Winter in Ireland

This is one of Sister Fisher's new investigators. She says it is going well but this particular investigator was worried when they talked about baptism by fire. (Ha Ha)

We enjoyed our Christmas gift from Sister Fisher, which was a phone call home through skype. New brother Matthew called from Ghana and got to talk to her for a bit also. Emily was on the other line joining in on the conversation We talked for an hour and got to see the beautiful smile of our Rebecca. She is well and enjoying this new experience of being a missionary. We miss her but are happy she is serving the Lord.

Fun in the MTC

These are some pictures of Sister Fisher at the MTC in England. She is keeping warm and looks happy.

The First Few Weeks in the Field!

Well, Rebecca has been adjusting to mission life in Ireland. She and her companion are covering 2 wards so she was in church from 8am to 4pm. She introduced herself and bore her testimony in both wards. Since she is the new girl in town the wards have been feeding her well. She says the food is a lot like home, lasagna and roast beef. (She's glad it isn't dog, like her brother has had in Ghana.) The weather is cold, like it was in Rexburg, but Rebecca and her companion are in a car, except when they go tracking.
Rebecca and her companion have been working very hard. They have 14 new investigators and the possibility of 3 baptisms on December 18th. Let's keep praying for the Lord to touch the hearts of the people who are being taught so that the spirt will teach them the truth.

Out in the Field!!!

We received an e-mail from Sister Fisher and she traveled to the mission home in Edinburgh, Scotland and hiked Pratt's Hill to dedicate her mission to the Lord. When her mission is complete she will hike Pratt's Hill again and give a report to the Lord. This is a tradition for this mission. She traveled again on Thursday 11-11-10 to her first area, which is in Bangor, Ireland. It took her 12 hours to get there. She will be serving in two wards and her companion is from Twin Falls, Idaho. She misses the MTC, but seems happy and excited to begin her new adventure.

Leaving the MTC

Sister Fisher (Rebecca) has left the Preston, England MTC today and is traveling by bus to the mission home in Edinburgh, Scotland. She said for us not to worry about her traveling because she has 7 wonderful elders and the Lord to watch over her. Before she left the MTC she got to see pictures of her new niece, Sadie, and is very happy to be an aunt. We can hardly wait to hear where Sister Fisher's first area will be so that we can write to her. Safe travels and you are in our prayers.

Believe

Well, I know that it has been a few weeks since I have sent Mom something to

post on the blog but I felt like I wanted to say Hello to all of you! I am doing great here at the MTC and can't wait to get out into the field! I have learned so much but there is one thing in particular that I wanted to share. All over the scriptures we read about great missionaries who are such good missionaries that they baptized thousands. Something that we've been taught here is that we can't just be average missionaries any more.

We need to be the best missionaries that the church has ever had.

When I got my call the first thing that everyone said to me was,

Oh, I have people there!" Which is wonderful, but the second thing they

would usually say is, "That is going to be a hard mission." The prophets

have told us that there are millions of people in the British Isles

waiting to hear the truth, they just don't know that they are.
That is where the missionaries come in. Out of everything
I have been taught here the thing that sticks out in my mind the most
is Faith. With faith in the Lord, ANYTHING is possible. One of my teachers said to us, "The only reason South America and Africa get so many baptisms is because they believe they can baptize thousands.

The only reason Europe gets so few baptisms is because they believe they can't." I want to believe that I can baptize thousands. I know that I can not do it by myself, but with the Lord I can. I know that it is going to be hard but I have made it my goal to believe this and to work as hard as I can because I know that the Lord can help me do it. So I was hoping that I could have every ones support in believing that we can baptize thousands. It is great if just I believe, but how much greater would it be if we all believed. Not just for me, but for every missionary across the world. I know that this is possible. The Lord is not restricted by time or anything! All He needs is our Faith, and through us I know that he can create miracles.
Love, Sister Fisher

First Week in the Preston, England Mission Training Center

Rebecca's first e-mail arrived Oct.27, 2010. We were so excited to hear from her. She sounds like she is enjoying her MTC experience. There are only 38 missionaries in the MTC and 7 of them are sisters. She is the only sister going to the Scotland/Ireland Mission. She is in a three-some. Her companions are Sister Evans from Pleasant Grove, Utah and Sister Lomiga from Torrance, CA.

Wow! Off to England!!!

Well, there she goes! Off to the Preston MTC in England
She only took 2 bags that weighed 51 lbs each and look at that oversized backpack!
Rebecca did call from the Atlanta Georgia airport and two Elders were there who are going to the same MTC and are assigned to the same Scotland/Ireland Mission.
We are hoping she will call again when she arrives in England, however if she doesn't we will patiently wait for an e-mail or a postcard. We will miss her so much, but are pleased that she is worthy to serve the Lord.

What an exciting time of life!!!

Heaven on Earth

So this weekend I had the open house and my farewell talk! Everything thing went really well! The highlight of the weekend was Rachel surprised me and came home. Words can't express how grateful I am to have had her with me this weekend. My mom (being my mom) wanted to take a million and one pictures of everyone who came (though I have to admit I'm glad she did) and for every picture she said the same thing. "She has to take her Ward Family with her to Scotland" as I looked around I was so grateful that I've got not only a wonderful real family but an awesome ward family as well. All I could think about was that its nights like Friday that give us a little glimpse of what heaven will be like. With loved ones all around. The only thing that could've made this weekend better was having more friends & more family here to share it with us!

(Katie, Rachel & I all together again!)

I also got to go to the temple with my grandparents & parents. It was really nice to be in the Lord's House with them. We also had the opportunity to seal my grandma to her mother. It was the first time I was able to participate/ be in the sealing room (well besides open houses and stuff). How grateful I am for forever families. Its the reason why I am going on a mission. So that other families can find the Joy I have in the gospel & live with those they love most forever.

(My beautiful family, well part of it)

A God of Miracles

This weekend some of my family is here so they can be with me when I go through the temple tomorrow morning. It has opened my eyes to how much I am truly going to miss them when I am in Scotland. While i was blubbering in my room about it this evening my dad came in and we had a nice tear filled chat. One thing he said really struck me "We believe in a God of Miracles"

As I look back on the past two days and forward to tomorrow I realize (for not the 1st time but as a reminder) that this is my miracle, my family is eternal and if I can spend everyday for the rest of forever with my family close then I don't need anything else.

This is why I am going on a mission; to share this miracle with the people of Scotland and anyone else who will listen.

Marta

So this Sunday in Relief Society I had a neat experience. I was sitting there minding my own business when the Relief Society President comes and whispers in my ear that there is a lady visiting the ward and she is going to have her sit by me. Why you ask? I haven't the faintest idea. I rarely even go to that Relief Society (fyi I don't ditch I go to singles ward) but anyway.

A few minutes later in walks Marta. She is a recent convert of three weeks and just visiting from South Gate. Well the lesson was on the Priesthood and I got the amazing opportunity to answer some of Marta's questions when we were split up into pairs to talk about a few things.

Let me tell you right now, any of you who are afraid of sharing the Gospel...don't be! I don't know how I answered her questions other then the Spirit was working through me. I totally felt the promise of the Savior when He said that if we would just open our mouths then He will give us the words to say.

I know that the Lord will also fulfill this promise for you and everyone that has the courage to open their mouth.

Sharing Happiness

So yesterday I had the AWESOME opportunity to go track-ting with the sister missionaries who serve in our local singles ward.

I was so nervous but it was an awesome experience. Mostly people didn't answer the door but we did get to talk to a few people and give them pass-a-long cards to get a free DVD about the Savior.

The very first lady that we talked to was named Alice. Alice wasn't from around here but she was visiting her daughter. She told us that she was Catholic but that she had some friends who were member and her brothers were members of the Church. We (or the sisters because I wasn't quite brave enough to talk) talked with her for a little bit but ultimately said she wasn't interested in joining the church. What was amazing to me though was that as we walked away all three of us said how we could just feel of her sorrow and felt like something happened in her life that made her get out of the habit of going to church. I really wish we could have helped Alice because she was so sweet but I am praying that through her friends and family she will come to know of the joy that the gospel can bring into her life and that she can find peace through the Atonement.

The next person who was home was this older lady, if I remember correctly her name was Saddie. She had a nurse who came to the door and as the sisters started talking to both of them Saddie goes "It says no soliciting on the window, can't you girls read?" and so one of the sisters (Im so sorry I forgot their names already) replied in a perfectly calm and normal voice "We aren't soliciting we are just sharing happiness" I wanted to LOL! She was a cute old lady and we chuckled as we could hear her still talking about "those Mormons" as we walked away. She had told us that at her age she wasn't looking to change her religion but thats okay when I thought about her on the way home I could only think "we'll get her in the next life"

We contacted a few other people but those are the two that stick out in my mind. Even though I didn't have the courage to talk to anyone this time I found myself praying for those we had talked to. I am so grateful for this gospel and for the joy that the Savior brings in my life.

Scotland, here we come!

Well after a decision that has taken me over a year to make I finally got that big white envelope in the mail about two weeks ago! I will be serving in the Scotland, Edinburgh Mission reporting to the England Missionary Training Center on October 22, 2010! Words cannot describe how excited I am to be serving!

But once the excitement and the phone calls died down a little I took the opportunity to read through my letter from the Prophet of the Lord again. And maybe they send the same thing to all missionaries I don't know but either way in that quite moment with my family listening as I read out loud all the nerves and the anticipation were gone and tears came as the Spirit once again confirmed to me stronger then ever that this was right and that Scotland is where the Lord needs me to be.

I am so so proud to be able to say that I will be soon serving the Lord and bring the Gospel to the people of Scotland. Heavenly Father has truly blessed my life and I am truly honored that He has found me worthy to be His servant.