4.02.2015
by K Fletcher

Well, this week has been a roller coaster ride of emotions


This week we have been working with a family, los Pineda, who the ward has been pushing and pushing so hard to be baptized but the mom is pushing back just as hard. The father desires and is ready for baptism but we are trying to find the balance of helping both of them according to their needs. Our flexible decision currently is to invite both to be baptized, but make it clear that they do not have to be baptized together if the mom is not ready, and then continue to teach the children and read with the mom for as long as necessary.

We also made a hard decision to drop los ninos, because they have received the whole first three lessons (broken into very small chunks) and their mothers will not take them to church. We will still occasionally visit, but it is what is right for our area.

I also had a visit from my Mission President this week. He told me that my father was in the hospital. That was a shock. He had had a major surgery and is currently in recovery.

And we had transfer calls. Hermana Johnson and I are staying here and Hermana Phillipy is going with Hermana Reed to open a Spanish area in North Carolina. It's going to stretch us a lot, me with only a transfer of Spanish, and Hermana Johnson with only 3.

It's been a week of significant decisions and choosing to be happy no matter what happens.

But do you know what? It will be alright in the end.
Because He Lives.
Jesus Christ lived. He walked the Holy Land, working miracles and teaching truth. Then He was crucified. But His death was not the end. Because of His Resurrection, we will live again. Because of His sacrifice, we can rise above sin to experience true joy. Because He lives, we can find His help
and healing every day of our lives.

I want to invite each and everyone one of you to go to the church website
Watch the video. Share it. Bear your testimony.

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of Him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of Him: That He lives!  For we saw Him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that He is the Only Begotten of the Father—
That by Him, and through Him, and of Him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." -D&C 76:22-24

We are sons and daughters of God. And because Jesus Christ lives, so will we! And right now, we live for Him. I love you all so much and want you to know that. I pray for many of you by name. Remember that He is our Savior, our Redeemer, and most importantly our Hope in this life and Eternal Happiness in the world to come.

Don't forget it.

Con Amor,
Hermana Fletcher
Hna Johnson, Fletcher, and Phillipy in Newport News, Virginia

by K Fletcher

"THE PROBLEM WITH THE GOVERNMENT IS THE WOMEN!!!"

So we have this investigator named Zacario and he has some CRAZY dreams and he always feels the need to share them. Actually, when we mentioned there being a living prophet on the earth today he got really excited and just asked, "Can he interpret my dreams?!" It was great.

So he's telling us about this dream where there is this little kid that invites him onto a train. On the train the little kid disappears and the stars are speeding past the window like he's going a thousand miles and hour. Then he gets off the train and stands under the stars and this imposing voice speaks from nothing and simply says, "EL PROBLEMA CON EL GOBIERNO SON LAS MUJERES." And that's the whole dream. We laugh so hard about it almost every day.

Other than that we are really trying to help our investigators progress. They all have a desire to learn and want to be better, but it's the action part of it that they get stuck on. It's fun to see people change their life to come unto Christ.

We are also working so hard on helping a recent convert find that desire to stay in the church. It is the traditional feeling of things being so much harder than they were before, because, it is so different than their life was before. But we taught the plan of salvation and had him remind us why it is important. If we have that eternal perspective, everything is able to pull through. If we know why we are suffering each and every trial it is more simple to choose the right way instead of just the easy way.

I have a new phrase I learned this week: "Vale la pena" It is worth the pain.
And how true this is! This life is worth the pain. This gospel is worth it. Because the value has already been paid. The pain has already been felt and because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ it is worth it.

And that's my message for today.
On the other side of missionary work (also known as Preparation Day), last Monday we went to Colonial Williamsburg!

 We visited an old insane asylum. Behind us is one of the 'rooms'
 Super cute horse pulled carriage
  Painted on the side of a building
 Me with my Ward Mission Leader, who works in Colonial Williamsburg
 The beach with the huge bridge crossing the peninsula
 Las Hermanas!
And then this morning we woke up early to go to the beach and watch the sunrise over the Atlantic ocean. Que romantico! jajaja.

Pues, everyone have a lovely week and do something new. Explore your hometown and do that thing you've always thought about doing. You are lovely and you have worth. Remember, you matter!

Con Amor,

Hermana Fletcher


3.16.2015
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)

3.09.2015
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


3.02.2015
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!