Letter #10

Hi Family! How ya'll doin? Sounds like you'ins all had a great time in SLC. and sounds like Dad is stayin busy wit all those sports. I am sure proud of TATEr for goin shoppin and bein wit the women. I bet that was fun. haha.. How's the weather in Ideeho. haha I bet it's pretty nice huh?
Well sorry this email is a little later in the day. Me, Sister Allen, Elder Bingham, and Elder Bennett all went hiking today in the beautiful mountains of TN. We hiked LAurel Falls and it was so pretty. I took lots of pics. I am getting ready to send my sim card to ya'll. I have been making a lot of videos so I can't wait for you all to see them. I think you'll laugh.
So transfers are this wednesday and I have the great priveledge of going to a new area!! I am so excited! I hope I get to go to a new area every transfer. I love meeting so many people and teaching them. I just hope I get to travel a lot
on my mission to different areas. I want to experience it ALL! So funny thing
Sister Allen thought that SHE would be the one leaving and not me. (they don't
tell ya who's leaving until the sunday before)... So Saturday Sister ALlen packed all her things and said her goodbyes to all and then sunday night we got a call from our District leader saying .. I WOULD be the one leaving. Sister ALlen then had an emotional breakdown and was up like all night. She really doesn't wanna stay here in Elizabethton at all. She has been here for like 8 months and she's tracted every street in this area. I felt really bad for her, but told her that heavenly father knows what he's doin. There are only like 6 "sister areas" here in our mission. I could be goin to Kentucky, georgia, chatanooga, or some other places. Anyone wanna take a guess??? haha.. I will find out Wednesday and also get a new companion. : )
So today and tomorrow I will be saying goodbye to all of my beautiful friends I've made here in Elizabethton. I know that David is gonna FLIp!! I hope he does alright though. He is still goin strong and comin to church every week. He just hasn't been able to quit smokin.
We tract like everyday in the 90 degree weather. It is pretty tough, but also pretty rewarding. M. Russel Ballard has a talk that talks about how tracting should be "theuraputic".. it really is!! You think about just life and stuff and it's pretty relaxing.. (then you have a dog attack you).. haha.. But pretty much it's what we do as missionarios. Knock doors.
We had 3 really great families that we were teaching invite us over and tell us that they prayed about it and learning about the mormon church was not the answer they got. All three of the families told us that they needed to go in "another direction". It was so devestating!! It just breaks your heart to hear people say that they have decided to not meet with us anymore. It was crazy cuz all this happened last week. I am so glad we have the restored gospel in the church of jesus christ on the earth today and we are all part of it. We are so blessed.
I totally show the Elders up at BALL.. hehe jk.. There is an Elder who had like a basektball scholarship to BYU and stuff and he's waiting to go after his mish. There are some Elders that are way good. and they're always like .. "alright sister MJ you're on our team".. haha.. It's pretty funny. Basketball is a REAL sport. ; ) wink wink
Tate you're gonna have to send me some pics of you cuz I hear you are growin up real big. You are probably a TEENAGER NOW.. OH my goodness that's sad to think. haha.. I love pictures so if you want to you can send them to me.
I can't believe how bold I am getting family!! Seriously some of the
stuff that comes outa my mouth. I'm like WHOA.. I know it's the spirit talking through me. I only have the spirit when I am exactly obedient,,... when i'm not the spirit isn't there at all. My new favorite book besides the book of mormon is .. PReach my GOsPeL. It's just like the best book ever. I also LOVE meeting new people SOOO much! I have made a goal to show more love towards the investigators and everyone I meet. I am trying so very hard to smile and say hi to everyone I see. Even if it's just in wally world. I have met some AMAZING people. I can't wait for you all to see my book I'm making about all the people i've met and the area's i'm serving in. IT"S SO AWESOME.
Tonight we are teaching Holly Jackson about the gospel of Jesus Christ and then We are teaching a lady named Helen. (her trailor is the sickest thing i've ever seen.. I totally have to spray for fleas when I go there).... Helen is suffereing from severe depression. She cries the whole time whenever we go, but asks the best questions. Last time we were teaching her about the restoration and then she just started to cry and tell us how everyday she just feels confused. We then sang her a hymn and her face just lit up! She just started smiling and was happier. Music can be so powerful. Whenever we meet a widow we always sing her a hymn. I have never sang so much in my life and My companion was like you have such a great voice will you sing in sacrament?? i was like umm NOOO! haha. I only play da piANo.
I was scheduled to talk this sunday in sacrament, but since I'm going to be transferred to a new area I think sister Allen will be. he he.. Sister Allen was like.. "sister furniss, i know when you get to a new area and a new companion you are just gonna have so much success and be such a great missinoary cuz you have that natural ability to lead." When she said that I was like.. umm ME?? haha Ya I didn't know I was like that. But I guess being on a mission changes you.
Well FamiLy I love you all so much and I can't believe I've been out for almost 4 months. It has been the longest months of my life, but yet I have learned more than I ever could in my life. You just have these experiences every single day that strengthen you. As I make goals to strengthen my teaching and also areas I want to improve on as a person, It makes me so happy! ! I evaluate myself every month and make new goals for myself. Like attributes I want to work on, or just like learning more doctrine. It's so awesome! I so challenge you all to evaulate youself more and make goals for youself so you can become the best you can be! : )
I recently ready a book called... Our search for Happiness by M. Russel Ballard. It's such a good book! It ever you are bored and need a book to read you should read it. It totally expalins our church and it will strengthen your testimony.
I so have the best family in the WORLD! Mom and dad I hope you are both preparing to move to be mission president somewhere. he he.. wink.. I can totally see Dad doing what President Griffin does. President totally reminds me of DAD!! So whenever I go have interviews with him I totally look forward to it cuz it reminds me of Dad. President Griffin LOVES interacting with the Elders and Sisters... I hope me and my husband can be mission presidents somewhere.. and then Sister Griffin is such a down to earth lady like mom. haha
Well it's 3:49 PM and I need to go finish packing and then shower for the day so we can get to work at 6 PM to 9 PM.. Last night I was so sick. I had the worst stomach crap and we had to go home early cuz I couldn't even tract and I went straight to bed. I feel so much better today. I think it was cuz Saturday we went to a less active named Peggy Stewart and helped her cock her baseboards and then she fed us these peanut butter sandwiches and they were nasty. It totally made me sick. I ate it anway though. HAHA.. bLAH!!
Well I must go but I love you all so mucho.
Talk to u
laters......
LOVE
Sister Furniss

Letter #9

Hey Family!!! I miss ya'll much. I love being able to be a representative
for the lord. It's such a great blessing and an honor...

Alright this week was full of hard work and dedication. We tracted a lot and we met some funny people. We are still teaching David. He is still tryin to stop the smokes. It's so hard!! He had a hard week. He told a little lie to us last week. and he felt so bad that he didn't even come to church. Yesterday we told us the lie and we just smiled and said it's okay David. I LOVE being able to make people smile and touch their lives. It's such a great feeling huh? I'm so grateful I'm in a church that has the fullness of the one true gospel here on earth. MY how we're so blessed. : ) Last tuesday we tracted this trailor park and I went up to a trailor and was getting ready to knock on the door and I saw this 300 pound man sitting on his couch NAKED!! AHh!!! Totally scarred me for life. I was in totally schock. His wife hurried and threw a blanket over him and she ran to the door. She had the blackest teeth I'd ever seen. She has been chewin tobacco and it was comin outa her mouth. We hurried and shared a card with her and left. haha
I play the piano sometimes like at district meetings and zone conferences. I lead a lot too. Like all the time. We have to be within sight or sound of our companion so it's kinda crazy! : )
We found 15 new investigators last week. I had to beg and beg my companion to let me teach more. She doesn't let me that often. I totally have learned to stand up for myself and be bold. Sometimes I look at myself and think.. DID I just sAY THA? Man I'm bold.... One thing I thought was interesting was David Craig the investiagtor we're
teachin told me he got outa Jail March 12th of tihs year. That is the same day I got my mission call!!! I just know that I got it on that day so I could teach David. He was prepared and we were able to find him and this exact time. It's crazy how Heavenly father has this plan for everything. I love it.
I just love this gospel so much. I am so grateful for prayer. I know wihtout a doubt that this is the true church and that Heavenly Father loves me so much. He knows what I need to suceed and to grow spiritually. That's such a great feeling. I know that through the atonement I'm able to overcome all my trials I have. I know that the things I'm goin through right now on my mission are nothing compared to what our savior went through. I am so BLESSEd! I can be with my family forever someday. I am so grateful for the pLan of Salvation that allows it. Everyday peoeple tell us missionaries that the they don't believe in the book of mormon. I just think well you wouldn't know because you have never read it and prayed about it. Then we invite them
to and it's so wonderful.

Hey mom if you're in SLC and you find some cute shirts (without a collar... no more of those pUHLEASE)... you could send them down to TN. : ).. There is no where to go shopping here. Also if ya wanna send some more panti hoes and maybe some bug spray or somethin. HAHAHA.. Love ya mom..
I love you all so much family. You have no idea how much I am grateful for you all. I hope you all have a great week and keep smiling cuz life is good.:)
Luv,
Sister Furniss

Letter #8

Hey FamiLy~!! Dude how come Dad didn't email me this WEeK?? ha ha. HELLO?? It's so good to hear from everyone every week. It totally makes my day and my week and the next 15 monThs! : ).. This week has been pretty good. Sister Allen got a ticket cuz she ran a red light. She was sooo freaking out cuz she has never even got pulled over before. (go figure).. they gave her a 125 dollar fine. So I made her call President and she told him she ran it cuz I was talking to her.. HA!! I set her straight after I heard that. So now I am the driver and Sister Allen is the co- pilot. I feel like such a big girl now driving. ha ha. I feel like I got some responsibility now.
How are the Apontes doin? Sounds like you all are having a blast hangin out
and partyin. I was wonderin if you were in SLC or something shoppin for some clothes. Aww.. We helped Edith Pitts paint her basement on tuesday and then on Saturday we helped a less active Peggy cock her baseboards (what an odd job)... We have really been working on getting peggy weggy back to church and she just called us like 10 mins ago and said she would COME!! go figure! Service brings so many blessings. If you want to touch someones heart .. SERVE THEM..
So remember Rick? Yeah well he hasn't been progressing at all and he's still smoking and President told us to drop him so we are just meeting with him once a week. He had a baptismal date and everything but now we're just waiting for him cuz we've taught him everythin. Kinda a bummer. David is doin good. He still can't lay off the smokes and so he set himself his own baptisimal date of Aug 22. Last week we went with Elder Allridge and Elder Thomas and we taught David 15 steps to stop smoking and David kinda got defensive and thought we were pushin him. It was odd. But David is still goin strong and comin to church and everything. Me and him are way tight. He tells me
things and is like DON"T TELL SISTER ALLEN. HA hA.. I'll send you some pics. I recorded some videos on my sim card and I'll send it and you guys can put it in
Kassie's MAC and watch it. Then can you guys record videos for me on Kassies computer and send the card back??? YAY! that would be awesome.
Everyday is just kinda funny. We are teaching a lady who lives in Elizabethton and her name is Tina Turner. Who would have thought I would be teaching someone famous?? HA HA! She is about 80 years old and white and southern. Sister Allen had no idea who Tina Turner was, but I just started laughin so hard.Last night we went to this Tabernacle of God. We thought it would be Penacostal so we went to attend their service. It was the Lamest thing I'd ever been to. There were only 8 PEOPLE in attendance and the preacher wore jeans. He was really mean too. He was like telling the whole congragation how we were sinners if we look at hollywood. WEIRD!! I am not gonna lie I was laughing cuz at the begginning we sang like 5 songs and you could only hear sister Allen and I. Sister Allen was like shhhh.. haha. It was funny. Ya know you just gotta laugh everyday cuz life is fun and exciting ya knoW?
What day does school start for Tater and AlVin? I will take more pics. It has been sorta hard cuz like Sister Allen won't take out her camera for nothin. So I feel kinda weird doin it. Ha HA
Yes mom there are some cute Elders, well mainly the assistants to the president. HA! Some Elders are way friendly and love talking to sisters. But then you get those who think it's a sin to talk to the Sisters or something. It's kinda odd. Today we are going bowling in Bristol TN with our whole zone. Woot WooT! We are also going to get our hair cut at some ghetto place on the corner.. Wish me LUCK.
This week it was my goal to really concentrate on feeling the spirit and following the promptings. I am almost done with the b of M and I've marked the whole thing. I marked anything that referenced anything towards Jesus Christ. IT WAS AWESOME. I just like gained a better testimony of the B of M. President also counceled us to have our own "Sacred Grove" time every morning. (Look in this months Ensign) and I pray out loud and really concentrate on feeling the spirit and then I study and it is BEAUTIFUL! Man I would encourage all ya'll to do that cuz it works and is powerful.
OH YES! I dunno if I told you all but I have fleas. Yep Fleas. These panti hoe's attract flees and my legs are like all bitten. I had to go buy some bug spray and I spray everytime we leave the house. Cuz we track around some pretty ghetoo and gross places and not really clean either. I just thought I'd tell ya'll that. haha.. Gotta love the panti hoes. One day I was walkin and for some reason I didn't notice but my panti ho (knee high) had fallen to my ankle. so I had like an akle sock. HAHA.. My companion was like Sister Furniss what is wrong with your knee high. HAHAHA. That was pretty funny. I guess I was just concentrating on other things>?
Well I love you all so so so so so so so so mUCH! Things are getting better and I'm getting more into the missionary mode and spirit. I like it cuz it makes me not think of other things except being a missionary. I hope you are all doing good and having fun and reading you scriptures and sharing the GOSPEL!!! Hope ya'll have a great week.
Talk to ya next monday
Sister Furniss