Layton

Everything is going really great here in Layton, we are seeing things picking up everywhere, getting new referrals for potential investigators every day almost, and helping less actives return to church, and strengthening their families in the gospel. It's amazing to see the work hastening and to be able to experience missionary work every day! It's such a privilege and an honor to be here and give of myself to others who need my testimony and knowledge and to feel the Spirit. This last month has been the best month of my life!

Last night we had the opportunity to hold a Youth Fireside with the Antelope Hills Ward and we had the Elders come too. We talked about what we wished we'd known and prepared for before serving, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ is the main focus of what we should be sharing with our friends and investigators. I shared how I came to the decision of a mission and how they need to study it out in their minds before they receive a witness that they should go, like I did. They can do this by going out with the missionaries on appointments, sharing with their friends, and paying attention in Seminary and Sunday School. It really does pay off, I've experienced it. We had a question and answer session that was really successful and they asked really good questions. 

Sister Wright and I felt like because that ward is the slowest with missionary work when it comes to the Bishop and WML, we would talk to the youth and try to get them excited for it because the Bishop is really close with the youth. Hopefully we'll see referrals coming from some of the youth who are sharing with their friends at school! 

We also have been working more closely with all the Bishops and because of that relationship we have seen increased dedication by the Ward Mission Leaders and Ward Missionaries, and we've been trusted with referrals from the Bishops with people who are ready to learn and want to be taught! One family has less active parents and 5 nonmember daughters ages 9, 10, 13, 16, and 18. We are teaching them this week hopefully, if the holidays don't get in the way. I am so excited because I have 7 sisters and I think I can relate to them pretty well.

Sister Wright is a wonderful trainer and I learn more from her every day. We have great companionship unity, especially when it comes to wanting to work as hard as we can, having faith that miracles can happen, and desiring to not only fulfill but exceed our daily and weekly goals. It's such an exciting time to be a missionary, I am so honored to be here doing the Lord's work! 

-Sister Fluegel

"Contrary to Popular Belief, I can't look into your soul and see your sins" -David A. Bednar

This week my mission was privileged to have Elder David A. Bednar speak to us in Salt Lake City! We had been given 3 talks by him to study 2 weeks prior, having no idea he was coming. We prepared inspired questions and studied the talks even more after we found out he was coming. He didn't preach at us but asked us what we learned from his talks the first half and then the second half we asked our inspired questions. Yes, Sister Wright-Carruthers and I were slightly nervous that when Elder Bednar looked into our eyes, he'd see our souls and judge us, but he wasn't intimidating in that way at all. He is an apostle, but he cracked jokes and laughed with us at times too. Something that struck me was in one of his talks we read, called "Converted unto the Lord" talked about the Book of Mormon story where the converted Lamanites eagerly buried their weapons of war in a pit, never to dig them up again. He compared this to how we all need to bury our own cherished "weapons of rebellion against God" in a pit and never dig them up again too. Some weapons could be pride, disobedience, etc. I've grown up hearing that story but I never understood the significance of what it means to us--that if we are converted, it means we have experienced a change of heart so we no longer have any desire for evil, but to do good continually. If we have let our testimonies and the knowledge we have of the gospel work within us, and let the Spirit speak to and change our hearts, our desires change and we eagerly and gladly cast our weapons of rebellion into the pit, and never look back. When we are truly converted--when our hearts desire only to do the will of the Lord, then we will never fall away. Elder Bednar gave us a lot of advice for lessons, such as asking questions, having an active two-way discussion, and he said regarding daydreaming while your companion is teaching, "You don't DARE check out during lessons. This isn't about you." It's true--your mission isn't for you, it's all about other people. We were called to serve, and these 18 months are all about other children of God who don't have what I have. 

We saw many small miracles this week in Layton. After about 4 days of both of us being sick, we were so ready to just get out there again and serve! We invited a returning member and his nonmember girlfriend to church on Sunday, she didn't come but he came and he was dressed in a white shirt and tie, which was a first in all the time he's been coming! His girlfriend did talk about baptism to us and wanted to learn more about it so we set up an appointment with them for this week. The lady who loves genealogy like me is feeling more comfortable with us and we are going to give her a Christmas message this Thursday, and I'm so excited for the excuse to finally talk about Christ with her! More people we are inviting are showing up for church, there are miracles happening all the time. Yesterday we had 3 appointments back to back and we were rushing everywhere. I find that I'm the happiest when I'm the busiest--because I feel like I'm actually fulfilling my missionary purpose and bringing as many people as I can closer to Christ. Our Stake High Councilman in charge of missionary work had us over for a 20 minute dinner (that's all the time we had) and when we rushed to our next appointment he said from the door, "Go ye therefore, preach to all nations!" and kept reciting the scripture. It is so great to have the support of so many great members here in Layton. It's definitely a group effort--we need the Wards to be fellowshiping, visiting and home teaching these people too, because we can't possibly do it all on our own and it wouldn't stick anyways when we leave. This week is going to be phenomenal because we are both finally healthy and able! Wish you all the best. 

-Sister Fluegel

One Month Out!

So I've officially been out on my mission for a month and 2 days now! This last week has been busy and productive, despite being sick last weekend and now the stomach flu this weekend. I'm still getting over it, yesterday I was running to the bathroom every hour or so and pretty much incapable of doing anything. Yet, I experienced a miracle because Sister Wright and I were asked to give 15-minute talks in one of the Wards we cover, and I didn't want to bail on the Bishop even though I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the meeting. But, I got up there and spoke about how missionary and family history work are one in the same, and I didn't feel sick at all as I was speaking! Sister Wright told me later that she had prayed that I'd feel okay up there. Missionaries are human, but I don't think I'd have been able to get up and speak if I had the stomach flu and wasn't a missionary. 

This last week we've seen a lot of the people we're teaching progress! The 16 yrold girl wants to be baptized in January because she wants her member-friend to baptize her (he turns 16 on Christmas day). This one lady who used to be a hoarder cat lady and never let anyone into her house, is letting us come over and work in her garden and visit with her. We left her with a prayer the last 3 times we went over and she cried every time because she felt the Spirit and how much we love her. The second time we went over there, she mentioned that she likes genealogy! She and I then had an hour long conversation about how exciting it is and all the different things we've discovered! We connected so well and then the next time we talked about it again and I managed to bring some doctrine about families and how the gospel is so important to us. 

We've been getting so many referrals from members that we are struggling to contact them all! Saturday, my month mark, I was determined to contact as many as we could. We were only able to contact one less active family but it was an amazing experience! I was slightly nervous because it was my first 'door approach' to a family that my companion didn't know either. Sister Wright told me as we walked up to their door, "Remember who walks with us every time we approach a door." The wife opened the door and we had a really friendly visit with her and we set up an appointment to visit with them and invited them to come to church, mentioning that we were speaking as well. They didn't end up coming but they look like such a nice family and I really felt the Spirit there with us as we spoke to her. I'm excited for this week and hopefully will be feeling better so I can work harder and serve more effectively! 

Getting to know Layton

Hello everyone!

I've had a wonderful time this week becoming more familiar with my area, the people I'm working with, and my trainer. We've had some fantastic lessons and I'm becoming better and more comfortable at teaching. Sister Wright says I came "pre-trained" and she feels like she isn't even training me! I don't know about that, but those appointments with the Sisters in Belvidere and YSA really did help, as well as the MTC of course. I am loving teaching and getting to know real people, and I find that I learn the most when I teach a lesson than when I study for it! 

We are teaching this 16-yr old girl named Nicole and she is amazing! She loves to learn and is so intune with the Spirit that she pretty much teaches US the lesson instead of the other way around! She is really good friends with a member boy and we have the discussions at his house with his parents (who are amazing) and she already wants to be baptized, it's just a matter of her parents allowing it. Her desire to learn and to change her life for the better is so inspiring, I am so privileged to be a missionary to her right now! Also, something I've found as I've listened to the sad stories of so many less-actives and non-members, is that I try to relate with them and think back to any trials that I've gone through that could help me understand what they're going through. I can't believe how great I've had it growing up compared to these people I've met! I am so grateful for the trials I've had so far in my life that have helped me be able to relate to and therefore better help these people through their issues. I've had my faith and the gospel to rely on through every hard time--whereas these people did not--so I have that perspective to give to them and it gives them hope, which is such a rewarding experience. 

My companion and I have had some really fun and crazy experiences this week. We went to the Bountiful temple, which was gorgeous beyond words, and Sister Wright and I were allowed by President Hansen to go there early before our session to do Initiatories for my family file names I brought with me, so I could have my own family file for the Endowment session. It was a lovely day! We went there on Thursday, because they switched our Preparation day to then because we aren't allowed to leave our apartments after 6pm on Halloween. After planning, we had a movie marathon of The Testaments, Legacy, and 17 Miracles, and we had tons of candy from the lady upstairs who we live with and random members who throw us handfuls of candy when we go to their houses for dinner. Dinner appointments this week were really interesting...we've had some really strange Hawaiian haystacks (nothing like Mom's) and we were asked to teach a missionary lesson by one family who just wanted to see how we taught. We politely declined but shared a missionary miracle instead. Sister Wright and I were getting worried because we seem to be taking in way more calories than we are burning at these 5-course dinners every night, so we decided to start running in the mornings. It feels so good to get fresh air and my heart actually pumping at 6:30am every morning! All is going pretty well here and the work is picking up every day, especially with some good referrals we're getting. Hope all is well with everyone back home. 

-Sister Fluegel

P.S. Write more letters please!

Pictures!

Sister Wright and I at the Bountiful Temple on Halloween

Elder James, my District Leader and Sister Wright and I after Zone Conference

 Sister Hannon Young and I at the MTC at In-Field Orientation!

Sister Holbrook and I at the MTC- our classrooms were right next to each other

My District at the MTC eating Wyview creamery ice cream our last night together

Sister Holbrook and I at the Frontrunner