Letter #14

Hi FamiLy! Wuts UP?? Hows Idaho. Is it cold yet? How is everyone doin? A less active in our ward named Tammy checked the Idaho weather one day and she later was like... "GOODNESS Sister Idaho is cold".. I'm like oh yep it sure is. ha ha.... SO I got a letter from Tater.. WHy did he send me 6 dollars??? ha ha!! That was your BIRthDAy present! I'll use it for Landry today. Hows easty and LIvvie? I sent Dad a thing in the mail too. Did you get it?
So if ever wanna write me a letter in the postal mail and just don't feel like doin it you can always just send me pictures! ha ha.. I LOVE LOVE pics! Sounds like everyone is havin fun in Idee-ho. Things are pretty good here. We had a crazy week. I don't think the sun shined once this week. That kinda puts a damper on your day, but not too much. We taught a lot of real good lessons. I am one to just get in the door and sit down and have a good conversation and gradually get into the message of the restoration and have a really good spiritual lesson. It is very powerful! On Wednesday we taught a lady and it was very interesting. She let us in and everything and we sat down and then we started into the message of the restoration and LET me tell you our message must be pretty darn powerful cuz after I recited the 1st vision she stood straight up and was like.. girls i gotta get to work and just looked really worried and so we were like okay can we say a prayer?? and so we did.. but after we walked down the street I just thought "MAN the restoration is so powerful it gets people to
jump outa thur seets!" ha ha...
So funny story about old ladies farting. So we tracted some apartment buildings right downt he street from where we live. Let me remind you that we live out in the country and it's way ghetto and so these apartments are VERY much so run down and old and scarey lookin. But we tracted into this older lady and she was sorting beads. So we went in and started helpin her sort all these beads. She was an older lady and she shook really badly. So we were helpin here and just chattin with her and then she would light a smoke and stuff and everytime she would get up to get more beads she would FART! haaaa.. She sounded like she may have a lil tummy ache.. haha.. but everytime she would fart she was say excuse me. haha.. I Just cuoldn't stop laughing and I tried to bite my tongue. but it was jus so funnay! We'll prolly go back and help her soon. : )
We had interviews on Friday with President and Sister Griffin was there and we chatted and stuff. All the Elders were playin basketball and so of couse I had to go play. Sister Hales wouldn't come in the gym and play so I just went and shot around with the Elders. They couldn't believe that I play basketball! The assistants challanged me to a lil 1 on 1.. but of course I said no way president will SEE! haah.. President was like asking me some interesting questions.. he asked... Are you happy?? I was like yes only when I'm working hard... and then he asked me how long i'd been on my mission and it was a good ol conversation... He doesn't intimadate me anymore...After interviews we went to subway eat fresh and had ourselves a sandwich and then the assistants took Sister Hales and I back to Kentucky (2 hours away).. to get our car cuz it was in the shop. It was such a very awkward car ride. hAHA.. Sister Hales was like.. "Thats the closest you'll get to a date in 13 months!" ha.. It was pretty funny.
WE're workin so very hard that it hurts. You ever felt like that?? I have to constantly push and push and work and work. It's the only thing that makes me
happy. Thats a good thing though,,, cuz I know that's why I'm here on my mission.
We had about 20 people at church yesterday. It was good,, but kinda embarrassing! I just feel like my job as a missionary is to BUILD this lil tiny branch. I also taught gospel principle class yesterday. My companion and I take turns. I taught about "Sacrafice".. Rhonda actually commented in class!! I was so astonished. She never talks and I was so happy that she did. I talked about Abraham's sacrafice and also Christ's atoning sacrafice. I thought it was pretty good lesson.
O yes on Thursday we went out with Sister Johnson and we had 3 appointments and we were goin to see this lady named Brenda. But as we were pulling out there was a huge GOAT on a LEASH in our way!! I was like okay we gotta go and I jumped outa the car and I pulled the leash to this huge hair goat and it got outa the way. I had to jerk a lot and it smelt like poop. I get in the car and my companion and Sister Johnson were just LAUGHIn so hard. I was like "WHat it was in our way? and we gotta go teach the gospel".. I got teased a lot at church for tryin to get this goat outa the way of the car. It was pretty funny.
Things are goin pretty goood though family. I miss you all like A LOT! I've almost been out for 5 months. Isn't that crazy?? ..
Today we are gonna go to wally world and then go hiking at Yahoo Falls. (if it's not rainin).. Thanks for all your letters and your emails. I didn't know how much they help missionaries until I actually became one.

Luv you all so much!! Talk to ya next monday

Luv

Sister Furniss

Letter #13

Hey FaMiLy!! Wutz UP? How ya'll doin? Sounds like you all had a good week eh? Can you believe that it's already fall again? man that went by fast. Before you know it it's gonna be NOV 2010. CrAzY! So Dad's workin in the garden? and Mom's in school? and Alvin and Taters are workin hard in FT ball and V ball. Thats great! I wish I could watch u'ins play! Send me pics k?
Hey mom thanks for the blanket and stuff. I am just glad to be warm again at night even if the blanket says JAN on it. haha. Hows Easty and Little Livvie? Easton looks way bigger and Livvie looks exactly like Jiller. The branch is doin good. We hardly ever eat at members houses because they are so far spread out and we really don't have a lot of members. We get so much money a month to buy groceries and stuff and then we have to pay for our own laundry. It's 2 dollars a load. We do have our own car, but I like to walk a lot and I'm the driver. So we walk a lot. haha. When you walk more you can talk to more people and give them pass along cards. There is a wally world like 30 mins away so we usually go there to do our shoppin and then there are a lot of little TN and Kentucky souveneir stores so we go there a lot. After football season it all goes on sale. So I'm gonna send you all somethin for CHriStmAs! YAY!
SO guess what Joe Strunk is getting baptized OCT 3rd. He is 16 years old and he lives with his step mom and dad. We have taught him basically all the lessons and his sibings are members too. He is the boy who we thought had to get permission from his real mom to be baptized. But our zone leaders called us and said that he doesn't need permission if his dad has custody and we found out that his dad DOES. So I was like Sister Hales he needs a DATE!! so we prayed about it and when we prayed about it Sister Hales was in one of her moods and mad at me for some odd reason (it happens) and we prayed and I got the prompting of OCT 3rd and my companion told me that she got nothing. So we kinda fought about it and I was like well I really feel we should do oct. 3rd and she was like okay whatever. So that night we went and we asked JOE to be baptized OCt 3rd and it was the weirdest baptisimal commitment I'd ever seend. BUT the cool thing was that it all worked out and it was exactly the day heavenly father wanted. OCt 3rd was the only weekend that his dad had off for this month and his mom was gonna be there and Joe told us that for some reason he decided not to go out of town that weekend either. WE all then KNEW that the spirit prompted us to pick that date and joe told us that he knew that was perfect.
Later that night my companion came up to me and said "Ya know sister furniss I'm sorry. WHen we prayed about a date I was mad at you and I let that get in the way of feeling the spirit and I didn't want you to be right so I didn't want that date. You were in tune with the spirit and I wasn't....." I just smiled at her and said "It's okay.. He is getting baptized and thats all that matters! and we get to witness it!"
The spirit is so strong but I've realized that you have to be worthy and being obedient to recieve it. I now tell myself EVERY single day that there is no way I'm going to deny those blessing of anyone recieveing the gospel because I"M not doin what I'm suppose to. Time is so precious. I need to be keeping the missionary rules so people out there waiting to hear the gospel don't suffer because of me. : ) (sorry that I just recieved this personal revelation).. BUT YA I will send all ya'll pics of the baptism!
My companion is really super awesome and I'm not tryin to say she's not or anything and she is an excellent teacher. I'm learnin SO much from her and her testimony. The other day she told me she was threatened by me and really jelous of me and my family. That was just kinda weird to me. But I then just told her how GREAT her family is and how lucky she is to have a family in the gospel! My goal is to compliment her 5 times a day and tell her how much I love
her and how great she is! She has really bad days and really good days and I told her if she's not happy and wants to go home then It's my job to help her cuz thats what havin a companion is all about! She thought I was pretty freakin crazy whenI said that. But I don't care. haha. I LOVe my comps!
We then taugh Rhonda this week and we taught her about how to follow the promptings of the spirit. We brought a member with us Sister Johnson. IT was a pretty good lesson, but my companion was havin one of her bad days, so I tried my best to bear witness of following the promptings of the spirit. I know Rhonda (the lady we're teaching) will come around. I know we touched her heart with that lesson.
We had stake conference last night and President and Sister Griffin spoke at it. I just sat at the door and greeted people. It was fun!! Sister Hales didn't want to and she stayed way far away from the door. BUT I wanted to say hi to everyone (I didn't know anyone) but I did anyways. I met this older lady and she gave me a hug and was like "are you a MISSIONARY??? You're to skinny to be a missionary" HA!! I was like YOU BET I am Sister!
Sister Johnson (a member in the branch) then came up to be and gave me this hug and a kiss and was like. "So are you excited to go home soon?" I was like umm What ya talkin about?? I JUST CAME ON MY MISSIOn! She was totally taken back and was like..
"Are you serious?? I thought that you were ready to go home and I can't believe that you have only been out 4 months. You are such a great missinoary and you act like you know exactly what you are doin. She then was like.. I am so impressed with you and they way you work and I know that you have your work cut out with you and your companion. YOU are exactly what Sister Hales needs and you're so good for her."
I almost started crying. I was like thank you so much. I was like I try so so hard to be a good missionary and I am constantly working on things to get better and I know this is precious time that I have. : )
SO then President GRIFFIN came over and the johnsons were like.. "This sister furniss is such an amazing missionary and she is working so hard."haha.. and President Griffin just grinned and was like. I am so glad to hear that. : )
It just made me feel good ya know? I'm not sayin this to like be all bragging and stuff. Things are really starting to fall into place and I'm starting to feel so very comfortable as a missionary and it just feels good. ITS HARD. but it feels good and this is who I AM. It's gonna be hard to leave being a missinoary but I know that I CAN always be one! just not wear a badge.
BUT yeah sorry to just like blab on and on about stuff. Elder thomas our district leader told me that I"ll most likely get to TRAIN a new missionary in NOV! WOOT WOOT! I am so very very excited and I pray that "ll get that opportunity.
I hope all is well and thanks for you letters and emails!! It totally makes my day and I love you all so very much. Tell everyone HI.
PS- Did tate get my package? I sent him somethin for his birthday. I also sent ALVIN a letter.
TATE AND ALLI ARE YOU STill alive??
Can't wait to hear from you next week. God BLESs!
LUV,
Sister Furniss

Letter #12

Hey Everyone! How are you all doin? How was all ya'll's week? Ya all been doin well? Sounds like Tater and Alvin are tearin it up in sports. and it sounds like Livvie and Easty are as cute as ever ever. Kass is movin? Where to in Provo? That is exciting she's gonna LOVE it. When does BYU-IdAhO start? I miss you all so much. I guess you know when you're kinda homesick is when you dream about your family and you have conversations with them in your dreams.. Then you wake up and you're like.. Oh that was just a dream. haha. Yep I totally had one of those last week. It was not good. : )
Things are good here in Kentucky. Sorry I couldn't email yesterday cuz of Labor Day. The Library here was closed. Yesterday we went to Cumberland Falls and walked around there. It is like a big tourist attraction. We went with a Recent Convert named Trina. She is pretty funny. WE then went to our investiagor Joe's house and had dinner with him and his family and played games and then played pool. It was pretty fun.
This week has kinda been weird. I just don't feel like I'm workin hard enough. Am I WEIRD or WHA? I tell my comp that and she thinks I'm a weirdo. MAybe I'm a workaholic. I notice that when I'm not workin hard enough I just feel like crap all day long. Ya gotta stick to the Missinoary schedule or else you will not succeed I've noticed. Sister Hales and I are havin trouble findin people to teach. With my last companion we were finding people left and right and havin a lot of success. I dunno I think it just takes time. But i know it's cuz we're not sticking to the schedule that we should be doin. Ya know wut I mean?I just wanna work work and work and not have any regrets and of course I wanna BAPTIZE and tell everyone I know about this restored gospeL. Being a missionary is such an amazing thing.
We had zone conference on Friday and we role-played with President on how to ask better questions when we're teaching. It was pretty fun and I learned so much. We were actually an 1 hour late cuz we thought it started at 10 instead of 9. Oops.
Sister Griffin told me that we are getting 6 new sisters here in our mission in November. So do you know what that means??? I might get to TRAIN!! WooT WooT! I
really would love to experience that. I bet it's probably way hard, but I think that would be cool. Thanks for all your e0mails and letters. I had no idea how important they are to missionaries until I became one. They sure are great.
I hope all is well and everyone is doin good. I'm praying for you all. Talk to ya next Monday
Luv,
Sister Furniss

Letter #11

hEY fAM..You guessed it. I am in a new area and I have a new companion and I couldn't be happier. I am in a VERY VERY small area way out in the country of Kentucky. My new companion is Sister Hales and she is from Vegas and she only has about 4 months left. We have instantly clicked. She is very loud and very talkative and very dedicated to the gospel. Our area borders the TN and Kentucky state Line. So we go to TN and Kentucky. I am serving in a branch with about 20 people. YES TWENTY PEOPLE! There are 200 members and only like 20 people come. THAT is so why I'm here. I'm bringin back KENTUCKY! This area is really dead. The last sisters had like no investigators and so we are workin real hard to get more people to teach. This area is just like totally dry and dead. I told sister hales that we are Bringin it back and by the time I leave it's gonna be hoppin. So we live in a little apartment right by a train station. YES all night trains go by and it totally shakes our apt. It's like I'm livin in a train station. Easty and Tate would absolutely LOVE it. I will record a video of what it's
like. The first night I was here I couldn't sleep a wink. But now I'm used to it and the trains just put me to sleep. The first night I thought oh my gosh if a train wrecks we are DEAD. haha..I am the piano player for the branch. They gave me a list of songs and everything. haha. We have a lot of part member families and less activies and Sister Hales and I are gonna tackle them with full force.. BEfore I came to the area they had NO CAR.. crazy huh.. as soon as I got here President called us and was like Okay sisters you need a car. I think it's cuz he knows Sister Hales and I have a lot of work to do and we can do it. Our area is so spread out. Kentucky reminds me of Island Park. (well the area I'm in)... I hope I get to serve in every state (georgia, virginia) that would be cooL... Some people we are working with here are pretty awesome. We are working with a less active and her Sister who isn't a member. They are named the Slavens. They really like us a lot. All 3 sister live together and they are pretty heavily obese. I love goin and chattin with them. They fixed us dinner and they were like "sister furniss are you a veggitarian?? HAHA.. I was like no why.. they're
like well you look like it. haha.. It was funny..
I know I tell you all this every week but I really do love being a missionary. I love being able to see people and smile at them and share with them something I love which is the gospeL. One ffunny thing is here they aren't as friendly as in Elizabethton. We met a preachers wife the other day and she started yelling at us and telling us we are so very fallen from jesus christ and that we were going to hell.. Like she was flat out yelling at us. I am getting to be real bold cuz I was just like sayin listen lady and telling her what we believe in. then we just smiled and I shook her hand and we walked off and told her to have a great day. We were real nice to her. .. It was a funny experience.. I have also met a lot of anti- mormon people here. Like the tell me that I need to ditch the bbook of mormon and how I am just so fallen. I am so glad I have a strong testimony and it makes me feel so sad for those people who say that. I just pray and pray for them that their hearts will be soften and they'll want to hear the message of the restored gospl...
We also had a army dude answer his door in his underwear... He was like "Listen ladies I don't think it's very right of you to walk around sharing religion when people are in their underwear." ... I was like "Well sir I don't think it's really right to answer the door in YOUR underwear".. I then laughed and said May I share a card with you? and we gave him a passs along card. It was pretty funny... Just funny things like that happen every single day..I love you all SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCh!!!!! Thanks for supporting me to go on a mission. It really has been the best thing I have ever done with my life. I mean it has been the HARDEST thing too. I have never cried so much,.... but I have never felt so close to my savior jesus christ before and that makes it very much worth it. I know that serving a mission has changed my life.. I can't even IMAGINE how I would be if I wouldn't have decided to serve a mission. i don't even want to think about it.. Well I love you all so much. Today is P day and we
probably are just gonna go shoppin and then back to our apt. We don't live close to any Elders or anything we live very much up in the boonies.. So it's basically me and sister hales all the time. It's okay though because we love eachother.. We figure we will be together for 2 transfers.. and then it will be THANKSGIVING.. crazy huh.. and then I would have been out on my missino for 6 months....Have a good week family. I'll talk to you next Monday...
Luv,
Sister Furniss

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