Letter #25

Hey Family! hows it be? wut has been happenin lateLy? I miss you all much and much. Things are goin pretty good. I am definately in a learning experience.. ha ha It has started to warm up tremendously. Its like way warm. We can tract in our sweaters now.
Hows the FamiLY? Hows tate and Alivin? I wrote them letters but ya know I never
did hear back. Things are good here. I am learning to just work and not think about where I am at.
We commited Mikey Bryant to be baptized last night. I bascially just flat out asked the kid and I picked a date off the cell phone calendar. He is Rhondas son. He is 11 years old. We asked him to be baptized on Feb 20th. He said yes. Now his whole family will be members of the church. We are busy getting ready for Kyle Jones baptism this wed. He is so CUTE! He is smart and so ready and when he says the prayer he has a big southern accent. Its way cute.
So I found out that I can't remember any songs or movies I used to like. I guess that is what happens when you haven't thought about them for 8 months. My companion talks about all these movies and songs she listened to before she came on her mission in DEc. and I"m just like... well I don't remember a darn one. HA HA.... My comp was like.. Thats good cuz that means you are way into the work.lol... I dunno I think I just am gettin weird. I will have to figure out what kinda things I like again when I get home from the mish. It's kidna funny.
...
So Livvie is almost 8 months OLD? Whoa I can't believe it. Easty is lookin big too. I can't believe how grown up he is. I don't think I'll recognize any of ya.Today we are gonna be tracting and then teaching apts tonighT. I am tryin not to get too overwhelmed and stressed out with being a trainer and all. I know that times is gonna fly right on by and oct will be here before I KNOW IT.. so crazy
Love ya'll!!!

Sister Furniss

Letter #24

Hi Fam. WutSss up? Notta lot here.. It's like snowin a bit.. .It looks like a big fluffy snow bAll here. Its FREEZING!!! So we tracted in like 10 degree weather the other day and I almost cried cuz I felt like I had the frost bite.. BUT I kept goin and I felt fine after I said myself a lil prayer.. haha so I am training a Sister named Amanda Bean.. and guess where she is from MONTANTA.. She is doin great. I don't think she is homesick.. BUT MAN when we first got together I was so like stressed out and overwhelmed.. I got these really big headaches and I felt so emotional and mentally overwhelmed.. Cuz I was doing EVERYTHING.. I mean teachin the whole lesson and all that and It kinda overwhelmed me. I am not so stressed out now. She is talkin a lot more at doorsteps and stuff and I am teachin her how to communicate with people. She told me she was homeshooled the past 5 years and has never had to talk to anyone
(literally).. So I am teaching her everything.. from how to talk on the phone to how to buy groceries and how to manage her money. She never went to college and stayed home taking care of her brothers while her mom worked. She is doin GREAT though. She is really progressing everyday. She is getting over here fear of people.
The other day she was like "sister furniss I want to be just like you.. how do u get so confident in yourself.. "... lol.. I was like I didn't know I was! ha ha.. I guess the mission sure does change you and your perspectives... I guess I am a lot more confident in communicating with people. I hate awkward silence when first meeting someone.. I think I prolly talk a lil too much! HA HA... The other day I told her she better talk to me. HAHA.. so now we justu chat and chat all days long... We have a senior couple here with us named Elder and Sister Black. They are from New york. I am basically training the senior couple and Sister Bean. I am tryin not to carry too much burden on me.. but oh its hard.. ha ha
We didn't do anything on New years. We basically just went to bed.. haha.. On new years Day we went to a members and had lunch with her and her family. It was pretty fun. She is hilarious..I am doin PReTTy GOOD though. I am tryin to just work my lil butt off.. HOw did ya'll like those pics from my sim card???? Do u have any questions? ha ha.. How are easty and livvie doin?? What fun things are they doin nowadays??? Time sure does fly. I will be home in like 9 months almost..AH! ha ha
WeLL I hope all is well. I love you guys so much.. Keep on Keepin DA fAIth..
Luv
SistER Furniss

Letter #23

HeAY yaaaa.. Wuts up?? Welll not a lot here really. We are just at the Lib doin some emailin.. HEY JILLER - did you get my SIM CARD?? Yeah I sent you guys all my pics from my whole mission as of yet. I hope all ya'll got them. You can post some on my blog or somethin like tha.
How has basketball been goin??? OH HOW I miss goin to games.. I will next year at this time for surely. I just tell myself I don't gotta experiene a Christmas away from home EVa EVA agAIn! That is just good news.. So yesterday was my 7th month birthday. I can't believe how fast I am growin up. Already 7 months oLDS. Man time flies.
This week has been goin good. We got another baptismal commitment with a man named Steven. He is Herbert and Teresa's son. He just got outa jail. Like no joke on Wed. So he was like well I wanna be baptized.. Then I told him what he needed to do and I was like well when do ya wanna??? and he said as soon as possible. COOL HUh????
Our neighbor Dan died on Thursday. He was a dear dear friend. He just suddenly
died. I saw him walk out to the ambulance cuz he was complanin of pain and then
the next day he was dead. He got pancreantitis and it shut down all of his organs. It was a very sad SUDDEN thing. Dan always brought us dinners like 3 times a week. He was a professional Chef. We went to his funeral yesterday after church and it was SO SAD. Dan lived with his son patrick who was a lil slow. and It was sad to see patrick just crying.
We plan to go tell him about the plan of salvation this week. good idea eh? I been workin like a mad DOG. we had a really good week this past week. We get 3 new sisters in on DEC 30th. I think that me or my comopanion will train. I dunno though. I keep ya'll posted.
SO how is everyone DOIN???? fill me in on all the details PUhhhLEASE! Hows everyone and their husbands and children. I hope good. You're right about Whitley mom. It is CRAZY.. But man If I get pulled outa here I will cry. This is like my home now.
This Christmas day we are goin over to some friends named Jay and Freeda. No they aren't members,... but they are the only ones that invited us. We have no plans for christmas eve either. We work all day christmas eve and Christmas day is our "Pday".. So it should be great. (I HOPE).....I got your package mom. I already started the days. It was awesome!! I lOVED IT!!
Well I better get. But I love you all so much!!! Keep the FAiTH!!
Luv
chelZ

Letter #22

HEY fAMiLy... How goes it?? How was all ya'lls thanksgivin?? DId you eat lotsa Turkey??? I didn't.. ha ha.. Well we had a heated dinner at a members.. it was still tasty though...I love you all so much. I am thankfulfor the gospel, my family, and my friends.
SO this is how thanksgivin day went for me.. We slept in til about 7:30 AM.. WOOT WOOT.. ( we are allowed to sleep in on thanksgivin and christmas). We woke up and met the 2 Elders in Jamestown at the Junction in TN. and they picked us up and took us back to Jamestown. We were suppose to go and play football with some of their investigators.. But they bonked us.. SO we then just like went to Wally World and then we went back to the Jamestown church and guess what we did.. WE PLAYED BASkETABaLL!! OH baby yes.. It was pretty dang fun. One of the Elders has a full ride to Weber State to plaly basketball.. so we all played.. my comp doesn't appreciate basketball like I
do.. but she still guarded me.. well stood in front of me.. haha jk... It was fun. My comp and I then went back to Kentucky and we ate at a members house. I ate a lil bit of turkey. It was good. A lot of fried fixins.. After that my companion told me she was sick and she went to bed and of course I fell asleep too.. That was our Thanksgivin! SO HOw was YOURS??? Yeah not gonna like I was homesick on that day. It was just like an off day for me.. I still smiled big though.
OKAY OKAY so you're neva gonna believe what has been happeninin KentuCky.. No not another drug bust... but we got FOUR PEOPLE COMMITED FOR BAPTISMS!!!!! YEP ME AND MY COMP HAVE COMMITED 4 PEOPLE TO BE BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah I didn't believe my eyes either at first.. but its so very true.. My comp and I have been workin like mad dogs... pretty sure President will keep me here in Kentucky for like 9 months... cuz one day I told him I really loved this area.. and he was like that is so good to hear.. and I stayed another transfer... I do love it here.. but i would never move here in a million years.. It is nice for the time bein. okay so we have commited Rhonda Privett to be baptized on December 19th (she has been an eternal ingestigator), we have also commited
a great couple named Teresa and Herbert for (dec 12th)... and then we have lil Kyle Jones who is 7 years old and is a stud.. MAN the lord sure did know what he was doin when he put me and my comp here in the boonies of Kentucky . (there is no civilazation here)..... It's greAt! So my comp and I are goin to be busy tryin to prepare these wonderful people for baptism.. Any suggestions????? They have some concerns.. but hopefully we will resolve these bABAbyes!!
That has been the greatest thing I ever witnessed.. it was pretty dang awesome.. My family here in Kentucky is just gettin bigger and bigger by the minute. so guess what mom... Ya know those cute black boots you sent ME????? Well here is a story... I was tracting and I knocked on this ladies door and she comes out with her lil ankle biting dog on a leash (i think her dog was a chew wa wa).. and I startin talking to this elderly lady and tellin her bout the mormon tabernackle quior and I give her this joy to the world pass along card.. As I feel a warm puddle on my boot I look down and her DOG PEED ON MY BOOT!!! YES THE DUMB LIL DOG PEED ON MY BOOT!!!!!!!!!..... The elderly lady was like... well my dog really likes people.. I couldn't believe my eyes family.. I was in distraught.. I ran off the porch and didn't even say bye...my comp was like.. well we'll see ya later mam...... I was like screamin to my comp.. and she was just laughin...then I started to laugh.. LOL.. it was bad.. I went back and really scrubbed my boot and sprayed stuff on it... but ya know I think all the dogs I now come in contact sniff that boot.. I just give them a kick in the butt (all dogs and cats I come in contact with).. lol jk... I am really
not a big animal lover.. haha... We went into one home and they had about 20 cats.. I thought i was gonna puke.. haha.. jk i love all gods creations... Today it's rainin.. but it hasn't snowed yet.... Praise the Lord.. I sent some pics to you guys.. I hope you got them.. maybe it got lost.. I'll send more I promise.... I hope Alvin, and Tate are doin good.. Are they still alive? he he jk...
My president wrote me the other day and he was like.. Oh how I love you enthusiasm. ha ha.. I hope that you guys recognize me on the phone.. jk.. ha.. Tell everyone Hi.. and Sure do miss everyone and Love everbody... Give Easton and Livvie a hug and a kiss from chelz..
Talk to you all next week!!!
Love
SiSteR FurNISS

Letter #21

Hey Family HOW are you doin? How's life in the fast lane of Rigby IdeeHO? Sounds like everyone is stayin busy and I just bet that everyone is growin up fast and just gettin prettier and prettier everyday. I am learning so much as a missionary. I am gettin BOLD. I'll have to tell all ya'll about it. You all excited for Thanksgivin? BOY I AM. First home cooked meal in like 4 months. Seriously. We are goin to Sister Alice Upchurch's house for supper. Well at like noon. Then I think we're goin to play football with the Elders. We're havin like a Turkey Bowl. haha. I am so excited. Hows Lil Easty and Livvie? It really feels like I have no Livvie Neice. Cuz I never have met her. I bet when I get to hold her in my arms I will then realize I have a niece. haha. I bet Tater and Alivin are growin up too. So I found out I will be flying home the end of OCT 2010. Man I dunno how I'll handle that.. ha ha..
This week has been perty darn good If I say so myself. We taught alot of spiritual lessons. We are teachin people like mad preacher women. We have lessons every night and its great. I really feel the spirit strongly as I teach about the restoration or different topics such as the Word of Wisdom or even Law of Chastity. I have never felt so happy and confident in myself as I do now. Gotta love what the Gospel does to ya. RiGhT RighT? Today for personal study I made a visual. I made a visual about the Book of Mormon and how it is the Keystone of our religion and then I had little blocks around it that referred to the Restoration. My trainer taught me that. I love teachin that lesson. Visuals help so much it really brings the spirit.
So I think my comp is a lil hoeesick. WEll ALOT. The Holiday season is kinda gettin to her. I just have to wrap my arms around here and tell her that we have eachother this holiday season and we'll make the best of it with our family here in KenTuckAY. She constantly talks about her family. That is a sign of homesickness. I'm glad my Trainer taught me to not talk about the fam so much. It really does distract from the work when you're dwelling and wishing you could be wit your fam. Ya just gotta LOVE and lIVE in the MOMENT and have faith and hope that you will get to see your fam again soon. We have a lot of fun though. She prolly think i'm a lil weird. haha.. BUT i dON"T CARe. ha ha. Gotta make things FUN and silly.
But Anwywhos.. We are teachin SO MANY PEOPLe it's crazy. We have Teresa and Herbert Stevens, Brandy Perkins, Rose Cooper, KYLE JONES (commited to be baptized JAN 20th), and a great couple we found last week named Ronnie Ross and his woman friend April. I am not sure if they're married.. (just wait till the law of chastity RIGHT).. Our nights are packed full of lessons and spiritual uplifting experiences. All ya'll gotta meet these wonderful people. OH YES we are teachin a girl named Michelle Phillips too. She is 21 and she thinks of us as her BFF's. HAha.. She is AWESOme.
I have noticed how bold I am gettin. Speaking my mind in a room of older men of the priesthood starin at me. Ya that was scarEy! So yesterday in PEC. I just told them that Heavenly Father is not letting people come to church because this little branch is full of contention and we don't love eachother. (It really is true). They all totally agreed. See there is alot of people who get offended here in the south because TN people have to come to KY to go to church here. IT IS A HUGE RIVALRY here with TN people and KY people. (so stupid i know).. Lotsa gossip and people yellin at eachother and its just no beuno. So that is somethin President of the branch says he is goin to work on and he has noticed it as well. I know that will help a lot with all the contention. Members don't really fellowship one another here. THey don't shake hands very well and tell eachother they love one another. (it's really interestin).. I attended at baptist church in the summer and they took 5 minutes to all shake eachothers hands and tell eachother Hello.. MAybe we Need THA?? ha ha.. I dunno.. It is pretty interestin here in the soUTH.
We had a general authority come speak to us on Friday. All the missionaries gathered together. Elder Snow spoke to us. It was awesome. He really spoke with the spirit and helped us missionaries alot on how to be better teachers and most importantly better people. I took alot of notes. I will show
ya'll later (hAHA)..
So I sent you all a letter with some pics in it. DID YA GeT iT? I also sent Kass some pics too. DId YA geT it? I dunno wuts up with the mail these days. Don't forget to send all letters and packagages to the new address. OkaY
DokAy?
Today we will be workin and Thursday is our PDAy. It is pretty cloudy and overcast here. Kinda depressin.. but not really. It has been chilly but not too
old. NOT as cold as IDAhO. Friday I tracted in just a shirt and of course a skirt. hAha.
Don't be afraid to send me more PICTURES of all ya'll.. (HINT WINK HINT WINK).. From the lil pics I get.. You have all changed a lot. You have all
gotten cuter of course and much more mature lookin.. or somethin.. I take pics every single day and I am fixin to send all ya'll some. I reckon that will be okay righT? HAha ..
I can't wait to hear from all ya'll. I think some family and friends may have fallen off the earth or somethin. ha JK. ( I don't write much letters either).. I am doin great here on my mission and grateful for this opportunity that has already FLOWN right on by. I get to talk to ya'll in 4 weeks and lotsa hours. What are you all doin from Christmas? I have no idea what we are doin.
Have a GREAT week fAM!! I lovE YOU ALl SooOOoo MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HaPPy TuRkEY DAY!!!

Luv

sIsTeR FuRnISS ----------------->

Letter #20

Hey Family. How ya'll doin?? Whats been happenin lately?? Anythin EXCITIN? Do I sound like I gots a southern drawl? HA HA.. I prolly do. My english is gettin horrible sorry to say. It's these gosh darn kentucky accents.. They really get to ya. Sounds like BBALL SEASON is well uNDeR Way.. I miss watchin ya'll play. I can't wait for this time next year. I WON"T MISS A GAME I PROMISE. haha.. Hows tater and Alvin doin?
MOM - I bet you're doin great in schooL. Keep up the good hard work. It does pay off.
This week has been really rough. haha. Not gonna lie. I know I had to have a hard week for a reason. BUT I learned a lot. I will be stayin here iN Kentucky for Thanksgivin and CHristmas with my Sister Crockett. I am pretty excited. We teach some very powerful lessons where you can feel the spirit. I can't believe
half the things I say in the lessons. It's like someone is talkin through me. IT's AWESOME! This Thanksgiving we are going over to some members house for Lunch. We don't get fed here. Like maybe once a month do me and my comp get fed by members, but when we do.. guess what it usually always is.. REFRIED BEANS!! I don't know what it is but the south is in love with beans and cornbread. I think I've had it like 20 times. I will never eat another bowl of beans for as long as I live after my mission.. haha SORRY.So it looke like Ronnie still wants to be taught by our mission leader brother
johnson. I felt so bad family. Ronnie gave me this pic of the temple and I kept it and hung it in the bathroom. I know that me and my companion made the right decision by stopping our visits. But really it does make ya feel kinda bad. BUT ANWYAS...
This week was rough fam. There is a recent convert who comes out with us a lot and on saturday she must have been having a bad day. She got really mad at me. She verbally attacked me. She told me that I wasn't a very good person and I don't listen to peoples problems and I just don't care about people. She told me
that I never call her to "chat". and I am slacking as a missionary. MAN talk about wanna go give my mom and dad a hug and make everything okay. It was really hard. I basically just smilied at her while she was getting angry with me and told her my purpose as a missionary. My purpose is to invite others to come unto christ and I am not on a mission to hang out and gossip with her. I told her that Heavenly Father sent me here for a reason to tough peoples lives and I only listen to the spirit and work the VERY HARDEST that I can. I smiled at her and told her I loved her. She didn't like it. and took me and my companion home. (we were on our way to a lesson).
Man I felt like I was fightin with my best friend. I am really close to this member and I can tell her anything. This member has been through a really hard life. She is very lonely and depressed and is a recent convert of like 3 months. She really really depends on me and my companion. I know that the spirit that we bring is something that she depends on in her life. It was really hard on me family. I really just broke down crying to my companion later that night and thought "why". This member didn't come to church the next day. I felt it was my fault. I then prayed to heavenly father and through the spirit I KNEW That I did the right thing. It isn't the missionaries job to fellowship the members. It is the Members. They aren't doing it and it's really hard on the missionaries. We won't be here forever ya know? I know that this member might be mad for awhile at me. But I know that later she'll realize that I can't call her everyday to see how she is doing and that there are other souls our there waiting to here the message of the restoration. I know I told her the right things. I love her
and I'll always be there for her, but I can't hang out with her EVERYDAY! It was really good experience. I really now understand my purpose. I know there is a medium that I gotta find. BUT I remember Elder Bednars talk about how he had 2 missionaries come over to his house to just "HANG OUT" and Elder Bednar new that they weren't workin hard enough just by that. I don't wanna be one of those missionaries yA knKOW?? I mean I still have fun on my mission and I AM CRAZY.. BUt I know when the time is to work. : ) SOrry I just like ramble sometime family..
Welll I hope all is well. I MISS YOU SO MUCH.. I get to talk to all ya'll in like 6 weeks and I am so lookin forward to it... MOM - i"ll email you somethin that I need. Hope all is well.. Love you'ns!! (they always say that in the south.. it means you guys).. HAHA..have a great week!

LOVE SISTER FURNISS

Letter #19

Hi family! Wuts uP? HOw was all ya'all's week? Did ya done did everything ya needed to?? haha ... Pardon my Kentucky accent.. That's how everyone talks around here. Today is a sunny day today. We are just here at the Oneida Library emailin away. I dunno wut we're gonna do today. I am gonna try and print some pics out from halloween party to send to u all. Our branch had this big party. It was pretty fun. I didn't dress up, but I took lotsa pics. When is the first BIG game of ThE SeAsoN? I am SUPPPER excited! Send me the sTaTS aIGHT? This week has been pretty good. It seems like I just blinked my eye and the week was over. Weeks are starting to get that way. I will be 6 months old on November 13Th! Whoa that is crazY. Mom you asked about David Craig. I heard from the assistants that he found out that he was still on parole cuz he just got outa
jaiL. So he can't be baptized for awhile. He still goes to church and all. I wrote him last week. So hopefully he will answer me back. I think he is goin through a really rough time. Thats cool that Sister Maughn was praying for him. I know that it really helped him out a lot. We had a lesson with Ronnie yesterday and we talked about how we all have our own personal "Liberty jails" like Joseph smith did..and how Joseph relied on the lord to help him get out of that crucial time in his life. Then I related it to Ronnie's life and how he is having his own personal liberty jail cuz he can't get to church. We then talked about how he can overcome his fear of people
through the atonement. It was a pretty powerful lesson. I could really feel the spirit work through me and convey to Ronnie what Heavenly Father wanted him to hear. IT was AMAZING! During District meeting on Friday the district leader had us draw our favorite book of mormon story and after we did that it really made me want to start to
read the Book of Mormon again. So I am doin so. MAN I love that book. It keeps me goin. I read it right before I got to bed, and as soon as I wake up. I don't dare miss a day cuz my day just goes bad when I do. Halloween night we weren't alowed to go outside so we went inside. We spent it with Trina (recent convert).. We basically just chatted and she kept tellin us how much she wanted a man. She is about 33 years old and has one son who is 17. If ya know anyone who is lookin for a woman.. Give TRINA a call.. haha jk... I'm not really sure if I'll be here for the Holidays. I HOPE SO! Brother Hansford invited us over for thanksgivin with his family. He has 3 grown
children who all have children and they are all LESS ACTIVE. I have grown to love the Hansfords. We are gettin 4 new sisters on the 18th. So I think it kinda depends on who trains and stuff. I dunno if I will .. We find out that weekend before the 18th. I really tell people my heart belongs in Kentucky and everyone is like man you really do love this place. I'm like YEP I SURE DO. There is a new sister from Rexburg comin. Her dad teaches at BYUI.. Brother Nygren. Do u know him mom? I know her and her dad from the gym when I worked at the fitness deSK.
I hope everyone is doin good and Easty and Livvie are good. They are lookin so Cute.. I got the pics from Jiller and I LOVED THEM. Livvie does look like Alvin. I hear you all made some Too Too's?? HAHA.. What did they look LIkE? Were they fun? ya gonna take pics? We had interviews on Friday with President. He was sick so it didn't last long.
He was in a lot of pain and couldn't even get outa his chair. Sister Griffin was like... This is not like President he doesn't sit down for nothin (it reminded
me of dad).. HAHA... So it turned out that President had Pneomia and he said that if felt like he was havin a heart attack. He is fine now.. but it was so sad.. The assistants had to give him a blessing so he could go home from interviews..
Well I better get goin.. but Hopefully you all are doin GREAT! I love you all so
much. I can't wait to talk to all ya'll next month..
Sister Furniss