Hi
friends, Merry Christmas!!!
First
things first. I have a new official address:
2401
Stanford Rd. #503
Panama
City, FL 32405
This week has been amazing. I am the happiest I have been on my mission. Whitewashing
into an area is pretty stressful and we have felt lots of discouragement over
random things this week, but all in all, I am happy as can be! Sister Carter,
my new companion, is amazing! She is a stellar missionary and I am just
learning tons & tons from her. She
goes home at the end of this transfer so I’m bummed that I have to be the one
to kill her but we will kill it this transfer!
Lynn
haven, Florida, is a DREAM !! I absolutely love it. It is a pretty big city and
there is every restaurant you could ever imagine here....including sushi (yeah!
I’m pretty pumped). Sister Carter and I joke that we are in New York City
because when we walk out of our apartment, it literally looks like Central Park
with the leaves on the ground, this huge beautiful building across the way and
a fountain in the center. So yeah, we
are actually in New York, who knew??
We
have been running around like crazy people this week, doing “office work”. We
have been trying to get a new map and whiteboards to track our investigators. We
also have had to update the GPS in our car and do a lot of planning. I am
learning patience but we both understand this is important and needs to be
done, so pretty soon, we will be able to see and teach lots of people!
The
Lynn Haven ward is amazing. This is known as the "celestial
ward" in the mission, meaning it’s just amazing. It is such a missionary minded ward. Members
are wanting to come out and teach with us and that is attributed to a lot of
the success here in this area. Member missionary work is SO important. It furthers
the work so much more. I feel a little intimidated and inadequate from
time to time, but it's OK. I know Heavenly Father trusts me enough to be here
and I will not let Him down. It just motivates me to want to be as obedient and
diligent has possible! I just feel sooo spoiled and sooo blessed to be
here.
A
lady in the ward we met last week, Pamela, got baptized on Saturday! We
feel so lucky to have been a part of this and to teach her as a recent convert
now. Her baptism was one of the most spiritual I have ever attended, especially
when Pamela received the gift of the Holy Ghost. After the baptism, she kept
calling us her daughters and saying that she is not the same person anymore. She
feels as though angels are surrounding her and that her thoughts are not the
same as they were. The spirit was incredibly strong. It’s amazing that we can
all have the gift of the Holy Ghost with us always, through the proper
priesthood authority. Heavenly Father just loves us so much.
We
went Christmas caroling on Thursday night and it was so fun. I just feel so
blessed to be here serving the Lord during this Christmas season. I should
always focus on Christ fully during Christmas, but being here on a mission
truly allows you do that 100%. It is amazing the difference. This Christmas I
am trying to focus not on the gifts, but on the giver, on Jesus Christ, on His
life and his atoning sacrifice. We have been able to do a lot of service this
week. On Friday we served at a warehouse for the Salvation Army. We got to
"shop" for children in need and it was so much fun getting to know
the children through their information on a piece of paper. This coming Tuesday,
we get to go back to the warehouse and give the presents out to the children’s
parents. I am SO excited. I just feel so humbled.
I
am just so happy. Happiness doesn't always come naturally, it is something you
have to work at. It is also a process, a journey, but when you CHOOSE to be
happy, you truly can be, no matter what your circumstance is. Heavenly Father
is cheering us on and just wants us to be happy. We can feel more happiness
than we have ever known simply because of our Savior Jesus Christ. He felt pain
and sorrow so we don’t have to! So, celebrate Christ this Christmas season. He
is who matters. He is the gift. He is the light of the world!
I
love you all. Have a very Merry Christmas!
<3
sister
fletcher
 |
| Sister Carter and me! |
 |
| Said bye to Theresa and her cute family |
 |
One of my favorite families
in the DeFuniak Ward, The Wykles! |
 |
| Gunna miss my district! |
 |
| Tammy! |
 |
The Williams
They are amazing! |
 |
Sister Reeves
I love her so much!
Good-byes are so hard! |
 |
Sister Hall
I love and miss her so much! |
 |
Little girls in the ward
wrote this on a chalkboard.
They haven't had sister missionaries
in a year so everyone is pretty excited! |
 |
| We <3 Jenna! |
 |
| Pamela's baptism |
