by K Fletcher

TEMPLE TRIP!

Well, guess what? We were able to go to the temple this week. That's right, you heard me. We got to attend the temple. It was such a blessing! It was a full day because we drove all the way to Raleigh and back in one day, did a session and had zone conference all in one little Friday. It was absolutely lovely.
Me
Our district
another district photo 
Hermanas with President and Sister Baker

My favorite thing is that after the Temple our entire zone conference was centered on Temples and Family History Work because, really, that is the ultimate goal. We don't want to just baptize people, we want to bring them to the highest level of happiness and that can only be found in and through the Temples of the Lord. And I love that. We don't just baptize and leave them, it is our calling to nourish them and support them all the way to the Celestial kingdom. After all, isn't that what we want? To see all of our friends and families together in the highest degree of glory? Well of course!

Let's just say it was a wonderful day.

We also have a new investigator, Zacario.  He is a pleasure to teach. He came to church before we even taught him a lesson and during the restoration I was trying to tell the actual restoration portion of it and because I mess up constantly with past tense it was a little jumbled, and then I accidently said 'traduzco' [I translate] instead of 'tradujo' [He translated] (which I then clarified. No, I did not translate the book of Mormon) but he just said, "I didn't even notice. I was just listening to the story. It's incredible!" That is such a testimony that if they want to learn there is nothing that will stop them. Not bad Spanish, not an unplanned lesson. They will feel the Spirit. I have high hopes for him. And then he read all the testimonies, including Joseph Smith's. He's so great!

And we had two investigators come to church! We've been trying to get them there for ages and they are good friends and they carpooled.  Our branch is so wonderful. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a person there who didn't shake their hands. Spanish speaking culture is lovely.

Of course, we ate at Abuelita's this week (Hermana De La Cruz, but she is really just everyone's Grandma) and this time I took pictures. there was no soup, but here's a picture of them cooking (the Cuacker is in the pot) and that massive plate of rice and beans and chicken. I love that place! They call me Fletchita. And Abuelita dreams of being as tall as me.
Las Hermanas a la casa de Abuelita
 Cooking!
 The plate of deliciousness

On that side note I am seriously the tallest person in the branch, other than the white males. It cracks me up. Everywhere I go I get comments on my height.

I love it here in Virginia and I love the people. I look forward to actually being able to communicate with them in the upcoming months.

In conclusion: Temples are wonderful, go and do the work. People are wonderful, meet someone new.
:)

Con Amor,
Hermana Fletcher

The view from our Apartment
We are just a little bit crazy (Hna Fletcher and Johnson) 
 Our lovely driver (Hna Johnson)

by K Fletcher

To Begin: A scary story

Our appointment had fallen through and our back-up plan was to go and contact a few potential and former investigators. We pulled up to a trailer, saw that there was someone at the window of the place we were visiting but thought nothing of it, said our usual getting-out-of-the-car prayer and started walking. It was about 8 o'clock and of course sometimes the trailer parks are kind of creepy at night, but we don't usually care because we avoid strangers at night. Well this time, as we were walking up to the door, I started to feel uneasy. Then we realized we all felt uneasy. And like a ton of bricks there was just a feeling that we needed to leave immediately. All of us felt it. We didn't knock. We didn't wait. We left. We didn't just leave, we fled. We were almost running to the car. We started driving immediately and looked back to see the man still standing in the window.
I have never felt a more evil feeling in my entire life. It makes me think of Joseph Smith's story. About there being an actual being from the unseen world, not a figment of imagination or a simple feeling. I know that demons and devils exist and they are terrifying.
But I also know that the Spirit of the Lord is with us. He will not allow us to be in those situations, he will protect us, he will guide us and we have the privilege of having him to be with us always.  I don't know if I have ever been so grateful for that in my life.

So that happened and of course it was terrifying. But it is incredible to know that Heavenly Father is really watching out for us. He will not allow us to enter an unsafe place without a very clear and very direct warning. We won't be going back to that trailer park for a while.

In other news, we have two investigators with baptismal dates!
One is Maria, who is still in the process of learning and accepting, but I think she knows it is true and is ready to take that step. We are still working on meeting with her husband (who will not wake up for church!) but it is going well and I love teaching her adorable little family.
The other is Ever (please pronounce that with a Spanish accent. "Eh-vaire" emphasis on the first syllable. He is a former investigator that called us up one day and said that he had been thinking and wanted us to come visit him again. We followed the spirit in that lesson and invited him to be baptized next month! Then he came to church this Sunday! It was a fantastic week.

Speaking of getting investigators to church. I've been asked if we invite them. We do not just invite them. We leave branch council early. We knock on their doors. We invite them in person, then we follow up later that day if they don't come.  Ever is the first person to come since I have been here.

SIN EMBARGO (However), something happened last week that was not our fault. Church was cancelled. I repeat, church was cancelled. People out here really do go crazy if a storm is coming. I've never had church cancelled on me before. But such is life.

And then this past Preparation Day, we had a sister's day and we went ice-skating! It was so much fun, and even though I haven't been in ages, I'm still able to keep my feet under me. It's always important to have an hour or two for blind fun each week, don't you think? 



I hope everyone is doing well. My Spanish is doing well, and I look forward to speaking it all over the place. I love the culture and I love the people and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

So have a good week, do something unexpected, share the gospel, eat a salad, go ice-skating.

Con Amor,
Hermana Fletcher


by K Fletcher

3 MONTHS

I am in full Spanish speaking culture these days, and I LOVE it.

So picture this:
There is this beautiful, wonderful lady, Hermana De La Cruz. Every week she invites the missionaries over for lunch. And this is how it goes...
One full-to-the-brim glass of "Cuacker" a warm liquefied oatmeal and pineapple drink.
One huge bowl of the most intense soup you've ever had. This week it had chicken, yucca, an egg, squash, various vegetables, a ton of cheese, and other mystery ingredients.
And then, after you've had enough calories to last the entire day, she gives you a plate piled with rice, beans and chicken with avocado.
It is the most delicious food I've had on my mission. Muy rico. But it. is. so. much.
I love it. Every time I sit down, it's a challenge. And I win.

Also, I've learned to make homemade corn tortillas and a delicious pocket-type food called a papoosa. Next up is tamales and enchiladas.

I love the Central and South American influenced culture here. There is a great mix of nationalities we teach and meet with Mexicans, Hondurans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Guatemalans and more. It is lovely, and what is amusing is I feel more at home here than in Wilson because the people I am teaching have the same accent that I am used to (a Spanish accent) whereas before, any English I heard was Southern. It's an interesting thing.

The work is incredible here. The culture is almost a shock to me. People love to invite you into their homes. They love to heard about God and Jesus Christ. The only hard part is that in my new area we have a ton of people who are willing to hear what we have to teach, but so few that want to act on it. They think it's just fine to hear God's word and not have to exercise any faith or dedication on their part. It's nice to be able to teach so many people, but frustrating to know that even if they listen, unless they act on that which they hear it won't impact their lives.

So that is what we are working on. Building real intent. Exercising faith means that Joseph Smith had to enter the grove and pray, fully expecting to act on whatever answer he received. I think most people are just afraid to ask because they know they will have to change.

And I guess that is what this gospel is, it is a gospel of change. And every time we take that step of faith, going where God wants us to go even when we don't know where He might be leading us, that is when we take a step closer to Him.

It's a good gospel.

On a lighter note, This has been one of the craziest winters in Virginia history (of the last decade, at least). There have been 3 snow storms in one season, where normally it's odd to even have one. They even cancelled church last Sunday!!! That was a shocker, but we managed to fill it meaningfully.

We also might have built a snowman when we were snowed in one day. And a snow fort. It happens. :D

Final topic:
Families we are teaching:
Maria y Carlos: She speaks almost all English, he speaks almost all Spanish. She has a very wide religious background and he has almost none. She really wants to come to church and pray, but he is a lot more hesitant. It's an interesting combination. We just taught the Plan of Salvation and we are planning on meeting with them several times a week. They have great promise, and I can see the intent in their family, and all the potential they have to learn and grow in the gospel.

Suami y Marlon: Brothers de Honduras. They've both had one or two lessons and really want to learn about God and Jesus Christ and seem willing to act. We just need to teach and help them understand the importance of acting on it. They are both in their early 20's.

Las Madres: Iris, Sandra and Maura. Three sisters from Honduras. Iris is the most interested and for the longest time Sandra thought we were Jehovah's witnesses. We finally closed that thinking and we think they will be much more receptive now. They seem eager to learn, but not necessarily eager to act. They are "Las Madres" de "Los Ninos".

Los Ninos: That's just what we call them. There are 12 children we teach with between 8 to 10 in any given lesson. They all speak English and LOVE to learn, to read, to act and come to church. EVERYTHING. And they are so. darn. cute. We just need Las Madres on board in order for them to be baptized because we don't want to create less-actives. If the Moms don't come to church they won't be able to. Our branch just doesn't have the resources.

And that's that! I love my investigators!

I love you all so much and I hope you are learning some Spanish!

Con Amor,
Hermana Fletcher

I so wonderfully received the Arizona flag this week. Let your state pride show!