get to be here for S's baptism in March and to continue working in this area! I cannot believe I have been here for 7 months now. Whew. Long time. Who knows if I will ever see any other part of the mission.

 

Elder Miller who has been here the whole time I have been here, went home this week. Sad face! Elder Brito (his comp) is getting transferred as well!! So we will be working with 2 new elders for at least the next 6 weeks!

We have another sister with us until Wednesday because her companion finished her mission and left on Sunday evening. Sister Harmer is awesome. She is so bold and her testimony is strong too. She is as sweet as cake! 

So S. is doing so well!! She went to the Thompson Family's baptism this week and loved it! She felt the spirit so strongly and was almost in tears. She cannot wait for her own baptism! She has been so prepared by the Lord and isn't letting anything get in the way of joining Christ's church. We love her so much!

During the week we were able to meet a part member family. We went back on Sunday to meet the whole family! Brother Brandow is Hawaiian and is actually from Sister Purcell's home town, Laie!! It was incredible because they were able to talk about so much! We talked a lot about families and how the gospel blesses them! Oh man was the Spirit thick! I love being able to feel the spirit so strongly! It was seriously incredible!! 

We met a guy named Patrick on the street. Boy was he ever a sassafras! Oh my goodness. It was hilarious! And he wanted to show us a tattoo on his arm, but you could tell he was deciding the best way to reveal it to us. He was going between just rolling up the sleeve and taking of his shirt. Thank goodness he just rolled up the sleeve! Sister Purcell and I were laughing so hard after. Who knows he could've been pretty ripped under all those layers! Too bad we'll never know!

Sister Purcell is incredible! Seriously I learn so much from her all the time! I love her to pieces. I have learned a ton about Hawaii from her. I am a haole! (That means I'm white). Surprisingly, we have met a lot of Polynesians and so I've learned a lot! It just goes to show that the Lord is mindful of His children and that we are in our town/city for a reason! 

I know I say this in almost every letter, but I truly am grateful for all the love, support, and prayers! I love you all and so does the Lord. He knows you and watches over you. Everything happens for a reason and we are on this Earth to experience the most happiness.

I love you all so stinking much and miss ya like crazy! Sorry it's kind of short this week! Today has been way crazy! 

             Sister Fish

We went outside Valentine's morning and found boxes of chocolate on our ca! Hooray for the single life. Happy I have a companion and love serving a mission day! 

 

 

The past transfer...

Sorry I have been the worst at writing a weekly email this transfer. It has been crazy out here! Thanks for all the love and prayers everybody! They help so much!!

So the past few weeks a lot has happened!! We were given a new investigator! Literally given. A member called us and told us that they knew someone who was super interested and that they need us to teach her that very night. S. is 18 years old and so prepared. She is already planning on serving a mission. She hasn't even been baptized yet. She is awesome. This past week in a lesson, she prayed and bore her testimony. The spirit was so strong. I was beaming the whole time she was talking. She is going to be baptized on March 15th! 

Last week was not so fun. It was actually really sad. Two of our investigators dropped us. They told us they weren't interested anymore. What makes it so disheartening is that I know they've felt the spirit testify that this Gospel is true. We were depressed for a few days, but now we are up and going. We know that people are being prepared to receive this gospel.

We are working on finding new investigators and less-actives to teach. I don't think I've ever prayed this hard in my life! Sister Purcell has taught me so much about the importance of praying till bad feelings go away and that it truly is communicating with God. Prayer is real because God loves His children, and like any good father, He wants to hear from His children. 

We had Ward conference this past Sunday! It was incredible. The speakers were definitely inspired. They talked all about the importance of family home evening, family prayer, and scripture study. If there has been one thing I have learned so far, it has been that strong families are based on learning the gospel together. So my challenge to you all is to start doing daily family scripture study and prayer! Read a section from preach my gospel daily too! Read these things right after dinner if you have to. Find a time that works for your family.

Transfers are next week! We get the call on Sunday Feb. 16th. We'll see what happens. It is less than likely that I will leave because I am still training Sister Purcell, but who knows what the Lord needs us to do. 

                    Much Love and Lots 'o Hugs!!

                                  Sister Fish

Sister Bringhurst and I on exchanges Friday, Feb. 7th

 

Birthday Pictures

Birthday Pictures!!