Letter #4

Hello family!!!!!!!!!!! This is a frequent sayin here in TN.. I am serving in a small town called Elizabethton... It is really really small and way southern. I love it. I am sorry I started crying on the phone when I was talkin to you.. I wouldn't have even called, but like the elders made me.. HAHA.. I think that was the hardest thing of the mission.. I am so so focused and it's hard to think about home. ya know what i'm sayin??

Well I got to TN monday night and President Griffin and Sister were there to great us. Sister Griffin was taking pics up the ying yang and then the 3 AP's were there too. Then After we left the air port all the elders and president went in a big van and I went with Sister Griffin in her grandma car. We just chatted and stuff and she reminds me of grandma p!! Whenever I see her I have to have a hug because it just makes you feel good. President has a lil bit of an accent, but she has none at all.

I then met my COMP.. Her name is Sister Allen and she is perfect. She is the best teacher sister missionary I've ever met. I think she has a very high IQ cuz she is like very intelligent and brillant minded. She looks like Jan Brady. haha.. She has taught me SOOOOO much. She told me that she doesn't wannan talk about family or any thing outside of missionary work cuz it distracts her.. So I was like okay I'm cool wit tha.. but a week later I was like.. "OKAY SISTER I do u ever laugh?? cuz I feel like I haven't laughed in a week.. so that kinda broke the ice and I talk about my family all the time ! haha... Cuz that is what the gospel is to me.. the gospel has blessed me wit a great family..So even if she doesn't talk I sure do... That is what keeps me happy an alive.. I try and tell her bout all my weird dates and goof around and tease.. but she doesn't like it.. hahaha...OH WELL..haha... I know that we were put together for a reason and that together we can teach by the spirit and do some great work in Elizabethton and thats why I'm here on a mission...So the lord had truely blessed me.. Good thing I have the elders.. haha.. They keep me laughing that is for sure and keep things goin... We met these 2 girls Emma and Megan and they pretty much thought were were like members of a cult or something.. They thought we were weird.. haha.. They kept asking these questions that were weird.. They kept asking Sister Allen if she had been on a date cuz it looked like to them that she
hadn't.. Megan was like "I don't like looking at your friend.. she freaks me out cuz she looks like too perfect and she doesn't wear makeup".. I was like Oh i'm sory I think it would be great to not have to wear makeup like her.. and she was like "well i'm gonna just look at you and listen to yuo"... I waslike OH MY GOSH how rude.. I thought my companion sister allen was gonna cry.. but luckilyl she is pretty confident about herself and the gospel.. haha..

So we have knocked on a lt of doors and it's so hard but yet really rewarding.. I knocked on this lady's door and she had a freakin mustash!!! HAHA!! I was like wow this is the south.. She didn't wanna talk to us though.. it was pretty funny. I laughed but sister allen didn't.. haha.. We've also knocked on a lot of old men's door who wear no shirts and overalls... (THIS IS THE SOUTH).. they sure do like girls (us) who know abaout the gospel... haha jk.... We had this investigator named charlie and he kept telling me how he has asburgers disease and that's why he is so intelligent.. his main concern was that he didn't believe that it was right that all the people baptizied before the restoration that it didn't count.. we wree like WELL we go to the temple and do their work.. cuz those who haven't had the chance to hear the gospel will still be able to through temple work and stuff.. he still didn't get it.. he then started to get RUDe.. he kept asking me if I dated and if I wanted to.. I was like wel yeah I date.. but on my mission I just teach and I don't date cuz it's distracting..
and i told him after my mission I wanted a family and kids. . but now I'm dedicated to the lord.. It was creepy!!! haha.. Sister allen was like bashing with him and so I was like well let's pray and leave.. cuz this is weird (i thought in my head).... so we dropped him cuz he didn't see the point of us..
I thought I had a testimony before I left on my mission but now I really have a testimony of this restored gospel. I have seen it here in this little town. We have this really cool investigator named Rick and he wants to clean up his life and be baptized!! He has commited to stop smoking by june 28th and be baptized on july 11th... What a stud!! We pray and pray for him.. He has no money and is trying to get on disability and he will lose his trailor next week. cuz he hurt his back and can't work.. He got a suit for church and he came yesterday. He loved it!! he has 2 girls too and they are pretty wild.. but we are trying to work with them too.. I tihnk about that family all day everyday. I love them so much... I think to myself why am i so blessed?? He can't buy his girls a new dress for church, where my dad can buy me one.. I often have wondered why in the world was I blessed so much?? Why can't Rick and his girls have what I have had???? I asked Sister Allen if the ward could help him and
provide the money or something.. But then she gave me this big long lecture of
how this town is really struggling economically and no one has the money to support him in the ward. That really breaks your heart. I know like it says in PMG.. the GOSPEL blesses families!!! I'll keep you updated on his family...
I'm trying to adjust to being a missioanry and its so HARD!! I pray and pray all day that I can have the courage an strength to be BOLD... I'm not homesick and I don't think about my boyfriend (HAHA).. it's just like I don't know what I'm doing.. but I know that it will come with time and I will soon figure it all out.. I have a great teacher (Sister ALlen)... Faith without works is dead.. that is definately a true statement.. haha..

My apt is pretty nice and we have a car.. but seriously I don't even have time to pick my nose we are so very busy and somedays we don't even eat dinner.. we are working working working.. which is GREAt!! My faith is defaintely increased... The south is so funny.. People are so niec.. It is kinda hard cuz Sister ALlen had been here for like 7 months.. and here comes the red-headed step child into the southern family.. So it is hard to just jump in like that.. but I am trying so hard to meet everyone and be welcomed into the southern family here.. haha

I love you all so much and I look forward to hearing form you all!! It's what keeps me goin and putting my whole self in heavenly fathers hands. I will get used to being a missioary in time.. haha.. I am readying the b of M again and i think i get it better each time I read it... I also think as a missinoary I have a better capacity to learn and I actually get things in church and stuff.. haha.. weird huh.. Well I gotta go cuz we are goin to the rex center to play ball wit the Elders.. I am ready to BALL IT UP cuz I need to like do something to relax.. haha... Love ya all!!

Can u send me a pic of the family in mail?? like send it to the post office
mail???? I post pics all around and it drives Sista ALlen nuts.. HAHA!! oh well.. : )

Luv
Sister Furniss