Mission Savy : No big deal...

Hey everyone!

Wow... I am just so without words to describe this past week. It was absolutely amazing, one that I'm totally positive I will never ever forget. There were so many moments where I would be in the car, or walking down the street, or inside planning where I would just grin to myself and think "this is real life! I'm a missionary! How is it possible to be this happy?!" It just keeps getting better. :) There were some pretty funny moments this week. There's never a dull moment when you have Sister Pearson as your companion. Hahaha The crowning awkward moment was being cornered in Good Food Store by a man claiming to be Jesus Christ...ohhhh man. He showed us his ID and everything! He very sweetly invited us to be a part of the 144,000 people he is inviting with him to California to camp in tents and worship him until the world ends. He also said that we were saved and would go straight to heaven. Thanks friend. Hahahaha

But here's the deal. Time is going way too fast. I swear I hardly blinked and it's Monday again! I think I have the drive from Missoula to Helena just about memorized now. Between moving, driving, and meetings the actual missionary work in our area has taken a serious blow. But it'll build again. :) We had a pretty cool miracle on Thursday. We were eating dinner with the Kemmer's (pretty much the cutest old couple you'll ever meet. Life goals.) and this crazy hailstorm came out of no where! The hail was marble sized and it was pretty intense! So, this meant we couldn't leave dinner when we had planned to and also couldn't have our next lesson outside the church like we had planned, so we called May, our next appointment. We were planning on giving her the gospel principles book she asked for and also inviting her to take the lessons. We called, and she agreed to have us meet at her house instead! YES. So we go over there and ended up meeting her husband. She seemed very nervous about what he would think, but he sat right down and fired off a few questions. They are
both from China. Ray has a Christian background but religion is pretty new to May. (That's right. May and Ray. Reminded me of Nate and Kate;)) We invited them both to read the Book of Mormon and attend church and also meet with us. They were immediately on board for the first two, but decided they needed to chat with each other on meeting with us and progressing towards baptism (Apparently we're pretty scary?) but anyway, it was just super cool to teach a FAMILY :) May came to church this Sunday, and Ray is planning on coming next week :) I feel strongly that they will get baptized :)

Okay okay okay. So. Meeting Elder Christofferson. Such a sweet experience. He has the kindest eyes of anyone I've ever met. The spirit that came into the chapel when he came in was absolutely electrifying. Elder Evanson and Elder Soares of the 70 were also there and spoke to us. They talked about obedience, and working with ward members. :) Elder Christofferson did a question and answer session. It was funny to see him as such a real person! He was cracking jokes left and right! Here's a few quotes.

"Your mission president and his companion are from an area settled by pioneers that the church is still thriving in. We also settled Las Vegas...but then we lost control."

"We [the apostles] hope that we don't ever embarrass you!...and we hope that you never embarrass us!"

"It's a wonder God lets us touch anything"

*flipping though his scriptures* "I hope this verse is still where I left it! They tend to jump around on me"

Hahaha :) all joking aside though, Elder Christofferson answered a lot of questions I had. Ones that I never even verbalized! I came away from it all with a better understanding of what it means to "teach repentance and baptize converts."To teach repentance essentially means to teach about the atonement. We can only teach that by testifying of our Savior. That's what it all comes down to. Understanding who Jesus Christ is, what he did for us, and what we can do to apply it and make it count in our individual lives. I KNOW that Jesus Christ lives. I know that he has called a prophet in this day and that prophet is President Thomas S. Monson. I know that through the atonement of Christ we can be healed of any hurt, sin, or weakness. Through our belief Him we can "with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." :)

At the end of the meeting we sang "Hope of Israel" and WOW. It was powerful. The chapel was almost entirely full of missionaries singing "See the foe in countless numbers, Marshaled in the ranks of sin. Hope of Israel, on to battle; Now the vict’ry we must win! Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right; Sound the war-cry, “Watch and pray!” Vanquish ev’ry foe today." It was soooo cool :)

Makes you want to stand up on a wall like Samuel in the Book of Mormon and shout the message of the restoration to the whole world!

Whata week. I'm just loving every second. :) Be happy and work hard!

Love, Sister Fletcher