Yessiree, the 26th makes 6 months on my mission. It's kind of a little bit crazy. I have less than a year left on my mission. It's a strange thought. But then I look at how long this week was and I realize I have a long way to go! 

This week we received a call from our Stake President and former Branch president. He and his wife had just left the Pinedas house and, after having a really long and good talk with them, told us that they are ready to be baptized. Again. So they have a new date of the 6th of June! It will be a whirlwind, but we are fully confident that they will be able to make that covenant and in just over one year's time enter the House of the Lord and be sealed for time and all eternity.

Speaking of sealings, the Ramirez, one of the most lovely families I know, was sealed this last Saturday. All I wanted was to be there. I am so happy for them. That is what this gospel is all about. Enduring to the end to be sealed in the temple to your family and to the family of God for eternity. What a miraculous gospel!

Another note from the Ramirez: it was their daughter's birthday this week so Hermana Nyre and I decorated their whole front porch and left a little party for them. 

the porch!

Well, we've been having a lot of difficulty with our investigator pool. Everyone seems to be dropping us or they aren't progressing, and do you know what that means? Contacting. But for some reason people don't want to listen to a perfect message about hope and love and the way to perfect yourself and receive direct revelation from God and from his chosen prophets. But finally this week, we found someone willing to listen: 

empty trailer space

I'll end today with an amusing story that has caused me to laugh a lot this week:

So I'm at the house of the Ramirez, teaching Eduardo. Hermano Ramirez comes out and he has a really nice, short, military-style hair cut. I, of course, compliment him on it and then look at Eduardo, who is appearing kind of shaggy and tell him he should cut his hair. Fast forward a week and a half. We are at another lesson with him. He is wearing a hat. He asks me if I remember how I told him he should cut his hair. Well... he did. Into a mohawk. I can't even take him seriously. 25 years old and rocking a mohawk. Picture included for effect.

Eduardo

I love you all so much and hope you are doing great things. Lift where you stand. Every calling has infinite worth in this church. You can change a life.

Con Amor,

Hermana Fletcher

I'll keep the blog short today. I'm a little low on time and there's not a whole lot to say.

The Pinedas aren't going to be able to get baptized in the upcoming weeks. They still have a lot to learn and need a little more time to build their faith, but they are the most lovely people and I am so grateful to be able to know them and invite them to this wonderful gospel.

This week... this week was kind of weird. Transfer weeks always are. We were blessed to have many spur of the moment lessons with people we hadn't had contact with in a while, but we are back to very few progressing investigators which generally puts a damper on your spirits. But we have so so much potential here. The work is incredible and our members are wonderful.

The Tuckers, our lovely ward mission leader and wife, will be leaving next week to move to Utah. It will be a blow to the ward, but it will be a great moment for some of the native Spanish speakers to step up and fill the roles in the branch.

That's about all. I just want to leave with a thought about finding joy in missionary work. In my letters home and to friends I try to have a great attitude and express the joy of missionary work. One of my friends, also on a mission, asked me today, "How do you find such joy in missionary work?" And my honest answer is that sometimes I don't. Sometimes it is dirty and hard and you meet really really grumpy people and sometimes you meet really really drunk people.

P.S. Also, Happy Birthday shout-out to Grandma Fisher today!

Well, I got to talk to my parents too! And Jade and Annie for brief moments. It was very enjoyable and I wanted to send a thank you to the Hamiltons, our Stake President and family, for allowing us to use their home for calls. They are lovely.

So, this week has been incredibly difficult. To quote Hermana Johnson, "I don't know if I've ever faced as much rejection in this week as in my entire mission". No one wanted to meet with us. It was rough. And then it was hot and sticky and humid and raining. We had 12 appointments and 7 fell through this week.

But then Sunday happened.

But then Sunday happened.

And it was beautiful.

First, we had a family come to church, the Pinedas. They've been taught for a very very long time. They have had half a dozen sets of missionaries and they have never gotten baptized. Well, they came to church again. President Chamberlain, our Stake President, spoke to them. He is a good friend of theirs and will be moving across the country soon, and after a good interview with him, they decided they are ready.

"And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles." -Mormon 9:15

God is a God of miracles.

The second thing to happen was Eduardo. He's basically my favorite. He is a recent convert of nearly 3 months and despite our prodding and that of other friends and family he had not yet blessed or passed the sacrament. Well, on Sunday morning, he showed up in a SUIT and participated in preparing the sacrament as a Priest.

I just couldn't stop smiling.

And then as a completely non-spiritual note, it was Mother's Day, and we got roses from the ward. It doesn't matter that I'm not a mom yet, getting a flower on Mother's Day is my favorite thing.

Hermana Johnson and I have a quote, our tagline, in this week of heartbreaks and joy:

     "Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously." -Richard G Scott

No matter what happens, no matter the roadblocks or the anger or the prejudice and hate, no matter the doubts and thoughts of inadequacy or wondering if you are good enough, we are here to SUCCEED. God can do his work. And when we have dedicated our lives to his service, he will provide a way to get that work done.

I love you all so much and hope that you can feel the love of God in your life and recognize that you are special. You are chosen. There is no such thing as an ordinary being. you have a purpose, and it is glorious.

Con Amor,

Hermana Fletcher

PS- Transfer Calls came! I am staying in Newport News but Hermana Johnson is leaving for Virginia Beach! My new companion is Hermana Nyre.

Well, we had a miracle this week. Yes, you heard me right. I guess the Lord remembers all his missionaries, me included. We've been trying to get in contact with this family. We first met them on the 10th of April and it was just a group of kids on a porch. We went over to talk to them, even after passing them, because, well, why not? We chatted with them for a solid 10 minutes and told them the background of the book of Mormon and shared a few copies after they showed some interest.

Then, on the first day of May, it was drizzling outside. And BOTH CARS WERE HOME. We knocked on the door, we taught the restoration, we laughed with them, we felt the spirit, and we have another lesson this week. A beautiful family that I pray every day will accept the gospel.

Another miracle is that we talked to 100 people outside of people that we would normally be talking to and invited them to come closer to Christ... TWO WEEKS IN A ROW. Miracles. They happen. With a ton of hard work. #ThatIsFaith

I just wanted to thank everyone for the letters and e-mails and everything. I'm a little backlogged on e-mails, so it may take a bit to get back to you, but I read them all and thank you for them!

Con Amor,

Hermana Fletcher

We fasted with an investigator for 3 reasons: 1. for her to overcome her cigarette and mountain dew addictions, 2. to know the truth of the gospel, and 3. to get the trailer she had put a bid in for. Well, (and this story she told us later) the night we broke fast she missed a call from the Trailer Lady. She called back the next day and after a few tries got a hold of her. The lady told her that they had received another offer of $18,000 cash for the trailer, versus a lower number on payments. But then the lady said that her husband had had a dream of a family coming to live in that trailer and had said to her, "Give it to the family. I don't care about the money." And so she is getting the trailer! I pointed out to her that I would attribute that to the fast and she finished the sentence for me, saying that she had thanked God for His blessing that very night. Talk about a testimony about fasting!

We did more trash pick-up in local parks and open areas.  We do this most Saturdays now if we can.  President Baker actually complimented us on our thinking outside of the box for a service activity. And people talk to us all the time asking what we are doing. Service of course!

And this last week, we received a heartbreaking phone call from someone we care about so much and how they had faltered for a moment and didn't want to meet with us for our appointment that night. Well, we moped for a little bit, and then an idea sparked in our minds. We flew through the house gathering up everything we could find and filled a bag with church movies, snacks, drawings, pass-along cards (that's how missionaries show their love: through pass-along cards) and whatever else we wanted! Then we packaged it up and doorbell ditched it at their house! It was so amazing and lifted their spirits as well as ours. And the next day, they were at church #tendermercies

And we went to Jamestown. Because I need to experience the culture!

And we took a brief stop again at Colonial Williamsburg.

Candy Shop

 The closest we can be to a boy

We didn't look at the plaque so we're not sure who this is.

Pray for us this month, because it is going to be a month of miracles (Per last blog post President Baker said we would have a baptism in May), and we need all the help we can get. I love you all so much and hope you are safe and happy and well.

Con Amor,

Hermana Fletcher