Sister Fletcher in the Florida, Tallahassee Mission: Gulf Breeze Baby

Hey y'all!

I am getting transferred this week!! I'm going to Gulf Breeze, Florida, and will be serving as a sister training leader! I am pretty excited. I heard the area is kind of like an island and is super touristy and cute! It'll be a good way to end my mission :) but I'm going to miss all of the amazing families I've met here in Crestview - but the work must go on!

We were all over the place this week. I don't think I've ever been so busy! It's the best being super busy as a missionary.

Can I just say how much I LOVE service. It's seriously my favorite thing in the world. On Saturday we were asked along with five other men in the ward,to help someone move into a new apartment who was coming from Georgia. As we were moving boxes up and down the three flights of stairs, I couldn't help but smile (and almost cry...I'm such a baby) because of the amount of good, Christlike people I am blessed to serve with, people who will literally drop everything to come and help someone in need. I just felt so much joy helping someone move who couldn't have done it alone. It is simple acts of service like this that I know Heavenly Father is just smiling down on us for, because He sees us helping one of His children. Over and over again in my life I hear the words, "unless we lose ourselves in service, there is little purpose to our own lives" and "when we lift others, we will be lifted too." I can say that these sayings are SO true. As we helped lift the load off of someone else, I felt a load lifted off my own shoulders. The things I was struggling with didn't seem so hard anymore. That's what service does, that's what following Christ does. I've seen that time and time again on my mission, and in life.

Devinee gave a talk in church yesterday on her conversion and it made my last Sunday in Crestview the BEST. She is amazing. I seriously am in awe of Samantha and Devinee and their faith and testimonies. They inspire me to want to be as good as them someday. I feel so so so blessed to have met them and taught them and been able to witness and be here for their baptisms. The things those girls will do in their lives... :) they are two of my BEST friends!

I have been studying the Doctrine & Covenants a lot lately and been learning a lot. I was in Section 58 the other day and just wanted to share with you guys a verse that really hit me. In chapter 58:3-4 it says: "Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter; and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings."

Wow! What HOPE this passage offers. As I was reading this section and got to these verses, peace immediately came over me and I realized how much we really do have in store for us after this life once we go through these trials and tribulations. (but life can be pretty awesome too!) It just offered me a type of comfort and peace that the world couldn't give. Life can be really hard sometimes. Out here on a mission, you sometimes miss your family, your friends, you may feel pretty lonely, and sometimes have battles in your mind with what you want to do and what you know you should do. It can be pretty tough. (especially because I have probably gotten 20 hours of sleep in the past 2 weeks) but this just gave me hope. It's all going to be okay. After much tribulation comes the blessings. We have NO idea how good it's going to be. :)

I love you all SO much. Thank you for all the prayers, letters, packages, and love.

My new address:

3113 Woods Way, #2

Gulf Breeze, FL 32536

-sister fletcher