Letter #16

HI Fam! Wud uP?? How was conFeRencE?? Sounds like you all had so much fun at the cabIn. I have to admit I was a lil homesick yesterDay. ha ha. I knew ya'll were watchin conference the same time thA I was. It was fun. I LOVED conference. We went to the church building and two members of the branch were there too. It was lil but so fun. I loved Elder Hollands testimony ofthe Book of Mormon. I was like MAN if he could only come with me tracting and tell his testimony to all of our investigators. That would be so AWESOME! I liked President Monsons talk too. He just is so down to earth and such a nice guy. My dream would be to take one of these general authorities
tracting with me! haha.. I also saw the Foster guy on TV from (Clark Ward)..I didn't know he was in the quorom of the 70.This week was pretty darn good. We had a baptism on Saturday between General Conferences. I spoke about the Holy Ghost. I never get nervous. BUT I sure got nervous to speak. All the members of the branch were there. I musta been nervous cuz my neck broke out in hives.. HAHA.. it was funny... The members
don't trust us. I am working so hard to build my companion up and also the branch. Something happened before I got here with my companion and the members and so of course if reflects on me as well cuz we're comps. It's really rough. That has been a big trial for me this transfer. We have a new transfer starting this week. I will be with my comp for 6 more weeks and then hopefully I'll get to train a new sister. That is what I'm praying for. I kinda feel that I"ll get to open a new area and train at the same time. That would be coOL huh??
I am trying to be the best I can be! I'm glad that I understand my purpose as a missionary. When you understand your purpose people can see it. I am here to teach the gosPEL. Not "hANG OuT" all the time. This week we went to teach this guy named Ronnie and he gave me a FREE KENTUCKY hAt! I was like oh my gosh thank you so so much. It's a nice hat too. I'll have to show you the pics of it...So there are two lil boys 13 and 7 who live upstairs. There grandparents are active members and their mom is
Less Active... THose lil boys LOVe us so much. It makes me miss lil tater tot. They are always like "Sister Furniss come play catch with me,.... or come race me around the yard".. haha.. SO every night I go play with them. It's pretty fun. They call us their "Sisters".. Their mom Tammy is really nice too. She takes good care of us and she calls us her daughters. She always makes sure we have food to eat (since we never eat at members)... We taught a man last night after conference sessiosn named Ronnie Garlon. He is in LOVE with the B of M! He keeps telling us how much it's changed his
life and how he knows with out a doubt that it's the word of god. He has been in jail for a long time and jsut got out. He has anxiety/depression issues and doesn't leave his house. We are slowly gonna get him to church and hopefully commit him for baptism. Wouldn't Tha be AweSOME! I sure love havin the spirit so close to me. It's such a wonderful feeling. I know that if I don't act upon the promptings I recieve then next time when I need to rely upon it.. it won't be as strong. Isn't the spirit such a good
best friend?
My goal this week is to pray to look for the good and love in people. Someone talked about that in general conference and I really like that. I also know that if I do that and be as positive as I can be than everything will be fine. I know that this is preparin me for marriage big time. OH MAN did I need goin on a mission. This is helped me out a lot. It's makin me have a companIon! ha ha..
This week will be grEaT... I am startin to LOVE the PEOPLE and slowly lovin the place and makin a lot of great friends here in Kentucky/ TN. The weather is slowly changin and it's gettin cold. The leaves are so pretty here. I will senD more PIcs.. Don't forget to send me pics of LIvvie and EasTy..
Hope you all HAve a GreAT weeK!! TaLK to YA nExt MondAY..
LUV YOU ALL SO MUCH
SIsTeR FurNizS

Letter #15

Good Evenin family. Well it's evenin here. It's like 4PM. Sorry that I emailed so late. We went to Oakridge TN to play basketball with the Elders and we are just getting back. So funny story. I bought this orange TN shirt that I'm wearin
right now, and we stopped in Kentucky to get gas and so when I went inside to pay .. I got the look of death from those KT fans. They HATE TN orange. People get really offended if you wear orange in their presence. HAHA. It was prtety funny. I just smiled as said "have a great day!"
But anywyas.. How ya'll doin? Mom how is schooL? You have a power-point?? ew! Sounds like Tate is grown and Alvin is in good shape. Does Livvie smile a lot? I sure do miss all ya'll.
This week was a good and interesting week. As a missioanry you got a lot of up and downs. One minute you're happy and then the next you are sad. It's cuz you get so emotionally involved with people you are aquainted with and when they're down.. you're down. This week was rough, but I learn ED so mUCh! I am grateful for those days ya just wanna cry. yA know?
It has rained up the ying yang here, but today it's quite sunny. We taught an older gentlman with long fingernails the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't think he really got what it means to be "Baptized". When we were finished he asked Sister Hales and I to double date with him and his son. lol... We did some house work for this lady and her hubby. We haven't really tracted a lot. We have found a lot of drug addicts and taught the restoration to them. (they are the most humble). We met a guy and he was like.. "Listen, I'm not gonna lie I have a huge hangover right now." .. HA HA.. I'm like okay here is a card of Jesus Christ. Hang it up. He was a nice dude.
We went to my friend Opal Stevens 92nd Birthday Party. She is a member and she is such a sweet lady. OHHH ya.. Here is a neat story. We tracted into this lady named Brandy Perkins and she was at her father in-laws house and she was talkin to us about how all her family is LDS and that she wants to start goin back to church and stuff. BUT I never was able to get her number or anything at her father-inlaws house cuz it was just too akward ya know???? SOOO.. As soon as we left I was like "Sister Hales we're gonna baptize her." (of course Sister Hales told me I was stupid)... and so I was like I'm gonna pray and pray that we'll be able to see her again and get her address.. SO all week I have been praying and praying that I would see her again.. AND guess whA?? WE DID!!!!! It was the craziest lil thang. We were at Opal Stevens party (it was at the church house) and Sister Hales and I were sitting in the chapel and all the sudden BRANDY walks in! (she is related to opal somehow)... So brandy walks in
and before ya know it.. its just me, her and Sister Hales sitting in the chapel talkin about the SACRAMENT!!! OH my goodness can I Just tell you that Heavenly father will put people in your path??? .... So as the story goes.. I ask Brandy if we can come see her and teach her and she says.... "Yes come on over"... So we have an apt with her this week... OHHHH how that makes me excited..
That's a neat story EH??? : ) So it has been a pretty good week for missioary work. On Friday I gave a training at District meeting to the missionaries in our district. I talked about how we need to have FAITH when we go and find people to teach.... I did it like this
F - FEARLESS ( don't be afriad of GOATs or dogs or smelly houses)
A - ATTITUDE (SMILE, be postive.. LOVE LIFe)
I - IMAGINE (imagine yourself knockin on doors and finding people)
T - TALK (TALK TO EVERYONE YOU SEE)
H - HELP ( help everyone.. SERVICE.. Offer help)

So I talked about that in my training. I think it went well. I had so much fun teaching. I just can't wait to have my own classroom and teach HEALTH. It's
gonna just be so excitin.
Anways.. My companion fights with the members. (go figure)... She doesn't get a long with them and then if affects the work. We had a member tell us that missionary work is laggin. WHICH it is and I'm tryin to tell Sister Hales we need to build it up again. I play the piano in sacrament and in RS.
It's kinda rough cuz I need to be out associatin with members and those investigators we have at church. But i Don't mind too much.
This weekend Joe is gettin baptized and then we're just watchin conference at the church with his family. They are so good to us. I wanna hook Alvin up with Joe. He is such a good lil boy! It's pretty excitin. I get car sick real easy. HAHA.. but it's all good. I'm learnin so much on my mission and writin every experience down in my journal.
I have heard from some of my friends but not many. At the first of my
mission I didn't write anyone, but now I'm startin to wonder how everyone is. haha I got some letters from the Howards. It was so nice of them!
Well I better jet but I hope to talk to you all soon and I"ll be able
to talk to you on the phone in 3 moNTHS! wahoo! Hope ya'll have a great week!
LuV
SiStA FurnISS

FINALLY A PICTURE!

This is David... who Sister Furniss talks about often in her letters!

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