Sister Fletcher in the Florida, Tallahassee Mission: It wouldn't be the 4th in the south without 100% humidity!

What's up party people! Happy Fourth of July :) So I may be exaggerating a little on the subject of this email but it's still pretty dang hot and humid out here. This week has been one of the best on my mission. I have never seen so many miracles in my life. We were able to pick up five new investigators this week and I feel like they have all been previously prepared by God to learn about and accept this gospel. I am SO excited !!!!

A few weeks ago I mentioned Sam and Devinee in one of my emails. Well, Sam is 18 years old and can choose to get baptized, where her sister, Devinee, is younger and has to wait until her mom softens her heart and gives her permission. Over the past few weeks, Sam has had some reservations about being baptized, questioning if she has ever had a for sure answer that this is what she should do. We have had a few lessons about the spirit and how to recognize answers to prayers, but we realize that only she can receive the answer for herself. I have been fasting and praying a lot about her situation and what steps to take. This past Thursday we had a lesson with the girls and in the middle of our discussion, I asked Sam how she felt at the moment about baptism. With tears in her eyes, she said, "I now know I truly want to get baptized." The room was silent and I was SO happy. Her sister, Devinee, started crying and was surprised. She said, "Really??!" Sam then said she wants to be baptized but doesn't think it's fair that she can and Devinee has to wait. She is now praying about what to do as far as when to get baptized. We feel it might be good for their mom to come to Sam's baptism and witness the positive change in Sam's life, then maybe she will allow Devinee to be baptized also. So, fingers crossed!

This past Saturday morning we did lots of service. In the afternoon and evening we had some appointments planned that unfortunately fell through. After knocking several doors and getting no answers, I said a prayer to myself trying to decide the best thing to do with the hour and a half we'd been given before it was time for dinner. For some reason, the thought came to me for us to go back to our apartment complex to look up a video on the computer located in the basement area for one of our investigators. I told my companion maybe we should head home real quick and do that. We dropped our bags off at our apartment and headed to the building where the computer was. We walked downstairs and saw a young man sitting at the desk. His name was Junior and we asked him if he wouldn't mind us using the computer next to him. He told us we could and he started up a conversation with us. He started asking a lot of questions about what we believe and what we do as missionaries. I told him we would love to meet with him and teach him more and he said he had time right then if we did! Of course we did! (funny how Heavenly Father allowed that to work out ;)) I said a prayer as we planned on teaching him the restoration but the conversation quickly changed to him asking questions about what our purpose here is on earth and if we believe in heaven/hell. It was very apparent to us that we needed to teach the plan of salvation. After teaching the lesson and really feeling the spirit there, I was low-key freaking out inside because I realized I'm the worst missionary ever! I didn't have any of my stuff with me so I couldn't give him a Book of Mormon, but then I looked up and saw a book sticking out on the book shelf behind Junior. I got up and saw what it was, and guess what...it was the Book of Mormon. WHAT THE HECK!! It was literally like it was delivered there straight from the heavens. We handed him the book and told him to read it and pray about it. He then asked us a question, "When was the last time you have felt a prompting from the spirit?" We gave him some recent examples and then he said, "I asked you this question because this just happened to me. I got home from soccer practice an hour ago. I was planning on showering and relaxing a bit before I came down here to study but the spirit was telling me so strongly to come down now, and now I know why. It was to meet you girls."

HOLY HECK, what a MIRACLE! Junior stays busy with playing professional soccer, working and taking college classes, but when he is free, he said he would love to learn more. He told us he is going out to California next month and wants to stop in and say hi to my mom and dad (just a heads up, guys ;))

Seriously, God is so aware of all of us. I am so grateful for my mission. What a blessing it has been. It scares me to think of all the things I would have missed out on if I hadn't come out here, and I still have four wonderful months to go.

I love y'all so much! Have a Happy 4th :)

-sister fletcher