#50 - Raisin Capital of the World

[Note from Marin's Mom: You may have noticed that Marin's English, particularly spelling, is getting worse.  This is normal for missionaries who learn another language.  I purposely try to not correct her grammatical/spelling errors so you may see the change.]

Looks like she got a mangonada, yum!

 This week we had exchanges. We went down to Visalia and had some great experiences teaching some people. Zone conference was all about technology and  being ministers. Our job is to help others come unto Christ, reaching out to ALL whom we see.

our little group that came in together!

We've been teaching this man named Fernando everyday. He has some great questions and we've learned a lot about planning for people and their needs. At first, he said that he'd never opened the bible and wouldn't pray. But last time he prayed and wanted to keep reading in the Book of Mormon. Change and the atonement of Jesus Christ is real!

Last Monday we went to the Sun-Maid raisin gift store! We literally live in the raising capital of the world and when will you ever have the chance to see the biggest raising box in the world again?

Also Update on Facebook: We're still a bit confused on whether or not we can can message people we knew before hand (family/friends). President explained a bit about teaching those we knew from home, and we've read that we can do so if our companions are also on the chat. Our purpose is to help people prepare to meet the local missionaries. We're still figuring it out, so if I don't respond that's why.

-- 

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#49 - Hermana Fisher doesn't know how to use a smartphone....

Us at the mission office

So on Friday we got smartphones! And like the title suggests, I have no idea how to use it haha. We were setting them up and I told everyone that I'd never had one and they all just looked confused.  The way it works is that one of the phones in the companionship has the SIM card and can call and use data, and the others are more like tablets than can use wifi. MISSIONARY WORK IS SO COOL WITH TECHNOLOGY!! There's all these interactive apps that we can use for teaching and showing videos, it's way easier to contact people that work a lot, and it just shows how God is hastening His work, and He wants us to be creative in spreading the gospel. In the push in our mission to be Agents unto Ourselves, our mission president didn't give a lot of guidelines, just the standards of the church and Safeguard for Using Technology. We'll be able to go on Facebook (not for just chatting back and forth, but if  you have questions about Christ or what we do as missionaries feel free to ask!).

Us and Sister Grammar and Sister Cate - Sorry we're all squinting, but Sister Cate was in my BYU freshmen ward!!

For about 2 months we've been preparing for technology by learning more about our purpose as missionaries and safeguards. One of my favorite lines was Elder Bednar saying that when we have something to do, turn the device on, and when you've finished that purpose, turn it off. I know that before my mission I would just scroll through Facebook or Pinterest, and waste a lot of time. I'd encourage you all to look at how much you use technology and if you're always being effective while you're on, we can really bring  a lot of light to people using technology!

When you have 5 types of jellies in your fridge...

Stake Conference Milagros: We tried out our ward mission leader's neighbor a few months ago, but they weren't really interested. Then we went to walk with his wife one morning and we saw a man outside and started talking to him. He's a son who just moved in recently. We had a great conversation with him and showed him "Wrong Roads" (One of my favorite mormon messages) and have taught him twice. Here's a link to the video: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-09-016-wrong-roads?lang=eng

His nephew was there for one of the lessons and he showed up at stake conference on Sunday! And a less active brought a recent convert. So awesome!

I know that this really is God's work, and what we share as missionaries is more important than anything else in the world. Love you all!

--

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#48 - Conferencia General y La Pascua (General Conference & Easter)

HAPPY EASTER! HE IS RISEN!

This week was so awesome!

We passed out food at the center de viejitos in Selma, and I realized that I've met so many people here! We ate lunch with some people between Saturday sessions and they joked that I'm actually just part of the branch now. Then we had intercambios and I got to be with Sister Fjord here in Selma! We had a really fun day and got to do service with them in Farmersville cleaning someone's yard.

Welcome to Selma sign

intercambios (exchanges)

Then we helped organize this lady's tupperware drawers and I felt like I was back home, that was always my job haha! We got a call Thursday afternoon from our zone leaders asking if we could give a training on diligence the next morning at interviews. We ended up staying up late finishing it and were pretty exhausted all weekend, but it was really fun. I learned a lot about giving everything to God, and I would recommend reading Henry B. Eyering's "Acting in all diligence" talk - SO GOOD!

CONFERENCE!! I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!! 

Sustaining a new prophet was such an incredible experience. I know that we have a living prophet called of God today. Also, I understood the spanish sessions, which was my 6 month language goal since last October's conference! We had some random street contacts show up to conference too, so awesome. I'm really excited to put in to practice what we learned, especially focusing on the Spirit and personal revelation. And I'm going to start listening to the talks all over again- I invite you all to reflect on conference and all the invitations we received and act on them! Especially Elder Ballard's invitation to write down your thoughts during the solemn assembly.

Also, rereading Matthew 28 this week was a great reminder of why we celebrate Easter. I know the Savior lives!

When you try to make eggs and it just doesn't work so Sister harris is sad

Easter, wearing new blouse from mom

*****You might see me on facebook this week, we get our smart phones friday!*****

LOVE YOU!

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#47 - TRIO = DIVERTIDO

Last day with Sister Pachner

On Tuesday I had to say goodbye to Sister Pachner, I'm going to miss Hermana Salvaje! Then Hermana deLeon came and joined me. We had two days just the two of us, and we had a really great bible study about the parable of the Sower. One of our investigators came and told us how he felt like he was in the rocks or thorns, but he was really working to be in the good soil, it was so sweet!

New Companions

Then Thursday we met our new companion la Hermana Harris! She's from Texas and was so exhausted her first day. She went to the CCM in Mexico and was running on almost no sleep. But we just got right to work and talked with some incredible people this week. Also, I had forgotten how much fun trios are. We have to tell ourselves to focus so often because we all get along and laugh so much. 

Historic Kingsburg jail 

We started a branch choir and are singing Divina Luz (Lead Kindly Light). It actually sounded really good and we're excited to teach some people here in the branch to conduct. 

This week I was studying a lot about how Jesus Christ really changes us. I've always been told that His atonement, His sacrifice, gives us grace, an enabling power, but I've never really understood exactly HOW that happens. I reflected on the trials that I've had in my life. For example, I thought about how hard it was to wake up for seminary every morning in high school. And I thought about how I always seemed to have enough energy to do everything that I needed to. That energy that I had was that enabling power.
We may not recognize Christ's hand in our life immediately, but I know that if we look for it, we'll be able to see exactly how He has been there guiding us, strengthening us, and lifting us at every step. I invite you all to reflect on trials in your life and how you've seen Christ, I promise that you'll find Him!

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

Snail Count! (We got to 15 one day outside of our door)

#46 - St. Patrick's Day Baile!

First off, I've realized that I speak pure spanglish now, like "Oh no! it se cayo-ed!" or "we're going to regresar at 5" or "do you like to bailar?". It's pretty fun!

Elotes! (Mexican grilled corn- Condiments such as salt, chile powder, butter, cotija, lemon juice or lime juice, and mayonnaise are usually added to the elote. )

This week was so incredible!! The Visalia sisters came to our area and we both went to teach. In the same hour on the same street, we both found new investigators who want to learn more. One went to our bible study that night, then the baile, and then church, and the other during the whole lesson was asking about how he can get baptized. Also, we hadn't seen an elote man in months, and Sister Jesperson prayed that we'd find one, and we did. Milagros!

Our Distrito (SO MANY ARE LEAVING)

Transfer calls were crazy. Sister Pachner is going home, the parlier elders are both leaving, the reedley english elders are both leaving, one of the reedley spanish elders is leaving, and one of our zone leaders. Our whole district is going to change! But I'm staying in Selma! And Hermana deLeon is coming here and we're going to trio train a new missionary.

Saying Goodbye to families

Saturday was our St. Patrick's Day Dance that we put together to help the branch grow closer together and get non members to learn more about our church. We had 2 investigators there and one of them brought a friend! The decorations looked awesome, and all the members that came had a great time, it was fun to watch all the people dancing, they are way better than at stake dances!

 St. Patrick's Day party

Friday we had interviews with president and it changed my entire perspective on missionary work. He explained that we often work ourselves up over expectations of both ourselves and others, but the only expectations that matter are from God. We make goals with numbers to help us grow, and if we don't make them, it doesn't mean that we're disobedient or awful people, as long as we get to the end of the day and still have that good connection with God, knowing that we tried our hardest, He's ok with that. "The Lord can baptize as many as He wants, He just wants us to participate so that we can have the experience to learn". It's all about our own growth. As we come here to serve, we're growing, we're learning, and we're helping others as well. Recently I feel like I've focused on a lot of things that I could do better, but now I want to focus on how I've grown, God just wants us to grow and become more like Him! So this week, look at the past year and focus on what you've done good and what great changes you've made in your life. I promise that it will help change you to have a more positive mentality and help you look forward to other changes. 

Salvaje cake for la Hermana Salvajita (Sister Pachner)

Love you!

--

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#45 - Let's build a house and get our own!

First off-We moved!! We now live in Kingsburg, which is way nicer than Selma. It's all cute and clean and the owner is Mormon. It was such a miracle, we've been searching since January and it all just fell in place in a week. And now we get to work more with some of the members down here who we don't see a lot.

So we wanted to do another mini exchange with the Farmersville sisters, and they told us to bring our service clothes because we were building a house. One of the Visalia sisters' investigators needs his trailer finished before the 15th in order to move out and finally come to church. The whole Visalia Zone came and we sanded and tore out the shower and had a lot of fun. So here we are building a trailer with the Visalia Zone.  Definitely love service!

 Zone conference was this week and we learned a lot about technology, next month we're getting smart phones and honestly my biggest  concern is dropping mine and breaking it. I'm really excited for all the proselyting opportunities we'll have with it. We'll be able to use facebook and connect more with the ward, message and video chat investigators who aren't normally available, and organize everything a lot more. President talked about how we made a promise with God in the pre-mortal life to serve Him, and how we had pure agency, or the ability to choose, and that's why we're here today. Use your agency to choose to do good things and serve!

Miracle: We had this potential from a couple weeks ago and were finally able to stop by on Saturday, she wasn't there, but her husband and son listened to us for 30 minutes and are really interested, we're so excited!!

Also, we're organizing a dance this weekend for St. Patrick's Day, Wish us luck!

LOVE YOU ALL!! Drink a shamrock shake for me!

-- 

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#44 - 3 day exchanges and a suicidal cat

With Hermana Baeza

We went to go knock some doors and went up some apartment steps, there was this cat there that kind of froze and then looked to the right and to the left, searching for escape, and decided that the best option was to jump. So it jumped from the second story, and we freaked out that it died, but it was ok. I guess we intimidate cats....

On Friday we went on exchanges with the Visalia Sisters. Sister Ferrell and Sister Jesperson. Sister Jesperson came here but she had a Celiac attack (some allergic reaction) to the food at dinner. But that makes it really painful to work for a few days. So Sister Ferrell and Sister Pachner came back on Saturday and we all worked in Selma exchanging who stayed inside. Then Sunday, I went to Visalia with Sister Ferrell for her ward, and then we all met up again in Selma for the linger longer- and Sister Jesperson is feeling way better! Then today we decided to switch up preparation day and I'm in Visalia again with Sister Jesperson, and Sister Ferrell and Sister Pachner went to Yosemite. It's been really different but so fun!

I tried to make a voice recording, but then it got corrupted when i plugged it into the computer, so maybe next week...

But we saw so many miracles this week! This new man we're teaching, Ivan, when asked about the Book of Mormon said it was the most true book on the earth, and this person we used to teach let us back in and was really excited to watch videos on mormon channel and read. 

I learned  a lot about love this week. All of our actions should be out of love for God or others, and I know that if we pray for love and charity that it's going to come, and we all have a responsibility as children of God to show love for all of our brothers and sisters and help them. So do some random act of kindness this week to show someone you care!

--

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704