Letter #28

Hey family. How u doin this week?? I am so happy that Alvin's team got 4th at state. hat is pretty sweet. I wish that I could have been there. I will go next year for sHore.. ha ha. I miss basketball like CRAZY! I think I'm gonna go buy a ball at wally world and then go to the church and make my comp rebound for me or somethin.. haha. I am sorry that my email was so short last week. I do love you all and miss ya'll like Craziness.
Our young men and young womens program isn't as strong as it is out in the west. Mainly becuase we don't have very many youth that actually come. We are definitely workin on it though. Trina isn't an athlete.. HA HA. The Blacks are very classy people. They are the best.
It was another hard week in Kentucky. They just keep getting harder, but so much more rewarding. I dunno if that makes sense. We got Mikey all baptized and he did a great job. He was very happy. His family was all there to support him too. (even his non member family members). It was a great sight to see.
I am really startin to click with the people here. I just love them so much. They all will definatley be lifetime friends for me. I have really pondered the meaning of friendship. I had a member yesterday ask me if I was alright. It just made me feel so good to know that someone would take time to ask me if "I was alright." I never noticed how much that meant to me till this member asked me that. Even the littlest things mean the greatest. I guess I have been havin a real hard time and it shows in my face. I don't mean to wear my emotions, but sometimes it happens. I guess It means I am workin hard maybe. I don't know. It really is hard to be a trainer, when you and your companion are just at 2 totally different levels in life. You learn from eachother though. My companion is having an EXTREMELY hard time. It's just really hard for her to be on a mission. I told her I would never let her go home though. She said that I am her only friend she has and she told me Thank you the other day for taking the time to talk to me. I know she will get through this! I mean hey a mission isn't exactly a piece of cake for me Eitha or anyone that has ever served. It sometimes gets hard when you have to stop and have a heart to heart chat while trying to find people to teach because your companion is crying. We all need different things though in life.
We had an encounter with the devil the other day. I am sorry but we DID!! We knocked on a door and the guy slammed his door open and it hit me in the face.. OH YEs that did it for me... He said in a very scarey voice.. "would you ladies like some tea".... (he is very old and gray)... We told him we don't drink tea.. He then said We don't believe in the same god.. I said.... How can we believe in a different god?? There is only one....... he then started to tell us we were in Error and we worshipped Joseph Smith and that he would pray for us and he just started yelling and telling us we were so confused in everything..... I told him if we were so confused how could we be going door to door to tell you about this...... He then just hushed up and slammed his door and said I'll pray for u girls.. I then said.. We will pray for you too.. LOL... It was so weird..
I love you family. Thanks for your support. I will be home in 8 1/2 months!! (not like I am countin or anything... )... : ) Have a great week.. I'll see ya'll soon.
Luv
Chelz

Letter #27

Hey FAm. How was the super bowl?? Ya we tracted last night and everyone was busy watchin the game. I didn't even realize that it was super bowl day. My BAD...
sounds like you guys had an enjoyable time though. . We went to Rhondas last night at like 8 and taught her son mikey about how to obey and honor the law.Hey mom I DO know Brooke Chapman. She is super nice. It is still freezin here. It rains and then freezes and the windy roads get really icey. Church was cancelled yesterday for the 2nd time in a row. I was fumin, but I got over it. We just can't seem to get our branch president to come out with us. It really hurts the work. OH well.
We got our transfer call and I am stayin here with Sister Bean for another transfer. This will be 7 MONTHS in the KY. I'm not mad. We are really buidling our teachin pool and getting A LOT of investigators. This is a really hard area, but I know I am suppose to be here. So What can YA do RigHT? The sun still doesn't shine, but we try and make our own sun shine. ha ha We got chased all through town on Tuesday. Sister Bean accidently stepped on a puppy at someones house and the puppy started to cry and limp and so we didn't know what to do so we kept walkin back to our car and the owner comes stormin our to get her dog and it scared us so we kept on running...... about 20 minutes later we get to our car and drive back to our apt.. and her and her boyfriend
are in her TRUCK and they start chasing us. I have never been so scared in all my life. I tried to lose them and turn different ways but they kept chasin us in our car and so we kept on a drivin. We drove for about 20 minutes and then they finally gave up. WE Weren't gonna pull over and talk to them cuz what if they had a gun or something.. hahaha... Sister Bean cried and cried cuz she felt so bad and thought she was goin to jail.. I told her no she wasn't..... I think that the people that chased us saw that we left a card on their door and knew we were mormons and sister bean stepped on their dog on accident so they thought they would chase us... and boy did they scare us....Sister Bean couldn't sleep for like 3 days cuz she thought they would come back and get her.. Things are goin pretty good though... I am wearin jeans right now and I can't stand it. I need a skirt. HAHA.. I have also realized that u can't please everyone. People get so offended or mad at the missionaries and ya just have to
brush it off.. who knows.. ha...
PS - HEY MOM I didn't get your package! I LOVED IT> I am wearin the sweater
right now and I have been usin the vitamans..

LUv ya all
chelz

Letter #27

HEy fam. Wutz up? not much here. We have been snowed in for like 3 days. TN got a HUGE snow storm and KY.. I dunno if u guys saw it on the news.. But so we had to stay in and not drive for THREE DAYS. caN I JUST SAY.. I got major cabin fever. I basically went nutso. I mean when u are used to go go go go for the past 9 months.. and all of the sudden you have to stay inside and stare at the wall.. It just makes ya go nuts.. haha
There is snow still and the kids are outa school. They have been out for like 6 weeks cuz there is a little bit of snow on the ground because the roads are so windy and back in the woods. Crazy huh?
It sounds liek Livvie and Easty are doin good.. I miss you all lots, but I am happy. I am half way done wit the mish. WEIRD! Training is goin good but way hard. Sometimes I find myself trying to help my companion more than the people I meet. I sometimes think I am a way hard Trainer. I make my comp do so much. We role play everyday. I am more of a role player than a just read the scriptures and fall asleep kinda studier. My comp had a real bad week and cried everyday we role played. I really tried to comfort
her. She has absolutely no confidence at all, but she is trying so hard and wants to be better. I pray for her a lot. She had a rough rough life. She grew up in foster care and was adopted into a LDS family when she was 12. When she was younger she was abused and she has told me a lot of the things that happened to her. I am way glad that I have been blessed to have such a great family in the gospel. I sometimes don't know how I got so lucky.
The snow has sure put a damper in your pants. HA HA.. not but seriously I don't enjoy the snow. I would rather be tracting in 90 degree weather with a popsicle and a suntan.. haha. It has strengthened me a lot though. I'll look back and laugh. I only have to survive one winter in Tn though. So we were playin Phase 10 with our neighbors who are members last night. It was so fun. These little boys are my brothers in KY. One little boy has the cutest accent. He was tellin me about how he was hunting and show a deer in the "Hinnie Ho"... I was like WHAT's a Hinnie HO??? He's like "THE BUTT SISTER FURNISS"..
HAHA.. I laughed so hard.. I thought I sure don't call a butt a hinnie ho.. People are very southern here.. HAHA.. I love it.Well I can't believe that I have been 1 year free from the GOITEr.. I am a SURVIvoR.. HAHa.. jk... I can't believe I had surgery 1 year ago and I got my call 11 months ago...
We are goin down to Tennessee tonight to teach Matt Jones and then up to KY to teach Mikey. The blacks are taking us (The senior couple).. They sure are doin a great work. They have 4 daughters and 1 son and they said that all 4 daughters served missions and even their son. HOW cool would that be? I am startin to talk and act like a southerner. I sometimes find myself talkin like a southern baptist would.. OH okay so get a load of this.. So we were tracting and all the sudden we see this his mansion house in the middle of the bonnies .. So I was like okay Bean lets go knock on it. She was like no way.. I was like COME ON.. So we went and we started talkin to the lady who lived in this million dollar mansion ( I am used to knocking on trailors).. and she starts talkin to me and telling me that I need to get outa my box that I live
in. She asked me if I knew some of these non- denominational preachers.. and I was like ummm no... she was like.. Listen You live in a box and you need to get out and hear these world wide preachers.. I was like.. Listen Lady, With all due respect, These preachers are great men.. BUT I know that there is a prophet on the earth that leads and guides me and I don't need to listen to all these preachers.... She kinda just smiled and said.. OH.. I am gettin to be more bold with people and their weird questions. I am stratin to grasp and know my testimony of the gospel more and why I love it and am so grateful for it. Man who would have figured after 9 months I would actually feel good about my testimony..
Well we are off 2 the walmart and ya know hang out there on a P DAY.. Hope ya'll have a great DAY.. Keep me updated when track starts and stuff like tha.. I loved the pics and I'll send ya'll more. I have taken about 600 pics on my mission so far. I gotta fill up the other sim card before I come home. I"ll work on it.. haha
talk to ya'll on mothers day!!!! (like 3 months)

LOVE YA
CHElz

Letter #26

Greetings from the KentuCkee.. How ya'll doin? Hows the snow? Let me tell u that I am sure glad there is no snow on the ground right now. It is about 45 degrees right now. So I got Jller's package. I LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!I will have to write her and thank her. I showed my comp all the videos.. Man everyone is changing a lot. LIke a lot. I can't believe it. Everyone looks so different and happy. (ESPECIALLY EASTON AND TATE and LIVVIE).... they all have prolly grown the most. Tate is huge. He doesn't have a man voice though. Thats good. HAHA.
Training is goin well. I am just training while I am with Sister Bean. After we aren't companions I won't be her trainer. You are only a trainer to people who are new to the mission. If God calls me to be a trainer to another sister than I will be. I notice that I DO NOT train like I was trained. I try and be more personal. Believe it or not I am a chatter BOX. I get my comp to talk and talk and tell me everything about her. I noticed that has helped her not be so homesick. One thing That I wear myself out doin is boosting her confidence. (in a good way).. I have noticed that I get a lot of companions with no inner confidence in themselves. I don't know why Heavenly Father trusts me with that kinda responsibility, but its kinda fun.
The hard thing about training is you have to do a lot of the work.. cuz your companion just doesn't know cuz she has never done it before. It can be very mentally exhausting.. but really rewarding.
Sorry my email was so short.. I been thinkin about it.. I REALLy just have no desire to write letters anymore. Only to my family and stuff... I don't know why.. but It just doesn't amuse me anymore. I think I am gettin really used to being a missionary. I notice I can't remember the movie stars or the teams I used to like or even the music. I dunno I am just gettin WEIRD. ITs even weird to sit down at a table with 2 Elders. (one of them bein 70 year old).. HAHA.. I think man I can't sit by boys this is weird.....LOL.. OH joys... This week was good. The sun didn't shine for a BLASTED WEEK!! That was kinda put a damper on your tracting. It is just really rainy here and the roads make ya car sick.. HAHA.. But I do love it. I have been here for 5 months. Its really a great place to be a missionary. Kyle's baptism went really well. When he got in the water he looked up to his mom and just smiled and grinned ear to ear. I almost shed a tear it was so cute. (his parents aren't members)... When he first got there he says "Sister furniss are they gonna fill the font to the top?" LOL.. I was like OH NO NONO kyle... haha.. (He was a lil nervous)....
So did ya'll get tickets to come to TN for Thanksgivin???? wink wink wink....
Mom do u ever see anyone of my married friends?? Yes all of them are married.. I
guess that happens.. ha ha..
It was so good to see some of alvin and tate playin ball.. I showed some Elders
who play ball.. I was like oh wait my sister is 16.. and u just turned how
OLD???? HAHAHA..
Today we are goin to wally world cuz I gotta get some more thy meds. and I might
go get a trim on my hair cuz its just gettin to long...
I love you all so much and I can feel your prayers. Thanks for always writing me
really good letters and emails. THey sure do help me out a lot.

Love u all!!!!
chelz

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