Letter #32

Hey Family. How ya all doin? It sounds like you all had a good time in sin City. I should have had u meet one of my companions who lives in Vegas. Her name is Sara Hales. She lives right by the Temple. She got home in January. I wished I could have gone to vegas, but I'm glad I am in TN. Were ya'll there for a Basketball Tournament right? I couldn't quite remember.
Well I am serving in Knoxville (the city). I am in the Grove Park Ward. It is the biggest ward I have been in as of yet on my mission. It isn't quite as big as Labelle 1st ward. I am in a 3-some. We sleep in a little room with 3 beds crammed in it. It gets a little muggy, but usually I am so tired I just hit the bed and don't wake up intil 6:30 AM. I have almost been out for 11 months!
I feel like I am gettin more more confident with bein a missionary and the routine. I LOVED training and that was where I learned to be happy on the mission. That really boosted the confidence, cuz I had to be the big girl.
It is already in the 80's here and I am sweatin 24/7. We get a lot of good member referrals here in the Grove Park Ward. We knocked doors for 18 hours and 30 minutes this las week. I got a little dehydrated (you know what that means). I was on the golden throne for a couple days. I am kinda over that sickness though. I have been tryin to drink more water cuz I hear u can get kidney stones if u dont drink enough water. We tracted in a ghetto trailor park and there was some guys playin some bball so I told the comps that we should play with them.. We played a game of lightenin with them and then said they had to come to church with us. They rejected. It was funny cuz they all had ciggarettes in their mouths while they were playin basketball with us.. HA HA. No wonder they suck cuz they can't BREATHe!
We had a man that was commited for baptism, but now he is not. His girlfriend got really mad at us for teaching him. One day she stormed in the room while we were teachin him and oh my goodness guess what lesson we were teachin LAW OF CHASTITY. She was very upset at me.. LOL... She thought that I was tellin her boyfried that if he slept with girls before marriage that he wasn't worthy to be with god.. (she was just pickin at everythin)... We tried to meet all her concerns. She was fumin though. LOL... The next week we went back to continue to make daily contact with this man who was commited and we showed up at his house and he was drunk. It was horrible. I knew being the senior companion that we shouldn't be there, so I told him that the only way to be happy is to stop drinking and smoking and then I told him when he wants to be baptized to call us. He then called us when we left and I said to him "Don't call us ever again if you're drunk, we are here to help you draw closer to christ, but you won't learn by the spirit if you're drunk"... He said okay and said I won't call u when I'm drunk anymore. We haven't heard from him since.
We also met a guy named CARLOS tracting!! He needs a good member to fellowship him that speaks spanish. He is so awesome. He comes from El Salvador and he wants to know christ better. He has a big accent, but he still speaks english. He is gonna be baptized soon.
I found out from the Blacks (whitley city senior couple).. that 2 people that I taught in Whitley City are commited to be baptized the end of this month! WOOT!!! I really miss my home in Kentucky and it's been hard to be away cuz we had to much success there. I know that more success is to come here though.
I love ya'll so much. I get to talk to ya'll in 1 month! Then after that I'll see ya'll in person! No more phone calls.. woot woot... How is kass doin?? I know since she has a boyfriend her emailing me will probably stop. Keep writin me and emailin me! I promise I will write back. My correspondance with the outside world has basically stopped.. lol.. I don't even write my friends at home anymore. I write my friends on the mission. lol
Well I'll talk to ya'll soon! I love you all so much

Chelz

Letter #31

hey family. I am in a new area in Grove Park, Tennessee. It is right by down town knoxville. I am with Sister Bernarnd who is from Utah and then Sister Nygren who is from Rexburg, idaho. It is really weird bein in a threesom. I am tryin to figure out how much I like it. The ward is super supportive here and the members are great. It reminds me a lot of Utah.
I had a really hard time leaving my home in Whitley. I don't think I cried has hard as I have since I left Idaho. I said bye to all my friends in Whitley and we all cried together before I left. It was super sad.
I know I will learn to love this area in time. It's hard when you build your area so much and then get pulled right away from it.
People say your 11 to 12 month mark is hard and boy that is the truth right there. I think it's just the new area maybe... We have a guy commited to be baptized on April 3rd. For conference we are goin to the church to watch it so that will be good.
Have fun in vegas!! soak up the hot rays of sun..

Love
chelz

Letter #30

Hey Family! Thanks for the great emails. I sure do love hearing from all ya'll. I will be moving on Wednesday. We don't find out where we are going until the Transfer meeting. I am pretty sad and I know I'll be homesick for KY. BUT I am also way excited to be goin somewhere different. It will be a great expereince and I have my time in KY to fall back on and realize how much I have grown. My companion started to cry when we found out. She said "Sister Furniss you're the bestest friend I've ever had". I was totally in shock cuz I never ever thought she thought that. I guess you don't know who you touch. I am really worred about her getting a new companion cuz her people skills aren't exactly there. We have been role playing a lot and I have been having her show me how to get places and stuff and we did it Saturday night and she didn't know how to get somewhere so she just sat there and cried. I told her she has to COMMUNICATE with everyone. I know that sounds weird comin from me but I guess I done changed in that aspect. My name is Chatty Kathy. HAHA
Ya I was just really ill. My chest was just a burnin and our mail man said that when u get bronchitis here it stays a lot longer and is 10 times worse cuz of the humidity. IT SURE IS. I never felt to sick in all my live long life. I just layed on the couch for 3 days in my underwear. HAHA GROSS
The 3 children who were commited for baptism aren't gonna be baptized anytime soon. I asked the mother if we could teach the children and she said no.. HOW HEART BREAKING.. Ya we experienced a lot of dissapointment this week. BUT ya live and ya learn.
We are getting ready to commit a 16 year old girl named Tadabee and a 23 year old girl named Wendy. They both want to be baptized. Usually on average we teach about 25 other lessons and 5 less active lessons and a couple active. It's pretty good for this area where it is all country and the houses are miles apart.
I will be 1 year old in 6 weeks! Man I can't believe it's been a year and I need to start figurin out what I'm gonna be doin. That stinks.
Today I have been packing my stuff and doin laundry and my companion has been cleanin.
I had a very bad experience tracting saturday morning. Well it wasn't bad.. it was just weird.. I was wearing some little stud earings with white little diamond on it.. and we go up to this old country house and this guy is out there screamin "YOU GIRLS MORMON".. I was like okay bean let's go talk to this nut... So we went over there and he touches my earing and starts to tell me that I shouldn't be wearing jewelry cuz I am beuatiful the way I am and blah and he was yelling it.... he then says who tells you you can have earrings.. I then explained we have a prophet on the earth who told us 1 earring hole is appropriate in one ear.. and he said.. "WELL WHAT MAKES HIM A PROPHET" and I told him.. and he says.. "WELL IM A PROPHET"... and then he goes.. "YOURE WRONG!!!!!!! u are goin to HELL".... he then points to his daughters who are in jean skirts and have hair down to there ankles and says my daughters and wife wear skirts all the time and never cut there hair and can't wear makeup......I of course was gettin mad at the man for attacking me like that and tellin me that my religion is goin to hell.. SO I started to yell back.. I never got so mad at all my life... I told him he was a son of god and we all are his children and everyone is equal no matter what.. and he kept yellin at me so I just said have a nice day and pulled my companion with me and we walked off.. HE THEN kept yellin... He wasn't very nice man. But I prayed for him after we left his house... I know that I shouldn't have sat there and bashed bible scriptures with him.. but I was in the moment.. I repented for that I promise....
Anyway.. it was a learnin experience and my companion was just laughin at me for like a day cuz she said she never saw that side of me.. ha ha..
HOw are the children??? I miss you all al ot.. I still don't know what day I'm comin home.. but I'll let ya'll know soon.....
LOVE YA ALL!

chelz

Letter #29

hey everyone.. how u doin?? I was so glad to get all of your emails and I have been recieving your letters.. THey have been great! Thank ya'll so much. I got Tate's letter today. Tell him THANK YOU.. I will write him back soon. What have all ya'll been up to lately??
I have been sicker than a dog this week. I have been in bed like all week. Remember when I was younger and I would get really bad bronchitis?? Yeah I got it.. And it has sucked a big bum. I have hated bein sick. I called Sister Griffin and President and President was gonna prescribe me some medication (cuz hes a throat doctor).. but he told me I should just wait it out and see what happens and my fever eventually broke and then I started feelin better. I still have a big cough, but I am feelin loads better. Prayer work and Heavenly Father Loves me! Bein sick on your mission is the absolute worst. I feel so much better though. So don't worry.
So 1 year ago I got my mission call. How does that work? That went by way too fastlY. I was sick in bed on my 1 year from the mission call mark. WHOA weird.
So I sent some pictures home to all ya'll I hope you guys got them. They were prety funny. I will keep sendin loads of pictures for you guys. I like takin pics in the dirty south.
I went to Interview last Tuesday and I sat down with President Griffin and he told me so many encouraging things. He really is a man called of God. He first off told me what a great job I have done IN Whitley City and that he was very pleased of me and my efforts. He then told me that he will be "manuevering me out" and I will be transferred in 1 week (transfers are the 24th)..... He told me that it was time and he wanted me to experience other areas of the mission. My hear really did hurt, but I am realizing that I am need else where. I will always have my heart in KY though... PS did you know KENTUCKY IS LIKE DOIN AWESOME IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL?????? DID YA'LL WATCH THEM PLAY TN AND KY??? MY NEIGHBOR KEPT CALLIN US AND INFORMIN US OF THE STATS.. HAHAHA.
I will let ya'll know where I end up goinn.. I know that I have changed so much bein a trainer and it's been a great expereince here in Whitley City.
The branch is under a lot of fighting and contention again. Seems like the missionaries are always the middle people and the blame. I don't let it get 2 me though. I have never had so many people mad at me before and yell at me. Man it's weird. I just try and do my best though. KY is really struggling with keeping it together. It's so stressfull.
The 3 commitments with the children we had are kinda struggling right now. The mom got offended at the Branch Presidency and walked out of church. Her kids were all crying cuz they didn't want to leave church. The mother is struggling herself. One of her biggest things is she notices that the Bishops wife never goes to sacrament.. Only her other meetings...That really bothers this lady that were teachin....
I am so grateful that Mom you always supported Dad as the bishop 100 percent. I am thankful you always made a point to be in sacrament with us kids always.... I realized that the Bishops wife is almost important as the Bishop. She doesn't hold any keys.. But her support means so much to the ward and people are always watchin. : )
I got an accent just so you all know.. HA HA HA... So just be prepared this mothers day. jk.. I am thinkin about burnin my coat cuz its got a lot of germs on it and so many animals have put their paws on it.. ha ha
I talk way too much in the lessons.. I tell my companion to hit me when I talk too much... She just laughs..
It's gonna be really tough to leave my family in KY, but I know I'll be back someday to see them. When we gonna go family???? hint hint hint.......
Well I better go.. I love you'ns... Keep writin and I will too...
Love
cheLz
~Sister Furniss ~

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