#57 - WELCOME TO LOS BANOS

Saying goodbye to Selma!

I LOVE THIS TOWN!! I've just felt so loved already. The first day I was here we got a text from the Bishop's wife asking when we would be coming by so that they could meet me, and the people here are incredible. It's so different though! I asked Hermana Reid how much Spanish/ English it was and she said, 95% English and 5% Tongan with some Spanish thrown in. Haha I love it so much. I sang a hymn in english on sunday, and I gave a talk in english, and I ate food from ...well Tonga! But we've also been teaching a bunch of people in spanish here, they're hoping to start a spanish branch. 

Hermana Reid!

Also, we live in a house? And on the way back from transfer hub our car had reached the mileage limit so we got a brand new one. I feel super duper spoiled.

We live in a house!!!

It's super fun too, because my cousin Sister Jeppeson served in Los Banos a little over a year ago! And it's been fun putting in records and seeing all that has happened. 

Miracles: we went to see a potential, and we got out of the car and met this man named Jesse, and we had such a good discussion with him and he wants to teach his nephew. We just really felt that we were guided by the Spirit this week.

I met Sister Laguna, and she said, is this the famous Sister Fisher?? Her son in law trained my dad when he started his mission!!

The world is small, and I love it. I know that our Savior, Jesus Christ lives. And I am grateful for our Heavenly Father who works everyday to mold us into who He wants us to be. Love you all!

 -- 

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#56 - I'm actually leaving SELMA!!!

 [Hermana Fisher's grammar and spelling is getting worse! LOL!]

Saying goodbye to the YW

I'm going to Los Baños!!! It's the northern part of our mission (at least until Modesto joins with us in July). I'm super excited. It's really bittersweet, because Selma has literally become my home. This week all the seniors graduated, and I realized that I'd been here pretty much the entire school year. I' ve come to love so many people here, but I know that God needs me to love and serve people in another part of Fresno. Last Tuesday, President Mackay came with us to teach someone, and afterwords he let us know about transfers early- but then we had to wait to tell everyone until last night when we got them officially! We had a really great lesson with him and this man about family history, and yesterday he started putting together the names of his parents to go do baptisms for them!

Car selfie!

this week was CRAZY! We went to Farmersville on Tuesday, and then we went to Hanford on Wednesday to fix our car. there was this weird ticking noise, but we got to drive the pepboys lady around to show her and while we were on a test drive, we had a great conversation about the bible, mini missionary moment! haha when we were younger we used to talk about missionary experience like they only happened every once in a while, but I've realized being a missionary, that every time that we talk to someone it is an opportunity to share the gospel and help them feel God's love.

All things denote there is a God

MIRACLES! So last summer BEFORE I got to Selma, the elders were teaching this lady named Rosalia. Hermana Oldroyd and I taught her daughters for a few months, but then we stopped teaching them. We came back every once in a while, but it wasn't really there time yet. She knows a recent convert and she came to church with her two weeks back so we came by and invited her to be baptized June 30th, really boldly. She said she'd think about it and then the same recent convert went over with the elders and she just said, "I'm getting baptized June 30th, I haven't even told my family or the hermanas yet". AHHH!!!! And she came to church yesterday!!!! MILAGROS!!! I know that people are ready in their own time and I'm so excited.

Other transfer news: Hermana Harris is going to Farmersville, where she'll actually serve in her aunt's ward, and Hermana deLeon is staying in Selma with Hermana Salguero. I'll be with Hermana Reid!

I hope you all have a fantastic week!

-- 

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#55 - Elephants

BUENAS TARDES!!

[These are Marin's photo shoot in a walker]

Wednesday we went to Visalia and Farmersville and did a little day exchange! MIRACLE this man that just got baptized in Visalia had a bunch of seizures this past weekend and ended up in the hospital. But while we were there visiting him, he got his results back and there is absolutely NO SIGN of brain damage. And his dad was praying for him to get better and said that if he did, he would start going to church, so now he wants to hear from the missionaries!! 

So on Thursday, we were completely out of miles and it was the last day of the month. So we got a ride up to Selma from the Brandts, and then we walked around all day to all of our appointments! And we saw so many miracles from it. We ran into a bunch of people who were interested in learning more, and there was a nice breeze, and we could tell that God was blessing us for not going over miles. 

Exchanges!!

Friday we had a meeting in Fresno and we talked a lot about being genuinely energetic and optimistic. Not just a fake "pep rally" kind of optimism, but a true joy that comes from a knowledge of the doctrine of Christ. We broke it down into how teaching people simple truths, like prayer, helps them find joy. I encourage you all to find true joy this week. Reflect on the doctrine of Christ, (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End), and how it brings you lasting happiness.

Elder Zornes' birthday dinner at the Brandts

We got to watch the "Be One" devotional on Friday and the youth devotional on Sunday. If you haven't watched them, please do! They were so good. I was really inspired by how this gospel truth is really being carried all over the world. God loves all of His children no matter what.

Juice box quote

Love you all!!

Spanish phrase for the week:

Siga adelante como el elefante

(Keep going like the elephant) Elephants can only walk forward, so it means to keep looking forward and living and improving, not focusing on the past.

Equation for how to be senior missionary

decorating the car​

--

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#54 - Memorial Day

Setting up flags for memorial day

 Setting up flags.

I realized that this was my first "normal" memorial day. [That means no marching in a parade!]   It's in the 90s and is supposed to be in the 100s this week. Welcome to Fresno! 

This week had intercambios! And I learned to FOLLOW THE SPIRIT. SIEMPRE!!!

Last week, because Hermana deLeon was in Corcoran, we went ahead and did our normal exchanges and decided to do another one this week so she could go with Hermana Vergara. We went down to Farmersville and did studies. Then we went to leave and we couldn't find Hermana deLeon's tiwi (And ID card needed to drive) anywhere. We prayed and searched and finally we remembered that it was in Corcoran, so God answered our prayer in finding it! But we were in Visalia and Hermana Vergara also didn't have a tiwi. We then started to realize that 1) we never prayed to confirm that we had made the right exchanges decisions and 2) We had all had some sort of little thought that morning like, "Maybe I should bring extra clothes just in case" or "maybe exchanges should be different". But none of us listened! The Spirit chastized us..... So we decided that I would stay in Farmersville since I had my tiwi. And that time, we prayed, and looked up a verse in the Book of Mormon, and we felt good about it. That just meant that I got to wear Hermana Smith's clothes to zone conference! Moral of the story though: ALWAYS FOLLOW THE SPIRIT. Since then, in our companionship, we've been sharing every thought that comes to mind, even if you don't know if it's the Spirit, if it's good it probably is. FOLLOW IT.

Sister Cate (From my freshmen BYU ward) and Sister Buchanan at zone conference

Zone Conference was incredible! For the first time, we split off into English and Spanish for a few trainings. It was really cool to talk about spanish specific things and use our mission language. And we got a ride from President and Sister Mackay on the way down!

-- 

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#53 - HELLO EVERYONE!

HELLO EVERYONE!!

We went up to this apartment complex, and Hermana Harris felt that we shouldn't knock on this one door, so we skipped it and talked to some other people. As we were walking back, we ran into two guys and talked to them about the Book of Mormon, and they said that we could come back on Sunday. Then they walked into that apartment that we had been in and we were all a bit confused why we were prompted NOT to knock on it. We came back yesterday and while we were there teaching the two guys, there was another woman cooking and she came out for a bit and had some great questions. We think that she was the only one there before, and she is very set in her religion and probably would have rejected us if we knocked. But when she was just there listening to us teaching about Christ, she was really open to it. And then they offered us dinner afterwords and we have some new friends! God works in mysterious ways!

Also, we had a meeting in Fresno on Friday and I got to see Hermana Oldroyd again! Sorry I didn't take any other pictures, I'll repent and get better haha!

Love you all!

--

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#52 - HAPPY SUMMER!

HAPPY SUMMER!!!!

President Mackay bookmarks [He's their mission president]

It got up to the 90s this week- we're all getting ready for summer! 

This week we went on a little exchange with the sisters in Visalia - Sister Ferrell and Sister Morse. We talked to this really cool guy named Ralph, who took lessons from missionaries 15 years ago after his wife passed away. He writes poems and was going to write us all limericks. He shared a quote - I won't borrow from tomorrow, I won't be downcast about the past, I'll just saw WOW for now- He taught me that day. Just give everything you have now and don't worry about the past or future, it's all in God's hands.

exchanges

We went out to Caruthers and had a sweet experience with a family. The parents are both return missionaries that got back a few years ago. We shared Jacob 5:72 and then without even asking them the husband said, "You know, I haven't been doing as much missionary work since I got home, and I really feel like I should call Rosa". Then they texted us an hour later and said that they had called her and she wanted to listen! Missionary work works!! I'm so grateful that we followed the prompting to go and visit them.

We also did service for the "Selma Beautification Day". I hadn't been that dirty in  a long time. We weeded and planted flowers (I've learned more about yard work on my mission that in my whole life) and then cleaned out this barn from 1906. Super fun!

We knocked on this random door and asked to use this lady's bathroom, and she had this picture in her front room - it looks just like the First Vision! We shared the experience with her and it was pretty cool!

I started reading the Book of Mormon this week again, and we've been really focusing on it recently with all of the members. There's this one couple where the husband can't read very well since he didn't go to school at all growing up. It was really sweet to watch the wife help him out, and we promised him that if he read the book of Mormon everyday that his reading would improve. I would encourage you all to read the Book of Mormon. If you're already in it, keep reading, and if you haven't picked it up in a while, start again, and if you've never read it or don't have one, go to mormon.org and request a free one! I know that this book is true. And without it I would not have the peace and knowledge that I have of my Savior and His love.

And transfer calls came......We're all staying! I keep telling people that I'm never leaving Selma haha!

*correction, no coffee is the best coffee on the interstate

Love you all!!

--

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704

#51 - Just a normal missionary day/Everyone knows Bob

So Saturday:

We started off by serving at the Kingsburg Auto Show. We felt like we were in the 50s, all these classic cars and old music that we were trying not to listen to, it was fun to see everything and serve!

Then we went to the temple with the branch. A whole bunch of recent converts got to do baptisms for the first time, and there was such a peaceful feeling inside. Lots of primary kids stayed outside and colored pictures of the temple and talked about it. If you haven't been to the temple recently, I encourage you to go, and to bring your kids as well so they can feel the spirit of the temple from outside and have a goal of where to go one day.

Then we were informed that our investigator Moses was in critical condition in the hospital. We called up the elders serving nearby and asked them to give him a blessing. He ended up passing away while they were in the waiting room. But they were able to be there with the family and give him a blessing. They shared with us that it was a very sweet experience. I know that missionary work continues on the other side, our job here is to prepare people to come to Christ, and even after we pass away we still have the opportunity to learn and progress and become more like God.

Then afterwords we met up with our other friend and he wanted to play basketball while we taught. He stopped after a rebound, paused, and said, "I want to follow God, I'm going to do it. I'm going to get baptized".  SUCH A MIRACLE!! I've seen so many changes in him already, and I'm so excited for him to get baptized and start over following Christ.

And all of that happened in one day...we came home and crashed that night. I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!

I'll send some pictures next week, I think I put my phone on overload trying to upload, still trying to figure it out!

Hermana Marin Fisher & Elder Dietrich

p.s. At the temple on Saturday, there was a group of Vietnamese members from San Jose. Part of the group was a senior missionary, Elder Dietrich (Not vietnamese) who started talking to the senior couple serving in my branch. ( The Brandts, who used to live near Naperville). They told him to talk to me and he asked, "Sister Fisher, do you know Bob?". I started laughing and said, "Everyone knows Bob!". He got baptized into the Fox Valley Ward 38 years ago, just a few months after Grandpa became stake president. Small world!

--

Hermana Marin Fisher

California Fresno Mission

1814 N Echo

Fresno, CA 93704