Medford, OR February 16, 2015 Each Day An Adventure: No Coincidences, Flashback, President & Pintrest, Drug Deal gone spiritual

Feb 16, 2015

Each day is an adventure

Monday: got to Medford safely and it was cool to be back since almost a year ago from being near it. So if anyone remembers the Rose family. Mike and Lynette were a couple Mike was less active and Lynette was investigating at the time. She was baptized by him and they were the best members I knew. Well throughout the time that I left I found out they went less active due to some trials that they faced. I was so devastated because of how strong they were when I was with them. Well the miracle of this is that the Rose family moved wards when I had left and the ward I am serving in now is the ward the moved into 6 months ago. So when I had gotten this news that I will get to work with this family again, I knew that God was aware of them and also of me. There is no such thing as coincidence. So that night I begged my companion to go see them so we went over and Mike was the only one home so we stood outside his door and there he was. I was totally shaking of excitement that I have the chance to see them again. We talked about some things that have happened since I last was here and it was amazing to see how they still have a testimony. It's just hard at the moment to keep the light going. 

Wednesday. Our walking day. We used a lot of miles recently so we went  on a car fast and walked everywhere. Boy was it so hard. I don't know how people in Brazil do it to walk everywhere. We walked about 6 or so miles that day and boy was my feet in such pain. But I did feel heavenly help to get me through it all and endure. We got the chance to talk to a man on the road and it was awesome. He had met with missionaries in California and said we could talk to him more about the church.  We had lunch and saw 3 different members who wanted to buy us lunch so that was cool! Got to love members :) Then we waved to hundreds of people as we walked up and down the roads to appointments. The amazing lesson we had that day was with this girl who is 30. She has been meeting with missionaries for some time and we taught her the restoration. This girl was on fire with it. The spirit really guided our words and she talked about how much she feels this is true and that she has found what she has been looking for and just this huge peace has overcome her. She wants to be baptized so soon and wants it all now it’s so awesome. I hear about missionaries teaching these kind of people but I had never really experienced it do that was a huge testimony of how aware God is of his children and how he prepares them to receive the restored the truth. Super powerful experience I must say and something I really loved to witness someone being truly converted to the gospel. 

President about Pinterest 

So president Russell called us and was talking about if we were confused on the use of social media and about Pinterest. At first we were so confused we checked to see if he was calling the right sisters and he asked for sister Fletcher. So then I was super confused and asked for clarification and he stopped assuming and said Sister Russell saw my name or profile on Pinterest thinking that I had used it that day. I tried to explain that I wasn't using Pinterest that is just my account. I said maybe my family was using my account or something but I sure wasn't. He then said other missionaries had been on and he is confused on what this media is. So I tried to explain a bit about it and he said "why would someone have or pin or whatever, over 1000 things on this thing." Stating my own profile that has that amount of pins haha. So I told him it was just my profile and that I will make sure my family is the one using it and no one else and I promise I am obedient to all the rules and not using Pinterest. He then finally took my word for it and said he has to call more missionaries about it to make sure they aren't using it but I don't think he understood my explanation that people have accounts and they will still show up on the site it's just isn't being used. Kinda like facebook haha. I tried so hard not to laugh at this conversation because he seemed so frantic about the situation and trying not to get mad and confused about social media and I just found it hilarious because it caught us off guard that he assumed we were using it when I would never do that haha. So we sure got a huge laugh after the call and figured other missionaries he called would too. I must say older people are pretty funny when it comes to social media. Some got it down and some still don't get why we have it. So anyways thought that was a good laugh for the day for us. 

Small world 

So Thursday we go to correlation and we were talking to our ward mission leaders assistant Sean rappleyea with elder Armstrong. He said that he served in the Tempe mission in 2005 and I thought wow no way did you ever serve in Awhatukee and he said yeah!! And right then we connected the dots with who he knew. He said he was there when bishop Farnsworth was bishop and he said that dad looked familiar and also that he was close with brother Steele who worked with their investigator Daniel. So he said he was gonna go back to his journal and look through all the names that he knows from that area. What a small world though right!!! So crazy!! Think about it, he totally could have had dinner with our family when I was 10 years old and now 10 years later I am in a meeting with him as a missionary. Super cool right!!!!! 

To conclude this awesome first week- Drug Deal Gone Spiritual

Got in the middle of a drug deal on Sunday night. We were contacting potential investigators and this guy answered the door. It was not who we were looking for. His name was Sisku and he seemed to be acting really weird not sure what he was on. He asked for us to say a prayer with him and right before we did he said hi to a guy and called him over. Sisku said "hey I need a 10" and the guy said he has some and will go get it for him and then Sisku said he has the money waiting for him to get him the stuff. WE WERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A DRUG DEAL!!!! He still insisted that we say a prayer for him so we did and then we asked if we could come back and see him and the guy we were looking for. So we got a set appointment after all that. Cool story right! Life is fun in Medford. Oh and my apartment smells like marijuana all the time because the guy next door smokes in the apartment and the smell gets inside ours somehow. Got to love life though. :) 

Love you guys so much and hope you have a awesome a more safe week than I did last week haha. Remember who you are don't do drugs and laugh at everything! 

Love cat 

What she looked like when she and her companion figured out they were in the middle of a drug deal!

Last Day In Klamath Falls, OR - February 9, 2015 Crazy, crazy and more crazy...May I add 12 weeks and more crazy!

Feb 9, 2015

Crazy, crazy and more crazy. May I add 12 weeks and more crazy!
This week has been super crazy with it being the last week of the transfer.
 In the beginning of the week:
We drove up to Medford to stay the night then drive up in the morning
with other sisters to the missionary leadership council meeting in
Eugene. It was so awesome! We got up there and usually it's just zone
leaders and sister training leaders but this was a special one where
district leaders were invited so we doubled in numbers of who was
present at the meeting.
During the meeting we learned new ways of approaching people on the
streets and going door to door. We spent a lot of time improving our
skills with talking to strangers. If only there was meetings like this
not as a missionary because I feel that we all struggle with talking
to strangers randomly in our lives.
It was awesome though, my motivation to talk to people went up 10
levels and it was awesome to improve and get back in the game mode to
find people to teach.
We then got to ride back with President Cropper who always takes the
sisters out to dinner after so we went to burrito boy. As we finished
President Cropper started talking to this guy outside who looked
homeless. He sat on this bench and President Cropper reached out. It
was cool to see him do missionary work as an adult and not care about
what others think. He just goes for it and begins to testify of
something that he feels he should share. There were 6 sisters with him
As he spoke to this man and the man said "so your Mormons then right?"
And he corrected saying the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. And the man then said "oh so are all these fine ladies your
wives?" Haha,  it was so funny and he explained that we were
missionaries and clarified on that subject. It was funny though
because President Cropper did say later how careful he has to be when
going in public with just him and a bunch of young sisters. Haha
Later in the week it was hard but good. Sister Stover and I had a
feeling we may separate so we tried to make it the best week ever and
just have fun. We went on exchanges with the sisters in the other ward
and that was a very powerful experience. Sister Cater and I took time
to reflect on this transfer and talked about how much we have grown.
It was incredible to see how far she has come from day one 4 1/2
months ago when we came to k falls together. She has really grown into
the real Sister Cater and there are things I can't share but all I can
say is that I had an amazing spiritual experience with her as we
talked. It mainly was her talking and me listening but that is what
she needed and as being in this leadership position a lot of those you
work with just need someone to listen and be there to help. And I
learned that is where showing true love comes in. Just being there in
the moment someone needs you. And it was amazing to know that I could
be there for her and help her with this next transfer she is going
into. Being in this leadership position has shown me a greater way to
love others. To show that love and express it. It has been a huge
learning experience for me to really let go of me and hold on to
others.

Transfers happened the next day and I found out that I get to go back
to the Medford area to finish my mission there. I will get to be with
Sister slater who I came out with into the mission field so that's
awesome. And I found out that a recent covert that I worked with in
Central Point moved into the ward I get to serve in next. So there I
get to work with them again and help them hit their year mark.
Sunday was hard saying goodbye. Klamath Falls is a strange area but it
is a special area. They asked me to bare my testimony in church and I
cried. I looked at the congregation and just lost it inside that I
have to leave this all behind. I can't express to you how hard it is
to leave an area that has impacted your life. After church so many
people wanted to talk to me and I just got even more sad saying
goodbye to them. So many said wonderful things that helped me see the
good things that came while I was serving here. The impact I made in
their lives and how happy they were to know me. It just really made me
feel so rewarded knowing that I did what I could here and I felt like
I left this doing my best. My goal on my mission is to always leave an
area better than I found it and this area is better in a different
way. We found so many people to teach and learned how to better help
those we teach and it was incredible to reflect on how much has
happened just within 4 1/2 months. It flew by so quick but it was
worth every hardship and every miracle we experienced here.
Serving here with Sister Stover has changed me and she truly is my
best friend. She has shown me how to be myself and how to be a good
missionary and how to be a true friend. She really has made me love my
mission and helped me through these hard times. I couldn't have done
it without her and she has impacted my life forever for who she is and
the love she showed towards me.
K falls is an unforgettable place that will never be replaced in my
heart. It is a place that is sacred.  My favorite memories of
my mission lies here. The people changed me for good and have really
impacted my life. Especially the Cesena's and the Peterson's and many
others we got to work with and teach. Truly I have had some amazing
areas to serve in but k falls really has been a special one.
I love you and miss you all so much! 12 weeks and counting. It's
crunch time! Hope you have a great week. Live while you are in it.
Quoted by Sister Slater.

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER

SELFIE

Klamath falls zone best place ever!

Transfer Day...MEDFORD, here I Come!

Klamath Falls, OR February 2 2015 Stupid boys, food endurance, miracles & joy in losing a loved one, no coincidences at McDonald's

Stupid Boys...Funny part:
Stupid guy hitting on us.
So we went to go see this family who son is less active and is us age.
We stopped by to see how things we going and he comes out to talk to
us with his little sister. As we talked for some time this guy starts
to be a total weirdo. I was cold and had my jacket in the car but he
offered his and i declined it. He like was so offended joking but so
rude saying that I am a too good for his jacket and how by me
rejecting the offer was me saying that I hated him. Then he says he
wanted to take us to a basketball game but found out we can only do
things on Monday and we said well and we can't go watch anyways. And
MP he made fun of us for being restricted as missionaries. He is doing
this all in a flirtatious way which is starting to get us mad. Then he
brings out these balloons and says for us to let them go and make a
wish. So we did and he kept nagging to know what we wished for. And in
my head I was saying nowhere near to what you are hoping bub! Then we
talk to his sister for sometimes and he thinks we are ignoring him
which we kinda are haha. He asked what our first name is and I said my
and sister Stover made one up. Well he figured she lied and called her
the A swear word and I was mad! I was like who do you think you are
kid! Oh it gets better to my favorite part. He has kinda got us mad
at this point and he made a joke about how we can't drink coffee. And
we corrected him saying no we choose not to drink it. It's horrible
for you and there are better things out there to drink. He said coffee
was his life and how he drinks so much of it and we were coming back
with addiction and how we get out energy from water. Well then he says
well I drink 5 huge packs of water in a week so I got my water. And
right then I come back with "well bub, it's because coffee makes you
dehydrated. That's why you drink so much dang water" and he just
smiled with this creepy smile as he lost this battle. He then tried to
hug me knowing he can't and put his arm around me and I pushed him off and
said stop we can't hug guys. And then he goes up to Sis Stover to do
the same thing and she was ticked. We were so fed up with this kid we
just walked away before I was gonna punch the guy. The whole car ride
to our dinner appointment I was just ranting about how much guys like
that are so dumb and if I was not a missionary I would have said and
done a lot more things to put him in his place. Boy at times being a
sister missionary can be so hard not to say and do things to dumbo
guys like that and worse. We get that quite often and it's getting to
the point that we need to avoid teaching most men at all cost haha.
It's so funny though looking back though.

Worst meal ever on my mission... I had to eat a salmon loaf which is
meat loaf but with fish and other weird things. Then we had a squash
which didn't seem very well cooked and it was so gross in texture and
just no Bueno. Along with that they had green beans which I did eat
most of so I had something I would eat. But it really is so gross I
couldn't even express more how fish loaf should not exist and sorry if
people do make it and like it. I sure hope it's because yours is way
better tasting than mine.
Also we had fish again and I am pretty sure I am gonna scream if I
have it again.

Miracle (Mama C and her husband are serving as branch president for the YSA Ward that Catherine is assigned to)
So Sunday at 1:40 after sacrament meeting Mama C came to us and said
she would like to pull us aside and talk to us. We go into a room and
she says she wants to show me something. At first our thoughts were
she was going to share another story of some elders in the mission but
then she hands me her iPad and it was Facebook messenger. I saw it was
a message from Christine Fletcher so then I was like "oh no why did my
mom email her haha, oh mothers" :) and as I started to read out loud I
kept thinking why is mom writing. And then I saw the words about Maci
and I stopped reading out loud and tears rolled down my face. I read
the sad words that  Maci my best friend, who always listened, always played with me,
always cuddle with me, always be there in my trials, that she was
needing to be put down for the many problems she has going on. She is
14 years old and those 14 years of my life now were no longer going to
keep going when I come home from my mission. Time for my friend, of 14 years,
has come to an end but she will be happier in a better place.
Mama C and Sister Stover were the best people I could ever ask to be
with me when I got this news. Mama C said words that helped me see the
great things around me. Sister Stover has gone through this before and
recently lost a family member which is a lot harder than an animal.
Mama C mentioned too that before mom sent her the message to deliver
to me, she had been really struggling with things and had a hard time
getting up and doing things. Then mom sent that message and remained
her of the calling she has for the young adults. The need we all have
for her. And the need she has for them no matter how crazy they make
her. She said that it was a miracle that she got that message because
she knew that someone at church which was me and maybe others needed
her and her comfort and love. So with this life event of losing my
dog Maci, miracles occurred. Mama C was given the help she needed to
keep going and I received the help I needed to not give up on my mission
and also keep going. I can't express enough how hard a mission is for
each person who goes on one. But further more I can't express how
worth it is to serve. Every hardship missionaries face, especially
if it's something back home, and decide to stay on the mission and
keeping going, receive greater blessings that we have no room to
receive it. I know my family is being greatly blessed and I am too.
But most of all my future family and others I know will receive huge
blessings too just because I stayed on my mission and served the best
I can.

Radom couple in McDonalds
So we went to McDonald's to meet up with a recent convert who is 17.
As we waited for her this couple stopped us and made a joke "Where is
your white shirts?" And we explained we are the sister form of that.
They were in shock. They didn't know that girl missionaries exist,
which is really common to hear. They said they knew someone in their
family who severed in Paris and that started a conversation. They
brought up with us some of their personal life. They have been
struggling with their 27 year old son who had been making very poor
choices. They told us what they were but I won't say. So they really
in a way trusted us by taking about their struggles as a family. They
said when they saw us walk by they had to say something because they
felt we might be able to help. They asked us what they could do for
their son to help him. We talked about loving and I shared a personal
experience with how when I was a teenager and rebelled, the only thing
that really got me to straighten up was the love of those around me.
And talked about the love of Christ. Then Sister Stover talked about a
personal experience as well and that really hit home for them. Right
then the man asked if I would say a prayer with them to help their
family. I was in complete Aw that this family didn't know us at all
but that we were missionaries and just by the spirit we brought they
trusted us. So I said the prayer and after they both said that a
complete peace overcame them and how grateful they were to have
talked to us. There is no such things as coincidences with this couple.
They  asked us more about our missions and we explained a few
things about what it is and such. They asked about our lives back home
and he then made a funny comment. "Are you gonna marry a Mormon boy?"
And earlier he made a comment about how he son needs a good wife that
is like us. So when he said that we caught on that he may have been
hoping to say no. But I explained that it's not that I would marry a
Mormon boy it's that I need to marry someone with the same standards as
me with the same gospel belief. I told them one major problem and
hardship with marriage is the religion aspect. If they have different
beliefs and standards then it's more likely for the marriage to really
struggle.  So I said I need someone who has that. And he agreed haha.
So that was funny and then he asked if we both are going to BYU and I
said no I am probably going to go to a school in Arizona and Sis
Stover said she is going to UVU which put him at shock. It was so
amazing to see how they really were able to see the good in the church
and how each member is different and that what people say isn't all
the way true. So our experience at McDonald's was such a powerful one.
We left them our number if they needed anything and it was so cool to
have met them. They just lit up after talking to them and it was such
a miracle moment. These are some of the best random things us
missionaries get to experience.

Well I love you all and there goes another week. 13 left to go!
See ha soon!
Love Sista Fletch

Huge Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Reunion with former companions Sister Sterling and Sister Shirley

SNOW!!!

Awesome Preparation Day at Crater Lake!!!