Sister Fletcher in the Florida, Tallahassee Mission: THIS is true happiness!

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!

sister fletcher