We haven't had much opportunity to visit with our awesome mission president, who is from Bountiful, Ronald Burt. Surprise, he came to Hope, all the way from Richmond to be with us at our snack and chat. The snack and chat was the appreciation get together to thank the 168 volunteers we recruited to do the food drive here in Hope. Population 5980, who donated 6707 lbs of food. Anyway, we asked the mission president if he could find us more work. His face lite up and he said "yes, l have something in mind. I have a great disire to lighten the missing presidents load.
At district meeting this week l was given an assignment to teach. Normally l don't get a chance to say a peep in missionary meetings. "What is most joyous to the soul?" The love of God. 1Nephi 11:23. What is the pure love of Christ? Moroni 7:47 charity. What is the difference between the love of God and the pure love of Christ? Nothing. So we can partake of the love of God or pick the fruit of the tree of life by developing charity.
The Elders were sure happy because we brought a hot lunch for everybody. Tater tot casserole, fresh rolls, and brownies with marshmallow chocolate frosting.
We made a trip to Bellinghanm for groceries and fuel, (half the price there), and while unloading at our apartment Carol fell backwards over a concrete barrier that was placed right in the way by the gate. So l borrowed a steel rod and moved it well out of the way.
One of our branch members was killed when a logging truck spilled the logs onto the road. Her daughter Catlin, was left to settle and dispose of all the stuff and clean the apartment. Her sister could'nt help, and when her three brothers arrived after the funeral and asked, "where's the cash?"
Debts only, no cash and all of a sudden they dissipeared leaving her all alone to do the work. If there were anyone that answered the call: succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down and strengthen the feeble knees, she was it. We arrived with some hot supper to see her crumble at the task and a two year old in tears clinging to her apron. Carol and her made a plan and began organizing a garage sale and put me at labor. We stayed with her the two days and a good deal of money was raised. Then we offered to clean the apartment, but that's next week's work.
Elder Fisher
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Ahhhhh.....FOOD DRIVE SUCCESS !!! . The Lord blessed us with a miracle. In the pouring I mean pouring rain, the volunteers arrived soaking wet with bags and bags of food. They're cheerful laughter and smiles were amazing. The full count isn't in yet but we collected around 6,000 lbs of food for the Hope food bank. That was wonderful ; but the mission president said the food gathered is not as important as the community involvement of non- members we had participate. We had one hundred and fifteen non-members help. So we are having an "Appreciation Snack & Chat ". Wednesday evening for anyone & everyone who helped us. Our mission president said he will try to come. So we can't really relax and celebrate until that is completed. Maybe we will get some new investigators ? I met many new friends , such nice people from the community. We spent more hours than we can count preparing for this one day.
We are so tired tonight but happy. I would have felt better if I hadn't had a Humpty Dumpty fall last night. You know those large concrete barriers they put to stop people from whatever? Well last night with my arms full I fell backwards over the cement thing flat on my back on a brick. Stan came outside to see what the big thud was. It knocked the wind out of me and popped off my glasses. Needless to say today I hurt. That's an ok fall for a ten year old, but at my age not so much.
We had a busy busy week not only working with the food drive but other things as well. On Thursday we drove four hours to attend a Zone Conference. It was so amazing to sit for nine hours and be taught by the spirit. I learned many interesting things I didn't know before. The young missionaries are so blessed to learn it early. We were asked to stand and give a report on the food drive. It was fun to report we got the Baptist minister and half his congregation to help us. The printer, the grocery store manager, the newspaper editor, all non-members participated.
I made the five loaves on homemade bread to distribute again this week, It's really fun as we take it while it's still hot. People are so surprised. We gave our friend Martin one . He's the Italian and has shared his big fresh garden tomatoes with us. Stan is in heaven. This time he kissed my hand and told me I looked like Sophia Loren. For sure he's on next weeks bread list.
A quote from our mission president : "Don't try to live the gospel. Give Heavenly Father your best so He can give you the blessings He has in store for you."
Have a wonderful week. We are so blessed to be having this mission experience. It's truly an adventure every day. We're always watching for what will come next. The gospel is the "good news". Our Heavenly Father lives and loves us. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smitb is a true prophet as is Thomas Monson. We are abundantly blessed to be part of the tyre church. We love you all so much !!!
Elder and Sister Fisher
Saturday, September 10, 2016
All I can say is : "Thank you so much for all your prayers ". The food drive is here. Today, tomorrow and Monday we are meeting with the thirty people to give them their routes. We have had a great response. There are fourty scouts, eleven Baptists, six branch members, ten non-members, to hang bags on doors and seven others to help sort at the food bank as it comes in. So the routes are covered and ready for Wednesday. On Saturday after the pick-up is complete, we'll know the full scope of the success of our assignment. Stay tuned...
We had a new adventure with a tiny eight week old kitten. I've never seen one like her. She was variegated grey and pink with blue eyes. Beautiful. So the story is, Hussain wanted a cat to catch mice in his barn. We already gave them two kittens but Fatima fell in love with them. She won't let them go out to the barn. So Hussain wanted another one. Cats are hard to get here as people charge $75. Each. We were blessed To find this beauty for free. We picked her up, took her to Hussain. The next day he gave her back. "Too little to take care of " his said; and Fatima was out of town. Anyway later that day we convinced our friend Lucy she would absolutely love this beautiful kitten. We bought her food and kitty litter and delivered her. Her name is "Miss Kitten " and all seems well. I wanted to call her "Boomarang".
It's a holiday here today called Brigade Days. We went to the fifteen minute parade . People asked Stan why he would come to a parade in a suit and tie as he was sitting on the curb. We had taken lawn chairs but he gave his to our friend Amelia who we saw there. I will add some pictures today.
So I get to be a bonified newspaper reporter on Saturday. We found out the newspaper guy won't be able to cover our food drive on Saturday because he used up all his hours on Brigade days. Sigh...He said we could take pictures and write up a little story which he will edit before he prints it....oh I could write a story about how wonderful & successful it was but, since I'm a missionary , I'll have to stick to the truth and at the moment that is unknown.
Our neighbor , Marlene left a goodbye note on our door this week. She is the eighty-year old non-member who is lives alone with her dog Ben, the dog in the extortion episode. Her only friend, who lives next door, George, died two weeks ago. She has been broken hearted ever since. Her note expressed thanks for us being kind to her and she knows we're too busy to visit. She said she hoped we had a great mission in Hope . Arriving home today and seeing the note, we thought we should make time for a visit. Sometimes the Lord needs us to stop whatever we're doing , to do what he needs us to do for him. I've learned that more on this mission than ever before. When the Lord calls ....go and do. Service is never convient or it would'nt be service.
I'n not happy about all the stories we hear about the Hope rats.; I started dreaming that I was giving them names and feeding them. Arrg !!!
One of the young students I had as a Relief Society President when we were assigned to BYUI for three years, lives near us. On the holiday Monday, she and her husband and four children came to Hope and spent the day with us. We had a great time hiking through tunnels, climbing by waterfalls, finding a hidden "Siver Lake " where people of the branch are baptized. And of all things to do on a mission, we went to "Hell's Gate ". ( google it ). It was great to rekindle an old friendship.
I totally love, love the Book of Mormon. As members of the church all our lives, we take our membership as Latter-Day Saints too much for granted. It's a big scary world out here where so many are without light or direction in their lives. They live in misery because they can't see the tree because the mist of darkness is too thick. That's our job as members to tell everyone who doesn't know where the tree is and how to get there. Please invite those you know to listen about the tree. I'm sure there are missionaries close who would love to teach them. Always be faithful to what you know is true. We are so blessed. We love you all.
Love, Elder & Sister Fisher
We had a new adventure with a tiny eight week old kitten. I've never seen one like her. She was variegated grey and pink with blue eyes. Beautiful. So the story is, Hussain wanted a cat to catch mice in his barn. We already gave them two kittens but Fatima fell in love with them. She won't let them go out to the barn. So Hussain wanted another one. Cats are hard to get here as people charge $75. Each. We were blessed To find this beauty for free. We picked her up, took her to Hussain. The next day he gave her back. "Too little to take care of " his said; and Fatima was out of town. Anyway later that day we convinced our friend Lucy she would absolutely love this beautiful kitten. We bought her food and kitty litter and delivered her. Her name is "Miss Kitten " and all seems well. I wanted to call her "Boomarang".
It's a holiday here today called Brigade Days. We went to the fifteen minute parade . People asked Stan why he would come to a parade in a suit and tie as he was sitting on the curb. We had taken lawn chairs but he gave his to our friend Amelia who we saw there. I will add some pictures today.
So I get to be a bonified newspaper reporter on Saturday. We found out the newspaper guy won't be able to cover our food drive on Saturday because he used up all his hours on Brigade days. Sigh...He said we could take pictures and write up a little story which he will edit before he prints it....oh I could write a story about how wonderful & successful it was but, since I'm a missionary , I'll have to stick to the truth and at the moment that is unknown.
Our neighbor , Marlene left a goodbye note on our door this week. She is the eighty-year old non-member who is lives alone with her dog Ben, the dog in the extortion episode. Her only friend, who lives next door, George, died two weeks ago. She has been broken hearted ever since. Her note expressed thanks for us being kind to her and she knows we're too busy to visit. She said she hoped we had a great mission in Hope . Arriving home today and seeing the note, we thought we should make time for a visit. Sometimes the Lord needs us to stop whatever we're doing , to do what he needs us to do for him. I've learned that more on this mission than ever before. When the Lord calls ....go and do. Service is never convient or it would'nt be service.
I'n not happy about all the stories we hear about the Hope rats.; I started dreaming that I was giving them names and feeding them. Arrg !!!
One of the young students I had as a Relief Society President when we were assigned to BYUI for three years, lives near us. On the holiday Monday, she and her husband and four children came to Hope and spent the day with us. We had a great time hiking through tunnels, climbing by waterfalls, finding a hidden "Siver Lake " where people of the branch are baptized. And of all things to do on a mission, we went to "Hell's Gate ". ( google it ). It was great to rekindle an old friendship.
I totally love, love the Book of Mormon. As members of the church all our lives, we take our membership as Latter-Day Saints too much for granted. It's a big scary world out here where so many are without light or direction in their lives. They live in misery because they can't see the tree because the mist of darkness is too thick. That's our job as members to tell everyone who doesn't know where the tree is and how to get there. Please invite those you know to listen about the tree. I'm sure there are missionaries close who would love to teach them. Always be faithful to what you know is true. We are so blessed. We love you all.
Love, Elder & Sister Fisher
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Where shall I begin to tell you about this week ? Tuesday after a busy morning we stopped home for lunch. As I was clearing away the dishes and putting the food away...... We had a crisis. I opened the fridge and the door fell off. Yup, the entire door of the refrigerator fell backwards on the kitchen floor. Really ? Have you ever heard of a fridge door falling off ? Well, our little apartment fridge was about fourty years old and the hinge disintegrated into oblivion. We had just purchased our months food the day before. Hmmm. Stan put the door back on in it's socket and held it there while I put two boards underneath it. The door was on until we needed something out of the fridge. I called the landlord who lives three hours away. He bought & paid for a new fridge in the next town. We asked our friends, Betty & Jim who have a truck to take us to Chilliwack to pick up the fridge. They said they would if we bought them dinner. Now we have a nice new fridge. I wonder if I could get our oven door to fall off ???
We delivered five loaves of hot homemade bread to non-members. When we went to Martin & Amelia's we walked into a lively Italian party. Toni Marciano invited us in. Everyone was sitting around the kitchen table speaking Italian, eating figs and drinking wine. I felt like I had just stepped off the plane into Italy. They were friendly and very very interesting. After about five minutes Toni said to me ," I already forgot your name ". I said :" it's ok Toni, I forgot yours too. "
We helped a family move. They are moving to Rexburg to go to school. They have five kids and two dogs. They wanted to move into our house in Ammon to live for free for the next year until we get home. We took them dinner the night they were leaving. I think they're mad at us because we would'nt give them our house key. Now our small branch is seven members smaller.
We taught Hussain & Fetima the lesson of the Restoration. They are Muslims not Christians so there are some difficulties there. Hussain has a P.H.D. In Biology so everything we say he looks at from a scientific perspective. He doesn't believe the Joseph Smith story , says :" why do I need a prophet ? I can talk to God myself ". Fetima is reading the Book of Mormon but not Hussain.
We're still working on the food drive which is causing us some anxiety. We have thirty routes of at least one hundred homes. Each one needs to deliver food bags & fliers on Wednesday and then to pick up bags of food on Saturday. So far out of the 30 routes we have four commitments.
It's only a week away. Please pray for us.
We did have a great District meeting this week. Several new missionaries arrived and it was fun to meet them. Reading the Book of Mormon everyday is such a blessing . The gospel is true. The plan of Happiness is a wonderful plan laid out for us by a loving Heavenly Father. We are so blessed to know what that plan is and to make it so important in our lives . We see people everyday who have no idea we have a loving Father in Heaven and a Savior Jesus Christ. They are in the mist of darkness and don't have the faith to get to the light. So sad really.
We love you all. Always always pray and keep the commandments. It's the sure way to be happy.
Love, Elder & Sister Fisher
We delivered five loaves of hot homemade bread to non-members. When we went to Martin & Amelia's we walked into a lively Italian party. Toni Marciano invited us in. Everyone was sitting around the kitchen table speaking Italian, eating figs and drinking wine. I felt like I had just stepped off the plane into Italy. They were friendly and very very interesting. After about five minutes Toni said to me ," I already forgot your name ". I said :" it's ok Toni, I forgot yours too. "
We helped a family move. They are moving to Rexburg to go to school. They have five kids and two dogs. They wanted to move into our house in Ammon to live for free for the next year until we get home. We took them dinner the night they were leaving. I think they're mad at us because we would'nt give them our house key. Now our small branch is seven members smaller.
We taught Hussain & Fetima the lesson of the Restoration. They are Muslims not Christians so there are some difficulties there. Hussain has a P.H.D. In Biology so everything we say he looks at from a scientific perspective. He doesn't believe the Joseph Smith story , says :" why do I need a prophet ? I can talk to God myself ". Fetima is reading the Book of Mormon but not Hussain.
We're still working on the food drive which is causing us some anxiety. We have thirty routes of at least one hundred homes. Each one needs to deliver food bags & fliers on Wednesday and then to pick up bags of food on Saturday. So far out of the 30 routes we have four commitments.
It's only a week away. Please pray for us.
We did have a great District meeting this week. Several new missionaries arrived and it was fun to meet them. Reading the Book of Mormon everyday is such a blessing . The gospel is true. The plan of Happiness is a wonderful plan laid out for us by a loving Heavenly Father. We are so blessed to know what that plan is and to make it so important in our lives . We see people everyday who have no idea we have a loving Father in Heaven and a Savior Jesus Christ. They are in the mist of darkness and don't have the faith to get to the light. So sad really.
We love you all. Always always pray and keep the commandments. It's the sure way to be happy.
Love, Elder & Sister Fisher
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Oh boy.....last week a lady in our branch died in a horrific car accident. Tonight our neighbor passed away. We are still trying to help the daughter of the lady. There are five children in the family . The other four children came to the funeral. They wanted to know where the money was and how much there was. When the daughter told them there was no will, no money, not even enough to pay for the funeral ;they went home. She is left to clean the house, sell, get rid of everything, deal with grief and take care of her little family. Because her mom wasn't active in the branch, no one in the branch wants to help her. So we have tried to help as much as we can with whatever we can for as long as she needs. Our neighbor just died tonight so we don't know what we can do there. We will see.
We have been spending hours on the food drive this week. I will post a picture of our living room. It will be a blessing after September 17th when that is done. Pray for us. It is really a difficult undertaking and we hope for success.The scope of it is so big. Stan and I will have to do the "Happy Dance" when we're done.
Transfers were this week and we lost a couple of our favorite missionaries. They were outstanding in every way. Too bad we don't have any single daughters to line them up with. Maybe our granddaughters ? Megan ? Lexie ?
SO it unbelievably true. About the rats. I asked our friend Jack if he would call me when he caught a rat at his house. So he caught one on a day we were out of town for meetings. He put it in the freezer for me. I told him I wanted to take a picture and he wanted it to look nice. I will attach the picture here. Keep in mind this is a baby. The mommas are bigger and the daddies much much bigger. I couldn't even take the picture, but Stan did. Good old Jack, he is such a good friend.
Marlene went to church again on Sunday. She sat by a lady visiting from the Stake. The Stake President was the speaker in Sacrament meeting. Near the end of his talk Marlene said out loud to the Stake visitor:" Why in the world do they let people like that talk in church ?" "He yaps like a hurt puppy and doesn't say anything. Blah Blah Blah ." " They put a suit and tie on anybody and let them go on and on".
We had quite a discouraging week. Missions can be an upward climb. We taught a great lesson to Roy about the Book of Moron. He denounced everything, said we could be his friends if we don't talk religion anymore. He doesn't believe there is a devil, or punishment, or hell. ahhhh. We did go rock hunting with him for a couple of hours out on an island of the river with umbrellas . He gave us these cardboard looking and tasting rye wafers for a snack. We did go for a very beautiful hike, saw blue herons. eagles and a goose. Sad that he doesn't have a drop of faith but a very hard heart.
We also taught a lesson to Wally who confronted us with some anti~Mormon literature about blood sacrifice and polygamy. When we asked him to read the Book Of Mormon and pray about it he said: "I will not read it and I will not pray about it."sigh.
We also went to see Fatima and Hussain. They got six new baby goats for their farm. Fatima feeds them with a baby bottle. I'll attach a picture. They are so ready and willing to be taught the gospel.(Fatima & Hussain, not the goats). The zone leaders have been going with us to teach but yesterday when we went there they told us not bring the young kids. Hmmm. How do we tell the Zone leaders that ? Fatima and Hussain are the only real investigators we have.
The study of the Book of Mormon everyday has been a great help to us in our work and discouragement and hopes. We know the book is true. We know the gospel is true. We know we have a loving Heavenly Father and a Redeeming Savior Jesus Christ. Because of that knowledge we carry on, press forward with hope in our hearts that we can make a difference in someone's life. That we can bring people the truth and the great Plan of Happiness. Leaving the comforts of home, missing our children and grandchildren has to be worth it in the end. Sometimes we feel like Johnny Appleseed, we are just planting seeds.
Be strong, be faithful always always. We love you all.
Elder and Sister Fisher
We have been spending hours on the food drive this week. I will post a picture of our living room. It will be a blessing after September 17th when that is done. Pray for us. It is really a difficult undertaking and we hope for success.The scope of it is so big. Stan and I will have to do the "Happy Dance" when we're done.
Transfers were this week and we lost a couple of our favorite missionaries. They were outstanding in every way. Too bad we don't have any single daughters to line them up with. Maybe our granddaughters ? Megan ? Lexie ?
SO it unbelievably true. About the rats. I asked our friend Jack if he would call me when he caught a rat at his house. So he caught one on a day we were out of town for meetings. He put it in the freezer for me. I told him I wanted to take a picture and he wanted it to look nice. I will attach the picture here. Keep in mind this is a baby. The mommas are bigger and the daddies much much bigger. I couldn't even take the picture, but Stan did. Good old Jack, he is such a good friend.
Marlene went to church again on Sunday. She sat by a lady visiting from the Stake. The Stake President was the speaker in Sacrament meeting. Near the end of his talk Marlene said out loud to the Stake visitor:" Why in the world do they let people like that talk in church ?" "He yaps like a hurt puppy and doesn't say anything. Blah Blah Blah ." " They put a suit and tie on anybody and let them go on and on".
We had quite a discouraging week. Missions can be an upward climb. We taught a great lesson to Roy about the Book of Moron. He denounced everything, said we could be his friends if we don't talk religion anymore. He doesn't believe there is a devil, or punishment, or hell. ahhhh. We did go rock hunting with him for a couple of hours out on an island of the river with umbrellas . He gave us these cardboard looking and tasting rye wafers for a snack. We did go for a very beautiful hike, saw blue herons. eagles and a goose. Sad that he doesn't have a drop of faith but a very hard heart.
We also taught a lesson to Wally who confronted us with some anti~Mormon literature about blood sacrifice and polygamy. When we asked him to read the Book Of Mormon and pray about it he said: "I will not read it and I will not pray about it."sigh.
We also went to see Fatima and Hussain. They got six new baby goats for their farm. Fatima feeds them with a baby bottle. I'll attach a picture. They are so ready and willing to be taught the gospel.(Fatima & Hussain, not the goats). The zone leaders have been going with us to teach but yesterday when we went there they told us not bring the young kids. Hmmm. How do we tell the Zone leaders that ? Fatima and Hussain are the only real investigators we have.
The study of the Book of Mormon everyday has been a great help to us in our work and discouragement and hopes. We know the book is true. We know the gospel is true. We know we have a loving Heavenly Father and a Redeeming Savior Jesus Christ. Because of that knowledge we carry on, press forward with hope in our hearts that we can make a difference in someone's life. That we can bring people the truth and the great Plan of Happiness. Leaving the comforts of home, missing our children and grandchildren has to be worth it in the end. Sometimes we feel like Johnny Appleseed, we are just planting seeds.
Be strong, be faithful always always. We love you all.
Elder and Sister Fisher
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