WEEK 14-JESUS>MACKLEMORE.

Happy December! I just got back from an 8 mile hike and need a nap asap so forgive me if this blog is lame. The hike was actually really cool. By cool I mean freezing and worth it once we got to the top, Macado's Knob. Pretty yes, but I would prefer not to do it again haha.

We started the week helping Sister Getty's put up all her Christmas decorations. Tree and all. It took a long time but we got the job done and she even gave us some of her extra lights and decorations! We went back to the apartment to hang our lights outside and let me tell ya it was not going well. We couldn't reach and the tape wouldn't stick to our brick house so Sister Neilson was lifting and holding me up in vain because they ended up falling anyway. But as we were failing at this Brother and Sister Morris pulled up and surprised us with soup and brownies. Brother Morris makes the best brownies. So sweet. He saw we were struggling so he stopped by our house during the week and set up all of our lights for us and left us some candy too! Brother Morris is the best and they always feed us and are just the best. So grateful for them!

Some other awesome members are the Duttons. Sister Neilson and I were telling them we haven't had panda since we've been out on our missions and they picked some up for dinner the other night and invited us over. Man did I miss Panda. Delish and always a good spiritual time with the Duttons.

We started teaching Chloie this week! She is 16 and is super cute and sweet. Her family just moved here so she doesn't know a lot of people and seems like she could really benefit from having the gospel in her life. The first lesson went well and hopefully she starts making progress. I hope she can go to the ward youth activities too that would be good. Sister Neilson is a great teacher people. For some reason I was like freezing in the lesson and wasn't teaching the best and couldn't remember everything. It was weird, but all I have to do is look at Neilson and she knows what I'm thinking and what to do and say. Grateful is an understatement.

Okay I have a few funny stories:

The first one was from a couple weeks ago, I just forget to tell. So we were eating with the Millers. They are super cool and Sister Miller is a hoot. We were all talking about sea food. How they like it and Neilson and I hate it. Sister Miller was like, "Yeah I think I've tried most things like squid and oysters. rocky mountain oysters I think." I started laughing and Neilson and sister Miller did not get it. I then had to explain what rocky mountain oysters are and they both laughed and were happy to say they have never tried them!

Every other week we help out with Bishop's Storehouse. It's like a free food pantry for all the locals who are in need in our community. The Elders from the Roanoke ward usually come and help us too. So we were setting up tables, which we usually don't have to do. I grab a table and start taking it across the gym when Sister Camp (she runs the Bishop's Storehouse and is a queen.) yells "ELDERS! Don't you let her carry that table. Don't you know she is a future spirit maker?!" Good gosh I'm sure my face was as red as my hair and we all laughed kind of awkwardly. I've never been referred to as a future spirit maker and I don't think that was relevant to me not being able to carry a table but hey whatever Sister Camp says goes!

Kind of going along with the "eee-you-ee" story from a few weeks ago, Sister Neilson and I are very different. She is a Cali city girl and I obviously grew up on a farm in Idaho so we are from two different worlds. It really is so hard for my brain to understand how people don't know some things that are so simple to me. Mostly having to with animals and agriculture. But anyway Sister Neilson, and most people here, don't know the different names of animals. Like a baby goat is a kid and a female pig who hasn't had piglets yet is a guilt. stuff like that. So we have been working on it. I even made her flashcards. I'm so proud of how far she has come. In return she made me flashcards and I am learning the menu of Los Gringos Locos (the Mexican restaurant her family owns). I'm so going to miss her.

Needless to say it's been a great week and last night was a great end to it with the Christmas Devotional. If you haven't watched it yet, please do! It was full of awesome messages. The Prophet, President Nelson, especially said some great things. He never fails to amaze me every time I see and hear him speak. He talked about 4 gifts that have been given to all of us from our loving Savior: an unlimited amount to love, the ability to forgive anyone, repentance, and eternal life. These gifts will give us more joy as we choose to accept rather than reject them. Gosh it's so awesome. My favorite part was when he said " What then do we need to do to receive these gifts offered to us so willingly by Jesus Christ? What is the key to loving as he loves, forgiving as he forgives, repenting to become more like him and ultimately living with him and our Heavenly Father? THE KEY IS TO MAKE AND KEEP SACRED COVENANTS." Wow he literally gave us the key to a joyful life and eternal life. All we have to do is make and keep sacred covenants like those we make at baptism and when we participate in temple ordinances. Like sister Soto says, "It's 1,2,3 mamma" Yes easier said than done but that's okay because the fact that it's possible at all due to the atonement of Jesus Christ is a miracle. Cool stuff people.

Okay have a great week everyone! I know the fam did. I will say I was a bit jealous when I got pictures of them with Macklemore and Luke Combs;) Love you all!

kloveyoubye,

Sister Fisher