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