HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

Gueeeeeeeess what? I'll be staying in St. Ignatius and training a new missionary! *EXCITEMENT, PANIC AND MIXED EMOTIONS* The area was split, so Sister Rammell is going to Missoula to be a Sister Training Leader (STL), and they are putting ELDERS in Ronan. That was a surprise!

First off, I am so excited that the area split! This area was SO ready for two sets of missionaries. And I'm even more excited that Ronan will get Elders (those bunk beds aren't going to last long. And the hot pink sheets and cat posters everywhere are sure to be a hit!) hahaha. I'm going to miss Ronan a lot. It'll be good to see the work progress in Mission though! They will get the work moving there in ways that Sister Rammell and I couldn't. We saw the work in St. Ignatius take leaps and bounds this week and I can't wait to continue it with my new companion! She's coming to the best area in the mission. :) I am a little bit scared to be a trainer, but I know it's going to push me to be the best missionary I can be.

I want to tell you a little bit about the people we are teaching in St. Ignatius. We have one lady on date for baptism, E. She's this great little 70 year old lady. :) I first met her my first week in the area. We went to her for referral in the area-she’s related to everyone here. She didn't want to hear our message, but she would send us to family members who she thought needed some help. We did that for about a month, and then decided that she was more open to listening to the lessons. We asked if we could do a scripture study with her one day, she said yes. We continued to meet with her and ended up sharing the first three lessons with her and inviting her to baptism! She came to church this last week. She's the first investigator we've had coming to church in a loooooong time. It was overwhelming for her, but the ward was great with fellowshipping her.

R is another person we're teaching. He is studying the Book of Mormon a lot because he wants to be able to tell people if it's true or not and have real evidence for it. I was praying every single day that I would be able to stay here for a while so that I would be able to teach them. And my prayers are being answered. :) I am here to teach R and his wife S. I know that. And I want to do everything I can to help them receive the restored gospel. 

I am so happy that I've been able to see the work hasten in this area. Sister Rammell has been a great trainer and it came as no surprise to me that she was called as a Sister Training Leader. She is exactly obedient and completely dedicated to her mission and to accomplishing God's purposes. I'll be forever grateful for her example to me and the foundation she set for me on my mission.

I love being a missionary. I love this area. Miracles are happening here in St. Ignatius and Ronan! We saw so many miracles this week. I was brought to my knees in tears multiple times because of how grateful I was to see my prayers being answered! The work is progressing here! The smoke has cleared! IT RAINED! Happy, happy, happy!

Cupcake for Sister Rammell

Drove into the boonies. Literally up the mountain. But we taught a less active!

SUPER intense role play at district meeting. Role plays are REAL.

JobCorp sign- "Mountain Lion sighting on 8/27/15. East End closed til further notice!!! Bear sightings out at Reservoir. No Res walk this weekend.

All the smoke. SO SAD. My mountains were gone!

Where did the mountains go?

I wrote a song today? Are you ready?

Oh where oh where did the moun-tains go?

Oh where oh where could they beeee

With their trees so green, 

and the bears so wild

Oh where oh where could they be?

That should give you an idea of how bad the smoke is here. It's sad :( Hopefully it will rain soon and the fires will get better! Helena was especially bad when we went to mission tour. President Wadsworth walked into the chapel and said "Well, it smells like you all just got back from a scout trip!" hahaha 

This week was crazy. We spent Monday morning in Polson (yes. WE WENT TO WALMART. I nearly cried. First time in 3 months), Monday night in Pablo, Tuesday in Ronan, Wednesday and Thursday in St. Ignatius, Thursday night in Missoula, Friday morning and afternoon in Helena, drove back with the Polson Sisters, had a lesson in Dixon, got caught in a storm when we stopped to get our food in St. Ignatius, lost the Polson sisters phone in Ronan, found it after we prayed, spent Saturday and Sunday in Ronan, and now we're back in St. Ignatius! #thatmissionarylife Sometimes I feel like we are just racing against the clock all.day.long. And we basically live out of Clifford (our truck). But I love this area SO MUCH. I was tearing up during church in Ronan because it could very well be the last time I'm there. :(  #transfersaretheworst I hope it isn't, but change is in the air!

Mission tour was amazing. We got to be trained by Elder Martino of the 70! He's awesome. :) He teaches just like how the apostles do and just like what I imagine the Savior would. He taught the group of 100 of us, but zeroed in on individuals when it was needed. Guess who got picked on? Yep. Sister Fletcher :) I'm counting my blessing that I wasn't the Elder he took by the collar and shook! (Elder Martino is maybe 5' 8" This elder was over 6'  Hahahaha) I learned so much about how to work with the Ward Council and support the Bishops in the wards we are in. I'm so stoked for the work to hasten in this area. Great things are happening. :) Sister Rammell directed the missionary choir during the second block of training. It was PERFECT. :) I'm so proud of her. She's a natural musician and leader. We sang More Holiness Give Me. Look up the lyrics :) It's the best. The spirit was so strong. Elder Martino answered some of our questions. It made me so excited for general conference. :D Take a look at President Uchtdorfs most recent conference address :) SO GOOD! :)

I'm running out of time, so here are a few snippets from the life of Sister Fletcher:

-Sister Martino: If it is to be, it is up to me

-Bear sighting number 3 this week on the way back from Helena. 

-The power went out the other night. I was so excited to whip out my little flashlight. #prepared

-I'm nearly positive that at least 80% of the population here is LDS. The average door we tract into goes like this:

"Hi we're missionaries...*other small talk* have you talked to missionaries before?"

"Oh yeah, a few"

"Oh cool! *begin talking about the restoration* Is that something you'd like to learn more about?"

"Well, I was baptized mormon...so I think I'm good"

*blink. blink* 

"Sooooooo why don't we see you at church?"

*insert lame excuse*

*dodges all invitations*

*shuts the door*

It's crazy. I'm bound and determined to get them to church though. :) Just you wait. It'll happen. 

Love you all so much! :) Be happy!

Love, Sister Fletcher

 Service! We played pick up sticks. Literally. hahaha So weird to wear jeans again.

Sister Rammells Birthday :) Her mom sent a package and we opened it after choir practice with the Elders. :) Best part? NEW MUSIC.

It's super smoky here. :( Can't see the mountains anymore. 

Polson!  I GOT TO GO TO WALMART. I nearly cried. So great. But, I have realized what a sheltered small town person I have become #whatismusic #ahhh As sister Rammell would say "walmart is like a walking disaster for distraction" hahahaha

 My MTC companion and I (Sister Linney!) got to go on splits for a bit on Monday, tracking down people down in Pablo, where the ward boundaries are non-existent.

Most of my MTC sisters at mission tour!

Cathedral in St. Ignatius

Drive back from Helena