Code White!!!

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Guys.

Being a missionary.

SO GREAT.

There are so many things I want to tell all of you and BARELY ANY TIME TO DO IT. This week was the most spiritual, crazy, debilitating, happy, roller coaster of a week! I wouldn't have it any other way though! Just like the scriptures  say-and I can't find the exact reference right now "all things work together for our good" The good and the bad. It all has a purpose. :)

This week started out with MLT (Mission leadership training) in Missoula with two other zones. President and Sister Wadsworth instructed us on keeping the Sabbath day holy and obedience. 8 hours of training. Just on that. I LOVED IT. And I learned so much. The biggest take away for me was how important it is to prepare for the sacrament each Sunday. We were told that as missionaries, we need to be the example of reverence. I was immediately reminded of an experience I had as a young teenager. I had done something wrong -at this point I can't remember what- and I was sent to my room to think about what I had done. I was crying (no surprise) when my dad came in. I was pretty scared for what the fate of my punishment would be. I remember my dad standing at the door and he simply said, "Savanna, you're the oldest child in this family. I need you to be the example for your younger siblings. Can you do that?" I nodded. "Good" And that was that! But that has stuck with me ever since. Just like my Dad expects me to be the example to my siblings, our heavenly father expects those of us who know what we should be doing to be the examples to those who maybe aren't as far as we are in progression of the gospel. SO. On Sunday. I invite all of you to be the example. Sit reverently before the meeting starts and study the scriptures. Think about the Savior. Think about what you can do to improve this coming week. And think about the things you did well. God doesn't want us to be discouraged every time we take the sacrament. He wants us to see the hope we have because of what Jesus Christ did for us. 

Sister Wright and I were able to be there for Robin's baptism on Friday. Man. Those things are STRESSFUL to plan for!!! But so worth it. :)  It was an absolutely wonderful day. :) I'm glad I was able to play a small part in her getting to that day. She cried the whole time. :) We're a lot alike in that way ;) Before she was baptized, Sister Wright and I sang the primary song "When I am Baptized." The spirit came into the room SO STRONGLY. Music is powerful. It invites the Holy Ghost faster than anything. Robin is planning on going through the Billings Temple 1 year from now. Great way to end a mission? I think yes :) 

This weekend was Stake Conference as well as exchanges in Missoula! the 20 missionaries in our stake had breakfast at the Stake President's house Saturday morning. We. Are. So. Loved. Here. I just wish I could do more to help the leaders of the church serving in this area. They are amazing examples to me. If a mission has taught me anything, it has taught me what kind of member I want to be when I get home. It's not enough to just casually dip our toes into this gospel. We are expected to plunge right in- sometimes head first! God expects us to put our all into hastening his work-missionary or not. And technically we're all missionaries. Anyway, Stake conference was wonderful. It was awesome to sit next to Robin as she smiled through the entire thing. :) Ah. The gospel is SO true. :)

WELP! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!

Be happy.

Don't hate me for chopping off all my hair. 

Love, Sissy Fletch

 Sometimes..the dishwasher...

Huckleberry ice cream at the malt shop!

 Yes mom, I'm taking all the thousands of vitamins you sent ;)

And...I got my hair cut. Whoops!

 Exchanges in Missoula

 Polson Sisters. Sister King. Love her. Mtc buddy. We've been in the same area for our whole missions, about 30 minutes apart :) 

Happy happy baptism day!

For the first time in forever....

...I finally feel like a missionary again!!!!! WOOT. Although I've still got another 3 weeks until I'm completely up to par, I feel SO much better. :) We got a voicemail earlier this week from the medical coordinator that made me laugh. "Hi sisters! Just checking to make sure you're both alive and breathing an all that good stuff" haha yep. That's about where we were at. :) I am so thankful for priesthood blessings and prayers. They help so much. I got a lot of comfort in reading my patriarchal blessing, setting apart blessing, and thinking back on ones that I have received since being a missionary. The power and authority from God truly is on the earth again. He is so much closer than we think he is. 

This week was great! It started out with a bit of volleyball with the Ronan Elders and Polson Sisters. No worries mom, I didn't go all out ;)  We got permission to get out and work more this week! Man did that feel good. The people here are so great :) I just love them so much! I couldn't stop smiling when we walked around town trying to track down some less actives. We were missionaries again! FINALLY. :D  We had a lesson with Robin, she's getting baptized on Friday! Since we were sick, we have been teaching her mostly over the phone so this was the first time we actually got to sit down with her in person! We sat in the chapel and she started crying the second we sat down! She explained that she just loved the feeling in the chapel. :) We reviewed the restoration with her. She had a concern about whether Joseph Smith was a prophet. I told her that I was going to share what happen in the first vision in Joseph Smith's own words and that I wanted her to pay attention to how she FELT when I read it. I began quoting the first vision, and tears began to well up in my eyes, Sister Wright's eyes, and Robins. That's the first time I've ever cried telling someone about the restoration. When I finished, we just sat there for a moment. And then Robin said, "How could you deny that feeling. It's true. It's true." I smiled so big it hurt. It's true. It's true. :D Ah. I just love her. We had a lot of material to get through in that lesson so we zipped through the law of chastity, and then asked what she understood about tithing. She whipped out a tithing envelope from her bag "When can I turn this in?" .....WHAT?!?! I was floored. It was so cool. We reviewed the Word of Wisdom with her and she shared that when Janie (The member that she's friends with) explained the word of wisdom, she was a little hesitant. But the next morning when she woke up and started making coffee...her coffee machine broke! "I took that as a sign that God really wants me to keep the word of wisdom. So whatever it is, I'll do it now." SO. COOL. God's hand truly is in missionary work. He was preparing Robin for this time. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.

I'm running out of time. But I wanted to share that experience. It was amazing to look back and see the timing of it all. God loves us SO much and he wants all of his children to partake of the blessing of his gospel. Baptism is the first step, and that will start us on the path to the temple and eternal life. Where are you at on that path? Is what you are doing now helping you to get there? 

I love you all so much. :) Thank you for all the support and prayers these past few weeks. Have a happy week!

Love, Sister Fletcher :)

Breaking News: I got mono from the moose.

 reorganizing the room...again.

Sister Wright lovingly gives the Krantz's dog Sampson his insulin shot. I refuse to. No needles. Ew.  

We do yoga before bed. Well. Sister Wright does, I just kind of...well...sleep. hahaha

Is that...my voice?

 Hey everyone!!!

Greetings from my home away from home! :) Transfer calls were yesterday...annnnnnnnnd...I get to stay in this beautiful place in the Mission Valley for another 6 weeks!!! :D It's gorgeous here right now. The leaves have turned colors and scatter the grass all around the Krantz's home. It's getting cold enough that we have the fireplace inside crackling throughout the day. Hot chocolate is becoming a daily occurrence. Mmmm. I love fall. I love Montana. And I LOVE that Sister Wright and I won't be under house arrest this week! We have both been very sick. And so this past week we were told to stay home and not leave. Not fun. So we have done a lot of sleeping...and studying...and more sleeping....and laughing....and talking funny pictures...and more sleeping...and playing tic tac toe...and more sleeping....and laughing....and cleaning....and SLEEPING. I never want to sleep again. That's actually a lie. I could always sleep. BUT I'm ready to feel like a missionary again. It's time to go knock down some doors. 

I've had a lot to time to think recently. And a lot of those thoughts have circled around why I am here on a mission, why I chose to serve, and why I choose to stay. I know that I came on my mission because God wanted me to. I received a priesthood blessing when I was deciding to serve and was told that "God is leading you to the path that will bring you the most happiness." Through various experiences, I knew that that path included serving a mission. So I packed up my things and headed here to Montana! And it did bring me a lot of happiness! I met people in the MTC that I know I'll be friends with for the rest of my life. And I found a lot of joy in teaching the gospel to those that have lost their way or who were looking for their way. And then it started getting really hard and really not-fun. My companion got sick. And then I got sick. And we couldn't go out and teach. And I felt like a failure and seriously considered if my time here was done. It was simply too hard and too much for me to handle. Looking back, I can see what God was helping me to understand. He knows that being here, serving in Montana, is something that will bring me the most happiness. BUT that doesn't mean it's going to be sunshine and rainbows the whole time. In fact, a lot of it is going to be rain clouds and thunder. So how does that make sense? If I'm here to have joy, why is it sometimes so hard? Well, I'll let you know when I figure that one out. I'm still working on that answer. I have learned one thing though. That through the rain, sunshine, thunder, and rainbows, God is always there and he's always giving me experiences that will help me to become the person I need to be. Right now, that experience was being a trainer, and sick, and not being able to teach. I'm still learning so much from it. Hindsight is always 20/20 eh? 

I can almost talk again!!! Hooray! And my cough is getting much better and I am able to sleep at normal times. :) I have been reading a lot from Jesus the Christ. That book. It's so great. I'm learning so much. My "ponderizing" scripture this week is 2 Nephi 5:27 "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness" What are YOU doing to live after the manner of happiness? I'm finding things to smile about everyday. Like today. I am smiling because I get to eat a huckleberry milkshake. :) haha

I love you all SO much! :)

Love, Sister Fletcher

 

I crashed. hahaha I was definitely sick.

. So much ultimate tic tac toe. We are currently tied. I refuse to play again.

Off to church!